Meredith squirmed against Flying Scotsman. She was covered in heavy condensation, her breathing was hard and fast. She was exhausted, but she didn't want him to stop. Scotsman was addictive. The way he moved against her; the way they kissed. It all felt deliciously feral. She loved getting physical with Gordon, in fact he was just as intense. But something about his younger brother was so tantalizing to the little tank engine. She couldn't pry herself away. Even being sick with worry about Gordon's recovery couldn't stop Meredith from indulging in the hot and heavy bliss that was Flying Scotsman. It was horribly selfish of Meredith, but she wanted them both. She wanted Gordon's love and she wanted Scotsman's lust. She knew it wouldn't work out that way, but in the moment, she could let herself pretend she had achieved it.

"Meredith?"

James' voice ripped Meredith from her thoughts. She didn't even realize that the winner of the parade had been announced. "I- I'm sorry… who-?"

"I did… actually." James said slowly; he didn't want to be too boasting to Meredith. He didn't want to hurt her feelings.

Meredith shook her boiler to wrangle her mind back to reality. "Oh, James! That's wonderful! Congratulations!" She gave him her biggest smile which made the red engine blush. He was excited he won, but he was thankful Meredith wasn't upset.

"Thank you!" James said bashfully. Just then, Edward rolled up next to James and he nuzzled his cheeks against James'. "Ugh… Edward…" James whimpered. He wasn't too sure about showing affection so boldly in public.

"Don't worry about it," Edward whispered. "Sir Topham Hatt isn't looking. He's too distracted by the trophy."

James blushed even harder and Meredith giggled. "You two are so cute." She stretched herself to look around the cuddling engines and saw Gordon sitting in the shadow of the bleachers. He made a small gesture with his buffers for the little white tank engine to come over and talk. "I'll see you two later, okay?"

"Okay…" James said dreamily as he continued to nuzzle Edward.

Meredith quietly puffed over to Gordon. He was mad. She did her best to look at him, but she kept dropping her eyes. "Hi… Gordon."

"We need to talk." Is all Gordon said before he backed down the track and drove towards a private siding just outside the yard. Meredith followed. Her boiler bubbled nervously. Gordon had a familiar look that meant he was trying not to lose his steam.

The two engines had left the noise of the show behind them and they were completely alone, save for a few small birds chirping away in a nearby patch of trees. Meredith watched Gordon carefully. His eyes kept looking everywhere but at her. Then he spoke. "Do you realize how hard it is for me to even look at you right now?" Meredith dipped her boiler in shame and kept quiet. She had nothing to say in her defense. Gordon took Meredith's silence as his cue to continue. "I just don't understand how after everything you still entertained him? Am I missing something? Is it me?"

"Of course it's not you." Meredith finally said. "I really don't know why I did it. I wanted you… but Scotsman just so happened to be there..."

"I'm not sure how I'm supposed to take that." Gordon did his best to not lash out, but he was growing ever angrier by the second. "You couldn't have waited for me?"

"I didn't know if you were going to even make it…"

"So you were just moving on, huh?" Gordon snapped. "Damning me to the scrapyard so you could feel better about your infidelity?"

Meredith swallowed. She wasn't sure what to say, but he was right. "I guess so…"

"I think you need some time to figure yourself out. You're clearly not mature enough to handle a relationship." Gordon was stern. He had to be. He didn't want to get choked up. "So for now, I think you and I are done."

"Gordon, no." Meredith tried to puff closer to the big engine but he backed away. "Please…"

"I'm not going to keep letting you toy with me like this. So just go." Gordon was fighting tears at this point, but he managed to keep them at bay until Meredith was out of sight back in the show yard. The big engine sat in silence. He wanted to take it back. He wanted to follow after her and say he was sorry -say how stupid he was and beg for her forgiveness, but he knew he needed to force her to make up her own mind. Even if it meant breaking her heart.

James and Edward were driving around the show together. They had to keep stopping as both engines and people wanted to compliment James on his paintwork or congratulate him on his win. James of course received every comment with boastful pride and Edward merely stood by while he quietly gushed over his handsome partner. Then he noticed Meredith puffing sadly into the yard. "I'll be right back." Edward whispered to James and he chugged over to Meredith. Her eyes were glassed over. "Hey, what's wrong, Mer?"

"Oh, uh, nothing." She blinked away the tears. Her smile was forced. "Just a little disappointed."

Edward raised his brow. "Is that all?" He saw Gordon drive in where Meredith had come. He looked just as upset, if not more than her. "You know you can be honest with me, Meredith." The little white tank engine gave a sideways glance to Edward. "I do know about you and Gordon."

Meredith sighed. "It's really nothing. Besides, you probably shouldn't leave James unattended too long. Someone has to be there to keep him humble."

Edward chuckled. "Alright, if you insist." He started to roll back to James then paused. "Would you want to compete in the shunting challenge in my place?"

"What?" Meredith was confused. Why would Edward offer up his spot?

"Compete in my place." Edward pressed. "You're a pretty incredible shunter. Plus, you look like you could use the opportunity to slam some cars together."

Meredith considered the offer and beamed. "That actually sounds fun. Only if you're sure."

"Of course I am." Edward returned her smile. "And like you said, someone needs to keep James reigned in, eh?" The little engine winked and Meredith giggled.

"Thank you… really."

"It's not a problem." Edward began to reverse back towards James. "And if you need someone to talk to, I'll be happy to listen."

Meredith's smile began to fade as she watched Edward race back to James. She had a pit in her boiler. Her first thought was to run and find Gordon. But she couldn't. Meredith did her best to keep a smile on her face as she crossed the yard to find Brian instead. He disappeared after the parade and she had no idea where he could've been.

James and Edward had puffed over to the part of the yard where the strongest engine competition was to be held. Rebecca was competing on Sodor's behalf and she was currently being coupled up to the huge flatbeds of brick. She didn't look nervous at all, unsurprisingly. The big engine was just happy to be participating. Rebecca's excitement never faltered under the scrutinizing gazes of the other competing engines. They all watched her bounce with judging eyes.

James noticed the other engines' prude stares and he puffed forward defensively. "What's the matter with you all? Don't you know it's not polite to stare?"

An engine from Australia exchanged glances with another engine from North America. The two cut their eyes and averted their gazes.

"Yeah, that's what I thought." James huffed proudly.

Rebecca laughed. "Oh they don't bother me none. Some engines just don't know how to act around a lady."

Edward chuckled as did James. Then Meredith approached, her eyes scanned the tracks and crowds ahead. "Have any of you seen Brian?" Rebecca shrugged. Edward and James both shook their boilers. Meredith groaned and continued the search for her brother.

"What's eating her?" James looked to Edward.

"I think she has a lot of personal things happening right now." Edward said. "I'm actually letting her compete in my place in the shunting challenge."

"What? Why?" James didn't agree with his partner's decision one bit. "Sir Topham Hatt wanted you to compete, not her."

"I know, but I think she needs the rush more than me." Edward kept calm, but James was fuming. "Trust me, okay?"

James sighed. "Fine, fine."

Edward cuddled against James and the red engine melted. He couldn't stay mad at his partner even if he wanted to.

Meredith continued her search for Brian, and in doing so she noticed another engine was missing; Flying Scotsman. She skid to a halt next to Spencer who was filling up with water. "Hey, you were with Scotsman earlier, right?"

"I was." Spencer said with a smug grin. He eyed Meredith with a hunger that made the little white tank engine nauseous.

"Do you know where he is?" Meredith tried to brush off the silver's engines' leering. She knew the look all too well, however, and it made her nervous.

Spencer shrugged. "I'm not sure. I haven't seen him since Gordon went all homicidal on him." The engine paused in thought and he was hit with a realization. "Oh, I did see him talking with a black tank engine. He looked kinda like you, actually."

"Did they leave together?" Meredith's mouth ran dry. She really hoped her hunch was wrong.

Another shrug from Spencer. "I'm not Flying Scotsman's keeper, Meredith."

Meredith narrowed her eyes at Spencer. "How do you know my name?"

"Scotsman told me." Spencer said. "I'm called Spencer by the way. In case you were wondering."

"I wasn't." Meredith said flatly and she gestured towards the nameplate on his boiler. "I can read you know."

"Oh, yes, of course." Spencer stammered.

"It's actually rather sad." Meredith said tauntingly as she started to drive away. "All you mainland engines have to have nameplates because your controllers don't even bother to learn your names."

Spencer was taken aback by her remark and glared at the little white tank engine as she puffed snootily away.

Meanwhile, Gordon was sitting quietly on the track for the Great Race while his driver and a Doncaster engineer checked him from funnel to coupling rod. He couldn't shake the regret he felt for breaking things off with Meredith. He hoped with time he would get used to the idea, but a part of him knew he never could. He peered up and saw her puffing hastily across the yard in the distance when she bumped into her brother. She looked relieved when she saw him. She couldn't make out what they were saying but her expressions were stern. Gordon felt plagued by curiosity as he watched her talk with Brian. She looked excited about something. He wondered what.

"Hello, little brother." Flying Scotsman snuck up behind his brother with a grin. Gordon merely grumbled in response. "I hope you've had your safety valve checked this time."

Gordon turned to look at his brother. He didn't like how chipper he was considering the circumstances. "I hope you're ready to lose."

Scotsman smirked. "I never lose, Gordon."

Meredith drove slowly along with Brian. She hadn't yet told him that Gordon broke up with her. She didn't want to start crying. On top of that, she could tell her brother was distracted. "What's up with you? You seem to be in a bit of a daze?"

Brian shook his boiler to try and bring his attention back to his sister. "It's nothin'. I'm just amazed at the atmosphere is all."

"Right." Meredith wasn't convinced. "Where'd you disappear to earlier? I looked all over the show yard and couldn't find you."

"I just went to get some air." Brian said quickly. He looked uneasy. "Seeing Gordon and Flying Scotsman nearly duke it out was a bit unnerving."

The two tank engines reached a siding beside the track for the Great Race. People were beginning to flood the stadium seats as time for the race drew nearer. Meredith saw Gordon and Scotsman resting on their separate tracks with Spencer pulling in beside them. A couple more streamlined engines took their places on the track, but Meredith paid them no mind. She could only focus on Gordon, who was watching his driver and an engineer as they talked quietly in front of him. The big engine glanced up and locked eyes with Meredith and she quickly averted her gaze. She could feel her throat tighten up.

Meredith lifter her eyes once more and noticed Flying Scotsman looking in her direction, but he wasn't looking at her. He was looking at- "Brian?" She peeked over at her brother and her eyes immediately latched onto his coupling hook. It was bent with trace amounts of bright red paint scuffed over it. It wasn't all that noticeable, but in that moment it glared at Meredith and the little white tank engine understood Gordon's rage.

Okay, so I wasn't planning on making the events of The Great Railway Show drag out so long, but in a way it's kind of the "finale" of this installment. Also I started writing and it took a totally different turn. This chapter I rewrote several times because I was not too thrilled with my original direction and I hope y'all are happy with where I'm taking it.

Pretty Katydid; I'm glad you're still entertained with this mess. Lol. And I love Spencer. I've been wanting to include him for a while, but I just could never figure out how to introduce him. I see him being very similar to Scotsman in the whole playboy aspect just not as... tactful. I'm glad I'm managing to be unpredictable because that's my goal with my writing. I hate when I can see how something is gonna turn out. I wanna give readers whiplash. Heh.

Also, Gordon 100% chewed Victor's ass for his executive decision. I'm debating writing it or just leaving the events to one's imagination. It's a situation where I see Gordon throwing around quite a few F-Bombs along with other colorful insults.

Again, thank you to everyone for your reviews and love! Reading what y'all have to say brings me so much happiness. I look forward to the reviews every time.

Much love!

Bumble