Day 4: Wounded

Summary: (Set in my Runaway AU. Vader is suitless and emperor and a single father raising his little boy.) Prince Luke is excited his daddy is back from being away for a long time.

"Daddy!" Luke called out.

He had wiggled free of his nanny and the guards and the other guards and pushed the door panel button open with the Force and finally, finally!, he was in the hangar and there was Daddy!

"Daddy!" Luke shouted out again as he ran with all his might across the hangar.

Daddy stood in the middle of a group of stormtroopers and royal guards. There were a few officers, but Luke ignored them all. Because Daddy was here! He was here! He was home! He had been gone for so long! So, so, so long! And Luke missed him so much!

Daddy stopped talking to an officer and looked at Luke with a smile growing on his face. Luke ran with his arms out wide. Daddy walked forward also spreading his arms and then lowered himself down to one knee. Luke jumped the last few feet and hurled himself into Daddy's arms. Luke hugged his daddy, who hugged him back just as tightly.

"Daddy," Luke said. "I missed you!"

"I missed you, too," Daddy said softly.

"I missed you more!" Luke said.

Daddy laughed. "Did you now?"

But Daddy's laugh was too short. His smile was still there, but there was a bad look in his eyes.

"Daddy?" Luke asked. He cuddled against him, and Daddy gave him a kiss on the top of the head.

"Your majesty," someone said. "I must insist you make your way to the medical-"

Daddy's hand snapped up and the man stopped talking.

"Luke. You go back home. I'll be there soon."

Luke whined. He didn't want to go back without Daddy. But Daddy gave Luke another kiss and stood up, but it wasn't right. Daddy's face flinched and his movements were odd and funky. Something wasn't right.

Nanny was soon there taking Luke's hand and guiding him out of the hangar, but Luke twisted and turned and saw his Daddy leaving from another door. He wasn't walking right. Daddy was hurt, and Luke didn't like that.

The door slid open and Luke walked in. His eyes were wide and brows were creased. In his hands, he tightly held a flimsi piece of paper. A tightness inside Vader's heart eased at seeing his precious little son.

"Daddy?" Luke said as scurried across the medical room over to the bed. He didn't wait for permission before he was climbing up. Soon, Luke was curled up against his father's side with those big blue eyes looking right up at him. "Daddy are you ok? Are you sick?"

"I'm not sick, little one," Vader said softly. They were alone. The guards and staff were wise enough to let them have their privacy. "Just wounded."

"Wounded?"

"Sometimes that happens in battle."

Luke frowned and buried his head into Vader's neck. Soft downy hair brushed against the side of Vader's face. He kissed the top of Luke's hair.

"What's this?" Vader asked as he gently pulled on the paper still clutched in Luke's hand.

"I made you a picture," Luke said. He let the paper go and Vader held it up. "That's me and you."

Scribbled in bright crayons were two figures. One tall. One small. One with wearing all black and a cape. One wearing blue. Both with blue eyes. Both with large smiles. Both holding hands with little hearts and stars all around them.

"Thank you," Vader said smiling. He kissed Luke on the cheek. "I love it. I'll keep it right here."

"Daddy, when will you get to come home?"

"Tomorrow. After I take some time in a bacta tank. Then we can color together."

Luke snuggled in close again to his father. "Tomorrow? You promise?"

"Of course," Vader said as he gently wrapped his arm around his son and hugged him tight.