Caught

By

Merrin Guthrie

Luke hyperventilated as he clung to the gantry. Vader his father?! He couldn't be! It was impossible, wasn't it? Wasn't it? "Come with me," Vader beckoned, reaching his hand out to Luke, urging him to trust him. "It is the only way." Luke let go of the gantry to fall to his escape, but Vader quickly stretched his hand down, using the Force. Luke froze in midair. His body became still and unable to move, as if a giant hand were clutching him. Vader lifted Luke back up from his attempted flee. Luke struggled in Vader's Force grip, trying to break free. Vader saw the tears streaming down Luke's cheeks and sensed his fear and disbelief. Vader brought Luke closer to get a better look at his son's horror-stricken face. "Do you honestly think I'm going to let you get away, now that I have you?" Vader growled as Luke trembled in trepidation. Vader turned and began to walk out of the shaft, Luke floating behind him, still in his invisible grasp. Luke struggled to break free of Vader's hold on him, but to no avail. Blood dripped from Luke's wrist where his hand used to be; the hand that his apparent father had severed. "You cut my hand off!" Luke snapped, angrily.

"It was an accident," Vader explained, "I was trying to get you to release your lightsaber. I never intended to sever your hand."

"Let me go!" Luke hissed, still struggling in Vader's Force clutch.

"I will, as soon as we get to the medical wing to fix your hand…Son." Vader added with a cruel smile, just to spite Luke.

"No! Don't call me that! I'm not your son! You're not my father!"

"I wonder how long you can deny the truth." Vader teased.

When they arrived at the medical wing, Luke was strapped to a table to restrain him. Luke struggled against his restraints and moved around too much for the droid doctors to work. He flung the medical equipment away with the Force in his fear. "He's resisting too much. We can't operate on him." one of the doctor droids informed Vader. "My Lord, could we have permission to sedate him?" Vader nodded his acceptance. The droids managed to stick a needle in Luke's arm and he slowly relaxed and fell asleep.

After the procedure, Vader looked in on his sleeping son. Luke's replacement hand was an exact replica of his other one. He tried to imagine Luke as a baby and as a child. The child he had lost. The child that he never got to see grow. He hated Obi-Wan with all his mite for taking him away. His eyes filled with tears as he reached down to stroke Luke's hair. Vader decided to keep Luke a secret from Palpatine. He didn't belong to Obi-Wan or the Emperor. Luke is mine! Luke began to stir and opened his eyes to see his father sitting next to him, caressing him. "You're all right, Luke." Vader assured, calmly. Luke couldn't take his eyes off of Vader. The feeling of Vader's hand was very comforting and loving. Why would a Sith Lord of the Dark Side fix his hand for him and still be here beside him? Luke realized that he did resemble Vader quite a bit. They had the same blue eyes, the same brown hair. He started to think that maybe what Vader had told him was true. "Of course, it's true." Vader whispered, reading Luke's mind. "I think I have a lot to explain, Luke."

"We've got nothing but time." Luke said.

Vader cracked a smile. He began to tell Luke about his mother, and how beautiful she was, and how deeply he loved her. He told him about his vision of her dying in childbirth and how he came to find out the Dark Side had the power to save her, but unfortunately, Obi Wan got him into a lightsaber duel and severed his legs, making him unable to get to his mother. "I could've saved her life, Luke." Vader said, sadly. "Obi Wan didn't just take you away from me, but he took your mother as well."

Luke's eyes began to well up with tears again. "He told me you killed my father. He lied to me. Why?"

"He wanted to use you, Luke." Vader said, stroking the side of Luke's face, brushing tears from his cheek. "He wanted to use you to destroy me. You were nothing but a tool to him." Luke shut his eyes and sobbed. Vader coiled his arms around Luke and held him as Luke wept into his chest. "I'm so sorry, Son."

"Father," Luke cried. It was the first time he had said it, and Vader knew that Luke had finally accepted the truth.

"It's alright, Son." Vader soothed. "The emperor lied to me. He said that I killed you and your mother in my anger, but when I found out who you were after you destroyed the Death Star, I realized the emperor tricked me in order to make me stay at his side. He deserves to die for keeping you from me."

Luke buried his face into his father's chest, unable to say anything else. Vader hugged Luke tighter, allowing him to cry his pain out. He continued to stroke his hair, trying to comfort him. "Shh," Vader whispered, kissing Luke's forehead. Luke's sobbing began to die down as he was slipping into sleep. Vader lied him back down on the bed as Luke shut his teary eyes. He pulled the covers over Luke and kissed him again. Vader took a last look at Luke before he left the chamber.

Vader knelt in front of the hologram of the emperor. "Lord Vader," Palpatine announced. "have you managed to capture young Skywalker?"

"I'm afraid not, Master." Vader lied. "I tried, but when I managed to disarm him, he jumped off the edge of the base at the last minute. I didn't sense him anymore after that."

"Do you suspect that he's dead?" Palpatine asked.

"I'm not sure, Master. I think he is. I didn't sense anything."

Palpatine frowned. "What a shame. He would've been a helpful ally."

Vader held back his anger. This was his son they were talking about! Palpatine wanted to use Luke as a tool as well, just like Obi Wan. I won't let him! Vader thought. Luke is mine!

"The Jedi said that he was the one destined to defeat me, and now that he is gone, I can destroy the rebellion and the Sith will rule the galaxy!"

Vader nodded. "Yes, my master."

"You are dismissed, Lord Vader."

Vader walked out of Palpatine's throne room and headed back to the medical wing. He sat back down beside Luke, who was fast asleep. As he stared at him, his heart filled with love. He was the last thing he had left of Padme. A combination of her blood and his. He reached down and stroked Luke's hair again. I'll protect you, my son. Vader quietly promised. No one will ever use you again.