Hello my dears. Well, after eleven months, here's the epilogue of this story. "Better late than never" as the world's most famous excuse states. But seriously, I've had such a busy year that caused me an endless writer's block. Fortunately my brain returned to normal again and now I'm glad to be able to present you guys the conclusion of the fic. I hope you like it. By the way, although some events that will take place in the future are revealed here, I'm not thinking of any sequel to this job. It's just for you to know what will happen to the characters.

Merry Christmas in advance, my beloved ones, and thank you very much for having supported the longest story I've written. :)

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"You have turned my mourning into dancing; you have stripped off my sackcloth and clothed me with joy." –Psalm 29:11

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EPILOGUE

"I've touched the heavens without getting out the earth." -Nathaniel

West Virginia-USA, seven weeks later.

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The landscape was covered by a white blanket on this cold Sunday of February.

It was just one more winter morning for people in the city.

But not for Mr. O'Mara.

On his house, sitting on a comfortable couch and with a smile on his face, the former engineer of Nathaniel watched the snowflakes that slipped down the window of the living room. His beloved wife was at his side, feeling the same joy as him. Mrs. O'Mara had baby Nathania in her arms. Nathaniel's little sister, who had just turned three months, was very busy savouring the maternal milk.

The two spouses had just seen the videos that their cousins Gabriel and Sophia had sent them. This was not the first time they saw these films, but still, they cried of emotion once again. Being able to see Nathaniel's arrival on Sodor; his encounter with Caitlin; his departure from the Steamworks and the Christmas Eve concert was very exciting for them. And in one of the videos it could be seen the New Year's lunch in Ulfstead, where Nathaniel and Joseph stole the show again with their musical talents. Mr. O'Mara was delighted to see how well his little boy and his new driver were getting along. Without a doubt, he had no reason to concern about Nathaniel's well-being.

Together with the videos, Gabriel and Sophia had also sent a lot of lovely photos that showed Nathaniel beside his friends. Those photos, all but one; were black and white. One of them had been taken in full colour for it to be able to show the EM-1's new livery. Mr. O'Mara framed some photos and put them on the wall of the living room. Those images were priceless to him and his wife. They could not help but smile sweetly each time they looked at them.

One of the photos that Mr. O'Mara loved the most was the one that showed Joseph McAllen whit a big smile on Nathaniel's pilot. Both engine and driver looked very happy. "You still don't imagine how lucky you are, young Joseph," thought Mr. O'Mara, grateful to see his engine in good hands.

Another picture showed the EM-1 together with Edward and Paxton, his Little Austin and Little Bernard. And, of course, another one showed him with Belle, his Blue Butterfly.

"I've touched the heavens without getting out the earth," Nathaniel had said in the video after telling about his experiences on Sodor, and the brightness in his eyes confirmed the veracity of those words. Mr. O'Mara was glad that his engine did not have to get out the earth to touch the heavens.

Together with the photos of Nathaniel that adorned the wall, Mr. O'Mara also placed one that showed his new engine; Austin, who was posing happily beside his girlfriend Jessica.

Austin had also had an unforgettable Christmas. He pulled special passenger trains and received the visit of Elijah Wise; the employee of Baldwin Locomotive Works who helped build the EM-1s. And the best of all was to have spent the holy night with Jessica; the love of his life, the gorgeous N&W #611. But after so many happiness; Austin had also gone through some pretty hard days: his tourist trips were cancelled by the heads of the B&O Railroad. Poor EM-1 thought he would spend the rest of his life getting rust in his shed, without being able to see his friends and without being able to kiss and caress his beloved. But sadness soon ended; his owner got him to be accepted to be part of the Norfolk and Western Steam Program…So, the magnificent #7600 moved from Columbus to Roanoke, and now he shares a shed…with Jessica. Austin still cannot believe it. Not only he enjoy living at his beloved's side and pulls passenger trains again, but also he can visit his brother Bernard in Cumberland and his friend Washington in Baltimore more often than before.

And precisely the day Austin arrived in Roanoke, Mr. O'Mara told him that Nathaniel had sent him his front coupler "as a late Christmas gift" and showed him the videos and the photos. Austin almost collapsed by happiness overload. "My life couldn't be better!" he repeated tearfully, and he thanked heaven for his new life in Roanoke and for all the wonderful things that were happening to his little brother on Sodor.

"Now I know what to fall in love is like, my brother," Nathaniel said in another part of the video, "I don't need to explain to you how I feel when Belle presses her soft cheek against mine and we ask the Lord to accompany us in each kiss…" Those words made Austin shed tears of happiness. So, it is not necessary to explain the reason why Austin was smiling so widely in the photo, posing beside the love of his life and wearing his little brother's frontal coupler on his pilot beam.

While looking at the photo, Mr. O'Mara also thanked heaven for Austin's new life. He loved the #7600 as much as he loved Nathaniel, even more so since he saw him cry at the port of New York after Nathaniel's ship began its journey towards Sodor.

Then, Mr. O'Mara looked at other photo that had come from Sodor; one that showed his cousins Sophia and Gabriel. He smiled on remembering what Nathaniel said about them in the video…

"They're such a lovely couple…When they play the harp together I think I'm hearing the angels…And guess what, sir? I'll have a little cousin over here…yes…Sophia is expecting a baby! Oh sir, this makes me so happy! I'll be able to feel connected to my princess Nattie through that baby, because the O'Mara's blood will run in his/her veins."

Mr. O'Mara and her wife had cried at such announcement. They implored from the Lord abundant blessings for the new family and were happy that Nathaniel would have the opportunity to see the baby grow up and feel "connected" to his little sister Nathania.

But Nathaniel will really see his "princess Nattie" in the not too distant future. Mr. O'Mara and his wife decided to start to save money to go to spend Christmas on Sodor when Nathania turns 3 years...It would be a heavenly surprise for their beloved EM-1. They were already imagining Nathaniel's reaction on seeing them arrive…his excitement on talking with his little sister face to face...the blessing to be able to caress his cheeks and take a ride on his train again…and how touching it will be the hug between Mr. O'Mara and Joseph McAllen...and how emotional it will be to meet Sir Robert Norramby…These thoughts filled their hearts with joy.

But before, there would be another heavenly surprise for Nathaniel, something Mr. O'Mara and his wife did not know yet.

An international railway fair was being organized in England at that moment. The event would take place the following year, and Austin and Jessica would be chosen to represent the USA...Nathaniel had no idea he would see his brother and his sister in law again and would stay with them during the months the event would last…Many blessings awaited Nathaniel.

"It's so beautiful to be alive, sir," said the EM-1 with a smile towards the end of the video; "I'm enjoying every day with my friends and my blue butterfly…Oh, and my mommy Caitlin married Gordon at Christmas Eve, so I have now a new daddy as well…ha-ha! I'm serious! I don't know how I never noticed that Gordon was literally my adoptive father over here, even more so after he helped save my life…I'm glad that he and I get along well and I feel very secure on seeing how he loves my mommy."

Mr. O'Mara and his wife had looked at each other tenderly on hearing that. They knew why Gordon and Caitlin's love made Nathaniel feel so secure: the love between father and mother is the source of security for the children…It is like the floor, the wall and the roof of their house; it is the joy in the good moments; the medicine for illness and the consolation in sadness.

"I'm a happy engine," continued Nathaniel, "and a very fortunate one. The fact that many of us steam locomotives have been saved from death is a priceless gift from Heaven, so I have nothing to complain about. I can only thank for so many blessings. As I said before, I've touched the heavens without getting out the earth, and I wish everyone feels the happiness I'm feeling."

Mr. O'Mara sighed with emotion. His engine's heart-warming words kept rolling around in his mind. He had nothing to complain about either. He was aware that the steam era had ended and there was no way back, so the fact that Nathaniel had been saved from death and was safe and sound on Sodor was a priceless gift from Heaven to him as well. He was eager to be able to show the videos and photos to Bernard and Washington, whom he always kept up to date with the news about Nathaniel.

After watching the photos on the wall, Mr. O'Mara looked at his two treasures at his side with deep love. His baby Nathania slept soundly, while his wife had a sparkle of happiness in her green eyes. He smiled at his wife and put his right arm around her shoulders, and slowly caressed her cheek with his left hand…They got lost into each other's eyes, feeling grateful for all the beautiful things that happened during the previous months…They could not ask for more. Their life was alright.

Mr. O'Mara slid his gaze towards his wife's lips and got closer to her. Then, they tenderly shared a kiss…a kiss as only the spouses know how to do…a kiss that made Lady herself and all the locomotives on the Railway of the Clouds sigh…Such a beautiful thing the love of a couple is.

And such a beautiful thing the love of humans for the steam locomotives is. Railway preservation movement was beginning in several countries around the world thanks to this love. Many locomotives would be rescued from the scrapyards and moved to museums. Many of them would be restored to operating conditions. And they would attract crowds of tourist from the entire world, turning literally into "money-making machines" for the cities where their rides would take place.

What Joseph had said to Nathaniel the day they came out of the Steamworks would end up being an indisputable truth;

"I'm pretty sure that with you steam locomotives the same thing that happened with coal underground will happen; whit the passage of time…you will turn into diamonds…You will be so priceless diamonds that people will defend you with tooth and nail…and the scrapping will be a thing of the past."

And so it would be.

Long live the steam!

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THE END

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In loving memory of the thirty EM-1s of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad

Nº 7600 to 7629

(1944 * 1961)