My Darlin' Cousin, Chapter 8 – Love and Loss

Sitting on the Vicarstown turntable and facing Daemon, Erika laughed hysterically at one of the stories he'd just told her. Twice she tried to compose herself and failed, breaking up again with ease. After a moment of watching her, even he started to laugh.

It was approaching midnight, yet the two engines had been talking endlessly the entire time about each other's lives and how the experiences of one so closely mirrored the experiences of the other. As Erika continued to learn more about Daemon, she realized just how much she had in common with him. And not for the first time since earlier that morning when he'd blown up at her, she felt like a fool for having held a pointless grudge against him.

She thanked her lucky stars that he was so easy going and readily forgave her stupidity. Of all the other engines she knew, she wasn't sure any of them would've forgiven her as readily as he had if they'd been in a similar situation. Gordon perhaps and maybe even Adolf, but no one else. And for that, she was grateful.

Finally, after she'd managed to stop laughing, Erika said, "Oh my gosh. I can only imagine the expression on Moe's face when he encountered that scene."

"I think it kinda traumatized the poor old timer," Daemon replied. "After all, it ain't every day that a cow chooses the middle of the daggone tracks ta deliver her youngin'."

She broke down in laughter again. "And the cow wouldn't move?"

"Well not while she was deliverin'," he answered. "Course not. But then it took another six dad gum hours for her and her newborn ta git off the tracks. No matter how loud or how many times Moe blasted his whistle, that danged pole cat cow just would not move. Not even the rancher that owned old Bessie could git her ta move. Stranded the Texas Special for that entire time. Ya can imagine how irate the passengers was gittin' seein' as how they all arrived in San Antonio later than the mailman deliverin' a letter across town."

She laughed some more. "In all my years, I have never, ever been held up for something quite like that!"

"Me either lil' darlin'," he agreed. "Me either."

Moments later, when Erika had finally settled down enough to be more coherent, she asked, "So tell me Daemon… when did you and Scarlett finally hook up?"

Daemon was confused. "What d'ya mean lil' darlin'?" he asked.

"Well I have to admit Daemon, I've been curious to hear more about your "Texas Peach" as you call her ever since you first mentioned her," she replied. "So have a lot of the others around here. So as you rather forcefully told me earlier today… out with it. When did you and Scarlett hook up?"

"Well I first met my little Texas Peach in March o' 1952," he replied. "But it weren't Miss Scarlett."

Erika was surprised and her wide eyes showed it. "She wasn't?"

"Naw, I ain't never been involved with Miss Scarlett in that way," he replied.

She was flabbergasted. "B-but not long after you first arrived here, you said that Miss Scarlett was one of the prettiest engines you'd ever met." She narrowed her eyes a bit. "You even suggested that she was prettier than me."

Daemon knew that was true but he tried to play dumb. "Uh… did I?"

"Mm hmm," Erika responded evenly. Her seemingly cross expression then melted away into a grin. "Relax Daemon, I'm only teasing you. I can understand why you'd say that. Unlike me, you saw her every day." She glanced down shamefully at the tracks. "And she wasn't as ugly towards you as I've been."

"Aw now don't start that all over again lil' darlin'," he said. "Tarnation, ya gonna make me feel bad for goin' off on ya like I did."

She shook her head. "No, don't think that Daemon. I deserved every word you threw at me today and probably a dictionary's load more words that you didn't bother to say." Erika smiled at him. "But thank you for not saying them."

"You're welcome lil' darlin'."

"So why didn't you and Scarlett hook up then?"

"Well, I wasn't lyin' when I said that Miss Scarlett was one the purtiest engines I ever did see," he explained. "I still feels that way today about her. Don't git me wrong, I love Miss Scarlett. But I don't love her. I never have. Ya understand what I mean lil' darlin'?"

Daemon's words made Erika think of the few engines that she loved, but wasn't in love with. It certainly made her think of Aaron and how she'd used him to drown out the pain losing Elena all those years ago. To a lesser extent it made her think of Brent, the big Chicago & North Western H-1 class engine she'd met in San Francisco back in the late 40s. She'd loved both of those guys but had never really been in love with either of them.

That hadn't really mattered with Brent as he'd felt the same way about her and they'd developed more of a big brother / little sister relationship. With Aaron though, it had been a different story. He'd been hopelessly in love with her and completely devoted to her. And for him to find out that he'd been little more than a toy for her all along had broken his heart. She still felt terrible about that. "All too well I'm afraid Daemon," she answered him.

"Truth be told, I never thought I'd ever see a engine purtier than Miss Scarlett. But boy was I wrong. And Miss Scarlett was real broken hearted when she found out I didn't love her the way she loved me," he revealed. "She didn't say nothin' ta me about it right away. In fact, it took her almost three more years for her ta finally say anythin' about it. And dangnation if I didn't feel like a prize pole cat at that moment." Staring down at the tracks, he sniffed. "I still gits choked up thinkin' about it even now."

Erika could see just how emotional Daemon was becoming. Maybe talking about it would help. "What happened Daemon?" she asked him sweetly. "Tell me."

He took a deep breath. "I'll tell ya about that later. Right now, I'd like ta tell ya about my Texas Peach."

She smiled. "I'd like to hear about her. Was it love at first sight for you?"

Daemon couldn't help but laugh. "Not really and I don't think it was for her either. Honestly, when we first met, we could barely stand one another. Yet I's still amazed ta this day just how fast and hard we fell for one another. See back in March o' '52 I was runnin' the Lone Star…"

Memphis, Tennessee – March, 1952

Daemon was making good time as he approached Memphis, Tennessee with the Lone Star train. Though there was still a hint of a chill in the air, the sun was shining brightly and it felt good and warm against his boiler. Birds were singing in the trees as he steamed by and occasionally he'd see a deer venturing out near the tracks.

Spring had arrived once again and Daemon was feeling great about it. Though he had been bumped from the Morning Star just over two years earlier by the arrival of Thibodeaux and Boudreaux, Daemon had immediately been reassigned to the Lone Star, Cotton Belt's passenger train that ran between Dallas and Memphis. Thibodeaux and Boudreaux had never ceased insulting him about he'd been "bumped to second class train" but he paid it little mind.

He actually didn't mind the change. Though it was no longer critical that he connect with the Tennessean in Memphis, his new schedule afforded him more time in Memphis before heading back to Texas. That meant longer visits with Miss Scarlett, whose friendship he'd come to treasure almost as much as he did the friendships he had with his brothers. Overall, life was still good for the big L-1 class engine and though he didn't know it at the moment, it was about to get a lot better.

He steamed into the Memphis station a minute ahead of schedule and was immediately uncoupled from the train. Howard then ran him down to the roundhouse for servicing and upon his arrival, Miss Scarlett greeted him. "Well good morning Daemon sir," she said in the sweet southern belle voice of hers. "I declare, you are looking bright and cheerful this fine spring morning."

"Why thank ya little darlin'," he replied with a smile. "I's feelin' a little beat but I guess feelin' a little tired is better than sittin' on my drivers with nothin' ta do."

"That it is Daemon sir," she replied. "I declare, any day you work is good day."

"That it is lil' darlin'," he agreed.

"Which is why I need to talk to you Daemon," Scarlett said in more serious tone. "Something has come up that you need to know about."

Daemon's heart suddenly filled with dread. "Don't tell me they's retirin' ya!"

She giggled. "No, I declare Southern is not retiring me." She rolled her eyes. "Not yet anyway. But I will be going away for little while Daemon sir."

He became very concerned. What was going on? Was she broken? Why hadn't she said anything before now? "I don't understand lil' darlin'. Why ya goin' away? Are ya all right?"

She smiled widely. "Oh Daemon sir, you are such a gentleman. I declare, I am just fine. But the Southern Railway bosses say that I am overdue for a major overhaul. So tomorrow I will be goin' to the Southern Railway's shops down in Spencer, North Carolina to have the work done."

"Who's gonna take over for ya while ya gone lil' darlin'?" he wondered.

"Well now Daemon sir, that's why I wanted to talk to you," Scarlett replied. "Southern railway may be puttin' these new-fangled diesels on all kinds of trains like the Crescent Limited, but for the time being anyway they are content to leave the Tennessean to us steamers. So another steamer will be here tomorrow in my place. I declare, I don't know who she is. All I know is that it's a female. So I expect you to treat her kindly Daemon and be ready to answer any questions she might have. I'm sure she's bound to have some. From what I understand, she's never been out this way before."

He grinned widely. "Ya can count on me lil' darlin'," he said proudly. "I'll show the lil' darlin' everythin' she needs ta know about this here place."

Scarlett returned his grin. "I declare Daemon, you are a fine man and a fine engine. I knew you wouldn't let me down."

"So how long you gonna be gone Miss Scarlett?" he asked.

"Until the end of the summer for sure and possibly even longer," she answered him. "I declare Daemon, I am so going to miss spending the summer with you out here. But I'll be back before you know it and better than ever."

"Ya know I'm gonna hold ya too that lil' darlin'," he told her flatly.

She smiled at him in return. "Why Daemon sir, I wouldn't expect anything less from you."

The next morning as Daemon steamed toward Memphis again with the Lone Star, he found himself excited with anticipation. Who would Scarlett's replacement be? Would she be as pretty as Scarlett? Would she be as nice as Scarlett? Would she have Scarlett's green color? So many questions were flying the Daemon's mind, he became a little distracted and started going a little too fast.

Howard pushed the throttle inward. "Hey there big fella," he said mildly irritated. "Let's get our minds back on our work here."

"Sorry Mister Howard," he apologized. "I's just a little excited is all."

"I know you are Daemon," Howard responded. "And I can appreciate that. But don't you think the new gal would appreciate it if you showed up on time and on your own instead of on a flat car in thousand pieces?"

"Ya right Mister Howard," the big L-1 said. "I'm sorry."

Howard chuckled. "You'll get to meet the new gal soon enough," he assured his engine. "For now just get your mind back on your task."

That was easier said than done.

Awhile later, as Daemon steamed into the Memphis station, he saw the Tennessean train lined up on the track next to him as usual. But there was no sign of the new engine. "I thought she'd be here," Daemon said somewhat disappointedly.

"Now c'mon Daemon," Howard reminded him. "You know that you usually see Scarlett down in the yards now more than before. So it stands to reason that you'll meet the new gal there as well."

"Yeah ya right," Daemon replied. Git it together ya daggone idgit, he told himself. Why was he so nervous? This was just another engine after all. Why did he suddenly feel sick? Like he was about to blow oil out of his stack? He closed his eyes and breathed in deeply, trying to relax and get control of himself.

As a result, he barely felt it when he was disconnected from his train. Howard let Daemon rest a few extra minutes anyway. He didn't want Daemon to blow a piston if he started up before he was ready. The engine took one last deep breath and Howard asked. "All right Daemon, you ready?"

The big L-1 nodded. "As ready as I'm gonna git."

Howard eased the throttle back and they set off in the direction of the yard. Passing Tower 17, they returned temporarily to the main line before switching off again and heading around the long, hairpin curve a short distance away. It took him along the back side of the roundhouse to the engine servicing facility. He cleared the structure and began searching for her.

And there she was.

Almost immediately, he spotted her. She was sitting at the fuel rack with her tender to him, loading up with coal and water. She was bigger than Miss Scarlett and black in color. But there was something odd, yet intriguing about her shape. She had streamlined skirting down her sides and as Daemon got closer, he could see her tender had a dark red stripe down the center which matched the dark redness of her side skirting.

Steaming up alongside her, Daemon noticed that the dark red stripe on her and her tender was ever so delicately highlighted by gold pin striping and lettering. On her tender, the words "Norfolk and Western" shined brightly in the morning sunshine. Was that the railroad she belonged to? He'd never heard of that railroad before. Further up, he noted that she was a 4-8-4 Northern type like he was and her skirting revealed her Norfolk and Western ID number… 611.

Oh wow, Daemon thought. She's beautiful. Gorgeous. What do I say ta this fine lady?

He didn't much time to think that one over as Howard stopped him and the two engines were side by side. Out of the corner of his eye, Daemon got a look at her face and a plume of steam erupted from his blow-off valve. She had a dignified, yet delicate appearance with doe eyes and high arched eyebrows. Her lips were dark red and sensuous and her eye shadow was a dark smoky gray with just a hint of rose in it. Her golden eyes shined brightly in the sun and she had soft cheeks yet a strong jawline. To Daemon it was all very, very inviting.

Oh my gosh, she's even more beautiful than I expected, he thought. Fumbling for his voice, he stammered, "U-uh… good mornin' lil' darlin'."

Island of Sodor – Present Day

"Wait a minute! WAIT A MINUTE!" Erika yelled, scarcely believing what she was hearing. "A Norfolk and Western Class J engine took Miss Scarlett's place?!"

"Eeyup," Daemon said with smile.

"And that engine was number 611?!" she screamed.

"Right again lil' darlin'."

"MADISON?!"

"Three for three lil' darlin'."

"THAT EAST COAST BITCH, MADISON, IS YOUR TEXAS PEACH?!"

"Ding, ding, ding," he smiled. "Congrats lil' darlin'. Ya won the million dollar question."

Erika didn't really appreciate Daemon's attempt to be funny, but at the moment it was the furthest thing from her mind. "SHE'S A BITCH!"

"Well I'll admit she a little rough around the edges." Daemon defended his woman, though it was clear from the expression Erika gave him after that statement that she wasn't buying it. "All right," he conceded, "She's a lot rough behind the edges."

"She's a bitch Daemon!"

"Now wait a second," he admonished her. "I know all too well that she's got her pistons up her firebox more often than she don't. But if ya ain't gonna respect her, then at least respect me and not call her that in my presence. Remember, I said we didn't git off ta a great start. But I saw a side o' her that very few, if any, other engines git ta see. And it's that Madison that I fell in love with. Not the cantankerous, ornery pole cat she displays ta almost everyone else. She does that ta cover up a lot o' sensitivity and insecurity."

Erika couldn't help but snicker. "I'll just bet," she said dryly, not believing a word of it.

"Well if ya let me finish my story, maybe you'll see a hint o' what I see in her," he said encouragingly.

"Don't know if I'll ever believe that Daemon," she replied. "But today has already been a day of surprises and firsts. All right Daemon, you've got a deal." She shook head in dismay. "If nothing else, I have seriously got to hear how you ended up romantically involved with Madison of all engines."

Memphis, Tennessee – March, 1952

Madison turned her irritated gaze towards the unwelcome voice. She didn't want to be here way out in the middle of "Nowhere, USA" as she had described it to her Norfolk & Western bosses. Their orders had been clear though… "Take command of the Tennessean along its entire route until such time as Scarlett returns from Spencer."

This was a joke of a passenger train, and certainly not one worthy of her caliber. Why did she have to do this? Why couldn't one of her sisters do this job? Or at least one of her 4-8-2 Mountain type cousins? She'd rather be pulling the Powhatan Arrow or at least the Pocahontas. Those were trains more dignified and deserving of her curves and colors.

"Good morning," she replied tersely. "Who are you?"

"Why I'm Daemon lil' darlin'," he said proudly. "And it's a right pleasure ta meet ya. Where ya from lil' darlin'?"

Madison looked away from him. "Virginia," she said brusquely.

Daemon had heard of Virginia from Scarlett of course, but he'd never met an engine from that part of the country. "Well welcome ta Tennessee lil' darlin'," he spoke proudly. "If there's anythin' ya need or ya got a question, just let me know and I'll does my best ta answer it."

Madison glanced back at Daemon for a second, a decidedly unfriendly smile on her lips. "What makes you think I need anything from you?"

The statement took Daemon by surprise. "Why, just tryin' ta be neighborly is all lil' darlin'."

"Really? And just what is it you do?" she sarcastically wondered.

"Why I pulls the Lone Star lil' darlin'," he answered her pleasantly.

"Pulls the Lone Star?" Madison laughed. "Oh isn't this cute," she said in a mocking tone. "The country hick is trying to speak English." She laughed some more. "How fun."

Daemon's eyes narrowed. "What was that lil' darlin'?" he asked.

"You heard me," she retorted. "Or are you also hard of hearing in addition to being incapable of speaking English?"

This wasn't the meeting the Daemon had been hoping for and he was rapidly getting ticked off at this newcomer. "Naw, I ain't hard o' hearin' ma'am," he said. "And my English is just fine."

"Glad to hear it," Madison said mockingly. A false expression of remorse covered her face. "Oh I'm sorry," she lied. "Did I upset you?"

"Naw, ya didn't upset me ma'am," he responded. "But ya sure do got a lot o' water in your ashpan that needs removin'."

"What?" she said with a confused expression.

"I mean your attitude needs a serious adjustment," Daemon retaliated. "Might I suggest a stay in the roundhouse and a long chat with the shop foreman? I'm sure he and his gang'll be able to straighten ya out."

What was this? Madison was surprised. This country bumpkin was actually fighting back at her? That was a first. Madison had never encountered an engine willing to go cowcatcher to cowcatcher with her like this, especially a male from another railroad. Well if a fight was what he wanted, she'd show him. "How dare you," she glared hotly at him. "Do you know what I am?"

He shook his head in the negative. "Should I have heard o' ya ma'am," he answered.

"I am a Norfolk and Western J class 4-8-4, the most beautiful 4-8-4 type engine in the world," Madison announced arrogantly. "And the most powerful."

If Madison was hoping to intimidate Daemon as she had so many others in the past with her arrogant declaration, she was sorely disappointed. "That's great ma'am," he teased her. "I'm happy as a clam for ya. But if ya was hopin' ta impress me, your hopes just fell flatter than a starfish on the beach. Know what else? I don't give a daggone what ya are or think ya are."

"And you might want to check your specs a little closer young lady," Howard couldn't resist chiming in. "Because with its tender booster cut in, the Chicago & North Western H-1 class 4-8-4 beats you in power."

Madison was outraged. "Who are you?" Glaring at Daemon again she added, "And who do you think you are talking to me like this?" she screamed.

Now Daemon was getting upset. Who was this upstart and why the heck had they chosen her to replace Scarlett? "Boy you just a real Texas peach ain't ya? Sassy, loudmouthed and with their pistons stuck so far up their danged firebox their drivers melt. Just like all o' 'em."

"How dare you speak to me that way!" she screamed.

He ignored her tirade. "As for who I am, if you'd bothered ta listen ta my introduction instead o' gittin' your couplers all bent outta shape, then maybe you'd remember I said my name was Daemon. And for your information, I's an L-1 class 4-8-4 for the Cotton Belt railroad thank ya very much."

"Is that supposed to mean something to me cowboy?" Madison demanded with an angry growl.

"Only if you got a problem rememberin' that no matter where we come from, we's all engines doin' a job somewhere," he retaliated.

Hah, she thought. Madison felt she had him right where she wanted him. "I'll have you know I've pulled the Powhatan Arrow and the Pocahontas trains," she snarled loudly. "Premier, first class passenger trains between Norfolk and Cincinnati!" Take that cowboy, she thought.

"And why in tarnation would I give a hootin' dang about that," he barked back. "Them two cities ain't nowhere close ta here." He cut her off before she could retaliate. "Look ya oversized blotsun', hettin' fladdersplattin' nazzitrap, this might be the way ya treat each other back in Virginny or whatever the heck it is ya calls it. But ya ain't in Virginny anymore! Ya in west Tennessee! An' out here we treats each other with respect. But only when it's earned! An' as far as I's concerned, ya ain't done nothin' ta earn no respect out here no matter what ya mighta done back home! So git that through your crown sheet right now ya slodderbattin', barracardin', bazzernat or you gonna find yourself in a peck o' trouble around here real dad gum quick!"

He turned away from Madison addressed his driver. "Git me over ta the wash rack! I needs ta cool off a bit!" Howard smiled and pulled back on his throttle and Daemon steamed away grumbling, "Azzle, frazzle, porka-flattlin', carpin', battin' racka, polveratin', rittin', rattin', gordaslattin'…"

Madison watched in shock and amazement as Daemon puffed off in the direction of the wash rack. Of all the indignities! That was the first time in her life any engine other than her own sisters had stood up to her like that. Who in the hell was he to be talking to her that way? When she saw him again she'd… she'd…

She'd what? Argue with him some more? That would be pointless. In the short time they'd argued already he'd proven he wasn't afraid of or intimidated by her. And he didn't seem to care that she was a first class passenger engine. Another first. Every other engine she'd made a point of that to had either gone out of their way to stay away from her or become very quiet when they were near her.

As she watched him puffing away, she got her first good look at his physique. Almost absently, she caught herself thinking that for a standard steam engine, he was kind of handsome. The curve of his boiler and the angular shape of his firebox were actually rather appealing. And boy, did he have a tender on him.

What was this? Did she actually respect him? As crazy as it sounded in her own mind, she did. She respected him for getting in her face and telling her off like he did. It was actually quite refreshing for her to see an engine that wasn't afraid to speak his mind and not be intimidated by other engines. He's definitely got a pair of cylinders on him, she thought.

But was that really all? No. Wait. She was feeling something else. Her fire. It was burning hot inside her firebox. She couldn't ever remember her fire burning as hot as it was at this moment. No, it couldn't be. Was it possible? The further away he got, the hotter her fire burned. Was this… arousal she was feeling? Attraction? Madison could scarcely believe it. Was this country cowboy L-1 with a bizarre accent was making her, a posh and refined Class J passenger engine, all "hot under the boiler" as it were? Deny it though she tried, he was.

Her angry scowl melted away into a sultry smile and she licked her teeth in anticipation. Oh yeah, she was aroused all right. She even felt her fireman turn her burner down so that her fire didn't burn out of control and warp her crownsheet. Maybe Memphis was going to be a fun place after all.

From her cab, her driver said. "I don't blame you if you don't like him Madison."

"On the contrary, I do like him," she replied. With a suggestive twitch of her eyebrows, she added, "I do so like him indeed."

Over in the roundhouse two of Daemon's friends from back east, Jack and Jared, watched the scene unfold before them. Jack was number 576, a J3-57 class 4-8-4 "Dixie" belonging to the Nashville, Chattanooga & St. Louis railroad. Jared was number 152, a K-2A class 4-6-2 Pacific belonging to the Louisville & Nashville railroad.

Jack watched Daemon and Madison argue and stifled a laugh as his friend called her a fladdersplattin' nazzitrap. "Now tell me you didn't see that one comin'," he said to Jared.

"Oh yeah," Jared agreed. "I knew that east coast bitch would never rattle our Daemon. Heh. Tryin' to intimidate him is like Goliath trying to intimidate David."

Jack however, noticed the expression on Madison's face as Daemon headed for the wash rack. "What's this? Ah, from that look it seems our red and black beauty there has serious case of "hot box" for our dear Texas friend."

"What? You're dreaming," Jared insisted.

"Oh I don't think so my friend," Jack pointed out. "Just look at her eyes. I've seen that look before. Her fire is blazing. And from the way Daemon introduced himself to her, I think his fire is blazing as well."

"With anger," Jared made his point. "I still think you're nuts. There's no way Daemon would ever go for a girl like that after arguing with her the way he did."

"Really? Care to make a small wager on that?"

"You're on."

Island of Sodor – Present Day

Erika was laughing hysterically. "A barracardin' bazzernat? I would've loved to have seen the look on Madison's face when you called her that."

"Truth be told lil' dalrin', I don't remember exactly what her expression was when I told her that," Daemon explained. "After all, I was a little upset at the time and I wasn't seein' too straight at that moment neither."

"Taking recent events into consideration Daemon, no I bet you weren't," she agreed.

"What I didn't know at the time was that me gittin' in her face like I did really put a extra burst in her giddyap," he told his cousin. "She was used ta bein' intimidatin' towards other engines and seein' them cower around her or just outright avoid her. She told me later that up ta that point only her older sisters had been able ta git in grill like that. Not engines from another railroad and certainly not male engines of any kind. Though ta be fair, she also later grew to respect Brent if only because there is a very, very distant family connection there."

Erika was surprised. "Really? I didn't know that."

He nodded. "Yeah. It's even further apart than what you and I got lil' darlin' and truth be told, it may not even be worth mentionin'. But it's there."

"Do you know Brent?"

"I's heard o' him, but ain't never met him," he replied. "Anyway, I guess Madison thought that me bein' a country boy like I is, well I'd just be another one she could push around and intimidate. But ya see, I ain't never been afraid o' another engine no matter how big or intimidatin' they tried ta be. Because at the end o' the day, we all engines doin' our jobs. And we's all servin' the same Master no matter what railroad we work for."

"Very true Daemon," she agreed. "Very true. So when was the next time you saw Madison?"

"About twenty minutes later over at the wash rack."

Memphis, Tennessee – March, 1952

Daemon exhaled deeply with relaxation as the water jets were turned on and began to spray him down. "Oh yeah, that feels great," he said to no one in particular.

"Is that Daemon I hear over there," a familiar voice on the track next to him said.

"Eeyup," he replied. "Good mornin' ta ya Ronald my friend."

Ronald was J1-b class 4-8-2 Mountain belonging to the Nashville, Chattanooga & St. Louis railroad. Typically used in freight service, he sometimes pulled a local passenger train between Memphis and Knowxville, via Nashville. He'd met Daemon early on in Daemon's career and the two had become good friends rather fast. So Daemon was always happy when Ronald was in town.

"I thought that was you when you rolled in here," Ronald said. "But I had soap in my eyes and couldn't be sure. You still runnin' the Lone Star?"

"O' course. They ain't gonna take that away from me anytime soon."

"Glad to hear it," Ronald replied. He rinsed his face in the water jets. "At least there's some sanity left in the world."

"What are ya talin' about?"

Ronald snorted loudly. "Couple days ago I got word that my company's bosses are talking merger with the Louisville & Nashville."

Daemon almost shot a burst of steam out of his blow down. "Are they crazy?"

"That's what I thought," Ronald admitted. "But apparently these talks are just getting under way, so I suppose I don't have to worry about much right now."

"That merger would never work," Daemon observed. "Your railroads is so different it would be like mergin' the Pennsylvania with the New York Central."

Ronald laughed. "Yeah. That would be a disaster for sure. But I think a merger between us and L&N would be an even bigger disaster." He shook his head disdainfully. "So you meet the new girl yet? Scarlett's replacement?"

"Hah, did I ever," Daemon blurted out. "Boy that's one sassy little peach. And ta think just half an hour ago I was actually lookin' forward ta meetin' her."

"Yeah we've all kind of come to the conclusion that she doesn't really want to be here and isn't too interested in making friends. So we're all inclined to just give her space and wait it out until Scarlett returns."

"Shame though. She is purty."

Ronald ignored Daemon's last statement as he could see the workmen were about done washing him. "Listen Daemon, it's good you're here because I need to tell you something. Starting tomorrow, I'll be gone for a month or so."

The news both surprised and concerned Daemon. First it was Scarlett, now it was Ronald. "Why? What's wrong?"

"Nothing at all," Ronald assured him. "But with Spring Break right around the corner, a lot of young people are going to be traveling from the Midwest to Florida for vacation. Therefore, our premier train, the Dixie Flagler, will be a lot more heavily booked and require more coaches than usual. So they're double heading steam engines on our portion of the run. I and another one of my J1 brothers drew the job this year."

"Well shake my boiler an' call me a washin' machine, that's great Ronald!" He mused thoughtfully for a moment. "Dixie Flagler? That's your train between Chicago and Meeami, ain't it?"

"Miami," Ronald corrected. "And yes, you're right. We share that train with the Chicago & Eastern Illinois, the Louisville & Nashville, the Atlantic Coast Line and the Florida East Coast." He grinned with anticipation. "I have to admit Daemon, I'm excited. This'll be my first time pulling a first class passenger train like this."

Daemon was happy for his friend. "Aw you'll be fine Ronald," he assured him. "Just don't jostle the cars too much and listen ta the advice o' whoever it is ya runnin' with. I assume they's puttin' ya with one o' the Flagler's regular engines?"

"Of course."

"Then just listen ta them an' you'll be fine." A look of concern suddenly flashed across Daemon's face. "Ya ain't running the whole daggone trip are ya?"

"No," he chuckled. "I'll be taking over from the L&N in Bowling Green, Kentucky and running all the way to Atlanta from there." The water jets shut off and his driver gave him a firm pat on the outside of his cab. "Well, guess it's time to go."

"Enjoy your time on the Flagler, Ronald. Even if it is only temporary, it'll be the time o' your life."

"I will Daemon, and thanks. See you in month or so."

As Ronald steamed away, Daemon resumed his own bath. It never ceased to amaze him just how quickly a good shower could ease a day's tension and wash away a bad mood. With a small crew of workmen scrubbing and soaping him down, he was feeling good once again. He'd even mostly forgotten his argument with Madison, though it had happened just moments earlier. She might've been beautiful on the outside, but she sure wasn't that beautiful on the inside. Oh well. Life went on. There were schedules to keep and trains to pull. So what if Madison was who she was. Still, it would be a long time before he'd be able to get the image of her soft, sensual curves out of his head. And her face… it was the most beautiful face he'd ever seen.

As he stood there on the wash track letting the water jets spray him, he shook himself back to reality. To help get the image of the beautiful Madison out of his head, he engaged in one of his favorite wash down pastimes… singing in the shower. "You've lost that lovin' feelin'…" he sang. "Whoa, that lovin' feelin'." A portion of the next line was lost as he rinsed his face off. "Frr, frr, frr, frrrrrrrrrr, frrrrr… now it's gone… gone… gone. Wooooooooh."

Howard laughed as he glanced across the cab at Clyde. "Never thought we'd ever be in charge of a musically inclined engine did you?"

"Nope," was all Clyde could say as shook his head.

Daemon rinsed his face off some more. "Ahhhhhh," he said with a smile. "Wet water, the best kind. Nothin' like a good spritzin' ta wash away the day's worries and frustrations."

Howard laughed some more and gave his engine a fatherly pat. "That's the spirit Daemon. Glad to see you're cheering up a bit. I'm sorry Madison wasn't what you expected but it's not that bad, is it?"

"Naw, just a little disappointin' is all Mister Howard," he replied. "Boy was I wrong about her. She may be beautiful on the outside, but she sure was ugly on the inside wasn't she?"

"Well try to be fair Daemon," Howard said. "She is new to this area after all so she may be overreacting a little. That said, her behavior was inexcusable. A pretty face can hide a dark heart Daemon. Never forget that."

"I won't Mister Howard. And I's sure happy for Ronald gittin' selected ta pull the Flagler like that."

"It is indeed a great moment for him," Howard agreed. "He'll be looking back on the experience for years to come.

The water jets shut off and Daemon steamed off the wash track. And there she was again. Madison was standing nearby watching him dry off in the sunlight.

She'd finally been able to convince herself that whatever attraction she may have felt towards this Cotton Belt country cowboy was ludicrous. After all, she was a Norfolk & Western Class J. She was streamlined and only streamlined steam engines were worthy of her attention. He was just a steam engine. Plain. Ordinary. No refinement whatsoever.

At least that's what she had told herself five minutes ago. Now looking at him as he came off the wash rack, those thoughts and beliefs evaporated faster than it took a blast of steam to shoot out of her blow off valve and cylinder cocks. She'd watched in aroused fascination as the workmen soaped him down and later, rinse him off. And oh how at that moment did she want to join him for a suds-down. The things she'd do to him… woooo, it made her shiver.

What was wrong with her? What was it about this cowboy that caused her to go weak in the drivers? He wasn't even streamlined! Back home, she had engines practically sending each other to the scrap yard to be next to her. And the only ones she ever paid even a lick of attention to were streamlined. Yet in the end, there wasn't a one of them that she hadn't developed the same opinion of… lame, fireless wimps.

But this one, Daemon… oh he was so very different. His drivers, his valve gear, his boiler, even his tender. Madison couldn't stop staring at any of it. Closing her eyes, she imagined him thundering full speed down the main line with a fast passenger train behind him. Or even a hot priority freight train. A man with cylinders like that had to be strong and powerful. And as her fanciful desires continued dancing in head, she imagined herself double-heading a train with him. Any kind of train. Passenger, freight, she didn't care. As long as it was the two of them together.

At that moment, Madison realized that streamlining was all nice and beautiful and everything. But if a man didn't have the cylinders and drivers to go with it, well it might as well have been wasted because he was a fireless wuss. Daemon didn't need streamlining. No way. He was all man just as he was. No way could he be a fireless wuss like every other male engine she'd allowed to get even remotely close to her.

Oh he was so sexy and how she wished she could get him back to Norfolk and have her way with him. But then she just might have to keep most, if not all, of her sisters from locking their couplers with him. No, it was better that she was out here away from them. That way she could have him all to herself, assuming he was even mildly interested in that sort of thing with her. And another curious thought entered her mind… a two stall engine-house just for them.

Now Madison was sure she was going crazy. Oh I'm going crazy all right, she thought. Crazy with desire. Her aroused thoughts caused the fire in her firebox got white hot again and she thought her heart skipped a beat. Looking at him aroused her even more. The way the water cascaded down the sides of his boiler and ran down his drivers. The way his paint shined brilliantly in the sun. Even his singing, the way he smelled and sounded. It was all so very, very… sexy. A faint smile began to creep on her lips and she found herself purring in approval and desire.

"Can I help ya ma'am?" Daemon asked her.

Shaken out of her aroused stupor, Madison asked, "Huh? What?"

"I asked if I could help ya?"

Madison stiffened. "Why would you think I would even be remotely interested in your help?" she barked.

"Beats the tarnation outta me," he replied. "I ain't the one standin' there lookin' dumb and lost. But if ya don't needs my help that suits me just fine. I gots ta git ready ta head back ta Dallas anyway."

"Fine then," she yelled at him. "Be gone!"

Daemon shook his head. "Ya know, not only is ya a pain in the drivers, ya a weird pain in the drivers." He released his brakes. "See ya later ya cat-blattin' rosencrat." He sang some more as he steamed off. "Bring back, that lovin' feelin'… Whoa, that lovin' feelin'…"

It wasn't until Daemon was behind her that Madison allowed herself to close her eyes and listen to the sound of his voice. Oh yes, she so wanted to double head with him. As his voice trailed off, she got another whiff of him and it made her shiver in delight. Vividly imagining once again what the two of them could be doing in the roundhouse at that moment, she once again ran her tongue along the inside of her teeth before biting her lower lip. Why? Why did she feel this way? Why of all male engines did this country cowboy get her fire so hot it threatened to burn not only through her crown sheet, but completely through her boiler?

Who cares? Madison said to herself taking her oldest sister, Misty's, advice about not trying to out think love. Opening her eyes again, she thought, Oh Daemon baby, I've known you only thirty minutes and you've already gotten this girl hotter than any other engine I've ever known. Wooooooooo. She took a deep breath and a twinkle appeared in her eye. I can't wait to see you again cowboy. Rawr.

Island of Sodor – Present Day

A sly grin appeared on Erika's face and her mind wandered a little as she recalled just how "steamed up" Adolf used to get watching her bathe. A smile came to her face, as she fondly recalled the fun she used to have getting him worked up. And as it turned out, the sly old man even taught her a thing or two about romance.

"What lil' darlin'?" Daemon asked.

It was then she realized Daemon had asked her a question. She blushed slightly. "I'm sorry Daemon. I was just… reminiscing on some of my own experiences."

He chuckled. "I thought ya might be. Dad gum, you was gone for about a minute there."

Again she blushed. "Again I'm sorry Daemon. What was it you asked me?"

He shook his head. "Don't need ta ask again. Ya done answered the question already."

Erika turned redder still for the briefest of seconds but quickly steered the conversation back on track as it were. "So how long did you and Madison nip and pick at each other like that? How long before one of you finally made a move?"

"Couple weeks," he admitted. "I admit, I tried ta forget her. An' I even tried not ta like her. 'Course the more I tried, the more I couldn't stop thinkin' about her. An' every time I arrived in Memphis, I would always greet her an' try ta talk ta her. Tarnation if every time I did, I didn't think she was the most beautiful lady I ever did see. An' the more I thought about her and tried ta talk ta her, I realized I was just tryin' ta come up with an excuse ta be close ta her. An' it hurt ta know that no matter how much I wanted ta be close ta her, she just didn't want ta be close ta me. Mind ya, this was before I knew otherwise."

"Of course," she agreed. "I suppose that's part of the lure of anticipation. You know how you feel, but you don't know how the other feels about you. Sometimes not knowing can be just as exciting as knowing all too well. Sometimes. Sooner or later though, it all has to come out, otherwise you just feel like your rivets will pop out and you'll burst at the seams."

"Well that moment came real fast for me," he said. "I hated fightin' with Madison and even though I didn't know for sure, I sensed that Madison didn't really want ta fight with me neither. So one day, I took matter inta my own hands… uh, so ta speak."

Erika smiled. "What did you do Daemon?"

"Well on that particular day, I rammed a car at a crossin' just outside Shreveport," he explained. "It were abandoned, so no one got hurt thank the Great Father. But ya know as well as any engine that when that kinda thing done happens, they git the police and the inspectors and the foremen and everyone else ya can think of out there ta make sure it's okay ta continue onward. Bottom line is I were an hour later gittin' inta Memphis that day. Boy did Madison let me have it. An' I let her have it in return."

Memphis, Tennessee – April, 1952

Dag-nabbit, of all things… a stalled car on the tracks right outside of Shreveport! Thank goodness no one had been inside it, but he'd still had the "fortune" to be the 370 ton battering ram that had instantly scrapped it. His front coupler was busted and his cowcatcher was bent in several places as a result. It hurt like hell but Daemon still had to do his job and in the interest of that, he did his best to ignore the pain. Too bad that theory wasn't working all that well. Every time he hit a rough part of track he would feel it and wince from the discomfort.

The busted coupler and bent cowcatcher would mean an extended stay in Memphis while it was repaired. Yeah it only would be an extra night or two if the roundhouse was busy, but Daemon hated these kinds of repairs, particularly when most of them were brought about by someone's careless actions. Why was it that motorists seemed to just pretend the railroad crossing didn't exist? Daemon shook his head in disgust.

Count yer blessin's, he thought. At least ya didn't derail or flip over on your side. He shuddered at the thought. Daemon knew a few engines that had done that after hitting a car or truck. He didn't want to think about the consequences of that. Right now the only unfortunate consequence of this incident, other than a busted coupler and a bent cowcatcher was his tardiness arriving in Memphis. Screeching to a halt in the station, he asked. "Well, how late are we Mister Howard?"

"A little over an hour Daemon," Howard replied after checking his watch. "Not too bad under the circumstances."

It was earlier than Daemon thought but he still wasn't thrilled by it and let an exasperated plume out of his blow off valve. "Dad gum brazzle, frazzle," he cursed loudly.

Howard and Clyde laughed, both of them long used to Daemon's unique way of expressing frustration. "Now Daemon," Howard counseled his engine. "I'm just as frustrated as you are. But you know as well as any of us that there are some things you just cannot control. Like an idiot on a railroad crossing."

"I know that," the big L-1 grumbled. "But I still doesn't like it."

Howard gave his engine an affectionate pat as he was uncoupled from the train. "Come on. Let's get you over to the roundhouse. It's a little late for the first trick to do anything with you, but maybe the second trick can get started on you if they're not too busy."

"Let's do it than," Daemon agreed.

His hope for a quick, one-night stay was immediately dashed when he got to the roundhouse. There didn't seem to be an empty stall anywhere. "Tarnation, would ya look at this?"

"Seems like every engine in Tennessee needs some kind of work done today," Howard observed. "Let's get you parked and I'll find out what's going on. There's an empty stall over by…"

"Well looks who's finally decided to grace us with his presence," that beautiful, yet at the same time irritating female voice boomed.

"Aw dangnation, here we go," Daemon muttered as Howard drove him onto the turntable. "I don't need this now."

"If it isn't Daemon, head of the Lone Star," Madison needled him. "Did you forget what time you're supposed to be here Daemon?"

"Naw I didn't forget," Daemon said as the turntable started moving.

"What did you do then," she loudly demanded. "Stop for a hamburger along the way?"

"I's a locomotive," he fired back. "What in tarnation would I want with a dad gum hamburger?"

You are so sexy when argue with me Daemon, Madison thought. "Well maybe you just stopped to smell the roses? Or look at the scenery around you? What's the matter? All the big buildings and bright lights intimidate you? Never seen a big city before?"

Daemon whistled loudly enough to get the attention of everyone in the roundhouse. "That's it!" he yelled. "Stop this danged thing on her track!"

"Bring it cowboy," she encouraged, accepting Daemon's challenge.

The turntable stopped and Daemon moved forward a few feet, his cowcatcher painfully protesting his movement. "Listen ya daggone rackin', frackin', blartin', rittin', rattin', bat-torda, cardabackin' slodderbattin' no good J class witch, I don't know what in the heck's wrong with ya, but did ya bother ta open your dad gum eyes?"

"My eyes are open Daemon," she responded sarcastically as she rolled forward out of her stall to meet him. And they're wishing you'd just shut up and get your tender into this stall next to me.

"Well apparently they ain't," he responded. "Because if you'd bothered ta look, you'd see my cowcatcher was bashed in thanks ta a dad gum fraggin' car that was stuck on the tracks!"

Truth be told, Madison had overlooked that and she now glanced down at the damage. A look of extreme concern and worry flashed across her face for an instant. Oh Daemon honey, that looks terrible. I hope it doesn't hurt much.

"Thank the Great Father I didn't kill anyone, but that's why I's so danged late!" he shouted.

I'm sorry Daemon. I didn't know, she thought. "What, you couldn't see a damned car in front of you?"

"No ya silly Texas peach, I shrieked my whistle as loud as daggone possible because I likes hearin' it," he sarcastically returned as he moved forward a little more. "O' course I saw that danged pole cat in my way ya silly floddin', borka-flattin', perracorda, faddernat! Ya thinks I'm blind!?"

The fire in Madison's firebox was almost out of control. "No Daemon, I never said you were blind," she yelled as she rolled further towards him. What I think is that you're the sexiest engine I've seen. Now kiss me you foolish cowboy.

"Well then what the heck is wrong with ya?" he cut her off. "Ya ain't been nothin' but a pain in the tender since ya arrived here!"

Madison began to shake and her drivers rattled the rails underneath her. To all of the other engines in the roundhouse, it seemed like she was going to explode in fury at any second. All except Jack. Only he could see otherwise. She was going so crazy with desire her crew was working like mad to keep her firebox from melting. "You think?! I haven't exactly felt welcome here since I arrived!" Oh but how I've welcomed you into my heart Daemon. And I would SOOOOOOO welcome you to my home back in Norfolk.

"Well maybe if ya didn't have your pistons jammed up your firebox the others around here would be more welcomin' o' ya Madison!" he yelled in her face.

Madison shivered some more and a huge cloud of steam shot out from her cylinder cocks and blow off valve. It practically obscured the pair. Oh Daemon, I love it when you say my name. Say it again please. "Pistons jammed up my firebox?! Why you overly egotistical cowboy, I ought to…"

In another stall, Jared laughed as Daemon and Madison continued to trade verbal jabs and insults. "Oh get ready," he said. "This one's in the bag."

But he didn't see what Jack saw. "Just be patient," he insisted. "This isn't over yet."

"Yeah it is," Jared assured him. "They hate each other."

Jack smiled thinly. "Just keep watching. Any second now."

Back out on the turntable, Madison and Daemon were almost nose to nose now and she was outraged. "I don't have to listen to anymore this nonsense cowboy! Just get out of my way so I can go back home!"

"Be my guest Madison," he insisted. "And while you're there, be sure ta send Scarlett back!"

"I'll do that!"

"And I got one other thing ya can take with ya!"

"What?"

"This!" Before Madison knew what was happening, Daemon boldly leaned in and kissed her full and hard on those beautiful dark red lips he loved so much. She was totally unprepared for his move and she yelped in surprise. Her eyes flew open in utter shock as her brain finally comprehended what was going on. Oh my God! It's really happening! He's kissing me! He's really kissing me!

An instant later, the kiss broke and Daemon backed slowly away from her a little bit. All traces of anger that had been on his face were gone, replaced by a look of desire and longing that Madison had never seen before. "Dad gum ya are a real pain in the tender," he said quietly. "But ya gotta be the purtiest pain in the tender I ever did see. I don't wanna fight with ya any more Madison. I want ta be your Texas cowboy. And I want ya ta be my woman. My Texas peach." He chuckled sadly. "Listen ta me, will ya? Aw dangnation, I know ya probably can't stand the sight o'me an' that's all right lil' darlin'. I don't blame ya. But no matter what ya might think o' me, I sure does like ya, ya little Texas peach. And if ya is gonna go home for good… I just wanted ya ta know how I really felt about ya Madison."

Madison barely heard a word he said. She was still standing there with her eyes wide and her mouth agape. She could hardly believe it. He'd just kissed her! It had lasted only a few seconds, but oh it had been the most electrifying few seconds of her life. She forced herself not to shiver in delight but back in her cab, her fireman was doing everything he could to prevent her firebox from blowing up. Something else Daemon said was lost to her, every sound at the moment resembling rushing water to her. Shaking herself back to reality, she yelled, "Shut up Daemon! Just shut up!"

He realized he'd been babbling. "Ya probably gonna just shove me outta the way now."

"Wrong Daemon," Madison said. "I'll do better than that!" She lunged forward and planted her lips on his, moaning softly as she kissed him deeply. Daemon responded to her advance, returning her kiss with all the passion and fire he could muster. To her, he tasted as fresh and clean as new fallen snow. Not dirty and smoky like a couple other engines she knew. "Oh Daemon baby," she whispered. She shivered with excitement and blew her whistle so hard, she nearly blasted it right off her boiler. Another cloud of steam shot out from under her cylinders and blow off valve and another soft moan of approval escaped her lips. When the second kiss broke, she looked at him with a loving adoration Daemon had never seen in any other engine before. "I love you Daemon," she said. "You get my fire so damn hot, I can barely control myself. I love you like crazy my big cowboy."

Her declaration took him aback. "Love me? Five minutes ago we was arguin' with each other. I didn't think ya could stand me."

"And that's why I love you so much you big country boy," she told him. "You don't take crap from anybody. Even me. And I can't help but find that just so… sexy and delicious." She twitched her eyebrows seductively. "And you've got one nice set of drivers on you."

Daemon blushed. "Aw thank ya. Ya sure do got a purty set a cylinders on ya as well. So, will ya be my Texas Peach?"

Madison genuinely smiled at him and leaned her forehead against his. She sniffed and tears of happiness fell from her eyes. "Nothing would give me greater pleasure Daemon, than to be your Texas Peach," she answered honestly. She gave him a loving nuzzle and he moved in to kiss her again. Once more, she blasted her whistle in excitement. Only this time, Daemon did too.

"I love ya my little Texas Peach," Daemon declared.

"And I love you my big cowboy," Madison declared in return. "Now would you please shut up and get your ass into the stall next to me so the workmen can look at you." She looked down at his busted coupler and bent cowcatcher and winced. "I can only imagine how much pain you must be in."

"Aw it ain't that bad."

A short distance away, Jack smiled. "You heard that didn't you?"

"Yeah I heard it," Jared grumbled.

"And you can see that, can't you?"

"I see it."

"So you agree with me that Madison has managed to do what none of us ever expected? Lasso old "Wild Bill" Daemon?"

"Yes." Jared was exasperated.

"That'll be fifty bucks, thank you."

"And what are you going to do with fifty bucks?" Jared asked. "Buy them bucket of coal to share?"

Jack laughed but he also noticed that Jared had a look of concern on his face. "What?"

"I wonder how Miss Scarlett is going to react to this."

Island of Sodor – Present Day

Erika was shocked. "You actually kissed Madison in front of all the other engines in the roundhouse? That took some cylinders Daemon."

He laughed. "Yeah I guess it did, though at the time I didn't think about that. Mister Howard later said somethin' similar. Tarnation, what was the word he done used? Oh yeah. "Ballsy" was how he done described what I'd done."

"Yeah, that would be another way of putting it," she laughed. With a sly grin she asked, "So what did you two do after you rolled back in the shed?"

"Well what d'ya think engines does when they in a shed together?" he smirked and Erika laughed. "Naw, we sat there and talked a lot. And I mean we actually talked. We didn't yell and scream at one another. We kissed some more… a lot more actually… an' we really didn't care that there was other engines around. We was in love an' we wanted everyone ta know."

Even though she was still having a problem picturing Daemon lip locked with Madison, Erika smiled anyway. "That's beautiful Daemon. What about your cowcatcher?"

"Ah well, they wasn't able ta git ta me for a long time," he explained. "Tarnation if that didn't upset Madison a lot and she vocalized her concerns ta whoever could hear her rant. But in the end, they told her, as they told me, that they'd git ta me when they could. She were real upset when she had to leave that afternoon."

Erika frowned. "She left you? Why?"

"Well she had ta take the Tennessean back east lil' darlin'," he answered.

"Mm," she replied. "Yeah I guess she would've had to do that."

"When she kissed me goodbye that afternoon, she promised me she'd be back tomorrow as early as possible and spend as much time with me as she could until I was repaired," he said. He clicked his tongue. "I still remember the tears in her eyes that day as she steamed back towards the depot to git on her way. Broke my heart ta see her that upset."

"So did she keep her promise," Erika wondered, expecting an answer in the negative. "Did she return the next day as early as possible?"

"Oh yeah," Daemon responded, surprising Erika. "She done showed up the next day a half hour ahead o' schedule. Apparently she was so worried about me and in a hurry ta git back ta me, she done broke a few speed restrictions along the way. I told her that was very kind o' her, but please don't take any unnecessary chances like that on my account again."

Erika was still having trouble picturing the whole thing. Not that she didn't believe someone could be in love with Daemon. But she found it very hard to believe that her east coast rival could truly be in love with anyone other than herself. Madison worried about someone other than herself? she thought. Hmph. I guess it's possible. "So was it more tears and boo-hoos when she left that second day?"

"Well now, that there is the funny thing," Daemon began.

Here it comes, she thought.

"Madison didn't go back east that day."

Her eyes widened. "She didn't?!"

Daemon shook his head. "Naw. That second day, she double-headed the Tennessean with her sister, Misty, out ta Memphis. That was Class J number 600. When it came time for the Tennessean ta go back east, Misty took it herself and Madison stayed with me. An' she stayed right there by my side until I was repaired and cleared ta return ta Dallas." He chuckled. "Only problem was, that turned inta a ten day stay in Memphis for the both o' us."

Again, Erika's eyes went wide. "Ten days? You had only a busted coupler and a bent cowcatcher! Why did it taken them ten days to repair you?"

"Ya forget lil' darlin'," Daemon said quietly. "This was the spring o' 1952 in west Tennessee."

"Oh, yeah," she replied quietly. "The Great Nashville Train Disaster of '52."

He merely nodded in response.

There wasn't an American engine alive today that didn't know about the Great Nashville Train Disaster of 1952. The northbound Humming Bird on the Louisville & Nashville running an hour and a half late approached Nashville Union Station with double-headed steam locomotives in dense fog. The train's engineer had missed two caution and two stop signals on approach and ended up slamming into the rear of a Nashville, Chattanooga & St. Louis regional train at more than 70 miles an hour. The stopped regional train was right in the middle of boarding passengers bound for Atlanta.

The lead engine of the Humming Bird was destroyed instantly and the second engine along with the entire twelve car train jumped the rails. The rear four coaches of the Nashville, Chattanooga & St. Louis regional were ripped open and the force of the collision flung coaches from both trains in all directions. Most of the coaches from the Humming Bird telescoped into or piled on top of the coaches belonging to the regional train. Some of them though, landed on the platform that had been boarding passengers while others careened onto other adjacent or nearby tracks.

Tragically, less than twenty seconds after the first impact, a third train, the southbound Dixie Flagler also under the Nashville, Chattanooga & St. Louis banner, charged into the station going the opposite way at 60 miles an hour. It too was being pulled by double-headed steam engines and was also running late. Travelling on the other side of the platform where the initial collision had occurred, the Dixie Flagler's engineer failed to see the wreckage from the first two trains in his path due to the dense fog until it was too late and he had no time to stop.

The second impact sent both engines from the Dixie Flagler hurtling through the air and they crashed with tremendous force onto a second nearby platform that fortunately was empty at the time. Both engines then slid across a couple more tracks before slamming into a nearby Railway Express freight house. The Dixie's sixteen coaches then flailed and spun around through the air like giant saw blades, ripping into, log-jamming against or coming down on top of, the first wreck. A few were flung across some adjacent tracks, blocking them and other platforms. By the time the dust settled, the scene was utter chaos and destruction as if a bomb had been dropped right in the middle of the carnage.

When all was said and done, both engines from the Humming Bird and both engines from the Dixie Flagler were killed as well as their crews. In addition, more than a hundred and twenty people were killed and over three hundred injured. It was the worst rail disaster in American history, just surpassing the Great Train Wreck of 1918 which, ironically, had also involved the Nashville, Chattanooga & St. Louis railroad and occurred only a few miles away from the 1952 disaster. Sixty-two years later, the 1952 disaster in Nashville still served as a sobering reminder as to the potential consequences of failing to pay attention to what was around oneself as well as the frailty of both human and locomotive life.

"That crash happened just the day before my first kiss with Madison," Daemon explained. "The lead engine o' the Hummin' Bird and the lead engine o' the Dixie Flagler was killed outright in the crash. Both o' their backup engines was badly damaged an' all the work crews in Nashville was occupied tryin' ta save 'em. So they shipped most o' the damaged coaches out ta Memphis for emergency repairs. The lone engine from the regional train that got rammed from behind had some minor damage and recovered rather quickly. As for the two backup engines… tarnation they tried they hardest for almost six days ta save them. But it just weren't meant ta be." Both he and Erika were silent for a moment as they reflected on their fallen brethren as well as all who had perished on that terrible spring day.

It suddenly hit Erika and she gasped loudly. Looking back at Daemon with wide eyes, she exclaimed, "Your friend, Ronald?!"

Daemon solemnly nodded. "Was the lead engine on the Dixie Flagler that was involved in the wreck. I didn't learn he was involved in that horrible mess until three days after the wreck happened."

Her heart broke and tears began to form in her eyes. "Oh Daemon, I'm… I'm sorry."

He smiled. "I appreciate the thought lil' darlin'. But it were a long time ago an' I's since come ta terms with what happened ta him. There, but for the grace of the Great Father, coulda been any one o' us. An' Madison really helped me git through those first few days after I learned what had happened. Without her bein' there for me at that time, I mighta done lost my mind in Memphis."

Erika smiled sadly at Daemon, his words conjuring up memories of the wreck she'd had that had claimed Elena's life. Daemon may not have been involved in that wreck directly, but she was sure the pain he felt at losing his friend wasn't much different than the pain she felt from losing her sister.

"Anyway," Daemon resumed his tale. "The reason they took so long ta git ta me was because there was so many coaches in Memphis from that wreck and the Memphis repair crews was preoccupied with gittin' the ones they could save back in service and scrappin' the ones they couldn't. An' because my injuries wasn't that bad, I wasn't considered a priority case. So once they finished up with the mess from the wreck, they worked on engines that had higher priority problems first."

She nodded and offered Daemon a slight smirk. "Understandable. And it did give you and Madison a few days together that you otherwise may not have had."

He nodded in return. "Yeah it did. And I am very grateful for those days I was able ta spend with her."

"How did she help you with your grief?"

"Well, the day I found out about Ronald's death…"

Memphis, Tennessee – April, 1952

Tears fell from Madison's eyes and gathered in pool between the ties of the track underneath her. She leaned in close and rested her forehead against Daemon's. She gave him a loving nuzzle and soft kiss, doing her best to console him. "I don't what to say Daemon. I'm so sorry my love."

Daemon was crying too, having just learned a short time earlier that his longtime friend, Ronald, was one of the victims of the Nashville disaster only three days earlier. "I… I can't believe he's gone Madison." He sniffed quietly. "Oh Lord. I just seen him a couple weeks ago. Over at the wash rack. He was so excited about gittin' ta finally pull the Flagler. It was his first time bein' assigned to a priority passenger train like that. He was a little nervous about it and I told him he'd do a fine job."

Madison nodded. "I know Daemon. I heard it all." A sad laugh escaped her. "I even heard your comment about me being pretty. I never did thank you for that and it seems so pointless to thank you for it now."

"Well, ya welcome anyway," he said.

As he continued bawling, Madison did her best console him, kissing his lips and his smokebox just under his bell as often as she felt he needed it. But nothing seemed to be able to calm him down. "Daemon please," she whispered. "Seeing you like this is tearing me up inside." She kissed his lips. "What can I do baby? What can I do to help ease your pain?"

His answer was immediate. "Take me ta Nashville."

The response took Madison aback. "What?"

"Ya heard me," he repeated. "Take me ta Nashville. I need ta see him."

"But Daemon, it's too late," she reminded him. "There's nothing that can be done to save him."

"I know, daggone it," he cried as he stared down at her cowcatcher. "But I needs ta see him one last time."

"And what about your coupler and your cowcatcher Daemon?" she reminded him. "The work crews haven't even looked at your damage yet."

"Daggone it, I doesn't give a dang 'bout all that," he argued. "I needs ta say goodbye ta him before they smelt him! Please Madison, help me do this."

He looked up and stared forlornly into her golden-yellow eyes. The sight of his wretched green eyes broke Madison's heart. She smiled at him reassuringly, slowly nodded her head and gave him a loving nuzzle. "I'll get you to Nashville, Daemon," she promised. "Whatever it takes my love, I'll get you there."

"Thank ya."

The next afternoon, Daemon was coupled by his tender to the rear of the Tennessean. With Misty and Madison at the front powering the train, they set off for Nashville on time. All during the trip, Daemon stared in depression at the tracks receding behind him. Watching the tracks disappear in the distance and thinking about Ronald's fate, made Daemon think about his own mortality.

Every mile he traveled was a mile closer to his own, inevitable date with the smelter. A mile closer to that eternal rest. Yet he had no idea how long it would be before that day actually arrived. Most in the end, knew or least figured out when that final mile was coming. Others, like Ronald, had no clue and it took them by complete surprise.

What had been going through Ronald's mind in those scant seconds before the end? Had he seen the wreckage in front of him and instinctively known it was the end? Or had he held out some seemingly unrealistic hope that he would survive the inevitable impact? Had he been terrified in those last seconds or had he accepted his fate with grace and dignity?

Not for the first time in his life, Daemon wondered what it was like to go to sleep and never wake up. He'd asked Mister Howard about it before. He said that a large number of humans including himself seemed to believe that they were in fact spiritual beings having a human body experience. Most of them also believed that when that experience was over, the physical body would go away, but the soul would live on forever.

Was that true? And how was that possible? Was he in fact, a spiritual being having a locomotive body experience? Were all locomotives and humans like that? Where was Ronald now? Was his spirit watching over him from behind some veil just beyond the reach of his senses? Was there something after this life? Was it possible to sleep and yet, live? Or was the end of the line just that, the end of the line? Daemon didn't know and he didn't think he'd know the answer for sure until he himself reached "the end of the line." Guess that's where the line between faith and cynicism comes inta play, he surmised. The cynical needed an answer in order to believe whereas the faithful believed they already had the answer.

The Tennessean arrived in Nashville on time at the dinner hour. Daemon almost couldn't bear the sight. A large amount of smaller pieces of debris from the wreck had yet to be cleared up and the two platforms involved were still closed and undergoing massive repairs. The track where the Humming Bird had rammed the regional train was still twisted up as was the track that Ronald had been on. Daemon winced in despair as he looked to his left and saw the massive depression in the platform where Ronald had slammed into it face first after being launched through the air. He actually hoped Ronald hadn't felt that. He hoped the impact with the initial wreckage had been what killed him and not the impact with the platform or the impact with the Railway Express building which still had a gaping hole in it.

With the Nashville-bound passengers off the train, a series of shunting moves began to get Madison and Daemon uncoupled from it. With that done, Madison gently pushed Daemon over to a holding spur not far from the station. "I'm going to go check with the tower and see where they're keeping him. Just wait here. I'll be back soon."

"All right. An' thank ya for bringin' me here my Texas Peach."

Madison offered him a warm smile. "Anything for you my darling cowboy."

She steamed away towards the tower, leaving him alone with his thoughts. A short while later Misty steamed by, continuing her eastward trek with the Tennessean. She offered him a remorseful blow on the whistle as she passed which he returned.

Looking down the terminal tracks at the scene of the disaster, Daemon could almost see the wreck as it unfolded. The dense fog hanging over the terminal and the Humming Bird screaming into the station way too fast. Then he heard the tremendous thundering noise as it rammed the regional train from behind and the horrendous screeching and tearing as the coaches were ripped open and thrown about.

Finally he heard of yell of surprise, followed by a piercingly loud whistle. Ronald, look out! But it was too late. An instant later, he saw Ronald flying over the wreckage and crashing face first on the adjacent platform, sliding toward the inevitable impact with the building. His crushed boiler was spewing steam in all directions and his ruptured firebox was spilling the burning coal all over the tracks.

RONALD!

He awoke with a start and looked down the tracks at the shed. Numerous traces of the disaster were still there, but Ronald had long ago been removed from the scene. It had been a dream. Daemon had unknowingly dozed off shortly after Misty passed by. But the dream had been so real, it was like he'd been an eyewitness to his friend's death. Seeing the events of those terrible moments for himself made him start bawling all over again.

Madison hurried back to him when she heard Daemon crying again. "What?" she asked him. "What's wrong my love? What happened?" He told her about the dream he'd had and it broke her heart. Moving closer to snuggle with him, she whispered, "Oh Daemon I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have left you here all alone. I should've taken you farther away from this place." She kissed him on the lips. "Please forgive my thoughtlessness my love."

"Aw that's all right lil' darlin'," he assured her. "Neither o' knew that was gonna happen. So what did the tower say?"

"He's being kept over at the Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis yard," she explained. "It is west of here. Because of the hour and the busy schedule, they can't let us over there just yet, but dispatch said they should be able to let us over there in an hour or so. All right my love?"

Due to his intense nightmare, Daemon suddenly wasn't so sure about seeing whatever was left of his friend. "I don't know my sweet peach. After that dream… I – I don't know if I can go through with this. M – maybe I can wait a day and prepare myself for this a little better."

Madison smiled at him tenderly and gave him a soft kiss on the lips. "I understand Daemon if you're having second thoughts. But before you make that final decision, know this. He's being taken to the smelter in the morning. Tonight will be your only chance to have any last moments with him you want. By this time tomorrow, he'll be no more." She could see Daemon was struggling with the decision. "You don't have to decide right now Daemon," her soft voice soothed him. "But you will have to decide by the time dispatch clears us to the yard."

He nodded quietly.

"Do you want me to leave you alone until then?"

Slowly Daemon shook his head. "Naw my little Texas Peach. I'd like it if ya stayed right here. Ya don't have ta say nothin' if ya don't wanna. Just be here with me. That's all."

A smile of pure love and adoration spread across her features and she kissed him affectionately. "For you my beloved cowboy, anything."

And so Madison stayed with Daemon, speaking little but offering him her undying love, affection and comfort as he thought it all over in his mind. To have come all this way to see him and then turn away at the last second just didn't seem right. But then he wasn't sure he could handle it if he did see him. He could almost hear Ronald telling him that he did not want Daemon to see him in the condition he was in. See what was left of his friend or roll away? The choice was agonizing and whichever option he picked seemed likely to bring more agony no matter what.

Finally, the moment of truth arrived. Dispatch cleared them to the yard.

"Well Daemon?" Madison asked quietly.

He took a deep breath and stiffened himself for a decision he was sure he was going to regret later. But the pain was just too much. "Take me over ta him," he said. "For good or bad, I gots ta do this. For me… and for him."

Madison smiled at him, nodded slowly and rolled back so she could gently shove him to the yard. Though Daemon still wasn't sure about this, he felt he owed it to Ronald to give him a few final moments. "Here we go Daemon," she said quietly as they started off.

The three miles to the NC&StL yard was perhaps the longest three miles of Daemon's life up to that time. All around him on the streets and roads, there were signs of activity, blazing lights, commotion and life. But he heard or saw almost none of it. No matter how much of it he passed by in those few moments, it was all as dead to him as Ronald was to the world.

"What is that thing doing here?" a Louisville & Nashville E6 diesel grumbled in an irritated tone as they arrived at the roundhouse. "And where did it come from?"

"Quiet, you idiot," an L&N FP7 rebuked him. "Don't you see that's Madison shoving him in?"

"Yeah Stiles," an L&N RS-3 chimed in. "You trying to get us all in trouble again?"

"No but…"

"That thing, as you so eloquently put it Stiles," Madison forcefully addressed the E6. "Is Daemon. An engine from the Cotton Belt Railroad in east Texas. And he also happens to be my boyfriend."

There wasn't a single engine in the roundhouse at the moment that didn't almost blow a sparkplug or cylinder hearing Madison make that announcement. Stiles was wide-eyed with disbelief. "Y-y-your… boyfriend?"

She presented the EMD shovel-nosed streamlined engine with a mocking expression. "My, my you over sized oil can, you must be hard of hearing. Let me say it slower so that even a mildly intelligent chimpanzee like yourself can understand. Myyyyyyyyy boyyyyyyyyfrieeeeeeend. Get it now you empty headed baboon?"

All of the steam engines and even a few of the other diesels chuckled at Madison's insult of the big E6. Stiles, however, was not amused. "Why you oversized puff of smoke!"

"Ah, ah," she cautioned him. "Temper, temper Stiles. You wouldn't want to blow a traction motor again would you?" When he failed to answer her, she laughed. "No, I didn't think so. That would be how many times now Stiles? Seven? Or was it eight? I lost count truthfully."

Another chorus of snickers from the other engines punctuated her words.

"Now for those of you who are curious, yes Daemon here is my boyfriend. And I love my Texas Cowboy very much. So I expect you all to show him respect for the short time he is here. He has come to pay his final respects to a dear friend of his. A victim of the terrible events that unfolded here a few days ago. But do to an unfortunate incident with a crazed automobile earlier this week I had to bring him here."

"Which one is he looking for?" a NC&StL 4-6-2 asked.

"Ronald," Madison replied. "Where can we find him?"

"I sees him," Daemon said quietly. He nodded straight ahead. "He's over yonder, just past the coalin' tower."

Madison looked ahead of Daemon and saw what he was looking at… a crumpled, broken hulk of an engine sitting derelict on a flatcar. Even though it was some distance away, it was eerily illuminated by the yard's floodlights. The sight of it made the normally unflappable Madison gasp. Never in her life had she seen a more horrible sight. "You sure you still want to do this Dameon?"

He nodded. "Yeah, let's go."

Madison gently nudged her big cowboy over to the flatcar where what was left of Ronald rested. Though she didn't say anything about it, she was terrified. Terrified that the lifeless metal hulk in front of them now could've just as easily been herself, any one of her sisters or… Heaven forbid… Daemon.

Daemon was in shock as Madison wheeled him up next to flatcar where Ronald's remains rested. About the only thing he recognized was Ronald's engine number, 556, on his partially crushed tender. Daemon guessed the trailing engine had landed right on top of it and basically been a 200 ton pile driver against it.

He glanced behind him. "Can ya wait over by the coal tower for a bit? No offense my little Texas Peach. I just needs a few minutes alone with him."

Madison smiled and uncoupled from him. "Of course my love. Take all the time you need. I'll be right over there when you need me."

As she steamed back to the coal tower, Daemon again observed the twisted wreckage that had once been his friend. True to his dream, Ronald's boiler was dented and crushed inward, leaving several tears between the steel plates where water and steam had been ejected. His firebox was split open and bent in numerous places. Several of his drivers were twisted and warped and only a few pieces of his rods and valve gear remained. Daemon could see that at least two pieces of his rods had sheared off and done tremendous damage to him. One had punched right through the bottom of his boiler and another seemed to have been driven straight through his firebox and out the back-head, through the cab. His leading truck was missing as was his stack and his cylinders were smashed inward.

But what made the whole thing surreal for Daemon was the fact that Ronald's faceplate was gone, leaving only the empty void of his smokebox interior. Railroad big shots were always quick to order the de-identification of engines involved in a disaster like this. But didn't they understand that doing so just made it harder for the surviving engines, and possibly the surviving humans, to cope with the loss? He doubted they did. It was all about economics and company image to the big shots.

He took a deep breath and tried to maintain his composure, but failed and started bawling again. "Aw Ronald," he cried. "I can't believe this is it. I wanna believe this is some kinda terrible nightmare or sick joke ya playin' on me. I wanna believe that I'm gonna wake up any minute now an' there ya gonna be right there in Memphis with me an' all the others. But that ain't gonna happen is it? Ya really ain't comin' back are ya?"

A short distance away, Madison could see Daemon's boiler, drivers and rods quaking as he sobbed. The sight of it upset her greatly, and she began crying herself. She wanted to go to him and comfort him some more, but he'd asked for this time alone and she was going to give it to him.

"Aw dang Ronald, why did it have ta be ya?" Daemon wondered. "Why did ya have ta be leadin' the Flagler that day?"

Nothing but silence and a light breeze answered his questions.

He looked upon the mangled wreckage that had once been his friend. "I hope ya didn't feel anythin' Ronald. I hope the end was quick for ya."

Still only silence.

Daemon looked up at the moon and sniffed, his tears starting fresh. "Can ya hear me Ronald? Do ya even know I'm here with ya? Are ya watchin' me from somewhere I can't quite see?"

His questions were answered by the breeze becoming a little stiffer against his boiler.

I will always be watching you Daemon.

What was that? A sound on the wind? It sounded like Ronald, but it was very faint. Little more than a whisper actually. He couldn't hold it in anymore and broke down sobbing all over again.

Unable to stand it any longer, Madison rushed to his side and did her best to comfort her cowboy. "He'll always be with you Daemon," she tried to assure him. "He'll always be with you."

Island of Sodor – Present Day

Wow, Erika thought. That's the first thing Madison's ever done that's actually impressed me.

"I stayed with him for another couple hours," Daemon related. "Madison was by my side that whole time. She did everythin' she could ta comfort me. And that was quite a lot, I assure ya. It might not have seemed like it ta her at that moment, but by the time we left Nashville the next day, I made sure she knew that what she'd done for me was more than she ever coulda expected. And I can honestly say that I loved her more at that moment than I had just a day earlier." He looked his cousin in the eye. "Ya see why I said that I fell in love with a whole different side o' Madison than the one you know?"

Slowly, she nodded her head. "Yeah Daemon. I think I'm beginning to see that. I don't know that I'll ever view her as more than a royal pain. But you have shown me that under that outrageous exterior is the heart of a woman."

"That's all I wanted ta do," he insisted. "And lil' darlin', I surely is sorry that ya never got ta say good bye ta Alice."

She smiled. "After all I've blamed you for, your compassion is undeserved, but nonetheless, very much appreciated."

"Ya welcome lil' darlin'," he assured her. "Ya know, this might sound crazy, but I gots an idea for ya."

"What Daemon?"

"Say goodbye ta Alice. Right here an' right now."

His suggestion caught her by surprise. "What? Say goodbye to her?"

"Like I said, I knows it sounds crazy. An' I know ya no longer blame me for not gittin' ta say goodbye ta her. But I also know that not sayin' good bye ta her is still eatin' ya up inside even if ya don't say anythin' about it. This may not be exactly what ya had in mind, but it's better than nothin'. So do it. Say goodbye ta her. I promise it'll make ya feel better. An' I'll be right here with ya lil' darlin'."

Erika did think it was a little dafty, but why not? She hadn't said good bye to Alice before. Only her own stubbornness was stopping her now. Daemon was right. She needed to say goodbye. It was long overdue anyway. With her eyes tearing up, she looked up at the night sky. "Alice?" she asked quietly. "Can you hear me? I've been such a fool. I'm sorry Alice. I'm sorry that I've shamed your memory as I have.

She sniffed, bowed her head and continued on. "I've missed you so much Alice. I should've done this long ago. But it was just so sudden. I – I didn't want to believe it. I didn't want to accept that you weren't there anymore." She choked back her tears before yelling, "You were just gone Alice! Gone!" She broke down and cried for a while as her cousin leaned his head against hers. When she allowed herself to calm down a bit, she continued with, "You were there one day and gone the next. I'd already lost Elena and I just didn't think it was fair that I'd lost you too. But then life isn't fair sometimes. And I blamed this fine man before me for never seeing you again.

"Why Alice?" she wondered. "Why was it you who was sold? Why did they get rid of you so quickly? Did you know we'd never see each other again, or did you hope that maybe one day we would? Did you like your new home and companions, or were you treated like junk the moment you arrived? Oh who am I kidding? Knowing the answers now wouldn't make a difference.

"Wherever you are now Alice, I hope you forgive me," Erika went on. "I should've done this years ago, decades ago. And I'm so ashamed that it's taken me so damned long to finally do this for you. You may not be here Alice, but I've never forgotten you. Your memory and your legacy will live on through me. I swear this to you Alice and I promise to keep you close to my heart."

She cried a little bit more and looked back at the sky before wrapping it up. "Farewell Alice. I love you and I always will."

Erika nodded once and looked back at Daemon who merely smiled and nodded at her in return. She broke down again and looked to Daemon for support which he readily gave her. "My best friend is gone Daemon!" she wailed. "And I never got a chance to say goodbye to her!"

Resting his forehead against hers, he offered his condolences to her much as Madison had to him all those years ago. "I'm sorry lil' darlin'," he replied quietly. "But you've done that now. Late is better than never at all. Just keep your last promise ta her an' she'll never be far away from ya."

Moments later when Erika was finally able to compose herself again, she smiled at Daemon. "Thank you Daemon," she told him. "I needed that. And you know what? I do feel better. I feel like a huge burden has been lifted from me. I didn't realize just how much that was still affecting me. Thank you Daemon."

"Ya welcome lil' darlin'." He looked up at the sky himself. "Alice, I – I don't know if ya can hear me. An' we ain't never met before. But I know ya done watched over my darlin' cousin here when she was a youngin'. An' from the bottom o' my heart, I thanks ya for that. An' although I been doin' it a bit already, from here on I will pick up where ya left off. I will watch over her. I will be my cousin's keeper. I only hope I can do ya proud Alice." He noded once. "Farewell and may ya always be cruisin' down the main line somewhere."

Erika was touched by Daemon's promise as swell as the fact that he'd bothered to say anything to Alice at all. "Thank you for that Daemon."

"Ya welcome lil' darlin'."

Author's Note 1: I tried to describe Madison's appearance as being similar to that of Katherine Hepburn as a young woman, my favorite "Hollywood Golden Age" actress.

Author's Note 2: The song Daemon sings was actually released in 1964 by the Righteous Brothers. However, I included it here because it just seemed appropriate.

Author's Note 3: The "Great Nashville Train Disaster of 1952" is fictional in itself but based on the real-life Harrow & Wealdstone wreck which occurred on October 8th, 1952. A total of 112 people were killed and 340 were injured. To date, it remains the worst peacetime train wreck in Great Britain.

Author's Note 4: The Great Train Wreck of 1918 is a factual true train wreck that happened on July 9th of that year. Two trains of the Nashville, Chattanooga & St. Louis railroad collided head-on in Nashville officially killing 101 people (though it is often suggested that as many as 121 were killed) and 171 were injured. As of 2014, the stretch of track where the wreck happened is still in daily service under CSX railroad.