"I can't stop! I can't stop! Help! HELP!" Edward felt his heart sink when he heard the cry. He had tried to warn Thomas about his sandbox. He knew it was low. There were times he hated being right. Up ahead, Thomas rounded the corner leaning heavily as centrifugal force carried him wide. "Is he meant to be going that fast?" asked the Mayor in confusion. While he might've been confused, Edward knew exactly what was happening. "Please don't derail. Please don't derail." He thought, pleading with St. Machan that he wouldn't have to witness his protege roll off the tracks. Thomas just made it but he was still coming in fast. At this speed he would do significant damage to the station when he hit and severely injure himself in the process. Edward knew he had to do something! Thinking fast, he diverted steam into his sand pipes, blasting a load onto the tracks in front of him. He reversed 50 yards, not easy given the weight of his train. Thomas was still coming. Edward halted, weeshing steam as his heart raced with fear. Had he done enough? "Brake Thomas, brake!" He cried. He could hear the screech as the tank engine applied as much force as he could to stopping. His wheels gripped Edward's sand trail but Thomas had too much speed going to stop completely. The older engine braced himself. He would be the buffer for Thomas, ensuring that his protege would remain on the tracks.

Thomas hit harder than Edward expected and the K2 couldn't hide his wince as the jolt sent a shock through his body. Thomas shouted something and he opened his eyes in time to see Thomas' parcel fly through the air and crash down on the sidewalk. Thomas was certain it had broken. A hard hit like that would break most anything. Edward gave him a sympathetic glance. He knew what it felt like to lose a special. But thankfully, the package which turned out to be an ice skating rink, was intact. Sir Topham Hatt, and the Mayor left to help set it up, leaving the two engines alone.

Thomas looked his mentor over. He'd hit Edward quite hard and the K2 wasn't as young as he used to be. "I'm fine." Edward assured him, knowing what he was going to ask. Oh his buffers would be bruised and sore for a while but that was a pain he could handle. Anything was better than what could've happened. What would've happened had he not been there. Thomas sighed. "I'm sorry, Edward." He said. "You tried to warn me about my sandbox being empty." "You're forgiven Thomas." Edward replied gently. "I'm just glad you're alright." The relief shown clear in his eyes and his wheels sagged as he came down off his adrenaline rush. His gaze traveled over every inch of the smaller engine, searching for even the smallest scrape. "I'm okay." Thomas said. "You took the worst of it." Edward's eyes lingered on him for a moment longer before he nodded.

"Your buffers are bleeding." Thomas said. Edward looked down, seeing the red liquid pool on the tracks in front of him. "Could've been worse." He said. "I'm sure you've had worse." Thomas replied. "I have but that's not what I meant. I meant that it could've been worse for you." Edward answered. "I've seen icy conditions like this before Thomas, I know what can happen! What does happen! By the saints Thomas at the speed you were traveling, you were lucky not to derail on that curve and that might've been a kinder fate than what awaited you here at the station. If I hadn't been here..." "But you were." Thomas interrupted, seeing the fear in Edward's eyes that he hadn't been able to notice at a distance. Every close call Thomas had got him rattled, but this was the first in a while that he had actually witnessed. And not just show up with the breakdown crane in the aftermath. He remembered hearing about James' crash the year before. Edward had been present for that. Thomas mentally kicked himself for being such a fool. Of course that scenario would be running through Edward's mind.

Thomas rolled forward slowly, careful not to spook Edward any more. The old K2 was trembling slightly from all the adrenaline had suddenly rushed his system. Steam exited his cylinders with a harsh weeshing sound. Thomas was vaguely aware that he was doing the same thing. He too was wound from his experience, he just hadn't noticed it until now. Thomas was gentle as he pressed against Edward, mindful of his bruised and scabbed buffers as he gave his mentor a gentle, loving nuzzle. Edward looked upon him with such soft loving eyes, Thomas lost himself for a moment. At last he murmured "I'm okay. We're both okay. That's what matters." "I'm sorry Thomas." Edward sighed as the adrenaline finally left him. "It's okay." Thomas replied. "I know you were afraid. I would be too, if I was in your place. But to be honest, I wasn't really afraid. You wanna know why?" Now Edward was confused. "Why?" He asked. Thomas' smile was as soft as he could make it. "Because I knew you would stop me." He replied. Edward chuckled. "I'd stop you even if you were towing 5 flatbeds." He answered with a quiet huff. "I'll always be your buffer Thomas." He thought. "Always."