The engine taking the train to Barrow was an LNWR Prince of Wales engine. Inside a first-class buffet car, a certain couple were eating rather aggressively.

"For crying out loud, you're people, not pigs!" somebody from another table complained.

"Sowwy," one of them said with food still in her mouth.

"Gross! What manners are you teaching to your son?" complained a lady.

"Screw manners, we're hungry!" Conan snapped, and he returned to eating.

Once the train arrived at Barrow, the couple exited for a few minutes, as a familiar engine entered to take them to Sodor.

"James?! What are you doing here?" Conan asked.

"Hullo there! Seems the Fat Director has given me another go," he answered. "I'm on express duties today. You know," he went on importantly, "it's about time he realised my true purpose as an express engine. My shiny red paint is the 8th wonder of the world!"

"Yes, of course," said Conan, not really sure what to make of James' attitude. James took no notice and took his position on the train. "All aboard! Get in quickly please!" he whistled.

As the couple returned to the train, Conan not only longed for home, but for his best friend.

As Thomas pulled into the station, one hour later, he was being berated by his driver for whatever reason.

"You stupid piece of scrap! Why the fuck can't you work as intended? Huh? Answer to me!"

"I miss Conan you jackass!" Thomas snapped,

"Well, I don't give a flying fuck! You're built for one thing, work! WHY CAN'T YOU DO IT RIGHT?!" The driver kicked Thomas.

"Ouch! That hurts!" The driver didn't care, and kept berating him.

"I'M GETTING PAID LESS BECAUSE OF YOU! I COULD BE WORKING THE EXPRESS SERVICE, BUT NO! I'M STUCK WITH YOU, PIECE OF SHITTY SCRAP!" and he kicked him again.

Conan had had enough by that point. He ran up to the driver and punched that driver in the face.

"Who the fuck do you think you are?!" he growled.

"The bugger stuck with this piece of shit! Who are you?!"

"His main driver, Conan, and his best friend. You harm Thomas one more time, you'll regret it."

"CONAN! YOU'RE BACK!" Thomas shouted with excitement.

"Yep! What happened while I was gone?"

"Today's the 15th of July, right? That means you were gone for a very long month," Thomas replied. "As you probably saw, James now takes the express on occasion. Gordon doesn't seem to mind, though I have suspicion he's planning something."

"Let's talk about that later, my friend. Care to take us home?" and the couple boarded the train, Jewelie having paid for the tickets.

Once at Ffarquhar, Thomas wanted to talk again, but Conan and Jewelie were already heading home. Spike did give Thomas a kiss, however, and Baby Stuart seemed happy to see him.

Their residence at Ffarquhar was built into the sheds, with a small siding leading to the side garden, for no apparent reason. Other than those oddities, it was a perfectly common two-story home, with an attic and basement.

After Jewelie laid her son down in his crib, she walked upstairs, intending to rest: her heels were killing her.

"God, I hate wearing these goddamn heels!" she complained. "They're so damn tight!"

"But you look hot." intervened Conan. "In fact, I'm willing to bet…"

"Not now, Conan," said Jewelie, kicking off her heels. "I need to rest right now. God, I miss the days when I was a cheerleader: I didn't need to wear heels then."

"Because you were more active back then. Imagine doing all your stunts wearing high heels." Conan's sarcasm only bothered Jewelie. "Come on, I'm only joking."

"There are things to joke about, and that wasn't one of them," said Jewelie.

"I wasn't joking when I said you look hot, however," continued Conan, laying down in bed next to her, "you are a beautiful woman, with long, slender hair, equally long and perfectly shaped legs, a strong will who doesn't care what society as a whole wants her to do, and best of all, you don't let anybody hurt us." He purred.

"Your whole body is perfect too: shapely, curvy in all places… I can't get enough of you and your perfect body."

As he spoke, he passed his left hand over her legs, feeling her up, until he grew bolder and put his hand up her skirt. She quickly grabbed his wrist.

"That's enough lover-boy," she said. "Right now, I'm too tired to do any funny business. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy when we do that, but we should take a break: we already have one child, we don't need another so soon."

"Fine. I admit, I'm tired myself. Wanna cuddle and go to sleep?"

Without waiting for an answer, Conan hugged her waist and fell asleep, eager to return to work the next morning.

Unknown to both, someone was watching them.

The next morning, at Tidmouth, Lily was getting ready for her first train of the day. Suddenly, she heard James screaming. Concerned, she steamed alongside him. His face was covered in ash.

"You ok, James? What happened?" she asked.

"I tried asking a visiting female engine on a date and she blew ash all over me!" James answered crossly. Lily's concern became annoyance.

"You really gotta stop flirting with every female engine you see," she said. "You're coming off as a nuisance."

"I can't help it, I'm a male!" James insisted.

"Oh," said Lily innocently, "that's why you once needed bootlaces: because you're a male!"

James wheeshed steam angrily and steamed off.

"Damn her! Damn her tender, her beautiful black paint… What am I saying?! ARGH!" He ended up bumping some coaches.

"Careful!" they called.

"DON'T LECTURE ME WHEN I'M ANGRY!" James snapped.

"Someone's in love! James loves Lily!" teased a truck, and the others giggled.

"Don't you start your shit with me!" shouted James. He steamed off to the harbour to collect a goods train. The Fat Director had seen this all from his office and grew concerned. He decided to talk to James before he departed, so he went down to the Harbour.

"Everything ok, James?" he asked.

"Not at all, sir. Everybody seems to think I'm crushing on Lily. Why would I have feelings for that bully?"

"That, James, is something you have to ask yourself. Though I will tell you this: Lily has changed considerably since you first met her. True, she still has a tendency to be painfully honest, but she does mean well and will help you if you need it. Don't judge her by who she was in the past: focus on who she is now."

James wasn't convinced, as he remembered those days well. His life on the Lancashire and Yorkshire railway hadn't been a happy one.

Prior to getting his experimental rebuild, he had been treated rather fairly, if completely shy, not really making any effort to fit in with other engines, with express engines lording over him how superior they were. Once he got his pony truck, however, many of the engines started to taunt and torment him over it.

The red engine was interrupted from his thoughts as an alarm rang out. The harbourmaster came running up.

"Henry's tipped over in the yards," he said. "We need James to help assist with rerailing him!"

The Fat Director climbed into his cab and James sped off.

When he arrived, he was most surprised to see Henry on his side while his tender stayed upright. Lily was there with a crane.

"Henry, what the hell happened here?" asked James.

"I don't know," Henry said. "One minute, I was just standing here waiting for my tender to be filled with coal, the next, I found myself rolling onto my side with no explanation. I'm all confused and dizzy."

The process involved James pulling on him to get Henry back in his wheels, Lily held him with the crane, while James collected a flatbed. Once the Breakdown Train arrived, Judy and Jerome lifted Henry onto the flatbed. He was then shunted into the shed for an inspection.

"Will Henry be ok?" Lily asked.

"He doesn't look too badly damaged," said the Fat Director, "but we won't know for sure until we get an inspection. Speaking of which, I have to go. Thomas is getting a new boiler and I'm needed at A. W. DRY Shipyard."

And with that, the Fat Director left.

"So, you helped Henry without any outside prodding?" James asked.

"Yes, I did," Lily confirmed.

"Well, I don't know if I'm ready to trust you just yet," James said. "I'll be watching you. I'll decide for myself if you're a changed engine or not."

"Alright, fair enough," said Lily.

Meanwhile at A. W. DRY and Co, Thomas was getting nervous. Very.

"Will I be the same?" he asked.

"Of course you will, your personality won't change," the Fat Director reassured him. "All that will change is your performance: your brakes will be stronger, your boiler will be more efficient, etc. Before long, you'll be able to steam to your full capacity, and shouldn't have anymore problems with rough-riding."

"Thank you sir," said Thomas.

Later on, Conan and Jewelie came by to see him. Conan would stay near, as the green water would also affect him.

"Ready, big boy?" asked Conan.

"Ready as I'll ever be, what about you?" Thomas asked.

"I'm a little nervous," Conan admitted, "but looking forward to seeing your improved performance."

The man in charge of the rebuilding brought a gallon of green water, signifying it was time.

"Alright. Administer the green water," he ordered.

As it was pumped inside Thomas, the effects took place in both. Both ended up falling asleep, and would find themselves each in a rather bizarre dream. That, however, is another story.