A/N: I just love the friendship between Stephen and Glynn, so I just had to write something for it! Hope you enjoy, my dear readers!
…
Glynn gritted his teeth furiously as he pushed on through the storm brewing across the Ulfstead Castle Estate, feeling every part the old fool for agreeing to volunteer to do this job.
He had volunteered to take some rope and ties to the Dinosaur Park to secure anything that could blow away or come off in the stormy gales. It hadn't been too hard a job; but it took longer than they anticipated, and by the time Glynn, his crew and the workmen were finally finished and ready to leave, the storm had rolled in.
Still, Glynn preferred to be out here rather than Stephen or Millie; the former was much older than he, and the latter was way smaller.
"It's freezing!" One workman said loudly, causing the coffee pot engine to wince and shudder in agreement; he had only brought an open-topped carriage to transport the workmen, instead of one with a roof. That was a huge lack of foresight he had there; which only made him feel more foolish than before.
He could almost imagine Stephen teasingly chide him about his lack of foresight.
"Well, we can't do much about it until we get back to the castle!" Glynn's driver called back in reply. "Hang tight, chaps- we'll get you back or die trying!"
Despite Glynn's embarrassment at getting caught in the storm due to his slow speeds and showing lack for foresight for said event as well, he agreed with his driver. He was determined to get everyone back to the castle and into shelter, or else.
…
Meanwhile, Stephen was in the shed he shared with Glynn, waiting for his friend to return. "What's taking Glynn so long, sir?" He asked Sir Robert Norramby nervously, who was also awaiting Glynn's return.
"I'm not sure, I'm afraid, Stephen," replied Sir Robert, stroking his beard thoughtfully. "His crew assured me that they'd all get the job done and return here before the storm hit. Perhaps there was a problem." He sighed, shaking his head. "Or perhaps I should have asked for a much faster engine…. Not that Glynn isn't capable; but he really shouldn't be out in these sorts of weather conditions."
"Agreed, sir." Stephen said, shivering, before adding, hesitantly "… sir, I really think you should head into the castle. It'll be better shelter from the storm than waiting it out in here. I'll… I'll keep an eye out for Glynn." Stephen protested, biting his lip. He already knew what Sir Robert would say.
"No, Stephen, I won't feel at ease being inside the castle whilst Glynn and the workmen are out on the grounds in this weather." The Earl answered. "I'm warm enough here; I'll wait till they return, so I can help them back to the castle."
"… you always were eccentric, sir," Stephen said quietly, feeling awed that the Earl, though no longer as young as he used to be, chose to keep lookout in an engine shed, rather than wait in the castle, by its cosy fires with a pot of piping hot tea at his side.
Still, he hoped the Earl would be alright. It was bad enough Glynn was missing somewhere out on the Estate; he didn't want Sir Robert to catch a chill too.
….
CRACK!
Glynn yelped as he felt something crack and he came to a stop. "What's happened, driver?" He called out, ignoring the freezing cold rain lashing onto his face.
"Your water tank cracked." said the driver, worriedly. "If we found a way to seal your tank, do you think you can manage to continue from here?"
"Well, I could try," Replied Glynn doubtfully. "Goodness, being out here makes one feel their age!" He shivered, and then sneezed miserably. "No wonder the narrow-gauge engines hate storms so much."
"Try is all you can do, lad," Said his driver reassuringly, before he knotted together several rags to try and cover the leak, and then he and the fireman cast off their jackets to tie round the site, adding an extra layer of protection to the leak area. It wasn't secure, but they could do little more to fix it than pray it held out long enough to get them all to safety and warmth.
Once the all clear to carry on was given by his driver, Glynn continued his long, arduous struggle towards the castle; rain piercing his face like a thousand ice-cold daggers. Despite the cold, the wet and the poor visibility on offer, the old engine struggled, wheel turn by wheel turn, towards the castle. Due to the precarious nature of his tank, he couldn't go very fast; not that that had been a concern of his regardless.
But the workmen rallied him on through rousing cheers and loud, off key singing.
"Come on, Glynn!"
"You can do it!"
"We're getting closer, lads! Closer to those famous castle fires!"
The workmen continued to cheer and rally the brave coffee pot on, so Glynn threw every ounce of steam he had into driving forwards, inch by painful inch. Secretly, he still felt that he'd be last place in a race between a snail, a sloth, Stephen, himself and an earthworm. He didn't know who would win; but he wouldn't- Stephen probably wouldn't either, but at least there was some good old banter to be had!
You couldn't banter with a sloth- too slow witted. And a snail- it was most likely to retreat into its shell.
But, leaky tank or not, he would make it back to the castle or die trying!
….
Meanwhile, the Earl and Stephen were chatting about their life adventures, just to pass the time and entertain them both, (as well as trying to keep their worries about Glynn at bay) when the Earl was distracted from telling Stephen a story -which had been about how he had once had tea with a Decapod engine driver in Russia following a particularly violent snowstorm which left them stranded overnight- by a rather strange ruckus coming from the direction of the castle drawbridge.
"What in the world…?" Asked Sir Robert in bafflement. "This is peculiar… even for me." He peeked out of the shed door gingerly. Sure enough, singing and puffing could be heard, intertangled into the strangest chorus that either of the two old friends had ever heard.
"Sir, look!" Cried Stephen, his face breaking into an enormous beam as he watched a shadow emerge from the drawbridge and into the courtyard. "It's Glynn!" He somehow summoned enough strength to wobble out of the shed door to watch his brave friend return. "Over here, me old coffee pot!" He shouted into the rain and the gale, his face broken out into a wide smile of relief and joy.
Sure enough, looking battered, but still bravely ploughing on, was Glynn. The singing came from the coach behind him, still full of workmen.
….
"Well done, Glynn!" Said Sir Robert warmly, as the old engine limped into the shed beside Stephen. "You were marvellous!"
"…thank you, sir," Wheezed Glynn, tiredly. His boiler was dangerously dry, and he was more than ready for a long sleep.
"And now, you can rest, while I get these fine men warmed up in the castle." Added the Earl kindly, shepherding the workmen, as well as Glynn's driver and fireman (who quickly extinguished Glynn's fire first), back to the castle for tea and coffee, as well as a seat by the large fires; leaving the two engines alone in the shed.
"Well done Glynn; that took some courage getting back here despite that storm!" Stephen praised warmly. "That storm was one of the worst ones Sodor's ever seen, and you made it in one piece!"
"Hehe, no kidding boyo," Glynn tried to chuckle, but winced instead. Stephen noticed, and he became fearful for his friend.
"What's wrong, Glynn?" He asked quietly. "You look as though you did yourself in out there…"
"I have…" Replied Glynn, with a mournful wheeze. "My water tank burst…"
Stephen winced sympathetically. "Well, once the storm clears, Sir Robert will get Victor and his team to look you over and get you back in good working order again." He said, smiling bravely at Glynn.
"Thanks, Stephen." Wheezed the old coffee pot. "You're a good friend."
"Now get some rest, Glynn. You've more than earned it," Finished the famous old engine. Glynn just grinned back sleepily, before yawning and dozing off almost at once, worn out from his adventure. Stephen, however, was concerned about Glynn's welfare, and found it harder to sleep that night; so, he stayed up all night watching over his best friend instead, making sure nothing happened, and he even cheerily greeted the workmen who arrived the next morning to check Glynn's leak.
Fortunately for Stephen, the storm had raged across Sodor all night, so it made for a truthful excuse to answer Millie's concerned inquiry as to whether he got any sleep the previous night, when she caught him fast asleep at the station waiting for his next tour to commence.