A/N Michaela and her crew belong to FurryFoxFires
Erica was stranded on the Little Western after taking some cars there, due to a flood. She had just gotten up to steam and heard another engine crying. I got friends here, she thought. Is it one of the tank engines or maybe Michaela? She checked on all her Little Western friends and found Michaela sobbing and tear stained. As she pressed her buffers against Michaela's in an engine hug, she asked her iridescent friend, "What's wrong?"
Michaela, once she found her voice and said tearfully, "I had a nightmare thanks to Diesel bullying me yesterday. He said, "I wouldn't mind if Kennet, your driver, died of a broken neck!" and that's what happened in my nightmare. I had an accident and that's what happened."
Kennet, who arrived as Michaela told her purple friend about her nightmare, climbed on her buffers and dried her tears with a rag. "There, there, Michaela. It was all just a dream. I'm alive, but it's fine to cry if you need to. I know nightmares can be distressing," he said.
Michaela sniffled, crying more in response to his comfort. She choked out the words, "I don't want you to ever be unable to drive me. If you couldn't drive me, I'd miss you dreadfully.".
He said as he continued to wipe her tears away, "I don't plan on that day coming anytime soon.". He wiped her eyes and rubbed her cheeks.
Slowly, Michaela's tears subsided and she smiled at Kennet and Erica. Her driver and her friend had dried her tears with their comfort. Erica went to Knapford and Michaela had a drink and went to her first job of the day.
Later on, Michaela had to take some cars to Knapford Yards. Kennet was suddenly taken ill. He was feverish, weak and achy, so he said to Sam, "You've got to take of Michaela. I think I've got the flu." and gave him the rag for wiping away Michaela's tears. Kennet left the cab, then Sam did the same to telephone for Norman to replace him as fireman while he was Michaela's temporary driver.
Michaela, still shaken from her nightmare, burst into sobs when she heard Kennet say he had the flu. She sniffled and asked"I-Is K-Kennet d-dying?" in a panicky wail of a voice. Erica heard her friend and came over to press her buffers in an engine hug.
Kennet coughed and sneezed as he left. "I'm all bunged up and I've got a runny nose," he muttered, pulling out a hanky and blowing his nose hard.
Sam, remembering the last time he had to replace Kennet, dried her tears with the rag given to him. He told her, "Michaela, Kennet's not old or otherwise weak, so this is just him taking time to recover. He needs to rest because he's ill. The flu's milder than some other illnesses, so he's coming back in a few days.".
Michaela sniffled, crying more. Big tears poured from her eyes, wetting her face and she sobbed, "I shall miss him.". She could barely choke out the words.
He said as he continued to wipe her tears away, rubbing her cheeks and drying her eyes, "When he's well enough again, he's coming back."
Michaela's sobs subsided as her crying slowed to a stop. Sam wiped her cheeks and eyes dry and she managed to smile at him and her friend.
Erica said, "I guess it's time for me to get on with my work. It's what a Really Useful Engine does and my "big brother" says I should live to be that."
Michaela said, "I remember when you were in your coma and I was scared you'd die. Thomas, as he's my friend, too, even crying his eyes out, told me to be positive."
They went on, Erica with her work and Michaela had a drink and went back home.
Erica, in the days following, checked on Michaela as she could. Sometimes, one of the Little Western engine friends of hers came to Knapford, but other times, she met them at the Little Western junction. Michaela was unhappy and cried frequently while Kennet was ill, but then one day, he was back, which made her feel better. When Michaela missed Kennet, Sam wiped her tears away if she cried and told her he was coming back when he was well again. Her engine friends gave her understanding and, if they were able to move, a hug. But that was over now. When Erica met up with Duck that day at the Little Western junction, he told her Michaela had Kennet back. Erica smiled and whistled happily, as she remembered how unhappy Michaela was when Kennet left the day he was taken ill.
A/N I once read something in which a girl had a flu bug with congestion and blew hard. I know flu can hit suddenly, so I think when James's driver was suddenly taken ill in TTTE canon, he had the flu, which is what inspired this chapter's flu scene.