A/N I had a fic collection Thomas Tales a few months before and this is a follow-up to Driver Change. I had 2 possible titles for this, so I combined them because I liked both. My buddy here who likes Hurt/Comfort believes in engine/driver bonds, which combined with a YouTube video, inspired Driver Change, which inspired this. That fic led to me thinking how an engine would feel if their driver died. The title refers to Thomas's first driver dying, just felt I needed to include the warning here. Though I don't always name engine's crew, Thomas has a driver named Bob canonically, so for this story arc, I made that canonical driver his 2nd driver.

One day, Thomas's driver, Bob, found out his predecessor had recently died while on break. I've got to tell Thomas tonight. It's better for him to hear it from me because I know how he is and don't want someone else to tell him. I can comfort him like they might not be able to.

That night, Thomas's driver put him in the shed and then told him, "Thomas, your first driver, the one you had before me's, gone."

Thomas replied, in shock, "He's left Sodor?".

"Gone on from this life, Thomas", was the reply.

"He's dead?" Thomas's voice came out in a wail, as he began to cry, wailing with grief at the loss, his face soon with big tears.

"Yes", his driver replied, pressing a cloth to his engine's eyes. "It's okay to cry. Let those tears get out."

Thomas sniffled loudly, unable to speak due to wailing sobs. He was coughing, choking on his tears and hiccupping. His tears fell without stopping until he could cry no more and then he fell asleep. Then, his driver left for the night. As Thomas slept, he dreamed of his first driver.

The next morning, Thomas was asked if he could work and his reply was "Give me coal and water. I want to carry on with being a Really Useful Engine, shunting the Troublesome Trucks and working on my branch line.". He was broken, but still able to function. I'm British, he thought. So, I shall work and when jobs are finished, let myself go and release any tears. I'm not afraid to cry and have someone dry my tears, if there's anyone there who can comfort me. Emotions have their place.

Thomas was on a siding in Knapford after pulling a train there and was sad. Lady Hatt, who was helping with a special gala that day, found him.

"What's wrong, Thomas", she asked, seeing how he had the saddest look on his face.

"My first driver died yesterday", he said with a sob in his voice as he began to cry.

Lady Hatt climbed on his buffers, took a white handkerchief out and softly dapped his tears away. "There, there, Thomas. Cry as much as you like and I shall dry your tears from your eyes."

Thomas sniffled and allowed her to wipe his weeping eyes. He cried his eyes out. When he was done, Lady Hatt dried his last tears away and asked "Feel better now?"

"Yes, Lady, I do feel better", was his reply. His crew came back as she left and they gave Thomas a drink. He then did some shunting for the rest of the day until the time came to get him ready for the night.

In the following days, weeks and months, Thomas recovered from the death of his first driver as much as he could. However, certain reminders of him would always be there to trigger Thomas's grief, though he could feel other things, even be happy, at other times.

A/N No flames as this hurt me to write, made me cry inside. My buddy personality types Thomas as a happy type, but also with a sensitive soul. I need Thomas to be comforted when hurt because I'm what I call Thomas sensitive. Since I sort of write with my buddy in mind, I get ideas for Hurt/Comfort often. The engines are fond of Lady Hatt and she helps with railway business on occasion, maybe special events, things like galas.