Green Arrow awoke to the crashing of thunder above his grimy dusty shed. A thunderstorm had rolled in and loose sheets of iron clattered and rattled in the wind.
Drops of rain fell on his dusty coat from the holes in the roof and the entire shed seemed to groan and shriek from being lashed by the storm.
He'd been in this shed for months now, the crew that had been assigned to him had just left him here and never came back.
He guessed it was appropriate after what he had done. He'd colluded with Cain and tried to get the Flying Scotsman scrapped.
Cain, whose father had loved and adored him better than his own son, promising him a rebuild and treating him like a star among the other bigger engines who had always underestimated or belittle him. Yet, his son had not been so generous.
When Cain had taken over he'd simply locked Green Arrow in the sheds and shifted his attention to the Flying Scotsman, giving him his promised rebuild and placing the engine on his pedestal only to try to scrap his prized engine.
What would Cain have done to him if he'd been in the same position? Would he have been scrapped too?
Green Arrow closed his eyes.
This was all Cain's fault. He was the one who had abandoned him and cast him aside.
It was only Cain's father, Richard, who had stepped in with his own money and got Green Arrow working again.
He'd bankrupted himself but he'd done it.
Only now Green Arrow was once again locked in a shed and going into disrepair for his stupidity in trusting the very man who had locked him in a shed that first time.
The last bit of freedom he had, had been at the request of the Flying Scotsman himself. He'd been surprisingly receptive to him and asked him to speak with Tornado.
Not that he could. The crew had just dumped him in the shed and left.
Out of all the things he had done over the years, from antagonising Truro and the Iron 5, upsetting one of the little shunters causing them to crash horrifically to trying to help get Scotsman scrapped, there was one thing he truly regretted.
Tornado had truly been his friend, a big express engine who hadn't looked down on him, who'd actually considered being his friend and not be some cruel trick.
He missed her.
He missed her more than anything.
The Young Iron was sweet and kind to him, something he hadn't felt for a long time.
He'd always been an underdog, the other engines always demeaned him but Tornado never had. She accepted him, and didn't care that he was a smaller express engine. She saw how hard he worked, just how he tried to prove himself.
He'd blown it. He'd ruined any chance of friendship he would have with her by giving in and bullying her in front of the big engines.
Not only that, he'd gone after Flying Scotsman and tried to have him scrapped.
He didn't think that Tornado would forgive him for trying to kill her mentor and brother.
He stared up at the roof of the shed helplessly.
He was never getting free.
He'd been abandoned again and this time it was his own fault.
He didn't cry.
He'd accepted his fate a long time ago.
"You're looking sharp today," the Flying Scotsman heard Oscar say behind him.
"Oh! Why thank-you Oscar!" He said smugly causing James to roll his eyes next to him.
"Not talking to you," Oscar waved dismissively at the engine. "Olivia looks sharp today."
"Are you sure?" The Scotsman teased. "I'm feeling ever so sharp today."
"Knock it off you," Olivia said pointedly at the Scotsman who only grinned at her cheekily. "Thank-you Oscar."
Olivia went over and hugged the Scotsman's fireman in greeting.
"Are you feeling better today?" Oscar asked her, concern and worry written all over his face.
Olivia had been extremely ill the past week which had deeply concerned Oscar and caused him to become anxious.
He'd been lax in his duties as Scotsman's Fireman and had almost let his fire die out causing the Scotsman and Vincent to snap at him. Once he explained what was happening they came to his aid.
Vincent and the Scotsman had after all been the sole reason that Oscar had had the courage to even approach the stern woman and ask her to begin a relationship.
It was strange but Oscar had to admit, the Flying Scotsman did make for an excellent wingman. Oscar and Olivia had been together for over a year now thanks to his and Vincent's meddling.
Olivia smiled at Oscar with soft, kind eyes while fixing the cap on his head.
"Much better, thank-you my darling," Olivia said with a gentle kiss on his cheek. Vincent and the Scotsman glanced at each other with knowing smiles.
It was nice to see such a stern and indomitable woman express her soft side.
"So when's the wedding?" Vincent blurted out but moments later had to duck when a piece of coal from Olivia was flung straight at his head and hit the side of the Scotsman's cab with a loud thunk.
"Hey!" The Scotsman shouted angrily. "You'll get soot marks all over my paint!"
"Then don't be such a pest," Olivia scolded him and the Scotsman gasped at her.
"Vincent said it not me!" He argued annoyed. Vincent only laughed at him to which the Scotsman pouted annoyed.
Olivia ignored them and walked over to James who had been watching this all unfold impatiently.
"Do you think you can double head with Scotsman today James?" Olivia asked and James' face brightened up.
"Yes Ma'am," James said with a smile. "I'd like to make up for last time."
The Flying Scotsman gave James a warm and kind smile.
"I promise no tricks this time James," the Scotsman said and James looked at him.
"And I promise not to get on your nerves by insulting you," James returned.
Olivia smiled proudly at the two engines.
"Well then you two, would you like to get ready to pull the train?" She said with a wide smile. The two engines seemed to straighten up and their demeanour changed to be completely serious.
"Yes ma'am!" They said brightly in unison.
Olivia turned and went to walk away but she stumbled slightly and staggered.
"Olivia!" Oscar rushed forward and grabbed her shoulders before she hit the ground, Vincent at his heels. The Flying Scotsman and James watched on in shock.
"I'm fine," Olivia argued and tried to push Oscar away from her but he held on to her stubbornly.
"No you're not!" He said angry with worry. "Stop pretending that you're fine! Please!"
Olivia avoided his gaze before pulling herself off the ground and shaking Oscar off and walking away without a word or a look.
"Olivia!" Oscar called out but he was ignored. Vincent looked at his friend mournfully but the Flying Scotsman stared after her.
"She definitely is a Gresley," he murmured and his crew looked up at him.
"What do you mean?" Vincent asked but the Scotsman ignored him looked at Oscar.
"Could I please speak with Olivia after this trip?" He asked him and Oscar nodded at him. "I maybe able to assist."
"I'll try," he said with a sad smile. "No promises though."
He did agree though, Gresley's did tend to share traits with one another and Olivia did tend to share some with both Scotsman and Gordon. Most notably the pure stubbornness and need to look 'strong'.
He sighed, staring at the doorway Olivia had left through, before turning to get the Flying Scotsman ready for his rail tour with James.
"Whatever happened to Green Arrow?" Braunton asked Tornado as she backed into their sheds for the night. Tornado gave an indignant snort of steam and huffed angrily. "No one's seen the snotty little idiot for over a year now."
"Don't know and I don't care," she said dismissively. "Maybe he got scrapped or something."
"Tornado!" City of Truro scolded her angrily. "Surely Scott has told you not to be so flippant about such serious things!"
Tornado's face turned red and she looked away from him ashamed.
"I'm sorry," she apologised. "I just, hate Green Arrow for what he did. He tried to get Scott scrapped!"
"It does not mean that you have to be so insensitive and cruel towards him," Truro lectured. "Green Arrow has offended and done wrong to many but he does not deserve injustices put against him."
"Yes Truro," she said, sounding like a scolded child. "I'm sorry Truro."
"Seriously though, where is the little green pickle?" Bittern cut in. "Did he get shoved in a shed and forgotten about?"
"Perhaps," Braunton said thoughtfully. "Maybe the ghosts got to him."
"Maybe PenPen knows something?" Tornado suggested. "He was kinda friendly with him."
"PenPen is with the Didcot Railway, I doubt it," Bittern pointed out. "Maybe ask Ms Olivia next time she's around."
"The boss is on Sodor at the moment," Braunton reminded him. "Stainer's in charge on the mainland while Olivia is visiting Scott."
"Visiting her boyfriend you mean," Bittern rolled his eyes.
"I think they're cute together!" Tornado defended. "And besides, I'd like to see you say that to her face."
"I'm a brave engine storm girl," Bittern chided. "But not quite brave enough to say that to a Gresley's face."
"Nobody knows if that's true," Truro reminded them. "And you'd be wise not to spread rumours about her. Remember how Green Arrow got the reputation he had?"
"We're talking about him in the past tense now are we?" Braunton asked and Truro glared at him.
The four engines looked up as Pendennis Castle arrived and began backing into the Flying Scotsman's berth.
"Hello PenPen!" Tornado greeted the engine.
"Hello Tornado!" He smiled. "Hello you other old sods."
Bittern and Braunton rolled their eyes but Truro took it in good humour.
"Hello Mr Stainer sir," Truro greeted the NRM Chairman brightly as he climbed out of Pendennis's cab. His expression fell as he saw Stainer's face. "Whatever is the matter?"
"Ms Spence has been rushed to hospital," he said sadly. "She collapsed this morning after seeing Flying Scotsman off on a rail tour."
The other four engines were aghast.
Green Arrow didn't know how long it was before he was awoken by the sound of someone breaking into the shed he was in.
He could barely see in the dim light but he was aware of someone that was moving in the shed with him.
"Who, who's there?" He croaked out weakly. His voice hoarse from possibly months of disuse.
The person suddenly stopped before slowly making their way to the front of Green Arrow.
"Green Arrow?" A familiar voice asked and Green Arrow felt a sudden feeling of shock rise in his boiler.
"Sir?!" Green Arrow cried out in complete shock and confusion.