It was January on Sodor, sometime after Christmas. A new year on Sodor was now starting. That previous year, Thomas and Emily's love had been tested by a brief break-up and Thomas' last act of violence through his inner demon, but through it all, his love with Emily remained powerful and strong and he had managed to free himself from his demon. As for James, he had been conflicting over a broken relationship with Molly and had been back with her for just over half a year now.
But one engine in particular was wondering about her own chances for a romantic relationship. That engine was Rosie. When she first arrived on Sodor, she was immediately smitten with Thomas and loved him so much, she'd copy him. Of course, Thomas loved Emily with all his heart, but when Rosie finally confessed her feelings for Thomas, he reassured her that he loved her as the sister he never had.
Ever since then, Rosie had found a new shed mate to sleep with: Stanley. He was happy to have someone to keep him company every night and over the years of sleeping together, Rosie and Stanley had built a friendly bond together. So friendly, that they came up with their own nicknames for each other. Rose and Stan. What Rosie didn't know was that Stanley really wanted to be more than just friends with her. He badly wanted to tell her that he loved her so much. Rosie, in turn was deeply fond of Stanley, but as friendly as he was, she didn't know if she harbored the same passion for Stanley that she once did for Thomas way back when.
One morning, Rosie and Stanley woke up in their shed after a warm sleep together.
"Ohh…good morning, Stan," yawned Rosie.
Stanley smiled back at her. "Good morning, Rose. Sleep well?"
"Don't I always?" giggled Rosie. "It's you being beside me that's keeping me warm, Stan."
Then as their shed doors were opened by their drivers, they looked outside to the lovely winter world. There was still snow and frost covering the island in a cold blanket. The engines began to shiver as the cold air started coming through the shed.
"Rosie," said her driver. "The Fat Controller has tasked you with a big, but important job of bringing large rocks to the beach to help build a wall to block the high tides at this time of year. No one will be visiting the beach right now anyway in this freezing weather."
Now Rosie was a headstrong and hard-working engine who liked being really useful…but this seemed like a little too much even for her. The open air felt rather cold already, and the thought of dealing with large rocks seemed like quite a challenge against the cold.
"Oh, Stanley," she worried. "I don't like the sound of this. I'll be much colder beside the sea, and pulling those heavy stones against the cold winter air!"
"Do your very best, Rosie," encouraged Stanley. "I'm sure you'll be alright, being the hard worker that you are. I, meanwhile need to deliver a load of covered hay bales at the horse stables." And with that, Stanley set off to start his work.
"Come on, Rosie. Off we go," said her driver. Rosie sighed and huffed out of the sheds, feeling nervous already. As she huffed to the quarry for her large load of rocks, she tried to brave against the bitter cold. Her fire burned fiercely against the cold and she kept huffing on, thinking of being really useful.
"Really useful engines do not give up," she shivered to herself. "Working will please the Fat Controller." But even as she spoke those words, the cold air was already hitting her face, making her even colder. And somewhere around her wheels, something else was beginning to go wrong.
Meanwhile, Stanley had collected the hay bales and was making his way to the horse stables. The bales were covered with tarpaulins, but the chilly wind was whistling around and through Stanley's wheels, making him shiver.
"Ohh…that's cold," he wheeshed. "I do hope Rosie's alright." Then he thought to himself. "I really hope you're fine, Rose. I love you…"
His wheels were still being blown by the freezing air when he arrived at the stables and the workmen began unloading his flatbed of covered bales of hay. Stanley liked horses. They were gentle, loyal animals to their owners, and had a sense of grace and royalty. Then something caught Stanley's eye. Some of the horses had warm-looking blankets around their backs where the saddle would be.
"Hmm…" said Stanley. "Rosie might really like that. In this cold breeze, she'd surely enjoy it!" When Stanley's flatbed was unloaded, his tarpaulin was placed inside his cab.
In the meantime, Rosie had delivered several loads of heavy stone to the beach already. It was rather hard work pulling a heavy load against such cold weather by the sea, but there was something else stunting her progress…she had a slight pain in one of her wheels that had slowly got worse as she kept working.
"We'll need to make another delivery of stone to keep these tides at bay, Rosie," said her driver. "We'll have to return to the quarry for another load."
Rosie moaned with disappointment and began to make her way back to the quarry. But as she huffed on, she found herself struggling even more. The pain in her wheel was gradually becoming stronger and stronger.
"What could be wrong?" she asked herself. "I have to keep being useful, but what's this pain I'm having?"
By this time, Stanley had done his work and was on his way back to his shed, hoping that Rosie had been fine during the day. Suddenly, he saw her passing by the other track. She did not look too happy. Her face was red against the cold and she was now groaning in pain from her wheel. Stanley looked sadly at her as they passed each other, but then, suddenly Stanley heard a loud crack, making Rosie yell out in pain. He stopped and reversed right back to her.
"Rosie, darling! What happened?!" exclaimed Stanley, suddenly quite frightened.
Rosie's driver checked all around her. And then…
"One of your driving wheels broke, Rosie," he said.
"Oh no!" she cried. "I can't move anymore! Oh, this has been such a bad day!"
"I need to drop Rosie's fire!" said her fireman. "It would be dangerous to let her boil dry." And so he carefully snuffed out her firebox, until the fire had gone out and Rosie stopped making steam. But no sooner was her fire out, when she suddenly felt a big freeze flash through her.
"Ohh!" she shuddered painfully. "So cold! COLD!"
Stanley was feeling even more worried for Rosie. First she had gone against heavy loads and freezing weather, then she broke a wheel, and now she was freezing even colder. Suddenly, he remembered the horses and got an idea.
"Please sir," he said to his driver. "May we cover Rosie with my tarpaulin? I don't want her to be suffering in this freezing weather." His driver agreed and carefully draped the tarpaulin over her boiler.
"Mmm…that's better," she sighed with relief. "Thank you, Stanley. You're very sweet…but what to do about all that stone?"
Stanley loved Rosie in secret and decided to miss his chance of returning to the sheds.
"Don't worry, Rosie," he said. "I can deliver your trucks to the workmen. They'll be wondering what's holding you up. After that, I'll bring Rocky and some engineers to help you."
"Really? Thank you, Stanley!" smiled Rosie. Stanley whistled as he gathered her trucks then went hastily to the quarry to keep delivering Rosie's loads to the beach until he could find Rocky and help his friend.
Mavis was wondering why Rosie was taking so long to return to the quarry. She had noticed her being in pain as she tried pulling the heavy trucks of stone, but Rosie had tried to just pass it off as nothing so she wouldn't worry. But Mavis was no fool and knew something was wrong with Rosie. At last she heard a whistle echoing through the quarry, but it wasn't Rosie's whistle. It was Stanley's. Mavis was surprised to see him.
"Stanley? What are you doing here? And where's Rosie?" she asked.
"Rosie's broken down, her wheel cracked, so I'm taking over her stone duties for her," explained Stanley.
The time passed and Rosie waited for her chance to be helped. The wind blew fiercely around her, but with a tarpaulin over her boiler, she was much warmer than before. Sometimes Stanley would pass her by with another load of stone, then back the other way with empty trucks for another load. Every time he passed her, he whistled to her. With no steam to whistle back, Rosie would smile for him.
It took two full hours before Stanley was finished all the deliveries. He came back past Rosie slowly this time.
"All the stone is delivered, Rosie. Just hold on a little longer while I find Rocky." Rosie felt very grateful that she was given that tarpaulin to stay shielded from the cold. Especially since she was now getting tired of waiting.
"About time," she sighed. "It's no fun being left out here with a bad wheel."
Eventually, Stanley came back again with Rocky so he could help Rosie onto a flatbed and bring her to the Steamworks. Rocky carefully hauled Rosie onto the flatbed, then Stanley pushed Rocky and Rosie to the Steamworks.
Once Rosie was in the Steamworks, she was lifted up and Stanley rested on the line right beside her. Workmen removed Rosie's cracked wheel, much to her relief while Victor left to find a new wheel.
"I really liked that you gave me that tarpaulin, Stanley," she smiled.
"It's the least I could do for my special friend," said Stanley. "You'll have a new wheel soon. Then you can relax with me back in our shed."
While Rosie's new wheel was being installed, she thought about everything that happened that day. After having a very cold, painful experience, Stanley made sure she'd feel better and relieved of her work. She looked down at the white engine with wonder. After she had been following Thomas for several years since she first arrived on Sodor, she suddenly began to think if she really was falling for Stanley. While not as cute as Thomas, Stanley was still fairly handsome, kind and very strong. Perhaps, if she took the time, she'd come closer to Stanley.
"There, Rosie," Victor eventually said. "You're set to go on your way again."
"Thank you, Victor," chimed Rosie.
"Come with me, Rosie. Let's get somewhere warm," said Stanley as he led her out of the Steamworks.
That night, Stanley and Rosie returned to their shed, feeling much better.
"Stanley…thank you again, for all your help today. You took my loads of stone for me and brought me to the Steamworks for a new wheel…but what I loved most was that you gave me that tarpaulin to stay warm."
Stanley smiled. "Well, you're so special to me. I could never leave my lovely rose to wither away in the cold out there."
When Rosie heard this, she blushed very deeply.
"Oh…Thank you, Stanley," she giggled. "You're such a sweetie."
"So are you, cutie," smiled Stanley. "Sweet dreams, Rosie."
Rosie yawned and began to fall asleep. As Stanley shut his eyes, he heard her softly reply.
"Sweet dreams, Stanley."
Happy 2018! Yes, your eyes are not deceiving you, a story based on a new eventual couple to start off the new year, oh my god! Anyway, as I said, first story of the new year, based on the magazine story of the same name, and it's planting the seeds for Rosie and Stanley relationship, which you'll see in a few stories. But they aren't the only couples who are getting attention. I hope to put a lot more focus on my other couples besides just Thomas and Emily almost predominantly. They'll still be my main ones, but I want to spread them out more evenly amongst the rest. Speaking of which, the next couple who will be getting attention is James and Molly, but before that I have another story centered around Emily coming soon. So leave your thoughts in your reviews, and I'll see you guys in the next story.