Han rushed to his lover's bedside as he and Vader stepped into the sterile
white room. Luke shifted to allow Han to sit on the bed next to the small
form and take her hand into his own. Luke glanced up at his father as the
two on the bed spoke softly to each other.
"Father, Han--— Leia and I have something to tell you."
Han turned and looked at Luke and then back at Leia, a frown creasing his forehead.
"What's up, Kid?"
"Luke and I are twins!" Leia blurted, a smile blossoming on her face.
Han's eyes widened as he looked back and forth between the siblings once again, seeing them in a new light.
"WHAT?! Whoa!"
Luke laughed and glanced back up at his father, who had not moved since he had stepped into the room.
Luke frowned, "Father?"
Leia's smile faded as she looked at her father, she felt a slight panic rise in her chest at the thought of him rejecting her--- she was not the child that Luke was.
Vader shook his head and looked away, as if ashamed.
Luke glanced at his sister and stood, alarmed, "Father?"
"I'm sorry," he spoke softly, "I should have told you sooner."
Luke, Leia, and Han exchanged frowns.
"What do you mean…Father?" Leia asked quietly.
"I knew, I have known for quite some time."
Luke's eyes widened, anger radiated from him as he stepped closer to the giant form before him, "What do you mean you knew? Why didn't you tell us?"
"I…I was afraid."
"AFRIAD!?" Luke shouted, moving to place himself between his father and the imaginary point of comfort that Vader stared at rather than the three shocked people behind him.
"How could you?" Luke hissed, glaring at him intensely.
"I did not want to put Leia in danger…" he whispered. "You, Luke, did not choose to have the galaxy find out about your heritage… but Leia… Leia has a choice."
Luke blinked, glancing back at his sister who was slowly rising from her bed, tears in her eyes.
"You were protecting me…" she whispered.
Vader nodded shortly, still looking over Luke's shoulder, refusing to meet his son's eyes.
Leia stepped between her father and brother and smiled.
She smiled at the man she once hated with all of her being.
She smiled and embraced him.
Vader flinched in surprise, at first uncertain how to respond. He glanced at his son, who nodded in encouragement, and he slowly brought his arms around the small woman against his chest. As he slowly held her tighter, the past flashed before him, and he saw himself holding Padmé… he relived the last moment he and his wife had been together… and happy
~
Luke awoke with a start, sweat smeared his body. He sat up and glanced around the dimly lit room slowly, his eyes wide. He pressed his lips together as he felt his throat stick to itself in its dryness, he pulled himself from the bed and shuffled across the floor to the refresher.
He flicked on the light, squinting at its startling brightness and moved for the sink. He stared at his own reflection in the mirror as he held his fingers under the running water, feeling it gradually cool. He cupped his hands and bent his head, scooping the fresh water into his mouth, feeling the coolness fill his chest. He bent his head further, splashing the water onto his face. With a gasp, he stood again, staring into the mirror once more.
It had been twelve hours since he discovered that his father had been concealing his sister from the galaxy… and from him.
He rubbed his eyes, he knew that his father had good intentions… but he just wished that those good intentions would have included him knowing about his sister, and she him.
He sighed, propping his hands on the side of the sink as he bent his head forward. What he wouldn't give to be bored and on Tatooine again… he laughed at his thought, lifting his head.
When his eyes me the mirror he frowned.
Behind him, leaning casually against the wall, was a jade-eyed woman—red curls cascading along her pale neck. The image smiled tightly at the sleep wreaked Skywalker gazing into the mirror.
Luke bent his head again, murmuring, "And I would do MUCH better if my mind would stop playing tricks on me…"
A tight laugh sounded from behind him, he turning in alarm—-the "image" did not disappear this time.
Luke backed against the sink as she stepped forward, reaching out and running a single fingertip from his collarbone to his navel.
"What's the matter Skywalker? Aren't you happy to see me?"
Luke blinked, "Wha--?"
The woman smiled coldly, "I've brought someone… someone who very much wants to meet you."
Luke remained frozen as the woman turned towards the threshold of the small room, just as a small form stepped forward.
Luke felt his heart skip a beat as the figure stepped towards him, golden hair glistening against the glare of the lights, blue eyes shining at him in wonder.
Luke looked up at the woman of his nightmares, sneering at him like a cat would a cornered mouse.
She smiled in mock sweetness, "I'm sorry if we caught you at a bad time, Mortimer wanted to meet his father."
Luke spun on his heel and threw-up violently into the sink.
~
Luke sat, pulling his robe around himself tightly, staring at the child before him.
His own bright blue eyes stared back at him.
Luke glanced uneasily at Jade, who stalked across the plush carpet of his quarters, occasionally throwing a glare at him.
Luke twisted his lip in annoyance, "What are you waiting for anyway?"
Mara stopped pacing, looking out the immense window before her, "Where is Vader?"
Luke smirked, "Why? You scared, Jade?"
She frowned, turning to face him, "Skywalker, my only concern is that you take our son and give him the life he deserves."
Luke was suddenly on his feet, his eyes in flames, "You rape me, have this child, disappear for ten years and then appear in my 'fresher in the middle of the night demanding that I 'give him the life he deserves'?! What kind of crazy bitch are you?"
Mara stepped away from the flaming prince, glancing down at her son who sat unmoved except for a small smirk spreading across his lips. Luke glanced down at his son as well, the kid was enjoying the outburst, he wasn't frightened by it.
Luke's eyes met Mara's, "What kind of demon have you raised?"
She smiled, looking down at her son proudly, "The finest."
Luke ground his teeth, preventing the anger he felt rising within him from coming forth. Ten years he had harbored this anger, and some how he'd not fallen to the dark side, he'd not let two simple words from HER destroy all he had worked to become.
Mara stepped closer to Luke, reaching out to brush a lock of hair from his eyes, "Now I suggest, Luke, that you claim little Mortimer as your son, marry me," Luke's eyes widened has she spoke, "and stop your whining."
Luke pulled away from her, narrowing his eyes, "I do not whine."
She smiled tightly, "Sure you don't, Darling."
"I'm not marrying you."
She nodded slowly, "Oh yes you are. You see, OUR son wants his parents together and happy, therefore you WILL do it."
Luke opened his mouth to protest when she cut him off, "Or you shall see first hand what kind of demon your son can be…"
He turned from her and walked off, he needed to get dressed—- there was no way he was going to argue with her in his bathrobe any longer. And he had to find his father—--yes, Darth Vader at his back would be a VERY good thing…
~
Vader stood in the hallway before his son's quarters feeling that there was something very wrong. He raised his hand to knock, hesitated—and, feeling a surge through the Force, burst through the door. There, in the middle of the room, stood his son entirely clad in black with an elegant cape hanging from his shoulders. Before him, stood Mara Jade, each of her hands resting on the shoulders of a small boy who stood before him; a shadow of the prince* he gazed up at. Vader blinked as the child slowly turned his head to gazed at the Emperor Vader. He smiled darkly, "How gracious of you to join us, Lord Vader, we've been expecting you."
Vader clenched his fist at the title he had shed a decade ago, holding back the urge to crush the child where he stood. The boy blinked at him, smiling innocently… staring at him with Luke's eyes.
Vader shot a look at his son, who answered him with an equally disturbed expression.
Mara turned, smiling, to Vader, "Your highness, if you will, please make arrangements; the prince and I are to wed."
"WHAT?"
To Mara's credit, she only took one step back as Vader bellowed angrily in her face.
She pressed her lips together and resumed, "Your son and I are to wed, Mortimer here, your grandson, shall be heir to the throne."
Vader inhaled deeply before replying, "I think not, Jade."
Mara smiled sweetly, "He is Luke's son…"
"He is a bastard conceived out of the pain of my son, he'll not touch the Empire we have worked so meticulously to build."
Mara's face grew dark, "Don't make me take this to the media…"
Luke crossed his arms and mumbled, "Oh, that's original."
Mara sneered as she placed a proud hand on her son's shoulder, "Trust me, you do not want this boy as you enemy."
Luke and Vader exchanged looks, Luke smiled, "That won't be a problem."
Mara's eyes widened, and then her eyes fell upon the doorway—-the door still opened from Vader's entrance.
"Do you hear what he means to do to his own son?"
Luke and Vader bent their heads in unison to see the doorway… there stood Han and Leia, their eyes wide.
"Luke…" Leia stammered, "You'd harm your own son?"
Luke looked back at the wide eyed boy before him, "That may be my son's body… but that is not my son…" he looked down at the floor, "I felt my son die ten years ago… when his body was stolen."
Luke's eyes met the child's as a flash of yellow passed over them.
"Did you really think you could regain the throne so easily, Palpatine?"
The child's eyes narrowed at his father, and before Luke could make a sound he was thrown against the wall in a volley of lighting.
Vader straightened in shock as his son let out a moan and fainted against the wall in a heap.
Mortimer smiled, "Did you think my resurrection would deny me my power of the Dark Side?"
The child stroked his mother's hand affectionately, motioning towards his father with a nod of his head, "Collect Father, we shall be needing him."
As Mara moved towards the unconscious Luke, her Master/Son dealt with his grandfather, aunt, and soon-to-be uncle with another burst of lighting… and a delighted smile across his face.
[*A/N: "Shadow," in the renaissance, meant "reflection;" I use it in that sense.]
"Father, Han--— Leia and I have something to tell you."
Han turned and looked at Luke and then back at Leia, a frown creasing his forehead.
"What's up, Kid?"
"Luke and I are twins!" Leia blurted, a smile blossoming on her face.
Han's eyes widened as he looked back and forth between the siblings once again, seeing them in a new light.
"WHAT?! Whoa!"
Luke laughed and glanced back up at his father, who had not moved since he had stepped into the room.
Luke frowned, "Father?"
Leia's smile faded as she looked at her father, she felt a slight panic rise in her chest at the thought of him rejecting her--- she was not the child that Luke was.
Vader shook his head and looked away, as if ashamed.
Luke glanced at his sister and stood, alarmed, "Father?"
"I'm sorry," he spoke softly, "I should have told you sooner."
Luke, Leia, and Han exchanged frowns.
"What do you mean…Father?" Leia asked quietly.
"I knew, I have known for quite some time."
Luke's eyes widened, anger radiated from him as he stepped closer to the giant form before him, "What do you mean you knew? Why didn't you tell us?"
"I…I was afraid."
"AFRIAD!?" Luke shouted, moving to place himself between his father and the imaginary point of comfort that Vader stared at rather than the three shocked people behind him.
"How could you?" Luke hissed, glaring at him intensely.
"I did not want to put Leia in danger…" he whispered. "You, Luke, did not choose to have the galaxy find out about your heritage… but Leia… Leia has a choice."
Luke blinked, glancing back at his sister who was slowly rising from her bed, tears in her eyes.
"You were protecting me…" she whispered.
Vader nodded shortly, still looking over Luke's shoulder, refusing to meet his son's eyes.
Leia stepped between her father and brother and smiled.
She smiled at the man she once hated with all of her being.
She smiled and embraced him.
Vader flinched in surprise, at first uncertain how to respond. He glanced at his son, who nodded in encouragement, and he slowly brought his arms around the small woman against his chest. As he slowly held her tighter, the past flashed before him, and he saw himself holding Padmé… he relived the last moment he and his wife had been together… and happy
~
Luke awoke with a start, sweat smeared his body. He sat up and glanced around the dimly lit room slowly, his eyes wide. He pressed his lips together as he felt his throat stick to itself in its dryness, he pulled himself from the bed and shuffled across the floor to the refresher.
He flicked on the light, squinting at its startling brightness and moved for the sink. He stared at his own reflection in the mirror as he held his fingers under the running water, feeling it gradually cool. He cupped his hands and bent his head, scooping the fresh water into his mouth, feeling the coolness fill his chest. He bent his head further, splashing the water onto his face. With a gasp, he stood again, staring into the mirror once more.
It had been twelve hours since he discovered that his father had been concealing his sister from the galaxy… and from him.
He rubbed his eyes, he knew that his father had good intentions… but he just wished that those good intentions would have included him knowing about his sister, and she him.
He sighed, propping his hands on the side of the sink as he bent his head forward. What he wouldn't give to be bored and on Tatooine again… he laughed at his thought, lifting his head.
When his eyes me the mirror he frowned.
Behind him, leaning casually against the wall, was a jade-eyed woman—red curls cascading along her pale neck. The image smiled tightly at the sleep wreaked Skywalker gazing into the mirror.
Luke bent his head again, murmuring, "And I would do MUCH better if my mind would stop playing tricks on me…"
A tight laugh sounded from behind him, he turning in alarm—-the "image" did not disappear this time.
Luke backed against the sink as she stepped forward, reaching out and running a single fingertip from his collarbone to his navel.
"What's the matter Skywalker? Aren't you happy to see me?"
Luke blinked, "Wha--?"
The woman smiled coldly, "I've brought someone… someone who very much wants to meet you."
Luke remained frozen as the woman turned towards the threshold of the small room, just as a small form stepped forward.
Luke felt his heart skip a beat as the figure stepped towards him, golden hair glistening against the glare of the lights, blue eyes shining at him in wonder.
Luke looked up at the woman of his nightmares, sneering at him like a cat would a cornered mouse.
She smiled in mock sweetness, "I'm sorry if we caught you at a bad time, Mortimer wanted to meet his father."
Luke spun on his heel and threw-up violently into the sink.
~
Luke sat, pulling his robe around himself tightly, staring at the child before him.
His own bright blue eyes stared back at him.
Luke glanced uneasily at Jade, who stalked across the plush carpet of his quarters, occasionally throwing a glare at him.
Luke twisted his lip in annoyance, "What are you waiting for anyway?"
Mara stopped pacing, looking out the immense window before her, "Where is Vader?"
Luke smirked, "Why? You scared, Jade?"
She frowned, turning to face him, "Skywalker, my only concern is that you take our son and give him the life he deserves."
Luke was suddenly on his feet, his eyes in flames, "You rape me, have this child, disappear for ten years and then appear in my 'fresher in the middle of the night demanding that I 'give him the life he deserves'?! What kind of crazy bitch are you?"
Mara stepped away from the flaming prince, glancing down at her son who sat unmoved except for a small smirk spreading across his lips. Luke glanced down at his son as well, the kid was enjoying the outburst, he wasn't frightened by it.
Luke's eyes met Mara's, "What kind of demon have you raised?"
She smiled, looking down at her son proudly, "The finest."
Luke ground his teeth, preventing the anger he felt rising within him from coming forth. Ten years he had harbored this anger, and some how he'd not fallen to the dark side, he'd not let two simple words from HER destroy all he had worked to become.
Mara stepped closer to Luke, reaching out to brush a lock of hair from his eyes, "Now I suggest, Luke, that you claim little Mortimer as your son, marry me," Luke's eyes widened has she spoke, "and stop your whining."
Luke pulled away from her, narrowing his eyes, "I do not whine."
She smiled tightly, "Sure you don't, Darling."
"I'm not marrying you."
She nodded slowly, "Oh yes you are. You see, OUR son wants his parents together and happy, therefore you WILL do it."
Luke opened his mouth to protest when she cut him off, "Or you shall see first hand what kind of demon your son can be…"
He turned from her and walked off, he needed to get dressed—- there was no way he was going to argue with her in his bathrobe any longer. And he had to find his father—--yes, Darth Vader at his back would be a VERY good thing…
~
Vader stood in the hallway before his son's quarters feeling that there was something very wrong. He raised his hand to knock, hesitated—and, feeling a surge through the Force, burst through the door. There, in the middle of the room, stood his son entirely clad in black with an elegant cape hanging from his shoulders. Before him, stood Mara Jade, each of her hands resting on the shoulders of a small boy who stood before him; a shadow of the prince* he gazed up at. Vader blinked as the child slowly turned his head to gazed at the Emperor Vader. He smiled darkly, "How gracious of you to join us, Lord Vader, we've been expecting you."
Vader clenched his fist at the title he had shed a decade ago, holding back the urge to crush the child where he stood. The boy blinked at him, smiling innocently… staring at him with Luke's eyes.
Vader shot a look at his son, who answered him with an equally disturbed expression.
Mara turned, smiling, to Vader, "Your highness, if you will, please make arrangements; the prince and I are to wed."
"WHAT?"
To Mara's credit, she only took one step back as Vader bellowed angrily in her face.
She pressed her lips together and resumed, "Your son and I are to wed, Mortimer here, your grandson, shall be heir to the throne."
Vader inhaled deeply before replying, "I think not, Jade."
Mara smiled sweetly, "He is Luke's son…"
"He is a bastard conceived out of the pain of my son, he'll not touch the Empire we have worked so meticulously to build."
Mara's face grew dark, "Don't make me take this to the media…"
Luke crossed his arms and mumbled, "Oh, that's original."
Mara sneered as she placed a proud hand on her son's shoulder, "Trust me, you do not want this boy as you enemy."
Luke and Vader exchanged looks, Luke smiled, "That won't be a problem."
Mara's eyes widened, and then her eyes fell upon the doorway—-the door still opened from Vader's entrance.
"Do you hear what he means to do to his own son?"
Luke and Vader bent their heads in unison to see the doorway… there stood Han and Leia, their eyes wide.
"Luke…" Leia stammered, "You'd harm your own son?"
Luke looked back at the wide eyed boy before him, "That may be my son's body… but that is not my son…" he looked down at the floor, "I felt my son die ten years ago… when his body was stolen."
Luke's eyes met the child's as a flash of yellow passed over them.
"Did you really think you could regain the throne so easily, Palpatine?"
The child's eyes narrowed at his father, and before Luke could make a sound he was thrown against the wall in a volley of lighting.
Vader straightened in shock as his son let out a moan and fainted against the wall in a heap.
Mortimer smiled, "Did you think my resurrection would deny me my power of the Dark Side?"
The child stroked his mother's hand affectionately, motioning towards his father with a nod of his head, "Collect Father, we shall be needing him."
As Mara moved towards the unconscious Luke, her Master/Son dealt with his grandfather, aunt, and soon-to-be uncle with another burst of lighting… and a delighted smile across his face.
[*A/N: "Shadow," in the renaissance, meant "reflection;" I use it in that sense.]