A/N Donald's time in Scotland, working with all the other engines he and Douglas worked with then.
Donald and his twin, Douglas, worked with their older siblings on the rails. As twins, Donald and Douglas were close, lifting each other's spirits and they had nicknames for each other, Donnie and Dougie. They liked to be together, to touch buffers and sometimes they fought, bumping each other. Donald, as the older twin, exhibited big brother behavior. Donald and his siblings pulled lots of freight for their railway.
The twins were the youngest of their siblings. They watched their older siblings grow older. One day, diesel engines were introduced to the railway. Donald was interested in the diesels. He wanted to show them he was just as capable and essential and to learn about them. He noticed Douglas observing them, more cautious and skeptical than his more extraverted brother, who took a proactive, social approach.
Donald was put up for sale and was bought by the NWR. The night before Donald was to go to Sodor, he and Douglas cried at their shed, just them and their respective drivers and firemen, pressing buffers to comfort each other. The twins were also comforted by their drivers, as their tears flowed in torrents. They were unhappy about being separated, especially because Douglas was likely to be scrapped. "I wish you could come with us, Dougie," Donald sobbed.
"Don't worry, we'll figure this out together," Donald's driver said reassuringly, his touch a soothing presence, as he dried Donald's tears with a soft cloth. He gently rubbed his engine's cheeks and wiped his streaming eyes. He looked at the facts and details, tuned into Donald's emotions and considered his needs, offering help and compassion.
Donald continued to cry, sobbing and sniffling. His heartfelt sobs showed how much he cared about his twin, so he was unable to hold his emotions in. He let his tears out, allowing his driver's comfort.
He said, as he continued to wipe the tears away, "You can rely on me to comfort you. I shall stay with you and dry your eyes.". He pressed the cloth to Donald's eyes and wiped all his tears away as best he could, offering empathy.
Donald sobbed and sobbed until his emotions were spent. His driver dried his last tears away, wiping his cheeks and eyes dry of tears, then went back to the cab, leaving the sodden cloth there to dry, before he left, as Donald had cried himself to sleep.
Douglas said to Donald, "Donnie, I feel the same. I wish I could go to Sodor as well.". He sobbed, his eyes streaming tears, just like his brother.
Douglas's driver comforted his engine. "Aye, we'll nae let ye be parted," he promised, using a soft cloth to dry Douglas's tears. He tuned into Douglas's emotions, providing validation, comfort and compassion as he tried to see from multiple perspectives.
Douglas was sobbing and sniffling, just like Donald. This was a serious situation, so he needed to cry. He let his tears come and allowed his driver's comfort.
He said, as he continued to wipe the tears away, "Let the sadness fall down like rain from your eyes.". He held the cloth to Douglas's eyes, for him to sob into and wiped all his tears away as best he could. He had some insight and inspiration in mind, so he assessed if Douglas was interested in advice, though willing to just be there.
Douglas's sobs and tears slowed to a stop, his emotions spent. His driver dried his last tears away, wiping his cheeks and eyes until they were dry, then went back to the cab with the sodden cloth, to leave it there to dry and then he left his engine, who'd cried himself to sleep.
While comforting Douglas, his driver had made a plan to smuggle Douglas to Sodor, because of the twins' broken-hearted sobbing about being separated. He put his plan into action the following day, as Donald was headed to Sodor.
The twins arrived on Sodor and were welcomed, though Douglas was welcomed with confusion from Sir Topham Hatt. The twins were inspected at the Works and their time on Sodor began, until Sir Topham Hatt decided which one to keep and to send back the other.
A/N Respect my Thomasverse. I had severe writer's block with this chapter.