Chapter 5

Vader stood in the mouth of the cave, watching the rain fall. To him, rain could be almost as soothing as space; just as quiet, just as peaceful.

Behind him, Luke was sleeping. The child had slept late today, probably because of the rain. No nightmares had plagued him last night as far as Vader knew, but still his father had moved across the cave to be near him. Being near his son made Vader's own nightmares depart.

The search for Vader had stopped because of the rain; from what he could detect in the Force, where his troops were searching now was flooded, and they couldn't continue until it cleared up.

Exhaustion was beginning to work its way into Vader. The supply of liquid food his suit could give him was running out, and he needed proper rest within his chamber. He could leave any time and find the troopers himself, but he wasn't about to abandon Luke. His son was priority until Piett came.

A heavy sigh from the Sith Lord. He would rest until his son awakened. Vader moved across the cave from Luke and sat, leaning against the wall. Usually elusive, sleep came quickly for him this time.

Vader was dreaming. Unlike his nightmares of Mustafar, he was now in his castle on Vjun. The halls were dark, and outside a storm was brewing. He tread quietly down the hallway to his private quarters – the only natural place where he could unmask for a long period of time. Perhaps the Force had brought him here for some mental relaxation.

The moment the door to his quarters closed, Vader's mask was off. Air… he could breathe again.

Something squeaked from an adjacent room – the room Vader had specifically prepared for his son. Had the Force brought Luke here as well? Silently he entered Luke's quarters. If the child was asleep, he didn't want to wake him.

But Luke wasn't in his quarters. Instead, a crib stood in one corner of the room, soft mewling sounds coming from it. Curiosity was tugging at Vader's mind to take a look. What's this? Vader crossed the room in a few steps and leaned over the crib. A baby squirmed beneath its blankets, squealing with delight when it saw him. A… baby? What in the name of the Force was a baby doing in his castle?

Take a closer look, the Force whispered at him.

Warily, Vader leaned closer. Blue eyes? It was his son! Slowly, carefully, he reached down to hold him. Luke squealed as his father lifted him into strong arms and cradled him gently.

Vader smiled with pleasure. The Force had given him back what he'd lost, even if just for a preciously brief time. He held his little son close, crooning softly to him. In all his life, he'd never been so… happy.

A sneeze brought the Dark Lord back into reality. Luke was sitting up, holding a cloth to his nose. Moments later, another violent sneeze shook the child.

"Luke?" Vader questioned, leaning forward. "Are you feeling well?"

His son sneezed again. "Yeah, I'll be okay. Just feeling a little stuffy."

"Perhaps it has something to do with the rain." The Sith Lord pointed out. Still, he watched Luke concernedly as the child heated up some food over a small fire. His son quivered in the morning chill as he rubbed his hands over the fire.

Vader moved to stand beside his shivering child. Carefully unfastening the chain that held his cloak, he removed it from around his shoulders and knelt, wrapping the silky fabric around Luke. "My cloak will warm you, little one."

Luke was frozen, not saying a word. Vader got the distinct feeling the child was uncertain whether or not to trust his father's sudden gentleness.

Don't be frightened, my child. Do you not know how much I want you beside me? He wanted to say the words aloud, but he didn't dare. He put a little space between them, sitting a few feet away from his son.

"I – I've never seen you without your cloak, Father." Luke remarked gently, brushing the material against his cheek. "It's so soft."

Vader smiled as he watched his son pull the cloak around him, fascinated with its softness. "Luke, there is something I wish to tell you…"

Luke looked up, his eyes serious. "Yes, Father, I have to tell you something too." He paused, continuing when his father held out a hand to continue. "Th– the Alliance will be coming to get me tomorrow. My leave's up."

Vader's heart twisted within him. "Admiral Piett has been searching for me, my son, here on this planet. It is most likely that he will come for me soon."

There was a soft desperation in Luke's eyes. "Father, would… would you–"

The Dark Lord read his child's thought. "I cannot, Luke." He could feel the pain in his son's heart as his father denied him his only hope. "The Emperor would never allow it."

Luke stared at the ground, silence hanging over father and son. A glint caught Vader's eye and he reached out with a gloved hand, brushing a tear from his precious son's cheek.

"Don't cry, my little son."

Had he completely lost his mind? He was a Sith Lord for Force's sake! Vader removed his hand quickly and stiffened. That dream had affected him somehow. Luke just gazed at him, eyes not revealing any emotion, not even surprise, at his father's touch.

Vader remained silent, frozen, mulling over what he'd just done. The dream–image of baby Luke flashed in his mind and he drove it away quickly. If he allowed the dream to continue to affect him, he'd lose all his Sithly dignity by the end of the day.

The Sith Lord didn't even realize his son had come to sit beside him until a small hand brushed against his larger one, entwining their fingers. Blue eyes watched him longingly, focused on the eye lenses of his mask.

Blue… just like mine once were…

"Father…"

Vader could feel a myriad of emotions rising within his heart, when suddenly a bout of coughing from his son burst the bubble. The child squeezed his father's hand tighter as the fit shook him. Vader's mouth hung open as Luke wheezed violently, sounding like his father… too much like his father…

What was happening to his son? "Luke, relax. Calm yourself – I shall try to help." Carefully, Vader lifted the slight body into his arms and gently laid him out on a flat slab of stone. He draped his cloak over the child to keep him warm and used his free hand to massage Luke's chest, trying to help him breathe. The other was held in his son's tight grip.

The blue eyes Vader had admired so moments before were now unfocused, staring blankly at the ceiling of the cave, and the Dark Lord begged the Force that his child would be all right. He brought Luke's sack to him and pawed through it, seizing a bottle of water buried deep within. Vader carefully helped his child to sit up. The bottle was opened and pressed to his son's lips; Luke drank slowly until he began to recover from the fit.

"Thanks." Luke breathed to his father, lying back against the stone. "I – I'm fine now."

Vader sat beside Luke, watching him vigilantly. "I shall remain here until I am certain you are recovered, Luke." He sensed his son's exhaustion, despite the fact that he was trying to cover it up to spend more time with his father. Brushing Luke's mind gently, Vader murmured, You are tired. Rest now.

As Luke began to pass into a light doze, he realized he was nodding off and shook himself awake.

Hmm… resistant, aren't you? Amused,Vader tried again, pressing a little more firmly this time. You are warm and safe, comfortable beneath my cloak. Sleep, my son.

Like a small child, Luke pulled the cloak up to his chin, his tense body relaxing as his lids closed in sleep. Yet, once again, the Sith Lord could sense his son's desire to wake and brushed against his mind, nestling him deep in his peaceful sleep.

Vader settled his own mind and relaxed into a meditative trance while he continued his vigil beside Luke. The child radiated love for his father, even as he slept, and Vader unconsciously lowered his mental barriers to feel more of it. It wrapped around him the way he'd wrapped his cloak around Luke, filling him with peace.

He hadn't felt this way in years. And it just felt so… good.

The Dark Lord snapped himself out of the trance, gazing at his son thoughtfully. Even if they had to part tomorrow, he knew their bond had been strengthened by this meeting. He knew Luke yearned for him, wanted to be with him. That might be crucial the next time they met; perhaps by then the child's feelings for his father would be so strong he wouldn't be able to resist the offer of coming with him.

But Vader also yearned for his son – and he wasn't so sure that he could resist Luke's offer the next time they met.

There you go, the long-awaited fifth chapter! I hope ya'll liked it and I'll have Chapter 6 up as soon as possible.

~LMarsh