Dagobah

1 week later

Luke Skywalker liked being upside down.

He felt his connection to the Force strengthened while meditating in general, but felt especially tied into its potent flow when his head was down and his feet were up.

He had asked Master Yoda about this one day and the old elf had claimed it was something about additional focus involved in balance, but Luke thought it might well have more to do with the additional blood rushing to his head.

At any rate, it was nice.

He took a deep breath, then another, then another. A meter away, he sensed R2 begin his daily float in the air, along with the accompanying indignant electronic shrieking.

"Oh be quiet, R2," Luke ordered. "I don't even drop you like I used to."

"That is indeed excellent progress," an unknown voice suddenly announced.

Luke promptly did drop his droid, even as his own body collapsed sideways and he found himself lying in the mud, thoroughly bewildered. An instant later, he had sprung to his feet and was staring, open mouthed, at the shimmering blueish ghost standing confidently in front of him.

It was indeed a Force ghost, Luke knew that, but beyond that he was uncertain of this person's name or nature. Was he a Jedi? Possibly a ... Sith? (Luke shuddered slightly.)

"My apologies for startling you," the robed man said with a cheerful smile, "Qui-Gon Jinn, at your service."

"Er ..." Luke said hesitatingly.

"Not be here you should!" Yoda snapped, appearing (as usual) out of nowhere.

Luke heaved a deep sigh of relief. He wasn't alone now with the weird specter who was ... evil?

"Try and make me leave, Master Yoda," Jinn said with an ephemeral, and clearly snarky, smile.

"Master Jinn!"

Now it was Obi-Wan Kenobi who had appeared.

"Obi-Wan, my dear friend," the specter said in a pleased voice. "It has been rather a long time!"

Luke relaxed slightly, "You know Obi-Wan?"

"Oh yes!" Jinn returned enthusiastically. "Indeed, I was his master back in the day. It's been more than 30 years since I sadly fell to the blade of a Sith Lord, but we had a wonderful working relationship."

"Why shouldn't he be here?" Luke asked his Master in bewilderment, even as he stretched out his Force sense. To his relief, the ghost clearly emanated the Light side of the Force.

"I should be here," Jinn responded firmly, "regardless of what you say, Master Yoda. For I bear exciting news!"

Luke noted, in a puzzled way, the exchange of glances between Master Yoda and Obi-Wan.

"Very well," Yoda said in a clearly crabby tone. "To my hut we must go, if fit your giant body we can in there. Luke, continue exercise you must."

"Oh no no no," Jinn said with a wry twist of his eyebrows. "You aren't getting me away from my great-grand-padawan that easily."

"Your who?" Luke asked in a puzzled tone.

"I'm your great-grand-master so to speak, young Luke. I was Obi-Wan's master, and he was your father Anakin's master, and you are Anakin's son."

There was a long pause while the three other sentients pondered this.

"I don't think that quite makes sense, Master Jinn," Luke said politely. "I mean, if my father had trained me, I'd be your great – grand ... whatever maybe, but he couldn't since he's dead and all."

This was said with grief on the young face, and Kenobi shot a nervous glance at Jinn.

"We will discuss all that in a moment but for now, let me speak openly to you all. I have thrilling information. Padme has returned!"

Luke stared into the shimmering eyes, then stared at Kenobi who looked shell shocked, and Master Yoda, who was looking disapprovingly at Obi-Wan.

"Thought I in coma she was," the short green thing said pointedly.

"Um, I ... ah ... she was," Kenobi stammered. "As of, oh I guess it has been quite a long time ... 15 years ago? And with Tatooine being remote and my domicile even more remote, and my fear that ... er ... the Empire might find her, I confess I haven't checked in on her for ... many years."

Yoda glowered some more, then turned his gaze on Jinn, "What mean you that back she is?"

Jinn apparently had spaceship loads of experience dealing with the ancient Jedi's peculiar speech patterns, because he responded immediately, "Back, as in totally cognizant, active, sharp tongued, and brilliant as usual. She can't see me, of course, but Anakin has been a conduit for her more snarky comments. She said, apparently, that she'd like to shake Obi-Wan 'til his teeth rattle."

Luke gasped aloud, "You've ... you've talked to my father, Master Jinn? Can, uh, can I do that? I mean, can he appear like you can?"

His intent gaze was distracted suddenly and he saw Master Yoda begin grimacing hideously at his side.

"Are you all right, Master?" he asked worriedly, dropping to one knee.

"He's quite all right," Jinn said in a clearly amused tone. "He's merely trying to convince me to stop talking. But I won't. Young Luke, your father is not dead."

Luke swiveled his head around at this completely ridiculous statement, then his upper body, then his knee locked and he fell over in the mud. Again.

An instant later he was up on his feet, staring at the newcomer ghost.

"Wh...a...a...t?" he stammered.

"You should not deceive the boy," Kenobi said, his voice deep with sorrow. "Anakin is indeed dead. That shattered shell is no more Anakin Skywalker than I'm a vine snake."

"He is not dead," Jinn returned triumphantly, "Because Padme is not dead, and she has returned, and Anakin with her."

The blueish forehead creased and then he continued, somewhat reluctantly, "Well, he has sort of returned."

Luke's mind was a whirl of confusion and bewilderment and disbelief, but he managed to push out one useful question.

"Who is Padme?"

There was a pause.

"Your mother she is," Yoda finally said, softly.

"He doesn't even know his mother's name?" Jinn asked, sounding perturbed.

"Well, he never really asked," Kenobi said weakly.

"I did ask, Aunt Beru and Uncle Owen, I mean," Luke retorted indignantly. "And they said they didn't know. I guess ... I guess I didn't ask you though, not that we had a lot of time ..."

He turned now to look at the three solemn faces before him, before focusing on Jinn. He, at least, seemed more willing to provide answers.

"My mother is alive."

Jinn nodded and put a comforting, if weightless, hand on his shoulder, "Indeed, she is. She was gravely ill after the birth, and was in a coma for many years. Sadly, she didn't know that you had survived the birth and when she awoke from her weakness, she moved to the Far Outer Rim and even to the Unknown Regions in pursuit of a life away from the Empire's reach."

Luke's blue eyes widened hopefully, "And she ... she found my father there?"

"No ..." Jinn said, and for the first time he seemed reluctant. The head bowed slightly before the apparition said gravely, "No, young Luke, Anakin Skywalker became Darth Vader, and he is your father."

Luke blinked. Then blinked again.

"What?" he asked blankly.

"Darth Vader is your father," Jinn said slowly and clearly.

Luke continued to stare, his forehead creased horribly, before the truth hit him.

The poor old ghost was demented, obviously. That made sense. The guy had been dead for, what had he said, 30+ years? That would make him pretty old, and old people sometimes did get weird and confused.

"Ok," Luke replied soothingly.

Jinn looked surprised, "Well, you took that very well, I must say."

"Yes, that is very interesting, and I appreciate you telling me," Luke said kindly.

Qui-Gon looked startled, then indignant, "You think I'm insane? Is that it?"

Luke hesitated and shot a glance at his two masters. Neither of them seemed inclined to help him, so he continued, carefully, "No, not crazy at all, Master Jinn. Just ... well, you've been dead a long time so some confusion is perhaps not surprising?"

Jinn shook his head in apparent disbelief, "Ask Master Yoda if Vader is your father."

Luke glanced at Yoda, who had a rather wooden look on his face. This must be so embarrassing for everyone. Poor old specter.

"Ok," Luke said patiently, "Master Yoda, is Darth Vader my father?"

There was a long pause, Yoda wiggled his walking stick in the ground nervously, and then he said, "Your father he is."

Luke was already glancing wearily at Jinn but now turned back in disbelief to Yoda, "Um, what?"

"Your father he is," Yoda said more loudly.

"But truly, Anakin is dead, only Vader remains," Kenobi began.

"No, Anakin is not dead, Obi-Wan!" Jinn said indignantly.

"Darth Vader is my father?!" Luke yelped aloud, "My father? Darth Vader, the big cyborg dude who is cruel and horrible and has that gigantic alive only bounty on my head ..."

He trailed off now, his eyes growing even larger, "That's why the bounty is alive only, isn't it? He ... I'm his son ... he ..."

"He probably wants you as an apprentice to help overthrow Palpatine," Kenobi said, his eyes full of sorrow. "It is the way of the Sith ..."

"You are not listening to me!" Jinn said irascibly. "Anakin is returning, or at least Darth Vader is changing! I can appear to him, for one thing, and I couldn't for years. Trust me, I tried! And oh my, when he found out Princess Leia was his daughter he turned into the most overprotective father you can imagine ..."

"WHAT!?" Luke screamed so loudly that Yoda dropped his gimer stick in astonishment.

Obi-Wan actually took a few tottering steps back, "I'm sorry, Luke. That is, I'm afraid, another family secret. Princess Leia is your twin sister."

Luke stared at him, then at Yoda, then at Jinn, then he shook his head in distress.

"Vader tortured her on the Death Star! Leia hates him! Our family is a mess!"

And now Luke Skywalker's eyes grew wide in horror.

"And Leia kissed me ..." he muttered, "That's just icky!"

The blue eyes turned their accusing gaze on Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Luke took three menacing steps forward, "This is your fault, Ben. You should have told me on Tatooine! We've gone on highly emotional missions together, and you didn't tell us we are siblings! Thankfully she fell for Han, everyone knows that, but it could have been a disaster. And Vader? How could you tell me that he betrayed and murdered my father when he is my father. That is just ... that is just crazy and wrong!"

Obi-Wan had been retreating and now turned and began hurrying into the swamp, with Luke chasing him determinedly

"Don't even think about disappearing, Ben! We need to talk about this whether you want to or not!"

Yoda regally lifted his wrinkled face to the sky, ignoring both Kenobi and Luke.

"Speak to Vader you can, hmmmm?" he asked Jinn.

"Yes, Master Yoda," Qui-Gon replied, his eyes crinkled with amusement. He, at any rate, was watching Luke Skywalker's pursuit of Kenobi.

"Interesting it is ... indeed changed much has..."

/-

Hanger Bay #5

The Executor

In Orbit around Bespin

1 week later

Han, puffing slightly, stopped next to Leia and took her hand. The hanger was empty except Chewbacca, who was behind him, and Vader and Padme Dalam, who were a comforting 10 meters away, which meant he could talk to Leia somewhat privately.

"So," Han said softly to Leia, "you said it was an emergency. What's going on?"

Leia turned toward him, her gaze solemn, "Luke is coming here."

The Corellian's brow furrowed, "How do you know that?"

Leia sighed, "Padme and I were just having breakfast while you were sleeping, and Vader was doing his usual looming thing because you know, he wouldn't want to let Mother out of his sight. Then he started talking to some ghost in the corner, a guy named Qui-Gon Jinn, a Jedi who died at the beginning of the Clone Wars. Jinn apparently said he told Luke all about the insanity that is our family, and Luke is coming here."

She nodded briskly and gazed out into the darkness of space. There were lots of stars, but no random X-wing in sight.

"A ghost," Han repeated feebly.

A small smile appeared on the face of his love, "Yes, or specter. Whatever you prefer."

"Specter, right," the former smuggler repeated, then shot a guarded look at the Sith who stood next to Padme. Both of them were staring out into space, and it seemed they too were conversing quietly.

"Any chance he's lost his mind?" Solo asked abruptly. "I mean really, a ghost?"

Leia looked at him shyly, hesitantly, then said, "I saw him too, Han. Qui-Gon Jinn, I mean."

Han blinked, "You did?"

"Yes. He was blue and shimmery but definitely there."

"And he said Luke was coming?"

The princess sighed, "Well, I couldn't really hear him. Apparently I need more training to actually hear him? I mean, I could hear him, but I couldn't make out his words. It was all mumbly and soft. He was really cute, but I couldn't understand what he was saying."

"Cute?" Han asked rather indignantly.

"Not cute like you are, Han," she assured him quickly. "Cute in an old style Jedi robes, bearded, dead sort of way. Anyway, Vader said that Jinn said that Luke is on his way."

"So if Luke doesn't show up, then ..."

"We go back to our prison cell, I guess," she returned with a sly smile. The 'prison cell' in question was equivalent to a six circle hotel, and while the doors were locked to keep random people out, all its occupants had keys. Padme had been very insistent about that, and Vader, after some argument, had agreed.

"I will say this," Han said even more softly, "Vader seems very attached to Padme."

Leia glanced over to her biological parents, "He's over the top crazy about her."

Padme glanced her way, smiled reassuringly, then turned back to her Anakin.

"It's Ok, Ani. I'm nervous too."

"I am not nervous," the deep bass voice intoned firmly.

"You are twitching your right ring finger, Anakin. You always do that when you are nervous."

Vader looked at his wife with a mixture of disbelief and awe. How did she know all this, when he didn't?

"We are married, Anakin, so of course I know your reactions," she responded as if reading his mind, which was even more unnerving.

She smiled now, her blazing, loving smile, and he instantly felt calmer. Yes, Padme knew him, but he didn't have to feel threatened, because she loved him and wanted what was best for him.

And the twins. And the galaxy. Which meant the arguments between them would continue. But he knew with complete certainty that his wife didn't want to manipulate or use or control him, unlike his Master.

(Fortunately the old despot was almost completely focused on the new Death Star and had largely ignored him the last month. Since Padme had torn into his life with the impact of a comely comet, he'd had but one conversation with the old man; it had been entirely one sided as Palpatine had spent a full 30 minutes telling his irritable apprentice about the color scheme for his Throne Room on the Death Star. Sidious had been quite proud of the fact that it was ... black. Like any other color was even possible?)

"I'm nervous too," Padme confided now. "I haven't seen Luke since he was a few minutes old. What if he doesn't like me?"

"Of course he will like you," Vader replied in surprise, "everyone does! Except, I suppose, for the people who tried to assassinate you, or feed you to nexu, or have snakes bite you. There were a surprising number of such beings."

He ruminated darkly and continued, "It is well for them that such sentients are now out of my reach, as I'd rip each one of them apart with my bare hands and throw them to the rancors."

His wife smiled slightly at this, then her body tensed, "Is that ... is that a ship?"

Vader stretched out his Force sense and took a breath out of sync with his respirator. Yes ...

The Dark Lord hit his com to connect with the admirably competent Admiral Piett, "Admiral."

"Yes, my Lord?"

"Skywalker's X-wing approaches. Disable applicable hanger shielding and ensure that his passage is unmolested."

"Yes, my Lord," Piett responded patiently.

Vader knew he'd given instructions regarding Luke's craft ... it must be 6 times by now ... but he couldn't be too careful. Imperials were, he admitted, prone to shooting first and asking questions later.

But there were no bursts of laser fire and the X-wing approached as the occupants of Hanger Bay #6 waited with varying degrees of excitement and uncertainty.

Abruptly, Vader's eyes itched oddly. His tear ducts had bit the lava on Mustafar but he never wanted to cry, except now he did. Because 2 weeks ago he'd been obsessively hoping to see his son soon, and now his entire family would be together – his wife, his daughter, and his precious boy.

Finally, Luke's ship landed with a gentle and elegant grace, the cockpit popped open, and a moment later the dark blond youth jumped onto the floor, disdaining a ladder.

And Leia Organa was running now, running toward her friend, her twin brother, and then she was in his arms, and both were laughing and, perhaps, crying a little.

"Luke, Luke!"

"Leia!"

He set her down and waved his finger at her in mock disapproval, "I am overjoyed to see you, but don't you dare kiss me, Leia!"

She grimaced in agreement, "Absolutely not. I mean really, yuck!"

"Yuck indeed!"

Solo and Chewie had reached them now and the Corellian slapped the young Jedi on the shoulder, "It's good to see you, Kid. You Ok?"

"Yes, and ... you are Ok as well?" Luke asked, with a concerned look at the two other individuals in the hanger. He was, at least, appreciative that Vader and his mysterious mother were letting this reunion with his closest friends proceed without interruption.

And there weren't three dozen stormtroopers here with blasters trained on him either. That was nice.

"I'm fine, Kid," Solo responded reassuringly, "though the whole setup is definitely peculiar. But the accommodations are 6th circle and Vader has been a far more benevolent host than was originally anticipated."

"Thanks to our ... our mother," Leia said softly, with a grateful look at Padme. "If she hadn't interfered, it would have been ugly."

"So, speaking of ..." Luke began uncertainly.

Leia clasped her hand in his and began pulling him toward their biological parents, "Come on, Luke."

He followed, hesitating. Vader he had seen once before, when Kenobi had been struck down before his eyes. But this woman was completely unfamiliar, though she looked much like an older Leia, with dark brown eyes and long hair, but with a gentler expression than his spitfire of a sister.

"Luke ..." the woman said softly, her eyes drinking up her son's face, "Oh Luke ..."

"Mother," he said hesitantly and then, giving into the prompting of his heart, he stepped forward and enfolded her in a crushing embrace.

And she returned the embrace just as fiercely, even as she began to cry, "Oh my son, my grown up son! I'm so proud of you. Now I am complete."

Over his small mother's shoulder, Luke observed Vader stepping forward, then clearly hesitating.

Luke released his mother, took a deep breath, and turned to his Dark Sire.

"Greetings ... Father."

There was a slight pause as if the man in the mask could hardly speak and then, and then, "Welcome, my son."

Author Note: Is this the end? I don't know. I was going to one shot it. Now I'm two shotting it. If the muse hits hard I'll add a chapter, but no promises or warnings. We'll see! Thank you, dear husband, for editing!

Also, there was a Finding Nemo quote in there. Anyone catch it?