It was now May on Sodor. Thomas had still not come back from his big world adventure, but the engines kept working on as time went by. That past April, Emily had enjoyed Easter after she surprised all the children on the Egg Hunt with a large basket of eggs for all of them. She still had quite a while to wait until Thomas would come back, but now she would have something else to find out. Something that no one else on Sodor had any idea about.
One evening, the Thin Controller came to the sheds to see Emily. He had a job for her to help the Search and Rescue Centre.
"Emily, I've received a call from the Search and Rescue Centre. They are in need of more supplies in case of other emergencies," he said. "There is a train waiting at Knapford Yards for you to take to the centre."
"Of course, sir," said Emily, and she set off to fetch her train and take it to the centre. She went to Knapford Yards, found the train and set off for the centre. But what a surprise that would await Emily on her arrival. It was going to be quite a discovery for her.
When Emily arrived at the Search and Rescue Centre, she noticed that the place was a little quiet. Captain was in his boat shed, Harold wasn't on his landing pad and Butch was in his own shed. Even Belle and Flynn weren't anywhere to be seen. She left the supplies at the main platform outside the centre's office and was just about to leave the centre, when she was sure she heard a whimper and giggle coming from somewhere.
"Whatever is that?" she asked herself. "Who could it be?" She quietly followed the sound toward the engine's shed for the centre. Emily came closer…and what a sight befell her eyes! There were Belle and Flynn, their eyes closed, their faces pressed together and their lips kissing each other deeply and passionately. Emily just stared at what she was seeing, her heart pounding with surprise and a little fear of possibly being discovered. What she saw was quite a shock. She never even thought that anyone working at the Search and Rescue Centre had any attachment of love. She wanted to sneak away, but her eyes were stuck to what she was staring at. It just seemed to unusual to see two members of the Search and Rescue Service actually having a romantic relationship when they were not busy with emergencies.
Before Emily could sneak away, Belle suddenly opened her eyes, then her eyes popped and she gasped with a yelp, pulling away from Flynn. Emily gasped too as she didn't know what to do now.
"Flynn! We're…we're being watched!" Belle gasped. Flynn gasped and saw Emily too, then looked just as embarrassed as Belle did. Emily couldn't sneak away now. She had been discovered. Belle just panted and moaned with fear and embarrassment. She looked as though she would faint.
"Emily, what are you doing here, sneaking in on us?!" Flynn exclaimed in a flustered manner.
Emily just stuttered and panicked. She did not know what to say. She stared at Belle and Flynn's awkward, startled and embarrassed expressions and tried to break the awkward silence.
"Nothing…I…I just came to deliver supplies for the centre…then I heard something around here," she said. Belle and Flynn still looked startled and nervous.
"I…I…I assume you two must be a couple," said Emily. "I'm very sorry I interrupted your kisses…but…Am I right? Are you two really a couple?"
Belle and Flynn looked at each other, and at Emily for a few silent minutes, struggling with what to say. After what felt like a long time, they both accepted defeat and sighed reluctantly.
"Y…yes, Emily," Belle sighed, blushing with embarrassment. "We are a couple in love."
"There's no hiding the truth anymore, Emily," Flynn sighed. "In fact, we've been in love for years already. We've kept our love a secret all this time."
"You have?" asked Emily. "While working for the Search and Rescue Centre?"
"Yes, Emily. It's been a long time," said Belle. "No one else knows about this…but now you do."
Emily was surprised by what she had seen, but now she couldn't just leave. She had become curious about how this all began. "Well…how long have you been together? Where did this all start?" she asked. "And no one else knew?"
Flynn and Belle suddenly looked nervous, almost like they didn't want to reveal everything about their relationship, but what Emily said next made them think again.
"I promise, if you want this to stay secret, it's safe with me," she said. "I'd be interested to know how you two came to love each other, like many other couples on Sodor. Please?"
Belle looked at Flynn with indecision and question over what to do. Flynn thought a little too, then made a decision himself.
"We can trust her, darling," he said. "Emily is a good friend. She's sure not to tell."
Belle fell silent again, still thinking about how to come clean about this long-kept secret and how to reveal it the right way. Then she sighed deeply, kissed Flynn on his cheek and turned to Emily again. "Alright, Emily. We'll tell you. We have quite the story to tell you."
"Really?" said Emily.
"Oh yes, Emily," said Flynn. "Belle and I go way back. Even before we came to Sodor, we've known each other."
"I really don't think we can tell everyone about this, Emily," said Belle. "But we feel safe enough talking about this with you. Here's how it happened…"
So Emily settled on her line and listened to what she was about to find out. Belle and Flynn had so much to tell and express to Emily, and when it was all done, they were going to seem very different to Emily's view compared to she knew them in the first place, and possibly how the rest of the island knew them at first glance as well.
Goddamn, it's about time. Yes folks, your eyes are not deceiving you, Belle and Flynn's story is FINALLY here! After god knows how many years I've been teasing it and foreshadowing it, it's finally starting, and first of all, I'm sorry it's been so long since the last story, but we've had to deal with personal stuff, such for one thing, I was finishing my second year of college and now I'm on summer break at last. However, don't get too excited cause there are still other things going on, so updates to this story might take awhile. So, whatever you do, do NOT tell us to hurry up or not take so long to update! Anyway, leave your reviews and we'll see you all next chapter.