Skarloey took Lexi back to the Depot on his way to collect his passengers at Crovan's Gate Station. Once she hopped off, numbly thanking him for the lift, she made her way to the engine sheds to await Luke's return with her father and non-biological uncle.
"God, this could go so much better…" she thought to herself glumly, sitting down on a crate and crossing her legs together. "I mean, it hasn't been all bad… Skarloey and the others were pretty nice… and I really did like talking to Beatrice earlier…" She murmured to herself, trying to salvage the good parts of her first day; which she was envisioning to be in flames already.
A sharp whistle startled her as a small, rather exhausted looking pea-green tank engine pulled up in the shed, next to where she was sitting. Much to her surprise, the engine was much smaller than any of the other engines she'd seen that morning. She watched as two familiar figures hopped out of his cab and started talking to him. Rising, she sauntered over to join them.
"Well, Dad, it's been too long," she said wryly.
Geoffrey grinned before sweeping her into a tight embrace. "Hello, sweetheart!" he greeted her joyfully. "Didn't expect to see you here so soon. But I'm all the happier for it; and on top of getting of that damn wretched quarry!"
Lexi returned her father's hug enthusiastically. "You've been really going at it in the quarry, haven't you?" She noted, observing how the engine and both men were covered in dust from the Blue Mountain Quarry.
"Damn right I have, daughter o' mine," replied Geoffrey, ruffling her hair with one hand whilst keeping his other arm round her shoulders.
"Dad, don't! I'll have to wash it out!" Lexi protested.
"What? You've got access to water to clean these guys with, haven't you?" Geoffrey asked her teasingly. "I'll just tip one over your head- that'll get the quarry dust out of your hair."
"… what are you going on about, Mr. Heron?" Lexi heard a soft, sleepy Irish lilt ring from the engine beside her, before she could think of a retort for her father.
"He's just being daft, as usual," Sighed Richard, shaking his head in dismay. "I've really lost all hope for your sanity, Geoff." He added, with a wry, unusually cheeky grin across his face; chocolate brown eyes twinkling in the sun's rays.
"Ah, shush Rich," Geoff chuckled. "We've got another Heron on the line." He gestured to Lexi. Richard's eyes widened momentarily, then he nodded.
"I see. I was wondering how long it would take you, kiddo," he replied.
"I'm here now, so worrying about how long it took is irrelevant." She replied.
Richard made a comment to Luke about whether he had enough luck to go around, to which he chuckled sleepily in reply. Geoffrey was too excited about Lexi's first day on the railway to pay much regard to his fireman's remark.
"Luke, I want you to meet Lexi, my daughter." Geoffrey introduced, gently guiding his eldest child to the front of his engine. "She's going to be helping out around the yard, and probably in the stations as well. Mr. Percival informed me she'd be at Crovan's Gate, most likely."
Luke was exhausted after working at the quarry for three days straight to meet an important order for a shipment bound for Poland; but he smiled politely when he laid eyes on the new volunteer. "Hello," he said sleepily, before yawning loudly. "I do beg your pardon- I've been working so much over the past few days I haven't been able to see past my buffers from exhaustion." He said sheepishly
"Sounds like school life," Joked Lexi, finally managing a smile. "That's understandable, Luke- after all, I haven't seen much of Dad and Uncle Richard in three days." She eyed the former appraisingly. "You mean to say none of you have slept at all?" she asked in concern.
"Pretty much," Yawned Luke. "I had some help; but Rheneas was meant to help with the night shifts and he had an accident, oh, two days ago… he derailed and ended up in a ditch. He got pretty banged up… so he had to go to the Steamworks for repairs, and I ended up doing the night shifts on my own with Mr. Heron and Mr. Wilson as there wasn't any other engine available." Luke let out a third yawn; much louder than before. "I'm terribly sorry again, Miss Heron. I really need to sleep."
"You've earned it, my boy," Said his driver, patting Luke on the buffer, before slapping Richard playfully on the back. "And I say we've earned rest too, old chum. Bugger all if we have to do any jobs before then-, I'm going to sleep." He paused, turning to Lexi. "Don't tell Mr. Percival I said that." He warned her, his finger sliding along his lips.
"My lips are sealed." Lexi replied, parroting the gesture.
"Good." He replied, with a wink and a nod. Then he turned back to Richard. "Let's go to the crew cabin, mate. I feel more worn out than the ruddy night shift." Geoffrey said with a loud yawn, with that, and he and Richard walked away, leaving Lexi alone with a snoozing Irish engine.
She delicately perched herself on Luke's footplate with a small moan, before burying her head in her knees. She was feeling rough, and it wasn't even 12 o' clock yet.
…..
She was awoken by a loud and dramatic voice booming across the Depot. She yelped as she suddenly tumbled off Luke's footplate and onto the ground below. Beside her, Luke's eyes shot wide open in alarm.
"Ah, good tidings, dear Luke! Isn't it a beautiful and most glorious day? Surely one worthy of the great Proteus!"
"For crying out loud, Bertram, can't you go about quietly?" Grumbled Sir Handel. "Couldn't you see that Luke was sleeping, you thoughtless pillock?"
Luke attempted a scowl in their direction; but Lexi just started sniggering at how his nose was scrunched up, and how non-intimidating Luke appeared in general.
Feeling embarrassed, he refrained from continuing said action. "Can I help you, Bertram?" He asked, trying to remain polite despite the rude awakening.
"Ah, not really," Admitted Bertram, sheepishly. "I do apologise, Luke. I was being a tad thoughtless just now."
Lexi straightened herself, and saw a scowling Sir Handel, who was accompanied by a little dark brown tender engine, who had a broad smile on his face.
"Ah, and who might you be?" She asked the brown engine, standing up. Luke jumped.
"Miss Heron! I didn't realise you were still here." He said. "I thought it was Sir Handel laughing for a moment there."
"I think I nodded off on your footplate, somehow." Lexi admitted sheepishly, rubbing the back of her neck. "Sorry."
The brown engine looked very surprised at her presence. "I do apologize for forsaking my good manners, sweet lady," he greeted politely, albeit dramatically; before Luke could say anything else. "I am the one called Bertram."
Sir Handel just wheeshed rudely at that.
"Well… nice to meet you, Bertram," Lexi replied, feeling very confused. She shot a look at Sir Handel; but he just gave her an 'I'm out' look. Luke didn't look to be much help either- he was back to yawning again.
'Is the yard always this crazy?' asked Lexi to herself. She wasn't entirely sure the others had been right about her fitting in; she still felt like an outsider; a well- meaning, but totally lost, confused and 'haphazardly heading for some unknown disaster' kind of outsider.