It had been raining all through the night and early the next morning, just as the engines were getting their fires lit and steam built up. The engines themselves were groused at the weather, to say the least, and were grateful for the warm fires Firelighter made for them that morning.

"This is a travesty!" Said Sir Handel moodily, glaring out at the rain and dark clouds cast over the sheds.

"Ach, I'm too used tae this," Grumbled Duncan. "Far's a' the rays gone?"

Peter Sam looked out of the sheds, before whispering to Skarloey, "Well, that's hardly new."

Skarloey chuckled. "You're quite right, old friend." He said. "I don't mind the rain so much now though, as I used to."

"Good for you- cos I still mind the rain!" Continued Sir Handel with an indignant hiss, glaring at the grey skies and torrential rainfalls up above them.

Rusty and Peter Sam didn't mind the rain too much either, though it was far too heavy and wet for them, personally; but they were getting fed up of hearing Duncan and Sir Handel grumbling again, so the three engines ended up chatting quietly to each other

"Where's Lexi, anyway?" Added Sir Handel impatiently, on realizing that she wasn't here yet. "She's supposed to be here to start work!"

"Give her time," Suggested Rusty calmly, shifting his focus from Peter Sam to the blue engine. "She's probably running late because of the rain. It makes us late; there's no reason why it can't make her late too. Besides, you just want her to turn up so she can polish your paintwork." he teased, causing the others, save for a blushing Sir Handel, to chuckle.

"Yes," Agreed Peter Sam, "I do feel for her though; she hasn't got a cab to keep herself dry."

"Well, of course she doesn't have a cab!" Snorted Sir Handel. "Humans don't need cabs." He instantly realized his mistake and was about to amend it, when he was quickly interrupted.

"They do, Sir Handel," Objected Skarloey suddenly. "They shelter under them; that's why we have them. Looks better on us, too." He added.

"Do I sense an ego boost?" Luke chimed in cheekily, which fortunately diverted attention from Sir Handel to Skarloey, before the little Irish engine added, in a serious sort of tone, "She'll be fine; Lexi and her family live right by Crovan's Gate Station, so she can't be much longer if she's just running late. Besides, Freddie's up at Crovan's Gate, delivering coal. He'll bring her here."

"Ach, rain, rain, go awa, and dinna come back till May!" Huffed Duncan, "Whoever said that spoke a load of nonsense! I wish to find him or her and give them a piece o' my mind!"

"Oh, come now, Duncan! Humans have a lot of peculiar expressions!" Replied Peter Sam chirpily.

Duncan tried to wheesh angrily at the No. 4 of the Skalroey Railway; but couldn't, because his fire wasn't lit yet; so, he just called Peter Sam a name instead. A very rude name, too.

"Duncan!" Gasped Rusty, shocked at his best friend. "There's no need for that level of rudeness!"

"Especially not before 7 in the morning," Added Skarloey, with a loud yawn. "Whatever would Mr. Percival say?" He chided the Scottish engine sternly.

"Pah!" Retorted Duncan, with a haughty sniff. "I'm a plain-speaking engine, and I believe in plain speaking!" He didn't notice the eye rolling of the others.

"Does it involve insulting your friends?" Asked Skarloey sternly. "If so, I am ashamed of you, Duncan!"

"Skarloey, there really isn't need for any fuss," Said Peter Sam, trying not to let the situation escalate further. "It's just in Duncan's nature to be… well… blunt and unpredictable." He reminded him with a sheepish little smile.

"That gives no excuse for him to be rude to you!" Sir Handel butted in, furious at Duncan's ill treatment of his adoptive brother. "If you insult Peter Sam, I'll bump you off the rails, you rail-riding, Scottish swine!"

"Just try and stop me, steamroller wheels." Retorted Duncan smugly. Sir Handel took great offence to that; and fired a retaliation related to Duncan's rocking and rolling.

"Oh, great- and I was hoping this morning would be quiet for a change." Skarloey lamented miserably, as the two engines launched themselves into yet another argument.

"Never mind, Skarloey. I'm sure things will settle down soon enough." Peter Sam said soothingly, hoping to cheer his friend up, "I'm sorry if I set him off."

"It's not your fault," Said Skarloey, kindly, returning Peter Sam's smile. "You're right; Duncan can be unpredictable. But he'll settle down soon enough."

"Yes," Agreed Rusty, "Hopefully he'll run out of steam before either we set off or Lexi turns up."

"I dinna even hae any steam!" Duncan roared back. "My fire's nae lit yet!"

Rusty blushed at the unintentional play on words, before he, Skarloey and Peter Sam all burst out laughing, their boilers shaking from mirth. This was more than enough to surprise Duncan and Sir Handel out of their argument, who just gave other a strange look.

If there was one thing the pair could agree on, it was that they both thought that their friends were being rather silly.

…

The three engines were still laughing when a platinum blond haired figure arrived at the sheds onboard Freddie. An eyebrow lifted in puzzlement.

"Has anyone ever said you're an odd bunch?" She called,

Skarloey stopped laughing long enough to see Lexi standing next to Luke, the pair now looking very confused. "Well, we've that, and more," he chuckled. "Good morning you two." He greeted kindly.

"Morning." She said absent-mindedly, her blue-grey eyes darting back and forth across the line of little engines. "I see you're in high spirits; considering it's Wednesday and raining like the Lord had a breakup and took to single life really hard." She commented.

"... must you be so dramatic?" Asked Peter Sam curiously.

"No, but I'm a drama student, and a Heron to boot. As poor Luke can testify, Herons don't do anything by halves." Lexi answered wryly, her unusually disheveled platinum pixie cut sprinkled with raindrops; it looked as though she spent all night in a thorn bush and then had squirrels and racoons on a caffeine rush styling it under a time limit of two minutes the instant she got up.

"Anyway, sorry I'm late; I just slept in this morning, like the eejit I am. Then I had to dash to catch Freddie"-

"I'm pretty sure you slipped on the bridge." Freddie interrupted, looking concerned. "I never got to ask if you were alright."

"I've just bruised my leg and my ego, Freddie, I'll live." Lexi replied dismissively, waving the matter away as if it were a fly. "Anyway, we got stuck because of"-

"Wet leaves." The old engine butted in. "I could barely get a grip on the rails- and my sandbox wasn't much help."

"Nae wi more wet leaves on yer wheels than sense in yer funnel." Duncan muttered. Lexi shot a dark look in the Scottish engine's direction.

"Well, we got here, anyway," Beamed Freddie. "Despite it being so eventful."

"That's the main thing." Skarloey agreed gravely. "Good show, Freddie."

"Indeed." Added Rusty. "I can more than vouch for that."

"So, what are you guys doing today?" She asked conversationally.

"Well, we're working along here today," Replied Skarloey, looking up at the pouring heavens with dismay. "Of course, we have to do it in this lot."

"At least your passengers will be warm and dry," Smirked Lexi.

"You won't."

"…. You mean…"

"Mr. Percival said you're needed at Lakeside Station today, for a change. You're helping Mr. Clarke." Said Skarloey.

"Fiddlesticks!" Lexi fumed, glaring at Skarloey who looked as though his boiler was going to split from mirth.

….

"Great- and I was hoping to work with you guys again." Grumbled Lexi to Peter Sam.

"You will!" Peter Sam replied reassuringly. "You'll love it at Lakeside, though. It's really nice." He paused as the rain pelted his face. "Well, when it's sunny, that is."

"Easy for you to say." Lexi replied.

"Hey, cheer up!" Peter Sam exclaimed kindly. "We can give you a tour of the line afterwards! Once it's nice and sunny again- the railway looks amazing when it's a"-

A bright flash suddenly tore across the sky, followed by a loud boom.

"Oh- never heard anything about a thunderstorm." Lexi commented, her bad mood disturbed by the storm.

"Nor did we," Replied Peter Sam. "We normally get some forewarning on these things. I feel bad for Skarloey though- he hates thunderstorms."

"Seriously?"

"Yep, and he never told us why- though Rheneas might know." Peter Sam continued.

"Hm. Never would have twigged Skarloey to have astraphobia." Lexi replied thoughtfully.

"Oh, we're all full of surprises- not all of them good ones." Peter Sam answered. Lexi was startled at the somewhat dark undertone in her new friend's voice.

"Hey, Peter Sam?" She asked, patting his side awkwardly. It was cold and wet, but she hoped it helped him, regardless.

"Sorry, Lex- I just"-

"It's fine. Hey, I know I'm still new here, and you and I don't know each other very much, but… I'm here if you… y'know, need to talk?" she rubbed the back of her neck awkwardly.

"Thanks, Lexi- I… I appreciate that."

"Anytime."