Summary: A familiar bully returns to the Big Harbor, and he's not alone.

Chapter 10: The Return pt. 1


A/N: Don't worry WolftenDragon, I've got a Christmas story and a Valentine's story I'm working on for Foduck and Skylar. ;) Also, thank you for the nice comments!


Even before the bad news, the day was already miserable.

The fall air was chilly. Dark grey clouds loomed overhead, threatening to open up and pour down rain on the harbor. The wind blew heavily, making it difficult for the boats to get in and out of the harbor. All week the weather had been nothing but storms.

Skylar and Theodore were helping George dock a tanker ship that morning. They grunted as the wind kept pushing the boat away from the dock. It took a while but finally, the tanker was properly docked. As they left Theodore asked George, "Are we done for the day?"

"Not yet," George said, "we have to make sure that Owen's cables are tied down."

Skylar looked up at the gray clouds above. "Weather's getting worse. We better make this quick."

When they reached Owen, Theodore gave a friendly whistle and called to Owen, "Hi Owen!"

"Hey Owen!" Skylar boomed. Owen the oil rig was a very loud oil rig. Skylar liked that she didn't have to keep her voice down, like she did with the other boats at the harbor. With Owen, she could talk to him as loud as she wanted to be and the oil rig would talk to her twice as loud.

But Owen looked down at the tugs with a worried look on his face. "I really hoped you wouldn't come by." He said in a concerned tone. "I don't want to have to tell you this. No siree-bob."

"What's wrong?" George asked, "Are your cables loose? Did something break?"

"It's not about me." He looked straight down at Theodore. "Oliver the Vast is coming back to the Big Harbor."

George snorted. "Why's he coming back here?"

Terror overtook Theodore's face. "Back? But- but the Dispatcher had sent Oliver back home to his harbor."

Owen sighed, "I don't know much about why he's coming back, but I do know that he's not coming back alone. Another tug's coming with him."

Oliver the Vast. So it was that Oliver that Theodore feared. It was a name Skylar had hoped to never hear again. And he wasn't coming back alone…

Once they had made sure that Owen was secure, the tugs headed back to their dock just as the storm was starting to pick up. All that night, as the rain came down and the other tugs slept, Skylar was awake wondering who was coming with Oliver to the Big Harbor. Wally the Variant was strong and tough as Oliver but he was as smart as a sea slug, so her Dispatcher wouldn't have sent him. Mark the Vault would have been too lazy to go, let alone bother to come if her Dispatcher had ordered him to so he was out. She frowned. Oliver and Wally were the only ones who "worked" back at her old harbor so that would leave… no! No! Her Dispatcher would never send the Viking over to a little old harbor like this! The Viking was his favorite tug! He would never…

She felt something bump her. Theodore asked her quietly, "Can I stay with you tonight?" He was shivering a bit but Skylar could see that he wasn't shivering from the storm. Making room, she gladly invited Theodore in her dock. He snuggled next to her.

They watched the rain make ripples in the water and listened to the pitter-pater of the rain on the dock. Skylar could feel Theodore shivering like a Chihuahua in a lion's cage. She gently laid her ropes around Theodore and pulled him closer to her. "It'll be ok, Theo." She said gently. "Get some rest. I'll take care of Oliver for you in the morning."

Theodore rested his head against her. "Thanks Sky." He yawned right before falling asleep.

Skylar smiled softly as he slept, then gazed out at the horizon. She knew that she had to get the Dispatcher to send Oliver back out to her old harbor, along with whoever was coming with him. She decided to tell Theodore the truth about Oliver in the morning.


That morning immediately after the morning work meeting Skylar talked to the Dispatcher about Oliver coming back.

"Why's he coming back? He bullied Theo last time he was here. Besides that, there's nothing that needs to be done around here that we even need that jerk for!"

"Correction," said the Dispatcher, "the storm has caused several delays earlier this past week. Many of the cargo ships couldn't leave because the weather was bad. With all the other tugs busy with their own work for the day, we need every tug available to help get this harbor back on schedule."

"But why Oliver? You could have chosen any other tug to come help, but you choose that guy!"

"Oliver was the only tug available. I am aware of how he treated Theodore when he last came, and I will not allow it to happen again. The Dispatcher from his harbor sent another tug to not only help, but to also keep Oliver in check."

This was the question that Skylar really didn't want to have to ask. But for Theodore's sake, she had to. "Who's the other tug coming with Oliver?"

The Dispatcher thought for a moment. "I forget what the tug's first name is… I know that it started with a K…"

"KELLY!?" Skylar said terrified.

"That's right. Kelly. How did you know that?"

Skylar yelled, "You can't let them come here! You have to send them back!"

The Dispatcher raised an eyebrow. "Her Dispatcher said that she was the finest tug in his harbor. She sounds like a fine tug boat to me."

"About as fine as slime." Skylar growled.

The Dispatcher looked at Skylar with a puzzled look on his face. "Now why would you say something like that? You've never even met her before."

"Yes I have." Skylar said in a very quiet voice, "Oliver and Kelly. They're from my old harbor."

The Dispatcher's face turned into one of concern. "Skylar," he said, "Will you be able to work with them? I can't send them back since we need the extra help, but if you don't want to work with them I can pair them up with Emily or Foduck or…"

"It's fine. I can work with them. It's no problem Just- don't pair them up with anyone else." She started to float away before he could say anything else.

Skylar wanted to scream. Kelly the Viking was coming here. Here. Oliver was someone that Skylar could tolerate, but Kelly? Kelly was exactly like her V-word: a bandit who, instead of stealing treasure, stole the lives of those around her and gave them back ruined and messed up. If Oliver had told her about Theodore…

Skylar hurried to where Theodore was supposed to be working today- moving Barrington barge around the harbor and helping Hank pick up leftover debris from the storm. The smaller tugs were hauling in a giant branch. Skylar approached them like this was one of her usual greetings. "Hey guys."

Theodore and Hank looked up at her excitedly. "Look at the size of this branch!"

"It must be bigger than Benjamin Bridge!" Hank exclaimed.

Skylar chuckled a little. "Theo, can I talk to you alone?"

Theodore helped Hank load the branch on to Barrington and then he went over to Skylar. "Did you talk to the Dispatcher?"

"I did. He said that he can't send Oliver back because we need extra help cleaning up the harbor." She could see that he was trying to put on a brave face, but his eyes said that he was afraid.

"Theo I need to tell you something…" A tugs whistle suddenly filled the air.

A whistle that Theodore and Skylar unfortunately knew all too well.

Skylar spun around. Two tugs were making their way in the harbor. One of them wore a blue cap. The other- a light brown sun hat.

"Oliver." Theodore squeaked.

"Kelly." Skylar said uneasily.

"Who's 'Kelly?" Theodore asked nervously.

Skylar didn't answer. Seeing Kelly and Oliver made her frown. She felt like going over and demand that they return to the monstrous sea cave that they came from. Skylar didn't have to go over to them. They spotted her and were heading over. Skylar could feel Kelly's evil smirk piercing through her hull. She told Theodore to go back and finish his job with Hank.

"It's ok Theo. I'll handle it."

Theodore quickly hurried off. Oliver and Kelly approached Skylar like they were lifelong best friends. "Hi Sky!" Kelly spoke with her "I'm more perfect than you" tone that she always used around everyone else. It was a tone that Skylar knew was absolutely fake. A small growl escaped her throat.

"Hey Sky," Oliver said nastily, "was wondering how the Dispatcher got rid of all that smelly trash."

"Funny," Skylar retorted, "I was just wondering why the rest of the trash is here and not back there."

Oliver floated up to her, glaring. "I'm looking for a little tug with a red cap. Seen him?"

Skylar floated closer to him, glaring back. "If you're referring to my friend, then you'll back off. He's under protection."

"Who's protection?"

"Mine."

"Oliver." Kelly nudged her way between the two glaring tugs. "Why don't you go let this Dispatcher know we're here? Ok?"

Oliver glared at Skylar for a few more minutes before doing what Kelly said. Kelly then turned to Skylar and looked at her disgustedly.

"Whatever you're up to," Skylar said, "don't even try it. The other tugs don't know you like I do. If you and Oliver try to hurt them, or even look at them the wrong way, I will make sure that you never get a second chance to do it."

"Believe me," Kelly spat, "I wouldn't want to be anywhere near these losers."

"Wouldn't want to be near who?" It was Hank. He saw the new tug and wanted to come say hi. "My name's Hank. What's yours?"

"I'm Kelly!" Kelly said happily.

"Hi Kelly! What were you saying about not being near something?"

"Oh it's nothing." She looked to Skylar with a fake cheesy smile on her face. "I'll see you later Sky! I just know we're going to have a good time together." With that, she floated away.

Hank said to Skylar, "Do you know her?"

"Hank." Skylar said seriously, "I don't want you or anyone else going near her."

Hank was puzzled. "Why? She seems nice."

"That's a joke." She said bitterly.

"What?"

"Nothing. Let's go help Theo finish work."

"Theo isn't here."

"What?" Skylar said.

"Yeah. He said that he had other stuff that he had to do."

"Hank, I'll be right back." Theodore didn't have any other work to do. But she did know where he was.


Theodore was hiding under Owen the Oil Rig. Every noise he heard made him jump. Theodore didn't answer Owen when he asked him what was wrong. He kept thinking about all the nasty, mean things that Oliver did to him last time he was here.

No matter how many times he tried, he couldn't pretend that Oliver wasn't here. He was back and there was nothing he could do about it. What if Oliver tried to bump him again? The Dispatcher said to Theodore last time that he wouldn't always be able to help him; did this mean that Theodore was all alone?

The sound of an engine made Theodore's engine freeze. He backed up into a dark corner, trying not to make a sound. He tried not to breathe.

A familiar voice called out, "Theo?"

"Skylar?" Theodore was glad that it wasn't Oliver but he still felt scared. "How'd you know I was here?"

"Owen is my favorite place to be. Aside from my secret cave."

"You said you wanted to tell me something?"

Skylar floated over to him. "It's about Oliver…he's from my old harbor." She said that sentence like it was poison in her mouth.

Theodore was blown away. Someone like Skylar-sweet, nice, and friendly, and someone like Oliver- mean, unkind, and unfriendly; they were from the same harbor!?

"That can't be true! You're so nice! And he's so mean! How can you both come from the same place?"

"I don't know how."

"Who was that other tug with Oliver?" Theodore asked quietly.

"That was Kelly. She's…also from my old harbor."

The two floated there in silence. Theodore took a moment to take in what he just heard. The two tugs helping in the Big Harbor were both from Skylar's old harbor. He knew one of them was mean, he didn't know if the other one was as mean as Oliver… or worse… He also didn't know if she was nice like Skylar. "Is Kelly mean or nice?"

"Meaner than mean," Skylar said bitterly. "I just told Hank that I don't want you or anyone else going near her."

Two mean tugs. Here. And no Dispatcher to help him. Theodore blinked back the tears, trying not to show that he was scared.

Skylar could see that he scared and said in a reassuring tone, "It's ok that you're scared Theo."

"It…it is?"

"Yeah." Skylar continued, "But you have to remember that you have friends who care for you. And you have a Dispatcher that cares for you. And you have everyone in the harbor who cares for you. I promise you that Kelly and Oliver aren't going to hurt you or anyone else; because I'm not going to let them."

Theodore's face turned from one of fear to one of confidence. "And I'm not going to let them hurt you, either."

Skylar smiled, thankful that her friend cared for her. "Thanks. Now let's go back and help Hank finish cleaning up."


End of pt.1! Will Theodore be able stand up to Oliver? What is Kelly's evil scheme? Will the harbor ever get clean? All these questions will be answered in the next chapter!