Wally had taken the entire week off, just to be sure that I was getting settled in alright. I appreciated the concern, but he had a job to do. The fate of the world was more important than me. He had to come with me to get registered for school anyways, which was an interesting experience.

He lead me through the various clichés that crowded the stone steps into Central City High School. I noticed a couple of girls checking him out, with satisfied looks on their faces. To this, I almost had to laugh. Sometimes, on the news, I'd see women swoon over Wally. While in costume, he acted like a suave ladies man, when in reality, breasts made him nervous.

When the two of us walked in, everyone seemed to give us strange looks, probably due to the fact that a seventeen year old girl was being escorted by a mildly attractive twenty-four year old. We walked towards the main office, where a relatively ancient woman gave us the necessary forms to complete. Wally wrote down all information, but left one spot blank. He hesitated, then turned to me, face serious.

"I had gone to see your mom a couple days before the accident. She had told me that she changed her last name back to West. I'm assuming his applies to you as well, but it's your choice whether you want to stay Katherine Green."

I took a moment to absorb this information. It's not like I was attached to my last name, considering my father abandoned my mother when I was a couple months old. I always wondered why she never took the time to take her maiden name back. If I did the same, it would just be another way to be attached to my mother, as if I was carrying on what she couldn't finish.

"Katherine West doesn't sound so bad."

Wally smiled. It was as if our unconventional family was closer now that we shared the same last name.

We were then showed to the guidance office to schedule my classes. The councilor, another seemly ancient woman with a pinched face, had my transcripts in hand, and began to point out classes she recommend I take.

"You seem to excel in math, so try the Pre Calculus with Mr. Ryner. You're going to have to catch up with everyone else, but it shouldn't be that much of an issue for you."

I did always enjoy math. There was a certain comfort that no matter what you did to the numbers, they always came out the same. Four times four would always equal sixteen. As I read over my schedule, the councilor turned her attention to Wally, who was scanning over some paperwork. She folded her hands together, blue veins protruding from her wrinkled skin.

"If you don't mind me asking, how did you gain guardianship of your niece, Mr. West?"

Wally looked up from the papers, shot a glance at me, then back to the councilor.

"My sister died in a car accident."

"And she thought that you were best suited to take care of Katherine?"

I winced, both at the name and at the jab at my uncle. She wasn't aware of the fact he was a founding leader of an international superhero team. He was more than qualified.

"Apparently."

She nodded, turning around to face her computer.