Unnatural Love

Disclaimer: I am just a poor student, trying to write a fanfiction. I own no part of Star Wars, nor do I make any claim to it. The universe belongs to George Lucas (or should I say Disney?). No money is being made from writing this fiction. 

 

 

 A/N: I finally finished the chapter! My sincere apologies for having taken so very long to update. I hope you enjoy the chapter, and rate/review if you really like it! Thank you for reading!  

 

 

    Chapter 13:

  Vader sighed to himself as he jumped down from his fighter and saw the troops and officers assemble in the hangar. Sometimes he wished he were back in the old days when his arrival would have gone unnoticed. Waving away the troops and officers, Vader motioned for Admiral Piett to join him as he walked out of the hangar and into the hallways of the Death Star.

“Everything went smoothly in my absence.” It was not a question.

“Yes, my lord.” Piett answered.

 Falling silent, Vader felt that there was something else that the Admiral wanted to say. 

 “Speak your mind, Admiral.” Vader commanded tersely.

 “I was having a conversation with Princess Leia when you arrived, my lord. We were talking about certain plans that you and I have previously discussed.”

 Vader considered this information for a few moments. He knew that Leia was aware of his plan to overthrow Palpatine. Wondering if she had asked any questions, Vader said, “Were these specific plans you discussed, or just simply general information?”

 “General information, my lord. There wasn't anything especially important that was talked about. I only mentioned it because I am very impressed by the Princess' intelligence and political savvy.”

 'Indeed', Vader thought. 'She is very shrewd when it comes to politics.'  It wasn't the first time the thought had crossed Vader's mind. But unlike Palpatine, Vader wouldn't scheme of ways to use someone's talents to his advantage. 

 “How exactly did you get the chance to talk to the Princess?” Vader asked, as he stopped and turned to look at the Admiral. 

 “She was taking a walk around the station, sir.” Piett answered.

 “Was she alone?” Vader asked, slightly concerned for her safety. He had heard several of the officers talking about Leia and what they would do to her if given the chance to be alone with her. Vader hadn't done anything about the crude talk concerning the Princess. Not yet anyway.

 “No, my lord. A young man was with her.” 

 “Do you know who the young man was?” Vader queried, although he already had a good idea of who had been with Leia.

 “No, my lord. But he was tall and had blonde hair and blue eyes. I believe I saw him at the meeting with the Alliance, but I do not recall his name. He has been here for a while. He checked in five days ago and hasn't left since.” Piett said.

 Vader nodded and dismissed the Admiral. As he walked toward his quarters, Vader processed the information that he had been given. He wasn't overly concerned with Leia and the Admiral talking, but he was curious as to why Luke had been there for five days. The more noble side of him suggested that Luke had just been there to keep Leia safe while Vader had been gone. But the darker side of him wondered if something else hadn't happened while he had been away.

  Silence confronted him as he walked into his quarters. Where he once would have greeted it, concern filled him. Setting his bag down, Vader walked further into the apartment. Walking into the kitchen, he saw them both sitting at the table. Leia was concentrating on her paperwork, while Luke was examining his lightsaber.

  Luke looked up and smiled as he saw Vader. Leia had seen Luke stir and looked in the same direction. Vader felt a wave of shame and nervousness flood through Leia. When she spoke, her voice betrayed none of the emotions roiling inside her. “Was your mission successful?”

 Instead of answering, Vader gazed at her. Reaching out with the Force, he probed Leia's emotions. He found the shame and nervousness he had first felt, but also encountered a feeling of happiness. 

 “It was.” Vader answered.

 “That's good,” Leia commented. 

 Nodding, Vader turned his gaze to Luke. The two stared at each other. Vader probed Luke's emotions, but found a durasteel wall blocking the way. In that moment, Vader knew that they were indeed hiding something. Luke normally left his emotions open to Vader. It wasn't a conscious thing, but it required extra effort on Luke's part to close his emotions off from his father.

 Deciding that his luggage needed his attention, Vader exited the room. Retrieving it from the front room, he took it back to the bedroom that he and Leia shared. As he set the bag down on the bed, he felt a presence other than his own on the bed. Running his hand over the fabric, he felt the powerful and familiar Force signature of his son. Closing his eyes, he let the Force emotions in the room wash through him. He felt a deep love, immense pleasure, joy, tension and angst. The pieces of the puzzle quickly fell into place. Instinctive rage swept through him. Leia was his wife, and no one else's! No one but him had a right to sleep with her. Vader let the anger flow within him. But he knew he had to calm down before he faced the two again. He had no desire to lose control around either of them.

  Turning, he swiftly left the room. He went through the apartment and out the door. Walking toward his training salle, he passed everyone he encountered on the way. Entering the salle, he called up the droids that were there for him to fight against. He preferred fighting against his father, but Melendel wasn't there at the moment. Taking his stance, he took on the first five droids that came at him. Blocking one blow, he turned around on the ball of his foot and blocked the next blow. Reaching into the Force, he dismantled first one droid and then the others. After those five had been dealt with, another batch came out. Vader spent the next two hours in the salle, working out his anger.

 When the last of the droids had been cut down, Vader sheathed his lightsaber. Leaving the salle, he walked back to his quarters. Walking into the 'fresher, he turned on the shower and removed his clothes. Stepping into the stream of hot water, he considered what had happened. Now that he was able to think more clearly, Vader found he wasn't as angry as someone in his position ought to be. Not to say he wasn't upset, but he knew that he had been the one who had come between Luke and Leia. He had seen it the day that he and Leia had been married. And he had felt for them. He knew what it felt like to be separated from the one you loved. He hadn't wanted to marry Leia. If he could have, Vader would have backed out of the arrangement and let Luke marry her. He hated that he was the one thing that kept them from being with each other. And in all actuality, Vader had been waiting for this to happen. He had felt the level of physical attraction between the two and knew that at some point they would cave in to their desires.

 No, he realized. He wasn't angry with them. But he was hurt. The knowledge that Leia had slept with Luke willingly had been a blow. But Luke's actions hurt the most. Had Luke even considered what his actions could do to their relationship? Or to his father's trust in him?

Sighing, Vader turned the water off. A few minutes later he emerged from the bedroom in fresh clothing. Walking back into the kitchen, he found Luke and Leia still at the table. The only difference was that Luke had placed his lightsaber on the table and had his eyes closed in meditation. 

Looking up from her work, Leia asked “Is something wrong?”

“I'm not sure. Why don't you tell me?” Vader returned.

Luke opened his eyes and looked across the table at Leia. 

“Are you upset about something?” Leia queried.

“Your Highness,” Vader said, “you and I both know you are not stupid. Please do us both a favor and drop the act.” 

Leia's face lost all color. “I guess you figured it out.”

“You could say that.” Vader curtly stated.

“Do you want to talk to us?” Leia asked.

“No. I'll talk to you later,” Vader answered. “Luke, come with me.”

 Leia looked at Luke with a scared expression. 

 Getting up, Luke followed Vader out of the kitchen and into the front room. Luke remained standing and returned his father's gaze. 

 “Is there anything you would like to say?” Vader asked.

Luke drew in a deep breath and said “I'm sorry. I know what I did was wrong, and I understand if you never want to see me again.”

Vader silently contemplated Luke. While Luke might have said he understood if Vader didn't want to see him again, his eyes silently pleaded with Vader. Not that Vader would have ever told Luke to leave and never come back. In fact, the thought had never crossed his mind. 

“Luke,” Vader sighed. “All I want to know is why you did it.”

“Because I love her,” Luke said. “Is that reason enough?” 

“I know you love her. Believe me, I do. But you held out for four years. Why now?”

Luke looked at his father. “I guess it's because I wasn't strong enough. And I got tired of waiting,” he softly said. 

“I truly am very sorry,” Luke said. “Are you mad with me?”

Taking Luke's arm, Vader led him to the couch and pulled Luke down beside him. “No, I'm not mad. I'm not upset that you and Leia did what you did. I was at first, but then I realized that, if it weren’t for me, the two of you could be together. And I hate that I am the person who came in between you both. No, I’m not angry. Not anymore. But I am hurt that you did it. I know you love her, and I hate that you can't be together. But she and I are married. And technically, she does belong to me.”

“I know,” Luke said. “Do you hate me?” 

“No,” Vader said as he tilted Luke's face up so he could look into Luke's eyes. “No, I don't hate you. But I do wonder if you even considered what your actions could have done to our relationship.”

“Not until after the fact. When it was happening, all I could think about was her, and how good it felt. It wasn’t until the next morning that I realized what I’d done. And then I kept thinking about what you would say or do. Eventually, I got to the point where I knew that I had to tell you that I was sorry and that you were justified in whatever you chose to do.”

Vader chuckled and said “You sound like an errant child awaiting their punishment. But you don’t need to worry. I’m not going to punish you, or hate you, or never speak to you again. You love each other, and I understand that. Yes, it hurts that you did it behind my back and that you didn’t come to me and ask me beforehand. But that doesn’t make me love you any less.” 

Reaching out, Vader touched Luke’s face and made sure he had Luke’s full attention before continuing. “Luke, stop thinking that I’m going to treat you like Owen treated you. You are my son, and nothing you do will ever change that, nor will anything ever change how much I love you.”

Luke stared at Vader. Never in his life had he ever had anyone how loved and cared about him as much as Vader did. Not even Leia, and she had been the first person to show him what it meant to love someone. She had always been there to care for him, and to support him. But Luke had always had the feeling that something was missing. It wasn’t until he started to develop a relationship with his father that he had realized that Vader contained what had been missing. And in a moment of recklessness and passion he had risked throwing away something he had craved his entire life: his father’s love. Luke hung his head and whispered, “I’m so sorry. I love you, and I never meant to do anything to hurt you.” Looking up at Vader, he continued “Having your love and being able to have a relationship with you means so much to me. My entire life, I dreamed of having a father who loved me. I would rather have a relationship with you, and just be around her, than risk having a physical relationship with her and losing you.” 

Vader shook his head. “Luke,” he said, “you are a wonderful young man. You are wise, kind, patient and very intelligent. But I’m not asking you to give Leia up. Honestly, I would be fine if the two of you continued to sleep together. I just wish you had asked me first. However, since you have already slept together, I’m not going to make you come and ask me every time you want to have sex with her.”

Luke stared at Vader in shock. “Why are you okay with us having sex?”

“Because, frankly, I don’t really want to have sex with her. I’m not saying she isn’t desirable, or that it wasn’t enjoyable. But it was uncomfortable for me, knowing that I was having sex with the woman you love. And I know she’ll enjoy having sex with you a lot more than she would if it was with me. I’ve already come between the two of you once; I don’t want to do it again.” 

“Thank you,” Luke whispered. 

Vader laughed, and said “Just give me a little warning, so I don’t walk in on anything.” 

Luke gave Vader a half-smile and nodded. “Oh, come on,” Vader said. “I’m not mad at you, so stop looking so guilty. Go get Leia and send her in here.”

Getting up, Luke walked into the kitchen where Leia looked up at him. 

“How did it go?” she asked. 

“Fine,” Luke answered. “He wants to talk to you.”

Leia swallowed and steeled herself to face the wrath of her husband. As she walked into the front room, she imagined all the terrible ways the upcoming conversation could go. She was determined to keep the conversation diplomatic and yelling-free.

Vader watched as Leia tensely sat down and turned to look at him. Vader’s mind instantaneously conjured up the image of another woman from years before, who wore the same look that Leia now had on her face. The Politician’s look, Vader recalled. He had dubbed it that years before, and he had always hated it. Time hadn’t much changed his distaste of the expressionless façade. 

“You wanted to see me,” Leia stated. 

“I wanted to talk to you, yes.” Vader replied, emphasizing the “talk.”

Leia inhaled and asked “What do you want to talk about?”

“Leia,” Vader started, “I’ve known you since you were a child. And I’ve known since you were a few months old that I was going to have to marry you. From the time the marriage was arranged until an hour before the wedding, I tried to get out of marrying you. It wasn’t because I disliked you. On the contrary, I liked you very much, and I felt very lucky to be marrying you. I actually love you, but not the way you think. You are like a daughter to me, and you always have been. It broke my heart every time I came to Alderaan and saw how Bail ignored you. But I don’t love you like a man is supposed to love his wife.”

“I’m sorry that you had to marry me, and that because of it, you couldn’t be with Luke. I know you love each other, and I feel terrible that you can’t be together. Therefore, I’m not upset that you slept with Luke. I do wish that you had asked me first, or at least told me what you planned to do. If anyone had found out, you would have been killed. And I don’t want that to happen. I may not love you as my wife, but I care for you and respect you as my wife. And I do love you as if you were my own daughter.” Tilting her face up, Vader continued, “I don’t want anything to happen to you, nor do I want anything happening to Luke. It won’t bother me if you sleep together. You love each other, and I don’t want to stop that. I want you to have someone you can enjoy sex with. But don’t,” Vader said, a stern tone filling his voice, “hide anything from me ever again. All you have to do is talk to me.”

Leia looked at him. “We don’t care if we have sex?” she queried.

“No,” Vader said. “I would like you to warn me so I don’t interrupt.”

“What about you and I having sex?” she asked. 

“I might ask once in a while,” Vader answered. “But I know you don’t really enjoy it with me. I saw that when we did sleep together.”

Leia shook her head in amazement. “You are really something, you know that? I think any other man would have killed Luke and beat me until I was black and blue.”

Vader smiled a little before leaning in and kissing her forehead. Tilting her face up once again, he softly said, “I do love you. Never forget that. If you ever need me for anything-someone to talk with, help you-anything, I’ll be there.”

Leia smiled and kissed his cheek. “Thank you,” she whispered, “for everything.”