DISCLAIMER: not mine, ain't making no money.

REVIEWERS: Thank you to all those who took the time to read and review my story and add it to your favorites. I'm afraid I'm too busy/lazy to answer you in any other way than a general one, what with school starting next week. I'll just keep the chapters coming, ok?

AN

You might have noticed that Luke has little trouble reading his father's mood or expression, even though they have been together for a very short time. I wanted to do this because it follows nicely with Luke feeling Anakin's pain after his duel with Obi-Wan, and shows both the strong connection between them and Luke's sensitivity to the living force. There's a little about Vader choking people because even though I appreciated your comment on Vader's humanity (thank you, that was exactly what I wanted to show) he has spent 4 years letting his anger and hatred get the better of him. He doesn't kill for pleasure or play with his victims (I don't want you to think of him as being deliberately cruel) but he doesn't shy away from it as a form of punishment or a means to an end. Still no Palpy, you'll have to wait for the next chapter.

CHAPTER 6

Luke stood next to the neatly made bed. Vader, no his father, had told him he would come for him after they made orbit. Growing up on Tatooine you learned to do without a lot of things, and Luke had taken up daydreaming as a hobby. Now, however he was too nervous to play any imaginary game. Although he wouldn't admit it, especially now he found out his father was Darth Vader, Luke was terrified. He had left his home some time ago, but so far he had seen only the slave compound, the hull of the slavers ship, a misty forest and this room. Nothing that came even near to a city as big as Coruscant, which stretched across an entire planet. He also didn't know anyone except his father, and from what he knew of the Dark Lord's habits, he traveled a lot and wasn't what one would call the caring type. All his life Luke had loved his father and in the man's absence he had come up with a certain image to go with the name. Luke had thought up a strong and brave man who would tell him stories of all the places he had seen, who would laugh and play with him, who would take him to fly together, who would hug him and tuck him in at night. From what he had seen of Vader the man was kind enough, but Luke had a knack for distinguishing between emotions and had come to realize some years ago that kindness and affection were quite different. Still, Luke knew his father felt more for him that Uncle Owen ever would or could and the simple fact that the man was his father made him feel somewhat closer to the boy, more likely to put up with Luke and his constant blabbing and impossible dreams. Despite this, Luke was somewhat disappointed he hadn't got the whole package, and was annoyed with himself for feeling like that.

The door swished open and Luke was left to stare upwards at his father. He had known the dark Lord was tall, but only now this fact seemed to hit him. Aware that he was caught starring, Luke tried to mask his embarrassment. Unfortunately he chose to do so by blurting out the first thing on his mind.

'Do you think I'll grow as tall as you?' he asked in a hopeful voice and though the mask stayed frozen he thought he could fell Vader's amusement.

'Maybe, unless you take after your mother' Vader's good mood seamed to vanish as sudden as it began.

'But she wasn't what you would call short, was she?' insisted Luke, determined to get a reassuring answer for what had been one of the major problems in his short life.

Vader said nothing, but Luke tried to imagine him smiling reassuringly behind the mask. Why was it then that he could just as well picture him smirking?

Luke trailed behind his father as the two made their way towards the elevators. The few people who caught sight of them turned their heads to prevent themselves from staring. During the short time Vader had spent aboard the Avenger, he had become the new worst fear of all the officers, and the rest of the crew gave him a wide berth.

Vader knew that if he wanted to accomplish anything he needed both authority and for it to be acknowledged. Unfortunately, he often lacked the necessary time to prove to his subordinates that he was in command because of a certain reason or skill. In those cases he settled for impressing upon them the wisdom of fearing him – that way his orders were unchallenged and promptly executed. The present level of obedience and efficiency aboard the Avenger had been achieved after the swift demise of a communication officer who had put him on hold and the admiral who had protested at Vader's way of solving the problem. The rest had learned quickly that Vader's orders were given top priority and his actions never questioned, not even behind his back, as a former squadron commander who woke up one morning as part of the cleaning crew discovered.

Vader and Luke took a shuttle to the surface which Vader piloted himself, grateful to be back and relieved that after accepting his report, the Emperor hadn't requested his presence. Of course that might be explained by the fact that Vader hadn't mentioned Luke, but such sensitive information could only be delivered in person. And Vader told himself he really shouldn't alarm the army of spies that watched his every move in the Imperial Palace with an unscheduled visit. It was best to wait until Palpatine summoned him. Even if the Emperor might be slightly irritated by that time. It wasn't as if Vader was delaying informing the Emperor too much. Not more than a week.

The shuttle landed smoothly inside Vader's hangar and Luke felt his jaw drop to the floor. The hangar was the largest room Luke had seen so far and almost half of it was full with ships of every size and shape. Techs were working on some of them and droids were cleaning others. They all knew better than to interrupt their work when the ramp was lowered and Lord Vader stepped off it and onto the immaculate floor. They might have noticed a small boy walking a few steps behind the tall man, eyes wide, trying to take in everything he saw around him, but if they did, they soon forgot at a gesture from Vader just before the doors of the lift closed.

'Are those ships yours?' Luke appeared to have finally found his voice. Part of Vader felt sorry: he enjoyed the silence. It fitted the solitary life he had.

'Yes'

'All of them?' he asked excitedly.

'Yes'

'You don't talk much, do you?'

'I talk whenever I want to communicate something. As opposed to when I'm bored, excited, apprehensive, depressed, tired, curious and even asleep, which is what you do.'

'How do you know I talk in my sleep?' Luke went on without missing a beat. 'And you're wrong; I only talk when I have someone to talk to. That doesn't happen too often. Didn't happen until recently. Actually, Aunt Beru said I'm unusually quiet. Actually … I think I'll be quiet now.' He finished once Vader had stopped walking in favor of looking at him in a way that communicated how unimpressed he was with such behavior.

Two minutes and three corridors later Luke couldn't take the heavy silence any more. He knew from past experience that apologizing didn't make things better, sometimes it only made his uncle angrier, but it was nonetheless something that had to be done so the other knew you were sorry. All he wanted was to prevent a misunderstanding. After all, it wasn't like Vader could read his mind and know what he was about to say.

'I'm sorry.' Luke waited and reading no negative emotion because of his interruption, decided to go on. 'If you don't like me talking that much just tell me and I'll behave' ('I'm good at behaving like I'm told' he thought sadly)'It's just that …, um… this is so new to me and so … much and….' He trailed off.

'Don't worry about it. I will tell you.' Said Vader and the air was easier to breathe.

'Will you teach me to fly them?' Luke asked, his good mood returning

'One day.' Vader said and was rewarded with a shy smile which he didn't acknowledge.

He was still bothered about how easily he had brushed aside the boy's 'you're wrong'. Coming from anyone beside the Emperor such impolite open defiance would have ended with the death of the fool daring to question him. He was still upset, could feel his eyes narrowed but he felt no need to punish the boy. Except for some serious lessons in manners and protocol. (Thank the Force we have time for that before he meets the Emperor or anyone else.) That upset him even more. Before he could dwell on the new standard which had appeared for Luke's sake alone, they arrived at the room he had prepared for the boy. Vader entered the code and set the door to recognize Luke's hand print. The door opened and the two remained standing on the threshold because Luke seemed to busy to enter. He cast his eyes over the large bed in the center of the room, the couch, the long worktable that had a terminal at one end finally settling on the small plant by the window. Vader who had followed his gaze said:

'I'll get someone to take that out.'

'NO, I like it' Luke said and crossed the room over the fluffy rug finally coming to a stop in front of the small green bush.

'You can get something that looks better and actually fits the size of the pot' Vader reasoned.

'No, I like this one' Luke insisted, a note of finality in his voice.

Small warning signs went off in Vader's head. 'A plant, I ask you. Why would anyone feel the need to fight for a plant? I have one child, whose position in life is delicate at best, with much of the decision whether he lives depending on what the Emperor thinks of him and he is as stubborn as' … 'Me?' the little voice in his head supplied. 'Shut up!' thought Vader and was answered with laughter. A content sort of laughter.

'Very well' he said out loud. 'Then you'll have no problem taking care of it. If it lives by the end of the month you will get something that actually resembles a decorative plant, rather than a traffic accident.' Vader had felt Luke's decision to 'compromise' by agreeing to 'let' him get another plant in addition to the one already here.

'Thank you. I like the room' Luke tried to convey his gratitude.

'It is rather large for someone your age but mine is across the hall and I wanted you close by.' There was the slightest warning in his voice and Luke thought his father rather expected him to misbehave.

Luke didn't do that often, but sometimes strange things happened around him. Uncle Owen used to get mad; Luke only hoped his father would continue to be more lenient. He certainly appeared like that, what with answering his questions, not even cuffing him when he was displeased and letting him keep Jo. (He had already named the plant) Uncle Owen would have taken it away just because he had said so, no matter what reason he had or what better solution Luke came up with. Luke hoped he didn't get to see Vader mad because of him. He liked him so far and thought that with a little work they could get along fine, even if they wouldn't end up the best of friends. For some reason that made him sad. Luke had accepted that this was his father – the real father, not just a dream and despite some obvious lacks, it was still heaps better than living on Tatooine. So he was grateful, and a little sad. But that was all right. He could be happy here. Even if his father wasn't very affectionate and endlessly patient.

'The fresher is through that door' Vader said after a moment. 'You can have food delivered to your room, but I want to show you where you can eat if you don't want to do it here. There are some clothes in there; I will have someone take you shopping for more tomorrow. Take a shower and I will come for you in an hour.'