Luke sat alone in the darkness of the tunnel, wondering how he could help his friends. He saw them outside in the cold, white snow as Diesel bullied the others.

The worst part?

He couldn't leave, as he knew Diesel would rat him out. Plus, he didn't have a snowplough to use. The snow wasn't too deep, but he didn't want to chance his luck. He was sick of luck- both good and bad.

"I wish I could help them," He said sadly. If it weren't for his guilty conscience and need to hide in the darkness, he could almost imagine himself as a guardian angel of sorts. But he couldn't compare himself to them, not after what had happened. No- it wouldn't be right of him. He knew that he had been punished too much to risk any more.

"That engine's a rotten one, isn't he?" Geoffrey Heron- Luke's driver-asked, as he glared at Diesel in disgust – which surprised the little green engine, as his driver was easy going a lot of the time.

"It doesn't look like he likes steamies very much, Mr. Heron." Luke agreed, staring out at the snowy quarry. He watched as Peter Sam shunted some trucks along the line, but he ended up hitting Diesel on the turntable with his train.

"Hey, watch where you're shunting, you stupid steamie!" Diesel snapped.

"I... I'm sorry Diesel, it was an accident..." Peter Sam explained, trying to remain polite despite his smokebox melting in fright. He was scared of Diesel, though the others were cross with him for how rude he was being.

"How dare you talk to our friend like that, Diesel?" Skarloey replied angrily, as he trundled by with a train of trucks. He desperately wished he could stop and give Diesel a piece of his mind, but he couldn't; he had trucks to deliver. He only hoped Diesel would cut out his attitude and leave poor Peter Sam alone.

"And who's to stop me?" Diesel sneered to Skarloey's retreating frames. "You're just tiny, weak pathetic steamies who should be scrapped and replaced with modern diesels- like Rusty!"

Luke was very cross at hearing this. "I hope Diesel gets what he deserves!" He wheeshed to his crew, unable to refrain from showing his indignation any longer. Geoffrey and Richard weren't surprised, though- Luke always had a strong sense of justice, which was admirable- but that exact same noble quality was going to drag Luke to the grave; unless someone intervened.

"Well, let's hope so," Richard Wilson, Luke's fireman added. "Have you noticed that he's being exceptionally rude to the steam engines? He didn't say much on Rusty at all. But it's clear he's annoying him with all these anti- steamie remarks."

"Alright now that's just not being fair!" Luke burst out. "They shouldn't have to deal with this!"

"That's just how life is – sometimes the good get the short end of the stick, whilst the bad just swan off and escape the consequences of their actions." Richard said bitterly, his normally warm eyes now dark with resentment.

The poor little green engine whimpered on hearing this. He knew that his fireman was right. But he didn't face up to his actions. He was still hiding here, whilst the yellow engine had faced the cutter's torch; alone, scared, and without even knowing the name of the one who put him there.

Did that make him, Luke, a bad engine?

...

"Are you alright, Peter Sam?" Sir Handel asked, once Diesel had slunk away with some trucks to take to Brendam Docks. He observed that his old friend was shaking violently and was immediately angered by Diesel's thoughtless malice.

"I'll be alright, Sir Handel." His brother replied shakily. "I'm not hurt."

"Don't worry about it – it was just an accident." Sir Handel added to reassure his best friend, but he was angry at how Diesel had treated Peter Sam over the whole incident; especially so soon after nearly driving him to tears with that cruel remark about Duke and the Mid Sodor Railway.

"We should just ignore Diesel and carry on with our work." Rheneas decided boldly, as he chuffed up to his two friends.

"Oh, come on!" Sir Handel protested. "How? He's been picking on Peter Sam! I'm not going down without a fight!"

"You'll go down in a fight, Sir Handel," Pointed out Rheneas, with a wry sensibility. "He's at least twice your size, boyo- he'll squish you like a sardine."

"Is something the matter?" A voice asked from beside them. They jumped and saw Old Bailey, the foreman, standing there with an expression of concern on his gentle, wrinkled face.

"I saw your trucks hit Diesel, Peter Sam." He said gently. "Is"-

"I know, sir, and I'm really sorry, it was an accident sir. I wouldn't do it on purpose." The green engine explained, before their foreman could continue.

"I would!" Sir Handel piped up angrily. "In fact, I'll do it when he gets back- no one shouts like that at my best friend and gets away with it!"

"I know it's not fair having to watch a friend being bullied, but I don't want you making it worse, alright?" Old Bailey said sternly but not unkindly, giving the blue tank engine a particularly firm glance.

Sir Handel knew better than to argue, especially when he used that tone of voice. And had that expression on his face. "Alright, sir, I'll leave it be." He said sullenly, though he secretly began plotting revenge on Diesel as soon as the attention was off him.

"Good. I'll have a word with Diesel when he returns. Are you alright, Peter Sam?" The foreman asked kindly, looking over the little green engine.

"I'll be alright sir." Peter Sam replied bravely, the cold air making him shiver a little. "I'm not hurt, or anything, and I don't think Diesel is, either- just really angry."

"That's a good engine." He patted Peter Sam on the buffer sympathetically. The old man watched the little engine's face melt in relaxation at not getting into trouble for the mishap.

"But's it's not just me he's been bullying sir." The Kerr Stuart added, confidence building up in his voice. "He's been bullying everyone; except Rusty, only he does keep making anti-steamie remarks, and Rusty's fed up with them."

Old Bailey frowned in disapproval. "I see. I'll soon sort that out. Now off you go, and, as I've said, I'll have a word with Diesel when he returns, alright?"

This made the engines feel much better, but Peter Sam decided to go and check on Luke, as none of the engines had had a chance to yet, so he reversed to the tunnel.

...

"Oh, hello Peter Sam." Luke said as he saw his friend approaching. "Are you alright?"

"I'm alright – I just wish that Paxton was back." Peter Sam replied miserably.

"He does seem a lot nicer than that diesel..." Luke agreed. "I heard him shout at you. I'm sorry…"

"Don't worry about it Luke. I mean, Paxton will be back soon, and we'll be back to normal..." Peter Sam said reassuringly. "It shouldn't be too long especially since it's so close to…

There was a pause.

"Peter Sam, is something wrong?" The Irish engine asked, noting his cousin's silence.

His cousin hesitated. "Well, actually, there is something else we should tell you. We haven't told Owen or Merrick yet, but I'll tell you now..."

"What...what is it? The quarry's not closing, is it?" Luke asked fearfully, and this made Peter Sam feel worse.

"Sort of, Luke. You see, the workmen have to go home for Christmas, so the quarry will have to close for a few days." The Skarloey Railway's Number 4 explained.

Luke's eyes widened with tears. "You mean Owen, Merrick and I are left in the quarry over Christmas?"

Peter Sam winced. That did sound very rotten, come to think of it. He wished that Luke could come with them, but that would not be a great idea. He knew that even if Mr. Percival didn't directly see Luke; Granpuff might, or Freddie, or Mighty Mac, or someone else they didn't have in on the secret.

"I know it looks bad, Luke. I wish we didn't have to do this. But with the colder weather coming, Mr Percival thinks it might be better if we were sent back to the Skarloey Railway..." Peter Sam tried to explain, but the words just felt feeble coming out of his mouth.

Proteus, he wished Skarloey was doing this instead of him. He'd be able to do it much better.

Luke said nothing for a long time. Peter Sam, of course, knew that he couldn't leave Luke in the freezing quarry over the Christmas season. It just wasn't right. He knew the other engines would share his sentiments.

"You go on, Peter Sam. I don't deserve to have Christmas anyway..." Luke said with a light sniff; before Peter Sam could say anything. This caused the older engine to break out of his thoughts, and he saw poor Luke's eyes fill with tears.

"Don't cry Luke... I don't want to leave you here, and neither does anyone else. But we don't know where to keep you over the winter." He admitted. "We have friends on the Skarloey Railway who don't know you're here on Sodor, and it's way too risky bringing you with us. You'd be safer staying here. But… but we'll be back before you know it."

"We were discussing that last night," Richard admitted "but we didn't conclude in a way we were all happy with. Like you guys, Geoff and I think Luke would be safer here in the tunnel over the festive period; but on the other hand, we don't want to leave him alone over Christmas." He patted Luke on the buffer as he spoke.

Luke said nothing for the longest time. He was clearly reflecting on something; the topic of this reflection was less so. But before Peter Sam could speak to Luke, he heard Mr. Bailey heading towards the tunnel.

"Oh, by Lord Stuart's falcons, Luke, Mr. Bailey's coming!" he hissed in alarm to Luke.

Luke gasped in alarm, and tried to retreat into the tunnel, but it was too late. He saw the foreman standing at the mouth of the tunnel; clearly bedazzled by the sight of Luke, who was lit up by Peter Sam's lamp.

….

"Peter Sam, who are you talking to?" He asked, trying to get a closer look at the frightened young engine in the tunnel.

"The tunnel, sir." Fibbed Peter Sam, blushing. "I thought it was...awfully lonely?"

The other engines saw what was going on, and they were both horrified and embarrassed.

"Typical of him!" Snorted Sir Handel rudely. "That engine's absolutely daft!"

"Leave Peter Sam alone- we never told Mr. Bailey about Luke!" Rheneas reminded his friend. "Let's just hope things work out..."

"Argh, the man's a richt softie compared to Mr Davis- I think we're safe wi' 'im!" Duncan said confidently.

"What's your name, friend?" Old Bailey called into the tunnel mouth, but the young engine was paralysed with fright. He couldn't move, and he couldn't speak, either, so his mouth just opened and closed continuously like a goldfish having lost its nerve at a job interview.

Suddenly, a loud blare echoed round the quarry, and a whirr of a diesel engine. Peter Sam didn't say a word. He didn't dare. It was too much.

"I've returned!"

It was Diesel, and he was not in a good mood. In fact, he looked exceptionally vituperative at being in the place he despised. He would rather work in Anopha Quarry- or anywhere else on Sodor rather than here, as he never saw or understood the point in narrow gauge engines.

"Oh dear, I better go and tell Diesel his next instructions." Old Bailey announced, and he left the tunnel, much to Luke's relief and Peter Sam's dismay; who knew he was in for it now. He would get a lot of grief from the other engines.

"I'm glad he's gone." Luke said, laughing nervously. "I thought I was gone there! I know he saw me; but… well, perhaps I have a bit of time to hide properly."

"Well, the other engines wouldn't be happy with me," Peter Sam sighed. "We've had too many false alarms- not to mention this…." He mumbled this last part to himself.

"Too right we have!" It was Sir Handel. Luke watched in bemusement as Peter Sam jumped in his frames.

"You're a whopping great idiot, Peter Sam! And ol' Granpuff told me I'd be the one who would be as idiotic as to do something like that! You've exposed him now, and it's your fault you stupid, green, rattling, flat funnel face!"

This comment made Peter Sam shake with an unusual amount of anger. "Well, I didn't mean to do it! Besides, Mr Bailey's nice! He wouldn't rat out on us!" He snapped back, too angry to return Sir Handel's insult.

"ENOUGH BOTH OF YOU!" A fourth voice bellowed in pure, unrivalled anger. The loud volume made poor Luke wince in fright. He didn't like where this was going...

"Sir Handel, I suggest that you stop being so rude to Peter Sam and get on with your work, and Peter Sam, you should be more careful." The oldest engine snapped.

Luke peeked out of the tunnel tentatively. He was hating this- absolutely hating it. He wished that this would all end! He was tired of having to hear his friends fight in front of him, about him. He knew that Sir Handel was sometimes a bit rude and cocky, but he had decency, and would never stoop to hurting his friends deliberately- especially Peter Sam, even if his cousin had been a tad careless with his secret.

And Skarloey- oh, he couldn't even think about it! Skarloey was the peacekeeper of the team, as well as the leader- a leader does not shout at his team.

"Please, can you take me further into the tunnel, Mr Heron, Mr Wilson? I don't feel too well." Luke whispered politely to his crew, who were happy to oblige.

"Of course, old boy." His driver said, and he gently set his engine into reverse… further into the tunnel, where he eventually came to a halt, and it was there that Luke vowed to stay where he was until his friends made up.

They drove him in here; they were the only lot who could get him to come out.