I know, I know it hasn't even been 12 hours and technically since my update was at 12:02 for me this is updating twice in a day but... well when have I ever been known to update regularly. (Okay, I did on the original, but that was because I updated in Biology every day, but now that I'm out of school I don't need to endure that class any longer.)

Anyways, enjoy! And if you see something that doesn't make sense tell me. I've already gone back and changed Rickon's height and am always glad to make little changes to improve the story's quality. Thanks to everyone who has followed, favorited, and reviewed, now on to the story.

Chapter 2

Luke's night got worse.

As soon as the elevator brought him to his penthouse apartment, Luke could feel the pain radiating through the Force. It was almost overwhelming, like a cloud of darkness permeating every ounce of the house. Luke had never felt such pain in his life, and, when the elevator doors opened, he saw that it all resonated from his nanny, Nila.

"Nila, what's wrong?" he asked, moving to the woman's side. She looked at Luke, and he noticed her eyes were splotchy and red. She'd obviously been sobbing, but why?

"Oh Luke," she whispered, hugging the boy tight. He'd grown so much in the past four years, but he was still so very much the little boy who'd liked spaceships and the stars. "I'm so sorry."

For what? Luke looked around for answers, and noticed her room was all packed up. "You're leaving?" Luke asked, his voice cracking at the realization. No, Nila couldn't be leaving. "Did my father say something because I know he didn't mean it. He just has a horrible sense of humor."

Nila tried to laugh, but it got caught in a blubber, as she sat down on the edge of her bed and pulled Luke down besides her. "It's not your father. Your father's a good man he came to tell me himself… My son, my Adrian is… he's dead. There was a rebel attack at his base and…" She broke off, trying to fight back the tears, but Luke felt her pain anyways. It screamed through the Force. "He has a daughter… She already lost her mother and now this? It's just not right! It's just…"

"You have to go and take care of her," Luke nodded, trying to distinguish her heart wrenching pain from his own sadness of her leaving. He got why she had to leave, really Luke did, but it hurt. She was as close to a mother as Luke had. Every day for almost four years she'd cooked for him and helped him with homework. She'd even dared stand up to Vader on Luke's behalf, because she loved him. Luke knew she loved him, but Nila loved her family as well, and her granddaughter needed her more than Luke did. "I understand. And Nila I'm so, so sorry."

She nodded, trying to wipe her tears as she stood, but falling back a little bit. Nila was old, and this stress was doing her no good. Luke wished he could do something to help her, and managed to send out small tendrils of comfort through the Force.

Luke didn't know if she felt them, but Nila smiled a bit. "I'll visit. And if you ever need me I'm only a Com away. Okay?" She asked, brushing Luke's hair from his face like she used to do when he was little. "I'm going to miss you so much."

"I'll miss you too," Luke replied, trying to hold back just how much he'd miss her from showing. If she knew she just might not have the strength to leave, and Nila didn't deserve that. "Now go."

She nodded, giving the boy one last hug as she disappeared out the door. Once she was out of sight, Luke let out his own choking sob he hadn't known he was holding back. What on Coruscant was he supposed to do without Nila?

"It's a sad thing to see her go." Luke was suddenly reminded of his father's presence as Nila's sadness disappeared with her. The teen tried to wipe away his tears before his father saw them, but Vader made no comment. To Vader, Luke was still a child, and children cried. For all intensive purposes Luke was losing his mother, and Anakin knew a thing or two about how that felt.

"But perhaps a good opportunity for you," Luke's father continued. "You're old enough now to be independent when I'm not around and C-3PO is smart enough to call for help should you set the apartment on fire."

Luke chuckled a bit, well aware that his father was trying to make him feel better at the expense of the little gold droid. "Yeah, and R2 knows how to control the sprinklers."

"Then it is settled, you do not need a new caretaker," Vader agreed, glad. It wasn't so much that he disliked having the woman around, but she coddled Luke. He was getting too powerful as a Force-user to act like a child, and having more responsibilities would help him grow into a responsible human being… hopefully. It hadn't exactly worked out when Obi-Wan tried it, but Padmé had been a queen at Luke's age, and he had some of her genes. Luke would be fine on his own, and if he was not… well when Vader promoted Captain Cassel to Admiral he'd asked the man to keep an even closer eye on Luke. If the teen got into trouble, at least his father would know quickly.

Vader's Comlink buzzed, and Luke set about attempting to make dinner. Nila had been teaching him how to cook… how difficult could it be?

Luke was trying to find the pans when his father screamed his name, "LUUUKE!"

The teen turned sheepishly, wondering how he'd already messed up. His father stood in the living room, shooting daggers at a datapad through his mask. Once Luke turned, his father flipped the pad up so he could see the image of himself standing next to the rebel symbol from earlier. The caption read: Darth Vader's Son a Rebel Sympathizer.

Oh Luke knew he was so screwed. The angle made it seem as if Luke had pained the symbol, and from the sheer anger radiating from Luke's father, he believed it as well. "Kriff," Luke muttered before realizing that that kind of language was only making his father angrier. "Look I didn't paint that."

"Then who in Malachor did? Cassel?"

"No, not Rickon!" Luke grumbled. He couldn't believe his father was angry at him! "It was already there. The damn reporter just made it look like I'd done it. Look, no spray-paint in sight. How am I supposed to have drawn it, with the Force?"

Vader studied the picture, and found Luke's words rung true. As quickly as it had bubbled up, the Sith's anger refocused, "Who was this 'reporter'?"

Luke wanted to bang his head against a wall. "No one, just, forget about it. People post trash on the HoloNet all the time no one is going to actually believe it. You're probably the only one who considered it a possibility for a second."

"For good reason. You do have a history of sympathizing with the rebels. Do you remember the first thing you said to me?"

Luke rolled his eyes; his father brought this up every time Luke said something vaguely anti-empire. (He didn't care if Luke said something against the Emperor, or even him, just the Empire itself.) "I told you I was going to be a rebel and kill you, I know. In my defense, I did think you'd killed my father."

"I recall. Now what can you tell me about this reporter."

Luke wasn't surprised his father wasn't going to just drop it, but he really didn't want to see the man killed. "Dad…"

"Father."

For the sake of the stupid reporter, Luke managed not to roll his eyes. "Father, please don't waste time and resources searching for the reporter. He's probably confused how he even got this holo anyways. I'm pretty sure I told him to forget seeing me."

Through his raging hate at the reporter a tendril of pride burst out for Luke. "You used a mind trick?"

"Yup, and it worked like a charm, so he's already had a bad enough day. Just leave it be, please?"

Luke could tell his father was considering it, but the lack of promise one way or another didn't give him much hope. He'd told the stupid reporter what his father was going to do. Why couldn't he have just listened?

"Fine, you go kill the man for attempting to do his job, and buy a food synthesizer while you're out, because I don't think C-3PO knows how to cook," Luke huffed, heading to his room and slamming the door. Quickly he realized that he'd basically just succeeded in sending himself to bed without dinner, and really, really, really wished his father hadn't come home a day early.

Meanwhile Vader found the reporter's name easily, and cast a final glance at Luke's room wondering if he'd been half as bad. If so, it was a wonder that Obi-Wan hadn't been the one to turn to the Dark Side first.

Luke found that those days he had his engineering elective first period were the best. There was just something about working on broken machines that made him calm, centered, in the way even meditation couldn't. There was a problem and a solution with machines, and Luke loved that.

Luke loved it enough that his foul mood from the previous night's events had dissipated by the time he found Rickon in Naboo class second period. "Hey, who won the race?"

"Syndulla," Rickon replied. "Why didn't you watch it? Don't tell me your father wouldn't let you because of that HoloNet thing."

Luke wanted to slam his head on the desk, but instead just rolled his eyes. "You saw that?"

"I'm pretty sure everyone saw it," Rickon muttered, offering Luke a sympathetic pat on the back. "The only reason everyone isn't talking about it is because they're talking about the new guy."

New guy? Luke looked around, but it appeared this new guy wasn't in Naboo class. If he was, he had the uncanny ability to look like the other kids Luke had been in class with for years. "Who is he?"

"Admiral Catrand's new step-son, but from the way he talks you'd think he was the Emperor himself. Honestly I only got him to shut up about Catrand's new Stardestroyer by reminding him that there would be no need for the Enterprise if the Loyalty hadn't been torn to shreds by rebels."

Luke chuckled imagining that the haughty kid must have been horrified, then he realized that quite a few of his classmates were staring at the word 'rebel' and remembered the stupid reporter. Suddenly it wasn't so funny. "You didn't tell your dad that that's your hand in the corner of the photo, right?"

"Nah, but he probably guessed," Rickon shrugged not needing the Force to sense Luke's depression. "Your father angry?"

"More at the reporter than me. I just… Why does he insist on killing people?"

Rickon had no answer to that, how could he, so they were all grateful when the bell rung and Mrs. Soruna began speaking, "Now everyone has their permission slips and payment forms in, right? I'm passing around a packing list as I'm sure none of you have even begun planning for tomorrow night's trip."

Luke had completely forgotten about their overnight trip to Naboo, but the reminder lifted his spirits. He was going to get to see his mother's homeworld, and maybe, just maybe, he'd be able to know her beyond pictures on a datapad.

"Now I want to remind you all that this is an educational trip and to be on your best behavior… We wouldn't want any interplanetary disputes now would we?"

"Do you think that's a possibility?" Rickon whispered to Luke who just gave him that look. Considering that half their class had senators for parents yeah, an interplanetary dispute was definitely a possibility.

Not that daily lunchtime interactions at their school didn't cause those as well.

The day rolled by quickly, and by lunch everyone was talking about the new kid. Luke actually found it a bit disturbing, wondering if he'd been this talked about when he first arrived. It made him wonder if perhaps he should reach out to the new kid, offer him some friendly advice about who to ignore and who to respect.

Luke was so set on the idea that he immediately looked around the cafeteria for a new face, and didn't find one. No, no what he found instead was an old face, one he'd never expected to see again. "Bantha fodder," he muttered turning his head away and using his lunch tray as a sort of cover. It looked pretty ridiculous though, and didn't at all do the trick. Nope, it instead attracted the new guy's attention right at him.

"Luke?"

Luke wanted to crawl away and hide, but stood his ground. "Brandon."

Brandon looked exactly how Luke remembered him, scowl and all. When Luke had been at Vorus Detention center he and Brandon had been quick friends… until Brandon thought Luke was a rebel and completely disowned him. Luke found it ironic that the dark haired kleptomaniac found his way to Luke's new school the same day everyone was talking about that photograph. It was almost as if the Force was laughing at Luke. (Which, considering history, it probably was.)

"You know each other?" Rickon whispered, looking between the two boys who were eyeing each other. Luke was pretty calm, but then again Luke was always calm. Brandon on the other hand… he looked ready to kill someone. "How do you two know each other?"

Luke would have answered Rickon honestly, but Brandon spoke to Luke first. "I can't believe they'd let you in anywhere with the Emperor's name, Rebel scum. Actually, I can't believe you're alive. Last I remember you were getting called out of class to have some face-to-face time with Lord Vader."

It hadn't crossed Luke's mind until that very moment that Brandon didn't know, and suddenly the teen Jedi wasn't frightened at all. So Brandon was a not-so-great part of Luke's past. The past was the past, and Luke had dirt on Brandon too.

No one else knew that though. A crowd of military kids had formed around the pair, and only one of the nicer girls, Nil, had the brains to ask the question everyone was wondering. "Why would Vader kill Luke?"

"Because he's a rebel?" Brandon seemed to think he was revealing Luke's darkest secret, but everyone just laughed. "What? Why are you laughing? Luke was arrested for being a rebel."

Jes, the only other person whose father was an Admiral, let out an awkward laugh, "I saw the picture of you on the HoloNet last night and thought the reporter was an idiot. Does this happen to you a lot?"

"Yeah, I've been arrested for being a rebel… probably three times?" Luke laughed, trying not to derive pleasure from the fire burning inside Brandon. "My father calls me one on a daily basis."

Brandon was steaming, fully aware of there being something he didn't know, and still attempting to gain the higher ground. "What are you even talking about? Your father is dead, you told me that years ago."

"His father is Lord Vader," Leah was sitting at their usual table in the corner, laughing hysterically at the crowd gathered around her friend. Luke hadn't even noticed here there, munching away at her sandwich as everyone else scrambled, but that didn't surprise him. That was just Leah's way.

"What? No he isn't. Luke's a rebel orphan from Tatooine."

"I mean I'm from Tatooine, but Leah is telling the truth," Luke told his once-friend with a shrug. He sort of felt bad for Brandon, who was obviously embarrassed, but at the same time he deserved it for being so nasty. "If it makes you feel better I didn't know last time we saw you. I found out… well that day I left I guess."

Brandon's face was bright red, and his mouth hung open as he slowly backed away, taking the crowd with him. Once they were all gone, Leah began laughing again, and Luke slapped her gently on the back of the head. "I feel bad. He really had no way of knowing."

"He was being obnoxious," Leah pointed out, not at all feeling the remorse Luke's compassion brought about. It wasn't that Leah was heartless so much as she didn't waste time feeling bad for people who brought stuff upon themselves. "He was trying to make everyone hate you."

Luke looked around, pointing to all the empty seats at the table occupied only by himself, Leah, and Rickon. "I'm pretty sure he doesn't have to say anything to do that."

"Everyone doesn't hate you… they just don't exactly know how to interact with you. You are kind of weird," Rickon reminded, waving his hand in something that was probably supposed to look like a Jedi mind trick. "But if it makes you feel better everyone is definitely too scared of you to hate you."

"Oh yeah, that definitely makes me feel better."

"Luke! Less height!" Couch Dug called out for probably the twelfth time. It was the first gymnastics practice of the season, and they were running through last year's routines, trying to figure out what to keep and what to toss out. Luke's whole routine was all over the place, because he's simply grown so much in the last year. "Stop, just stop."

Luke finished the flip, the floor shuttering under the force of his landing. A couple of the girls who were supposed to be spotting each other on the bars laughed, and Luke's face was red not from exertion. "I'm sorry Coach I just…"

"Need to tell your father that you have absolutely no control? Yeah I'm getting that. Just try not to use, well you know, or just go wear yourself out on the high bar. And I need to talk to you after practice, okay? It's important."

Luke nodded, scuttling away as Coach Dug went to go watch the girls. He had no idea why he was so out of control. Sure, his powers were growing, but he wasn't even trying to use the Force, actually he was trying not to. (It always felt a bit like cheating when Luke used the Force.)

It appeared the frustrations were due to just keep growing, and Luke didn't even have the patience to pretend he needed a spring board or chair to get up onto the high bar. He just jumped up ignoring the looks everyone gave him. Couch Dug was right; Luke needed to burn off some steam. Using the Force to hurl himself around the bar had an immediate calming effect similar to mechanics. When Luke dropped down, his body was drenched in sweat, and his hands chaffing, but he felt a lot better and could stick the landing instead of jumping forward a foot from excess energy.

"That's enough for today," Couch Dug called out, staring right at Luke. Oops, apparently he'd been attracting attention from more than just the rookie girls who'd never seen him in action before. "Luke."

With his energy gone, Luke sulked over to the coach, helping him fold up the mats as the girls left. Once they were alone, Dug nodded, and Luke used to Force to quickly stack everything up. "You've gotten more powerful."

"It's like…" Dug had a fascination with the Force, and was one of the few people who dared ask Luke about it. The teen never knew how to describe it though. "It's like a well, but it's not just around me anymore, it's coming from within me. I'm trying to control it, I swear but it's just been a rough couple of days."

Dug nodded, sitting down on the mats and motioning for Luke to do the same. "Luke I'm not really worried about your Force powers making you jump too high, you'll figure it out. I'm just worried because…Luke, I know your situation is very unique, and I know it's hard for you sometimes. And I know your father can be a hard man to get along with. It's natural at your age to try and get back at your father, I know I did it, but you are in a precarious situation… I'll just be honest. The Coruscant Youth Gymnastics Council contacted me today with concerns about your behavior. Now you know that the CYGC has strict anti-rebel rules in place. They agreed to let you off with just a warning because of the situation but…"

Luke began to laugh, all the anxiety and stress of the past few days bubbling over to make him slightly hysterical. "This is about that stupid HoloNet thing? By the Force does no one stop to think about the fact that I had no paint? I didn't draw it."

Dug blushed, "I'm sorry Luke I shouldn't have assumed. I know you're not a rebel and just figured… Well I thought you were trying to upset your father."

"Trust me, I don't need to go draw rebel symbols to upset my father. The Force just leads me into trouble occasionally, or well a lot."

"Just try to keep out of the HoloNet, I want you to be able to compete."

Luke nodded, but he really wasn't worried. He doubted that photographer was still alive, and his peers would certainly get the message- Luke Skywalker was off limits.

AN: PS, I don't know when my chapters got so long either. If you think they're now too long let me know. I can always fiddle with things if I know there is a problem.