A/N Duck as a baby engine.

The factory was busy. A new Great Western tank engine was being built. The workers painted the new engine.

"His name is Montague," one of the workers said.

Montague blinked his eyes, twitched his nose, opened his mouth and breathed for the first time. He gave a quick smile, but then it faded. His eyes seemed to notice every detail and his expression showed internal focus. He seemed to be someone focused on reason over emotion and gave the impression he could be a perfectionist. He couldn't speak yet, because he had no steam. His eye gestures indicated he felt a need.

The worker who named Montague said, "We shall get you coal and water."

Montague's expression indicated he approved of that. They had a fellow engine shunt him to the coaling plant and water column. After being steamed for the first time, he said, "Montague.", but stumbled over the word.

Montague was tested and they deemed him fit to work. He was sent to the Great Western Railway and given a crew. He was all nicknamed Duck, because he was thought to waddle.

One day, Duck was frustrated by his speech problems and could no longer hold his tears in. He asked his driver, "Why are my eyes leaking?"

Duck's driver was on his engine's buffers. "Those are tears. You're crying, which happens when feelings are strong," he said as he softly dried his engine's tears with a cloth. He gently rubbed Duck's cheeks and wiped his wet eyes, looking at the facts and details, tuning into Duck's emotions and considering his needs.

Duck went on crying and sniffling, unable to control his emotions. His tears flowed freely and his driver offered comfort.

He said, as he continued to wipe the tears away, "Let it all out.", showing empathy and compassion and offering support. "I'm here for you, until you feel better.". He held the cloth to Duck's eyes, letting him cry into it.

Duck's tears slowed to a stop. His driver dried his engine's last tears away, wiping his cheeks and eyes dry of tears. He went back to the cab with the tear-soaked cloth. Duck smiled a bit, feeling better. His crew gave him a drink and he, with their help, got back to his work.

Duck worked on the Great Western Railway, getting older as the day passed and then one day, he wasn't a baby engine anymore.

A/N Baby engine just refers to age. The next chapter will be Duck working on the GWR, then traveling to Sodor.