This story is the sequel to guestsurprise's story "Never Replaced". Salwa, Cassie, Vamps, and Tyina belongs to guestsurprise. Ben 10 belongs to Cartoon Network and Man of Action. I only own Rachel, Judge Forhowser, and Vampiro.

No Need To Run Anymore

Salwa was still running as she glanced back the way she came, thinking about the aliens and her friends at the Mansion before turning away. "It's for the best," she said to herself, but she still felt guilty inside at leaving the ones who had taken her in and cared about her, even saving her from the Knights several times.

She suddenly collided with something and jumped back with a gasp, but then felt relief when she saw it was just Alien X. "Salwa, you're needed at the mansion," he said gently.

She was shocked that he came after her, but she shook her head. "I can't stay," she said to him. "Rachel and Rook need the room for their new children."

Alien X knew Salwa was speaking of the boy and girl that Rachel and her fiancée Rook had adopted about a week ago. "Salwa, do you truly think Rachel would kick you out just because she needed another room?" He asked her.

Salwa looked away. "No, she wouldn't," she said truthfully. "But…,"

"Rachel already has the room for her children," Alien X told her. "Eatle, Jury Rigg, and Grey Matter have already built two rooms for the children."

"They did?" Salwa asked.

Alien X nodded. "They did it as not only a welcoming present for their new niece and nephew, but also as a way to meet them and have the kids trust them," he said.

The young girl nodded and then felt Alien X's hand on her shoulder. "And there is someone looking for you too," he said to her.

She looked at him. "Someone's looking for me?" She asked.

He nodded. "Rachel and Rook are worried about you too," he said as he placed an arm gently around her waist in a hug, giving her a questioning look. She nodded, trusting him as she held onto him and he began flying back to the Grant Mansion. She hugged him.

"Why do you guys insist on having me stay when I'm just a friend?" She asked.

Alien X looked at her. "Salwa, do you really not know what you are to us?" He asked her.

"Just someone taking up space?" She asked.

"No," he said. "You are part of our family."

She looked up at him. "How?" She asked. "I'm not adopted by anyone at the mansion. I'm just a fugitive."

Alien X didn't say anything more and they soon reached the mansion where he took her inside. Rachel and Rook, who had been waiting for them after they had tracked down Cassie and Tyina with some help from Big Chill, Ghostfreak, and Vampiro, who had just arrived, were going over what had happened earlier. The girls had been reluctant to tell them what was wrong, but then Tyina had clung to Rook like a lifeline.

"Salwa feels like she's only taking up space at the Mansion!" She had cried into Rook's shoulder. After calming the girl down, she and Cassie told them about Salwa running away and she wasn't planning on coming back.

Rachel had asked why and Cassie said that Salwa felt she didn't belong since she wasn't adopted by anyone at the Mansion and then she had asked Rachel a question that had shocked the older woman.

"Will you still have time for us, now that you're a mom?"

Rachel had instantly taken both girls in her arms and told them to never think that just because she now had taken on another role in her life, she wouldn't be there for them too. "I'm a mother now, yes, but I'm also your aunt," she had told them. "And I'll always have time for my family."

Both girls had hugged her and told them that Salwa was heading east when they saw her last. Rachel at once sent Alien X to find Salwa while she, Vampiro, Ghostfreak, Rook, and Big Chill took Tyina and Cassie back home.

Rachel now stood up and went over to Salwa and pulled her into a hug. "Honey, don't you ever think that you're just taking up space here," she said. "You're one of us, Salwa, and we'd never, ever replace you."

"We can't replace you," Rook said. "Because you're one of a kind."

Salwa sniffled and clung to both Rachel and Rook, who held her close and comforted her before the girl looked up at them. "How did Alien X know where I was?" She asked.

"Cassie and Tyina told us after they realized we overheard them talking about you running away," Rachel said. "They were worried sick about you, hon. And the rest of us were afraid you'd run into the Knights again."

Salwa looked away in shame, but Rook gently tilted her chin up to look at them. "Salwa, do you think maybe you can stop running away?" He asked gently.

She sniffled again. "I…I'd like to," she admitted.

"That can be arranged," said another voice gently and they turned to see Vampiro come in. He smiled at Salwa. "Hello, Salwa," he said.

"You know who I am?" She asked in surprise.

He nodded. "It's important for a king to know everyone in his family," he said. "Also, if I might say so, I believe it's high time someone adopted you, little one."

She looked away. "I'd like that," she said softly. "If it's possible."

Vampiro came towards her and gently turned to to face him. "Would you be alright with me adopting you, little one?" He asked.

Salwa felt shock fill her. "What?" She asked. "But…you're a king…right?"

"Yes," he answered her.

The teenager turned away before looking at him. "Why would you want to be a father to a freak?" She asked softly.

A gentle, clawed hand lifted up her chin to look at Vampiro. "You are not a freak, Salwa. You never were," he said to her.

She looked at him and, even though she was meeting him for the first time, she saw something in his eyes that she had seen many of the others give the children who lived at the mansion.

She saw love, protection, and caring in his eyes. She looked at Rachel and Rook, who nodded encouragingly. "Vampiro knows about you, Salwa, because he's read your files and he's been thinking about adopting you for a long time now," said Rachel.

Salwa then looked at Rachel. "But…if he's a king," she began. "Why…would he adopt me when he has all that responsibility?"

"Because Anur Vladis has been at peace since Transyl was banished away and I've been ruling over the planet. I can still rule the planet from afar, but I trust the council to do what is right and if problems arise, then they can call me," said Vampiro. "Now, you didn't yet answer my question."

The teenager looked at him, seeing that he was very serious about adopting her and Whampire and Vamps came up behind her and she turned to them. "Did you know about this?" She asked.

"Know about what?" Vamps asked in confusion.

"No, they didn't," said Rachel with a smile. "Only three people knew about this. Vampiro, of course, Rook, and myself."

"Father?" Whampire asked. "What is going on here?"

Vampiro smiled. "You boys always wanted a little sister, I believe, yes?" He asked.

They nodded and Vampiro turned to Salwa. "You still haven't answered my question, little one," he said, amusement in his voice.

Salwa chose to respond without words and hugged Vampiro, who returned her hug. "Can…Can I call you 'Dad'?" She asked.

"Yes," he said.

Judge Forhowser entered the foyer. "The paperwork is finished," he said as he then politely excused himself.

"Wait," Salwa said as it then hit her. "You…You had already adopted me before you asked me?"

Vampiro smiled. "Something told me you would say 'yes'," he said with a chuckle.

Whampire's and Vamps' eyes widened. "Father, do you mean…you've adopted Salwa?" Vamps asked.

"Yes," said the king. "She is now your sister and needs two big brothers to be there for her as I will."

Whampire smiled. "She's got them," he said as he came up and gave Salwa a brotherly hug. Vamps did the same.

Salwa then looked at Vampiro. "Would you…have adopted me even if I had said 'no'?" She asked.

"Yes," he said. "Because in the time I have looked into your past and heard about you, I grew to love you as a daughter. I even spoke with Rachel and she told me about you as well, which made me want to give you what you hoped for, a father who would love you and care for you."

The teenager could see that Vampiro was serious and Whampire and Vamps, despite having just been surprised that they now had a little sister, were also serious too and she smiled, hugging them all as tears ran down her face.

Rachel and Rook smiled and saw Salwa turn to them before she hugged them both too. "I'm sorry," she whimpered as she cried into Rachel's shoulder.

"It's alright, honey," Rachel said gently as she rubbed the girl's back soothingly.

Rook hugged them both, one hand stroking Salwa's head. "You don't need to run anymore, Salwa," he said. "And we'd never kick you out for any reason."

She nodded and then went up to her new father, hugging him, before suddenly having a thought. "Um, does this mean I'm a…princess?" She asked.

"Yes, it does," said Vampiro, smiling at her before noticing she looked a bit troubled. "Why?"

"Do I have to wear dresses all the time now?"

That question prompted amused laughter from her family as Vampiro gently shook his head. "I prefer comfortable clothes to fancy suits myself," he said.

Giggling, Salwa happily hugged him again, glad to be a part of the family and to finally have a father and two brothers who really loved her and cared about her.

Bet you all didn't see that coming, hmm? But yes, Salwa has officially been adopted by Vampiro, who is now a permanent member of the Grant Mansion. :)

Please leave a review, but no flames!

GoldGuardian2418