The meandering clouds of steam that typically hung over the bustling hub at Knapford had long since dissipated. The vibrant energy of the night's excitement could be felt in every corner of the Island's metropolitan epicenter as the darkened station only emphasized its one, lit, corner so brilliantly.

The hand-painted wooden letters above Knapford's dine-in pub displayed the chipped name of the establishment in a half circle above the open door. Bay windows on either side spilled amber light onto the surrounding platform as a few characters were milling about the 2 small steps at the entryway. Noise and merriment overflowed from within.

'Awdry's'. A namesake for a local figure who'd been a railway enthusiast and benefactor for the North Western through his entrepreneurial endeavors. A clergyman by trade and a railway ally by deed, the pub was renamed after his passing in honor of the countless hours he'd sat at the window-facing stools trainspotting. A photo of him and The Controller's father was framed behind the bar amongst the glittering hues of bottled spirits.

The few regulars who'd been loitering since opening hours let out a raucous cheer as Toby and Edward stepped over the threshold. Cap in hand, Edward gave a cheery flourish to his welcomers, Toby rolled his eyes but couldn't hide the smile that broke out across his wrinkled face. Old eyes twinkling he clapped Edward on the shoulder and pointed toward the far corner beyond the haphazard tables.

"I'll get us a pint then if you can warm up the ivories."

Donald and Douglas stood outside the building that housed their flat in Tidmouth. An air of anxious agitation stirred between them as Donald began to pace. Douglas in tow, kept checking his watch as he leaned against the masonry work of the old complex.

"Och aye. If I'd 'ave known sheh'd take this long, there's nae way I'd 'ave offehred hehr a ride." Douglas grimaced as the second hand ticked defiantly away on his wrist.

"Cahn we at least wait in the cahr. Froze to meh bohnes I am in this nippy aihr." Donald shivered before blowing a warming breath into his fingers. He looked longingly up the street in the direction of the car park. Since they were tenants in the building, they had a reserved spot for their vehicle. A lovely perk despite the trek to get to the vehicle itself.

"Yeh know we can't do tha'." Douglas prosed, his head craning over his shoulder to look up the entryway for any sign of their passenger. "Knowin' our luck, the second we leave she'll come out, not see us, and go righ' back inside. Just a muckle nuisance all around."

"Well then what if I jus' go mehself?"

"An' hog all the warmth? Yeh're daft if yeh think I don' know tha' scheme."

Donald grasped his chest dramatically as an abashed gasp escaped his breath.

"YEH THINK SO LI'L OF MEH DOUGIE!? YEH CUT MEH TO THEH QUICK!"

He slithered into an over pronounced faint on the pavement as Douglas pinched the bridge of his nose, head shaking.

"Any warmer down there?"

Donald sniffed as he lay flat on his back. His peacoat having been scrunched up over his torso in folds from his rejected collapse.

"Why don' you try it an' see for yehrself."

Douglas scoffed as he watched a violent shiver run up Donald's spine.

"Oye! There's not even any snow on the ground to make angels Donald. What're you even doing?"

The twins flinched in surprise as Emily's arrival caught them unawares.

"Aye just a bit o' shenanigans." Donald jeered as he quickly went to stand. Dusting particles of dirt and debris while he straightened his crumpled coat.

"Yeh've taken a fair minute comin' down." Douglas scolded. "If we'd hav' known yeh'd be so fussy we'd have just had yeh come knock on our door instead of waitin' out here."

Emily looked back and forth between her flat neighbors and gave a sympathetic expression toward their loyalty even in the chill.

"Well then how about something for your troubles."

The twins had been so focused on her presence that they hadn't noticed her hands had been rigidly hidden behind her back. Revealing them now, she held two identical flat boxes outstretched to each brother.

"An' wha' pray tell are these?" Douglas asked as he and Donald both apprehensively reached for a box.

"Your Christmas presents. I figured since I'm going on leave for the holidays soon, I was afraid I might not get the chance to give them to you before I go away. An as a bonus, I think they'll come in handy tonight. A win-win."

She smiled serenely as Donald and Douglas pulled out a charcoal black scarf apiece. From the looks of them, they had been crocheted by hand by Emily herself. The two were at a loss for words as they stared blankly at their articles.

"Well try them on at least. It's why I was late coming down. I had to finish wrapping them." Emily's hands fidgeted excitedly as each twin carefully wrapped their new accessories warmly around their necks.

The silence between them all was deafening as Emily began to feel self-conscious about the gifts. She gave a gentle cough before speaking again. This time a slightly less emboldened tone.

"So, I guess… shall we set off then."

Donald and Dougals looked at each other briefly before focusing their gazes on Emily. Douglas shoved his hands bruskly in his pockets as Donald rubbed some of the scarf fabric between his fingers.

"Thank yeh Emily."

"Thank yeh lassie"

The two felt their cheeks get hot as Emily beamed. What was she to do with these two.

"Well let's get a move on then. If we're any later, the dock yard crew will have left nothing for us to drink!"

Emily strode down the steps and threw her arms around the twin's necks as she goose stepped them toward the car park.

"And on the way you can think of ways to thank me for my incredible kindness." Emily smirked.

The twins shot looks to one another and grinned mischeiviously.

"They truly are fine pieces Emily."

"Although the stitchings a wee bit wonky here–"

"An' black is nae really my color–"

"An' I don' normally wear scarves–"

"An' my nan would say yehr technique is–"

"ALRIGHT ALRIGHT." Emily cut them off as the three laughed up the street.

"There is a Tavern in the Town, In the town!

And there my dear love sits him down, sits him down!

And drinks his wine mid-laughter free

And never never thinks of me!"

Thomas, Percy, and Rosie watched a redder than ever Edward sway on the piano bench as Toby kept beat slapping his hand on the instrument. Several others had gathered around the duo and chorused in as Edward's drunken state heeded every request made of him.

"I don't think I've ever seen Edward like this! Who knew he was such a party animal!"

Rosie was aghast as she watched unblinkingly from their table. Thomas and Percy laughed as they recalled their own experience with Edward.

"I forget you weren't hired yet when The Controller had his fiftieth."Thomas chuckled.

"Edward was in rare form for that party too. You know? For a man his age he's incredibly limber." Percy snorted.

Rosie recognized she was missing context for this inside joke, and tore her eyes from her mentor's antics to redirect the conversation.

"So what's the news on the branchline? I feel like it's rare I get to see either of you these days!"

Thomas scratched his chin as he nonchalantly tapped his fingers on the outside of his pint.

"I guess nothing really. Business as usual. Which, if I'm honest, I'm grateful for. Have you heard the insanity happening on the Little Western?"

Percy let out a mournful sigh as Rosie perked up.

"I haven't! What happened!? Working with Edward to get a handle on the Suddery line has left me all sorts of in the dark about the rest of the island!"

Rosie's eyes were wide as Thomas looked to Percy for assistance.

"You run freight up to Tidmouth Hault often enough Percy. Everything I know I've heard through you anyway if you want to fill her in."

Thomas took a draught from his mug as Percy felt his chest puff out at the chance to take the floor.

"Well from what I gather, Oliver and Duck have been the subject of harassment from several employees of that Bussing company that operates on Western Sodor. From delays to actively avoiding accidents… They're in the thick of a war nearly everyday! It's unbelievable!"

Percy then proceeded to recount what he'd heard from Duck about the protests and the jeering at the stations. When he made it to the near collision between Oliver and the double decker, Rosie was nearly on her feet, seething as she gripped the edges of the table. A reddish hue illuminating her face as the result of her multiple pints began to show.

Thomas delicately removed his mug from the table at the fear of it being flipped as Percy started on another story.

"Then, Oliver told me he saw the 'scruffy' guy–"

"On the platform which at this point isn't out of the ordinary." Thomas cut-in, "But The controller has been made aware of it and steps are being taken to ensure consequences are given to the bus depot."

Percy looked indignant at his thunder being stolen, but with a quick jerk of the head from Thomas, he noticed Rosie's reaction and shakily agreed.

"Yep that's right. Consequences will be dealt so everything is fine! Let's just enjoy the evening!" Percy nervously sipped from his own mug. Luckily a perfect distraction arrived.

"WELL WELL WELL! DONNIE WOULD YEH LOOK AT THIS SORRY LOT!"

The arrival of Emily and the Twins brought a new chorus of cheers and greetings from the patrons inside the Pub. In an off-shoot room from the main bar, Gordon and James looked over their shoulders from their game of darts to listen to the new arrivals.

"Sounds like trouble has arrived." Gordon frowned as James returned to aiming his next throw at the checkered target.

"If they want trouble I'll give them trouble." James hocked his dart cleanly into an out ring of the target, swearing at his unfortunate aim.

"Now now, a dignified approach is to simply keep distance. I shan't bother them and they'll best not bother with me."

James gave an annoyed sneer as Gordon sagely lobbed his dart just slightly off-center of the bullseye. An overconfident smirk stretched his visage as he strode to collect the projectiles.

"I do believe that's game little James. Shall we go again?"

James' hotheadedness wouldn't allow such a disgraceful defeat and he hastily snatched the red flagged darts from Gordon's outstretched palm.

The tinkle of Awdry's door swung open again to murmurs and loud conversation again as Gordon and James took no notice. Continuing their game as echos of the freshly served twins mixed with those already deep in their drinks.

"Say Gordon, I was wondering." James began as he had steadied himself and was now offering a fair match. "Have you heard anything more from Henry about his… request?"

Gordon looked sullen as he took his place in front of the dart board.

"Luckily no. And he'd be a damn fool to pursue it further. He's all but thrown away his career here as a driver. I'd be surprised if he has any leave time left after how long he's been off-duty chasing down this.. Fantasy of a restoration project."

Gordon hurled his dart vehemently as James whistled low. The point bouncing off the hard wood-paneled wall no-where near the target.

"You don't have to throw the game for me to win Gordon." James attempted to joke as Gordon ran a weary hand through his hair.

"I'll need another pint soon."

"Winner buys next round?"

"I'm not sure you can afford it." Gordon smirked as James reset back to being annoyed.

"If that's the case I'll play the winner next."

The voice caught both men off-guard as they turned toward their hightop behind them. A woman sat at one of the stools, a mug clenched in one hand and her head in her hand propped on its elbow. Her long blonde braid was pulled over her shoulder as she looked intensely at the two.

"You're both drivers for the North Western here on Sodor right? I'm sorry I couldn't help but overhear."

James cracked his neck and took a step toward the hightop, his arms splayed in display as he replied.

"Indeed we are. Of two large and important tender engines at that."

His cockiness emanated pungently as Gordon watched him in disgust.

"I must say, that's rather… impressive." The woman his her smirk behind her hand as she tried not to laugh. James, misreading the situation, took the compliment in stride.

"It is isn't it." He boasted. "Passenger work isn't easy, but someone has to do it."

James was now leaning on the hightop table, beer in mug swirled in his hand before he went to take a sip.

"Shame you never get any of that work then isn't it James." Gordon bullied. He couldn't help himself as James sputtered on his drink.

The woman gingerly offered a napkin as James coughed through his agitation. Gordon seizing the opportunity approached the table as well, picking up his own pint.

"And if I may, who are you?"

The woman smiled smartly. She held out her hand, soft skin reflecting the lamplight overhead.

"Margaret Holden, or if you'd like to consider yourself a friend, Molly. Just transferred from the Great Eastern as an engineer."

Gordon's eyebrows launched into his hairline as he caught her hand in his and shook.

"Gordon, It's a pleasure… Molly…Apologies, I don't mean to be rude, but I'm surprised…"

"Surprised at what?" Molly dared him with a determined look in her eyes. James, missing the subtext completely and having recovered from his coughing fit, interjected.

"That a lovely woman like you would be an engineer."

James grinned boastfully as Molly's eyes narrowed. She chose her next words carefully as her gaze trained on them both.

"The controller informed me there were plenty of women in the NWR's workforce, two of which I've just met… so why is me being one… surprising."

Gordon's experience prevailed here as he held his tongue. James unperturbed soldiered forward in the conversation.

"Well of course we do. There's loads on the railway. But looking at you… it doesn't seem like your type of work."

Molly brought her hands, clasped together, up under her chin as she closed her eyes briefly to take a deep breath. Gordon mentally was attempting to count how many drinks James had had up to this point and gauge the level of rescuing the poor man would need if the conversation were to continue. Molly spoke again in an extremely level voice.

"You mean that I'm not capable of doing such an involved line of work?"

"I believe what he means is–" Gordon inserted before James could rebuttal. "That most individuals who are, as he says, lovely like you, aren't normally seen doing such gritty work. It's not a question of integrity I assure you… Right James." Gordon rammed an elbow into James' ribs as the driver wretched a groaning, "right' in agreement.

Molly's expression softened as she looked at the two before her. Shaking her head to herself she stood and grabbed each of their mugs.

"Well how about I tell you how I got started over a round."

"A splendid idea." Gordon sighed as he felt the tension ebb away.

Toby, Edward, Donald, Douglas, and Emily bellowed a folk tune loudly from the piano at the corner of the bar. As Edward and Toby played the duet, Donald and Douglas, arms draped around each other's scarf swaddled necks, sang-off key harmonies to Emily's enthusiastic conducting. As Duck and Oliver walked across the threshold, Oliver couldn't stop himself from calling out, "AYE EMILY! I THOUGHT YOU WERE A DRIVER NOT A CONDUCTOR!"

The bar exploded in laughter as Emily launched a bar peanut toward her heckler. Duck caught it mid-air and popped it in his mouth as she laughed along too. Hanging up their coats, (including Toad's knit sweater), the Little Western gang trundled over to the beckoning of Thomas and Percy. Rosie had already risen from the table and bolted to the door, assaulting the two Great Westerners with questions fueled by Percy's recent retellings.

As the 5 tank engine drivers sat clustered around the table, Molly made her way into the main bar from the off-shoot game room, three steins in hand. Donald and Douglas having both caught eye of her, abandoned their makeshift band and traipsed to Molly, shouldering her on either side. Emily shook her head and smiled as Toby began playing something slightly more melancholy.

Edward, five sheets to the wind at this point, closed his eyes and swayed gently to the music as small hiccups began to escape him. Emily stood behind the man and put her hands on his shoulders as a precaution, smiling as she assisted the older gentleman with his rhythmic enjoyment of Toby's ballad.

The noise in the bar slowly began to wind down as eyes followed the sound and rested on the trio.

Gordon and James poked their heads in from the other room. Molly, who'd been fervently fending off the twin's advances, stopped and watched. Indicating to Donald and Douglas to do the same. Thomas and percy threw arms around each other's shoulders as they watched their older friend play from his heart. Rosie gave a soft, sad, sigh, provoking Thomas to throw an arm around her shoulders as well. The three contently drinking in the tune.

Duck, sat backwards in his chair with his prosthetic leg outstretched, checkled to himself. Toad who had been gnawing harmlessly at his false limb, had completely stopped to sit and watch the scene at the piano.

Toby's fingers expertly hit each key gently as he rocked to his soft melody. Edward had begun humming low with his eyes heavy and lidded. An unbreakable smile framing his wrinkles. He reached a hand up to cover one of Emily's that she had on his shoulder, She grinned at the touch and sighed.

The entire bar, a captive audience, as Toby's languished masterpiece began striking its final chords.

Rebecca sat in the parking lot of Knapford. The grills of her car uncomfortably close to the fencing that separated the tarmac of the lot from the ballast of the rails. She was inspecting herself in her overhead mirror, relishing the opportunity to get to dress-up for once. Her long blonde hair was held back by an orange hairband, allowing only her sweeping bangs to frame her face.

She smiled confidently and folded the mirror before opening her driver's side door. Stepping out into the crisp evening air was refreshing as she paused to look to the stars. Small bright specks scattered across the sky reflected ambitiously in her eyes. She took a deep breath, closing her eyes, as the serene atmosphere was broken by the mechanical whirring of a car motor approaching and entering the parking lot.

Turning to face the sound, Rebecca grinned into the blinding headlights, assured they had to belong to someone else from the railway. She put a hand over her brow in an attempt to see into the windshield and make out who the party was.

The lights remained on, the car continued to run as both doors opened and figured stepped out.

"Hello there! I apologize, but I can't see who you are!" Rebecca called out, taking a couple steps closer in an attempt to clear her vision of the headlight beams.

"Wouldn't make a difference if you could." Came a gruff voice.

Rebecca froze in her tracks as her brains jumped through hoops to make sense of the situation.

"Oh I'm sorry! I thought you were someone I knew! My fault!" She responded apologetically. She stiffly began walking back toward her car as the headlights dimmed out. The rapid change in her vision left her staggered momentarily as she backed into her car. She blinked frantically as she heard quickened footsteps getting closer.

Her heart raced as she grappled with her sight. In a frantic panic she called back out.

"I'm not looking for any trouble!"

A hardened grip caught her around the wrist.

"That's the thing about trouble innit. You don't gotta look for it."

Rebecca's breath caught in her chest as she flailed wildly. Her closed fist connected with something before she felt herself thrown and pinned, face down, bent over her car's trunk. Arms clasped behind her back, she heard a second voice moaning somewhere off to her right.

"She got me clean in the biters! Look, am I missin' a tooth?!"

"Not like you had many to begin with." The individual holding her chortled. "Besides I thought you liked 'em firey."

Rebecca struggled against her attacker's grasp as he forced her back down against the vehicle.

"And to think, we came to blow off steam by exchanging blows with a couple of those rattle-trap drivers. You're quite the alternative." The man holding her breathed.

Her skin crawled. She let out a shrieking cry before a hand found itself cupped to her mouth.

"And you won't be doing any of that if you know what's good for ya."

Rebecca's heart dropped as she tried to resist hyperventilating. The man holding her began pressing himself against her as she felt her body stiffen in fright.

"Oye quit hoggin' her." Came the voice of the second man. His heavy footsteps began to draw near when suddenly, through her heightened fear, she heard a third set of barreling footsteps come charging from her right.

A heavy 'thunk' as she heard someone thud to the ground.

"BLOODY HELL!"

Rebecca's eyes darted about as her retina began to adjust to the darkness. Senses heightened, she could swear she heard a fourth set of footsteps coming from the platform adjacent to them, when a familiar voice cried out.

"DON'T LET HIM GET UP!" Emily called as Rebecca heard her draw near.

There was another exchange of blows as Rebecca heard grunting behind her. She felt the grasp on arms and mouth disappear as her attacker fled to assist in the scuffle.

Rebecca flung herself off the car and stood at the ready as Emily leapt over the fencing along the platform and came to her side.

"Get 'Em Henry!" She cheered before pulling Rebecca by the shoulders to face her. "Are you okay? Where did they hurt you?"

But Rebecca was tongue tied as she cracked her head to watch the brawl. Shadows and outlines much clearer, she watched as Henry beat-down one of the men. His partner sprawled bedraggedly on the ground already.

"Now get out of here before I call the authorities." Henry barked.

The battered assailants limped defeatedly to their car and peeled out of the parking lot as soon as the key hit the ignition. Henry, Emily, and Rebecca watched them leave before he came to join the two women. Emily clapped her hands heartily.

"Oye! Is it ever good to see you big guy!"

Emily clapped him on the shoulder before redirecting her attention to Rebecca.

"Rebecca what happened?! Are you okay? I was out getting fresh air with Edward while–" The color drained from Emily's face as she sprinted back toward the platform.

"Be right back! Edward is more plastered than a modern home and I need to make sure he's okay! You got this Henry!?"

Henry and Rebecca both laughed as Emily scampered back toward the pub.

"Leave it to me!"

Henry's eyes found Rebecca's as the two stood in the crisp clear night.

Hello everyone. I'm back! I'm sorry for the long absence, but I had a lot I needed to take care of. On a personal note things are better than they've ever been and I can now finally rededicate my time to my hobbies again! Which means I can now execute the second half of this story lol. We're at the midway point of my outline and I'm wicked glad I finally got the chance to flesh out this chapter the way I wanted to =) Thanks for stickin' with me on this journey!

And above all else, thanks for reading! -REN