Rusty is a little diesel engine who works with the Narrow Gauge Engines at the Blue Mountain Quarry. Anyone who knows Rusty would tell you that he doesn't mind what work he does. He takes great pride in his role as the Maintenance engine of the Skarloey Railway, and it shows as the line is always kept in pristine condition.
But there was one aspect of maintenance work that Rusty couldn't stand in the least. Part of it involving a certain engine, and the other part involving a certain train. A few years before the Great Little Railway Show at Ulfstead Castle, the Skarloey Railway had built a Hunslet Diesel with charcoal-black paint named Fred, a secondary diesel to Rusty. Fred had an air whistle instead of a horn and was used exclusively for maintenance, engineering and shunting work. Fred wasn't a particularly rude engine, but very much like Dennis once was, he was insatiably lazy and usually only did the bare minimum of his work, ever-so often feigning that he was ill and finding whatever excuse he could to stay in his shed and get his sleep, much to the frustration and great irritation of the other engines who would have to do the work instead whenever there wasn't enough time for Fred to be properly examined.
Once a year, Rusty or Fred had to take the weedkiller train; the very train Rusty despised above all else. This train had a flatbed with a large tank on it, with a pipe hanging across the line behind the truck's buffers, and when the man in charge turned the tap, weedkiller would spray onto the track through holes in the pipe to prevent any weeds from growing. Mr. Ivo Hugh, the foreman and Chief Mechanical Engineer of the Skarloey Railway, was usually the one who operated the tanker. Whenever this train needed to make its journey, Fred was most often asked to pull it, but he would always say that his engine wasn't feeling well, and so Rusty was forced to take the weedkiller, with ever-so great discontent and frustration. Even though the weedkiller train was only used once a year, it was way too often for Rusty, and as much as he knew it was an important job, he adamantly hated how slowly he had to go, because otherwise the weedkiller wouldn't spread properly, and he always got hot and uncomfortable with the insufferably long and tedious journey.
Mr. Hugh and the Thin Controller were well aware of Rusty's disdain for this job, but because the weedkilling tanker was flammable, Rusty and Fred were the safest engines to manage it, so if Fred couldn't take it, then Rusty had no choice. This year, however, things would turn out quite differently, for Rusty, Fred and even Millie. As the matters currently stood, this weedkiller business would play into yet another rare occasion between Millie and Luke, the love of her life who was almost always too far away to visit her…until the next visit would come to be.
It was the very night before Thomas and the Fat Controller would be off to meet the Queen in London. The Royal Letter had been received and read to the whole Steam Team, and Thomas and the Fat Controller were due for an early start the next morning. At Tidmouth Sheds, after most of the engines were asleep, Thomas and Emily were talking together about the preparations and wondering how it would all turn out. While Thomas was naturally nervous with everything having needed to be done, Emily was able to reassure him for the night.
"Well, whatever happens, I know it will work out in the end, Thomas," she said. "I'll even accompany you tomorrow morning while you get ready before my work starts. For now, you need your rest for tomorrow."
Thomas nodded and smiled as he kissed her cheek. "Of course, Emily. Being fully rested is the first step. Thank you, my lovely angel."
"Any time, Thomas, my wonderful star," Emily whispered as she kissed his cheek then returned into her berth. "Sleep well now, Tommy."
"You sleep well too, Em," Thomas whispered as he too fell asleep, feeling a little unsure, but proud just the same.
Meanwhile, at Ulfstead Castle, the moon was beaming brightly, casting its light in and about the castle grounds. Stephen and Glynn were already asleep, and Millie was just about to head back to her shed for the night. All three of the engines here, like everyone else on Sodor, had heard all about Thomas and the Fat Controller's upcoming trip to London the next day, and they of course were most astonished and proud to hear the news. Just as Millie was about to return to her shed, she saw the Earl coming along.
"Evening, Millie," said Sir Robert. "A quick word, please?"
"Oui, sir," said Millie. "What's the word?"
"I wanted to see you briefly about tomorrow's share of work for you," said Sir Robert. "You'll be out early tomorrow morning."
"Will I, now?" said Millie. "Quite like Thomas and Sir Topham's early start. What shall I be doing, sir?"
"You must be ready at 5:00, Millie," said Sir Robert. "Because I need you to take the line all the way to the Wharf to collect a new motor for the castle's turntable. This one has served us well for many, many years, and now the time has come for a new one."
Millie took note to what she had heard. Ulfstead Castle was the farthest west location that the Skarloey Railway ran to, and the Wharf was the farthest eastern location it ran to in the other direction. Effectively, Millie would have to travel across almost the entire railway and back again for this trip. After a moment, she gave a nod.
"Oui, Sir Robert. I shall be ready," she replied. "A very long run to stretch my little wheels would do quite nicely, I think."
"Very good, then," said Sir Robert. "You sleep well now, Millie."
"Merci, sir. You too," Millie nodded.
With that, Sir Robert made ready to call it a night. Millie proceeded to the sheds and settled in between Glynn and Stephen, thinking a little to herself.
"Hmm…" she hummed lowly. "All the way to the Wharf and back. Who knows if I'll see my beloved little tree again? I really miss you, Luke. As you do just the same…I really would love to see you again…"
Soon afterwards, Millie huddled in and fell asleep, wondering how Thomas and the Fat Controller would fare on their trip to London to see the Queen, and how the next day would turn out for her.
Far out in the Blue Mountain Quarry, most the small engines were asleep in their sheds too. Skarloey, Rheneas, Peter Sam, Sir Handel, Duke and Duncan. The only other engine still awake was Luke, sitting quietly in the open and looking out into the night. It had been yet another long while since he and Millie had any time together, the last time being just before the World of Tomorrow Parade was put together with Ruth's newfound arrival on Sodor. Once again, Luke found himself in a longing state to see his lovely bluebell again. The pattern they both knew all too well, being that their visits together depended solely on their own schedules leaving enough open time for one of them to visit the other.
"Oh, Millie," he said longingly. "The pattern is as consistently distant as it always is…but never will I walk away from our bond together."
After a few moments, Luke felt tired enough to return to his shed, and so he fell asleep too, wondering if and when he and Millie would meet up next, and as it would turn out, their chance to do so would come much sooner than either of them thought, and in a way neither of them would have ever suspected.
Meanwhile at the Dieselworks, while all the other diesels were asleep, there was one unexpected guest sitting by himself. Rusty stood quietly in the corner in inoperable condition. He had been dealt some engine trouble a short while ago and had to be sent for repairs. Rusty was quite sure it was due to all the extra work he had been dealt lately, no thanks to Fred's continuous feigning illness and laziness. But despite not being able to work, Rusty secretly felt a great sense of relief and immense satisfaction…as it meant he would not be taking the weedkiller train this year, at long last. As such, he could only wonder how it would all go with Fred having to manage it for a much-needed change.
"Well…at long last, I'm able to be given a year free of that slugging train," he said to himself. "It really is on Fred this year. Finally he might see what really useful truly means."
And then Rusty went to sleep as well, wondering what the next day would bring for Fred and the weedkiller…
Early the next morning at Ulfstead Castle, shortly before 5:00 a.m. Millie woke up with a yawn, then steadily felt everything come to her. Since hearing the news the day before, she was sure Thomas and the Fat Controller would be waking up soon and making ready for their trip to London, then she remembered her own big outing today. At that moment, her driver and fireman came along and soon had her ready for the day. The driver opened the regulator, then Millie set off on her way out of the castle and across the railway.
"On our way, then," she said to herself. "All the way to the Wharf, then back with a new motor for our turntable."
As everything stood at the moment, Millie was sure that today would be another straightforward day's work. But unfortunately for her, she wasn't at all aware that this was the very time of year when Rusty or Fred had to take the weedkilling train, and she didn't yet know of what was about to befall her, concerning this very train.
At the Blue Mountain Quarry, the other engines were waking up and starting their own day's work, when the Thin Controller came by to see Luke.
"Good morning, Luke," he greeted. "Ready to start your day?"
"Yes, sir," said Luke. "What shall I be doing?"
"First, throughout this morning, you'll be shunting trucks about the quarry," said the Thin Controller. "Then around noon, I need you to collect loads of slate from the incline, then bring it to Glennock Station."
"Yes, sir," Luke replied. "I can only wonder if I'll be seeing Millie again during the journey."
"Maybe, maybe not," said the Thin Controller. "I hear she's heading for the Wharf to collect a new turntable motor for Ulfstead Castle. As for the two of you finding time together, well, we'll just have to wait for the best time for both of you."
"I know, sir," Luke nodded as he set off to start his work.
As the sun continued to rise through the morning, at Crovan's Gate Station, Fred was snoozing away in his shed, lazy as he always had been as he felt such relaxation and blissful sleep through the night, until he felt the sunlight beaming down and opened his eyes. It was in that moment that he suddenly remembered. Today was the day the weedkiller train had to go on its way, which filled Fred with a very heavy sense of displeasure. As he had put on each and every year, Fred had no interest whatsoever in taking this train again and already had it worked out whenever his crew would come along, and so he shut his eyes again and continued to snooze.
"Ohh, it's such a long, slow, dreary, wearisome, boring and tiresome way," he mumbled to himself. "Certainly not what I ought to be doing…"
Just a few minutes later, Mr. Hugh and Fred's driver came along and approached the shed. Fred heard the footsteps and opened his eyes. When he saw who was coming, he already knew this would be about and tried to look poorly.
"Come along, Fred," said Mr. Hugh. "The day has come this year, and it's time we made ready for the weedkiller train's journey."
As he had done every time before, Fred tried the very same feign again.
"Oh…uhh…oh, dear," he said, pretending to sound poorly. "Ohh, my engine doesn't feel well again. You'd better find Rusty so he can take-"
"No excuses, thank you, Fred," Mr. Hugh cut in sternly. "As of only yesterday, Rusty has been sent to the Dieselworks to have his engine repaired, since unlike you, he has been working himself down to the ground lately, doing all of YOUR work as well as his own."
"But, but-"
"It's high time you start doing the jobs you're asked to do!" his driver added firmly. "The time is set, and that's that. YOU are taking the weedkiller this year, Fred!"
Fred was most unhappy indeed. "Ohh…! But Mr. Hugh! WHY can't you use your 'Flying Bedstead,' instead?"
Mr. Hugh raised his eyebrow unimpressively, knowing Fred was referring to Mark, a trolley affectionately known as Ivo's Flying Bedstead.
"Because, Fred, Mark is still being rebuilt," he said irritably. "And YOU are the only other engine who can safely pull the weedkiller. So there's really nothing else for it. Besides, this will surely show you the meaning of actual hard work for a change."
Clearly left with no choice, Fred drew a deep breath and groaned dreadfully as his driver got in and his engine roared to life. With nothing but hesitation and utter reluctance all gripping his engine, Fred proceeded down the line to collect the weedkilling tanker, feeling nothing but pending dread swelling inside him.
In a siding just outside the station, Fred found the flatbed holding the weedkiller tanker. A large, stout tanker it was, and rather heavy indeed. Mr. Hugh got on the flatbed, made ready with the sprayer, and was now ready for the long but important journey himself. The guard's whistle blew, then Fred then began the very slow, monotonous procedure. He was moving so, so slowly, it wasn't even the slowest walking pace for a person. This of course made Fred complain all the more only ten minutes into the trip.
"Ohh! Everyone always makes so much fuss over some silly little weeds while I should be getting my much needed beauty sleep!"
"Oh, yes, of course," Mr. Hugh remarked sarcastically. "You can't miss out on your beauty sleep, when all the work you're told to do is wasted upon others."
And so the weedkiller's journey continued, very, very slowly.
By this time, Millie was well on her way across the line, now approaching the Elephant Park. Up to now, she was still right on schedule to collect the new motor and bring it back to Ulfstead Castle. She hadn't seen Luke yet and found herself thinking about him again.
"Hmm…it's been yet another long period since I've had any time with my dear little gentleman. Perhaps he and I could find a time for each other again…"
"First things first, Millie," said her driver. "We have a motor to pick up and bring back to the castle. You and Luke having time together requires very precise timing on your part and his as well. We'll just have to wait and see when the next time for both of you can be arranged."
Millie sighed and carried on, knowing too well that with her and Luke being so far apart, them being together was indeed a very selective matter. Then suddenly, after about twenty minutes went by, Millie felt as though her wheels were getting tighter, feeling clustered and tangled by something, and causing her to slow down. Millie tried to keep going, but her wheels felt tighter and tighter until she ground to a complete halt.
"Ohh! What's happening here?" she remarked.
She tried to set off again, working her engine harder and harder, but her wheels only spun helplessly. The more she tried, the more tangled and caught up her wheels seemed to feel. Try however she might, Millie could not move another inch. Finally, she stopped spinning her wheels.
"Ohh! Sacre bleu, what EVER is that?!" she huffed irritably.
Her driver and fireman climbed down and looked, then saw just what was going on.
"Oh, bother!" said her driver. "These rails are bush-covered in weeds, Millie! They've gotten all caught up in your wheels."
"Weeds? All caught up in my wheels?" Millie exclaimed. "Oh, no!"
"We'll have to pick them out by hand," said her fireman. "Which may take quite some time."
And so they did. Driver and fireman crouched down and worked hard to pluck out the weeds that were tangled in Millie's wheels and growing right beneath her along the tracks. Millie didn't like having to wait, not wanting to run late. But she had to wait if she had any chance to keep going. Minute after minute ticked by, and she felt more and more wanting to get going again. At last, after nearly half an hour of meticulous and tedious plucking, Millie's wheels were free, but now she was running late.
"Half an hour wasted, all for some silly little weeds!" Millie exclaimed.
"I know, Millie," said her driver. "Though, I should think the weedkiller train should be on the move today."
"I just hope these are the only weeds we have to put up with," said the fireman.
Millie hoped so too as they set off again, now hurrying to make up for what time they had lost. They carried on along the line, passing through Lakeside and Rheneas Station with no problems thus far. But then, shortly before they reached Rheneas Viaduct, where Duncan had stopped and refused to move another yard, Millie suddenly felt it happen again. As she came round the bend and saw the viaduct up ahead, she felt her wheels getting tangled and tightened yet again, causing her to struggle and slow down. Her driver stopped her, then looked down and saw the very same problem.
"Ohh! Not again!" Millie huffed then sighed. "This is not ideal."
"Come on, mate," her driver said to the fireman. "More plucking."
And so Millie's crew had to step down and waste more time freeing her again. Some of the weeds were quite stubborn and needed plenty of meticulous tugging to get them out of the ground and out of Millie's wheels. Another twenty minutes later, Millie's wheels were cleared again, but with the delay she had been dealt so far, she was starting to feel a little hasty as she set off again quite quickly.
"What's going on here?!" she complained. "That weedkiller train should have been here much earlier, then I wouldn't have had to be running late!"
"Well, Rusty is under repair, so I hear, Millie," said her driver. "That would mean that perhaps Fred will be bringing it…I should hope."
Now Millie and Fred hadn't met ever before, so Millie only sighed and continued on her way, now feeling a little irritated with the schedule now being squeezed. Soon they reached the junction where one line went along Cattle Creep, and the other went through the tunnel for the standard and narrow gauge railways along the Great Waterton Branch Line, before both lines rejoined at the Sodor Castle causeway. Millie looked at both lines, as did her driver, both considering the circumstances.
"Hmm…" said her driver. "I don't fancy us getting caught by any weeds inside the tunnel."
"Perhaps we should take Cattle Creep," said her fireman.
"I quite agree," Millie piped in.
And so they took the track that went along Cattle Creep. Shortly afterwards, they came to the causeway that ran over the lake. Millie went right across the causeway and up the other bend. Thankfully, there were no further weeds along this stretch of line, so Millie was able to keep going without getting stuck. At last she began to feel better, figuring these troubles were over, but as Sudrian Karma would most cruelly have it, as they neared Glennock Station, she looked ahead and there was yet another large cluster of those unwelcome plants growing on the line.
"Goodness sakes! MORE weeds?!" she huffed. "I'm not getting tangled up again!"
With that, Millie slammed on her brakes and came to a very sharp halt just before her wheels could get caught up again. Now Millie was losing patience and running very late as her crew climbed down to pluck the lines yet again. It took another long time to get all the weeds, and Millie was not at all pleased with the holdup. Then at that moment, just as her crew returned to her cab, a very bored, lazy and annoyed Fred crawled into the station from the other direction at a snail's pace with the weedkiller train. Mr. Hugh was still standing on the flatbed, keeping the hose spraying at its slow yet steady pace for the weedkiller to spread properly. As the two engines hadn't met before, Millie took one look at Fred, sensing right away that he was not a very hardworking engine at all, and was clearly in no hurry.
"Well. I trust you're Fred, are you not?" Millie asked blankly.
"Yes, I am," Fred replied just as blankly. "And who might you be?"
"Millie. One of Sir Robert's engines from Ulfstead Castle," she replied. "And I see you've got the weedkiller train."
"Exactly. Ohh, bother! This isn't fair!" Fred complained. "A snail could do this job much faster than I am!"
"Well. You're clearly in no hurry," Millie stated irritably. "All when I could have used some of that weedkiller all morning! I have to be at the Wharf, and I've been delayed and tangled up twice now, no thanks to those weeds!"
Fred snorted indignantly.
"Huh! It's not like I wanted to be in this position in the first place!" he sniffed. "Nor is it my fault that YOU can't handle some silly little weeds – ma'am!"
Millie gaped and scoffed to Fred's impudent nerve as Mr. Hugh spoke sternly to the lazy diesel.
"Fred! I am NOT having ANY of your snippy antics here right now! I apologize, Millie, for any trouble you might have had with the weeds, but Fred can't go any faster, or else the weedkiller wouldn't spread properly."
"So I see," said Millie. "Though with all the trouble I've been dealt thus far, I'll be very late!"
While Fred continued his snail pace with the weedkiller train, Millie puffed away as fast as she could, trying to make up for what lost time she could. She was still fuming crossly over what Fred said to her when she had an important load to collect for the Earl.
"That Fred! Of all the nerve and cheek!" she hissed. "AND when I'm winding up late!"
"Never mind him, Millie," said her driver. "I hear he never works hard and is rather lazy. I only hope with Rusty under repair, taking that tanker will teach him a damn good lesson."
"I wonder if it will," Millie said, mostly to herself as she carried on her way.
By this time, Luke had done most of his work at the Blue Mountain Quarry, having shunted several trucks into their proper sidings while the other engines kept on with their work. Now Luke was ready to collect his trucks full of slate and be on his way. His trucks were soon loaded, then he set off for Glennock Station.
"Will she be out there somewhere, I wonder?" Luke thought to himself. "Such a gift it would be to see your lovely face, my lovely bluebell…"
At this very moment, Millie had arrived at the next Depot, and saw the signal was red, to which she had to stop. But when she applied her brakes this, something didn't feel right. Her brakes seemed to take a few seconds longer than usual to properly clamp on and slow her down. Her driver looked closely at the gauges and her brake lever and wondered.
"Hmm…that seemed strange," he said lowly.
Millie noticed it too, but then looked ahead and saw Duke waiting nearby to bring his passengers to Ulfstead Castle.
"Where have you been, Millie?" he asked. "You should have been at the Wharf ages ago. His Grace is waiting for the new turntable motor."
"Blame it on weeds upon weeds, Duke," said Millie. "Every blink of my eye, there's been more and more tangling up in my wheels and slowing me down."
It was then that Millie's driver suddenly looked down at her wheels and noticed.
"I should have known, Millie," he said. "All those weeds could be affecting your brakes…as to why it took longer than usual for you to stop."
"That they could be. I saw how you stopped just now," Duke added. "Them weeds are bound to put a wedge in any engines' brakes. You should never let your brakes go unchecked, Millie. It would never suit His Grace."
Millie knew Duke had a valid point concerning brakes in need of attention, but she was now far too impatient to waste anymore time than she already had.
"No time for that, Duke! I've been held up too badly as it is, no thanks to Fred being so lazy! I have an important delivery to make that MUST NOT be late!"
The signal dropped to green, and before Duke could say more, Millie started up and raced down the line.
"Impudent conduct. She'll be in trouble soon," Duke said to himself as he set off again.
Finally, after a long and tedious journey on account of all the weeds, Millie arrived at the Wharf. By now, she was in need of a long drink and more coal for the journey home, and sure enough, she looked ahead and saw a flatbed loaded with the new turntable motor.
"At last! There it is!" she exclaimed gratefully.
But as Millie applied her brakes again, it took a bit longer than before for her to stop. Even with the brake handle turned all the way, Millie took about six seconds longer before she came to a full stop. Now her driver was actively concerned.
"Oh…this is not good at all, Millie," he said. "Perhaps our sharp stop at Glennock affected your brakes, as well as all those weeds."
"Perhaps we should go to the Steamworks, before something might happen," said her fireman.
"Ohh! No time to fuss any further! I've already been delayed too many times for too long," said Millie. "I insist we get this job done and over with! I only hope to give that Fred a piece of my mind when I run into him again!"
With that, Millie collected the turntable motor, then headed for the nearest coal chute and water tower for the journey back to Ulfstead. Soon she was resupplied on coal and water, and so she set off again on her way back to the castle with the new motor.
As Millie left the Wharf behind and started on her way back, she finally felt a sense that things would go much more smoothly now that the weedkiller had been sprayed. But alas, the troubles were still not over for the day. After about ten minutes into the return journey, Millie suddenly felt her wheels slipping every few yards, yet she couldn't see any weeds hindering her way.
"What? Too much today! What could it be now?!" she huffed irritably.
Her driver suddenly remembered and sighed. "It's that weedkiller. It must have made the line slippery."
Millie suddenly remembered Fred and the weedkiller and now felt even more irritated than before.
"Ohh…why? Why?" she exclaimed, clearly frustrated. "First the weeds delay me most unprofessionally, now the weedkiller, the very thing to get rid of those weeds, makes me slip and slide about!"
Not wishing for much more fuss, Millie's driver opened her sanding gear so that her wheels could get some grip. Millie struggled onwards and forwards, trying desperately to make up for lost time, all while her wheels continued to slip once or twice due to the weedkiller on the line. But by the time she passed through Bluebell Valley, the rails were still slippery, and by then, she had used up a lot of sand, to which her wheels were slipping frequently yet again. As they approached Glennock again, her driver looked out from her cab.
"Today has really been a rough one, Millie. And these slippery tracks are causing us more trouble still. I insist that we stop and try filling you with more sand."
Millie only sighed, too impatient and irritated to respond. But in that moment, when her driver pulled the brake handle to slow Millie down to a stop…they did not work. Millie noticed this and felt her heart skip a beat. Her driver worked the lever again, and still her brakes did not come on. Panicked, he worked the lever a few times in a row, but it was no use. At last, all the weeds and sudden stops had taken their toll on Millie's brakes. They were now completely inoperable, and she couldn't stop!
"Uh-oh! Millie! Your brakes are gone!" her driver called out. "There's no stopping now!"
Millie looked back, no longer feeling impatient and irritated. Now she was very frightened.
"Oh, no! WHY didn't I have them checked?! Oh, no!" she wailed.
Her driver reduced steam, but the slippery rails did it no good. Millie was still going too fast as she then completely ran out of sand. Now she began to truly race along the line, with her wheels slipping right along with her.
"Hold on tight, mate!" the driver said to the fireman. "It's going to be a bumpy landing!"
All Millie could do was slide along at increasing speed and cry out in fear, bracing for whatever accident would befall her.
"Oh, nooo! Aaahh!" she cried out.
Meanwhile at the causeway, Fred and Mr. Hugh were still running over the line with the weedkiller. On the other side, Luke was standing by with his slate trucks, waiting for Fred to pass through since the causeway was only a single track. Fred was still moaning dreadfully over the long, slow journey he had to make today without Rusty to do it.
"Ohh. Ohh! This isn't fair! Not fair at all!" he moaned. "My motor is aching something bad, and my wheels are ever-so heavy no thanks to this silly slow tanker! I only want to be back in my shed and keep up with my sleep!"
"Well, I can tell you what I want right now, Fred!" Mr. Hugh snapped irritably. "I want you to step up to the plate and be a grown-up engine!"
Fred suddenly looked back with a frown. But before he could argue back, there suddenly came an alarming whistle from behind, which Luke recognized all too well as Millie's whistle. After wondering if and when he would see her next, he suddenly felt a very cold flash in his boiler. If his lovely bluebell was in danger…
"Oh, no…oh, no," he began to tremble. "I've got a bad feeling about this."
Then suddenly, to all their horror, when Luke looked ahead, there was Millie, hurtling along the slippery line, and onto the causeway, directly behind Fred, with no sign of stopping!
"Oh, no!" Luke cried. "Millie! MILLIE!"
Badly frightened, Millie heard Luke's cries and saw him on the other side of the causeway. But much closer to her, she could see Fred and the weedkiller tanker as she closed in fast and most alarmingly.
"Oh, nooo!" she wailed again and shut her eyes. "Aaahh!"
In that instant, Millie's driver and fireman, and Mr. Hugh all jumped clear into the lake with a splash. Fred looked back and tried quickly to speed up.
"No!" he cried. "No, no, no!"
But it was too late. Having lost all control of her speed, Millie crashed straight into the weedkiller tanker. It flew off the flatbed, and with it went Millie, straight into the lake with another loud splash! Luckily, Fred stayed on the rails, and no one was hurt. But poor Millie was sunk, now submerged up to her face in water and the damaged tanker had sprung a leak, seeping weedkiller into the lake. Fortunately, the turntable motor was still on land and undamaged.
In the moments that followed where he stood, Luke stared in utter disbelief, shock and horror by what had just happened to his lovely bluebell. Never in all the distant occasions they had shared together, did he ever comprehend seeing something like this happen to her. With his heart now slamming most painfully in his boiler, he uncoupled from his slate and rushed like a dart onto the causeway to check her more closely. Fred backed up a few yards, buffered into the turntable motor's flatbed and backed off the causeway, seeing the genuine panic and fear in Luke's eyes.
"Millie! Millie! MILLIE!" Luke cried out. "My sweet bluebell! Are you alright?!"
"Oh! Oh, Luke, please don't be frightened!" Millie called back. "I'm okay. More silly and wet than hurt...oh, no! This never would have happened if I hadn't been so impatient. My brakes gave out no thanks to all those weeds…and I didn't even think to have them checked at the Steamworks! Ohh, I've been a truly silly and impatient engine!"
At that moment, her driver came wading through the water, absolutely soaked.
"Well, Millie," he said grimly. "You wanted to give Fred a piece of your mind when you ran into him again, and you've certainly run into him again, quite clear for all of us to see."
Millie couldn't answer to this. She felt foolish, and very wet. At that moment, Mr. Hugh climbed out of the lake, fully soaked himself, and very cross with what had just happened.
"An utter calamity!" he barked. "Luke, head back to the nearest signalbox and raise the alarm. Your bluebell needs your help."
Luke nodded at once and dashed off with all haste to find help, while Millie continued to sit in her waterbed, slowly feeling cold and stiff. Before long, Luke rushed back with Mighty Mac, a strong chain and workmen to lift Millie out again. Mighty Mac's chain was hooked to Millie, then with much effort and careful precision, they managed to haul Millie out of the lake, after which, the workmen worked hard and carefully to lever her back onto the line, with water pouring out from her cab and beneath her wheels until she was dripping all over. Luke felt slightly better to see she was back on the rails. But Millie wasn't happy at all now. She looked most miserable and ashamed as Luke pressed his face to hers.
"Ohh, Millie! You're so cold and wet!" he said most worriedly. "Please, let me take you to the Steamworks! I'm not bringing my slate any further until you get my help!"
"M-m-Merci beaucoup, L-Luke," Millie shivered slightly. "I really should have gone earlier…then you never would have needed to see this happen to me…"
"Oh, Millie. I was so afraid when I saw you coming like that," Luke whispered. "All I want right now is to get you to the Steamworks as fast as my wheels will let me."
"You go ahead and do that, Luke," said Mighty.
"We'll take the turntable motor to Ulfstead Castle," added Mac.
And so they did. Luke set off on his way, shunting Millie along the line, while Mighty Mac collected the turntable motor and set off for Ulfstead Castle. The weedkiller tanker, however, was still leaking badly into the lake.
"Oh, dear," Mr. Hugh said strongly. "Goodness knows what Sir Robert and Mr. Percival will say about this!"
"Uhh…y-yeah," Fred put in as he slowly started to leave. "I-I'll just be…"
"Ah-ah-ah! Stop RIGHT there, young diesel!" Mr. Hugh spoke out. "I'm not finished with YOU yet! YOU are helping us fish this tanker out of the lake, and stop all the leaking!"
Fred could see he wouldn't be able to slip away from this one. His driver fastened another chain to his coupling, then hooked the other end to the weedkiller tanker. With much straining and a little wheel-slip, Fred heaved and hauled to get the tanker out of the water. It was heavy and hard to move the tanker even a little bit, but at last, with the workmen hauling however they could, Fred fished the tanker out of the water, which was now badly dented, and had quite a stubborn hole punctured in its side. The workmen levered the tanker back onto the flatbed, then Fred set off on his way to the Steamworks as well to have the tanker repaired. He now felt very bad for Millie, and himself as well. He had a very strong feeling this would not end too well for him, as was the situation for Millie now.
Luke and Millie continued on their way together with mixed emotions between them. While they were both glad to have met up again, the way in which it happened was most unexpected and not very cheerful at all. Luke felt awful to see Millie looking so wet, cold and miserable, and she in turn felt utterly silly and embarrassed with how her impatience had played into all of this.
Eventually, the two small engines passed through Crovan's Gate Station and arrived at the Steamworks. When they got inside, the Thin Controller and Sir Robert were waiting for them. They had heard what had happened when Luke raised the alarm, and neither of them looked happy.
"Thank you, Luke. You've been quick to help," said the Thin Controller. "But the confusion and delay today…unbelievable!"
"I'm very disappointed in you, Millie!" Sir Robert scolded. "Where on Earth did you get the idea to not have your brakes checked over?!"
"I'm sorry, sir. I just didn't want to be delayed any further after all those weeds held me up," said Millie. "Furthermore, if Fred hadn't been so lazy, the tracks might have been sprayed much earlier, and none of this ever would have happened to me!"
"We'll deal with Fred's laziness in due course, but your impatience and fluster has not helped you either," said Sir Robert. "Now with the weedkilling tanker damaged, it will take even longer for the workmen to get rid of the remaining weeds by hand!"
Millie knew Sir Robert was right, and she felt awful.
"I'm very sorry, sir," she lamented. "I should have listened to Duke's advice about having my brakes seen to…"
"We should think so too," said the Thin Controller. "You have placed the rest of the engines in an awkward predicament!"
"A predicament indeed," Sir Robert added. "And I believe the best way you can make up for this, Millie, is by helping with maintenance work on the railway as soon as your brakes are repaired."
Millie sighed and nodded meekly. Rather like Percy's situation between Toby and Daisy way back when, she too quite understood about awkward predicaments. Just then, Fred rolled in with the damaged tanker, with Mr. Hugh in his cab. Sir Robert and the Thin Controller turned around at once and saw Fred looking guilty as the evidence showed on the tanker.
"Oh, golly!" said Sir Robert. "That tanker is in most improper shape now! It's going to be a long job to fix!"
Then the Thin Controller marched forward and spoke severely to Fred.
"YOU have NOT been a responsible engine!" he snapped. "Sir Robert and I heard EVERYTHING from Luke raising the alarm! I am fed up, and I have HAD it – up to my eyeballs – with YOU constantly feigning illness to get out of doing the very work you are asked to do! Every single day, week, month and year since the START, it's always been moaning, whimpering, groaning and wheezing how your engine doesn't feel right, and how you just want your beauty sleep, when there is always, ALWAYS work to be done EVERY day on this Railway!"
Fred was adamantly ashamed as the Thin Controller went on.
"You and your work conduct up to now, Fred, can be summarized in one four-letter word. …Lazy!"
Hearing this verdict, Fred's heart sank as low as low could be as Mr. Hugh spoke next.
"Lazy indeed! YOU have performed badly, Fred!" Sir Robert scolded. "Do YOU have anything to say to Millie?!"
"Yes, sir. I'm sorry for being so rude, Millie," Fred apologized, with honesty. "I never meant for you to lose control and run right into the lake. I realize now that weeds really are troublesome after all."
"For your punishment, and as a permanent lesson, from now on, YOU, Fred, will pull the weedkiller each and every year!" the Thin Controller ordered crossly. "And nothing, I repeat, NOTHING will prevent that unless you are genuinely and truly ill for once!"
Fred's heart jumped and he opened his mouth to speak. But before he could protest, the Thin Controller went on.
"Alongside Millie's impatience today, all of your laziness since the start, Fred, has led to this most unwarranted predicament! I cannot even START to consider you a really useful engine when you are not mature enough to do the jobs you are asked to do, willingly and without hesitation! To this effect, I really need you to do something. Go back with Mr. Hugh and the workmen, return to the weed-covered lines…and clean them up, one end of the line to the other, this minute! Not Rusty, not Luke, not Millie, not my engines, not your fellow diesel friends. Y – O – U, YOU. You got that?"
"Yes, sir," Fred said at once as he set off out of the Steamworks, while the Thin Controller raised his eyebrow.
"I hope and pray today that this will finally teach you the importance of doing your share of work," he said. "Go on, then. Get to work. Pathetic."
Fred spoke not another word as he left the Steamworks with Mr. Hugh and went on his way back to the weed-covered lines. Then the Thin Controller turned to his little green engine.
"As for you, Luke, you've been a big help to Millie in getting her here, but for now, you must carry on with your work and deliver your slate to Glennock. I'll have to assign Peter Sam to look after Millie's work until further notice."
"Quite right, Mr. Percival," said Sir Robert. "I'm sure Duke will enjoy seeing him again, though with Rusty away, the rest of the engines will have to cope without Peter Sam. Let today's events be a lesson, Millie. To you, and Fred."
Then the Thin Controller and Sir Robert left the Steamworks themselves while Luke glanced up at his lovely bluebell and buffered up to her. He really didn't want to leave Millie's side, especially after seeing her being derailed in such a dreadful, undeserved manner. Something he never, ever thought he would see with his own two eyes. But just the same, he knew his work had to be done.
"I'll be alright, Luke," Millie said sadly. "I know that must have been very hard for you to see."
"It most certainly was," said Luke. "But I promise, Millie. I'll come back tonight. I think it's clear we need each other tonight."
"Oui, Luke. We do," said Millie. "Do come back tonight, sil vous plait."
With that, Luke gave her a quick kiss, then set off on his way to finish whatever work remained for him. Millie felt a little wave of warmth to have a kiss from Luke again, but after all that had happened today, she was still left feeling miserable. But in that very moment, as she slowly glanced to the right, her heart gave quite a jump of surprise when she saw just who she was in the company of. None other than Bloomer, still under restoration ever since his rare discovery by the Fat Controller and Lady Hatt. Bloomer looked back at Millie, having heard everything just now.
"Oh…Bloomer…" Millie said softly. "Why…Bonjour. I…I'm Millie."
"Well, hello there, sweetheart," Bloomer said steadily. "Had a little dip in the lake, did we?"
"Oui, Bloomer. I did," Millie replied. "I see you've heard everything just now…how it was all on me not having my brakes checked after all those weeds caught me up."
"Indeed, I did hear some of that," Bloomer replied. "So you're Millie, are you? Sir Robert said I'd be meeting you someday, and his other two fellow engines, Stephen and Glynn."
"Yes. Well, I've heard all about you through Duke and Sir Robert," said Millie. "I also hear that Sir Robert and the Fat Controller plan to have you help out on the castle's estate once you're back in business, as well as pull enthusiast specials along the various branch lines."
"Too right I shall, sweetheart," said Bloomer. "Such a long and hard restoration I've been having, and now, the time is ever-much closer…"
"Indeed it is, Bloomer," said Millie. "Though I really hoped to have met you under much better circumstances than this…"
"Perhaps, my dear. But you're not quite alone there," said Bloomer. "I didn't have my first acquaintance with diesels under the best circumstances, yet Bear really showed to be a honourable gentleman in saving me."
Millie managed to perk a little bit as she and Bloomer continued to talk together, and so it carried on over time, until the time would come that she would have the company of someone even better for her condition…
The hours passed. Luke delivered his slate to Glennock, then carried on with whatever work he had left, whereas Mighty Mac delivered the new motor to Ulfstead Castle's turntable, and so the workmen were able to install it properly. Sir Robert was glad the motor was delivered in good enough time, but he was still disappointed with how the day ended up with Millie. He knew she would have to work hard to make up for this muck-up.
Meanwhile, on the long stretch of weed-covered lines, Fred was kept ever-so busy with the workmen and Mr. Hugh, helping them clean every last sprout of weeds that tangled in and about the tracks. The workmen were consistently irritated having to do so much finger-plucking work without the tanker's help, and Fred's spirits and morale were in utter shambles as Sir Robert and the Thin Controller's words stuck inside him like glue. Every few moments, he kept mumbling lowly to himself.
"I was lazy…now I'm paying for it. The price – I'm officially deemed lazy. I…I can't do this…!"
"What's wrong now, Fred?" Mr. Hugh asked.
"Mr. Percival said it himself!" Fred whimpered dreadfully. "I'm a lazy, stupid engine! I've made such a big mess!"
"Take a deep breath, Fred," Mr. Hugh said bluntly. "I'm not standing for anymore fuss today."
"No! I can't take a deep breath!" Fred whimpered strongly. "I'm too lazy as it is! I've always been too lazy, but not anymore! I've gotta clean this up! I've gotta clean it…!"
And so the cleaning continued on through the late afternoon. Mr. Hugh had to admit that despite Fred's shaken, disheartened position, he had been considerably shaken by today's events, from Millie's accident to the stern words given to him at the Steamworks. It seemed perhaps that Fred had learned that being really useful is much better than being really lazy.
At last, the day had come to an end, and evening slowly set in. Around this time, Thomas and the Fat Controller were on their way back to Sodor after being given the Special Award and the Royal Crest by the Queen and the young prince. Much confusion and delay had been dealt to them both, but through it all, they made it to Victoria Station at 3:00 and had rescued Duchess of Loughborough, the Royal Engine.
Back on the Skarloey Line, Luke had finished his work for the day after bringing one more goods delivery to Glennock Station. There, he saw Mr. Percival at the platform.
"Very good work today, Luke," he said. "Your shunting this morning was very well done, you got your slate delivered in good time, and you were quick to alert us of Millie's accident. Though with the weedkiller tanker gone, those workmen will not be happy having to pluck those lines clean with their own hands."
"Thank you, sir," Luke said, clearly sounding a little low even now. "But I still feel awful to have seen Millie fall into the lake like that. She should never have had to go through something like that."
"I know, Luke. But don't worry. She'll be back at work in good time," said the Thin Controller. "Which reminds me…I recall how you were wondering if you would be seeing her today."
"Yes, sir," said Luke.
"And today's events indeed did have you seeing each other again, albeit in the most unexpected of ways," said the Thin Controller. "Therefore, Luke, as the matters stand, given how she won't be back at the castle until she's fully repaired…I think perhaps you deserve to take the night with her."
Luke's face immediately lit up.
"Really, sir? May I? I promised her I'd come back as soon as I could."
"And so you will," the Thin Controller replied. "I think tonight, she needs your company again. Head for the Steamworks and comfort your lovely bluebell. I know you can."
Luke whistled cheerfully and set off on his way, knowing tonight would be a very lovely one indeed.
Soon the sun went down and the sky filled with stars. At the Steamworks, Victor, Kevin and Bloomer had fallen asleep. Millie on the other hand was still very much awake. Her inspections had been completed, and everything was set for her repairs the next day. But she was still feeling miserable and embarrassed with herself, even after talking with Bloomer for a long while. She only hoped that once she was repaired to work as best she could to make up for her mistake.
"Oh, Millie. Why did you do it?" she whispered to herself. "What were you thinking going on without your brakes being checked? Better late than never, yet I didn't think to come here sooner…"
Just then, Millie heard an engine from outside and looked. There was Luke making his way in as he had promised earlier. He huffed right inside the Steamworks and slowed down until he was about a foot away from Millie. Just seeing his smile right now made her begin to feel better as she knew then what tonight would bring them both. After such a badly spent day, they would at least have a much-needed night to each other.
"Hello again, Luke. So you've come back," Millie said softly. "After yet another very long time…we're right here together."
"Of course, Millie. I promised I'd come back," Luke said with a light smile. "Are you feeling any better?"
"Oh…I wish I could say so, Luke," said Millie. "But up until now, I've been feeling so silly and ashamed of my performance today. To not have my brakes checked after all that trouble with the weeds…then for you to see me run off the line and into the lake like that…"
Luke felt a chill in his boiler as he thought back to that moment.
"Oh, Millie. Never mind that now. What matters to me is that you are alright. Are your repairs coming along well?"
"Well, the inspections are done, and I should be back at work soon," said Millie. "I even managed to meet Bloomer for the first time and talk a great deal with him…though I'd hoped to meet him under much better circumstances. But right now, seeing your adorable little face, of course I'm feeling better now."
"As am I, Millie," Luke smiled. "While not the best way it could have happened…at least today has given you and I the night together."
Millie smiled dearly to the love of her life as he buffered up and touched his face to hers. By this time, Millie wasn't cold from the lake anymore. Her face was now perfectly warm and soft, which made Luke hum most lovingly as he cuddled her close. Millie nuzzled in with Luke's face and hummed dearly with him. Then at that moment, there came the distant sound of a whole cavalcade of engines passing by the Steamworks from outside. The two little engines looked out through the window, then saw Thomas huffing back along the Main Line, followed closely by many other engines.
"Say, Millie…it's Thomas and the Fat Controller," said Luke. "They're back from London and seeing the Queen…and it looks like the whole Steam Team and more are following them."
"They certainly are, Luke," Millie nodded. "And it sounds like today went most remarkably for them both."
"I'm sure the others all want to hear the story of how it all turned out," said Luke.
"I suppose they do, Luke," said Millie. "Whereas me? I didn't turn out very well at all today."
"Come now, Millie," said Luke. "Perhaps today was a bad day for you, but I know you'll make up for your accident. It wasn't all you, after all."
"I know, Luke," Millie sighed. "But it also goes to show me that following rules and staying safe is indeed far more important than being on time. If I did wind up late on account of the weeds and having my brakes fixed, at least I would have been safe in the end…"
"We all make mistakes, Millie," said Luke. "As I did by hiding away for all those years, all because I thought I was the one who pushed Victor into the sea upon my arrival. I'm just glad you weren't hurt in your accident today. I can never bear the thought of you being hurt, my lovely bluebell."
"Oh, Luke. You're very sweet," Millie smiled lovingly. "I could never bear the thought of you being hurt either."
Luke just smiled and looked right into Millie's eyes, both smiling and breathing gently as they found themselves longing for the other's affections and gifts while they had the time. It was then that they spoke again.
"Well, my lovely bluebell," Luke whispered. "The others are sound asleep…and you and I are right here right now. Shall we?"
Millie breathed in slowly, then whispered back.
"Oui, Luke. Let us take all the time we have tonight. Nothing and no one else…except you and I. Kiss me, Luke. Please kiss me. Please?"
"Oh, Millie…I'd love to," Luke whispered. "Merci, my lovely bluebell. I love you, Millie."
Millie then watched as Luke leaned in closer, then pressed his lips to her cheek and kissed her most lovingly. In that very moment, Millie felt that lovely tingle flow through her boiler. She and Luke hadn't had any time together for just about a year, the last time being when Luke paid her a visit at Ulfstead Castle just before the World of Tomorrow Parade was set up with Ruth's arrival. Luke held his lips right on Millie's cheek, kissing it slowly and most lovingly, feeling his boiler give a rush of warmth too. Millie's cheeks slowly blushed pink as she began to whimper and moan quietly.
"Ooh…ooh, Luke…L-Luke…oh, yes…that feels nice…ohh…you're so gentle…"
"Thank you, Millie. You're so very beautiful," Luke whispered as he kissed her other cheek. "Oh, Millie…I've missed you badly yet again. I won't ever stop loving you, my sweet, lovely bluebell."
"Oh…oh, Luke…ooh…" Millie cooed softly. "I missed you just as badly up to now. I won't ever stop loving you either, my precious, lively little tree…"
Luke continued to softly kiss and caress Millie's face, trailing his lips along her cheek, then slowly kissing down to her chin. Millie continued to titter and giggle sweetly as Luke's lips tickled her face. Then he reached up again and very softly kissed her tiny little nose.
"Oh-oh-oh…ho-ho-ho-ho! Luke," Millie jumped and giggled softly. "Oh! It tickles…!"
"Oh, Millie, you're so sweet," Luke whispered. "Such a ticklish bluebell you are."
Then he proceeded to nibble and peck the tip of her nose, making Millie snort and squeak most adorably.
"Oh-oh-oh! Luke! Oh-ho-ho-ho-ho, you're tickling me!" she jiggled happily.
Luke felt his heart jiggle most delightfully as he continued to kiss and nibble Millie's nose and cheeks for a minute or two more. Then he paused briefly, then closed his lips around her cheek and very softly began to suck on it.
"Oh-ohh!" Millie jumped and cooed suddenly. "Ohh…ooh…L-Lu-u-uke…Mmm…that feels good…"
Luke just hummed most longingly as he gently tugged and sucked on her cheek, to which Millie shuddered and moaned shakily. She absolutely loved how nicely Luke could kiss and nurture her, and Luke couldn't be happier to feel his bluebell's soft, lovely cheek joined with his lips. Millie shook and trembled with delight as Luke continued to kiss and tickle her. She would have happily let off steam to his delightful nurtures, but being under repair, she couldn't do so tonight. All the same, that didn't matter to either of them. They were still very, very happy to be together again. After another few most blissful minutes, Luke gently let go and let Millie catch her breath. By now, Millie was feeling endlessly better than she did earlier in the day. Once again, sharing a night with Luke was more than enough to rekindle her spirits.
"Well. It seems my lovely bluebell is blooming again," Luke smiled lovingly. "Did you like that, Millie?"
"Oh…ohh…that was so lovely, Luke," Millie chimed happily. "Merci beaucoup. You never fail to please me and fill me with joy, my love."
"It's only because I love you above all else in the world, Millie," Luke replied. "You never fail to fill me with joy either, my sweet, lovely bluebell."
Millie blushed and hummed happily for a moment. Then she looked right into Luke's eyes and batted her eyelashes playfully.
"You've made me feel like a full engine again, my sweet Luke," she glowed happily. "I think it's only right that I repay you with whatever joys I can give you tonight."
"Oh, Millie. Thank you," Luke whispered. "I'd love to feel whatever joy only you can bless me with."
So Millie took her chance and leaned in toward Luke, puckering her lips and smooching very gently as she came in closer. Luke's heart jumped and flipped in his boiler until Millie's lips pressed to his cheek and started kissing him up, down and along his face, gently blushing again.
"Oh…oh, Millie," Luke whispered as her lovely soft lips cuddled and tickled him with every kiss.
"I love you, Luke. I love you so much," Millie whispered as she then nibbled and preened his cheeks very gently.
Luke breathed in sharply and groaned quietly as Millie's warm, tingly lips traced along his face and to his other cheek. She felt so very happy to make Luke feel so wonderful here and now, and so she trailed her lips to his nose and began kissing and pecking it very softly, to which Luke gave a jump.
"Oh…M-Millie…!" he whispered loudly. "Oh, hey! Ha-ha-ha! That tickles…!"
"Shh…shhh…" Millie hushed as she then began to gently pull and suck on his cheek. "Mmm…mmhmm…"
Luke felt his boiler starting to bubble more as Millie continued her gentle but persistent nurtures to his cheek. Her lips and little coos of delight were working their magic perfectly as he knew the moment was coming.
"Ohh…M…Milli-i-i-ie…!" Luke groaned with pleasure. "I…I feel my steam starting…"
"Ohh…you're so sweet, Luke," Millie whispered as she very gently dotted her tongue on his cheek. "Shh…just close your eyes and relax, my dear. Millie loves you…yes…"
Luke recognized those words from when he and Millie had their night at the castle just before the World of Tomorrow Parade, and sure enough, her soft little whispers and her sweet little lips brought him to just the perfect point as he slowly let off a little wave of steam.
"Ooh…there, there," Millie whispered most angelically. "That feels so lovely and warm, doesn't it?"
Then she leaned in and gave Luke a big, tickly kiss right between his nose and his upper lip. Luke blushed bright red and shuddered once more before he took a few deep breaths, gazing right into Millie's eyes and her truly lovely smile.
"How was that, my sweet little tree?" she asked happily. "Did you like that?"
"Ohh…Merci, Millie," Luke breathed deeply. "You're always such a lovely kisser and nibbler. Your lips really are as soft and lovely as a bluebell's petals."
When she heard this, Millie blushed again then cooed most dearly.
"Aww, Luke…you're really so sweet. If that's really true…would you like to kiss my bluebell petals? I know they would love to be kissed…as much as I love to kiss you."
"Yes, Millie. My answer was, is and will forever be yes," Luke whispered. "I love you so much, Millie."
With that, Luke and Millie leaned in, pressed their faces together, then let their lips take hold of each other and fall into a wonderful, deep spell of kissing. Their eyes slowly rolled back and closed as their bodies tingled very warmly. Their lips softly tickled together as they deepened their kiss ever-so slightly into a French kiss, to which they both gave a soft moan and let their tongues gently dance and move together in such delight and untouchable love only they could ever know for each other. Everything was again perfect for the two little engines, as it always was for every time they could share together.
At last, after about half an hour of deep French kissing, Luke and Millie softly let go of each other's lips, both taking in deep breaths of air as they stared into each other's eyes and slowly felt the afterglow filling them both with such a lovely tingle of warmth. Tonight had done them wonders once again, and Luke and Millie couldn't be happier with how it turned out tonight.
"I love you, Millie. Je t'aime," Luke whispered. "I will never stop saying it for as long as I live."
"I love you too, Luke. Je t'aime aussi," Millie whispered. "I will never stop saying it either, as long as I live."
"We may usually be at a distance in our work, Millie," Luke whispered. "As it always has been since the start…but that only makes me love you more and more…as I know we'll always find another occasion to spend together."
"Just the same, Luke," Millie whispered. "So many years we've held together, and our long distance from each other will never hinder that."
To this, Luke leaned in and kissed Millie's lips once more, softly tugging her lips one more time before he let go with a giggle from Millie.
"Sweet dreams, Millie," Luke whispered as he nuzzled to her face. "I love you…"
"Sweet dreams, Luke," Millie whispered as she shut her eyes. "I love you too…"
With that, the two of them huddled closely and fell asleep together, happy once again to have spent this most loving time together.
Another Luke and Millie story at last, in time for Remembrance Day of all days. Apart from that, the biggest take away from this story is introducing another Railway Series character that wasn't actually shown in the books, that being Fred the "lazy" diesel, which I imagine that Christopher Awdry wanted him to be a sharp contrast to his real Talyllyn counterpart Alf, who is quite well known for almost always running well. Should Fred reappear in future stories, he'll have definitely learned more sense after this one. And yes, we threw in a reference to Ivo's Flying Bedstead as well, and the weedkiller train was of course featured in "Speedkiller" from one of, if not, the weakest Railway Series book "New Little Engine". Anyway, next time we're focusing on James and Molly again, so until then, tell us what you thought of this story, and as always, stay safe.