Chapter 3 - Never Hurt Him, Part 1

(Summary: Six year old Luke has lots of people who love him - his mommy, his Uncle Obi, Uncle Rex and Aunt 'Soka - and now he knows he has a daddy who loves him too. One who might be a bit scary, and hard to hug, but that was okay. At least he promised to help Luke when the time right comes along.)

"I want you to promise me something, Luke." The child titled his head, looking questioningly up at the Sith.

"What?"

"I want you to promise that when you need to be stronger to protect your mother, when you need more power to keep her safe, you'll come to me."

"...Thought it was s'posed to be the other way 'round."

"It is. But as both of you get older, you'll see that you have to help protect her just as much as she does with you." Vader knelt, reaching forward to grasp his son's hand. "There was a time when I thought my wife was going to die, and I made a choice to seize power in order to save her. I failed, and because of that I'm now trapped in this suit. I do not ever want you to fail, Luke."

"Why not?"

Pushing back his fear of rejection, Vader touched a glove to the boy's face. "Because your mother was my wife, Luke. Because I am you father."

Luke's eyes widened. "Oh."

"Padme doesn't want anything more to do with me, which is why I can't simply keep you both here, safe and protected. My Master would not permit it, either. But someday, as you grow strong with the Force, you'll see that there are certain powers you need in order to care for your mother. And that's when you must return to me - when I'll teach you, train you, and together we'll make sure nothing can ever hurt Padme again. So, can you promise that you'll come back?"

The boy smiled, and reached up to hug him, a move that shocked Vader. "I promise, Daddy."

-SW-

"Luke's still in an office on the upper level," Padme panted, leading Rex and Ahsoka back to the hangar door. "Vader was talking to him when they took me down to the cells, we've got to get him before-"

The door opened, and they all slid to a stunned halt.

"Mommy!" Luke dashed towards her, chattering happily at a million miles an hour, while Vader remained silent and unmoving. Rex's blasters charged up and Ahsoka's sabers ignited, but still the Sith lord did not move.

"I would never hurt him." The words were barely louder than the respirator, but they seemed to reverberate through Padme's skull. "You have three minutes before the alarms sound and this bay is flooded with personnel." With that, he turned on his heel and left, the door sliding shut behind him.

The three adults didn't move until Luke tugged on his mother's shirt hem and asked when they were leaving to go home.