A/N: So, another chapter of Bonds Ablaze! This chapter's a little more random. Basically, Geoff should never be allowed in a pub again… 😊

Disclaimer: I own Geoffrey and Lexi Heron, Richard Wilson and Bertle Green the Cow. Everyone else- to their proper owners.

…..

Meanwhile, Peter Sam was at Crovan's Gate with Sir Handel. He was getting polished for their next train by Lexi Heron; who was a new volunteer on the Skarloey and a good friend to the engines.

"Geez, Peter Sam, where on Earth did you get to?" She asked, coughing as she polished some dust off with a rag.

"Nowhere in particular," smiled Peter Sam, brightly. "I just got covered in stone dust from taking my trucks up to Ulfstead Castle."

"Jesus Christ," muttered Lexi, polishing his green livery vigorously.

"If you think that's bad, then try cleaning Luke after he's spent a week in the quarry!" Added Peter Sam cheekily, and he and Sir Handel snickered.

"My dad comes home every evening and showers," Lexi replied dryly, pausing a moment to look at her friend "Mum keeps yelling at him for leaving a mess everywhere if he does anything else. I think I've got a pretty good mental image of what Luke would look like, thank you very much." She said tartly, much to the amusement of the two little engines.

"You wouldn't last long in a quarry, Chimney Sweep," Teased Sir Handel, smirking.

"No- my clumsiness would get me killed in 10 minutes." Lexi retorted in agreement. "… or perhaps I'm being too generous to myself- two minutes would suffice. Nah, I'll stick out being your unpaid slave." She decided with a grin.

"What? You're a volunteer, not a slave," Said Sir Handel, smoothly.

Lexi just muttered a contrary opinion, shoving Duncan and Sir Handel's names at the end, which made Peter Sam chuckle at how embarrassed his brother looked.

"That's you told, Sir Handel!"

"Oh, shut up," replied the little blue engine haughtily; just as Luke slunk into the yard.

"Hello, Luke!" Called Peter Sam in a jocund manner. "How was your run to the Wharf?"

Luke jumped; but he relaxed on seeing his friends. "Well… it was alright, I guess," he replied awkwardly, smiling bashfully. "I was a tad late, but I got the load delivered to the Wharf."

"Yep, I thought it was an excellent run, despite the late start," Admitted Geoffrey, as he and Richard climbed out of their engine's cab. He saw Lexi hovering on Peter Sam's footplate, and waved. "Hello, sweetheart!"

"Hi, Dad!" Lexi shouted enthusiastically, waving the rag in the air like a flag… accidentally getting dust all over herself, Sir Handel and Peter Sam.

"LEXI!"

"Ah dammit," swore Lexi quietly, grimacing as she surveyed the mess on the two little engines. "Just when I cleaned you up too, Peter Sam. Sorry guys." She apologized, brushing some dust off her arms.

"It's okay," Said Peter Sam, with a resigned sigh. "We can always get cleaned up. Again."

"These two giving you grief?" Asked Geoffrey, grinning as he strolled over to talk to her; whilst Richard refilled Luke's water's tanks.

"No, they're alright- it was my fault," Admitted Lexi. "I got too excited, and I forgot I was holding the rag…" her face went redder than Rheneas's livery. "Besides, these two were perfectly behaved for their polishing. It's Skarloey that can't stand being polished." She finished, laughing mischievously.

"He hates fuss," Peter Sam added helpfully.

"Kind of ironic, really," Continued the teen, folding her twig arms. "Skarloey can't stand fuss, so he makes a fuss to get out of me making a fuss." She turned to her father, "… so the run really went ok?" she asked, trying to bite back a grin.

"Yep. Like what Luke and I said before; aside from being late, we got the train delivered without mishap. Thomas was in a good mood, thank God," Grinned Geoffrey. "He doesn't like other engines being late; and when they are, he sure knows to make his discontent known!"

"Yep- Henry mentioned that," Peter Sam recalled. "And I think Sir Handel was late for him once. Boy, was he not pleased!"

Lexi smiled over at Luke apologetically, "I'd give you a polish after your run," she said, sheepishly, "…but I need to get those two cleaned up again."

"It's okay, Lex," replied Luke, feeling a little awkward. "I… I think Mr. Percival wanted me to head to the Quarry next, anyway."

"No, we're covering for Duke next," Richard interjected. "We're required to take his passenger train, remember?"

Luke suddenly remembered he was indeed meant to take Duke's 2 o'clock train, before heading to the Blue Mountain Quarry; and it was half past one.

"You can go before us, Luke," Offered Peter Sam, generously.

"Yeah- Granpuff wouldn't want a scruffy engine taking his train." Sir Handel added.

Luke looked panicked at that remark, prompting Geoffrey to tell Sir Handel if he kept winding Luke up, he was going to report to Duke. Sir Handel was considerably annoyed at the threat, but he backed off with a muttered apology.

"Right, let's get you looking shiny!" Lexi exclaimed, tucking her blonde hair behind her ears. "And don't worry; I've got a clean rag, so I won't fail this time."

"You certain about that?" Asked Geoffrey, teasingly.

"Dad…. Boar's Head," Warned Lexi, smiling cheekily.

"Herons, Luke, are well known as beings who create mass chaos and destruction." Richard whispered to Luke, who was looking absolutely baffled at the father-daughter scene playing out in front of them.

"What… happened with this 'boar's head?'" he asked, feeling curious now despite the still ongoing tensions from earlier. "You didn't kill one, did you, Mr. Heron?"

"Oh, no, Luke- not my forte." Geoffrey replied, with a repulsed shudder. "I won't go near animals with horns, tusks etc. ever again- not after accidentally getting Kirsty caught in an unfortunate crossfire with an angry goat on our fourth date- and on our wedding." He shook his head. "No, no, Lexi was referring to… The Time that Must Not Be Mentioned."

"Dad got drunk as a skunk and started singing some bizarre song about a cow named Bertle Green who rode on a mermaid, ate thirteen banana splits, sailed the seven seas and killed a dragon!" Chuckled Lexi.

"Yep," Said Richard, much to Geoffrey's mortification. "We were having a meal out for their wedding anniversary… blinking idiot made a complete twit of himself." He jerked a thumb in Geoffrey's direction. "Jumped up in front of all the patrons… couldn't get him to sit down again."

"But we got pictures!"

"Wait, what?!"

"He wasn't meant to know!"

"Sorry, Uncle Richard…" The teenager said sheepishly.

Luke stared in bemusement at them, wondering why on Earth humans were so strange. He had to admit, it was almost like old times, them joking about the silliest of things…. He didn't feel the same now. Not after what had happened earlier.

Richard and Lexi had started laughing again at the memory. It caught on quickly, for Peter Sam and Sir Handel both found the scenario uproarious; and the MSR duo started laughing so much that their boilers were close to splitting. Their crews too had heard the story and were in stitches. Even Luke found himself laughing at the rather bizarre image in his funnel.

But what made it more interesting was that Lexi promised to show him and the other two engines the photos later; and provide the whole story to the 'Mermaid Riding, Banana Split Eating Bovine' incident at the Boar's Head pub, in the Village Square by Cros-ny-Cuirn.