Fragrant Emerald

by AaronCottrell97

When Thomas returns home after another trip to Brazil, he and Emily are both eager to share another special night of love and passion, and this time they decide to share another bath together after so long. They find out the next day that both have very dirty jobs, but the thought of getting dirty before their bath is welcome, especially when Emily's driver has a surprise for them.

After working drearily and chillingly on such a rainy and dreary day, then hearing a notable little story about Donald and his lost tarpaulin, Emily was feeling fairly better after she had to see Thomas leave again for another adventure to Brazil. And when she returned home that very evening, she had been told by the Fat Controller that it would just be another week and a few days more before Thomas would be coming home again for another window of time to spend on Sodor...until his next little return to India. This made Emily feel even better as she now knew when to expect Thomas to come back...and after he had proven to be her scoundrel by moonlight after being quite persistently cheeky with her, Emily could only guess wildly over what they would do next. The next full moon would not be for another while yet, but Emily somehow knew that something else would befall her and Thomas. She didn't know exactly what at first, but as soon as the time came, she'd be ready, and so would he.

One week passed, then a few days more passed by too. Over that passage of time, Emily kept waiting endlessly for any news surrounding Thomas, his status in Brazil or if he was on his way home. With every day that slipped by, she became more dependent on his return and to see just what he'd like to do with her next. She also began to think a few things over as to what they could do together in light of his return, but neither she nor Thomas knew just quite yet just what they would be doing, and much sooner than they'd expect.

Finally the day came. Almost two weeks after spending that damp evening with Donald and Douglas, Emily came to Knapford Station around 6:30 p.m. after another fair day's work, and she saw the Fat Controller come out of his office in an excited hurry.

"Sir? Have...have you heard anything about Thomas?" Emily asked with a growing smile.

The Fat Controller looked up with a smile himself.

"I just got off the phone with a call from the Dock Manager, Emily," he said. "He says he's been in contact with Thomas' return ferry. He's due to return this evening around 7:00 p.m. That's in just half an hour. Perhaps you'd best go and welcome him back again."

This was exactly what Emily wanted to hear. After another window of time without Thomas and getting used to his absence, she'd get to feel that sensation of welcoming home yet again. To all of this, Emily thanked the Fat Controller with a bubbly giggle, whistled with joy and set off on her way.

Emily huffed happily on her way to Brendam Docks, feeling her boiler bubble with fervor and delightful anticipation. By this time, she was quite used to what it felt like not to have Thomas around, but the secret gift to that was feeling truly happy every time he came home again, as it would feel just the same for his return from India and Australia later that year. But what excited her even more was what she and Thomas could possibly do together once the time was right. There was the same sense of catching up that they both needed, and they couldn't wait to get back together again.

At last, it was less than five minutes before 7:00 p.m., and Emily rushed her way into Brendam Docks. She looked all around for any signs of Thomas or any ferry. Then as she neared Cranky, Carly, and Big Mickey, she saw they were all looking out to sea. When Emily looked in their direction, she felt her heart flip and pound with realization. There it was. The very ferry that had taken Thomas on so many adventures before, and was now bringing him back after his third adventure to Brazil. Emily watched as the ferry came closer and closer, then docked right beside the line. Emily looked up and could see the upper top of Thomas' form as she recalled seeing numerous times before whenever he came back from adventures.

"Welcome back, Chuck! Emily's right here to see you!" Carly called to the ferry.

Emily then heard a whistle come from the ferry deck as Carly lowered her hook down to the ferry. Emily watched and smiled from buffer to buffer, and hen, like a Christmas present being opened up, Emily watched as Thomas was steadily lifted into sight and revealed. He looked as though he had quite an interesting experience in Brazil, and Emily wondered when and what she would hear when Thomas found the appropriate time to tell his tales again. But when she saw him look down and smile very broadly, she felt that very same tingle in her boiler as she always felt whenever she welcomed him back.

Thomas kept his gaze upon Emily the entire time Carly loaded him downward, right until he was placed right back on the rails and back on Sodor again. He kept staring into Emily's eyes until she gave him a most welcome home greeting.

"Oh...Thomas! You're home again!" Emily wheeshed with glee as she rushed right up to Thomas, buffering him backwards by a foot or two.

"Oh! E-Emily!" Thomas exclaimed happily.

Emily then buffered up, gaped with a big smile into his eyes, then pressed her lips right to his, kissing him with glimmering delight for almost a minute until she let go and the two of them exchanged a little bashful giggle.

"So. Back from Brazil again, are you, Chuck?" Carly called down to Thomas.

"Indeed, I am, Carly," Thomas replied. "Happy to see you all again, as always...and now, I have business with my queen, catching up with her, as usual."

"Oh, are you?" Emily asked smoothly. "Well, Tommy, as always, I've been waiting every moment that has gone by for you to come back again."

"So have I, Emily," said Thomas. "I may keep travelling a little more, but as always, I'm never leaving you on your own for too long. And after our moonlit temptation, with me being your scoundrel by moonlight...looks like it's time for us to start thinking of just the right way to catch up."

"Indeed, Tommy," Emily replied. "For now, what say it's just you and me along the line until bedtime?"

Thomas gave Emily's cheek a big kiss in response, and not much later, Thomas and Emily set off on their way out of the docks. Throughout the next two hours, they huffed about the island together, simply enjoying each other's company again and exchanging a few kisses to each other as they went after a few weeks apart from each other. Along the way, Thomas couldn't help but notice that Emily kept humming quietly to herself as if she were thinking. It made him wonder if she had anything in mind, or had yet to think of something for the two of them. He then decided he would ask her as soon as they had the chance.

When night descended Tidmouth Sheds, the other engines were waiting for Thomas to return. Then they saw Emily backing toward the turntable with her headlamp showing Thomas' face. They uncoupled and Emily slipped right into her berth. Then the engines all looked and saw Thomas come to the turntable.

"Thomas! You're back again!" Percy peeped happily.

"Did you enjoy another visit to Brazil, Thomas?" Nia asked.

"Hello, everyone. And yes, Nia. I did," said Thomas. "I'd gladly tell you the tale, but as always, Emily and I have plans once the time is right."

"Of course you do," said Rebecca. "Much like Gordon and I 'express,' little plans every now and then?"

"Please, Rebecca, not in front of the others," Gordon replied, trying not to smile too much.

Within moments, Thomas was right back in his berth as the engines welcomed him home and exchanged a few little stories until they fell asleep.

Now, Thomas and Emily were the last engines awake. It was just the two of them now, simply gazing at the stars together for a while longer as they had done on several occasions. Already, life seemed right back to normal for both of them, as if Thomas had never left. Then as their eyes scanned the stars, their gaze suddenly fell upon the moon. It wasn't full this time, but as Thomas and Emily gazed upon it, they found themselves immediately remembering just how they felt on that most spellbound night. They looked to each other and could see each other blush and look away. Then Emily gave a little sigh, making Thomas look at her and see her smiling sweetly at him.

"So, Thomas...you're home with us again," said Emily. "As always, I couldn't be happier to see you come home for another while yet."

"I feel just the same, Emily," Thomas replied. "I know I've just come back...but I haven't forgotten what you and I did before I left. And now that I'm home again...I think I recall seeing you thinking while you and I were just running along the line together today."

Emily suddenly felt a little rush of warmth in her boiler. "Oh...yes, Thomas. I was thinking."

"What about, Emily?" Thomas asked.

To this, Emily smiled more. "Well, Thomas. I think it's only right that we should jump right back into business...with each other. And it makes me wonder what you and I should do together next."

"That's exactly what I'm thinking right now, Emily," said Thomas. "After all, our last major meetup proved to be so very stirring and we both lost our minds under that moon...and I loved every instant of it, just as you did."

"Ooh, I did indeed, Tommy," Emily blushed. "I've never felt so stirred at that magnitude. And ever since the Fat Controller told me that you'd be returning just around two weeks ago, I...well..."

"Yes, Emily? What is it?" Thomas asked.

Emily tittered softly and blushed a little pink. "I...I began to feel that something else is going to befall you and I. I don't know exactly what it could be yet...but I have a strong, strong feeling it's going to be immense."

"Do you?" Thomas asked. "Well...what could be as immense as our last moonlit meetup, or even close to such a night?"

"Well...the others are asleep. Why don't we think a little right now?" said Emily. "Perhaps we could act on it tomorrow...just you and I."

"Of course, Emily. So...Hmm," said Thomas. "We've done Black Loch with that extraordinary moon...and I was your scoundrel by moonlight. Perhaps another visit to the Arlesburgh quayside?"

"I don't think so, Thomas," said Emily, slowly sounding a little coy. "It would be nice, but I want us to do something...luscious, so as to reward each other after another wave of time apart from each other. Something even more special than another night in Knapford Sheds too."

"You're right, Emily," said Thomas as he fell silent and continued thinking.

Emily fell silent for a few minutes more too, thinking of just what could be the perfect way for her and Thomas to reconnect after another adventure. With the thoughts of adventure in her mind, Emily's mind briefly wandered back to Italy...and Gina...and Percy...and what they had done on their final night together. It was right there when Emily's so very sensible mind suddenly clicked with a particular coincidence that made her almost freeze as still as a statue, then very slowly turn her eyes to Thomas, feeling her heart begin to race with...excitement. She noticed that there was something she and Thomas had not done for quite a long time now, and Emily didn't even notice it until this very moment.

"Uh...Thomas?" she asked slowly, her voice noticeably surprised but calm.

Thomas turned and saw Emily giving him such a look, he almost felt nervous...and a little bashful.

"Yes, Emily?" he asked.

"I...I think I know what we should do tomorrow if we have the chance," she said very quietly and clearly.

"What is it, Emily?" Thomas asked. "You seem...excited."

"Y...yes, Thomas...I am," Emily whispered. "I can't believe I didn't notice it before. "There's something you and I could do tomorrow. Something we've not done in quite a long time together...not since we had that lovely silent evening together, shortly before Percy gave me such a lovely Mother's Day. And just now, I thought back to what Percy and Gina did...on their last night here together."

Thomas thought back to what Emily meant and remembered what they had silently done that evening...then he thought back to Percy and Gina. In that instant, he suddenly felt a rush of coincidence hit his boiler and he began staring right at Emily for a moment or two.

"E-Emily..." he jittered. "Are...are you thinking...what I might...be...?"

"I...I think so, Thomas," said Emily "You see...it's been quite a long while since you and I...sh...shared a bath together."

Thomas felt his heart jolt and flutter with such a flip-flop. He knew this to be true as the last time they shared a bath together was on that lovely evening of silence they shared together, almost two years ago, when they shared that bath together, then went to the Whistling Woods to collect a perfect red rose for Emily, then exchanged loving nibbles and kisses at Black Loch then fell asleep right there.

"Cinders and Ashes, Emily," Thomas breathed shakily. "I remember that day. It's...it's been so much longer than I thought...and yet it feels like no time has gone by at all. So strange."

"Indeed, Thomas," said Emily.

"Emily...I think you just thought the magic thought for the two of us. Now you've got me wondering. Ever since our moonlit temptation, and now noticing this coincidence...it makes me wonder...if I'll get to see you...covered in bubbles again...and if I can be there to join you..."

Emily blushed deeper and began to purr. "Ooh...you're thinking of another bubble bath with your temptress?"

"Oh...well, I...I..." Thomas stammered bashfully.

"Shh..." Emily whispered sweetly. "I can see it coming together, Thomas. And I think it's a marvellous idea. I remember having such a lovely bubble bath on the very evening of Percy and Gina's bath of temptation...and I recall telling them how you weren't there with me, but I also said that some other evening, you and I would do something truly lovely like that...and now..."

"That's enough, Emily!" Thomas whispered hastily. "Don't say any more about it! You and I are sharing another bath together tomorrow!"

"But not so fast, Thomas...there's only one way to really make sure of it," said Emily, giving Thomas a little wink.

"Emily?" Thomas puzzled. "What was the wink for? And what way can we make sure of it?"

Emily leaned a little to her right, closer to Thomas. "It depends on our work tomorrow, Thomas...I think now that we should hope the Fat Controller gives us both a potentially messy job tomorrow. One that could leave us both dusty and dirty in some way or other."

To this, Thomas' smile became broad and coy. "Emily, my girl...you are such a smart and clever engine...the dirtier we may be...perhaps the warmer and more bubbly our bath together can be...my beautiful emerald angel."

"Ooh...and you're my handsome cobalt star...and scoundrel," Emily cooed sweetly. "I can only wonder what our jobs will be tomorrow."

"Well, now that we have a plan...we'll just have to wait and see what we'll be doing tomorrow," said Thomas.

Then Emily yawned, ready to fall asleep. "Well, I know it's going to be perfect. Goodnight, Tommy...my little scoundrel...and welcome home again."

"Goodnight, Emily...my beautiful queen...and it's perfect to be home again," Thomas yawned in turn.

And with that, both engines fell asleep with the rest of the engines. Thomas and Emily now had an impressive idea to put forth, and they were both quite anxious now to hear from the Fat Controller just what their workload would be. If it would prove to be dirty enough, that would be just what Thomas and Emily wanted. After their own moonlit temptation together on that truly ecstasy-filled night, it was either engine's guess as to how steamy their next bath together would turn out...and if Emily in particular worked hard enough, there was one other little surprise for her...and Thomas too, which would open quite a few new doors for both of them...

The next morning, Thomas and Emily woke up together with a yawn and a shudder of warmth as they felt the sun beaming warmly on their faces. As they came out of their berths and smiled to each other, they immediately remembered what they had been talking about the night before, and a few little glimmers of excitement began flickering in their boilers even now. They blushed again and greeted each other with a sense of coyness again.

"Well...good morning, my perfect angel," Thomas greeted with a slightly narrow look.

Emily blushed and tittered before she gave a little narrow look too.

"Good morning to you, my perfect little scoundrel," she swooned. "So...are you still interested in our little plan from last night?"

"Isn't the answer obvious, my dear?" Thomas answered with a growing smile. "I just hope our work today can segue you and I right into that plan. As much as I like managing my Branch Line with Annie and Clarabel...my true management is for you, Emily. Once the time is right."

"True management indeed, Tommy," Emily bubbled. "I certainly know that's what I wish for you...and look. Here comes the Fat Controller now."

Thomas could see the Fat Controller's car arriving and winked to Emily. She winked in turn just as the Fat Controller stopped by the sheds and came out to start the engine's day.

"Good morning to you all," he said. "And welcome back, Thomas. I trust you had an impressive time in Brazil again?"

"I have indeed, sir," said Thomas. "But now that I'm back home again, I'm ready to be useful again."

"Very good," said the Fat Controller. "Time for all of you to start another day again."

The Fat Controller then handed out the jobs to all the engines. Gordon and Rebecca would be kept busy with the express, James and Nia had food and shelter material to take to the Animal Park for Headkeeper Jack to look after the animals with, and Percy would be busy with the mail train again. Those five engines all set off one after the other while Thomas and Emily watched them leave.

Then the Fat Controller turned to Thomas and Emily. The two engines looked to each other, then listened closely.

"Now, as for you two, things are a little different," said the Fat Controller. "Now that you've come back home, Thomas, it's time you go straight back to work. We still have a railway to run. With you, of course."

"Indeed. What shall I be doing today, sir?" Thomas asked. "Working with Annie and Clarabel? Working with goods?"

"Well, Thomas. Your Branch Line isn't too busy today, so Annie and Clarabel won't need you today. But I do need you to take empty trucks to the Coaling Plant to load them up. There are mountain-piles worth of coal waiting there for you. Once again, there are some chutes that need refilling along the line."

When Thomas heard this, he suddenly felt a rush of joy, as did Emily. By taking coal trucks, Thomas would surely get dirty in some way or other...which would give him just the opportunity to get to the washdown himself. Their hopes were starting to be granted.

Thomas disguised his enthusiasm and answered clearly, "Yes, sir. I'd be glad to resupply the line with more coal."

Emily had heard what Thomas' job would be and immediately felt eager to hear what her job would be.

"That's good," she said with a smile. "And what's my work today, sir?"

"For you, Emily," said the Fat Controller. "It's back to more goods work yourself. There is a ton of work to be done from Ffarquhar Quarry to Brendam Docks with so many loads of stone that need to be loaded up and arranged into several trains. There is a ferry that is due to arrive at 6:30 p.m. and collect all those loads of stone for the Mainland. I need you to help Mavis manage and sort the loads of stone. Then you must help her take them to Brendam Docks."

This time, it was Emily's turn to feel a secret rush of joy. Just like taking coal trucks, taking quarry trucks full of stone had a potential chance of being a dirty job...which would surely swing Emily right to the washdown herself...and swing her right into Thomas' buffers, exactly how they had hoped the night before. This was all they needed. All that mattered now was being really useful...and getting dirty if they could, just to see what would befall them that very evening now that their plans for a washdown were completely confirmed.

"I'm right on it, sir," she promised. "I'll manage those trucks, no matter how dirty I may get."

"I don't care if I get dirty either," said Thomas as he gave a wink to Emily. "Usefulness before cleanliness."

"Very good, you two," said the Fat Controller. "Now, be sure to work hard out there. And should anything make you dirty, you'll both need a hefty washdown once your work is done."

"We know, sir," the two engines answered together.

As the Fat Controller returned to his car and drove away, Thomas and Emily exchanged a coy smile to each other and both felt rather buzzed now. A whole slew of questions began stirring in both their smokeboxes. What would this next wash be like for the two of them? Would it be gentle and heartfelt? Seductive and tempting? A little of both? All they could do was wonder and assure each other. In the wave of all these questions, both their hearts began to jiggle and their faces began to blush again.

"That's it, Emily," Thomas stated broadly. "That is all we needed. So...are you all set to get good and dirty at the quarry?"

Emily batted her eyelashes right in Thomas' direction.

"Strange as it may sound... yes, Thomas. But ONLY if you find a way to get good and dirty yourself at the Coaling Plant. If we want to bathe each other in whatever passions may come, these jobs are just what we need, Thomas! The dirtier, the better! Tonight will be FUN!"

To this, Thomas whistled with fervor as Emily went right on the turntable and turned right around so as to be facing the right way to Ffarquhar. Thomas then turned right to Emily and buffered up to her, pushing her right along the line with a growing, broadening smile all the way to the Shunting Yards. There, Thomas saw his empty trucks for the Coaling Plant ready and waiting. There were twelve trucks altogether...which would mean lots and lots of coal indeed with the chutes that needed to be filled. Thomas shot one look to Emily and she could tell already what he hoped to do at some point in the day.

"I think you're all set, Thomas," said Emily. "To bring on the magic recipe for your share tonight...and I'll do just the same. It'll be bath time before you know it, Tommy. Ahh..."

To this, Thomas pressed his lips to Emily's cheek, gave her such a big kiss, then switched right to his line and coupled up to his trucks. Emily then made ready to make her way to Ffarquhar, blowing a kiss right to Thomas as he started on his way.

"Come on, Emily! We've got work to do!" Thomas whistled.

"Dirtiest one back to the Shunting Yard gets the absolute steamiest rewards!" Emily whistled with surety as she set off on her way too.

And with that, the two engines went on their separate lines to start their potentially dirty jobs. Usually, neither of them fancied getting dirty in the least, much like so many engines didn't fancy it themselves. But today was quite an exception as it would only ensure that Thomas and Emily's budding fantasies would surely come all the more true once their work was done.

Thomas hurried excitedly and potently along the line, rushing through Crosby, Wellsworth and Maron. Then he hastily worked his way up the Coaling Plant Branch Line and before he knew it, he found his way right to the Coaling Plant. Thomas looked all through the yards, and immediately saw just what the Fat Controller meant by mountain-piles of coal. Thomas counted at least four very tall, heaping piles of coal that he had to deliver to the various chutes along the line. Thomas could smell opportunities to get dirty already.

"Well, let's get to work...and get dirty!" Thomas thought to himself as he looked through the dusty, coal-covered yards.

At that moment, Thomas saw a large group of workmen coming toward him with shovels, ready to load the piles of coal into his twelve trucks. And so Thomas waited while his trucks were loaded up with coal. The workmen shoveled pile after pile of coal into his twelve trucks over the course of about twenty minutes. Every now and then, little pieces of goal and flickers of dust flew through the air, just beginning to powder Thomas with dust already, although Thomas wished he could get dirtier than that.

After ten minutes more, Thomas' trucks were all loaded with coal and he was ready to start making his deliveries. Thomas set off with his load. But then as he returned to the Main Line, Thomas wasn't yet satisfied with how dirty he was. He wanted it to be even messier so as to have the heftier bath with Emily. He began slowing down, then rushing to a hasty speed every few seconds, making some of the coal bounce in his trucks and kick up quite a bit of coal dust.

"Thomas? What are you doing?" his driver asked as he checked his speed.

"Oh. Must have been something in my boiler," said Thomas. "Besides, Bob. Managing coal is a dirty job. Do you think I'd finish completely spotless?"

"No, Thomas," said his driver. "But that doesn't mean you have to get dirty on purpose. And you don't want to make any of trucks knock over."

"Of course not," said Thomas. "Normally, I wouldn't be trying to get dirty. But today is kind of special...no, I'm wrong. It's to be VERY special for Emily and I. I trust you know what I mean by that?"

"Hmm," said his driver. "Indeed, I heard you and Emily talk back in the yards...but perhaps I shouldn't inquire too much as to what you and Emily think and do?"

"Perhaps not," said Thomas. "She's bound to get dusty and dirty helping Mavis too...I can only wonder..."

"Well, Thomas," said his driver. "You're looking a little smudgy already, but we'd best carry on. We'll see how much of a wash you need in the end. And so will Emily. I promise you that."

So Thomas pressed on. Before long, he was making deliveries along the various coal chutes, leaving three or four trucks at each chute at a time until he had no trucks left. He'd have to come back for those trucks soon and collect more coal from the Coaling Plant, and this made him feel excited. There was still plenty of time and plenty of chances to increase how he would turn out with Emily in the end...

Emily, meanwhile arrived at the Ffarquhar Quarry. For the whole journey, she couldn't stop thinking about just what would befall her and Thomas that evening, depending on how messy they'd end up. When she arrived at the quarry, she made her way steadily through the grounds until she saw Mavis waiting for her.

"Hello, Mavis," said Emily. "I hear you need my help managing a whole lot of stone for Brendam Docks."

"Hello, Emily. And you're absolutely right," said Mavis. "You and I have a few long journeys to make all the way to Brendam Docks together. Most of the stone, we have to arrange ourselves, and the rest, we'll be taking from the hopper."

"I see. Well...I hope this turns out to be a dirty job for me," said Emily. "It may sound strange, Mavis...but I actually hope to get dirty."

"Oh? Why would want to do that?" Mavis asked.

It didn't take long for Mavis to hear just what Thomas and Emily had him mind when the emerald engine confided everything to the friendly diesel.

"Ooh, you have something fun planned for Thomas, do you?" Mavis smiled coyly to Emily. "Well, once you and I finish this evening, I wish you and Thomas a great many stirrings tonight. Now, let us get started, Emily."

"Gladly!" Emily chortled.

And so Emily and Mavis got to work, shunting the trucks throughout the quarry, loading them up with stone and sorting them into trains. They would manage the hopper loads later. As this happened, Emily gradually began to sense she was getting a little dusty as loading the rocks kicked up a little dust every now and then. Her plan was slowly working and she tried hard not to get too distracted thinking about being covered in bubbles again that very evening...and just how Thomas would look once he was finished for the day.

After about two hours of hefty work and arranging most of the stone trains, Emily and Mavis were soon off on their way down the line making their first delivery to to Brendam Docks with their loads.

"Well, Emily," said Mavis. "It see you're looking a little dusty already. Perhaps your little hopes are starting to be granted."

"I think they are, Mavis," said Emily. "But we still have more stone to manage as we go...perhaps the hopper might kick up a lot more dust."

"Maybe," said Mavis. "I just don't want you to get too battered up by rocks that may be too heavy."

"Hmm. Good point, Mavis," said Emily. "But whatever happens, I really want tonight to really flourish for Thomas and I."

"And so it shall, Emily. I really do believe that," said Mavis as she and Emily carried on through the day.

The hours passed. To go from the quarry to the docks meant that Emily and Mavis had a very long journey to make, and they had to do it a few more times over. As for Thomas, he kept returning to the Coaling Plant with his twelve trucks to gather more coal from the big piles, watching as they got smaller and smaller throughout the day while he kept delivering coal to the various chutes that needed his deliveries. Over the passing time, Thomas felt as though he were getting a little more covered in coal with every trip he made back. And with each journey Emily and Mavis made back and forth between the quarry and the docks, Emily wondered if she were getting a little dustier each time. But what was absolutely certain was that with each hour that slipped by, Thomas and Emily were slowly finding it more and more difficult to shut out the occasional daydream of seeing each other covered in bubbles and enjoying such a warm, relaxing wash together again...until the time would come.

Eventually, after quite a bit of work, as 4:00 p.m. came upon the day, Thomas came back to the Coaling Plant with his twelve trucks empty again. This time, realized he had cleaned out all four big piles of coal. By now, he was fairly covered in coal dust and would indeed need a wash once he had the time. He also noticed that the time had gone by quite quickly and that Emily's last stone delivery would be in just over two hours from now.

In that moment, Thomas closed his eyes and began to daydream again...and he could see Emily right in front of him, at a washdown, completely covered in white, fluffy bubbles, smiling away and singing happily as a few big bubbles floated and popped away around her...until her eyes opened and looked right at Thomas, immediately blushing, then giving him a big, broad smile.

"H-hello...Emily..." Thomas whispered. "May...may I...?"

"Ooh...hello, Tommy...why don't you come into your angel's tub as it were? Ooh..." she swooned and began smooching her lips.

Thomas' wheels began to wobble as he could almost hear Emily's voice saying his name over and over.

"Thomas...Thomas...!"

But it wasn't Emily's voice at all. Thomas fell out of his little daydream and noticed his driver was calling his name. Thomas was disappointed to look around and see he was still at the Coaling Plant, but he answered his driver right away.

"Oh! Yes? What is it?" Thomas asked.

"You've done quite a good job today," said his driver. "We've cleaned out all four of those piles of coal. Now that they're gone, I wonder if there's any more to do."

"Actually, there is, sir," came the Yard Manager's voice, making Thomas look up. "You've done very well today, Thomas. But there's still one more chute that needs refilling around Maron Station. You'll need to refill four more of your trucks from the chute right here, then make your way to Maron. Then you'll be done for the day. Alright?"

When Thomas heard about filling up at the chute here, he suddenly got a little idea and smiled thinly.

"Right away, sir," he said. "Let's just get these trucks to the chute, and I'll be on my way."

So Thomas was uncoupled from eight of his trucks and took the remaining four toward the chute. He began to think to himself.

"I'm fairly dusty so far today...but if only I could be even dirtier...so as to have a longer wash with her...oh, yes. That would be gold."

Thomas looked up and saw the coal chute gaping above him. His chance had come. He huffed forward until his forth truck was lined up under the chute. His fireman came out to work the lever. Then, just like what happened to James, Emily and Gordon for the Clean Engine Inspection, Thomas heard a whooshing sound from the coal chute. Then coal came pouring down into his truck. But as soon as that truck was full, Thomas reversed a little and filled his next truck with coal, then the next truck, then the last one...and then, just a second or two before the chute stopped pouring coal, Thomas reversed once more, right under the chute. The last bunch of coal descended right down on him, covering him quite steadily in coal and dust.

"Agh! Ugh!" Thomas exclaimed.

He coughed and spluttered a little from the coal dust that drifted along his face, smudging it up a little until it cleared away. His driver jumped down and could see that Thomas was now quite a hefty mess. But that was exactly what Thomas wanted to happen all day. His plan had worked and he now knew he was in the prime condition to have a rather hefty bath...just as long as Emily was dirty enough herself in some way or other. Thomas opened his dusty eyes and suddenly began chortling with glee.

"Thomas? What's so funny?" his driver asked. "You should be more careful with that chute. You wouldn't want to get buried like you did when you and Percy had that little spat all those years ago, would you?"

"No, sir," said Thomas. "I just wanted to make sure all our trucks were filled up at once. I can wash up later anyway...I'll need it after all."

"Indeed," said his fireman. "But we can't do that now, Thomas. We still have that one remaining chute to deliver this coal to. After that, you need a good, long wash indeed...as you seemingly hope to do with Emily."

"So what's the bother?" Thomas chuckled cheekily. "It's good to get dirty before you have a good hose down. Now, we'd better get this coal to the Maron chute...then once the time is right, I'll see how Emily might be doing."

And with that, Thomas set off, covered in black, dirty coal dust, and smiling all the way. His washdown with Emily was drawing nearer and nearer by the second, and he began to feel little jitters in his boiler that would only get stronger and stronger once the time came.

By this time, Emily and Mavis had made three long journeys to and from the quarry and the docks. They had both worked very, very hard together, and indeed, Emily had gotten considerably dusty, which made her wonder just how Thomas would look when he got back from all those coal deliveries. All this time, Emily kept feeling little creases of thought surrounding Thomas and how he might look covered in all those bubbles at the washdown.

As Emily and Mavis returned to the quarry to gather the last two trains that needed to go to the Docks in time for the ferry, Emily couldn't hold back her little creases of thought anymore. She closed her eyes and began to daydream a little herself.

Emily saw herself beside a lovely green field under a divine sunset...and right in front of her was Thomas, right beside the washdown, covered from buffer to cab in white bubbles, smiling and grinning so very broadly and humming away as he saw the bubbles float about his face and pop away, making him laugh and chortle...until he looked straight ahead and saw just who was there.

"Oh...Emily..." he said purely. "Hello...would...would you join me for...?"

"Ooh, Tommy," Emily swooned and blushed. "Right away, my love. Let your seductive temptress make your bath much more fun."

And Emily buffered right up to Thomas and shut her eyes, just waiting for Thomas to kiss her or for the workmen to start washing her. Emily almost felt like she could hear Thomas' voice.

"Oh, Emily...Emily...!"

But Emily suddenly realized it wasn't Thomas' voice. When she opened her eyes and fell out of her daydream, she saw she was still at the Ffarquhar Quarry, and that Mavis was calling her name. Emily felt her heart sink a little but managed not to let it get her down too much.

"Oh, sorry, Mavis. I...I was thinking...and seeing things."

"Seeing things?" Mavis asked.

"I'm thinking about Thomas...and about our washdown tonight...I'm already fairly dusty...and I just wish I could meet with him and just jump right in with him."

"Of course," said Mavis. "But remember what the Fat Controller says, Emily. Usefulness before cleanliness. Anyway, we've done a lot of work today, but we still have one more delivery of stone to finish together. For that, we must gather the last of the stone from the hopper."

"Alright," said Emily. "At least we're almost done for the day...then Thomas and I can stir each other all we please.

Mavis couldn't help but smile as she and Emily began to bring their trucks toward the hopper. Then there was trouble. Suddenly, exhaust and smoke billowed and blurted loudly from Mavis' engine. Emily gasped and saw Mavis begin to shake and splutter along the line until she came to a sudden stop and seemed to lean down a little. Something felt broken within Mavis and she didn't feel right at all.

"Oh, dear! Whatever has happened?" Mavis asked.

"Mavis? What's wrong?" Emily asked.

Mavis' driver came out and inspected her. After ten minutes he looked up to Mavis and shook his head.

"Looks like you've broken down, Mavis," he said. "We'll have to put you to rights. But the stone can't wait. The ferry will arrive at 6:30 and we can't afford any shortages."

"Oh, no!" Mavis cried. "I can't take this stone if I'm broken down. Emily...it may be a very heavy load...but will you take the last of the stone? Please?"

"Come on, Emily," said her driver. "If you could give effort like this, I'd be glad to let you have a most well-deserved washdown after this. I'm sure Thomas is thinking just the same with all that coal he's been delivering all day. What do you think?"

Emily thought about it...then smiled. She had been working with Mavis all day, and she had been keeping Thomas and their plans to share a bath at the back of her mind all day. Now she began to wonder if working extra hard would add to her rewards...then when she looked at the hopper chute, she suddenly felt an idea fly into her funnel.

"Of course I'll go, Mavis," she promised. "But before that, let's get you to a siding where you can rest and be looked over further."

Mavis smiled as Emily got to work hauling her out of the way and to a separate siding where she could be checked over further. Then Emily gathered her trucks again, and Mavis' too. It would be a hefty load of sixteen trucks altogether, but Emily didn't mind. With hard work would come rewards, and she could only wonder just what sort of bath would befall her once she enacted her little plan and pulled all her efforts.

"Okay. Here I go, Mavis," said Emily. "As soon as I make this delivery, Thomas and I are due to get clean together. But before that...I have one more little idea...which I hope will further my hopes for Thomas tonight."

"What are you talking about, Emily?" Mavis asked.

Emily didn't answer. She just winked and proceeded with her line of sixteen trucks toward the stone hopper. Mavis expected Emily to stop with the first truck, but to her surprise and wonder, Emily kept huffing forward until her last truck was lined up.

"Emily? What ever are you doing?" Mavis asked.

"I'm planning," Emily replied, not looking at Mavis.

Mavis watched with curiosity and wonder. Then at that moment, the hopper began pouring stone down into Emily's truck. Once it was full, Emily reversed until her next truck was lined up with the hopper. With each loading, Emily reversed as many times more as she had to, filling the rest of her trucks one by one. Then when she got to the last truck, she let the hopper fill it up...then almost before the hopper was completely filled, Emily reversed right under the hopper as a few more small stones, and plenty of dust fell down on top of her boiler. Luckily, the stones weren't very big and didn't cause any damage.

Emily coughed a little under the dust, but once it cleared away, Mavis gasped and her eyes popped.

"Grease and Oil, Emily!" Mavis exclaimed. "You've got the last load for today...but you sure are a mess! Look at you!"

Mavis was right. Emily had been dusty before, but now she was rather covered in quarry dust, almost as if it were flour. But Emily wasn't upset. If anything, she was now smiling from buffer to buffer with absolute glee. Her plan had worked, just as Thomas' did at the Coaling Plant...and she was now fully ready.

"Goodness me, Emily!" her driver exclaimed. "You should be more careful with that hopper. Thank goodness those stones were quite little."

"Oh. Well, perhaps I reversed a little too soon," said Emily. "But it's alright. This is exactly what I intended to happen all along today. I actually meant to do this, Mavis...for the sake of my cobalt star...and our washing plans for tonight."

"Why, Emily? You were fairly dusty already," said Mavis. "Wasn't that enough for plans to wash down with Thomas today?"

"Well, Mavis...hm-hm-hm!" Emily giggled. "It's good to get dirty before you take a bath. That only makes it all the more bubbly...and flirtatious if I may add. The dirtier an engine gets, the longer and bubblier their washdown gets!"

Mavis smiled hugely and tried not to blush as she could only imagine what Emily had up her funnel...and Thomas too.

"Well, then...you'd best be on your way, Emily," said Mavis. "We can't let that stone run late after all...and Thomas can't be running late on you either."

It was at this point that Emily's driver suddenly began forming an idea of his own. Something that Emily had never done before with any washdown before...which would surely make her not only very clean...but fragrant too. He began to put a few things together as he spoke up.

"Mavis is right, Emily," he said. "You've been working very well and hard today, and that is certainly worth a washdown, but now that you look as you do now, if you manage to get to Brendam on time with such a heavy load, I think I have a little surprise for you...and Thomas too once we're at the washdown."

Emily suddenly felt her heart jiggle. What could this be? "Surprise? What do you mean, sir?"

"Wait and see, dear," her driver said with a hint of humour. "You have to keep on time if you really want to achieve this surprise. Right now, we'd best get these stone trucks to the Docks...then Thomas is in for his surprise!"

To this, Emily couldn't idle where she was now. She could feel her temptations beginning to bud and need to be satisfied by Thomas only. She gave a loud whistle of surety and set off with a giggle and a chirp of excitement out of the quarry, while Mavis smiled on.

"Hm-hm-hm-hm Off I go!" Emily whistled happily.

"Thank you, Emily! And good luck!" Mavis called as Emily whistled and went on her way out of the quarry.

Emily had to work hard. Sixteen trucks full of stone was indeed quite heavy. Emily huffed and puffed. She heaved and hauled, and her wheels began to feel heavy in less than ten minutes, but with her plan having fully worked, she would not give up now. As heavy as her load was, Emily made her way as fast as her wheels would allow for her heavy train, huffing along the line as she started to feel butterflies fluttering in her boiler. She and Thomas had been speculating before, but now that their day's work was nearing a close, she couldn't help but get wobbly wheels as she went on her way. She was so lost in her festering thoughts that she didn't go as smoothly as she usually would. Her quarry trucks bumped and jostled ever-so slightly behind her. Luckily, her driver was there to check her speed and make sure nothing happened.

"Steady, girl," he would say. "There's enough time."

Emily whistled in response and kept huffing onwards and forwards as she began to wonder where Thomas was now...and how he'd be looking.

Elsewhere on the line, Thomas was on his way to Maron to finished delivering the last of his coal. It had been a long and dirty day for him too. He was still covered in coal dust, but by the time he reached the coal chute at Maron and left his trucks there, it was almost 5:00 p.m. Thomas was so focused on getting his work done, he had almost forgotten about his plan to share a bath with Emily again...until his driver spoke.

"That's the last load, Thomas. Excellent and diligent work," said his driver. "You are truly a little trooper. Now...perhaps we should head back to Knapford and wait for Emily. I can only guess how she'll be looking after dealing with all those stone loads for the docks...and the washdown she may need. Especially you. You could use a very good hose-down yourself."

To this, Thomas immediately felt his boiler start bubbling furiously. His share of work was now over. Until Emily would come back, he was now fit to have a washdown whenever the time was right. His wheels began to wobble and his axles began to shake.

"O-oh, dear!" Thomas exclaimed. "Time is ticking away, and I had no idea! I-I must get back to Knapford!"

And Thomas started off with a jump and raced down the line to get back to the Shunting Yards, just as he and Emily had planned, and he could feel his temptations starting to bud and begin to tug at his heart very wildly now as he could tell very well that waiting for Emily would not be easy. It had been a long and dirty day, and now that it was less than two hours from done for Emily, Thomas could feel his mind beginning to swim and spin with just what they'd be doing today together...at the washdown and elsewhere too.

Further down the Main line, Emily was working endlessly as she kept huffing further along the line, on toward Brendam. The sixteen stone trucks seemed to feel heavier and heavier every few minutes. Emily's wheels wobbled and her axles began to ache, but she kept on huffing, holding a firm smile of ambition and budding passion as she began to smell the possibilities ahead of her and Thomas already. As she huffed closer and closer to her destination with every yard she travelled, she felt things slowly becoming more and more real.

At last, Emily saw Brendam Docks and panted her way in. It was almost 6:30 p.m. and the ferry was still there, ready to gather the last loads of stone. Cranky and Carly had been kept busy loading every previous load of stone before, and when they looked to the rails again, they were surprised to see Emily arrive without Mavis...and with a much longer train.

"Well done, Emily!" Carly called down. "That's the last load...but where's Mavis?"

"She broke down, Carly," said Emily. "So I brought all the stone myself. I got a little dirty as you see...but that's alright by me."

"Well, congratulations, Emily," Carly beamed. "You made it just in time, and we're very thankful for your efforts."

Emily just sighed happily and proudly as Salty got to shunting her trucks to the right line. Then before long, Carly and Cranky worked together to load the stone onboard the ferry. Then the ferry was off, and at last, Emily was finished her long day's work with all those quarry trucks...and now it was time for the event she and Thomas had been waiting for ever since they mapped it out the night before.

"Oh...goodness!" she gasped. "This has been quite a day...and now...the next thing to do is run right back to the Shunting Yards...and see who the dirtiest engine between the two of us really is, at last! May we, sir?"

Emily's driver stepped down and walked right up to her front. She was absolutely covered in quarry dust from just in front of her safety valve, right up to the back half of her smokebox. Her face was just lightly smudged with dust, and she was indeed in need of a very good wash...and a few more surprises.

"Emily...you are a truly and absolutely really useful engine," he told her. "You may have gotten quite dirty, but you were very diligent to take Mavis' heavy load and make it here on time for the ferry. That was a very heavy load even for your big wheels to manage, but you've made it in the end, and you most definitely deserve a long and enjoyable washdown with Thomas...just as long as he's dirty enough to need a long wash too. And as I promised you earlier...I think tonight you deserve the very surprise I've been holding onto since Mavis broke down."

When Emily heard this, she couldn't help but start wondering even more just what it could be.

"Oh...please, sir? What is it?" she asked. "Is it anything to do with how I'll be washed?"

"Hmm...maybe," her driver smiled lightly. "But I'd rather you not guess, Emily. I promise you, it's bound to make things quite frisky for you and Thomas. Come on, now. Thomas might be on his way back to the Shunting Yards by now. Now we'll get to see who's the dirtiest between you two...and what it may imply for you and Thomas."

And with that, Emily set off with a happy and excited whistle as she started to giggle quite madly as she smelled more of her fantasies coming closer and closer, but she still didn't know yet just what her driver had in mind.

Thomas, meanwhile had rushed his way back to the Shunting Yards, just beyond the station and was the first to return. By now, he was starting to feel a little grubby with all that coal dust on his body, and some of that coal dust had smudged upon his face. He had been waiting for almost an hour now, and it took all his strength not to rush off and try to find Emily himself. His heart had been racing in his boiler the whole entire time, and he found it impossible to stay calm now. He kept thinking endlessly over just how he and Emily would spend this night. He wasn't sure why, but he felt as though there would be yet even more awakenings between him and Emily. The moon wouldn't be full tonight, but all the same, Thomas had a strong and urging suspicion that something would happen that would almost lustfully possess either himself or Emily...until finally, the waiting was over.

As the clock chimed 7:00 p.m. and the sun just began to lower through the sky, that's when Thomas heard it. Emily's whistle echoed some distance around the bend. Thomas had not seen her emerald form or heard her whistle ever since that morning, and after all the waiting and speculation, his heart almost jumped to his throat as his eyes popped and he whistled back in response. A few seconds later, Emily's whistle was heard again. Then Thomas could see a column of smoke clouding behind the bend...and then, there she was.

Emily came huffing slowly and a little wearily down the track after all the hard, hard work she had done to reach her goal that was now less than an hour away from being enacted. Thomas watched with strong, strong restraint not to whistle with too much alarm as she came closer and closer along the line beside him. She looked proud, excited and tired all at the same time, and as she came only a few yards away from Thomas, she came to a stop, leaned upwards, then let off such a hiss of steam, as she leaned downwards, feeling very proud of all the work she had done on such a big, dusty day. While she stood still and gathered herself together, Thomas immediately began scanning how she looked now, and he could feel his wheels beginning to wobble and his axles beginning to shake. Compared to how she had started out, she was heavily covered in quarry dust and would need a heavy-duty wash...and by the growing smile on her face, Thomas could tell that all she wanted now was a most well-deserved washdown...with her one and only cobalt star and scoundrel.

Then in that moment, Emily looked up and saw Thomas. She looked a little dreamlike at first, then her eyes widened just a little. Coal dust was scrabbled all over his smart blue paint. He looked as though soot had been dumped on him, and his face was a little smudgy too. He was quite scruffy indeed, but she could still see that little crease just beginning to form a smile on his face.

Before Thomas could blink an eye, Emily quickly switched to his line and slowly came right up to him, then buffered right up, staring right at him. After a few moments, Thomas broke the impeding silence.

"H-hello, Emily..." he almost shook. "I...I see you've had a very busy...busy day...and if you pardon me saying...Cinders and Ashes, you're a mess! Very well done! I can see you're all set for tonight!"

To this, Emily blushed and shook a little herself, but as she looked at Thomas' dirty appearance again, she began to smile immensely. This was much more than she had expected to see from him.

"Yes. Well...Hello there, Thomas," she smiled. "I see you've had a busy day too...and goodness me! You're a dirty little tank engine! Playing in the coal, were you?"

"Maybe a little bit," said Thomas. "And you look as if you've been digging in tunnels all day, Emily. How did it go with Mavis?"

Emily stifled a giggle, then wasted no time telling Thomas all about the hard work she had been doing with Mavis and all those loads of stone...then how Mavis broke down and Emily had to manage the last two loads by herself...and just what she had done at the hopper to make herself look how she did now.

"Indeed, Tommy...as I said. The dirtier, the better," Emily chortled. "As for you...you sure are a mess yourself...would you care to tell me how that happened?"

Thomas beamed proudly under the coal-dusty smudges on his face and told Emily all about his trips to and from the Coaling Plan and delivering all the coal to all the chutes that he had to...then just what he did to make himself look as messy as he did. Emily listened to everything and grew a smile with every few words Thomas told her.

"So...you got this dirty...just for me?" she finally asked. "Just as I got dirty for you...so both of us can now bathe each other in absolute fervor and lust?"

"Y-Yes..." Thomas whispered. "Are...are you proud of me, Emily? I know I'm...very proud of you today..."

To this, Emily's eyes slowly narrowed and she buffered a little closer to Thomas...then she began to purr like a sleeping cat.

"Before you and I do anything at all," she cooed lowly. "Let's tell the Fat Controller all that we've done today...then no more delays, Tommy."

With that, Thomas smiled as broadly as he could, then buffered right up to Emily. They switched across the points until they got to the line for Platform 1. Then they huffed right to the platform, just as the Fat Controller came out and stopped right in his steps when he saw Thomas and Emily's current state.

"Land sakes! Look at you two!" he exclaimed. "You two look as if you've been working on the rails...and off the rails too!"

"Not at all, sir. There were no accidents," said Thomas. "But all the chutes are refilled, and I couldn't be more proud of myself."

"Me neither, sir," Emily added. "True, we look quite scruffy right now...but have you heard what happened with Mavis...and what I did for her?"

The Fat Controller smiled. "I did indeed, Emily. Congratulations on managing all that stone. Very, very well done indeed. You two may be absolutely messy, but you have both given excellent efforts, and you both deserve a long, long washdown for all your dedication today."

"Oh, yes!" Emily's driver said suddenly. "That reminds me. Stay right here, Emily. There is something I must do."

"Why?" Emily asked. "Where are you going?"

"Just wait here, Emily. I promise it will all come together for you...and you too, Thomas," her driver said with a wink.

"What? What will come clear?" Thomas asked.

But Emily's driver dashed out of the station like magic, just in time to see Bertie pull into the station entrance. Emily's driver stepped right in, while someone else stepped right out and came running into the station himself. Thomas, Emily and the Fat Controller looked, and there was David. With the word that spread across Sodor, he had come to hear it for himself. He was a little surprised to see Thomas and Emily in such a mess, but he could already tell for himself what it would definitely lead to.

"Hello there, Thomas...and Emily. My hardworking engine," David said proudly. "I heard what you did with Mavis...and it looks to me you've been working intensely hard. So diligent you were to take sixteen trucks of stone...and looking like you've been digging in tunnels! I knew you could do it!"

"I...I have been working immensely hard, David," Emily answered a little dreamily. "I knew I could...and now...Thomas and I...have plans."

To this, David gave a curious look to the Fat Controller, who returned the same look to David.

"Well, then. Perhaps...I'll take my leave," said the Fat Controller as he returned to his office.

"Ah, good," said David. "Now, Emily...just what plans do you and Thomas have tonight? I'm sure I know already."

Emily looked to Thomas, who winked right at her. Then they both told David him everything from start to finish...right from when they formed their little plans the night before, to how they both worked through the day, all the way up to this present moment. David was now most intrigued, proud and curious as to just what would happen tonight.

"Impressive," he pondered, looking notably at Emily. "Most impressive. And so very fitting for both of you to indulge in such a gift together again."

"Yes, David...it is," said Emily. "And because of all my very hard efforts today...my driver said he has a little surprise for me once we get to the washdown."

"Wait...excuse me," said Thomas. "Surprise? Is that why he went running off just now?"

"Yes, Thomas," said Emily. "He didn't say what it was...and I don't know what it could be, but he promises it'll come clear for both of us."

"Both of you?" David put in. "Well...I'm beginning to wonder if I should tag along myself for this wash...if we find one with a shed where I can be out of the way, when necessary, of course."

"Hmm...I can only wonder," said Emily.

Thomas agreed with Emily while they waited for Emily's driver to come back. Then about ten minutes later, they heard Bertie honk from outside the station again. Then they all heard someone's footsteps running into the station. Emily looked and saw her driver come back...with his hand hidden behind his back. Emily suddenly clicked in her mind that he was hiding something for her, and she began to wonder if this would be part of the surprise.

"Are...are we all set, sir?" Emily asked.

Her driver looked right at her and smiled steadily. "We're all set, Emily. Now we'll...oh! David. I almost forgot you came out of Bertie as I came in...this actually plays out even more perfectly. I think you should come along with us for this particular wash."

David's stomach did a flip-flop and his heart jump. "M-me? Whatever do you mean, sir?"

Emily's driver winked and gestured for him to come into her cab. Then David suddenly got right in, and Emily's driver gave the signal.

"Time to go, Emily," he said. "You too, Thomas. Time to get both of you spruced up...and looking absolutely divine."

Thomas and Emily looked to each other dusty, smudgy faces and forms. All was now ready. This was it. The great moment had arrived for the cobalt and emerald at last. The great moment they had waited just over two entire years for, and even more so for almost a whole day. Emily buffered right up to Thomas and smooched her lips quietly at him despite his smudgy face.

"Emily..." Thomas whispered. "I...I feel...I..."

"It's time, Thomas," Emily purred seductively. "Time for you and I to have an absolutely fabulous evening together. We've been so very busy today, giving such immense efforts. And Percy and Gina got to share in their own bath of temptation. But now...it's our turn, Thomas. Are you ready to feel warm and bubbly with your queen again? Will you share a warm and cozy bath with your sweet, beautiful angel?"

To this, Thomas shuddered all over, and blushed as purple as a plum. Then he gave a loud whistle of shining approval.

"Right this way, my perfect emerald...let us dive right in together!" he announced.

And without further ado, Thomas and Emily buffered up together and began making their way along the line with David in her cab, all bound for the nearest washdown they could find. Once again, Thomas and Emily could feel themselves almost being taken over by their spells of lust and desire...but even more so, temptation. The two engines could now only guess just what would befall them in just a few short minutes, but as their thoughts had been feeding upon them all day, those thoughts were just about to come true...and fester and flourish into much, much more.

And then, as 7:30 p.m. came upon the evening, Thomas and Emily looked up, and there it was for both of them to see. A water tower, and a washdown right beside it, with a shed just behind the washdown. There were several workmen ready and waiting with brushes, rags, cloths, hoses and buckets of soap and water, all ready for Thomas and Emily to truly indulge in. They had not done anything like this for just over two years, back when they acknowledged how some things are louder than words...and with a much more heartfelt and gentle bath together. But not tonight. Percy and Gina had done their share of temptation and lust together, now it was Thomas and Emily's turn again.

"We're here, Emily...just you and I...and things could not be more perfect," said Thomas. "Shall we...step in together, my love?"

Emily heard Thomas and darted her eyes to him, to the workmen, to the washdown and back to Thomas, feeling her heart jiggling and her wheels wobbling. It wasn't just thought, speculation or planning anymore. Now it was the real thing...a bath of temptation for her and Thomas now. Emily gasped and hyperventilated as Thomas gently pushed her toward the washdown, making him shudder with great excitement.

"Oh...ho-ho...wow!" Emily panted uncontrollably. "Oh...oh, Tommy! Tommy! I can't hold myself together! I absolutely can't!"

"Now, Emily. Just relax," David soothed as he came up and touched her bufferbeam. "What you need is a soak. A nice, soothing soak. There now."

Then David turned and gave a wink and a nod to Emily's driver. Then he went inside the washdown shed to be out of the way until he'd be needed...for Emily's little surprise, and Thomas' most unexpected surprise too. At that moment, the workmen began stirring their cloths and brushes in the buckets of water and soap. Thomas and Emily saw this and looked right to each other.

"Are you ready, Emily?" Thomas asked softly.

Emily closed her eyes, smooched her lips and blew a kiss right to her star.

"Bath time, Thomas," she whispered.

And with that, the washdown and truly lustful bath began. The workmen got straight to work, starting with Thomas and Emily's faces. They got on both engines' running plates and gently scrubbed away the coal dust and quarry dust from Thomas and Emily's faces, making them both chortle and giggle lightly.

"There you are, Tommy," Emily giggled. "Your cute little face is clean again."

"And your lovely face is clean again too, Emily," Thomas smiled gently.

And as soon as their faces were perfectly clean again, the main course ensued. Warm water and soapy bubbles sprayed everywhere as Thomas and Emily were scrubbed and brushed away, slowly but surely washing all the coal dust and quarry dust off their bodies. Immediately, Thomas was very happy to be sharing another bath of love with Emily. He loved the warm sensation the water sent through his boiler and it made him feel so very relaxed. But he found himself immediately melting into every instant he could as he watched white fluffy bubbles slowly start frothing up on her boiler and smokebox, all while Emily took such a deep breath, then sighed with shimmering delight and relaxed happily. It was such a twitchy and overwhelming buzz of delight for Thomas to indulge in as his eyes suddenly locked onto Emily's smokebox. Of white bubbles slowly slide down Emily's smokebox, then slowly dollop off the ends and plop softly on the ground.

"Oh...by my buffers," Thomas gaped though a whisper. "There it is, Emily. You're looking clean already...are...are you comfy?"

As Emily felt herself enjoying a nice hot bubble bath with Thomas again, she felt the warm water make her shudder all over. This was absolutely lovely to do again after so long, enjoying such a warm, relaxing soak with Thomas and feeling everything becoming more and more perfect...and more and more tempting underneath. As she felt the fluffy bubbles forming all around her and slowly sliding down her sides, she gave one look into Thomas' eyes and felt truly amazing.

"Ooh...Tommy," she cooed happily as she closed her eyes. "I love bathing with you. My bath is so cozy...so lovely and warm...Aahh..."

"Oh...oh, Emily," Thomas whispered with shaking buffers. "I...I love when you sigh like that...it just tells me how happy and comfortable you are right now."

"Hm-hm-hm-hm! Well...since you love that so much...would you like me to sing to my bath, Tommy?" Emily bubbled sweetly.

"Oh, Emily...I...I'd love..." Thomas couldn't even finish his sentence, he was under such a spell of lust and temptation.

To this, Emily smiled, giggled so happily, then puckered her lips. She pressed them softly to Thomas cheek and gave him a warm and tickly kiss. Thomas tensed up and sighed heavily as she softly let go. Then she began singing softly to her bath as her lovely bubbles kept frothing and writhing away all over her body.

"La-la-la-la, la-la. La-la, la-la, la-la. De-dee-de-de, de-de. La-la-la, la-la..." she sang sweetly.

Thomas almost wheezed out loud from the sheer delight he was seeing and hearing as Emily's little lips moved so lovingly to her beautiful, chirpy voice. She looked so happy and so relaxed to be enjoying a lovely bubble bath with her favourite engine in the whole world, and Thomas himself couldn't have hoped for a better reward than spending it right with his angel again. And hearing her singing so softly and happily made him almost fit to faint.

"Aww, Emily," Thomas blushed so profusely. "You're...you're so beautiful when you bathe...I love you, Emily..."

Emily opened her eyes and scanned Thomas' bubbly form. She felt her heart swelling with attraction and desire as he looked so very adorable with all those bubbles perched around him. And as she watched the bubbles slide down his sides, she had to respond to his sweet, heart-plucking words.

"Yes, Thomas...yes," Emily blushed happily. "And you're so cute when you're covered in bubbles. I love you too, Thomas..."

And they softly buffered together and pressed their warm, clean cheeks to each other as they softly cuddled together in their warm and relaxing bath, absolutely enthralled and locked into each other's spell as they became cleaner and cleaner by the minute. They very softly began to kiss each other's lips and whimper so quietly together as they continued to feel the bubbles scrubbing and brushing all over their bodies. It was almost like Sudrian Heaven, and neither Thomas nor Emily could recall feeling stirrings like this with any previous washdown they had shared together.

Then suddenly, Thomas and Emily felt the washdown hose spraying right on them. Their eyes opened and they looked to see the workmen working the hose back and forth, washing off all the bubbles on both their boilers and smokeboxes. This made both engines laugh happily as they watched each other's bubbles slide right off and get washed away by the water flow, until the hosing stopped, and they were both revealed to be perfectly clean.

Just before Thomas could ask if their bath was done already, Emily already figured it out.

"I don't think it's over yet, Thomas," she said sweetly. "There's...still my surprise...and yours too."

This made Thomas immediately begin to wonder right along with Emily. What was this surprise? Would it be related to washing her? Making her look beautiful? Was it polishing her buffers? But these questions and thoughts were stopped short when Thomas and Emily looked around and suddenly saw her driver and fireman in the washdown shed, talking quietly with David, who kept nodding and answering inaudibly to Thomas and Emily's ears...until they looked up and began walking toward her.

When they came right up to Emily, she could tell by their faces that they were all anticipating over something or other.

"Sir? David?" Emily asked him and her driver. "What's happening...Is...is my surprise due now?"

"Yes, everyone...is it ready?" Thomas asked. "And what is it?"

David and Emily's driver looked to her, then to Thomas. Then they nodded to each other and approached Emily.

"Yes, Emily. It is," said her driver. "The time has now come...to make tonight truly special. This wash has once again proven to be something that only you and Thomas can truly understand, and we respect that...but your wash isn't over yet, Emily. Not by a long shot."

Emily suddenly looked right to her driver and saw he was still hiding something behind his back.

"What do you mean, sir?" she asked.

"Well, Emily...as I said before, you've worked most diligently today with such heavy loads and keeping on time despite how messy you were. And since you've done such excellent work today through everything, I've decided that this wash of yours is going to be truly special...something you have truly never done before...and something you've never seen either, Thomas."

Thomas slowly gasped as he began to wonder even more. Emily couldn't stop wondering either until it would finally be revealed.

"Ooh. Special?" asked Emily. "What makes it special? Are...are you revealing the surprise to me?"

Emily's driver winked to Thomas, then nodded to David. And in that moment, Emily's driver drew his hand out and showed what he was hiding. There it was. Emily's surprise, and Thomas' too. Emily looked closely and was immediately intrigued as her heart began to jiggle and jump. In her driver's hand, she saw a lovely, fuchsia-coloured clear bottle with a label that read in fancy writing, "Fragrance of Beauty." She then noticed her driver come to her running plate and climb up as he opened the bottle and brought it to her nose.

Emily could tell what this meant, and sniffed the bottle. Then her eyes widened with surprise, attraction and absolute infatuation.

"S-Sir! ...What's that smell?" she asked excitedly. "It's so...so fruity...and f-f...fragrant. Yes...that's the perfect word for it...fragrant."

Her driver nodded and held her cheek.

"It is, indeed. This right here is your surprise...it's women's shampoo, Emily," he said. "When we came back to Knapford, I went home on Bertie, and told my wife all about today. My wife loves this Fragrance of Beauty, and for all your efforts...she's agreed to let us use it on you as your treat for tonight. What do you think?"

Emily slowly gasped and smiled from absolute buffer to buffer, suddenly becoming very, very happy. She could not believe what she had just heard. In all her years of having a washdown with or without Thomas, she always knew engines washed with soap and water...but never in her life had anyone thought to wash her with women's shampoo. And when Thomas heard everything that had just been spoken, his wheels wobbled so much, he felt like they would collapse beneath him, his heart almost popped right out of his boiler. His beautiful emerald angel being covered and scrubbed in women's shampoo? It had never happened before! What if it would not only make her look beautiful...but make her smell beautiful too? A true mouthful and a half that would be.

"Now, then," said Emily's driver, looking to the two engines. "I can already sense that you two are going to get rather frisky with each other...and maybe the fireman and I shouldn't be here to see it. As such, perhaps David should do the honours of making his engine look and smell most fragrant, as you are, of course, his engine by the family bloodline. What do you say, David?"

David gasped loudly, then spoke with absolute pride and privilege. "It would be my pleasure!"

And so with that, Emily's driver handed David the Fragrance of Beauty, then he and the fireman walked into the shed so as to be out of the way while things indeed got frisky between Thomas and Emily...and David too. Thomas gazed into Emily's shimmering eyes as she began to shake and tremble all over with excitement and such eagerness to see just what this would be like. She would not only be a beautiful emerald...but a fragrant emerald now! Thomas felt himself shaking and trembling too as he could only imagine what this would bring upon him and Emily tonight, however it would all turn out.

Emily was so shaky, so overly bubbly and trembling with so much excitement, she let off little swirls of steam and spoke so shakily.

"Oh...I'm gonna be bathed just like a beautiful woman!" she gasped. "Covered in lovely women's shampoo!"

"Oh, Emily! Oh, my riveting gears!" Thomas exclaimed loudly. "Oh, my naked boiler! I cannot BELIEVE what is about to happen!"

"N-Neither...Neither can I, Thomas!" Emily gasped, shivering and shuddering all over. "I...I'm so...so excited!"

It was then that David climbed onto her running plate, holding a sponge in one hand, and the Fragrance of Beauty, all too ready to use on his engine. For her, and for Thomas. He would not waste any efforts to make them both feel all the stirrings they could hope for.

"Are you ready to be a fragrant emerald, Emily?" David asked.

"Oh...w-wow! Yes, David! Yes!" Emily gasped and heaved excitedly.

"Then let 'Fragrance of Beauty' lead the way! YEAH!" David announced with swelling pride.

"Indeed, Emily!" Thomas whistled. "Show me my fragrant emerald! I welcome it infinitely!"

"Yes...yes...now, Tommy," Emily purred sweetly. "Time for your emerald angel...to become your fragrant emerald angel."

Thomas squealed with absolute twitchy delight that made his wheels wobble more than jelly and jam. He watched with a swelling heart and boggling eyes as David proudly prepared himself with the Fragrance of Beauty. Thomas watched almost excruciatingly as David opened the bottle, then slowly tipped it right over the top of Emily's smokebox. And that's when it happened. The shampoo slowly trickled out of the bottle, then began trickling slickly down the right side of Emily's smokebox, making it look so glossy and shiny.

Emily giggled and tittered so shakily as David squirted another line of shampoo over her smokebox's left side. The entire time, Thomas gaped with a mouth wider than three of his mouths, and with popping eyes as big as three dinner plates. Then David took the rag and began scrubbing Emily along her smokebox, making more bubbles writhe and froth up around her.

"Oh...oh! Look, Thomas!" Emily wailed with shimmering joy. "I'm being bathed just like a beautiful woman!"

"Oh...Cinders and ASHES!" Thomas wheeshed loudly, enunciating on his second terms each time. "Fire and SMOKE! Grease and OIL!"

It was almost too much for Thomas to hold himself together as he watched David proceed further. He carefully climbed along Emily's boiler by the handrails and kept squirting dollops of shampoo along her boiler and scrubbing her more and more, which made more and more fragrant, sweet-smelling bubbles form all over Emily. Thomas thought for sure he was catching a whiff of something from the shampoo, and he felt his heart begin to jump as to whether or not this would bring on new awakenings for himself and Emily once they were finished here.

Presently, as David worked his way along the other side of Emily's boiler, still scrubbing the shampoo onto her boiler, he broke the heavily infatuated silence.

"Well, Emily. I can see why your driver chose this shampoo," he said. "I'm sure his wife loves it indeed!"

Emily had no words at the moment as she was so spellbound by this truly wonderful treat. Thomas had no words for the moment either. He just kept staring and staring at Emily's truly happy and blissful expression...then Emily began sniffing the air, smelling the sweet, fruity and fragrant scent of the shampoo. As David heard Emily sniffing the air, he decided to see for himself. He gave the bottle a sniff, caught a whiff of the shampoo, and nearly fell off in surprise.

"Whoa! By Sodor, Emily! You smell terrific!" he exclaimed. Then his nose whiffed a little more. "Whoa! You're colossal! Stupendous!"

Emily kept sniffing the scent of shampoo all around her and kept continuously blushing and smiling from buffer to buffer as David carefully inched his way along her boiler and handrails until he came right to the front of her cab.

"Come on. Alley-oop," said David. "I gotta wash behind your whistle. You ought to be proud!"

So David reached up right behind Emily's whistle and began scrubbing her paintwork there too with the shampoo, making Emily gasp and giggle more.

"O-oh! D-David! You're a steady scrubber, aren't you?" Emily tittered sweetly...then she spoke very flirtatiously. "And...ooh, Tommy. I almost forgot...what do you think? Do you like what you see? Do you love seeing your angel covered in lovely, sweet-smelling shampoo?"

Thomas was at complete loss for words, gaping wider and wider at just what was going on with Emily right now. All that came out of his mouth was...

"Holy...Holy Cowcatchers! You...you are my fragrant emerald angel, Emily! This...this is so...SO much FUN!"

And so David kept scrubbing the shampoo along Emily until finally, she was completely covered from smokebox to cab in endless bubbles of Fragrance of Beauty. As David stepped down and returned to the shed again, Emily just stood there, looking like a true and absolute goddess to Thomas' eyes. This was something truly amazing for both of them, and they knew that even after this bath, things wouldn't be truly finished. There would still be a thing or two more to do tonight.

At last, Thomas couldn't help it anymore. He softly buffered up to Emily again, reached his lips out to her cheek and pressed them right there.

"Oh! Ho-ho-ho!" Emily chortled and shuddered. "Oh...T-T-Thomas!"

And Emily shuddered even more as Thomas softly and sensually kissed and smooched her cheek for several seconds until he let go. To this, Emily squealed with fervor and kissed him right on his special spot, smooching her lips nice and slowly just the same until she popped her lips away and they both breathed and sighed heavily to each other.

And then, about five minutes later, Emily spoke again. "Time to rinse off now, Tommy. This has been such a lovely and fragrant bath."

"Indeed, it has, Emily," Thomas blushed. "I NEVER in my life thought that we'd come to do something like this! Th...Thank you!"

"Ooh, you're purely welcome to every moment we've spent together right here," Emily blushed.

Then the workmen got to work preparing the hose once more. Thomas beamed excitedly and waited to see all those bubbles slide off of Emily and reveal her truly fragrant, shiny form underneath again. The workmen prepared the hose and took aim. Emily closed her eyes and waited for a slew of water to start showering over her and rinse her off after such a truly amazing bath. But then there was a little trouble. The workmen pumped the lever to power the hose and rinse Emily down, but nothing happened. Emily could hear them cranking the lever and suddenly felt a little worried. She opened her eyes and saw them trying the lever several times over, but it still didn't work.

"What's happened?" Emily asked. "What's gone wrong?"

The workmen inspected the hosepipe. Within five minutes, the answer came out.

"Oh, dear. I'm sorry, Emily," said one of the workmen. "It looks like we have a little problem with the hosepipe. It must be clogged. Now how are going to hose you down? If we don't figure something out, those bubbles will slowly cake onto your paintwork."

After such a lustful midst of truly luscious infatuation and fragrancy, Emily suddenly began to panic a little and began to pant with a little fright. After all the overwhelming stirrings she and Thomas were exchanging, how would they finish off this bath in a romantic way? Thomas suddenly felt worried for Emily too. He hated seeing her look worried all of a sudden after all they had done so far, and he tried to think of something he could do...when suddenly it hit him. As he thought about hoses, he suddenly thought back to something he and Percy had done together...on the first day Belle ever came to Sodor...which involved them fighting a fire in their own unique way...perhaps now, he could put this technique to a full brand-new use, just for his fragrant emerald.

"Oh, Emily?" Thomas asked in a noticeably coy manner.

Despite her lightly panicky position, Emily felt as though Thomas had conjured a solution and looked right at him.

"Yes, Thomas?" she asked, beginning to smile again to his coy expression.

"That clogged hosepipe is indeed a bit of a problem," said Thomas. "But I do not wish in the very least to see your fragrant bath ruined now when it's just about time to rinse off. As such, if I may...perhaps I can be of fragrant service, Emily?"

Emily suddenly felt a few butterflies in her boiler. What was Thomas intending? "T...Thomas? What ever do you mean?"

"Well...many years ago, Percy and I did have to help fight that fire, using our own water with those hoses until Belle came along...perhaps the workmen could put that hose down by boiler...and perhaps I can be your shower, Emily?"

Emily slowly gasped and began blushing very deeply, feeling excited all over again. She had almost forgotten about that time Thomas and Percy fought that fire together. But now with Thomas' little proposal, she felt a new, deeper layer of intimacy beginning to flutter in her heart and boiler. She suddenly purred very lowly and very purely, right to Thomas, ensuring him that she fully approved. Thomas smiled as deeply as he could as he silently told her he fully approved too.

The workmen also thought this would indeed be a good idea. They quickly disconnected the hose from the clogged pipe, then worked together to lower the hose down Thomas' boiler. Then they took aim at Emily's boiler once more, waiting for Thomas' signal. Emily looked right at Thomas, who gave a little nod. Both of them could feel butterflies fluttering more and more in their boilers.

"Get ready, Emily. Here it comes," Thomas assured.

Emily's heart buzzed with a flare of heat, and with that, the workmen pressed the hose lever, and sure enough, the hose began to gurgle from inside, then the water from Thomas' boiler began spraying all over Emily and washing the fragrant shampoo bubbles off her boiler. Normally, Emily would have been rinsed with the hosepipe, but when she saw the look on Thomas' face and sensed that this was truly his water from his boiler washing her off, she felt something truly alluring and even naughty awaken within her as she took such a deep breath and sighed so blissfully, almost as if she were a beautiful woman enjoying a lovely, warm shower.

"Ahh..." Emily sighed very flirtatiously now as she blushed a beautiful pink. "Ohh...good boy, Thomas...I...I l-love you..."

The hose kept showering Thomas' water all across her boiler, letting all the bubbles wash away and slide down her sides, and right off her paintwork. When Thomas saw and heard just how Emily was doing right now, he could feel deeper stirrings of intimacy awaken inside him too. He could tell things were still not over and he began to form a few more plans for tonight.

"Ohh...I love showering you, Emily," he murmured in such an attractive manner.

"Ooh...you're having fun, are you?" Emily flirted seductively.

And then, a few seconds later, Emily was completely washed off and the hose stopped spraying. Emily looked at Thomas again and felt so very touched in so many deep, intimate and purely loving ways...and although Thomas didn't need to be cleaned a second time, Emily thought it best to return the favour.

"Oh, my goodness, Thomas," Emily whispered. "That was...fascinating! You've saved my fragrant bath...and for that, you must be rewarded. So...would you like your Emily to give you a little shower too?"

Thomas began to exclaim, but his voice seemed stuck in his boiler. The workmen could see that neither Thomas nor Emily would not back down to this plan and proceeded to move the hose out of Thomas' boiler. They then went right to Emily's tender, opened the filler cap and carefully placed the hose down her tender, making sure it would have a sure way out. Thomas' eyes nearly popped out of his head as he gazed right at Emily's narrowing eyes and thin, curvy smile. She batted her eyelashes and gave such a sweeping coo.

"Alright, Tommy...time to pay back your most helpful favour!" Emily tittered excitedly.

Thomas watched the workmen work the hose lever once more. The hose began to gurgle again, then water began spraying from Emily's tender, through the hose and onto Thomas. As soon as it clicked in Thomas' mind that this was Emily's water washing him down, he nearly felt himself faint. Neither he nor Emily had ever done anything like this before and it made him shudder all over. This wasn't like Henry getting hooshed by an elephant, or Emily being hosed down by all the elephants at the Animal Park. This was a shower for Thomas, ala Emily.

"Holy...Holy Pistons! I...I love showering with you, Emily..." was all Thomas uttered so blissfully as he felt Emily's water washing over his face and boiler.

"Ooh...I love showering with you too, Thomas," Emily purred. "Hmm...this is such good fun. Do you like that, Tommy? Is my water lovely and fresh?"

"I adore it with every gear and sprocket in my body, Emily...right to the core of my heart! Good girl, Emily!" Thomas exclaimed strongly.

Emily's water kept hosing on Thomas for a few moments more, until soon enough, Emily's water stopped emitting from the hose, making Thomas look up into her eyes as the workmen removed the hose from her tender, then took the hose into the shed for the day. Thomas and Emily smiled wholesomely to each other as the fragrant washing was now truly finished. It wasn't long before Thomas and Emily were dried off and looking truly blue and emerald again. This had been by far the steamiest bath they had ever partaken in, literally, logically and figuratively...but the day wasn't over yet, even now. There were still a select few more things for Thomas and Emily to awaken and flourish in before their day was out.

"Hmm...there," Emily said at last, very sweetly and happily. "Now it seems we are done. That was such a lovely bath, Thomas...but now...I think it's time we relish in our newfound fragrance. I feel so very clean...I don't think I've ever felt this clean before. Have you?"

"Mmm...you...you know, Emily?" Thomas asked. "Neither have I...this has been such an amazing bath for you and I...and I will NEVER forget a single instant of it. If there was any depiction of poetry in motion...THIS is the crown of all of it between you and I!"

At last, David and Thomas and Emily's crew came out of the shed again as they saw the washing was done. David looked right at Emily and thought she looked absolutely stunning. He could tell that she and Thomas were in for something even more once they dropped him off at Knapford so he could go home. He looked right at Emily and held onto his silver charm with pride.

"Well, Emily...what did you think?" he asked. "Was that a perfect gift for Sodor's emerald?"

"Oh...David! AND my driver!" Emily gasped. "That was more than perfect! Fragrance of Beauty is beyond wonderful! Beyond marvelous! Beyond fabulous!"

"Beyond all those things strung together!" Thomas gasped. "Why, Emily! You beautiful, fragrant emerald angel of mine!"

"And Thomas...you handsome cobalt star and scoundrel of mine!" Emily giggled right back. "Now, my love...I think it's time for us to celebrate this most infatuating and stirring affair together...back in our little kingdom. As we did before under the full moon, so too shall we be in our kingdom...for today's fragrancy!"

"Say no more, Emily!" Thomas whistled. "You and I are refilling at the water tower right here, then you and I are going! Our date was already granted right when we planned this little session of fragrancy!"

"Well, I can see where this is going," said David. "I'd best get back to Knapford...then off you two go to do whatever you may please."

And so with that, Thomas and Emily soon refilled their boilers for what water they had spent to rinse each other down. Then David climbed onboard Emily, and the two fragrant engines rushed right back along the line, all the way to Knapford Station, where David got off and looked to Emily once more.

"This has been a true pleasure, Emily," said David. "Treasure and cherish every moment of tonight. You're a fragrant emerald, and you deserve most fragrant rewards for everything today! You and Thomas have fun now!"

"Thank you, David!" Emily smiled. "And thank you for doing such a nice job making me so fragrant!"

David hugged Emily's face and kissed her cheek, then ran right outside the station where Bertie was waiting to take him home.

As soon as Bertie was out of sight, Thomas and Emily looked into each other's glimmering eyes, seeing that little dance of light that showed just what they wanted to do now. The sun was now beginning to set, and Thomas and Emily knew this would become even more brilliant. They pressed their lips together for a wholesome kiss, then whistled together and rushed down the line, on their way back to the Misty Valley Line, and to Black Loch. It didn't matter whether the moon would be full or not. As they stared into each other's eyes and kept exchanging little giggles and chortles, they felt their seeds of temptation had been well-planted over the course of that fragrant bath, and now that temptation had to be blossomed and flourished to a whole new level...and so it would be in the purely loving grasp between the truly cleaned cobalt star and the beautiful fragrant emerald angel.

Finally, the time arrived for another spell of lust and luscious exchanges between Thomas and Emily. Once again, they found themselves housed at Black Loch beside the lake...and tonight, they were accompanied by quite a sight. It may have not been a full moon as it had been before. Night hadn't even come yet. But across the lake, far into the distant hills was such a magnificent sunset glowing over the hills, making the clouds glimmer and glow between reds, pinks, oranges and almost purples all through the sky. It was past extraordinary for Thomas and Emily to behold and it made them gasp and shudder with such shivers of amazement...and it was absolutely perfect for what they would end up doing right here this very evening.

"Finally...in our little kingdom again," Thomas sighed. "Is there anything at all this place can't do wonders for, Emily?"

Emily smiled and rubbed her nose to Thomas' as she shook her head.

"No. Never, Thomas. There is nothing Black Loch can't do the two of us...and today's events could not be more truly fitting and luscious for either of us. I love you, Thomas, and I just know that tonight will be yet another truly amazing night of spells...my fragrant bath is sure to keep stirring us both through the night...and I can't hold back my temptations for you now...and neither can you."

Thomas narrowed his eyes and nuzzled right to Emily, feeling her soft, warm and creamy cheeks. Somehow, they felt exceptionally as they did tonight, surely due to the bubbly circumstances that were ever-so lingering between both engines.

"Well...let's see what our lips and cheeks all feel like now...my fragrant emerald," Thomas invited. "Are you ready, my love?"

"Delighted and beyond infatuated," Emily flirted and purred sweetly. "Your fragrant emerald is fresh and clean, Tommy...perfect to be kissed and worshipped by her cobalt scoundrel and star...now."

With that, Emily closed her eyes and began reaching her puckered lips out to her star, sweetly asking for a kiss. Thomas immediately followed suit and let Emily touch her lips to his. Then they began to kiss gently at first, feeling each other's lips move and softly dance together in their warm, intertwining hold together and making both engines' boilers bubble warm and their fires burn hotter. They briefly let go to catch their breath, but as they felt each other's warm breath passing over each other's faces, they felt their passions and desires growing steadily stronger.

"Come here, Tommy," Emily cooed smoothly. "Come here to your queen...and give her even more fragrant service...my fragrant star."

"Oh...E-Emily...I...I love you...I love you..." Thomas uttered dreamily.

With no further delay, he pressed his lips right back to Emily's lips and they began deepening their kiss even further, until their tongues gently touched together and they began dancing and writhing into an even deeper kiss. Thomas and Emily were both so lost in each other's fragrant passions so far, that neither of them wanted to let go and catch their breath. But as their faces steadily reddened, they'd have to breathe somehow. And so they decided to take deep breaths through their noses. Emily began breathing sharply through her nose as she cooed and groaned deeply into Thomas' kisses. Thomas groaned heavily too as he kissed Emily deeper...until he breathed in sharply through his nose.

In that instant, Thomas' debonair suddenly changed to something else. Something he had never felt before...but now he did, thanks to Emily's fragrant treatment today. Emily felt his kisses slowing down and his lips releasing hers quite steadily until he let go and stopped what he was doing. Emily opened her eyes, still smiling at first...until she saw the look on Thomas' face. One that she couldn't recall seeing before, even when they got intensely passionate together before. For a moment, she thought something was wrong and perhaps Thomas suddenly felt poorly and uncomfortable...until he began looking so deeply into her eyes, it was almost like he was looking through her.

Very slowly, Thomas began to inch closer and closer to Emily until their faces were barely a few millimetres apart from touching. As Emily saw Thomas' eyes glitter and dance ever-so slightly in the setting sun and glorious colours, Emily felt butterflies start to flutter in her boiler.

"Thomas?" Emily asked lowly, but heavily. "What...what are you...d-doing?"

Thomas' expression seemed rather solid, and almost passionately possessed. Emily watched as he leaned in as close as he could to her face...then he began sniffing her skin. In that instant, Emily's wheels began to wobble wildly as Thomas looked right into the sparkling center of her eyes as his nose had found the very scent was still on her smokebox, and the rest of her body for that matter, fragrantly mixed in with the lovely smell of her face. The Fragrance of Beauty shampoo.

"Thomas...what...are...y-you...?" Emily almost repeated her question when Thomas answered.

"I...I...I c...I can smell you, Emily..." he whispered very heavily and wholesomely.

Emily gasped quietly and felt as though her boiler began to flutter with even more butterflies. She remembered when Thomas sniffed her skin on the very night he and Gina came back to Sodor together and how he told her she smelled like peaches and strawberries after talking about the hot honey and lemon juice trick Gina's driver used to help cure Thomas' voice after his failed attempt at opera singing...but with the Fragrance of Beauty's smell still present, Emily felt as though her boiler would let loose with all the butterflies she could feel in her own mind.

"Excuse me, Thomas...s-s...smell me? Do...do you smell the peaches and strawberries in my lovey skin...along with...the shampoo?"

"Yes...yes, Emily..." Thomas whispered even heavier. "I could smell the Fragrance of Beauty before. But now, right here...you smell so beautiful, Emily. So amazing, and so truly...f-fragrant."

Then as Emily froze right where she was, at complete loss for words, Thomas' lips reached to her cheek as he began kissing her so slowly, but strongly and purely. Emily immediately felt her butterflies start fluttering and tickling all over inside her boiler as Thomas tugged and smooched her cheeks slowly but persistently. Her face had never felt as soft, warm and creamy as it did now, but all thanks to their fragrant bath together, here it was right now. Emily felt her face turn a very dark red and her fire burned so fiercely, a spark or two leapt from her funnel as she moaned so unabashedly and felt her cheeks getting very warm from her blush.

Thomas kept kissing and smooching her cheeks for several minutes more, driving Emily's euphoria further and further until he stopped and looked at her almost mahogany blushing face. These were the very awakenings he had been speculating, and he would not waste any efforts now. Emily knew this just as well as he, and she could feel new awakenings stirring in her boiler now.

"Oh...oh, Emily...you're such a f...fragrant emerald...so sexy and beautiful...oh...E-Emily..." Thomas kept whispering over and over.

"Yes...I am, my love...I feel something truly amazing will happen with us," Emily purred. "I'm all yours, Thomas...Go right ahead, Tommy. Have fun. And satisfy all your temptations...and mine too. Take me, Tommy."

Without another word, Thomas closed his lips around Emily's cheek and began brushing his lips up, down and along her cheek so steadily, which made Emily shiver and lean upwards in reaction. Then just a moment or two later, Thomas began sucking on the tips of her cheeks, making her squeal and whimper even more...until Thomas opened his mouth and reached his tongue to Emily, then started licking her cheek as if it were covered in chocolate syrup again...or even honey. His tongue made Emily's cheeks tense up and she breathed in very sharply as she felt Thomas' perfect tongue tickling her cheek in a way she could not recall before. Her eyes closed and her mouth dropped open and she started crying out in passion as Thomas kept licking her soft, creamy and very fruity, fragrant cheeks.

"Ohh, Emily...you're so soft...fragrant...and so delicious..." he whispered lustfully between licks. "Peaches and strawberries...too perfect!"

Then he buffered closer and proceeded to kiss the creases and curves of her smile, with his lips actively nibbling and tugging on her skin, earning a squeal and a jump from Emily. Then his lips touched right to the tip of her cute, petite little nose as he began kissing, nibbling and sucking on it all at once. Emily jumped very suddenly to this and wailed loudly.

"Ahh! Ah! Thomas!" she wailed in almost mindless ecstasy. "Ahh! Thomas! You're...you're making me go CRAZY!"

Thomas didn't stop for a single instant. He kept kissing, nibbling and sucking gently on her nose, watching it wriggle and twitch endlessly as Emily began snorting through her hyena-like guffaws and laughs. Then as Thomas began to lick and taste her cheeks at an even more loving and passionate pace, he watched with a fluttering heart as Emily's eyes closed, then her lips tightened and slowly pouted outward until they just began to pucker into an O-shape as she began to feel her pipes and steam ports tingling so warmly inside her. Then her absolutely intoxicating voice slowly uttered from her lips too.

"Ohh...ooh! Ahh! Hah! T-Tommy...Hooh! I feel so tickly and bubbly inside...Ooh! Ohh...! I'm gonna...I'm gonna...b-b-BURST!"

"Aww, Emily," Thomas soothed as he began licking her chin. "I love hearing you squeal so happily...let off steam, Emily...please let off steam."

Then as Thomas gave her cheek one more lick of love, after all the ecstasy-driven, fragrant stirrings that had spawned up in Emily, something happened that neither she nor Thomas had ever suspected would happen. Thomas and Emily suspected that she would let off steam...but in this moment, Thomas' nurtures caused such a sudden jolt to her pipes and steam ports, Emily felt something different emit from herself. Something quite different. As she squealed and wailed in ecstasy, she and Thomas looked down and saw a little spray of water emit and leak from her steam port and make a little puddle beneath her wheels.

Thomas and Emily instantly froze right where they were, still feeling themselves tingling all over with intensely powerful passion and lust. In their frozen stance, neither of them could ever recall things getting as steamy and outlandishly passionate and luscious as this. For a few moments, neither of them knew exactly what to say. All they knew was that it made their hearts pound almost as hard as a sledge hammer to an anvil. After several moments of breathing heavily with shock, surprise and almost overwhelming passion, one of them spoke very shakily, but wholesomely.

"Oh...Emily...I didn't...I didn't know...that...could happen...can that happen?" Thomas shook all over, feeling so many rushes through his head.

He almost whispered another word, when Emily spoke next. Her voice was very, very pure...and very, very happy as she bore such a huge smile.

"Oh, Thomas. Thomas the Tank Engine. My handsome cobalt star, scoundrel, saviour and husband figure. Glory upon you. You wanted to hear me squeal with such joy and hug you with such a cloud of steam. And you brought on something much, MUCH more! Absolutely and truly beyond any inkling of doubt, Glory-Upon-You."

Thomas stood there in awe and passionate shock, beyond enthralled. Every second that ticked by felt like ten seconds to his mind as he put together just what he had brought about for Emily and himself...until he made a very humble and down-to-Earth response, which grabbed Emily's attention immediately.

"Emily. Emily the Stirling Single. My beautiful emerald angel, queen and wife figure...I didn't know that this would happen between us...it's never happened between us before...and as amazing and truly enthralling it is...I want you to know that I would never push you too far in how we spawn each other's lust. I'm very sure you loved what just happened...but I think that your steamy hugs and swirls are the absolute best gift I can ever ask for during times like this. I love you, Emily...and I want only to make you happy beyond all else."

Emily listened to every word Thomas has just said and felt her heart ripple with so much fascination and joy as to how humble he was being even now. She could not get over it in the very least, but that's what made her love Thomas so very much. With no words to say, she cooed and shuddered all over...then her intended steamy release came to follow. She let off a warm swirl of steam that drifted right around Thomas and gave him such a lovely hug which made him shudder to how happy Emily looked as she buffered up and pressed her lips right to the special spot on his cheek. That was enough to make him let off steam too and hug Emily right back as they held each other close in such warm, basking unity and purity until their steam faded away.

When Emily looked at Thomas again, her truly touched expression lingered for a few moments more.

"T-Thomas...I have no words to say to what you just told me...I love you too, Thomas...and I too only want to make you happy beyond all else. Do you EVER stop being so humble and mature?"

"Towards you? Never," Thomas whispered. "I may be a scoundrel with the engines once in a while...and even with you, but my humbleness and maturity towards you will NEVER dissolve. All the same, I'm very happy to indulge in all the lust we can...and if I may...I trust you're now ready to release all your lust now?"

To this, Emily's expression swiftly merged back into being coy, seductive and flirtatious once more. She sniffed the air a little and she could still smell the Fragrance of Beauty lingering all over her...and that was enough to drive her spells of fragrancy for Thomas now.

"Yes, Tommy...of course I'm ready...for every ounce of lust I ever carry," she purred. "You just relax, Tommy...time for your turn."

To this, Thomas shuddered again and began blushing already as Emily closed her eyes again and began her big share for the evening. By this time, the sun was just going down behind the hill, bringing the caress and spell of twilight until night would eventually fall. Perfect for Emily's spellbound share for Thomas. She pressed her lips right to his cheek again and began slowly and purely kissing it while gently leaning left and right wherever she could, kissing inch by inch of his cheek, all while making his face turn dark red and his fire burn fiercely as it always did. Emily began to whimper and coo softly with every kiss she gave Thomas just to tease him further toward the lustful edge.

"Oh...oh, Emily...Emily...!" he began to gasp and groan. "Your...your lips are so fluttery and soft...oh...oh!"

Emily began to blush again as she could feel just how good she was making Thomas feel and as always, it made her so very happy. But this was only the beginning. She softly let go of Thomas' cheek, making him look at her.

Emily was smiling with all her beautiful white teeth as they glimmered like diamonds in the setting sunlight. Then Thomas watched as she began to dance gently, left and right and up and down, singing and humming her happy little song as she did.

"De-dee-de-de, de-de. La-la-la, la-la," she sand so smoothly and sweetly. "Do you like when I dance, Thomas? Do you think I'm...sexy?"

Thomas knew that Emily knew the answer and that she was only asking these questions to toy with his heart and make it jiggle so delightfully.

Then Emily buffered right up to Thomas and slowly began to open her mouth. Thomas watched with a pounding heart as her beautiful pink tongue slowly reached out, then touched right on his cheek's special spot, which made him groan, almost shout in passion, but he managed to withhold enough. But then Emily began softly trailing her warm, wet, tickly tongue up, down and along his cheek, preening and teasing him in the absolutely and unequally perfect ways which only she could bring on for his dreams and wishes. Her tongue was so gentle and tickly, and Thomas could feel his axles and buffers shaking and shivering all over.

Then Emily slowly began to pause between her licks of love, leaning to his other cheek and letting her shiny, glistening saliva slowly trickle onto his cheeks as she drooled so gently and lightly before licking right along his right cheek, trailing her saliva every which way. This made Thomas begin to groan and cry out softly in his growing passion as Emily began to suck on his cheeks and kiss them so lovingly.

"Oh...E-Emily...please...please don't stop!" Thomas groaned.

"I'll never stop...until you give me your perfect gift right now," Emily whispered right to his soul. "I love watching you let off steam...please, Tommy?"

Thomas heard Emily's magic whispers and began to tingle right in the core of his boiler as Emily began to kiss and flutter her lips on his cheeks much more softly and gently, just to see how much being so gentle could really push Thomas to the edge. Her lips felt just like the petals of a flower on his cheek. Like a feather fluttering on his skin and tickling him so very much. Thomas began to chortle, giggle and squirm in Emily's tempting nurtures until she began to softly lick his cheeks with even more gentle nurtures, preening him again. This made Thomas begin to feel his pipes and steam ports start flowing with steam, making him jolt and squirm a little more as Emily kept kissing, licking, nibbling and sucking on his cheeks so very softly.

"Ahh...Ohh...g-good girl, Emily..." Thomas moaned steadily. "You're ever-so perfectly fragrant...I love you..."

"Yes, Thomas...I love you too..." Emily whispered. "And you seem so very tempted by my fragrant lips. Hmm? Are you?"

"Oh! Hoh...E-Emily..." Thomas shuddered with a buzzing heart. "Your...your soft whispers and warm, creamy lips are making me tingle all over inside! I...I'm gonna burst, Emily! I...I'm gonna..."

"Yes, Tommy...let yourself tingle and tickle your boiler...and let loose for your fragrant emerald," Emily whispered soothingly and seductively.

"Oh-Oh! E-E-Emily! Oh...E-Emily-Em! Ohh..." Thomas groaned and moaned so heavily as he felt everything almost turning electric within him.

Then, just when Emily expected it, Thomas let off a steady hiss of steam which drifted all around her and made her feel the warm blanket of his hug again. This made her heart swell with such joy as she let off steam once more and buffered right up to Thomas, hugging and kissing him once again and pressing their buffers right into their housings and cuddling their cheeks together even more warmly.

Then Thomas and Emily felt each other's tongues begin dancing and softly moving together in their deepening kiss once more. This time, they continued to kiss deeper and deeper every few seconds, not needing to let go for air now. They kept breathing through their noses, constantly enjoying the ever-lovely scene of the Fragrance of Beauty that Emily still carried even now, which made them both whimper and hum so purely into each other's kissing and true worshipping of each other's dreams and pleasures, on and on into the night.

At last, after an entire hour of a constantly-held kiss to the lips and holding each other's tongues so strongly and wholesomely together, as night fully descended at last and bring the stars glittering across the sky, Thomas and Emily finally began feeling their barriers slowly lower and their boilers and fireboxes were cooling down again. They finally and softly let go of each other's lips, which were both rather red from holding such a long, deep kiss. Slowly, the red in their lips and cheeks faded away, and by now, they could start to feel the wonderful and truly lovely basking afterglow of warmth filling their boilers as their lusts and temptations had finally been settle for the night.

"Oh, Emily...my beautiful, sexy, fragrant emerald angel," Thomas breathed deeply. "Today was so, so much fun...it was all absolutely astounding."

Emily took a deep breath and sighed so very blissfully as she felt herself feeling so lovely and warm inside, just like Thomas.

"Oh...yes, Thomas. My handsome cobalt and dashing star," she breathed deeply too. "Today was so immensely fun...and I think it was all beyond astounding. Especially you."

"You were beyond astounding too, Emily," Thomas smiled. "I cannot recall any other time we've done something like we did today."

"I love you, Thomas...and all your magic touches just for me...my handsome...and fragrant cobalt star," Emily gleamed.

"I love you too, Emily," Thomas smiled as he touched his nose right to hers. "All your magic touches were perfectly delightful and magical...and they all came from you, my beautiful, sexy and fragrant emerald angel."

"Yes, Thomas...and I will always be ready to shower you in all the gifts I have," Emily whispered. "Just as you're always ready to flourish all your gifts on me."

"Emily..." Thomas spoke, noticeably very humble and mature now. "I...I just want you to know...in the midst of all this most outlandish yet amazing banter between you and I...I will still always treasure your good will and spirit more than just your looks alone. You are a truly amazing-looking, gorgeous and beautifully sexy engine, but that is only part of what is to be loved so much about you. In the end, your wonderful spirit and personality are worth so much more to me...you're my angel, temptress, princess and queen, my beautiful Emily."

To all these words, Emily felt her eyes glimmer and water with such tears of solitude and joy to how truly loyal Thomas was to her. Her eyes glittered more like sapphires than they did all day, and for quite a long time too.

"Oh...oh, Thomas...you...I...I don't know what to fully say," she whimpered as her tears slowly fell and dribbled down her cheeks.

"You don't need to worry, Emily," Thomas whispered as he cuddled her lovely cheeks. "I know just how you feel...as you do for me."

"Yes...I do, Thomas, my love," Emily whispered. "Please...please may we proceed just a little more...much more gently and lightly, maybe?"

Thomas smiled and kissed Emily's cheek so softly making her whimper softly too.

"Of course we may, my sweet, happy angel," Thomas whispered.

And so Thomas and Emily proceeded much more gently now. Their lips kissed each other very softly and lightly, sending a few last little waves of pleasure through each other's boilers. Then for about twenty minutes more, they continued to very softly cuddle and caress each other and exchange nuzzles, nibbles and kisses until finally, after twenty heartfelt minutes, they finally began to yawn and feel sleep tugging at their boilers. As they had done so many times and would continue to do for always whenever they pleased, they would sleep so happily and blissfully together tonight.

"I love you, Thomas," Emily whispered with a loving goodnight flutter of her lips.

"I love you too, Emily," Thomas whispered as he rubbed his nose to her.

"Ahh...oh," Emily yawned and sighed. "I can feel myself getting tired already...time for bed, Thomas..."

"Yes...time for bed, my sweet, beautiful goddess, Emily," Thomas yawned back.

Within moments, Thomas and Emily felt their barriers falling right down as they snuggled together and nuzzled each other's faces so closely as they got so very comfortable together. As they pressed each other's cheeks together, they felt so exceptionally warm and soft tonight, all thanks to the fragrancy and lust that these two had exchanged to each other, and so it would go on and on.

"Sweet and fragrant dreams, Emily," Thomas whispered. "Goodnight and sleep tight, my love."

"Sweet and fragrant dreams to you, Thomas," Emily whispered. "Goodnight and sleep tight, my love."

And with a warm, cozy nuzzle to their cheeks and such a lovely kiss to finish it all perfectly, Thomas and Emily both dozed right off and began to sleep with such tingling hearts as their boilers basked endlessly in such a spell of luscious temptation and fervor they had not felt at this magnitude before, and as always, they could never feel more perfect than they did now as they did with every time they ever shared together, and it would continue right through the night as they kept each other warm all through the night and slept peacefully onwards together. But there was still more to be done over the course of time. Thomas would eventually be due for his next adventure back to India to see Ashima again, and while that would be going on, there was another new experience for Gordon and Rebecca ahead. One that would not be so immensely stressful, but rather silent and meaningful in rather deep ways, rather like Thomas and Emily shared in together, just like they would all through the night.

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Another outlandish story for Thomas and Emily, but hey, we haven't had them share a bath together in ages, so now's a good time to revisit that, even if it means having barely any time between this and "A Scoundrel by Moonlight", but again, Thomas and Emily haven't been our major focus for the last few months so them having more passionate stories is justified as far as we're concerned. Next time we will be revisiting another trope we haven't focused on in a long time, that being silent stories, this time focusing on Gordon and Rebecca. Until next time, tell us what you thought of this story and as always, stay safe.