Flying Scotsman sat still at the station at Edinburgh. He watched the passengers flood the platform before his bored gaze drifted to the waning sun outside. It was another beautifully stale day of running his express along his lengthy route, but the large engine had an air of unease about him. After his ego clashed with Emerson he had felt a renewed wave of determination to remain dominant on his railway. The young Sudrian locomotive had nearly bested him but thanks to Meredith and her bringing Quicksilver his position of authority was briefly spared. Though engines were beginning to talk. They knew it wasn't he who won the fight, but his lieutenant; many were wondering if the aging A3 was losing his touch. It greatly frustrated Scotsman. In the heat of the fight he was worried how Meredith would see him had he fully unleashed on her friend and it resulted in his near falter. On top of that, word spread of him sparing Kestrel after lying with Meredith and there was much gossip amongst the railway's bachelors of attempting to woo his partner into a berth. He knew he needed to do something to reassure his spot at the top. The last thing he wanted was engines feeling they could step out of line with no consequence.

Suddenly, there was a departing whistle from the platform and the express engine started up with a disgruntled sigh. He powered back southbound and continued to brood to himself. Everything once ran so smoothly. Scotsman had first dibs to every pretty boiler and handsome smokebox that happened to find their way onto his railway. Engines kept to their positions and the fighting was minimal. Then Meredith creeped into Flying Scotsman's life like a disorienting drug. He had all at once become a pushover while growing more violent and confrontational with each passing minute. She made him soft. She made him love. He started to not care how often he laid with someone or if another engine helped themselves to one of his more exclusive picks. He fell in love, and with a silly little tank engine at that. He couldn't help but smile as he thought about her. Then his mind began to wander to a more happy place. It drifted back to the first time he and Meredith made love. It was hot, earnest, and awkward. After Meredith's initial excitement faded she locked up. Her nerves got the better of her and she couldn't move. Scotsman had never been with an inexperienced engine before, but he knew all about how to relax a partner after a sudden bout of cold wheels. He was slow and careful. He peppered her face with gentle kisses while quietly whispering words of reassurance. Believe it or not, but he was nervous as well, which was very unusual. Scotsman typically approached every new conquest with unwavering confidence, but as he engaged in gentle foreplay with Meredith for the first time he felt himself overcome with anxious flutters.

As Flying Scotsman flew down the line he felt his undercarriage begin to throb while he relieved every detail of that first encounter. He took a deep breath and thought back to when she finally opened up to him. It was sensual bliss. It took a little extra oomph to make their connection; Meredith was the smallest engine he had ever been with and on top of that she was brand new without any tampering— she was especially taut. So much so he gasped at the sensation as sharply and suddenly as she had and the noises she made as he worked her over were ethereal. That innocent, sweet, shy voice was warped by throaty groans and deep, guttural sighs. It was one of the few times the big engine kept his own vocalizations to a minimum, he didn't want his moans to drown out her sexual serenade. Overall he held her down in that berth for a good hour or so before he was forced to release her for her passenger run. Scotsman remembered watching her leave. She was wobbly and giggly. His smile widened. His daydreaming halted when came to Gordon stopped at Newcastle. He was busy talking with Ada and paid his younger brother no mind as he thundered through the station. Flying Scotsman frowned. He still held a heavy load of resentment for his older brother. It was hard not to after the bastard tried to kill him three times. Suppose Scotsman wasn't fully innocent for refusing to give up on nabbing Meredith, but he did feel a bit of pain towards the fact Gordon was willing to kill his one living sibling. Granted Scotsman would do the same. After many years, gut-wrenching heartbreak, sleepless nights, and multiple maimings, Meredith was finally, finally his and he would not give her up without a fight.

Sometime later, Flying Scotsman stopped back in London. He was wound up. It took nearly all his focus to keep his arousal at bay while he waited impatiently for his passengers to disembark and his coaches to be taken away. Quicksilver pulled in beside him. He looked especially lethal in the fading sunlight. "You seem distracted."

"I am." Scot said quickly.

"Meredith?" Quicksilver inquired with a slight grin. Flying Scotsman nodded. His cousin laughed. "What did she do this time?"

"She had the audacity to occupy my mind for most of the day." Scot looked around while Quicksilver chuckled to himself. He could feel the shift in his coaches' weight as the final passengers climbed off. Almost done, he thought to himself. Almost done.

"Do try to get some sleep." Quicksilver said. He had begun to depart for his shed. "Remember you have that overnight run tomorrow."

Scotsman merely hmphed in response as he watched his cousin drive away. Then Meredith rolled in to take Quicksilver's coaches and the big green Pacific had an idea. He adorned his best smolder and cleared his throat. "Hello there little engine. I don't believe I've seen you here before."

"What?" Meredith stopped suddenly, Quicksilver's coaches bumping her backwards. "What're you on about?"

"I'm just trying to be polite and introduce myself properly. I'm called the Flying Scotsman, but a lovely lady such as yourself can address me as Scot." He winked then Meredith understood.

"Oh! Uhh— I'm Meredith." The little engine said. She felt bubbly and excited as her face began to heat up. "I just started not too long ago. I'm surprised I've not seen you around. I'm sure a handsome engine such as yourself gets around."

"Mmm." Scotsman could hardly hold back his excited rumbles. He was uncoupled from his coaches and began to follow Meredith into the yard where she stored away Quicksilver's train. "You'd be correct in that assumption, though I must say, I'm disappointed I've not run into you sooner, little Meredith."

"I don't know about that." Meredith purred as she backed away from the storage shed. "You might regret getting involved with me."

"Is that so?" Scotsman raised his brow, his smirk never wavered. "Who said I was wanting more than a ride, hm?"

Meredith started backing down the tracks. All the diesels had left for the evening and the sky was beginning to darken from violet to midnight. "I'm not the type of engine you can only have once, big boy." Scotsman couldn't see behind him as he closed in on Meredith, but the little engine locked her gaze with Ellis who had stopped just inside the yard's walls. She was watching the two flirt it up and was visibly seething. "I'm the engine who will make you forget all your past lovers."

Scot was right on Meredith, hovering his lips over her's. "That's a lot of talk for a little titter. Why don't you prove it?"

Meredith was quick to pull him into a hot makeout. The tension they had built up cracked and the two were all over each other on an open siding. Just as Scotsman began to prop Meredith up she peeked over to the corner where Ellis was brewing and winked, forcing the livid K1 to steam from the yard in a cloud of furious smoke.

"That horrid little bitch!" Ellis screamed. She flew into the engine yard where Allan and Arik as well as Ada all sat in bewilderment. "I'm going to kill that titter if it's the last thing I do! She's been given too much power and I refuse to accept a small engine having such authority over me."

"What makes you think she even has authority?" Ada questioned with a subtle eye roll. Her sister was always so melodramatic. "She's only Scotsman's girlfriend after all."

"But she thinks she does." Ellis hissed, putting herself right in Ada's face. "And it's only a matter of time before it's true."

"You'll never get close to her." Arik said as he backed into his berth beside his twin. "That silver bullet watches her like a hawk when Scot's not around."

"He's a right barbarian, Quicksilver." Allan added. "Did you hear how he took out that one-off from Sodor? One move and the sod was off the rails."

"Ellis, I really think you should leave Meredith alone. She's not doing you any harm." Ada yawned. She didn't know the engine in question well, but she was well familiar with her sister's drive for dominance. It's why she tried so hard to tie down Flying Scotsman. Ellis craved the power he carried. "Just accept Scot is no longer interested already." It was also safe to say Ada wasn't confident in how Gordon would react if he heard she allowed her sister to harm his ex-lover.

Ellis scoffed in disbelief. Of all engines she hoped at least her sister would be supportive. Her new suitor has softened her. Then Ellis was struck with an idea. "Fine," she said, forcing herself to take on a face of defeat while she settled into her stall. The black K1 closed her eyes. She would wait until they were all asleep then slip out into the night.

The following morning Flying Scotsman emerged from his shed. He took a deep breath of the crisp air. Spring was drawing nearer and the mornings were warming. The big engine shook himself of the condensation that built up from his long night of extracurriculars with Meredith. He felt renewed and was ready to tackle a long day and night of express runs. He spotted Quicksilver waiting at the entrance to the small yard. That was never a good sign. Scot rolled up to his right hand engine with a stern countenance. "What're you doing here?" A few teenagers had wandered to the fence line when they saw the two big engines and watched them with wide eyes. Quicksilver and Scotsman ignored them as best they could while they followed them down the line.

"We have a problem." The silver A4 whispered. Scot frowned. "It's Ellis and Mallard."

"Fantastic." Scotsman grumbled. Those two were bad enough apart, but together he didn't care to know what they've schemed. "Well?"

"I saw them last night— with Gordon."

"What?!" Scotsman snarled. "What was he doing with them?"

"I'm not sure. I wasn't able to get close. They were talking." The two engines continued to mosey down the line. The teenagers had departed when they realized the engines weren't going to acknowledge their presence. The pair stopped at a red signal as a goods train steamed by. Quicksilver leaned close to Scotsman. "I suggest keeping an eye on your brother. I've warned him of Mallard but I'll admit, he didn't seem too convinced."

Scotsman sighed slowly, a bit of steam billowed from his mouth. It didn't happen often, but his firebox was burning hot. He was angry. They started up down the mainline. Scotsman stared ahead deep in thought. He hoped his brother had more than enough sense than to believe the bullshit spouted at him by those two, but he wondered if maybe he'd be easier persuaded to turn against him considering he practically stole Meredith from under him.

"What are you thinking?" Quicksilver's inquiring tone pulled Scotsman from his pondering.

"Keep an eye on Gordon. Don't let him be alone with Meredith."

"Do you not trust her?"

"Of course I do, but until we know what's going on I can't trust my brother." They had settled into their platforms and Scotsman could see Meredith far in the distance with a line of coaches. "I'd rather be safe than sorry."

First off, I have to apologize for the shortness of this chapter. I wanted to continue on but I felt if I did it would've been extremely long. I struggled hARD with writer's block this week and I just hope this chapter is enough. Lol.

I just want to overall address everyone who has been reviewing! Reading what y'all have to say, your theories and insights is the best motivation a writer could have. Please feel free to continue to flood me with ideas and thoughts about characters, ideas, emotions, what have you. It's a real treat to read and I send my love to each of you! That being said if y'all have questions or whatnot feel free to ask either in a review or my PM is also open should you not feel the need to spam the reviews. Lol.

Pretty Katydid; I'm glad you're liking the boys. I have many a plan for the A4 brothers and their nonsense. Lol.

As far as Meredith is concerned, yeah she's a bit ridiculous but it's just another example of a youngin coming into emotions they're not used to. Nothing more. I say that like I'm old... lmao.

Emerson is just another thorn in Scotsman's side. He's been getting a lot of those lately, hence his need to distract himself with thirsty daydreams. (That was a bit for me, a bit for the lovers of the smarmy dude himself. Not gonna lie.)

Anywho; I'm a bit distracted by television and I have a polygraph tomorrow so my mind is all over the place. Yeeee. Until next time you wonderful lot!

Much love;

Bumble