A/N: Have fun with this you guys. I worked extra hard on this chapter to make it good. It's pretty long and it's got lots of awesomeness. Lots of fun, oh yeah. So as always, thank you so much for the reviews. I hope you enjoy this next chapter.

Chapter Twelve

What…? Did he read the screen right? Vader read it again… and again. What!? The reality just wouldn't kick in. He tried to make himself think but his mind just kept locking onto those three words:

Father: Anakin Skywalker.

Father? Skywalker… him? This couldn't be real. It was dead. Their child was dead. He was… was dead. Padme died and so had the child. Palaptine had said so. Their baby was dead! He had lived for thirteen years thinking that… and he had been wrong?

Vader couldn't understand the happiness that overwhelmed him at this point. He was a father! Their child hadn't died! He… he hadn't killed it! His precious little baby had survived and… and he had talked to him. He had seen him… how could he not have known? He thought back and saw that the boy did resemble how he had looked at that age. The same hair, the same eyes… the build was definitely his mother's though.

He just couldn't believe it. He had a son! The word "son" lingered on his lips… it sounded so good. Did he really have a son? A thirteen year old son? How could he have stayed ignorant of his existence for all this time?

Vader slammed his fist down on the computer. Sparks flew everywhere, igniting more of his anger. His son had been brought up as a foster child. What kind of life was that? The boy hadn't been given half the things that he deserved. Being Vader's son he deserved so much more.

At this point, his thoughts collided and he had to stop thinking for a moment to avoid getting a headache. There was so much he wanted to learn; so much he wanted to know about his son. He should have been able to raise him; he should have been able to know his son inside and out. Every mood swing, every thought… he should know that.

Oh Force, he had a son!

There was so much he wanted to teach this son of his, so much his son needed to learn. Did the boy know his had a father? Did the boy think of himself as an orphan? What exactly did his son think? Did he get enough attention? And what about respect? Did the boy receive enough of that? What were his son's dreams and aspirations? What did he think of himself?

Vader didn't know. He wanted to know so badly. Force, he wanted to see him. He wanted to see him, to look at him, really look at him know that he had the knowledge of the boy being his son.

Vader didn't know how, but he just felt so… together. So complete. This boy, his son, was the greatest achievement of his life. His greatest treasure. Vader still couldn't believe that he had actually helped in creating a life. In creating a person. Creating a droid was one thing, but a person. A child who had thoughts, who had dreams, who had needs and wants and desires. It was such a feeling to know that he had created this. Vader had taken so many people's lives, he just felt so wonderful to know that he had created one.

He wanted to see him. Vader wanted to go to his son now and talk to him as his son. To know him as his son.

Where was he?

It struck him then that he didn't know where he was. Where was his son? Well Vader didn't know… but Nelis did.

Reaching for his comlink, Vader typed in his trusted spy's frequency and waited impatiently for him to answer. It seemed like forever but in reality it only took three seconds.

"Nelis Ziatl at your service, my lord."

Vader nearly spoke before Nelis was finished speaking. "Where is the boy?"

"Milord?"

Vader grunted. Such a blunt question. "The boy I told you to get this information from, where is he?"

As soon as he had the name of the hospital, Vader turned off the comlink without giving an explanation. He was Second in Command of the Empire; he didn't need to give an explanation for what he did.

…

Vader didn't bother getting an escort or even a few stormtroopers to come with him. This was a personal matter and he didn't need extra people to worry about. He came to the hospital as quickly as he could. He was eager. The Dark Lord of the Sith would never admit that he was eager.

At the hospital, the attendant behind the administration desk did not hesitate at all to give him the room number for where the boy was staying in. Vader left her behind to stare after him, nervous and curious at the same time.

Five floors up, he found the door that the woman had named. Entering it, he found an operating room that he could tell the boy had been in not long ago.

How did he end up here? What did he do? How did he get hurt?

He went quickly through this room and found a little sitting room beyond it with a window that looked into a private hospital bedroom. Inside that room was his son.

Unfortunately, there were some people in the sitting room looking through the window watching the boy. It was Japhonan and Lizzian Marthio. They noticed him immediately and stood up.

"Lord Vader," Japhonan Marthio said in a surprised and questioning tone. He looked at Vader for a moment as if taking in the fact that he was actually there. He seemed to piece together a polite way to ask why Vader was there. Finally, he found the right words.

"Forgive me for asking, but might I ask what your business is here?"

Vader gestured slightly toward the window where he could see his son lying in the bed, staring at the ceiling. "Him."

Lizzian reacted harshly. She gasped and then asked urgently. "What did he do!?"

"He didn't do anything," Vader said. He was getting annoyed with these people. All he wanted to do was see his son. "I came to see him."

The politeness was gone from Japhonan now. All that was left was curiosity and protectiveness towards the boy. "Why do you want to see Luke?"

Right when Japhonan said that, Vader realized that up till now, he hadn't known his son's name. He hadn't even thought of it.

Luke… It was a pleasing name. There was a calming aura about it. Like a river on Naboo that runs smoothly with placid awareness. Vader smiled and approved of the name. Then he went on to answer Japhonan's question.

"That is not for you to know and you are not in the position to ask such questions." Vader began walking toward the bedroom door, but Japhonan, very boldly, blocked his path.

"But I want to know."

Vader considered this. He could just push past this man, but then he would be hurting a man that his son possibly liked. He decided to do this the diplomat way.

Padme's way.

"I merely want to talk to him. Surely you do not think I would want to cause harm to a thirteen year old boy."

Vader didn't know if it was his words or something else that made Japhonan move. All he knew was that he did move, and that was all Vader wanted. He walked past Japhonan and Lizzian who were both watching him warily. Once he was inside the bedroom, he closed the door but then realized it would do no good because there was still the window they could watch by. Vader looked through the window and discovered with some discomfort that the window was only for looking in, but not for looking out.

No matter. He walked towards the bed where the boy was still laying on the bed, but was now staring at him wide-eyed and fearful. Vader sat down on the chair next to the bed and did a quick survey of his son. He was a very handsome boy Vader observed, pleased. His hair was very blonde and he had his mother's nose. All in all, Vader couldn't be more proud than he was of the child he had created.

A whimper from the boy brought Vader out of his musings and made him focus on what he was going to say.

"Hello Luke."

Vader could see a flash of surprise that danced across the child's face when he heard Vader use his name. Apparently, he didn't expect him to know it.

It would have been better if he hadn't locked eyes with Luke. As soon as he did, any thought of what he was going to say next left him. Vader hated to loose control. He began searching, almost frantically, for the words that he had had in mind moments earlier. There were so many things he wanted to say. But how to say them? He had to do this gently or else he would run the risk of shocking him more than he could take and then…

Vader realized that he was letting himself freak out. This was his son he was talking about. Vader had to tell him. Luke probably wanted… needed… a father as much as Vader needed his son.

But how to tell him? Perhaps the obvious way would be best. Well he had to give it a try some time. Vader would never admit it, but he was a little anxious.

"Luke… I have something important that I want to tell you."

He could tell that Luke was curious. Despite his fear, he leaned slightly closer as if to ask Vader to go on.

In a last minute rush, Vader put everything together and began to explain. "A long time ago, I was a different man. I didn't wear this armor, I had a wife…"

Luke eyes went wide at that part. The message was obvious, "What woman in her right mind would marry you?"

"My wife, unfortunately, died… but not before our child was born." Here, Vader took a long pause. That pause seemed to drag on for eternity. Here came the big part. "That child was you."

Luke jumped up from his lying position on the bed and was now standing on his knees. "WHAT!?" Suddenly, Luke's face went pale and he grimaced at the pain that his sudden movement caused him. He fell limply back on the bed and grunted. "Oww…"

"Are you hurt?" Vader asked urgently.

…

Luke decided, promise or no promise, he didn't care who he was talking to, he had to get this straightened out.

"You've mixed me up with some other kid," Luke said with firm certainty. "There's no possible way I could be… anyone's son. I'm… I'm just a foster kid. My parents are dead, the only family I have are my aunt and uncle and they don't care about me. And you… you're not related to me in any way…"

"Yet I am," Vader said, matching the certainty in Luke's voice evenly.

Luke shook his head and gave an exasperated laugh. "What is with you?"

"Would you like them to perform a DNA test to prove it?"

It was obvious that Luke thought Vader was mistaken. Otherwise, he wouldn't have wanted to see the results of such a test. Nevertheless, Luke nodded. "Yeah, sure whatever."

Vader called in the doctor and told him what he wanted him to do. The man's left eyebrow went up but he was wise enough to say nothing. He did the desired task and gave Vader the results that he had transferred from the computer onto a pad. Vader showed the pad to Luke. The doctor left the room at this point. He was already feeling very nervous.

At first Luke was just glancing over it, but then he did a double take and tore the pad from Vader's hands. He held the pad, his hands shaking as he read it over and over.

This couldn't be real. He didn't have a father! But according to this pad… oh screw the pad! He had only dreamed about this, it couldn't be really happening. It was too good to be true…

Yes, it was Vader but… a father! This had to be some mean joke; there was no way something this good could happen to Luke. What was this!? Was Vader really his father?

The more he thought about it, the more he just couldn't seem to grasp what it meant. He had a father! He wasn't an orphan!

Vader began getting worried when he saw Luke shake his head and begin to cry.

"What is it, my son?"

This caused more hysteria from Luke. Vader pulled his son's small frame toward him, and embraced him. This still didn't stop him from crying. At first, Vader was worried, thinking Luke was upset. But then he realized that the child was crying with joy and disbelief.

This carried on for a few more minutes. Luke cherishing and drinking in every second. Never in all his life did he ever think that he would be here, being embraced by his father. Vader didn't mind admitting that he too was overjoyed. It looked as if Luke was more than happy to accept him as his father.

…

Luke couldn't believe it. It seemed like his life was falling into place. He had a father! He really, truly belonged somewhere. He was actually a son to someone who loved him. Maybe he wasn't worthless after all.

…

The End

…

A/N: Oh my gosh... (sniff) I can't believe it's over. I've grown so attached to this story you guys. Ahh… happy endings.

The Epilogue is coming soon. It will explain what happens to Japhonan and Lizzian and it will tie up any other loose ends that I've probably left behind.

Please review! Seven reviews at least before the epilogue.