Ozzie's Grindhouse: Hippies, Goths and Ghosts

by Ozzie Bastard

Dedicated to David Mitton. Henry deals with a bad situation... and his younger sister. The Island deals with the shock return of an old friend. And Henry has to deal with two engines fighting for his soul.

4. Chapter 4: Cat Scratch Fever

Chapter 4: Cat Scratch Fever (Simple Lies)

To the engines on the Island of Sodor, the concepts of love and relationships are not foreign to them. Most of the engines have actively dated at some point or another, some of them still do. The Fat Controller was not averse to having his engines engage in a relationship of any sort, in fact, he encouraged the notion… among other things. With the changing times, The Fat Controller reveled in the idea of the engines exploring the idea of engaging in a relationship. However, not all the engines were successful in maintaining any form of relationship, the prime example being the self-confessed, former hypochondriac engine Henry. He and Emily were involved in a serious liaison for a very long time. They were practically in love each other, spending a lot of their free time with each other. But when things fizzled between, Emily hooked with Diesel while Henry underwent a long period of soul searching that saw him rebirth himself as a stronger engine. Ever since then, Henry had remained a bachelor, which was his choice. Although he wasn't actively dating, Henry wasn't exactly alone. He was often seen spending time with his sister Karen, the self-declared Goth engine. Even though Henry enjoys her company, he sometimes wonders if he should get back into the dating game, yet Karen always brought him back down to Earth. She gave Henry a little piece of advice, acting as worldly as ever. "There are two things in this world that I know. One: All women are bitches. And two: David Lee Roth is a wuss." Henry understood the former but not the latter.

"What does that have to do with anything?" Henry wondered.

"I don't know. But now that I've told you, will you ever forget it?" said Karen. As much as Henry enjoyed his sisters company, he yearned for company other than familial.

One glorious day on Sodor, Henry was pulling a short passenger service along Thomas' branch line. He pulled into Elsbridge station right on time. Henry was having a wonderful run, the day was absolutely beautiful. Though Henry was feeling a little arthritic in his pistons, he didn't feel the need to complain. Nothing was going to spoil his trouble free run. At least, that's what he thought. As Henry waited to collect more passengers, along came Emily with her passenger service. The two engines had since rebuilt their friendship from the ground up, though there was still some uneasiness between them. Perhaps it was the surreal way the relationship ended or the psychotic possessiveness of Diesel in keeping his relationship. Either way, there were still some unresolved issues. "Hello, Henry." Emily called to Henry as she came to a stop.

"Hey there, Emz." Henry chuffed in response.

"How are you doing?" Emily asked cheerfully.

"Not too bad." Henry responded. "Just feeling a touch arthritic. I might have a fracture in my pistons or something."

"Oh dear, maybe you need a trip to the Works." Emily said with pity.

"Yeah, perhaps I should." Henry sniffed. The two engines then feel silent. A familiar awkwardness had returned. Henry and Emily's respective crews could feel the tension.

"Whoa, talk about déjà vu." Henry's driver, Ted, whispered to the fireman. The fireman, Phillip, responded with an uncomfortable nod. The two big engines couldn't find the words to talk to one another, even if things were being patched up. "Dude, this is crazy." Henry broke the silence. "What's happened between us? We used to able to each other about anything, not just small talk, but about everything. I mean, just because you have a boyfriend, doesn't mean that we can't still talk to each other as civilized engines, right?"

"Err, right." Emily answered.

"And speaking of boyfriends, where the hell does Diesel get off telling me that I can't speak to my friends, or even still, my ex-girlfriends? Its bullshit, I tell you. And if I…" Just then, Henry was interrupted by a familiar sound. It was Diesel's signature toot; he was hauling a long train of road working equipment from the Sodor Construction Company to the new "secret" construction site. Henry groaned in discontent as Diesel slowly rattled towards the station.

"Oh great, here comes comrade Diesel." Henry muttered angrily. "I wasn't talking to your girl, I swear by the Gods of Olympus." He said aloud, but Diesel didn't listen. He just rattled on by, practically oblivious to the big engines standing by the platforms. In fact, he didn't seem like himself. Henry was a little surprised; he was expecting perhaps a dark little parting comment or something from Diesel. He watched as Diesel slink away. "What? No filthy hippie comment or passing stare down? What's all that about?" Henry wondered.

"Oh forget him." Emily puffed. The station master then blew his whistle and waved his green flag. "Oh, Gods, buggery and bollocks." Emily moaned. "Listen, I should get back to my rail service. I don't want my passengers to be late."

"Yeah, I should head off too." Said Henry. "We should definitely do this again some time. Not the whole sitting in silence crap, but the talking part."

"Sounds like a date." Emily smiled. "Perhaps later we should meet up later."

"Yeah, we should." Henry smiled back.

"Uh, ladies, I hate to break up your idle chatter here but would you both please get a fucking move on, your both late enough as it is." The station master stepped in. Both engines gave friendly toots to one another and set off for their next destinations. Later on, after both engines completed their important work, Henry and Emily met each other again. They agreed that they should meet at the Black Loch castle. There, the engines were talking up a storm about the old times and watching the family of seals frolicking in the lake. They hadn't talked this much together for a long time. They were oblivious to the fact that they were being watched. In the distance, Diesel observed the two big engines talking and laughing amongst themselves. He saw how much fun they were having together and was slightly jealous. He was thinking about the "important news" Emily had told him. It obviously wasn't good news; the expression on his face was like an open book. He shed an oily tear and slinked away unnoticed. Night time feel on Sodor and Henry and Emily hadn't returned from their "date." No one knew where they had gone or even when they would come back. At Tidmouth sheds, the engines were settling in for the night, minus the two missing engines. Molly the Claud Hamilton had stopped by for a visit and was invited to stay the night by the engines. Molly had never been to Tidmouth sheds before, she was rather impressed. "This is so much better than my place." Molly peeped excitedly.

"Really? Where is your shed?" Thomas asked.

"It's some old shed near Knapford along some old tracks." Molly explained.

"Doesn't Karen live in that shed now?" Gordon wondered.

"You mean that Goth engine?" Molly replied. "Yeah, she's my new room mate. She's a nice girl, a little "Emily the Strange" for my tastes, but rather nice. She likes to talk about creepy stuff and play that death rock music loud. I don't know how you managed to put up with her."

"Yeah, well, she was originally a lot worse than that." Edward enlightened.

"Oh?" Molly wondered.

"Yes, she had such an attitude problem." Gordon added. "Quite the little ball of fire. She always seemed to antagonize everyone she came across, even if they were nice to her."

"Really?" Molly was intrigued.

"Yeah, but then she learned the error of her ways and ever since then, she's been part of the family." Thomas smiled.

"Humph, it took a near death experience for her to change." Gordon huffed. Molly gave him a dark look. "Not as traumatic as your incident." Gordon laughed nervously.

"Don't worry if she's a little strange." Thomas smiled. "She'll grow on you in time." Molly wasn't the only invitee to the shed that night. James had invited his boyfriend Murdoch to spend the night. The big engine almost towered over the flamboyant red engine, but that didn't matter to James. "Size doesn't matter to me as long as you have the heart to match." He was heard saying to his enormous significant other. The two seemed really happy together, even the cynical blue LNER engine Gordon had to admit that they were perfect for each other. "You know, hun, if we pull our weight and work hard this week, the Fat Controller will grant us the weekend off. That means we can finally spend time together." Murdoch chuffed proudly. James liked the idea already.

"Sounds cool to me." James lisped. "Any ideas, hun?"

"I heard that the Sodor Sausage Festival is this weekend. We should go to that." Murdoch suggested. James cringed at the idea.

"Nah, the thought of all that highly processed meat makes me gassy." James started to gag from the mere suggestion of it. Murdoch thought for a moment.

"Ok, how about the Metal in the Mountains Rock Fest? 30 of the heaviest metal groups to ever hit the Island. And it's at Culdee Fell; your new friends live there, right?"

"I only listen to The Prodigy." James admitted. "Metal really isn't my thang."

"Well, I don't know what we should this weekend." Murdoch huffed. "Maybe we should just forget the bloody idea!" He whished angrily.

"Hey, it's cool, sweetie." James lisped softly. "Tell you what we can do. We can just take a steam by the seaside village, relax by the ocean and watch the sunset. Just the two of us, ok?" James smiled brightly. The big orange BR Standard Class 9F perked right up.

"Ok." Murdoch smiled. Soon, the shed was buzzing with the sounds of chatter. Everyone was talking about their day, all of them forgetting about the two missing engines, Henry and Emily. They didn't even care that it was getting late. Well, except one.

"Would you guys please be quiet? I'm trying to sleep!" Percy snapped. He was suffering from the effects of having too much caffeine in his systems. He was barely sleeping, was hyperactive and very irritable. Percy was also visibly shaking from his daily coffee intake. The engines went silent at the sight of Percy. "Sweetie, are you feeling ok?" Molly asked caringly.

"Fine, fine." Percy stammered. "I'm very fine. Now shut up and let me sleep." Percy shut his eyes for only a few seconds before they shot open again. "Can't sleep. Can't sleep. Can't sleep. Need more coffee." Percy babbled. The others were worried.

"Uh, I think you've had too much caffeine for one day, young Percy." Said Edward.

"I have not!" Percy growled, his eyes twitched.

"Yeah, he's right, you know. You shouldn't drink too much coffee, Percy. I heard that stuff stuns your growth." Thomas laughed. Gordon tittered at the thought.

"Too late for him." Gordon chortled. He and Thomas then burst into hysterical laughter. The others, at first, didn't share in with the joke, until they started to laugh as well. All except for Molly, who thought that the idea of making fun of engines was plain childish. "Gordon, that wasn't very nice." Molly chuffed angrily. The others quieted down.

"Oh, come on, darling." Gordon snorted in his defense. "I'm only kidding, he's knows I love him. Right, young Percy?"

"Bite me, dough boy!" Percy looked pissed. "I'll wear you like an afghan, fool."

"Maybe he needs to cut down on the coffee." Murdoch thought out loud.

"My sentiments exactly." Molly agreed. "Starting tomorrow, Percy is cutting caffeine out of his system. We'll slowly wean him of the stuff until he's completely off coffee for good." As bizarre as Molly's suggestion was, the engines all agreed to be part of the plan.

"It won't be easy, my dear." Edward spoke up. "He loves the stuff like coal… and the mail train. He'll probably fight you the whole way."

"Well, we'll have to try. It's for his own good." Said Molly with confidence. The engines looked on as Percy stirred viciously as he tried to sleep. They knew what they had to and it wasn't going to be easy. Meanwhile, Henry and Emily were still talking to one another. They were steaming towards Emily's old shed; they didn't realize that it was getting late when they heard church bells tolling in the distance. The bells ran twelve midnight. "Christ, I didn't realize it was this late." Henry chuffed.

"Damn, so it is." Emily puffed.

"We should probably head back to Tidmouth." Said Henry.

"No, it's too far from here. Besides, we're near my old shed." Said Emily, her driver checked the GPS system. And she was right. Emily's old shed was a few miles up the road, so the two engines decided to spend the night there. "I sure hope there's room at the Inn, Mary." Henry laughed as he steamed down the line.

"I sure hope so, Joseph." Emily chuckled. Their respective crews cringed at such a tasteless joke. Eventually, the two big engines reached the old shed. It had remained empty for a long time ever since Emily moved into Tidmouth sheds, so luckily there was no one else in the shed. The crews parked both engines in the shed, put out their fires and shut off the systems. "Goodnight gentlemen." Henry called to his crew.

"Pleasant dreams, y'all." Ted, the driver, answered. The crews closed the doors and set off for the nearest bus shelter. They were lucky enough to catch Bertie's final Night Rider service for the evening. As the crews left for home, Henry and Emily settled in for the night. It was a long day and they were looking forward to getting some much needed sleep. In the distance, Diesel looked on from the shadows. As much as he tried to avoid the two big engines, he couldn't seem to shake them off his mind. The thought of them two spending time together made the pistons in his motor seize up. It sickened him. He couldn't help but observe their movements. Diesel then snorted and rattled into the night. Morning came on the Island of Sodor; Henry woke up before anyone else. He looked over to Emily who was still fast asleep. Henry couldn't help but stare at her as she slept. She looked so innocent and sweet, quite the juxtaposition to her often bossy and pushy demeanour she exhibited. Henry wondered what an engine like her saw in an engine like himself. Henry couldn't understand it himself; perhaps Emily saw something in him that she found charming, underneath the hypochondria and self-loathing. Or maybe it was pity that drove Emily to him. Henry didn't know the answer to that. But then he remembered that Emily broke up with him because she thought they weren't compatible. This angered Henry quite a bit. He wasn't just angry at Emily, he was angry at himself. Henry often blamed himself for the breakup, because he believed his personality was partly at the cause. He concluded that it was his hypochondria that was at the center of it all; his "disease" as he put it. As he thought about his once damaging "disease", the shed door opened wide and there was Henry's crew. They had arrived bright and early. "Good morning, Henry." Ted, the driver, cheerfully greeted. "Glad to see you're up early."

"Morning, fellas." Henry chuffed unenthusiastically.

"Ready for another day in the grind?" Phillip, the fireman, asked.

"Ready as I'll ever be." Replied Henry. "But could you keep it down? Emz is trying to sleep." The driver and fireman understood and quietly clambered aboard Henry. His fire was soon lit and Henry slowly built up steam. Ted the driver pulled back on the throttle and Henry slowly backed out of the shed. He then stopped briefly as Phillip the fireman stepped out to shut the shed door. "Can't have her waking up with a chilly tender, eh?" he laughed. As he closed the shed doors, Henry muttered softly, "I still love you, but I also still hate you." As soon as Phillip hopped aboard, Henry was off again to Tidmouth. At Tidmouth sheds, the other engines were preparing to head off for their daily rail services when Henry arrived. The other engines had wondered where he had gone to. "Henry, old chap, where were you?" Gordon inquired.

"Did you suffer from a leaky tube again?" Thomas chuckled.

"No." Henry sniffed. "My tubes are fine. And I, uh, spent some time with a friend."

"It wouldn't happen to be an engine of the, ahem, female persuasion?" Gordon smugly asked, raising an eyebrow.

"As a matter of fact, yes. I spent some time with Emily." Henry informed.

"Ha! I knew it!" Gordon chortled. "Spending the night with the forbidden fruit, eh? I've always wondered if you had the balls to do anything. But to steal Diesel's girl, you must have the balls of an elephant." Gordon cackled. The other engines looked darkly at Gordon. "What?" he sniffed. Henry was indignant, he knew what Gordon was implying and he didn't like it. The mere thought of it sent his boiler pressure sky high.

"For your information, it wasn't a date, fat-face." Henry grumbled. "And I didn't steal Diesel's girlfriend. Why would I? She said that she wants to be friends, that's all. Nothing happened between us." Gordon didn't believe a word of it, he didn't know when to quit.

"Ha! Yeah, right. Just like that thing you had with your "sister" wasn't a date, eh?" Gordon brayed. Everyone recoiled with disgust, Murdoch puked up a big pile of ash. Now Henry was really pissed.

"Ok, first of all, Gordon, EWWWWW. And secondly." Henry whished steam at Gordon, kicking up dust and bugs into Gordon's face. He was very surprised. "You're insane. And thirdly, we're just friends, ok? Is that so hard to believe that you can be friends with your ex-girlfriends?"

"I'd like to know the answer to that one." Molly chuffed, raising an eyebrow.

"That's right." Lisped James.

"Are you noisy steamers still talking?" Percy grumbled, shaking on his wheels. "Must have coffee. COFFEE!" he whished loudly. He was shaking so much that his driver and fireman were literally bouncing around in the cab.

"What's the matter with him?" Henry was worried.

"Caffeine withdrawal." Edward informed. "We're trying to wean him off coffee permanently, starting today."

"Coffee." Percy whimpered, his eyes darted around.

"It's about damn time, too." Henry huffed. "I can hardly stand him bouncing around the sheds, screaming like a maniac and all that." Just then, Emily arrived at the sheds, she was full of glee. "Good morning, everyone." She tooted. Everyone glanced around nervously. Thomas whistled a little tune. "What's wrong with them?" Emily asked Henry.

"Ignore them." Henry answered. "They're just being silly. I'm getting the hell out of here." And with that, the big green engine steamed away to the yards. Emily wondered why everyone acted so nervously, but she just steamed off as well to collect her coaches, Martha and Jennifer. The other engines glanced at each other for a moment, each wondering what had really happened between the two engines. All expect for Gordon. He was concerned about his appearance, trying to shake off the dust and bugs that enveloped his face. "Not again." He sniffed. James just laughed. "You're funny when you're like that." But before long, the engines set off for work. All throughout the day, the engines could hardly contain a word about what happened. In their minds, they put two and two together. They couldn't help but gossip with their friends and colleagues. Henry, however, just went about his day, performing his usual duties. First, he had to take some construction workers to the new radio tower near Abbey station, the second radio tower on the Island. He then was to take some ballast to Arlesburgh West for the Arlesdale Railway. As he performed his duties, Henry's friends gave him the strangest looks. Donald and Douglas smirked as Henry passed by them; they had heard about his rendezvous with Emily and were rather impressed. "Och, check it oot, Douggie. Thar goes Henry, tha undisputed player o' Sodor." Donald chuckled to his brother.

"Aye Donal'." Douglas chuckled back. "Its tae bump uglies with Emily, he be wantin'." The Scottish Twins burst into laughter, but Henry had heard everything. He didn't find it at all funny and this made him angry. He wasn't the only one feeling the brunt of the engines misguided gossip, Emily was also given a hard time. As she pulled into Knapford station with her passenger service, James and Murdoch gave her odd looks. "So, Emily." James lisped innocently. "I trust you had a pleasant evening last night." He posed a poorly veiled question.

"What are you on about, James?" Emily wondered.

"Oh, it's just that you didn't come home last night. As did Henry." James answered blissfully. Murdoch snickered slightly.

"We just spent the night talking to one another." Emily said rather gruffly. "We haven't spoken to each other in a long time. Is that so hard to believe?"

"Maybe." Murdoch chuffed. "But wouldn't something like this bother your current boyfriend?" He grinned. Emily was getting mad.

"I don't believe in idle gossip." She snapped. "And I don't like any of you implying that something happened between me and Henry." She raised her voice. It almost echoed through the station. Waiting passengers drew their attention towards the chatting engines.

"We're not implying anything." Said James, a tiny smirk grew on his face. "We know what happened between you and Henry. Don't we, hun?" James and Murdoch snickered with delight. Emily's face turned red with anger. She whished steam at the engines and stormed out of Knapford in a huff.

Meanwhile, Henry had completed his previous jobs quickly and without delay, something that made The Fat Controller sit up and take notice. He sent Henry down to Brendam Docks to collect some steel beams and bring them to the Ffarquhar quarry. The old sheds at the quarry were being rebuilt after one had suddenly collapsed. Henry tried to wait patiently as Cranky unloaded the beams onto his flatbed trucks. "Come on, big guy. Make with the unloading." Henry called out to Cranky. "I'll unload as fast as I can." Cranky snapped. "So shut up and sit tight." He grouched as he gently dropped one load of beams onto a flatbed. Henry sighed angrily and waited. Cranky chuckled to himself. "He he, you sly engine."

"What?" Henry asked loudly.

"Nothing." Cranky answered innocently and continued to work. At that moment, Salty the Dock Yard Diesel rattled up beside Henry. He smiled a great toothless smile to the exasperated green engine. "Ahoy there, matey." He greeted. "'Tis a fine day for steaming, isn't it?" Henry looked over.

"I wouldn't know." He sighed. "I've been getting so much shit from everyone today that I think I might as well just head over to the Mainland and be done with this place."

"Ahhh, they're just teasin' you, that's all." Salty laughed.

"Teasin'? Huh, that's a laugh." Henry huffed. "All these engines just love to hear about idle gossip. They crave it like recognition and… coal. They can't help but spread it around like fertilizer. It's sickening." Henry finished, he had worked himself into a boil.

"Oh, I dunno, me heartie." Said Salty calmly. "Sometimes idle gossip can help in ones favour."

"Why, what have you heard?" Henry wondered.

"Oh, I've heard plenty." Salty enlightened. "I also know one juicy story that will make your boiler shudder." Henry almost interested in what Salty had to say but then decided against it.

"You know what? Forget I even asked." He grumbled as Cranky dropped the last of the beams onto the flatbeds. "Look, I don't what you heard and I don't particularly care. As far as I'm concerned, everyone can take their tittle-tattles, their rumours and their hearsays and shove 'em up their fireboxes. I couldn't give a shit." As soon as the Dock Yard crews had tied down the steel beams, Henry set off angrily towards Ffarquhar quarry. Salty was rather hurt, whatever juicy bit of information he had for Henry would have to remain locked in his subconscious… for the time being. At Ffarquhar quarry, Toby and Mavis were chatting amongst each other. They had heard from Thomas about Henry and Emily's "night escapade" and were amazed to here it. They were wondering if any of it was true when Henry arrived with his load. The two engines didn't notice Henry approach until they heard his whistle. Toby and Mavis jumped and went deathly quiet. Henry didn't understand they had stopped talking. "Oh please don't stop on my account. Please, continue." He urged his comrades but they didn't want to. They tried to cover up what they were prattling on about.

"Talking? We weren't talking." Toby spluttered.

"Yeah dude." Mavis stammered. "We were… we were… making out."

"Yeah. WHAT?" Toby was horrified.

"Don't think I didn't hear you guys." Henry snorted. "The acoustics in this place is like a concert hall. You can hear everything from a long way." Toby and Mavis knew they were found out and had no alternative but to confess.

"Ok, fine." Toby huffed. "So we were talking."

"You weren't talking about me, were you?" Henry asked sternly.

"Oh my heavens no." Toby lied through his teeth. "We were just talking about the, uh… the, uh…" Toby struggled to find a good excuse.

"The weather?" Mavis butted in.

"Ah, yes, the weather! Certainly is a lovely day." Toby gave a nervous smile.

"It is?" Henry wondered, looking up at the sky.

"Hell yeah, dude." Mavis chimed. Her nervousness was getting to her. "Say, is that an Airbus A380 I can see?" She looked up into the blue sky.

"A380?" Henry looked up at the sky again. "I don't see an A3… 80." As Henry looked down, he could see that Toby and Mavis had scuttled off. Obviously, they didn't want Henry to find out about their "true" topic for discussion. "Too bad, I have these beams for them. Oh well." Henry's load was uncoupled and he set off to back to Tidmouth.

Meanwhile, Percy wasn't doing well with his "No Coffee At All" treatment. He was still shaking horribly and fidgeting like mad. There was still a lot of caffeine in his systems and it would take a long time before all of it burned off. Percy puffed down the line with his passenger train, he was edgy and the slightest movement from the environment made him jump. Percy's face was white as a sheet and his bloodshot eyes darted around. "Coffee." Percy muttered meekly. "Must have coffee to live."

"No, Percy." His driver, Ryan, spoke sternly to him. "You cannot have any more coffee, that stuff will only make you worse than your already are."

"Can't I just have one teensy little bit of coffee?" Percy pleaded. "I won't ask for any more, I swear."

"I said NO!" Ryan the driver thundered. Percy felt hurt, he started to wail loudly. His pain filled tears burned his bloodshot eyes. Ryan the driver didn't buy the act one bit. "Crying won't get you any coffee." Percy stopped crying.

"How'd you know I was faking?" He was amazed.

"I'm your driver, Percy, I know these things." Ryan smiled.

"Oh you suck!" Percy growled and tried to concentrate on his journey. As he pulled into Abbey station, Percy noticed Karen pulling up with to the station. She had taken amplifiers, digital equalizers and other equipment to Culdee Fell Station for the Metal in the Mountains Rock Fest. It was actually her idea to have such a festival on the Island. So naturally, the Fat Controller put her in charge of helping set up the festival by bringing in the equipment and the subsequent musical guests. Essentially, it was her baby. Anyway, as she pulled into the station, Percy noticed she was pushing a large tanker truck. It was clear that she was drinking coffee. Percy smelt the air and the clear aroma of French vanilla roast filled his smoke box. "She's got the poison." Percy mumbled, licking his lips. "I must have the remedy!" Percy shouted. Karen looked over to see Percy with wild eyes and lips licking like an insane old man.

"COFFEE! COFFEE! COFFEE! COFFEE! COFFEE! COFFEE! COFFEE!" he bellowed as loud as he could. Karen had no choice but to get the hell out of there and she fired out of the station like a rocket, hoping to put some distance behind her. "NNNNOOOOOOOOO COFFEEEEEEEEEE!" Percy cried like a madman. "Take me to coffee or I'll chop your legs off!" Percy demanded. His crew was beyond mad.

"Absolutely not!" Ryan the driver thundered. "Your behaviour has not only been appalling throughout this ordeal but also you're acting even more childish than before." The passengers were getting increasingly worried. Some of them leaned out to hear the argument better. "I am ashamed to think what the Fat Controller would say if he saw you like this. He would send you away for sure."

"But I need coffee." Percy pleaded hard. "I need it or I'll explode." Ryan and the fireman, Alfie, stepped out of the cab and spoke to Percy face to face.

"What part of "No Coffee" didn't you understand?" Alfie, the fireman, scolded. "That's means: zip, zero, zilch, nada! No coffee for you!" Alfie shouted but Percy didn't want to listen to reason. He had a one track mind.

"I don't care what you think." Percy boomed. "I… WANT… COFFEE!" Suddenly, Ryan the driver lost it and punched Percy right in the face. The passengers, the fireman and the station master gasped in horror. Percy felt something break, in fact, two things. His nose and Ryan's hand. The driver nursed his broken hand; he was horrified at what he had done. Percy fell silent as blood and soot started to drip from his nostrils. He then started to cry, it was genuine tears this time. "I'm sorry I punched you, Percy." Ryan apologized to his engine and leaned in to hold him. "I'm sorry, too." Percy sniffled.

"You know this is for your own good." Ryan said, acting very fatherly like.

"But it's so hard." Percy wailed again.

"I know it is, Percy. I know it is." Ryan said softly as Percy continued to cry. Soon, Bertie the Bus was called to take the remaining passengers to their destinations. He could see how badly Percy was hurting and immediately felt sorry for him. As the day drew to a close, Percy's nose set in bandages and his driver was sent home to recuperate his broken hand. The engines had gotten wind of Percy's temper tantrum and subsequent "reasoning" and took pity on him. Sir Topham Hatt was told the news and went down to Tidmouth sheds to speak with Percy. "I've spoken with your driver; he'll be out of work for a while until his hand is healed." The Fat Controller spoke delicately to the small green engine. "So I'll be sending a relief man to take his place. He'll help you out as best as he can."

"Thank you, sir." Percy sniffled.

"As for you engines." The Fat Controller continued. "I want you to help Percy out as best as you can too. Rest assured; we will make him feel better no matter what it takes." The engines agreed and Sir Topham Hatt got into his Morris Minor and headed for home.

"I hate this so much!" Percy cried.

"You're doing very well, Percy." Edward said kindly. "The first day was hard but the second day will be better, I promise." Percy didn't feel any better.

"But I feel rotten." Percy shuddered.

"Life is hard, Beavis." Thomas laughed, putting on a very bad Butthead voice.

"Screw you guys off!" Percy snapped. "I'm sorry I said that. But this is so hard."

"What are you complaining about?" Gordon huffed. "All of your whining is driving me to drink… even more!" The other engines were furious at Gordon.

"Have some fucking respect for other engines feelings, will you?" Molly snapped.

"Yes, that's right." Thomas added. "Can't you think of anyone but yourself for just a moment?" Gordon thought hard for a moment.

"No." he huffed. The engines rolled their eyes in dismay.

"Uh guys, where's Henry? And for that matter, Emily?" Percy asked shakily. The others hadn't a clue. "I'm afraid we don't know." Sighed James.

"We haven't seen them all day." Murdoch chuffed sadly.

"Well maybe that's because you pissed them off with your idle gossip and innuendo." Snapped Edward. "Honestly, I've never felt more ashamed to be acquainted with you engines." The others looked sad, except for Gordon who still didn't know when to quit.

"He's probably doing a naughty thing… with Emily." Gordon sneered.

"What naughty thing?" Percy asked. Everyone was horrified and they shuddered with disgust as Gordon told the story of the "Birds and The Bees." A horrendously graphic but horribly inaccurate story. Murdoch puked ash again. Edward's face darkened like a storm cloud. Lightning flashed in his eyes. "That's enough, Gordon!" Edward thundered. Percy was scared out of his mind. He started to cry, for the third time in that day. His nose ached and his eyes burned. Edward sighed and attempted to comfort the little green engine. "I wasn't mad at you." he said softly. "I was mad at that idiot over there." He flicked his eyes towards Gordon's direction. Gordon looked embarrassed.

"I know. It still hurts and I'm scared." Percy sniffed. Edward flicked his eyes to everyone else. The pity in the shed was clear as day.

"We're here for you, young Percy." Edward spoke calmly. This took their minds of the rumour and speculation concerning Henry and Emily and the horrible ideas which Gordon put in their heads a few moments ago.

Meanwhile, Henry and Emily decided to sleep in different parts of the Island. Emily slept in her old shed. Emily couldn't stand the sight of another engine, especially one dabbling in useless rumour. She meant no offence to Henry, of course, who was also the innocent party in all this. Henry decided to shack up with Karen at her rundown shed. At her shed, Karen was reading her Thomas the Homicidal Tank Engine comic, a Jhonen Vasquez created piece, placed on a sheet music stand in front of her. She carefully flipped the pages with a baton on her mouth. Her Children of Bodom album was playing in the background. Henry tooted as he pulled up to the shed and trundled onto the rickety turntable. Karen was surprised to see him.

"Bro, what brings you by to my place?" Karen chuffed.

"I could hardly stay in that shed with all those gossiping engines." Henry explained. "I figured I'd spend the night here. If you don't mind."

"No, by all means, enter my parlour." Karen welcomed her brother in a creepy tone. Henry backed into the berth next his sister and his crew shut off his systems. Henry's crew said their goodbyes and headed off for home, but not before helping to pack away Karen's comic and "reading stand". As Henry's crew shut the doors, the two Black Fives sat and talked about the awfulness of the day. "So I heard from just about everyone that you spent the night with Emily." Karen spoke up.

"Well, don't believe a bloody word of it." Henry sighed. "It's nothing but a bunch of lies and speculation from a bunch of nosy steam engines who don't know when to keep their noses out of everyone's business."

"I don't believe a word of it either." Said Karen.

"Finally!" Henry puffed loudly. "Someone who isn't gullible."

"Let me guess, nothing happened between you two?" Karen laughed.

"Yes, exactly." Said Henry. "All we did is talk about the old times. We hadn't spoken to each other for a while, not since Diesel marked Emily as his territory. Is that so hard to believe?"

"Not hard to believe at all." Karen chuckled. "I can't imagine how Diesel must be feeling about this. He must be livid."

"I wouldn't know and I couldn't give a flying fuck what he thinks." Henry snorted. "As far as I know, the engines can have their speculation and rumour, 'cause I don't give a shit." Henry huffed deeply. The two engines fell silent. The sounds of the night could be heard from in the shed. An owl hooted from amongst the tree tops, crickets chirped and in the distance and the gentle tunes of Cannibal Corpse tuning their instruments was heard from atop Culdee Fell Peak.

"By the way, you'll never guess what happened today." Karen spoke up again. "Percy got punched in the nose." Henry was amazed.

"He did?" He wondered.

"Yes, his driver lost it after he tried to follow me with my tanker of coffee. Can you imagine that?" Karen explained. Henry felt sorry for Percy.

"Poor little steamer." Henry chuffed sadly. "That coffee addiction must really be tearing at him at the rivets."

"He'll get over it. The Fat Controller is counting on us." Said Karen, she was equally sympathetic to Percy's predicament. The two Black Fives yawned and drifted off the realm of dreams. Hopefully, their dreams would bring the engines to a better place then the world they lived in now. But that's another story.

The next morning, the Island of Sodor woke up to a somber mood. Percy was still shivering from his caffeine addiction, but he wasn't complaining anymore. He made a vow to himself to not think about coffee or anything coffee related. Try as he might, he could barely work without thinking of coffee. His relief driver urged him to think about pleasant things. Things that made Percy smile. And Percy tried. He thought about playing in the mud with Molly. He thought about having his face painted by Karen… as The Crow. He also thought about hanging with his friend Alfie the excavator. Percy imagined himself and Alfie as humans hanging at the arcade, playing antique video games and having a wonderful time. It certainly took his mind off coffee… for the time being. At the big station at Knapford, Percy pulled up to the platform humming a little tune. But as he came to a stop, he was surprised. Almost every passenger on every platform was sucking down coffee. Suddenly Percy wasn't thinking about pleasant things anymore, he was back on coffee. His relief driver, Guillermo, noticed on Platform One that there was an attendant with a StarTrucks coffee-percolating machine handing out free coffee to everyone. He was not impressed. "Goddamn corporate propaganda." He sneered darkly at the attendant.

"Don't they know that some people are trying to kick their coffee habit?" Percy sniffed, still shivering.

"I'll take care of this." His relief driver said in a gruff Mexican accent. He stepped out of Percy's cab and pushed his way through the crowd, through the newly built underpass and stalked up to the cart attendant. He tapped him on the shoulder. "Pardon me, cabrón." Guillermo, the driver said. "But do you mind taking that cart and your business away from here? My little green friend over is trying to cut out of caffeine without you serving it up." The attendant was not amused. He was clearly too arrogant to understand Guillermo's request.

"Nothing doing, Hector." The attendant mocked him. "It's a free country and I have my orders, so get away from my face." Guillermo wouldn't take "no" for an answer.

"I don't think you understood me the first time, cabrón." Guillermo got in the attendants face. "Take this death water away this station and my friend, or you'll have to answer to me."

"Oh, go suck down a joint, Chong." The attendant snapped and so did Guillermo. He slammed an almighty fist into the attendants face, breaking his nose in two places. Everyone gasped. Guillermo then took the cart to the car park and flipped it over. Hot coffee spilled all over the tarmac. He then dusted off his hands and walked back to Percy's cab. Percy was shocked by what he had seen. "Is that better, my friend?" Guillermo asked the green engine.

"Uh… much, thank you." Percy smiled. At that moment, two policemen apprehended Guillermo and escorted him away. But he was unfazed; he just looked back at Percy and gave him a contented wink. Percy's fireman was unimpressed by this show of violence. For the second time, Percy had no driver. Phillip the fireman had to continue the journey solo until the next station. Percy, despite the circumstances, could only smile. He had never seen such devotion to an engine, especially from someone he had never met before. As he puffed down the line, one man short, Percy smiled a very wide smile. "I like him, he's cool." He said to himself. Now, he was even more determined to kick his habit for good. He even forgot about his badly broken nose.

Down at the Smelter's Yard on the Other Railway, 'Arry and Bert were about to start their shift. 'Arry was sucking down an unfeasibly large cigarette. His brother Bert rattled along side him. "Give 's a cigs, 'Arry." Bert asked his brother in steel. "'Aven't had me mornin' one yet." 'Arry's driver passed over a large custom made cigarette to Bert's driver and he lit it up with a blowtorch. He carefully placed it into Bert's mouth who took one great big puff. Bert was immediately at peace, letting out at a big contented sigh. "So 'Arry, 'ave you heard?" Bert asked.

"What?" 'Arry wondered. He was too busy enjoying his cigarette.

"Apparently that big green bastard Henry spent the night that Scottish engine, Emily." Bert informed. 'Arry choked up.

"You mean that bitch with the big, uh… wheels?" 'Arry wondered.

"Yeah, mate." Bert clarified. "The very same. That bastard practically stole Diesel's girl. He must be fumin'!"

"We should probably ask him." 'Arry snickered. A familiar horn echoed through the Smelters, it was Diesel. He had arrived with a load of old scrap iron to be melted down. "Speak of the devil." Said 'Arry jokingly. "Hey, Diesel!" he called to the black BR Class 08.

"What is it?" Diesel asked indignantly, his thick Russian accent bled out.

"Is it true, mate, that Henry stole your girl right from under ya?" Bert asked.

"I beg your pardon?" Diesel looked pissed.

"Yeah, that bitch Emily spent the night with that bastard Henry and now they're knockin' some wheels together." Said 'Arry. Bert guffawed.

"Knockin' wheels together." He laughed. "Good one, 'Arry." The two unkempt Diesels roared with laughter. But Diesel didn't find anything to laugh at, he was furious.

"Screw you Diesels." He roared. And he rattled out of the Smelter's Yard with fire in his eyes. 'Arry and Bert's laughter soon died down and they went back to their cigarettes. Meanwhile at Brendam Docks, Henry was steaming in to collect a second Sikorsky S-64 Skycrane fresh from the factory. Throughout his day, Henry hardly spoke a word to anyone. He was still fuming at everyone for spreading such bogus rumours. As much as the engines tried to make up for it, Henry just ignored them. As he steamed into the Docks, Henry spotted Diesel coming down his line. He was also fuming. "BASTARD!" Diesel growled madly.

"And a good morning to you too, Dictator Diesel." Henry huffed. He was in no mood to argue but Diesel was.

"You think you're so freaking special, don't you? Ha, DON'T YOU?" Diesel sneered, his lip quivered with madness.

"Well, maybe not special." Henry admitted. "But I…"

"SILENCE!" Diesel cut him off. "I going to kill you… you… mother fucking bastard!" Diesel suddenly surged forward, hoping to land a punch. But Henry's driver, Ted, slammed Henry into reverse and he sped out of Brendam Docks as fast as he could. The chase was on. The engines sped all the way past Suddery station, scaring the hell out of Percy. The engines thundered onto the mainline, rocketing past BoCo with his express.

"Holy crap!" BoCo cried in amazement. His passengers were equally amazed at the chase that rocketed by their windows. Henry tried to speed up but Diesel kept within distance of Henry's buffers. He had murder in his eyes. Henry's driver opened up the regulator further eventually opening some distance between Henry and Diesel. Eventually Henry reached Wellsworth station, he called out frantically to the station master as he whizzed passed. "Change the points! Change the points!" he puffed exhaustively. As Henry thundered by the points, the signalman pulled hard on the lever, switching the points. Diesel almost had Henry in is his sights. "Got you now, you filthy hippie." He scolded. Suddenly he was diverted to a siding.

"SHIT!" Diesel cried as his driver slammed on the brakes, but he crashed hard into a set of buffers, completely derailing. Henry breathed a sigh of relief; Diesel was no threat to him now. Diesel sustained a cut lip and damaged his buffers. His driver sustained a head injury and a concussion. The station master and a janitor helped the injured driver out of Diesel's cab and took him to the nearest hospital. Henry steamed up to talk to Diesel face to face. "Would you mind explaining your actions to me?" Henry demanded.

"I'll kill you for this!" Diesel hissed. "I swear I'm going to… kill you." Then Diesel broke out into tears. Henry was perplexed. First Diesel wanted to kill him, now he was crying like a child. Henry wanted to get to the bottom of this.

"Ok, this is getting weird." He said to himself. "Why are you crying, Diesel?"

"That bitch broke my heart." Diesel sniffled.

"Who, Emily?" Henry wondered.

"Yes." Diesel answered. "She broke up with me." Henry gasped.

"Broke up with you?" Henry couldn't believe it.

"Yes, she said I was too possessive and selfish and depraved for her tastes." Diesel tried to hold back the tears.

"No question there." Henry muttered to himself.

"And you know what else she told me?" Diesel rattled.

"What?" Henry asked.

"Emily told me she also wants you back." Diesel admitted.

"Wants me back? But why?" Henry was in shock. Diesel sniffled and breathed deeply, he was hoping it was the last of his tears.

"She saw how you've transformed yourself." Diesel sighed. "She loves the way that you've made yourself stronger from this experience. Can you believe that whore?" Diesel growled. Henry couldn't make heads or tails of this. Emily had always maintained that the two weren't compatible for a relationship. She wanted to be friends again and that was fine in Henry's books. But to get back together with him after it was her that ended things was something completely left-field and outrageous. He then remembered his day with Emily; maybe this was part of her plan to get him back. "Oh my God!" Henry said in realization. "How could I have been so blind?" Henry metaphorically slapped his face.

"Ah, the blind can see now." Diesel huffed. "You don't think that date of yours was anything but simpatico? It was her idea to have a date with you, right?" Henry thought back.

"It was her idea." Henry answered.

"And, let me guess, she picked a romantic spot to meet you, right?" Diesel asked.

"Yes, she chose Black Loch Lake!" Henry was seeing it all clearly.

"And she took you to her shed, eh?" Diesel pointed out. Henry looked confused. "I know, because I followed you two." Henry gasped.

"I was mad because she didn't want to see me anymore." Diesel continued. "I wanted to speak to her so badly to straighten things out but I couldn't. She wouldn't leave you alone for a second. As if she knew I was watching you two the whole time. You were too blind to know but I saw it all clearly. I could see the love in Emily's eyes. The way she dressed you down, the way she laughed at all your jokes and the way she tried leaning in to you as if she tried to rest head onto your shoulder. Pah!" Diesel snorted. "I'm surprised you didn't know from the start." But Henry was surprised. All this time, Henry was part of Emily's weird little plan. He could have been flattered, but he was furious at her. His anger almost blinded him to Diesel's predicament.

"Oh my." He chuffed. "Can you get out of there?"

"I can't get out under power. My driver's concussed." Diesel said sadly.

"Uh, don't worry. I head out to get some help." Henry chuffed back.

"Fine, hurry and get help." Said Diesel. But as Henry was about to head out, Diesel called out to him. He issued a chilling warning.

"Be warned, stay away from Emily." Diesel's trademark demeanour returned. "That engine is poison, I tell you. She may be all sweet and loving, but underneath she's a man eater. A viper, I say. She'll chew you up and spit you out, like grasshopper." Henry shivered.

"I'll keep that in mind." Henry chuffed sadly. "I'll head out and get Rocky. Just sit tight." He tooted farewell and headed off to get help.

"Poison engine." Diesel said to himself as he shed a single tear.

After Henry had towed Rocky to the accident site and lifted Diesel onto a flatbed, Henry took the battered Russian to The Works. Then, he returned to Brendam Docks to complete his first job. Cranky was waiting for Henry to show up. By the time he arrived, Cranky was very impatient and agitated. "What the hell took you?" he snapped. "You've seriously delayed my work, you big green Casanova!"

"Oh, piss off!" Henry yelled with the anger of a mountain lion.

"Someone has engine PMS." Cranky muttered to himself. The Dockyard crews had chained down the Skycrane and were coupling Henry to the flatbed. "It's like I said before, matey." A disembodied said to Henry. It was Salty. "Sometimes idle gossip can work in one's favour." He spoke very calmly to Henry.

"You knew about Emily and Diesel's breakup?" Henry asked.

"Aye." Answered Salty. "Although it wasn't by accident. I had suspected that things weren't going so well with Emily and Diesel's relationship. Ever since you cast off the shackles of your former self, she could hardly keep her eyes off you. I sensed trouble in the waters. It was sometime after dear Molly came back into the fold when I saw Emily and Diesel enter into the Docks one late afternoon day. They parked beside the ship "Vienna II" as she sat in dock. I listened hard in hiding as Emily told the black Russian the grim news. She wanted no more with Diesel and said that it was you that she wanted. It was something that my old sea wheels couldn't comprehend, so I thought I'd keep it to myself, until the time was right. That little escapade of yours opened up a window for me to spill the goods but you wouldn't listen, which was something understandable. So that be it, my friend." Salty finished his story. "Now you know the truth. 'Tis no more speculation that Emily wants you back, 'tis reality." Henry couldn't believe what he had heard; he was also feeling shameful for blowing off Salty's juicy bit of news.

"Well, uh, thanks for telling me this, my friend." Chuffed Henry. "And I'm sorry about before." He said sadly.

"Think no more of it, matey." Salty smiled. "Just be glad that you're no longer in the dark about this."

"Could you get a move on, please?" The Dock manager broke into the conversation. Henry tooted goodbye and steamed off to the airfield to deliver the Skycrane. Henry had to make up for lost time. Later on, Henry steamed across the Island in search for Emily. He wanted to speak to her immediately. He asked his friends if they had seen her. Most of them didn't until Thomas and Rosie told him that they last saw Emily heading along the Peel Godred branch with some new pantographs to repair some of the engines. Henry raced along the line and caught up Emily at Abbey station. "Emily!" Henry called to her. She screeched to a halt.

"Henry." She smiled to him. "What brings you by?"

"Oh nothing really." Henry said to the Single Stirling sarcastically. "Just had a run-in with your EX-boyfriend! He told me everything that had happened after he tried to rearrange my buffers! Not to mention my face!" Henry was in an incredible boil. Emily gasped; she was amazed at Henry's revelation.

"Rearrange you're what what?" Emily was bewildered.

"Don't change the subject!" Henry boomed. "He told me that you broke up with him and now you want me back. Is that true?" Emily struggled to find the right answer; Henry was too cross to even care about her feelings.

"Come on, out with it!" Henry thundered.

"OK!" Emily snapped. "It is true. I did break up with Diesel and, yes, what he said about me wanting you back is true. Not just because of how things were going between me and Diesel but also because breaking up with you was a mistake in the first place!" Henry went silent. Suddenly his anger drained away.

"A mistake?" Henry squeaked.

"Yes." Emily sighed. "I thought that things weren't working out with us before, but when you changed for the better, all those old feelings came back. I hated Diesel for tearing your soul to pieces. I could hardly stand the sight of him. Every time I looked into his eyes, all I could see was the incredible guilt of you being torn down like that. So I had to break it off with him. It was for the better." Emily whistled softly.

"And why didn't you fucking tell me this before?" Henry wanted to know.

"I wanted to wait for the right time." Emily explained to the big green engine. "I wanted to smooth things out with you before I could tell you. You know, mend some bridges." Emily took a deep, long breath. "Henry, I still have feelings for you. Really I do." Emily sniffed. Henry had a hard time comprehending this. His mind was tearing itself apart trying to make sense of it all. Now, he didn't know what to think. The confusion and sudden revelations had left him numb. "What about that time we had at Black Loch?" Henry posed the question. "Was that only a test of our relationship, to see if we were compatible again?"

"No, that was just two friends spending quality time together." Said Emily. "That's all. I wanted to get back together with you for a long time."

"So, where do we go from here?" Henry wondered.

"We could try and start things over again. It'd be like old times." Emily wanted to hold hands with Henry but had no hands to hold. Henry wanted to do the same but his mind was already made up.

"I'm sorry. I don't know if it'll work." Henry chuffed sadly. "I still love you but I also still hate you. We can never go back to the way things were." Emily was almost crying.

"Just give it some time." Spluttered Emily. "I know this may sound corny and like something out of a crappy romantic movie but you'll turn around eventually. I know you, Henry."

"No, Emily, you don't." Henry sighed. And with that, he steamed away back to Knapford. Emily could feel great pain building up in her systems. Her eyes welled up with tears and started to cry. Sad rivers trickled down her cheeks as she sped off to her old shed. Emily wouldn't stop crying for the rest of the night. Not even when her crew shut off her systems and left for home. Emily's emotions were literally flooding out of her. She didn't know whether things would ever be the same again. She never felt so alone.

At Tidmouth sheds, things weren't looking so good either. The engines had heard everything. About Diesel and Emily's breakup, about Henry's brush with death and, of course, Emily's shock revelation. The engines had finally understood the power of a rumour and how such bad rumours and speculations can tear families apart, especially on the Island of Sodor. None of the engines could think of anything to say to remedy the situation. They just sat in silence. Percy was too heartbroken to remember his own pain. He certainly stopped shivering from his caffeine addiction. Molly couldn't bare the sight of her friends being torn apart by some childish gossip and foolish rumours. But she also felt responsible for her actions. Molly had teased Emily about what happened between her and Henry, something that she now regretted. Thomas was afraid that Henry was back to square one. He imagined Henry sulking away somewhere, alone with nothing but the night to blanket him. Perhaps Henry is in his most favourite place, he thought, the forest. Edward, who always had words of comfort up his non-existent sleeve, had no comforting words to remedy the situation. He had nothing to say. Murdoch and James were equally ashamed of their actions. Teasing Emily that there was more to their date than met the eye was, by all means, a terrible mistake. As for Gordon, well, he just shut up for a change. This time, Gordon did know when to quit, not wanting to face the angry stares of his comrades. The sheds at Tidmouth had never been so quiet. None of the engines could even bare to sleep. Meanwhile, Henry chuffed alone to Karen's old shed. As he slinked onto the turntable, Karen was a little surprised to see him again. "Did your roomies throw you out again?" Karen chuffed.

"No. I just need a place to crash tonight." Henry answered sadly as the turntable completed its cycle and he backed into the berth next to Karen.

"Yeah, it's just as well." Said Karen. "I was feeling kind of lonely. My blonde roommate hasn't been here in a while. I figured she got sick of my company, can't say that I blame her."

"I figured she had moved into my space. I think it'll be better for everyone that I stay here for a while. I'm not doing anyone any favours." Henry sighed as his crew shut off his systems.

"Goodnight, Henry." Ted, the driver said sadly to his engine. The crew then shut the door and wandered home. Henry still had too much on his mind to even bother with sleep. Emily's revelation left him with open, burning scars; his old pain was coming back with a vengeance. The last time he felt pain like this was when he sat alone in the shed for so many weeks. Karen was visibly worried about her brother's sudden silence. "Is there something the matter?"

"Actually, there is." Henry confessed. "Emily said that she still has feelings for me."

"What? Whoa." Karen was stunned. "That is unbelievable."

"I know." Henry sniffed. "I found it unbelievable too."

"No, I mean, how can that freak be chasing after you?" Karen griped. "Isn't she still seeing that arsehole Diesel?"

"Actually, no." Henry corrected her. "She broke up with him because of all the guilt and aggravation that plagued her. Diesel said that she couldn't keep her eyes off me because I'm stronger now. I don't think I can handle this now."

"Are you going to go out with her again?" Karen was getting angrier.

"No, I can't." Henry sighed. "It'll be too painful and too awkward for me and for her."

"Well, good." Said Karen in relief. "But is she still pursuing you or something?"

"She is. Emily said that I should give this some time and that I'll come around to her eventually." Henry chuffed.

"Don't do it, man." Karen huffed. "If you go back to her, it'll only lead to more pain and more aggravation. You can't just submit to the engine that will more than likely slice your heart in two when things don't go her way. She's just setting you up for a fall."

"What if I do go back?" Henry asked.

"Because I you do, I will never forgive you and you will hate yourself for the rest of your life." Karen put down her ultimatum. "Don't you worry about Emily, bro. I'll straighten things out with her tomorrow."

"I can't have you fighting my battles for me." Henry groaned.

"Why not? You'd do the same for me." Karen protested. Henry didn't have an answer to that one. Instead, he just sighed and settled in for a long night. Karen sighed and dozed off to sleep as well. Tomorrow would be the hardest day to ever hit Sodor and Karen was counting on it.

The next morning, a somber mood had again wash over Sodor. The engines felt miserable, the passengers felt miserable, even the Fat Controller felt miserable. There was barely a sign of a smile from anyone. Not even Salty could find a reason to smile. The engines all worked hard, but they didn't enjoy it. They wanted the natural order of the Island to come back. It was killing them that things had gotten so bad. The engines wanted Henry and Emily back so badly but they didn't know how to get them back. Emily woke up still with sadness in her heart. Soot encrusted tears had caked on her cheeks and she steamed into the Yards looking like something out of The Crow. As she set out arranging trucks to take to the coaling plant, Karen steamed right up to her. Her expression showed clear determination. "Hey, Emz." Karen called to Emily.

"What is it, Karen?" Emily puffed.

"I heard that you're pursuing my brother again." Karen chuffed angrily.

"So what if I am." Emily scoffed at the Goth engine. "That is hardly your concern."

"It is now." Karen bellowed with anger. "I cannot fathom that idea that my brother is going out with the same engine that broke his heart. It'll only set him up to have it broken again and that I cannot allow."

"Why are you protecting him?" Emily sniffed.

"He's my brother and I love him. So he's the inside scoop, Queen Emily." Karen slithered darkly up to the GNR Single Stirling. "Keep away from my brother. He doesn't want to hang around the likes of you."

"What do you mean the likes of me?" Emily was getting mad.

"Heartbreakers, that's what I mean." Karen boomed. "And I'll tell you again, stay away from Henry or you'll have to deal with me."

"Who are you to tell me that I can't choose the engines I can go out with? You don't know shite about love and relationships." Emily growled back.

"I know enough about relationships, especially ones doomed to failure." Karen thundered. The love for her brother was unquestionable. She would do anything to protect him, no matter the cost.

"The only thing you know about relationships is how to destroy them, you painted harlot." That burned Karen. An inner rage surfaced inside of her, the likes of which never seen before.

"Bring it on, you bitch!" Karen clenched her teeth. The two big engines whished violent amounts of steam at each other. Each looking very determined and harbouring some serious anger in their systems. Karen cricked her bogie wheels ready to attack. Emily stretched her long coupling rods and spat out a huge glob of soot. The engines narrowed their eyes and in an effort of psyching each other out. Their impending battle caught the eyes of other engines in the Yards. Donald, Douglas, Duck, Oliver, Thomas, Daisy, Mavis and BoCo all watched from the "bleachers" as the two engines readied to pounce on each other. Karen's driver, Glen, was getting nervous. In his heart, he couldn't let his engine go through with such an act of violence.

"Why are doing this?" He asked her.

"For my brother, you nobhead." Karen snarled.

"This is crazy. You'll get yourself killed." He pleaded to her sanity.

"All the more reason to rip that bitch a new one." Karen's last bit of sanity had left the building. Fearing for her safety, Glen the driver shut off Karen's regulator.

"I can't let you do this." He crossed his arms defiantly.

"I can do this!" Karen protested. "If only you'd-"

"NO!" Glen cut her off. "This goes beyond anything you've ever done. And it's…" Suddenly, Karen was slammed back. Emily had made the first strike. Karen's crew was thrown about inside her cab. Emily, despite herself, smiled evilly. "Weak little child." She muttered. Inside Karen's cab, Glen the driver saw the red mist descend down over his eyes. He was salivating with rage.

"Big mistake!" He roared with grit in his teeth and he opened up the throttle wide. Karen's wheels spun and she jumped forward like a wildcat. Karen's roar was long and loud. She slammed heavily into Emily who sent her flying into a set of trucks, who were laughing foolishly. The crowd of engines recoiled in horror as broken wood and twisted steel flew everywhere.

"Oh, dude. That's gotta sting." Mavis cringed.

"OCH, FUCK ME!" Donald cried. "That'll be teachin' those trucks tae ne'er laugh durin' a fight." He laughed.

"Ye got that right." Douglas laughed. Emily collected herself, shaking off the dust and splinters only to be slammed again into another set of trucks, kicking up dust and debris. The crowd cringed at the sight; they wanted something to break the somberness of the day. Well, their prayers were answered. Karen was feeling pumped, she felt like a female version of Rocky Balboa. All she needed a male version of Adrian and someone to play Mickey Goldmill. "Come on, bitch." Karen taunted. "Lemme see your bruises." Emily suddenly burst through the dust cloud screaming as she landed a sickening punch. Karen was sent flying backwards. Karen shook it off and charged into Emily. Both engines grappled with their buffers. Sparks flew as their driving wheels burned up the track. The crowd cheered on for their favourite fighter. Percy steamed in after delivering his mail. He stopped to see the commotion. "What's going on?" Percy asked BoCo.

"It's a catfight, my friend." He answered cheerfully. "Pure fucking cat scratch fever. It's marvelous."

"Can I watch too?" Percy asked with optimism.

"Sure kid, knock yourself out." BoCo smiled.

"Awesome." Percy peeped proudly and watched the fight ensure. Both big engines were still grappling. Each pushing their mettle… and their metal to the limit. They didn't care about anything else. As far as they knew, it was all about blood, sweat and steam. They wanted to best each other so much. Each wanted the other to yield. Emily pushed Karen back. Karen pushed back harder and a lot more vocally. Emily found added strength and pushed Karen further, crushing several trucks in the process. Karen's eyes burned with rage as she pushed Emily back. Her makeup was beginning to bleed off her face. The crowd hissed and hooted.

"That's it, girl. Smack that bitch up!" Daisy cried from the "good seats."

"Who's winning?" Thomas wondered.

"Who cares." Duck laughed. "I wanna see some blood and soot get spilled."

"I can't see anything." Percy complained.

"It's better that you don't." Said Oliver. "It's way too brutal."

"But I like brutal stuff." Percy whined as the crowd gasped as Emily socked Karen again. They grappled harder, they were losing steam but their rage boiled harder than ever. Karen growled and with a mighty thrust; she pushed Emily back into another set of trucks. The truck death toll was rising by the minute. Karen backed up for the finishing move. She was hoping to end this once and for all. She spat a loogie and cracked her bogie wheels again. "There's only one room for the strongest female on the Island." She laughed. But as she was about to puff forward, she heard a sickening crack. One of her coupling rods snapped and had jammed in the sleepers. Karen was helpless. The crowd held their breath. Emily saw an opportunity. "It's time to put an end to this, little girl." Emily sneered and with a great flash of steam, she rocketed towards her crippled fighter. And then, it all seemed to go in slow motion. As Emily made contact with Karen's buffers, her large buffers broke off on impact. Emily climbed up Karen's frame and footplate. One broken buffer clocked Karen in the eye. Sparks flew as Emily started to roll. Karen jerked back. The crowd was speechless. Emily's driver and fireman were thrown from the cab, landing hard in an empty truck. Emily rolled left, taking out several trucks before slamming hard on her side. Emily's cheek was cut. Dust and debris went everywhere. With both fighters incapacitated, the fight was over. Karen's eye started to swell and bleed. The crowd didn't know what to make of it. They were left stunned. "Did I miss something?" Percy yelped.

The Fat Controller had arrived late to work because of engine troubles with his Morris Minor. He had seen the aftermath from the platform. He was absolutely infuriated. "What is all this nonsense? Why are you engines standing around like a bunch of spectators at a cockfight? Get out of here, all of you!" The engines scurried away with their tails between their legs. The Fat Controller then looked over to the carnage around him. Piles upon piles of broken trucks lay scattered for yards. He then saw Emily tipped on her side and Karen with a swollen eye and a broken coupling rod. The Fat Controller wasn't in the mood for excuses. "Who started this?" he thundered. "She did!" Both engines screamed at once.

"I don't want to hear a bloody word from either of you!" The Fat Controller boomed. "Once you are back on the rails, you're both confined to The Works shed. NO excuses! You could have killed your crews, the workmen and yourselves. You ought to be ashamed of yourselves! Unbelievable!" The Fat Controller then stormed off to his office. The yard manager called for all available lifting equipment and then the paramedics to attend to the injured crews. Harvey and Murdoch took the broken engines away, they wished they could have seen the fight themselves but that would only lead to trouble. As the sun set on a strange day on Sodor, the two battered engines sat side by side in the Works shed. They said nothing but glared at each other; both wanted another piece of each other. Karen's eye was bandaged up and Emily's cut cheek was plastered. As they sat in hateful silence, Henry steamed up to see them. To call him displeased would not do justice. This was beyond displeasure. "Well, I should have known something like this would happen." Henry huffed angrily. "This is reprehensible, even for you." He sneered at Emily. "Karen, what were you thinking? I told you that I don't want you fighting my battles for me. I'm a grown engine and I can take care of my problems, without resorting to useless violence."

"Yes, brother." Karen groaned.

"And you!" Henry glanced over to Emily. "What the hell possessed you to start something this repugnant?"

"I didn't start this." Emily protested. "It was her fault, she antagonized me, telling me what I can and can't do."

"Wouldn't be the first time." Karen sneered.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Emily snapped.

"You know exactly what that means, Queen Emily!" Karen mocked her.

"Och, get bent, you harlot!" Emily scolded.

"Go fuck your commie ex-boyfriend up the arse, you ugly hag!" Karen growled. The two engines broke out into a violent argument. They insulted each other like rabid animals. Henry in exasperation rolled his eyes. He tried to calm down the battling hens but they didn't listen. Henry was losing his temper. Until finally, he cracked it. "ENOUGH!" Henry thundered. His voice echoed across the yards. Everything seemed to come to a stop. The two battle scarred engines froze in mid insult. They were left stunned. "See, this is why I don't want women in my life. They will only cause trouble." Henry said delicately. "It's like you said, Karen, all women are bitches and you two are the prime example of this."

"What?" Karen and Emily shrieked at once.

"I know it sounds cruel and hurtful, but it's true." Henry looked to his sister. "Here we have a female engine who takes extreme measures to a whole new level." Then he glanced over to Emily.

"And here we have another female engine that takes the art of making enemies and breaking the hearts of men to a vicious level of repulsion. Seriously, have you two ever taken a long hard look at yourselves?" Henry sneered. The two female engines were furious at Henry.

"How can you say that?" Karen scolded.

"How dare you imply that I'm a man eater!" Emily snarled. And the two female engines argued viciously at the same time at Henry. Their anger was no longer directed at each other but at the big green engine, the proverbial reason and cause for their almighty brawl. Henry tried to remain calm but the arguments grew in intensity until… "SHUT THE FUCK UP YOU FUCKING BITCHES!" Henry exploded into a vicious rage. The female engines held their tongues. Henry's roar echoed across the Island. Even the narrow gauge engines heard Henry's roar. In fact, they heard it first. At Crovan's Gate, the little engines clearly heard "… BITCHES… BITCHES!" echoing through the yards. They all gasped in horror and immediately looked at Duncan, who was equally surprised. "What?" he grunted. The little engines glared at him. Then Mr. Percival glared at him. "Duncan." He grunted sternly, crossing his arms.

"I didn't say that, Mr. Percival. I swear on my funnel." Duncan pleaded. "And my driver's balls." His driver cringed with dismay.

"What a way to plead your case, Duncan." Said Peter Sam.

"Go ride in the special carriage with your special funnel." Duncan groaned.

"Duncan, you know about our little deal about swearing." Mr. Percival said. "Be off to the shed with you." Duncan hissed exasperatedly.

"He he, you got in trouble." Sir Handel laughed.

"Shut up." Duncan snarled and he steamed angrily to his shed.

"Ding dong, the dick is gone." Sir Handel sung out loud.

"Which old dick?" Peter Sam asked cheekily.

"Duncan the dick!" Sir Handel finished.

"Sir Handel and Peter Sam. Keep your filthy songs to yourself or you'll be joining Duncan in the shed." Mr. Percival warned his engines and they went back to work. Mr. Percival was a disciplinarian when it came to profanity from his engines. But all the same, he couldn't help but laugh. "Pppfffttt! Duncan the dick." Mr. Percival chuckled to himself as he walked away to his office.

Meanwhile, Henry's voice drifted as far as Knapford station. "… BITCHES… BITCHES!" The engines clearly heard. They shook in fear at the sheer brutality of it. "Oh dear!" Gordon yelped. "That scared me so much I dropped my drink!"

"Oh dear, he's doing it the LMS way." Duck quivered.

"Och, that kin nae be good." Donald trembled.

"Aye, brother." Douglas gulped. "'Tis a crazy train that steams among us." He shivered. Back at the Works, Henry's face had become redder then anything seen from the depths of hell. He grunted with anger with each deep breath he took. His eyes were wide and had flames spewing from his iris'. They showed clear madness. Karen and Emily exchanged frightened looks. "You engines are impossible! Impossibly pathetic and impossibly fucked up!" Henry was in the biggest boil he had ever been in. "You both are quite possibly the most irritating, self-absorbed, self-serving engines that I've ever laid eyes on. How and why the Fat Controller chose the both of you to join our peaceful Island is beyond me. Frankly, I think Sir Topham is losing brain cells from all that fatty food he consumes 'cause I'm sure he was going mad when he brought you both here! I can hardly bear to look at you!"

"But look, if we could just explain-" Emily pleaded innocently.

"I don't want to hear another Goddamn word from both of you." Henry cut her off. "I'm leaving, there's no possible reason why I should be seen with the both of you. Impossible. Absolutely impossible!" Henry huffed and he steamed angrily away. Both female engines were burned. To be broken down like this was indescribable. Not even the Fat Controller would have said such hate filled words to them, not even when they did the most apprehensible things. This was mind-boggling. Finally, both female engines now had some common ground. One was in love with Henry and the other loved him as a brother. "He's right, you know." Emily chuffed sadly.

"About you being a man eater?" Karen snickered.

"NO! I mean, yes." Emily admitted. "That and the fact that we're both impossible engines."

"Oh, yeah." Karen sighed.

"I've never seen him so angry before." Said Emily.

"I have and plenty of other engines that just explode like that." Karen puffed glumly.

"I didn't want it to end like this." Emily shed a tear. "All I wanted was for Henry to love me again. I just so wanted to turn back the clock to the way things were between me and Henry. Now I fear I may have lost him for good."

"You think that's bad?" Karen spoke up softly. "I fear I may have lost the only engine that I've connected on the Island. And treated me as family, not just some punk replica or a freak from the Mainland."

"I've always been terrible with relationships." Emily revealed. "No matter how hard I tried, I've never been able to maintain a steady relationship with anyone. Sometimes I just antagonize the engines I worked with over the years that they just plain resent me. In my twisted little mind, I thought I was just helping them along with their work, acting so high and mighty, but in reality, I just made them mad. It was the same with my relationships. I pushed them to be better and sometimes their best wasn't good enough for me. Hence I always broke things off with them. Huh, my track record is nothing but a meandering track of torn lovers and spiteful ex's. It's pathetic when I come to think of it." Emily cried; she was visibly in pain.

"Do you know how hard it is for me to even make friends?" Karen raised her voice. "Most of them just took one look at me and they immediately want nothing more to do with me. I always felt so isolated and alone. Finally I just said "Fuck it" and gave up on making new friends. Well, the ones who wouldn't give me the time of day. That's why I gained such an attitude." Karen paused to catch her breath.

"I was afraid and bitter of letting new engines into my life that I couldn't help but push them away." Karen sniffed. "I've antagonized every good engine and person that came into my life. Sometimes I so afraid and hateful of myself that I wanted to be scraped or have my smoke box blown away by a howitzer, but my fitter advised against such actions. He said that I was a special engine and I should learn to let others in. The engines that stuck by me are the ones that will never leave my heart. I loved them all. I miss them all too." Karen shed mascara stained tears. A black spot grew on her bandage.

"My driver's over the years had warned me to take my relationships slow and don't make it all about me." Emily spoke up again. "I never listened to a bloody word they said and I made all relationships about me. I never really gave my partners a chance to do something they wanted. In their minds, they thought that I was being too needy and too much of a drama queen. They were right, of course, but it kept happening with every association after that. Nothing changed and I learned nothing. I assumed that things were working with each relationship I had but really, the problem was me, the disease that killed every single last one of my liaisons. It sickened me that I couldn't make anything work, especially with my own crew." Emily sighed heavily and sniffled. "I suck at relationships."

"It's been the same with every railway I've been to." Karen tagged in for her two cents. "The News South Wales Government Railways, the Union Pacific, the former Pennsylvania Railroad, the Soviet Railways, the German Federal Railway and the Victorian Railways. They all shipped me away when they didn't want me or they got sick of my attitude. I was left bitterer knowing that I was leaving another friend behind. I felt incomplete without my friends. But every time I thought I would be alone again, someone would always come along to be friends with me. Then I was shipped off to another railway and the whole cycle would start over again."

"Our lives are permeated with misery and pain." Emily made a grim assessment.

"We're just bruised and darkened souls living a lie." Karen agreed.

"We're very much alike. Like sisters." Emily looked over to Karen.

"Yeah. We are." Karen puffed. The two engines stared forlornly at each other for some time. They had indeed found their common ground, in each other. Then the two battered engines began to smile at one another. You could say that the two had actually bonded, even though just a few hours ago, they wanted to mop the floor with each other. "You love you brother, don't you?" Emily asked the smiling Black Five.

"Damn straight." Karen chuffed. "I'd do anything for my family. I'd kill for Henry." Emily wasn't sure about that last one. "And do you still love Henry?" Karen wondered.

"Yes I do." Emily smiled. "More than you'll ever know."

"I can see why you love him." Karen smiled back. "He's a good engine. A little headstrong but a good engine."

"And always shouting his mind. He makes the Fat Controller look like a Sunday school teacher." Emily laughed. Karen laughed with her. The two engines couldn't stop laughing until the physical pain of the fight set in.

"By the way, where'd you learn to fight dirty like that?" Karen inquired.

"Back in Glasgow. I learned to fight dirty back in the old days." Emily explained.

"No shit!" Karen said very astounded. Karen and Emily talked all whole night long, swapping stories about the old days. They had made for their early discretion but they still had a lot to make up for once they were repaired and back in action. A LOT to make up for.

A few days went by and life on Sodor was slowing coming back to normality. With Karen out of action, she couldn't help prepare for the Metal in the Mountains festival. The scheduling was changed and the festival was postponed until further notice. Molly and Edward helped Percy conquer his caffeine addiction. He had never felt cleaner in his life. Percy was nearly back to his old self again. He stopped shaking violently, he was no longer irritable and he started sleeping better. His nose was healing nicely and it was almost time for the plaster to come off. But the most amazing thing of all was that his relief driver, Guillermo, had returned to man the little green engine's controls. The Fat Controller bailed him out of jail and vouched for his innocence. He helped to plead Guillermo's case to the police until they met with an agreement. Guillermo would pay restitution for the reconstructive surgery on the coffee cart attendant's face and damage to his cart. He was also put on probation. Should Guillermo ever act out like that again, he would be sent back to prison. But Percy didn't care; he was pleased to see him back. Percy liked Guillermo so much that he wanted him as his permanent driver. But that would have left his old driver Ryan out of a job so Percy asked the Fat Controller if he could have two drivers instead of one. "An engine with two drivers?" The Fat Controller said bewilderedly. He pondered for a moment. "Please, sir." Percy begged. "Guillermo helped me with my problem and I don't want so him go back to jail." The Fat Controller's decision wasn't made any easier by this.

"I'll think about it, young Percy." The Fat Controller sighed. Percy immediately thought that was a "yes." As for Percy's original driver, Ryan, he was recuperating nicely. His hand was healing slowly but was still feeling tender. Ryan was an avid guitar player and he was disappointed that he couldn't practice on his beloved instrument. He was also disappointed that he couldn't man his beloved engine. Ryan missed Percy terribly and wanted to get back to work as soon as possible. The other engine crews were also healing slowly. Diesel's driver was still feeling the effects from his concussion and he was told that he would be out of action for at least three months. As for Diesel, he was completely repaired from his accident with a new driver, Andreev, to take over the "vacant" position. Karen's crew was put on sick leave as they had sustained some injuries during the unscheduled fight with Emily. Glen her driver had torn open his leg after gashing it on the brake lever. Karen's fireman, Bruce, also sustained cuts and bruises. Physically, he was strong and could take any serious punishment. Back in college, he was on the wrestling team, winning many tournaments and trophies. However, The Fat Controller urged him to go on sick leave; just to be sure that he was healed properly. As for the sickening fate of Emily's crew, her driver had also sustained head injuries and eight broken ribs from being thrown into the truck. Emily's fireman broke his left fibula and ulna from the heavy impact. He was disappointed that he couldn't play Guitar Hero III with his son and daughter.

Henry hardly spoke to anyone after his vicious tirade to Emily and Karen. He still worked his hardest on the North Western Railway, without acknowledging his friends and co-workers. Henry was reflecting deeply on his personal life and that of his sister and ex-girlfriend. His words to them were deeply harsh and soul-crushing. He felt terrible about what he had said and couldn't bear to face his younger sister and his ex. Not because he was angry at them but because he felt guilty. He still loved them both equally but he still couldn't face them. At nights, Henry slept in Karen's old shed. It felt empty and dark without Karen's presence. Sometimes, Henry didn't sleep at all. He just sat in silence, alone in the dark. Sometimes other engines would stop by the shed, enticing Henry to come back to Tidmouth. But Henry declined every offer with depressed silence. One time, Molly the yellow Claud Hamilton stopped by and decided to spend the night with Henry, just so that he wasn't alone. Although he never said anything, Henry was grateful that someone actually cared enough to stay with him. As much as things improved on the Island, the atmosphere was still gloomy. The engines at Tidmouth sheds missed their two missing friends. Although other engines quite literally filled the missing gaps in the shed, there were still the empty spaces in the engines hearts and minds. Were they ever going to see or hear from Henry and Emily again? Were things ever going to be the same again? They didn't know. Only time would be the deciding factor. They would have their answers soon enough.

One day, Percy was at Knapford station having his plaster removed from off his nose. It had healed well. Percy never felt so relieved to have his old self back. Once the plaster was taken off, he took a deep breath. The air never smelt sweeter. "Yippee!" Percy cried delightedly. "I can smell the wild flowers again. And the trees and the-" Just then, Percy heard Henry's whistle from behind. He saw Henry pull up to the platform next to him, he still looked rather glum. "HENRY!" Percy cried at the top of his boiler, very much delighted to see him.

"Oh, hey there, Percy." Henry chuffed glumly. "I see your nose is better."

"Yes, my nose is better." Percy peeped proudly. "I can smell everything again!" He yelled excitedly and he smelled the air again. Every smell filled his nostrils. The light, feathery smell of steam. The thick, black smell of exhaust fumes from Sir Topham Hatt's aging Morris Minor. The smell of fresh tea from the Refreshment stand. Everything smelled so fresh and wonderful. Percy was beside himself. "I feel like some tea." He peeped. Then he remembered. "Then again, maybe not."

"It's good to see things are getting back to normal." Henry puffed.

"Not as normal as you might think." Henry heard a voice. It was Gordon with his express. He had steamed along side Henry along platform One. Gordon looked as blue as his trademark paintwork. "Oh, hey Geordie." Henry greeted the LNER Class A3.

"Still feeling the pinch of your impromptu tirade?" Gordon asked.

"As a matter of fact, yes." Henry replied meekly. "The things I said to my sister and my ex. Horrible things, they didn't deserve a word of it. But they were literally fighting over me."

"I know; my driver showed the video tape." Said Gordon.

"All the emotion and all the pain and suffering. They literally spilled… " Henry suddenly paused. "Video tape?" he was curious.

"From the new security cameras." Gordon explained.

"Oh." Said Henry blankly.

"I didn't see much from my angle." Percy peeped. "But from what I saw, they were fighting for your soul and your well-being. Karen and Emily love you very much."

"Even if it meant to the point of death." Gordon added.

"They weren't fighting for my well-being." Henry steamed. "My sister would have fought for the hell of it. Still, I know why she would have done that." He puffed sadly.

"We would have done the same for you, sweetie." A voice was heard. It was James and Murdoch, pulling up side by side to the further platform. They had overheard what the engines were talking about.

"Really?" Henry was astonished. "You'd fight for me?"

"Damn straight, my man." Murdoch chuffed proudly. "We'd do the same for anyone. No one ever dares to mess with our friends."

"Especially the ones that matter the most." James added.

"Yeah, me too." Percy peeped. Henry felt a little better. Just then, Molly backed in to Knapford with two brand new refrigerated trucks packed with frozen vegetables. She was looking as bright and cheerful as her paintwork. Indeed, she was surprised to Henry. "Howdy, Mr. Orange, Mr. Red, Mr. Green and Mr. Blue." She greeted her fellow colleges. The engines greeted back. "Greetings Ms. Yellow." James lisped back.

"Oh and the other Mr. Green." Molly smiled at Henry. "Back from exile, are you?"

"More like self imposed hibernation." Henry chuckled.

"Oh how we have missed that sharp wit of yours." Molly chuffed brightly.

"Sorry if I'm not as cheerful and bright as you are but I'm nursing some internal injuries." Said Henry unhappily.

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that." Molly puffed with pity. "It just hasn't been the same without you, Henry. Been so quiet without you shouting up a storm anyway."

"Yeah, and without dear Emily acting like a drama queen." James added.

"Still, it's good to see you getting back in the scheme of things." Gordon said grandly. "Hopefully, we'll be seeing you back in the sheds tonight."

"Sure was a good run." Molly muttered.

"Yeah well, frankly I'm not sure if I want to come back to Tidmouth." Henry chuffed. All the engines gasped.

"Nonsense." Gordon boomed. "Tidmouth is your home. It would be a shame if you didn't come back. An absolute shame."

"Thanks for that." Henry smirked. "I'll probably come back in the future, but right now is not a good time for me. I need to get my affairs in order."

"We understand." Said Percy understandingly. The others agreed.

"By the way, have you been to see Karen and Emily as of late?" Gordon inquired.

"No, I couldn't bear to face them, not after my tongue lashing. Have any of you?" Henry asked.

"Last time I checked up on them, they were still pretty banged up. Not just on the outside. You must have given their souls a severe pounding." James answered.

"About as severe as any accident." Henry waxed philosophic.

"You should speak to them again." Gordon urged his big green colleague. "I'm sure they're dying to speak to you again as well."

"Perhaps I should just bite the bullet and apologize to them. Set things right again." Henry sighed deeply.

"That's right, old chap." Gordon chuffed proudly. "They deserve it. Besides, they've experienced enough pain for one lifetime." And with that, Henry was off to The Works, hoping to seal up the open wounds he caused.

At the Works, Emily and Karen were nearly repaired. Karen's eye had healed up; all that was left was bruising underneath her eye. The two engines were looking miserable. Being shut up in a shed for days on end had worn their spirits thin. Despite bonding with other over a common source, the two engines hardly talked. They couldn't think of anything to say to each other, but they did think a lot about their common source – Henry. Having not seen him since his outburst, the two engines wondered if they were ever going to see him. Suddenly, they heard the most beautiful whistle they had ever heard. Emily and Karen's face lit up with joy as they saw Henry steaming towards the Works. They thought him the most beautiful sight they had ever seen on Sodor. "HENRY!" they cried together.

"Hi there, girls." Henry smiled as he screeched to a halt. Karen and Emily started to talk excitedly at once. If they had arms, they would embrace him and never let go. To say that they were overjoyed to see Henry again was an understatement. Henry smiled and tried to calm the two female engines down. "Calm down, you two." He said gently and they did.

"Oh Henry, I thought we weren't going to see you again." Emily cried with tears of joy.

"We thought you had left the Island or something." Karen added.

"No, I just needed time to myself." Henry sighed. "To think about all the shit that has gone down. I've tearing myself apart for saying those terrible things to you both. I was completely out of line. I mean, how could I rip, grind and tear apart the two most important engines in my life? I should be scraped for that."

"Don't say that, brother." Karen sniffled. "You shouldn't kill yourself over something like this. I know because I almost went down that path too."

"That's right." Emily added. "Engines and people make mistakes all the time. That doesn't mean that they should shove themselves off this mortal coil. No, they make up for their mistakes. As we did with each other."

"Really?" Henry was amazed.

"Yeah, we kinda opened up communications between us after you left in such a rage, found some common ground and, uh, kissed and made up for that… skirmish." Karen laughed.

"But you two were practically champing at the bit ready to kill each other." Henry chuffed. "How can you go from pure blood drunk to acting like sisters?"

"Like I said, Henry." Emily spoke up. "People and engines make mistakes and they make amends for them."

"Which brings me here." Henry cleared his throat. "I'm sorry for everything that I said to you both. Like I said, I crossed the line and I'm totally at fault for this. If it wasn't for me, you two wouldn't have gotten into so much trouble and, I'd imagine, a lot of pain. I certainly hope you can forgive me." Henry chuffed sadly. Karen and Emily just smiled.

"And you know what, brother?" Karen puffed. "We forgive you."

"Thank you for being so understanding." Henry smiled back.

"Hey, what are friends and family for?" Emily chuffed with an almighty grin on her face. Henry laughed and the three engines spent the rest of the day talking openly about everything. They each shared the inner most feelings and personal secrets about themselves. Even as the sun went down, the engines were still talking up a storm. They didn't want the day to end; they had missed each other so much that they couldn't bear to be separated. When it came time for Henry to leave, Emily and Karen wept as he steamed into the night. It would still be some time before they operational again, it was better to be safe then sorry.

A few days passed on the Island of Sodor. At last, Emily and Karen were fully repaired and returned to work as usual, much to the fanfare of their comrades. With their original crews out of action, the two engines had to make due with relief crews. Emily got right back on the horse with her "guaranteed connection" and Karen returned to the mass preparation of the Metal in the Mountains festival. Everyone was glad to see the two proud female engines back in action. Apart from Daisy who wanted to see the two of them slug it out again. Maybe next millennia. Eventually, all preparations for the Metal in the Mountains were complete and the rock fest was scheduled to start that very Saturday. There were many huge name metal and punk bands set to arrive on the shores of Sodor: Cannibal Corpse, Dethklok, H.I.M, All That Remains, Slayer, Dimmu Borgir, Into Eternity, The Offspring, Avenged Sevenfold, Lamb of God and Dragonforce just to name a few. All these groups had never graced the shores of Sodor, most of them having never seen engines acting like sentient beings. Although Ville Valo of H.I.M was very good friends of Karen strangely enough. The festival just wasn't about music. There were rides, a "NYC hardcore-style" shooting gallery, break-dance demonstrations, video game stalls that allowed attendees to play Guitar Hero III, stalls that served food and a wrestling ring where several top rating wrestlers from the States would strut their stuff in exhibition matches. Apparently, Karen was a big fan of Kane and The Undertaker. Finally, the big day arrived. "Judgment night," As Karen joking referred to it as. The residents of the Island flocked in their thousands to attend the festival. All the engines were kept busy, traveling to and from Culdee Fell station with their Concert Specials. The engines on the mountain railway were amazed by the turnout as well. Culdee and the other mountain engines had quickly made friends with Karen as she traveled between Knapford and Culdee transporting equipment and musical guests. They didn't look away the first time they saw her. They all thought she was cool, apart from Patrick who thought she was captivating. The others teased him for that, saying that he had a soft spot for her. Patrick always denied it but, in his mind, he thought differently. Anyway, the engines were all excited at the prospect of having so many musical guests coming to the Island. They all wanted to stay and watch the festivities. The Fat Controller agreed. The engines sat and watched the rock fest long into the night.

Henry arrived late to the rock fest, having being caught up with a late night goods run. As he steamed closer to Culdee Fell, Henry could clearly hear the sounds of The Offspring thumping out their classic tune All I Want. All the teens seemed to enjoy it. They were throwing themselves about in the mosh pit like mad men… and women. The Fat Controller thought it was the most stupid thing he had ever seen, until he got into the action. Pulled into the pit by a group of wild teens, the Fat Controller was biffed and pushed around like crazy. One adrenaline fueled Goth girl even stole Sir Topham's Hatt. Lady Hatt, on the other hand, was more contented to sipping Tequilas with Gordon to even give a shit. Henry steamed past James and Murdoch on a pair of sidings. James was apparently enjoying the music so much that he wanted to get up and boogie. Although he had no legs to boogie with. "These guys aren't that bad." He lisped excitedly. "I think I might just expand my CD collection."

"I thought you would enjoy it." Murdoch smiled. All of a sudden, he puked up ash and ground up meat. James was surprised, though not as surprised as Murdoch.

"Did you go to that Sodor Sausage Festival?" James lisped annoyingly. Murdoch tried to think of a good excuse.

"Uh… I was hungry." Murdoch answered with a nervous smile on his face.

"Oh Murdoch." James sighed in exasperation. Henry slowly puffed past Percy and his driver, Guillermo. Percy tried to sing along with the punk classic but he didn't know the lyrics, so he made up his own. "So butter my buns, butter my toast 'cause my boiler is grumblin' like hell YEAH!" Guillermo couldn't help but laugh. As The Offspring's song rang to a close, the crowd went wild, throwing their arms in the air and saluting the punk group with "devil horns". The engines also joined in that regard, celebrating with a chorus of toots and whistles. In the background, Toby and Mavis were, indeed, making out. But that's a completely different story. Karen was conversing with Patrick the mountain engine at the platform. The two seemed to enjoy each others company. "Awesome show, my dear. You've done a wonderful job setting this up." Patrick congratulated the ecstatic Goth engine.

"Thank you." Karen blushed. "It's nice that someone appreciates what I've done here."

"I think everyone else does too." Patrick smiled as he looked over to the stage; the band members were praising the crowd's enthusiasm. Noodles the guitarist took a bow and briefly left the stage. The crowd started to chant. "We want more! We want more!" The engines chanted louder.

"WE WANT MORE! WE WANT MORE!" The noise was unbelievable. "I wanna cookie. I wanna cookie." Percy peeped to his driver. Guillermo just snickered.

"Oh, little one! Sometimes you slay me." he chuckled. Henry slowly steamed past Edward and Molly. They were having a wonderful time. Edward had invited Molly to join him for the festivities. She accepted without hesitation, being more in tune with the modern trends then Edward ever was. "You did a very good job with Percy." Edward spoke to the giggling yellow Claud Hamilton.

"Thank you, Edward." Molly smiled.

"The young one's never looked better." Edward continued. "We all have you to thank for all your determination and hard work."

"It was nothing. I'd do anything for a friend." Molly chuffed. "God, I love this Island so much." She whistled sweetly. Henry finally rolled to a stop beside a cheering engine. Unexpectedly, he had stopped next to Emily. The two engines gave each other silent stares before looking away nervously. Henry and Emily looked over to each other again and, eventually, they smiled. "Alright. Here's another oldie for you guys!" Dexter Holland, the lead vocalist, of the group called from the stage. "This one's called Gone Away." He finished. The crowd went ballistic as Pete Parada the drummer commenced the opening drum beat before Noodles pranced back on stage with a Thomas the Homicidal Tank Engine T-shirt, plucking wildly away at his axe. Thomas was impressed with what he had seen and tooted along to the beat. His "date" for the evening, Rosie, tried to toot along with him but decided against it. Instead, she tried to lean in to him, as if trying to rest her head on his shoulder. "I love you, Thom-Thom." Rosie said softly.

"Excuse me?" Thomas peeped in confusion.

"Nothing." Rosie covered up, blushing wildly. Thomas went back to his "toot-along" while Rosie just enjoyed the evening, feeling awfully embarrassed. As for Henry and Emily, they didn't say a word to each other. They didn't need to; just the look in their eyes spoke volumes. And you certainly don't need to spell the word "love" to these engines; they felt it in their systems. The Metal in the Mountains festival lasted long into the night. With so many acts lined up, the engines wouldn't be getting any sleep. But they didn't seem to care. The night was a fantastic success. But then again, everything is a success on the beautiful Island of Sodor.

THE END