A/N The title refers to Thomas's number in my Thomasverse, originally, 105. His siblings were named in my other fic All But One, which is also in the main timeline.

The engine builders at Brighton had been building the E2 tank engines, but they were flawed. However, they were making some modifications to them, starting with 105. John, William, Mary, George and Frederick, the first batch. were short of water, so this new build would have extended side tanks. They worked on the tank engine, building and then painting until 105 was done.

"What shall we name this one?" a worker wondered.

"Thomas," someone else said.

Thomas showed signs of life, blinking his eyes, twitching his nose, opening his mouth and then breathing his first breath, now that he had a face. Pride twinkled in his eyes. The one who named him smiled and the newly named engine returned the smile, looking cheeky yet sweet. Then, the tank engine made a face showing he felt a need and his eyes moved, gesturing towards behind his smokebox door, but had no steam to speak.

"Are you thirsty? We can get you a drink and also some coal, so you can have steam," a worker said to Thomas, who sort of smiled. They took Thomas to the water column and then the coaling plant. The worker then lit Thomas's first fire and said, "Soon, you shall be in steam. It won't be very long, because of your size and it's not a cold day, little Thomas."

Thomas felt his steam pressure build, as time passed. He worked his mouth and said, "Thomas?" when he could speak. His vision was clear now, unlike before. He whistled and let off steam.

"You need a driver and fireman to move, so we shall take those roles", a worker said and gestured toward the worker beside him. "You can't move on your own, even though you can whistle and let off steam."

"I can ever lower my steam pressure," Thomas said.

"Only living engines, like you, can do that. Some other engines are faceless," a worker said, the acting driver.

Another worker said, "We've got to test you.", who was acting as fireman.

Thomas had his tests and they deemed him fit to work.

Thomas now had his first official permanent crew. He worked on the railway, shunting and sometimes pulling a train a short distance, but mostly a shunter. He was usually happy, but sometimes he felt other things, getting the saddest look on his face some. One thing that made him sad was someone being mean to him. Like the engine who said, "Thomas, you're a useless little tank engine. You're just a worthless waste of steam who can't pull miles-long trains, which I pull. Why do you even exist?" horrible things like that. He wanted to flee, but had to stay and work, then was very sad and asked his driver, "How come I've got leaky eyes?". WAAAAH! he cried, because he was a baby engine.

His driver told him, "You're crying, which can happen due to emotions. You've got the saddest look on your face", as he pulled out a cloth from his pocket. "This cloth is your handkerchief now, more or less. I shall dry your tears with it, starting now. Let it all out." He rubbed his engine's cheeks and wiped his weeping eyes, listening attentively to pick up on his values and cues of the moment.

The mean engine, still working in the area, said, "Cry-engine!"

Thomas tearfully spoke to his driver, "That other engine hurt my feelings. Why was that engine mean to me?" he sniffled. He cried more. WAAAAAAAAAAH! he went and allowed his driver's comfort.

He said, as he continued to wipe the tears away, "I just want to help you feel better. I, like you, feel things deeply. I'm not afraid of emotions, but I need to be able to use mine to understand others. You can cry to me without judgment, just care and compassion. Feel how you feel. Cry it out and feel better.". He pressed the cloth to his engine's eyes, letting him cry into and wiped all his tears away as best he could.

Mary gave her younger brother a buffer press.

Thomas cried and cried, sniffling until his emotions were spent. His driver dried his last tears away, wiping his cheeks and eyes dry of tears. His crew gave him a drink and he went back to work.

Thomas often worked with his older siblings. John was outgoing, a daredevil, charming and also cheeky, like his younger brother. William was a debater, charming, logical and cheeky. Mary was passionate, inspiring, idealistic and warm. George was quiet, curious, logical and cheeky. Frederick was quiet, practical, logical and cheeky. Through working and sleeping in the shed with them, he learned this about them and they learned who he was, friendly, spontaneous, sensitive and yet cheeky and cheerful. He puffed about the line, with a smile on his face, twinkling black eyes and cheer in his heart, whenever his situation was conducive.

One day, Thomas saw Frederick's driver rubbing his face with a sack and asked why.

Frederick said, "I got soot on my face and Driver had to wash it, so he's using the sack as a towel."

Thomas said, "Driver would take me to the washdown and dry me off with a soft, fluffy towel.

Frederick said, "Driver said, "This sack will serve as a towel."

One night, Thomas heard small sobs when he came to the shed and asked, "Who's sad?"

His older sister said, "I-I c-can't st-stop cr-crying t-tonight. J-Just a-a v-very s-sad d-day f-for m-me.", as her driver comforted her.

Thomas pressed his buffers tight against his sister's until she stopped and fell asleep.

And so it was.

A/N Respect my Thomasverse, those who review.