Disclaimer: Theodore Tugboat belongs Classic Media. However, the characters I create in this are mine and my own. I do seek profit in the creation of this but to bring enjoyment to other TT fans.

~Somewhere outside of Nova Scotia, Evening~

George the Valiant was out on the wide-open ocean pulling Shelburne and puffing along. He did make a few stops for refueling but after taking on fuel and getting a spare tank filled in a port in Brest France, he went full speed. Since then, the big tug has not stop to rest at all. He was rather keen on making back home despite having an excuse to why he was late in the first place.

Both he and the sea barge did not speak much during their trip through the Baltic Sea since there was still much to see all around them and they spoke to passing ships. However, once George sailed onto the Atlantic, they spoke amongst themselves. At least George did while Shelburne mostly listened.

"It was sure nice to see France again wasn't it Shelburne?" George boomed as he pulled the sea barge on the big waves. "It sure was." Agreed Shelburne in his usual slow voice, "And warmer too." Shelburne decided over the trip that he did not enjoy the cold too much. George did not mind the cool weather at all during their time in the Baltic Sea or Finland.

The sun was still rather high but the big tug estimated that it was now afternoon. "We'll be home by tonight hopefully." George said feeling a little bit fatigued when he thought about how long he traveled on the Atlantic without rest.

Owan the oilrig was just finishing up drilling for oil for the day. The sun was now beginning to go down marking the end of another day of work. Tonight Theodore was to come out and check his anchor cables and he was really looking forward to seeing him tonight. Yessireebob.

Theodore was just pulling out of the docks to begin his night shift. All the other tugs were snug in the dock asleep. As he headed out of the harbor to meet Owan, the sky changed to deep orange. He hummed a little tune he learned from Bonnie earlier. She was unsuccessful in getting that silly song stuck in his head but she did manage to get a different song wedged in. The song was about a burrito.

By the time he reached Blandford buoy, the sky was now a dark blue. "Hi Blandford." He called cheerfully, tooting his whistle. Blandford dinged his bell. "Hello Theodore." The old buoy called back, "How is everything in he Big Harbor?" The harbor tug told his friend that everyone was doing wonderfully in the harbor, even their newest friend. "And Bedford says hello." He finished. Blandford dinged his bell again. "Well that is good to hear." He replied. Theodore smiled, "I gotta get to work now. Goodbye Blandford." And went on his way to meet the oilrig.

"Hello there Theodore!" Owan hollered as the harbor tug approached. "Sure is beautiful out tonight! Yessireebob!"

"Hi Owan!" He called up to his loud friend. "How are you?"

"I'm doing terrific!" The oilrig shouted boisterously. Theodore smile and started to get to work. Both of them swapped stories of what has been going on in the harbor and Owan pulling up anything interesting while drilling for oil. He was finishing the oilrig's last cable when Owan called to Theodore. "Say Theodore, something's coming this way!"

The harbor tug stopped what he was doing and looked around, peering into the dark. He was expecting to see Northumberland submarine but saw a faint light in the night instead. "What is that?" He thought as the light drew closer. Owan shined his strong lights on the approaching figure. The figure, which was a small boat, flinched under the sudden brightness. "Hey! Turn that light off!" A voice boomed grumpily. It was a very tired George the Valiant pulling a very sleepy Shelburne, who woke up from the bright lights. "Well howdy doody George!" Owan roared, turning off his lights.

Theodore's engine skipped a beat when he saw his friend. "Hi George!" He beamed as his propeller pushed him to meet up with the bigger tug. George let out a yawn before replying. "Hello Theodore." George said fatigued. "How have you been while I was gone?" He slowed to a stop when Theodore floated up to him. The harbor tug was grinning ear to ear. "I've been doing great!" He said and began to tell George about what has happened while he was away but George cut him off. "I'll get to hear about it tomorrow when I'm not so tired." He let out another long yawn.

Theodore nodded; it must have been a long and exhausting journey. He was about to tell George something important when he heard a gurgling noise. Both tugs looked to see Northumberland submarine had risen to the surface. The oilrig and the tugboats greeted the wide-awake sub while he looked confused. "Theodore?" He started, looking very puzzled. "If you're here…then who's at the dock asleep beside Hank?"

George who had heard this unusual piece of information turned to his friend. His sleepiness was ebbing away a little. Owan knew right away what their nocturnal friend was talking about. "You must be talking about Bonnie!" He shouted. "Theodore was telling me about how she came all the way over here from the west through the Arctic by cargo ship!"

Theodore smiled while George was now just as confused as Northumberland was. The bigger tug did not like to be left out of a loop like this. Frowning a little, he spoke up. "Theodore?" He asked, sounding a little grumpy again. "What happened while I was away? Who is Bonnie?"

The harbor tug looked back and forth between his two confused friends. He was surprised Northumberland did not know yet but then again he does sleep during the day. Theodore can understand why George was confused because none of the tugboats were expecting another tugboat as a surprise and he has been away for quite awhile. Finally, he turned to the ocean-going tug. "George do you remember before you went out on the ocean, the Dispatcher told us we'll be getting a surprise in a few weeks?" He asked a little tentatively. He knew had to tread lightly since George was already grumpy from being so tired but he was eager to know if his friend would remember.

George floated there for the longest time. He racked his brain trying to remember anything their boss told him. "I think…I do…" He said slowly. "But barely." Theodore smiled, beginning to get a little braver to jog the Valiant's memory. "Well…" He started, "When the Dispatcher said it was something that would help us, it was actually someone…and that someone was Bonnie."

The ocean tug began to remember that day when the Dispatcher told all of them that something was going to arrive in a few weeks. All of them were surprised at first that they would getting something but grew excited and tried to guess what it was. George had guessed it was something big and useful before he left. He smiled a little bit on the inside when he realized that he was…well mostly right but a tugboat was not on his guessing list. He frowned a little too since attention might be focused on her instead of him and that made him feel grumpy again.

Trying to hide another loud yawn, he blew up some smoke and rumbled his engines. "I remember now." George said. "A new tug huh?"

Theodore beamed now that George remembered. Northumberland smiled too, he listened to what Theodore had explained. "I'll have to meet her when I have time." The submarine said. "But now I have to get going on my patrol. Goodbye." He rumbled his own engine and dove beneath the surface to begin his underwater patrol.

"Thanks for coming out here to check my cables Theodore!" Owan shouted. "And welcome home George and Shelburne!" The tugs smiled, tooting their whistles goodbye to the oilrig and heading for home.

Theodore glanced to his friend who was pulling the big barge that was now falling asleep again. Knowing George will want to get to sleep as soon as possible but had to dock Shelburne, he spoke up. "I can take Shelburne home George if you like." He offered gently, after all he was on nightshift. George smiled tiredly to the harbor tug. He can feel his engine aching for rest. "Thanks Theodore." He said slowing to a stop again so Theodore could take over for him. Theodore buttoned on as George dropped his towline.

"I can't wait to hear your stories tomorrow at story telling time." He said and he meant it too. No one, not even Nautilus has been to the Baltic Sea before. George was happy to know that Theodore would love to hear his stories and most likely, the other tugs would be looking forward to hearing of his adventures too. Maybe even this Bonnie. "I'll have plenty to tell tomorrow." George whispered. "Goodnight Theodore."

"Goodnight George." Theodore smiled and puffed away pulling Shelburne home to his dock. The Valiant smiled after his good friend before going ahead of him to his own dock.

Bonnie was shivering in her sleep, even though it was the in the middle of July. She was having another bad dream. Bad dreams come and go with everyone who slept but with her, it was sometimes a frequent thing. This night she was dreaming about ghost ships of all kinds, even ghost tugboats.

One was trying to follow her in her dreams. It was getting closer and closer. It chanted the female tug's name, trying to beckon her as she trying to flee. She could feel it closing in on her from behind. Bonnie was trying to go as fast as her propeller would spin. However, the ghost kept gaining speed and soon it used its towropes to grab onto her stern. Instantly she felt cold, desperately trying to shake the feeling, she tried to spin around and face the ghost bravely.

The ghost however lassoed more towropes onto her. Soon it began to sink and pull Bonnie down with it. She tried to struggle and break free of the ropes but it was no use. It pulled her close before going all the way under he waves. She got a glimpse of its face before it pulled her below. It was-

"No!"

The female harbor tug's eyes flew open and gasped for air. Bonnie blinked for a few seconds and looked around. She was still in the dock facing the buildings this time instead of into the harbor like Hank was. The young harbor tug was still asleep beside her and everything was sill the same when she first went to sleep.

Or so she thought.

Feeling sleep overtaking her again, Bonnie gave one last look around before falling back to sleep. However, she sees something moving out of the corner of her eye to her right. Turning to look, she sees a sight that made her go white with fear again even more than she was asleep. It was the ghost tugboat and it was looking right at her!

"Agh!" She cried, flipping on her engines and backed out of the dock so fast that she accidentally side swiped Hank. The young harbor tug immediately woke up in pain from being bumped. He saw his new friend was awake and quickly learned that it was she who swiped him. He was hurt and mad that Bonnie did that. He was about to ask her why she did that but saw that she was shaking with fright. "What's the matter Bonnie?" Hank asked.

Bonnie's cry had woken Emily and Foduck from their own slumber. Both were glaring at her grumpily from under their hats. She however, was only staring at one thing. Finally, she answered in a stutter to her dock mate.

"G-g-ghost?"

Right away Hank looked where she was looking along with the other two tugs. Instead of seeing a ghost however, they saw:

"George?"

By now, Theodore had floated by with Shelburne. He saw that everyone was awake at the dock and went to investigate. When he floated closer, he could see everyone was looking at George and Bonnie. "What's going on?" The harbor tug asked once he made it to the dock. Emily, Foduck and Hank turned to Theodore. Hank was the first to explain. "Bonnie thought George was a ghost." He said, trying to hide a giggle. Foduck and Emily smiled to one another at the silliness of George being a ghost.

George would have been smiling too if he was not feeling so grumpy again from being tired. Bonnie was not smiling either; she was still frozen in shock. Her eyes never left him for one second. She hardly even blinked.

Theodore was smiling along with his other friends and turned to Bonnie. "Why did you think George was a ghost?" He asked. Bonnie was now beginning to feel the adrenaline leaving her system, making her feel tired again along with slight dizziness. Letting out a tired sigh, she answered. "I was…just having a nightmare…." She explained quietly, "And…and I thought he was a real ghost when I woke up." Glancing back at the ocean tug feebly.

George only grunted, blowing up smoke from his stack. He was not in the mood for anymore-idle chatter and did not really appreciate being mistaken for a ghost. He hardly paid attention to her when he was returning to his place in the docks until he heard her gasp aloud. He did not say another word as he floated in his place at the dock, pulling his cap down over his eyes and went to sleep.

Emily let out a yawn. "I guess that's that." She said. "We better get back to sleep." The other tugs agreed with her. Foduck, Hank and Bonnie moved to their places in the dock. Theodore bid them all goodnight and floated off to take Shelburne to his dock. Bonnie nestled herself beside Hank again only facing out into the harbor as he was. "I'm sorry I swiped you." Bonnie whispered sadly, gently nuzzling the side of his hull she bumped. Hank smiled sleepily at her. "I'm ok Bonnie." He replied sleepily in return, pulled his toque down over his eyes, and soon fell asleep. The female harbor tug pulled her own hat over eyes. She shuddered a little, thinking about how George could be really like when he was wide-awake. Amongst a couple of other things before sleep overtook her form too.

-End-

Well looky here! I got FINALLY another chapter done! *cheers all around her*

And just in time too. Tomorrow I'm going to be flying out to VA for about two weeks. There, I won't have much access to the internet. But that's ok because while I'm up there I'll be reading up on some books on boats and stuff like maintenance, history of boats, seamanship and quite a few other things that will make the story more realistic like how a real harbor works. Not that the writers of TUGS and TT did a bad job it just feels like they could have gone into more depth. At least…I think so anyway.

Expect a time skip in chapter 13 ok? Ciao!