Early morning light creeped its way across the mainland. Flying Scotsman was already awake in his shed while his crew went about his inspections. He hardly noticed their poking around his wheels as he was too focused watching Meredith sleep. The little engine snored softly. He wanted so badly to wake her, but the big engine felt mellowed by her peaceful state. Fortunately for Scotsman, Meredith began to stir and her sleepy eyes met his. "How long have you been awake?"

"Maybe an hour." Scotsman said with a smile. "My routine inspections start rather early."

"Oh," Meredith yawned. Hayden and Alex hadn't yet made it to the shed but her boiler was already beginning to warm under Scotsman's gaze. "Have you been watching me this whole time?"

"Perhaps." Scotsman had to fight the heat wanting to build up in his face. "I didn't realize you snored."

"I do not." The little engine pouted.

"You do."

Meredith blushed and gave her boiler a shake. She felt fully rested and recovered from her unexpectedly long day and she found her own eyes had begun to wander over Flying Scotsman's strong build. She greatly missed Gordon, but his brother was certainly a handy substitute.

Her leering did not go unnoticed by the mainland express engine, of course, and his genuine smile was quickly replaced by a lecherous grin. "Careful little Meredith. You don't want to make me late, do you?"

The tank engine rolled forward into Scotsman's buffers. She adorned an unusually sultry gaze and the big engine bubbled excitedly. "Ian, why don't you and Gavin go wait outside?" Scotsman said.

"Seriously? Now?" Ian protested while he finished checking Scotsman's drivers. "You'll make us late."

"Go outside." Scotsman repeatedly firmly.

"No." Ian crossed his arms. He had grown tired of his engine's bossy attitude. "You two can do this shit later."

Scotsman peered back at Meredith. She had started to sulk and looked at him with big, pleading eyes. Scotsman frowned. He was not about to let his mistress down. He turned his attention back to his crew."Either go outside and wait or stay inside and watch." The two humans grumbled to themselves, but they relented and disappeared out one of the shed's side-doors. Scotsman waited patiently for the door to click shut then he pushed Meredith up against the shed's buffer stops in a sloppy, deep kiss.

A little while later, Hayden and Alex were approaching Flying Scotsman's shed. They were busy debating coffee versus tea as the better morning drink and didn't notice Ian and Gavin seated at a wooden table a good distance from the shed. The LNER crew remained quiet as they observed their guests close-in on the love nest.

"Why would you even drink that stuff? It's bitter bean water." Alex scoffed as he watched Hayden grab the door handle.

"And I suppose bitter leaf water is better?" Hayden retorted. He clicked the handle and when the door opened the driver and fireman were faced with Flying Scotsman and Meredith deeply intertwined to the point they didn't even notice the surprise visitors. Hayden slammed the door shut again with wide eyes. "Fuck!"

"Yeah that's what they were doing." Alex said with a chuckle.

Hayden pointed a furious finger at Ian and Gavin who were both cackling loudly from their table. "Why didn't you say something?"

Ian shrugged his shoulders. "You didn't ask."

"It's a rite of passage to walk in on engines getting their rocks off at least once on our railway." Gavin added with a puff of his cigarette.

"I don't remember that when I worked here." Hayden walked over to join Flying Scotsman's crew with Alex. He set his bag down on the table and rubbed his eyes. "Oh that's going to be burned in my brain forever."

Alex plopped on the bench beside Hayden. "Did you see how big it was?"

"You looked?" Hayden regarded his coworker with utter disgust.

"Well it was right there!" Alex threw his arms out towards the shed. Though he would never admit it, the fireman was rather shaken by what he just saw, but being the way he was, played it off casually. "It was near impossible to not look!" Ian and Gavin both chortled while Hayden appeared like he would be sick. "I'm just saying." Alex continued as he leaned back against the table. "I can see why Meredith's cheating on Gordon with him. Guy's packing a punch."

Hayden dropped his head in his hands with a sigh, ignoring Ian and Gavin's howling laughter.

Ian raised his cup of piping coffee with mirth. "Ah, welcome to the London and North Eastern Railway, lads. Where the engines are right bastards and cunts but get more action than you ever will."

"Cheers." Alex said as he tapped his tea glass to Ian's cup. "I like it here already, don't you?" He nudged Hayden's shoulder and his coworker merely groaned in response. Alex looked to Ian and Gavin with a smirk. "I think he's happy to be back."

Back on Sodor, Gordon was sitting at Knapford waiting for his coaches. He was lucky Sir Topham Hatt hadn't taken them away again after his outburst the day before. The controller did send Gordon to the shed for the remainder of the day to cool down and the express engine returned that morning and offered a sincere apology which Sir Topham accepted gratefully. Gordon did his best to not think about Meredith lying with Flying Scotsman the entirety of her lease, but if he was correct in his assumptions regarding her affair, she would be doing exactly that. Gordon sighed as Thomas shunted him his coaches. He hoped the time of her lease would go by quickly. They had never been apart like that before and Gordon felt restless already.

He heard the departing whistle from the guard on the platform and Gordon laid on his own whistle before steaming forward as he fought the urge to charge towards the mainland to find his love and bring her home.

Meredith puffed into the goods yard outside London with Flying Scotsman. He was due to King's Cross but he wanted to make sure the little engine was where she needed to be. "You gonna be alright?"

"Yeah," Meredith said quickly. The yard was bustling and busy. Much busier than Vicarstown and it was mostly diesel shunters working. "I've yet to see a tank engine though."

"Tank engines usually run goods between yards. The actual yard shunting is handled by these dirty jackasses." Scotsman scoffed as a diesel oiled by with a huff of exhaust. He quickly cuddled up to Meredith before he started up again. "I'll see you later, okay?"

"Okay." Meredith sighed. She was incredibly nervous but did her best to swallow those nerves as she made her way to find the yard manager.

Meredith eventually located the stumpy man in charge of the goods yard and he tasked her with bringing a line of express coaches to Mallard at King's Cross. Meredith huffed. She did not want to see that asshole again, but she did as she was told and buffered up to a long line of coaches that matched Mallard's livery. They were much heavier than the coaches on Sodor and it took extra steam to get them going, but once Meredith gained speed she made it to the station in no time at all. She spotted Mallard waiting on the platform beside Flying Scotsman who already had his coaches. Meredith swallowed and she carefully delivered the coaches. She then switched tracks to roll through the station and turn around to return to the yard. Unfortunately she was quickly noticed by both Scotsman and Mallard. "Well if it isn't Scot's favorite titter."

"Would you stop calling me that?" Meredith hissed. "I know it's not a term of endearment and did you just call Flying Scotsman 'Scot'?"

"Yes," Scotsman rolled his eyes. "It's him and Spencer's little nickname for me. I despise it."

"Awh, so I can't call you that?" Meredith teased, completely ignoring Mallard between them.

"You can call me whatever you want, love." Scotsman winked.

"And who is this?" A new sensuous voice joined the conversation and Meredith glanced up to see a gorgeous black tender engine gliding onto the platform beside her. She was a smaller engine, but still much bigger than Meredith. She was close to Henry's size, but she only had two front pilot wheels rather than four like the B17.

"Oh, Ellis, this is Meredith." Scotsman said. He suddenly looked extremely anxious. "You remember me telling you about her, yes?"

"Of course, darling," Ellis said with a bat of her sharp eyes. "The little harlot from Sodor. How could I forget?" Mallard snorted and Scotsman clenched his teeth. He should've known Ellis would be less than friendly.

Meredith found herself wishing she was back home. So far the only engine that was welcoming of her was Flying Scotsman, and that couldn't possibly have anything to do with the fact he knew he could make a moaning mess of her whenever he liked. Meredith was stuck. She had to make the best of her stay so she straightened herself up on her wheels and began to roll forward with an indignant huff. "Am I a harlot because I'm screwing Flying Scotsman or am I a harlot because you're jealous?"

Ellis let out a displeasing gasp. How dare such a little engine speak to her that way. "You mind your tone little titter. I'll make a mess of you."

Meredith rolled her eyes. "Sure, whatever." This earned her a warning glare from the black engine. Mallard and Flying Scotsman watched quietly from their platforms. Scotsman couldn't help but feel proud of Meredith for managing to hold her own, though he wished she didn't have to.

Later that afternoon and the sun had just peaked above King's Cross station, Meredith had returned after running a train to Doncaster and as she pulled onto an open platform she noticed the same B17 siblings she saw at the sheds the night prior. They were laughing to each other until they noticed Meredith watching them. "Aye, who are you?" The green engine inquired. Like most sibling sets their features were near identical. Round eyes and little noses with pouty lips. The green engine spoke with a heavy cockney accent so it was only safe to assume the other did as well.

"Meredith." The tank engine said. "Who are you two?"

"I'm Arik," the green engine stated.

"And I'm Allan." The yellow one said as he sized up Meredith. "Aren't you the little engine Flying Scotsman's been bedding?"

Meredith remained placid. "I suppose secrecy is lost on you LNER engines, huh?"

"Augh, secrecy is overrated." Arik said with a smug grin before glancing at his brother. "I wonder what Ellis thinks of you."

"I know exactly what she thinks of me." Meredith mumbled. "Why?"

"Oh she's had eyes for Scotty-boy for quite some time. Nearly landed him too, but then you came along and whisked him away." Allan was a very animated engine. He used a lot of broad gestures and body movements not normally tackled by engines. "It's funny. Scotsman was never the type to settle for just one engine, but then you came along and suddenly you're all he focuses on."

"Yeah, it's gross." Allan stuck his tongue out. The brothers began to depart with their own sets of coaches. "I'm not sure whether I'd consider you lucky, however. You likely will have a lot of jealous lads and lasses wanting you scrapped."

Arik chuckled. "Just keep vigilant around Ellis. She's a beaut, but behind that pretty face is a vindictive witch. She'll have your smokebox mounted in her berth if you're not careful."

"Oh, well, thanks for the advice… I guess." Meredith watched the brothers depart with their coaches. Her confidence in being there grew less and less. She was terrified. These engines were nothing like the engines back on Sodor. They had agendas and were mostly hateful. It certainly made Flying Scotsman appear as a Saint, but then Meredith wondered just how true to himself the big engine really was when she was around.

So I have to apologize for the onslaught of new engines. But I love making new characters. It's super fun for me. lol. I've been doing a lot of digging on old LNER engines so that's been fun. *cries*

It's just as well that Flying Scotsman tries to act like a sweet boyfriend to keep little Meredith at his side. How manipulative. *cough cough* I don't wanna give away anything but it is pretty glaring. Lmao. And I'm thinking of a good cat-fight in the future so stay tuned for that.

Anyway, that's all I really have to say tonight. Thank you for your continued support and love! Your reviews brighten my day and I'm glad y'all are still enjoying my masterpiece. LOL

Much love;

Bumble