Originally written for the tumblr prompt:

AU years after Return of the Jedi. Dark Vader lives but didn't often see his children, even if more Luke than Leia. Then Luke invites him to his marriage... with Mara Jade. Vader's POV if possible.

Hope you enjoy!


"Now, I know it doesn't exactly look…" Luke trailed off.

Mara snorted. "Hospitable?"

"No—well, yes—but I meant…" He peered out the viewport again, trusting his hands to guide them in for a moment. "Jedi-like."

"Actually, I'm pretty sure the old Jedi Temple had lava pits underneath it. The Imperial Palace got smelly sometimes because of them."

"Did it? If we—" He shook himself when she laughed out loud. "Don't mess with me like that! I don't know anything."

"And don't trust my word," she teased. Then added, a little more soberly, "Because I don't know anything either."

"You must know who my father is though."

"Of course I do. He might even know me."

"Hopefully, if I'm gonna win this bet with Leia. But in a good way or a bad way?"

"In a way."

"Very helpful."

"I thrive on it."

"I'm well-aware of that."

When they landed, there was a figure already waiting for them on the landing pad. Luke threw Mara a smile, who looked… slightly fazed, perhaps, but otherwise unconcerned. He powered down all the other ship functions, grabbed his robe to sling over his shoulder, and stepped outside.

"Father!" he said. "How are you? I haven't seen you since—"

Lava flared behind him, reflecting eerie and bright in the contours of Vader's mask. It tilted down towards Luke as Vader crossed his arms over his chest.

"Who have you brought." It was not a question. The Force felt strange, like both Mara and Vader were trying very hard not to look at each other.

"I told you I was bringing a friend."

"You did not tell me that friend was Force-sensitive."

"No, but most of my friends I make through the Academy nowadays, you understand—"

"Nor an Imperial."

"Ex-Imperial," Mara corrected, finally stepping out of the ship. Luke didn't know what had taken her so long, but she seemed to be revelling in the gravitas and drama of her entrance. Her red hair was pinned up and around her head in her usual practical style, with a few strands hanging loose that Luke felt his gaze catching on. The orange light caught on them too, making them glow, and Luke didn't realise he was staring again until Mara jolted him out of it. In the ribs. With her elbow.

"Ex?" Vader asked, his tone rising. He was looking at Luke. Luke didn't know why until Mara slipped her hand into his and he leaned against her shoulder. "The last I heard of you, Mara Jade, you had orders to kill my son."

"It's a romantic start to things," Mara said.

"So you do know who she is," Luke concluded. "Leia owes me five credits. She didn't think you'd have paid attention to the Emperor's Hands."

Vader stiffened, glaring now. His worst suspicion had come true, it seemed. "I beg to differ," he spat back at Mara, ignoring Luke.

Luke snorted. "And mistaking someone for an angel is any better?"

There was the infamous finger point, wagging right in his face. "I regret telling you that story. Or any stories. What is the meaning of," he waved his hand at Mara like she was a strange art choice, "this?"

"Her," Mara cut in.

"Her. She should be in a New Republic prison cell."

"She was a monumental help in ending the war. Her defection was happily received, and past crimes cleared from the record."

"And I," Vader pointed at Mustafar, "am left under house arrest here?"

"It's the only thing Leia would accept."

Vader deflated. "Understandable." Then he glared at Mara again before glancing back at Luke. "You have still not answered my question."

"You weren't very clear about it."

"I am unsure if you are being argumentative because of Jade's poor influence or your sister's."

"Neither," Luke said.

"Both," Mara insisted. He laughed.

"Why are you here?" Vader asked Mara abruptly. If nothing else, it seemed he knew that she would give him a straight answer, gloating all the while, instead of trying to address numerous other issues like Luke.

"I'm marrying your son," she said. "Figured we'd invite the future father-in-law to the wedding in person. Luke wants you standing by him."

Vader froze altogether at that.

"Indeed," he got out, strangled.

A few more awkward beats.

"Come inside," Vader demanded at last. It came out more as a squeak. "Now."

Luke blinked, surprised that there wasn't a more chaotic reaction—they'd come here now so they could get all of that out of the way before the wedding—but exchanged a glance with his fiancée and let her lead him in. He caught himself smiling at her, and caught his father watching him do so.

The moment the large metal door to the landing pad slammed shut behind them, echoing cacophonously in the obsidian entryway, Luke cut to the chase. "Alright, let's talk through this. Which part are you most mad about?"

Vader stayed silent, gazing at him. The Force was too tumultuous for Luke to get a good read on him.

"Are you gonna tell me I shouldn't trust her? Because you're the prime example that people can change"—Mara squeezed his hand—"and I do have decent judgement. So that's that argument out of the way."

Vader didn't react. His gaze dropped down to their entwined hands again, the narrow rings glimmering there, then back up.

"Next one. Are you gonna tell me I'm too young like you did when I last dated someone? Because, again, that's pretty hypocritical of you, a bit overprotective, and I think we can rule out that objection pretty quickly."

"Maybe you shouldn't use him as the benchmark for when to get married," Mara muttered. She was tactful enough not to say because it didn't last long, but Luke heard it and grimaced.

Vader must have heard it as well, but he did not react. He was, still, staring.

"And last one I prepared for—no attachments. Well, I'm in charge of the Jedi Order now, and my research indicates that the no attachments rule applies to possessive or toxic love. Mara and I have proven time and time again that we know how to put the greater good above our own lives or relationship, and I truly believe that while it is a personal thing, I can practice the spirit of this command without rejecting romantic connections."

Luke stopped for breath, then stepped up to his father. Vader followed his motion, tilting his head down to look at him.

"So," Luke said, smiling a little, "any other objections, or do we wanna skip straight to the future family bonding part of the visit? I can smell that Vaneé has cooked something nice.

Vader put a hand on Luke's shoulder. "You wish for me to be at your wedding?"

Luke's mouth fell open.

Oh.

"Of course I do. You're my father."

"I did not raise you."

"Aunt Beru and Uncle Owen aren't here to see it, but I know they're here in spirit."

"They are not here precisely because of what I did."

"That's not the point, Father," Luke said gently. He cupped the hand on his shoulder between his palms and brought it down against his heart. "You're my dad. I love you. I want you there."

"Your sister did not want me at her wedding."

"Leia isn't the one getting married, here. I am." His faint smile wobbled, then fell. "Will you come? Leia is looking into the paperwork to allow you to go somewhere else for a short, set period of time. We're thinking of having it on Naboo."

"I assume your mother's family will be there."

"You don't have to talk to them."

"I should. But more than that, I should respect their wishes and not do so." There were a few, quiet cycles of his respirator.

Luke ventured, "But you'll come?"

Vader tightened his grip on Luke's hands. "I would never miss it." He faltered. "If you… If you truly want me there."

"He wants you there," Mara told him. "He's been up for nights on end trying to figure out how to break this to you, convince you."

Luke felt exposed.

"Luke…"

"I thought you'd react to this worse than you have!" he defended. It had been a very, very valid fear. He and Leia may have placed bets on whether Vader remembered Mara or not, but Han, Lando and Chewie had placed bets on whether or not things would explode. "I thought you'd be seeing red the moment I broke the news to you."

"I am always seeing red," Vader said dryly, gesturing to his eye plates. Luke conceded the point. "Everywhere, here." He gestured out of the window, to the lava flows. Luke conceded that point, as well. "There is nothing, in fact, but anger and fury to be found here. You never bring that to my doorstep, Luke. You can always be counted upon to bring joy."

He sized up Mara. "Albeit in strange packages."

"I think that's the highest compliment you've ever given me," she said.

"Do not grow accustomed to it," Vader shot back, but a more light-hearted note had already wormed its way into his voice. "Come through. Vaneé has indeed prepared a feast, as you," he shot Luke a look, "predicted."

Luke made to follow him through the corridor to the dining hall, but Mara's touch on his wrist stopped him. "I won fifty credits, then," she murmured.

"What?"

"You think the boys were the only ones betting on how this would go?"

Luke huffed out a breath. "You bet on how your future father-in-law would take the knowledge of our wedding? And"—he blinked—"you bet it would go well?"

"Not well," Mara conceded. "But not terribly."

"Why?"

"Because you're you." She grinned. "I didn't think your dad would ever be unhappy about the fact that you were happy."

"Then you let me panic for days for no reason?"

"Don't be so grouchy." She took his arm and pulled him forwards. "Your father's waiting for us."

"Don't try and become his favourite, now," he joked, but followed.

She slipped an arm about his waist. "Against you?" She snorted. "Impossible."