Active Headcanons: None, really

AUs: Post non-Return-of-the-Jedi conquering of Palpatine in which Vader survives

Trigger Warnings: None that I can think of

Vader made a valiant effort to get his jerking elbow in the face of one of his guards, only to have it dodged, and immediately recaptured. If they thought he would go down easily, simply because they had partially immobilized all his limbs, killed the Emperor, captured him, and stunned him half to death, they had another thing coming.

He would keep fighting. It was what he did. Even now, with no cause to fight for, and no motivation to fight for anyone, he would continue to fight.

He squeezed his eyes shut as someone gave an inexpert push at his back, applying pressure to an old scar enough that he had to bite back a whimper.

He was Darth Vader. He would not give them the satisfaction-

Would not be pushed around like he was a slave again-

Would not…

He bit down on his lip as hard as he could. They had tampered with his systems. He wasn't getting as much adrenaline as he needed to keep going. He would have to just…

He threw a hand up, wrenching it from their grip, and managing to smack a guard in the face. Smiling grimly, he attempted to pull away, only for a voice to cut through the haze.

"Father!"

He folded inwards, trying to block out the noise. He wished he could cover his ears, hide from that input… he was no father. He had claimed the boy before, because he had finally had something to give. Unlike with his mother, with Obi-Wan, with Padmé… he had finally had the means to keep the boy safe.

Now, he was only Darth Vader again.

He was a Sith, a shell of a man.

He had nothing to give anymore, not even love.

He had less than he ever had before.

"Father, it's all right. I'm here."

He could feel Luke gently pushing the guards away from him, and realized suddenly that he'd sunk to the floor.

He was so weak. He hated himself, he hated that he couldn't have even met his son with his head held high.

"What've they done?" Luke whispered, and Vader dared to open his eyes to peek at the child.

Luke. His son, his little boy, the galaxy's only gift to him… Which he had broken. Luke, who had been raised and trained as a weapon, as a tool to bring down his father. Luke, who had been denied his childhood, and then his family, and his dreams. Luke, who now was becoming exactly what the Jedi wanted. Luke, who he had hurt.

The boy was scrutinizing his control panel, clearly trying to puzzle out the purposes of the unlabelled buttons, but for just a second, Vader's better judgement was overridden, and he pulled the boy close.

He didn't care who was watching.

It was a moment he was likely to never have again, and he wanted to take it, for this second. They would easily dismiss it as their tampering messing with his mind. Luke would dismiss it, never know how deeply Vader meant it. It would be nothing to them, and a gleaming moment for Vader to hold onto.

He looked down at the boy, careful not to tilt his head, not to give any indication of how badly he needed to hold him.

He felt his son laugh, finally, pushing back. Feeling his heart break, he let go, and watched as Luke sat back.

It had only been a moment. He had KNOWN that it could only be for a moment.

Luke was smiling, though.

That was something.

As Vader sat and watched, taking in the smile, Luke reached over, and took his hand. "It's all right. I'm here."