Since it is Father's Day (I discovered earlier,) I decided to go ahead and publish the next chapter. =)
Vader's hatred of Kenobi had not abated by any significant amount, but he could at least grudgingly acknowledge that the annoying old Jedi had done a good job of protecting Luke and the Lars. That did not mean that Vader had to appreciate his former Master's presence around Skywalker's son.
Speaking of said son...it had taken about an hour to explain to Luke that Darth Vader was his father, and that his aunt and uncle had not realized his father was still alive, and that Vader had formerly gone by a different name which was the reason they hadn't known he was alive. The entire conversation had been punctuated with Luke's "why?"s. He had gazed at them all in turn, clinging to his T16 and considering everything they said, before re-christening Lord Vader yet again. It was not a name Vader had ever expected to answer to, and it completely incinerated every last vestige of his dignity, but he found that he did not terribly mind being called 'Daddy.' At least the troopers and Lars had had enough sense not to laugh - indeed, Beru had look a little terrified when Luke, apparently deciding to accept their explanation, lit up like noon, threw himself on Vader, and ecstatically announced that he had a daddy.
Vader had not known quite what to do, but it had not mattered much, as Luke then sat up straight and solemnly explained that he was "still too little to go up there," with a wave at the ceiling, but that when he got older, he'd come "piloting!" with his father, and until then his "Daddy" would just have to visit him sometimes. Vader was less than happy about leaving his precious son behind, but remembered with a pang of first grief, then regret, then annoyance at the most un-Sithly emotions, his own pain at leaving his mother as a young child and acknowledged to himself that Luke should probably stay with Beru yet awhile.
The lady of the house set out dinner, somehow managing enough even for the platoon of troops. Luke, curious as to why his father wasn't eating with them, asked for the mask to come off. Vader regretfully replied that it couldn't come off, or he'd die. After several moments' horror and sympathy, Luke had pulled himself together and firmly declared that one day, he'd heal his father so he could see his face. Vader could not bring himself to hurt his son further by informing him his father could not be healed.
When the Imperial troop went to depart a little before sunset, Vader promised to visit often and comm oftener before heading for the door. Luke, realizing that his just-found father intended to leave so soon, attached his small self to both Vader's legs and refused to let go until tucked into bed and told a story. Vader, unable to move without injuring his son and still in awe and delight over the discovery of the child, felt only the vaguest temptation of temper, and agreed to do as requested of him.
It must've been quite a sight, had anyone else been in the room to see it, for the great and mighty, terrible and terrifying, Dark Lord of the Sith to be cramped into a seat too small for him beside the bed of a very young boy, who gazed expectantly up at the insectoid black mask without the slightest shred of fear. Vader fumbled a moment for a story appropriate to tell a child, before settling - almost instinctively - on one of his tamer missions with Obi-Wan. As he spoke, shreds of fond memory returned to him, and he could not keep his tone its flat neutral. Luke himself sat up in bed, arms around his knees, to listen better until a firm pressure from his father pushed him back down.
Though it was clearly a struggle, Luke remained awake all through the story, until the resolution of the problem was reached. By the end of the Council report, he was fast asleep, and Anakin smiled humorously. He too had had little regard for the Council. Rising, he bent over young Skywalker, brushing the blonde hair back from the angelic little face, secretly longing to bestow a kiss on the small forehead. "I will see you soon, son," he murmured as low as he could. Slipping out the room, he closed the door behind him and returned to the living room. The stormtroopers were already outside, mounted on their various beasts, and Vader paused a moment to speak to the Lars. "Keep him well," he said abruptly.
"We will," Beru answered softly. "We love him, too, you know..."
A jerky downwards nod was the Dark Lord's answer. He did not see how anyone short of Palpatine himself could avoid loving Luke. "I will be back again to see him," he rumbled. "And keep Kenobi away from him!"
"Will do," Owen replied fervently - clearly, he was no fan of Kenobi, either.
After a moment's awkward, tense silence, Darth Vader, Dark Lord of the Sith, and doting father, strode from the small dwelling, black heart heavy.
One more installment after this.