"—give me a minute, then," she says before disappearing into the room.

That's step one in making this turn out not-terrible, she guesses.

She comes out a minute later. "You can come in," she says, trying to sound reassuring.

Ellie doesn't think this woman matters all that much. She goes in with Sadde.

They're in a spacious office where a tall man in a suit is waiting for them, smile bright enough to rival the morning sun shining through a window large enough to almost consume one of the walls completely. "Welcome, welcome!" he says, and the woman who led them there waves and closes the door behind her as she leaves. "Sit, sit, you don't need to stand there all day." To demonstrate this fact, he takes a seat at one of the comfortable sofas in the middle of the room.

She'll follow Sadde's lead.

Sadde sits, after a second's hesitation.

Ellie sits next to her.

"So!" the cheerful man says. "You wanted to both come here at the same time? Splendid, it's great that you're making friends this fast. You know, I think you're the youngest parahumans on record!"

"Mm."

"Right, then." He looks at Ellie, turning grave. "I'm afraid we... haven't been able to find much on you. I don't suppose you remember much of your life before—yesterday?"

"No."

He nods. "We have resources to deal with that. We could find you a family to stay with, or you could stay with the Protectorate, effectively a ward of the Wards." He looks awfully pleased about this pun. "You'll have a monthly allowance, clothes, food, and school, all for free."

"I don't want a family."

He nods. "That's understandable. We'll discuss paperwork later, but you can stay here with us."

"What about her."

    "Right, yes, Miss Woods... I believe you do have family, yes?"

"No. My mom d-died—" She stops herself before she dissolves into tears again.

    He nods, sadly. "I'm extremely sorry for your loss. I can't imagine... But you still have your father."

"No."

    "No?"

"No."

    "...would you like to elaborate?"

"I don't want to be anywhere near him ever again. Ever ever ever."

Ellie's hands are tight down by her side, fists clenched to white knuckles.

    "Miss Woods, I understand the loss of your mother is still fresh—"

"He's mean and I hate him and if you make me live with him I'll become a villain and I'll come after all of you."

    "Now come on, be reasonable—"

"She said she doesn't want to."

Ghosts flicker in and out behind her.

The man's eyes flicker to the ghosts and he purses his lips. "I... suppose there's no reason he should know you're alive..."

Sadde nods forcefully, not noticing the ghosts.

Ellie relaxes a little, and the ghosts fade.

    "You understand this is a very serious decision? You're very young—"

"I don't care. She is too and you're letting her live here, so I can. You can change my last name, even my first name, just don't make me live with him again."

    "...very well."

Good. That's good. Now she doesn't have to be alone here.

His eyes flicker to where the ghosts were then return to the two girls. "Do you two will need new identities, then; civilian ones, not associated with your past lives, although in your case that's impossible anyway," he says, directing that last to Ellie. "Do you remember your last name, by any chance?"