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Reunions and Cleaning
Jan smiled and hugged him again.
Jamie hugged her tight, sniffing away his tears and smiling bravely.
Jan looked up at Meg, "So...?" she started
Jamie swallowed and glanced over at Meg.
Meg smiled, "I'm done. Any thing left to get him back to normal is just his body healing."
Jamie breathed a sigh of relief and laid his cheek on Jan's shoulder.
Jan smiled, "Good...and...thank you...for everything."
Jamie nodded his own thanks.
"And you two are welcome to use my bed until Poppa puts you somewhere," Meg said.
"Really?" Jamie asked, his eyes wide with surprise.
Meg nodded, "Sure, I'm not gonna put you out in the snow..."
Jamie smiled and hugged Jan again.
Rusty peeked his head into the kitchen, "Is it safe again?"
Jamie smiled a bit and nodded.
"Good," Rusty said, coming in, "although I don't think I can stay much longer..."
"Why?" Jamie asked, letting go of Jan and skating over to him.
"I have some things to take care of.."
"Can I come with?"
"Um..."
"Please?"
"Well..."
"I'll be good..."
"I know you will be," Rusty said, "It's not that at all..."
"I... I can't come?" Jamie asked, his voice soft.
"It's not that..."
"So I can come?"
"Well..."
Jamie moved closer to Rusty, close enough to grab his couplers. "Please?"
"How come you wanna come?"
"Cause I don't wanna stay here."
"Oh...well," Rusty started, "I suppose that you *could* come...but..."
"Okay!" Jamie said, grabbing Rusty's couplers happily.
Rusty sighed softly, "You coming too?" he asked Jan in a resigned tone.
Jamie looked back at Jan. "You gonna come with, Jan?"
"Sure," Jan said hitching behind Jamie.
Jamie smiled. "Okay, we're ready, Rusty."
With a wave to Meg, Rusty pulled the two out of the kitchen and into the living room
Jamie followed, trying his best to keep up with Rusty.
Rusty almost effortlessly pulled Jamie and Jan along, coaches generally were pretty light, and Jamie was so little anyway..
Flat Top looked up as Rusty entered. "Playing chauffeur, Rusty?" he smirked.
"Always do," Rusty retorted.
Flat Top narrowed his eyes just a bit and moved closer to them. "I'll come with too."
Rusty sighed, "Sure why not?"
Flat Top hitched up behind Jan and nodded his head at Dustin. "Come with, Dustin."
Dustin nodded and hitched behind Flat Top.
Jamie nodded to Rusty. "We can go now."
Rusty moved out, pulling the train along.
Jamie breathed in the air, so much cleaner than the air at his old yard.
"Where to?" Rusty asked.
"Wherever you were going," Jamie said, happy to go anywhere as long as Rusty was with him.
"Dining room?" Dustin suggested.
"Sounds good to me," Flat Top said, shrugging one shoulder carelessly.
Rusty nodded and whistled softly.
Flat Top glared at the back of Rusty's head. "Must you do that?"
"Yes."
Flat Top glared and rolled his eyes. Steam trains.
Rusty smiled and picked up speed, going towards the dining room.
Jamie was having trouble keeping up with Rusty's fast pace. His wheels weren't used to going so fast, but he didn't want to say anything.
"Rusty...?" Jan called softly, "Can you slow down a bit?"
Jamie glanced back at Jan. "Oh, Jan, I don't wanna be a bother..."
"Sure," Rusty answered, not hearing Jamie, he slowed his pace a bit, "We're here anyway..."
Jamie bit his lip to hold back tears. He hated being slow, and he didn't want to make it any harder on Rusty than he already was.
Rusty came to a stop outside the dining room.
Pearl was headed into the dining room when she heard a familiar screech of brakes. She turned in disbelief. "Rusty?"
Rusty's heart skipped a beat and he looked up. He grinned, then took a breath and whistled softly, "Woo-woo-woo."
Pearl screamed and raced at Rusty, tackling him in a hug, forcing the entire train backwards several feet.
Rusty went down, pinned under his coach, not that he minded at all.
Jamie yelped and ducked behind Jan.
Flat Top made a face as Pearl gave Rusty a kiss.
Rusty inched his arms free and put them around Pearl.
Jan looked at her brother behind her, then at Flat Top, a bit confused.
Dustin smiled and averted his eyes.
Pearl hugged Rusty tightly, giggling softly as he hugged her. "I missed you."
Flat Top rolled his eyes.
"I missed you too...so much." Rusty said.
Pearl got gracefully to her wheels, pulling Rusty up with her and cuddling into his arms.
Rusty pulled her tightly to him, only aware of her.
Jamie peered cautiously around Jan. "Rusty?"
Rusty blinked and looked up, brought back down to earth. "Yeah Jamie...?"
Jamie moved a little closer to Jan and glanced questioningly at Pearl, then back to Rusty.
"Oh." Rusty realized what he meant, "Jamie, Jan this is my coach Pearl..."
"That's Pearl?" Jamie asked, his voice soft, his eyes wide.
Rusty nodded, giving Pearl another hug.
Pearl smiled at the group, then her eyes landed on Jan and narrowed ever so slightly.
"I met them while I was gone," Rusty explained to Pearl.
Jan was looking at the other coach, so similar to her, except for the color.
Pearl didn't seem to hear him, gliding closer to Jan. Jamie ducked behind his sister again.
"Hello," Jan said politely. She hadn't had much interaction with many other coaches for quite awhile, always having to take care of her brother.
"Hello," Pearl said, a slight edge in her voice. Flat Top shifted a bit behind Jan.
"They're moving in," Rusty explained, setting his hands on Pearl's shoulders.
Pearl glanced back at Rusty. "With us?" she asked, her voice shocked and a bit bitter.
"To our trainyard," Rusty said, a bit puzzled at her tone.
Pearl's features didn't relax much. "Wonderful," she said in a flat tone.
Rusty nodded.
"You have a very nice place here," Jan said politely.
Pearl turned to her again. "I'm sure not as nice as yours," she said curtly, as if implying that they should go back there.
Jan took a step back, "No, yours is much nicer..."
Pearl narrowed her pretty eyes. "Well, I'm sure you'll find a place to stay somewhere on the other side of the yard."
Jan was startled, "I don't know where we're staying yet..."
"Well, best of luck to you then," Pearl said, pushing backwards to move back to Rusty.
"Um...thanks," Jan said, "And thanks for the lift Rusty..."
Pearl raised a brow and glanced at Rusty as if he had just kicked her.
"No problem," Rusty said to Jan. Then he realized how Pearl was looking at him, "What?" he asked softly.
Pearl shook her fluffy hair airily. "Nothing. Let's go, Rusty." She grabbed his couplers firmly and steered him towards the door.
"Pearl I..."
"Come on," she said sweetly, fluttering her lashes just a bit.
"Pearl I want to...but..."
"But?" Pearl asked.
Rusty lowered his voice, "I'm still grounded..."
"Oh... when can we be alone?"
Rusty sighed, "I guess if you come with me..."
"Where are you going?"
Jan looked at Flat Top curiously, "What...?" she started
Flat Top rolled his eyes. "That's Pearl, Rusty's coach."
"I got that...but..." Jan said, "Why was she looking at me like that? She doesn't think..."
"She gets jealous easily," Flat Top said, touching her shoulder.
"Wow..." Jan said, pulling a hand on FT's hand, "but I don't..."
"I know. But she doesn't know. Just try to not be around Rusty, okay?"
Jan nodded, "I guess..."
Flat Top smiled. "I'll tell her your my coach."
Jan smiled, and squeezed his hand.
Flat Top smiled and gave her a gentle squeeze. "Let's go inside and get food."
The door opened and Poppa rolled out.
Jamie yelped and dived behind Flat Top. Pearl looked up at Poppa and smiled sweetly.
"Hello all," Poppa said, "Rusty..."
Pearl hugged Rusty tightly.
Rusty looked up at Poppa pleadingly.
"You've had all morning to yourself..." Poppa started.
"But not with me!" Pearl protested.
Rusty clung to Pearl, "she's right Poppa..."
Pearl nodded and hugged Rusty.
"Pearl can go where ever she likes," Poppa said, "You however, have somewhere to be."
Jamie moved forward, though noticeably staying away from Poppa. "Where do you have to go, Rusty?"
"I have to...do something," Rusty said softly.
"But I can still come with, right?
"I'd prefer you didn't..."
"Why?" Jamie asked, looking up at Rusty with large, innocent eyes.
"Because...I don't want..."
"What do you have to do?"
Rusty looked down, not wanting to say in front of everybody. He looked at Pearl's skates, "I got in trouble again..." he said softly.
"Oh no! Rusty, it was my fault!" Jamie started.
"No..." Rusty said gently.
"Yes! I'm always getting you in trouble!"
"Jamie, listen to me, it's not that bad, really it's not."
"But I don't want you to be in trouble," Jamie sniffed.
"I know..." Rusty said, "But I won't be for very much longer."
"But you shouldn't be in trouble at all," Jamie said, hugging Rusty tightly. Pearl raised a brow and backed away.
Rusty looked at Pearl sheepishly, "Tell you later," he mouthed. Jan skated over to her brother.
Pearl didn't look too pleased.
Jamie hugged Rusty tighter. "Please don't be in trouble, Rusty. I'll do your job."
"Jamie sweetie," Jan said trying to pry him off Rusty.
"Aw Jamie," Rusty said uncomfortably, "No..."
Jamie shrugged Jan off. "But it's all my fault. I should be the one being punished."
"As I see it, you already were..." Rusty said softly.
Jamie shook his head. "No..."
Rusty looked up and around helplessly.
Pearl moved back to Rusty's side. "Rusty, what's he talking about?" she asked, hugging him gently, as if trying to get the upper hand instead of Jamie.
"Pearl...I...got into another fight," Rusty said softly, so only Pearl could hear, "Jamie...he was being beaten up...I couldn't watch...so I...stopped them..."
Pearl's eyes widened just a bit. "Rusty, you promised you wouldn't fight any more."
Rusty sighed, "I know...but...all I could think of was before...before the race...Jamie...he was *me* and I couldn't let it happen again."
Pearl sighed softly and hung her head, her puffy curls falling over her face. "I understand, Rusty, but the way you're going, we'll never be able to see each other again cause you'll always be being punished."
"Poppa said that...that this is it, hopefully I'll be done by dinner time..."
"Promise?"
"I guess...it depends..."
"Alright."
Rusty took Pearl's hands.
Pearl smiled shyly as Jamie moped, pushing backwards into Jan's arms.
Jan gave Jamie a hug. Rusty whistled softly to Pearl, "I love you..." he said softly.
"I love you too," Pearl said softly, smiling into his eyes. Flat Top made a gagging sound.
Jan smiled, this was sweet.
Jamie sighed softly, a rusty, pained sigh.
"I have to go..." Rusty said softly.
"Why? Please just stay a bit longer," Pearl pleaded, hugging him tightly.
Rusty hugged Pearl back, "You can come but..."
"But?"
"Y'know the storage shed?"
"Yes?"
"I have to..."
"Oh, Rusty..."
"The whole thing..."
"That could take years!" Pearl protested.
Rusty forced a smile, "Well, probably not *years*..."
"Weeks, maybe. It's a disaster area!"
"I can do it...and then we can be together..."
Pearl nodded slowly, hugging him tightly as if not wanting to let go.
"don't be sad Pearl, please...it's not that bad..."
"O... Okay," Pearl said softly, tears shining in her big, brown eyes.
Rusty kissed her gently.
Flat Top made a face. "Yuck."
Pearl closed her eyes and kissed Rusty back.
Jan sighed happily, backing up into Flat Top.
Flat Top grabbed Jan's shoulders to hold her steady.
Jan relaxed into Flat Top's arms.
Flat Top pulled her close as Jamie struggled out of Jan's arms.
Jan let Jamie go.
Jamie headed over to Rusty and stood nearby, not wanting to intrude.
Rusty slowly pulled away from Pearl, "You gonna be okay?"
Pearl nodded slowly. "I... I will be. But hurry, Rusty, so we can spend time together again."
Rusty nodded, "For you...anything."
Pearl smiled. Flat Top rolled his eyes.
Rusty let go of Pearl and backed up.
Jamie moved closer to Rusty. "Rusty?"
"Yeah Jamie?"
"I'm coming with you."
"Okay..."
Jamie grabbed Rusty's couplers.
"You ready then?" Poppa asked. Rusty nodded.
Jamie nodded too.
Poppa moved out and Rusty followed.
Jamie followed too, glancing back at Jan, then turning to watch where they were going.
Jan started to follow, then stopped, Jamie would be alright.
Jamie held tighter to Rusty. "Where are we going?"
"To a storage shed." Rusty answered in an expressionless tone.
"What's in there?"
"Shovels and rakes and tools and things."
"Oh."
Rusty nodded, "Pretty much everything under the sun..."
Jamie whimpered softly. Visions of Rusty chained to the wall clouded his head.
Poppa came to a stop, and so did Rusty.
Jamie stopped too, biting his lip.
"come here Rusty," Poppa said, pushing the door open.
Jamie followed, swallowing hard.
Rusty looked over the disarray in the shed, it was worse then he thought.
Jamie peered over Rusty's shoulder, having to stand on his toe stops to do so.
Rusty's jaw dropped and he looked like he was gonna cry, "Poppa...you can't..."
"What?" Jamie asked, hugging Rusty around the waist.
"Rusty, as I told you before..." Poppa said.
Rusty hung his head, "I know..." he said sadly, "I will..."
"What?" Jamie asked again, giving Rusty a gentle shake, as if to remind him he was there.
Poppa picked a broom out of the corner and rolled over to Rusty.
Rusty gave Jamie's hand a reassuring squeeze, "I'll be fine..."
Jamie whimpered softly.
Poppa, shifting his grip on the broom approached them.
Jamie backed away slowly, his eyes wide and scared.
Rusty sighed as Poppa held out the broom.
Relieved that Rusty had not been hit with it, Jamie moved closer again.
Rusty took the broom from his father and took a step forward, then stopped again, "Oh come on Poppa, please..."
Jamie trailed Rusty, wanting to add to Rusty's plea, but too scared to say anything.
"No Rusty," Poppa said, "I'll be back later, and depending on how things go, I'll decide then."
"Decide what?" Jamie whispered to Rusty.
"If I get to stop or not..." Rusty said softly.
"Stop what?" Jamie asked, imagining Rusty forced to overwork himself under the hot sun.
Rusty gestured around with the broom, "This..."
Jamie instinctively ducked as the broom moved closer to him. "What do you have to do with that?"
"Clean."
"That... that's it?"
"All of this."
"But that could take years!" Jamie protested, looking around the massive, grime-coated shed.
"Probably not *years*"
"Months."
"Probably not months either..."
"Weeks."
"I doubt it..."
"It could!"
"The most I'd think would be days..."
"But that's still a long time!"
"I know...could be a lot worse though..."
"How?"
"I could be locked in my room for the next week..."
Jamie screamed and flung himself into Rusty's arms, sobbing. "No! No, you can't!"
"No, Jamie, I won't be!" Rusty said quickly.
Jamie sniffed and looked up at Rusty, his blue eyes full of tears. "Pr... promise?"
"Yeah I promise, all I've gotta do is some cleaning, that's it. That's the worst that'll happen to me."
Jamie sniffed and nodded slowly. "Okay..."
"I promise," Rusty repeated.
Jamie nodded and took a deep breath. "Let me help."
"Well..."
"Please..."
"it's not that I don't want you to...it's just..."
"What?"
"how are you feeling?"
"Fine. Why?"
"Because...I wouldn't want you...to overdo it, and get hurt again..."
"Rusty, please let me help. I don't want you to do it all by yourself."
"as long as you're careful...and don't overdo it..."
"I won't!" Jamie said quickly.
"Okay..." Rusty said.
Jamie nodded and looked around. "What do we do?"
"I guess that maybe to start...get everything off the floor?"
"Okay," Jamie agreed. "Just tell me what to do."
"I think, maybe we can just move everything outside..."
"Okay." Jamie grabbed the nearest box and picked it up, trying to make sure his wheels didn't slip.
Rusty watched Jamie for a second to make sure he was okay, before starting to pick things up off the floor.
Jamie carried the light box outside, then went back for another. But, being the weakling he was, he couldn't budge it. He struggled with it.
Rusty didn't notice right away, he was moving something else.
Jamie tried again and slipped, falling to the floor with a crash.
Rusty immediately stopped what he was doing and skated over to Jamie, "you okay?"
Jamie nodded and got painfully to his wheels, his eyes and face burning.
"D'you think maybe you could gather up all of the loose things?" Rusty asked.
Jamie nodded. "Yeah," he said softly, not meeting Rusty's eyes.
"Okay, thanks," Rusty said.
Jamie nodded and moved to pick up scattered tools and little nuts and bolts all over the shed floor.
Rusty studied the box that Jamie had been trying to move, then leaned against it and pushed, rather then trying to lift it.
Jamie glanced over at Rusty and bit his lip. Why hadn't he thought of that and almost killed himself?
As Rusty pushed the box, he stirred up quite a bit of dust. "AH-CHOO!"
Jamie, who was already jumpy enough, dropped the bucket he had been holding, scattering bolts at his feet.
The clattering sound startled Rusty and he turned around.
Jamie dived for the little pieces, frantically trying to pick them up.
Rusty didn't comment, he went back to moving things.
Jamie continued his hunt and catch, picking up various pieces of metal. Suddenly he came across a length of chain that probably at one time had been used to bind girders together. He dropped it with a scream.
Rusty nearly jumped out of his skin. "Jamie? What...?"
Jamie dropped the chain and stumbled backwards, shaking violently.
"Jamie...?" Rusty asked, skating over to the other engine.
Jamie collapsed in Rusty's arms, sobbing.
Rusty was a bit surprised, but he held Jamie anyway.
Jamie sobbed, clinging to Rusty as he had clung to his teddy bear the night before.
"Jamie...it's alright," Rusty said, not sure what exactly had set Jamie off.
Jamie sobbed and felt his legs give out. He collapsed on the dirty floor, half-screaming, half-crying.
Rusty sank down next to Jamie, then he saw an old length of chain on the floor. *oh....* he thought.
Jamie curled into a ball, sobbing into his arms, not even noticing his already dingy frame was getting dirtier.
Rusty started to say something, but it came out as a sneeze.
Jamie sniffed and looked up at Rusty through half-crazed eyes.
"Jamie...d'you think...we could move...outside?" Rusty asked stuffily.
Jamie inhaled deeply and coughed. He sniffed and nodded slowly, but he was unable to get to his feet, he was shaking so badly.
Rusty got up and helped keep Jamie steady.
Jamie wobbled a bit, clinging to Rusty.
Rusty guided Jamie outside, keeping the little engine steady.
Jamie sank down weakly on a nearby box.
Rusty hesitated, afraid that anything he'd say would start Jamie off again.
Jamie looked up at Rusty with scared eyes.
"Are you..." Rusty started.
Jamie sniffed and hugged Rusty tight around the waist.
Rusty was feeling rather uncomfortable, he didn't know what to do now and he could feel his ears starting to burn.
Jamie huddled close to Rusty and began to cry again. "Don't let them hurt me, Rusty," he pleaded.
"Nobody's gonna hurt you."
"They'll hurt me!" Jamie insisted, looking up at Rusty again, his eyes panicky.
"Who?" Rusty asked softly.
"Tank!" Jamie screamed and buried his face in Rusty's chest, sobbing madly.
"He's not here, he can't touch you."
Jamie wailed, squeezing Rusty very, very tightly.
Rusty gasped, as a bit of steam whooshed out of him.
Jamie sobbed loudly, shivering.
Rusty took a breath, as deep as he could, then closed his eyes for a second.
Jamie didn't pay attention, not really even realizing he was holding Rusty, just needing something to cling to for safety.
Rusty opened his eyes, glowing faintly now, "Jamie..."
Jamie didn't notice.
"Jamie, it's okay, you're safe now," Rusty said, eyes glowing.
Jamie shook his head, his face pressed to Rusty's chest.
"I promise," Rusty assured him.
Jamie sniffed and looked up trustingly at Rusty, then gasped and shoved Rusty away from him.
"What?" Rusty asked.
"Stay away from me!" Jamie screamed.
"But-"
"Leave me alone! Don't hurt me!" Jamie cried, curling into a shaking ball.
"I'm not gonna hurt you, it's me, It's Rusty..."
"Please..." Jamie's voice was soft and pleading now. "Please... it hut enough... Please... don't touch me... Please..."
"I won't." Rusty said.
"Go away, please, leave me alone. I don't want any trouble." Jamie was sobbing again.
"I'm not gonna give you any..."
Jamie curled tighter. "Don't hurt me... Rusty... I want Rusty..."
"I'm right here Jamie..." Rusty said.
"Rusty... Rusty will protect me... Don't hurt me, please... I want to go home..."
"Jamie...nobody's gonna hurt you..."
Jamie suddenly launched himself into Rusty's arms, knocking them both flat. He sobbed into Rusty's chest. "I'm scared... don't leave me with them..."
Rusty blinked, getting a bit frightened himself, "I won't..." he said.
Jamie hugged Rusty tighter, sobbing loud enough to wake the dead.
Rusty blinked and then did the first thing he could think of, he whistled, his alarm call filling the air.
Jamie yelped and squeezed Rusty tighter. "Don't!" he pleaded, thinking back to the scary ghost train that wanted to keep him.
Rusty gasped as his air supply was reduced. There was a deeper answering whistle.
Jamie shrieked and dove behind Rusty, hugging him tightly from behind, sobbing frantically into Rusty's shoulder blades.
Rusty looked up hopefully, and was relieved to see Poppa chugging down the tracks.
Jamie sobbed louder. "Rusty, I'm scared..."
"shh...shh...there's nothing to be scared of..."
"They're gonna hurt me... Can't you see them?"
Poppa rolled over and looked down at Rusty and Jamie without much expression.
"They won't hurt you," Rusty said. He looked at Poppa, "He freaked..." he said softly.
"Rusty... Rusty..."
"I'm right here Jamie,"
"Rusty... they're gonna hurt me..."
"No..." Rusty said, with a frightened look at his father.
"They'll hurt me," Jamie insisted.
"No!"
"Rusty... it hurts.."
"What does?" Rusty asked.
"It hurts..."
"What hurts?"
"Please... they're hurting me..."
"Nobody's touching you," Rusty said, with a visible attempt to remain calm.
Jamie held Rusty tighter.
"Poppa...help..." Rusty said.
Jamie sobbed softly. "Rusty... don't..."
"I don't know what to do," Rusty said.
"Rusty..."
"Yeah?"
"Rusty... don't hurt me..."
"what? I would never..."
"Rusty, please... save me...:
Poppa reached down to Rusty and Rusty automatically took his father's hand.
"Don't leave me!" Jamie yelped, squeezing Rusty tightly.
Rusty gasped, "I'm still here Jamie..."
"Don't leave me... I'm scared..."
"There's nothing to be afraid of," Rusty said, although inside he was rather scared himself.
"Rusty, please..."
"Poppa, help me..." Rusty pleaded.
"Rusty..."
"What?" Rusty asked, "I'm sorry...I just...don't know what do to..."
"Rusty... don't leave me... They're hurting me..."
"nobody's touching you!"
"They're hurting me!" Jamie screamed.
Rusty slowly stood up.
"Don't leave me!" Jamie grabbed Rusty's couplers.
Rusty sighed and looked at Poppa, frightened.
"Rusty..."
"Okay son, calm down," Poppa said to Rusty, "I'll take care of this..."
"Rusty... I'm scared..."
Poppa turned to Jamie, "Calm down," he said softly.
Jamie ignored Poppa. "Rusty, don't go..."
Rusty looked at Jamie, then at Poppa, then at Jamie again...
"Rusty..."
"Jamie...I'm sorry..." He looked at Poppa, "I can't..."
"Rusty!" Jamie shrieked.
Rusty started forward, getting ready to bolt.
Jamie grabbed Rusty's couplers again.
Rusty started forward again, "I can't do this, I can't..."
"Rusty..."
Rusty whistled, high pitched and frightened.
Jamie screamed. "Rusty, stoppit!"
Rusty turned around, his eyes wild as he looked at Jamie.
Jamie gazed back into Rusty's eyes, his own just as wild.
Rusty spun and started forward again.
Jamie latched onto Rusty and refused to let go.
Rusty struggled, then gave up, bolting down the tracks.
Jamie screamed.
Rusty kept going, not realizing that Jamie was behind him.
Jamie flung himself on the ground and cried.
Poppa sped after Rusty, picking up speed until he over took him.
Jamie sobbed, curling into a ball on the tracks.
Poppa caught up with Rusty, swinging around in front of him. Rusty made a face and turned, trying to get away.
Jamie sobbed softly, hugging himself tightly.
Poppa chased Rusty back over towards where Jamie was. Poppa pulled in front of Rusty, blocking his path and setting his hands firmly on Rusty's shoulders.
Jamie had ceased to cry, but he still shook violently.
Rusty struggled against his father, eyes glowing, but Poppa held him firm.
Jamie sniffed softly and closed his eyes.
Poppa met Rusty's eyes and the two engines stared at each other until finally Rusty stopped struggling.
Jamie peeked one eye open cautiously.
Poppa continued to hold Rusty, but Rusty was completely still.
Jamie gasped softly. What was Poppa doing?
Rusty looked down and suddenly looked a bit...drained.
Jamie shot up off the ground and grabbed Rusty in a hug again. "Rusty, are you okay? What happened?"
Rusty's frame had relaxed in his father's grip. The energy he had gotten from fear was leaving him now.
Jamie, however, was frantic. "Rusty, talk to me..."
Rusty opened his eyes, the wild look was replaced by a relaxed one, and he smiled at Jamie.
Jamie stumbled backwards a bit.
"hey..." Rusty said softly.
Jamie hugged himself. "You okay?"
"Of course..."
Jamie swallowed. "O... Okay."
"Yeah...why?"
"Well... cause..."
Poppa slowly let go of Rusty, who turned to Jamie, "'Cause what?"
Jamie recoiled and moved closer to Rusty.
Rusty, a completely relaxed look in his eyes, moved over to Jamie, "Are you okay?"
Jamie whimpered softly. "Rusty, you're scaring me..."
"I'm *sorry*" Rusty said, "I didn't mean to..."
Jamie whimpered and hugged himself tightly.
"Jamie, I'm sorry," Rusty repeated.
"For what?"
"For scaring you..."
Jamie sniffed softly.
Rusty sighed and looked down at his skates *I don't even know what I did...*
Jamie hugged Rusty tightly.
Poppa set a hand on Rusty's shoulder.
Jamie shied away from Poppa.
Rusty looked up at his father, "Thanks..." he said softly.
Jamie swallowed. "What did he do?" he whimpered.
"If I hadn't stopped him," Poppa said, "He'd have probably been on the other side of the trainyard by now..."
Jamie began to cry again, hugging Rusty tighter.
Rusty gasped, "Jamie..."
Poppa gently set a hand on Jamie's hands, "Not so tight son..." the older steamer said in a kindly tone.
Jamie yelped and twisted away from Poppa.
"Jamie..." Rusty said, "It's okay..."
Jamie shook his head, still crying.
Rusty turned to Poppa, "I don't know what to do for him anymore..."
Jamie sniffed and hugged Rusty again.
"Okay..." Poppa said, "I can help..."
"he's scared of you," Rusty said softly.
Jamie squeezed his eyes shut and squeezed Rusty tighter.
"I can see that," Poppa said, "Jamie...?"
Jamie didn't open his eyes.
"Jamie...is Rusty right?"
Jamie cautiously peeked one eye open and nodded a tiny bit.
"You're scared of me?"
Jamie nodded again.
"How come? I'm just an old steamer..."
Rusty looked up a bit surprised, but figured Poppa knew what he was doing.
Jamie whimpered and hugged Rusty again.
Poppa set a hand on Jamie shoulder, "I'm not gonna hurt you son..."
Jamie flinched and moved away from it.
Poppa continued to keep his hand on Jamie.
"Poppa..." Rusty started.
Jamie struggled, starting to cry. "Let go," he pleaded.
"Poppa, you're scaring him..." Rusty said, trying to remove Poppa's hand from Jamie's shoulder.
Jamie struggled, trying to hold onto Rusty.
Poppa lighten his grip a bit, but didn't let go.
Jamie struggled, sobbing. "Rusty... Rusty..."
Poppa let Jamie struggle all he liked, not stopping him, but still not letting go.
"Yeah Jamie?" Rusty asked.
"Rusty, help me," Jamie pleaded, clinging to Rusty like a life buoy.
"I..."
"Rusty..."
"Yeah?"
"Rusty, it hurts..."
"What does?"
Jamie continued to sob, still struggling against Poppa.
"Jamie, what hurts?"
Jamie didn't answer, sobbing louder, clinging closer to Rusty. "Rusty, make it stop..."
"Poppa he's doing it again...he won't tell me...let go of him..."
Jamie began to wail, starting to tremble violently.
Poppa pulled Jamie away from Rusty, sweeping the little engine up into his arms.
"Poppa?" Rusty asked alarmed.
"I know..." Poppa answered.
Jamie screamed and struggled, blinded by his own tears.
Poppa let Jamie fight against him, but continued to hold him.
Jamie struggled, but he was slowly running out of energy.
Rusty watched as his father made a face as Jamie struggled against him, but held the little engine firm.
Jamie was growing weaker by the moment and finally collapsed in Poppa's arms sobbing, his whole body gone limp.
Poppa held Jamie, letting him cry. Rusty had been watching, rather interested by this technique.
Jamie sobbed violently, no longer aware who held him, just needing someone to hold him.
"I'll take care of him Rusty," Poppa said, "you can go..."
"No," Jamie pleaded, but he was unable to turn to look at Rusty.
"he won't go far..."
"Rusty..."
"He'll be around..."
Jamie sobbed louder, clinging to Poppa now.
Poppa held the little engine. Rusty hesitated, then slowly backed away.
Jamie whimpered. "Rusty, don't go..."
"I'm not going far," Rusty said, "I'll be here still."
"Rusty..."
"Jamie..."
"Rusty, please stay," Jamie said through his sobbing.
"I'll be back in a minute," Rusty said.
Jamie sobbed louder.
Poppa held Jamie, making no attempt to quiet him or stop him or anything, just held him.
Jamie's sobbing slowly decreased over the next few minutes until it had stopped all together, and he sat, shivering, in Poppa's arms.
Poppa was quiet, still holding Jamie, his arms were considerably wet now.
Jamie sniffed softly and hugged Poppa tighter, his whole body trembling.
Poppa held Jamie still, still not saying anything, letting the little engine cry until he was finished.
Jamie slowly grew silent, still shivering, his body limp in Poppa's grip.
Poppa waited, not quite wanting to say anything yet.
Jamie's shivering slowly calmed a bit, though he continued to shiver a bit.
Poppa started to hum softly, while he was waiting.
Jamie swallowed and cuddled closer to Poppa, sniffing every now and then softly.
Poppa smiled softly, feeling Jamie relax.
Jamie hugged Poppa tighter, laying his head on the older engine's warm chest.
Poppa mumbled something softly.
Jamie sniffed softly and curled closer.
"There we go..." Poppa said softly.
Jamie swallowed and laid his cheek against the warmness from Poppa's fire in his chest.
"It's okay..." Poppa started.
Jamie sniffed again and closed his eyes weakly.
There was a clattering sound from inside the shed, but Poppa didn't look up.
Jamie stirred in Poppa's arms and looked up at the shed.
"A-choooo!"
Jamie cuddled closer to Poppa and whimpered. "Rusty..."
"He's fine in there," Poppa said, "Trust me."
Jamie whimpered softly.
"I can prove it to you..." Poppa offered.
Jamie shook his head slowly, but he tried to struggle out of Poppa's arms again.
"Hey Rusty, you okay in there?" Poppa called.
"Yeah..." Rusty's voice answered.
Jamie struggled again.
"What?" Poppa asked gently.
Jamie didn't answer, struggling harder and harder.
Poppa didn't force Jamie to be still, but he still held him.
Jamie kept struggling, starting to cry softly.
Poppa considered, "If I let you go, you're just gonna run in there huh?"
Jamie sniffed and struggled again.
"Look, Jamie, I know you want to help Rusty..."
Jamie struggled harder.
"You'll help him better by staying out here..."
Jamie cried softly. "Rusty..."
"Jamie, you gotta trust me on this one..."
Jamie didn't hear, sobbing again.
Inwardly Poppa sighed, and he held Jamie again.
Jamie struggled hard like a puppy caught in the grip of a baby.
Poppa let Jamie fight all he wanted to, without letting him go.
Jamie was draining his energy again, his fighting slowly going down again, still sobbing for Rusty.
Poppa continued to hold Jamie. He wasn't showing it quite yet, but this was beginning to get tiring...
Jamie slowly fell back into Poppa's arms with a defeated cry, no energy left in his tiny frame.
Inwardly Poppa was relieved, he didn't think he'd be able to do this all that much longer.
Jamie cried softly, his face paler than usual.
"Easy son..." Poppa soothed.
Jamie whimpered softly, his throat dry and scratchy.
"There we go..."
Jamie sniffed and curled into a ball in Poppa's arms.
"Just relax son."
Easier said than done. Jamie sniffed again and curled tighter.
Poppa held Jamie as Rusty skated out with a broom, rather covered in dust.
Jamie shivered in Poppa's arms, his eyes blinded with tears.
Poppa looked up, indicating Rusty should keep quiet.
Jamie swallowed painfully. His throat was dry and raw from crying.
Poppa shifted slightly freeing one hand so he could reach back.
Jamie sniffed and swiped at his face with a hand.
"Jamie..." Poppa said gently.
Jamie looked up at Poppa with scared eyes.
Poppa eased his water bottle into Jamie's hands.
Jamie took the bottle and tried to open it, but he was shaking so badly he couldn't even grab the stopper.
Poppa, with his free hand, carefully opened the bottle for Jamie.
Jamie held the bottle and tried to take a sip, but he was shaking so much he only succeeded in spilling water down his chin.
Poppa reached out and steadied the bottle for Jamie.
Jamie sniffed softly, his hands shaking.
Poppa carefully held the bottle so Jamie could drink.
Jamie let go of the bottle, closing his eyes weakly.
Poppa pulled it back, covered it and put it away.
Jamie swallowed the water gratefully and whimpered softly.
"It's okay son..." Poppa said softly.
Jamie sniffed softly.
Rusty had gone back into the shed, and was now in process of bringing more things out.
Jamie sighed softly, cuddling into Poppa's arms, feeling lightheaded from his crying.
Rusty looked at Poppa, who nodded. Rusty smiled and relaxed a bit, he'd been worried about Jamie.
Jamie closed his eyes, a bit dizzy.
Rusty turned and then sneezed again.
Jamie stirred in Poppa's arms.
Rusty held his breath, not wanting to disturb the little engine after he had finally relaxed.
Jamie whimpered softly. "Rusty?"
"Yeah?"
"Rusty..." Jamie held out his arms to the engine.
Rusty skated over towards Jamie.
Jamie tried to struggle out of Poppa's arms again to hug Rusty.
Rusty sank to his knees and took on of Jamie's hands.
Jamie squeezed Rusty's hands tightly.
"You gonna be okay Jamie?" Rusty asked.
Jamie whimpered softly.
Rusty gave Jamie's hand a squeeze back and then looked up at his father gratefully, at least Jamie wasn't screaming anymore.
Jamie tried to move into Rusty's arms again, but he couldn't get out of Poppa's grip.
"thanks Poppa..." Rusty said softly.
"Rusty..." Jamie pleaded, trying to get out of Poppa's arms.
"It's okay Ja-" Rusty started, then turned his head, "A-choo!"
Jamie whimpered and held out his arms again.
Rusty continued to look away, until his sneezing fit stopped.
"Rusty," Jamie pleaded again.
"Sorry," Rusty said sheepishly, "Didn't wanna sneeze on you."
Jamie struggled in Poppa's arms. "Lemme go!" he pleaded.
"Jamie?" Rusty started.
Jamie whined and reached for Rusty again.
"Jamie, why d'you want out?"
"I want Rusty..."
"That would be me..."
"Rusty..."
"I'm right here..."
"Rusty..." Jamie struggled for Rusty again.
"Easy there," Poppa said.
"Rusty!" Jamie pleaded again.
Rusty reached out and took Jamie's hands again.
Jamie squeezed them tightly, not wanting to let go.
"Ah...Jamie..." Rusty protested against his fingers being crushed.
Jamie didn't notice, still trying to get into Rusty's arms.
Rusty tried to wiggle loose.
Jamie whimpered and struggled painfully against Poppa's grip.
"Jamie, I'm not leaving you..." Rusty said.
"Rusty, take me with," Jamie pleaded.
"I dunno...it's pretty dusty in there..."
"Please..."
"Give me a second?"
Jamie whimpered. "O... Okay..."
Rusty nodded, standing up.
Jamie struggled against Poppa again.
"I'll be back," Rusty said, backing up.
Jamie sniffed and nodded. "Hurry," he pleaded.
Rusty vanished into the shed again.
Jamie bit his lip to stop from crying. "Rusty..."
"He'll be back," Poppa started to say.
"Rusty..."
"He'll be back Jamie."
"Rusty... Want Rusty..."
Poppa closed his eyes for a second and winced.
Jamie whimpered softly.
Inside the shed Rusty was very quickly making sure there didn't seem to be anything to set Jamie off again. Poppa held Jamie gently.
Jamie struggled a bit against Poppa, but he had no more energy.
Poppa inhaled sharply, but held Jamie firmly.
Jamie whimpered and cuddled back against Poppa, sniffing.
Poppa started humming softly again.
Jamie closed his eyes and cuddled close to Poppa's warm chest again.
Poppa turned down his fire a bit so he wouldn't burn Jamie.
Jamie cuddled closer, sighing softly.
Inside the shed, Rusty was on his knees retrieving something that had rolled just out of reach. He grabbed it and sat up, banging his head on the shelf above, causing a minor avalanche to come crashing down, it was mainly old papers and dust, but then the shelf fell as well.
Jamie shrieked and strained against Poppa's arms. "Rusty!" he yelled.
Poppa held Jamie for a second and then heard Rusty's voice complaining about how it was an even bigger mess now. *good, he's okay* Poppa thought.
Jamie strained. "Rusty!"
Poppa winced, he couldn't hold Jamie back anymore.
Jamie broke free and launched himself towards the door, yanking it open, and stumbling forward into the darkness. "Rusty???"
Rusty coughed, brushing dust away from his face, and pushed the fallen papers aside. "Oh Starlight," he groaned.
"Rusty!" Jamie stumbled forward and dropped down next to the fallen steam train.
"Jamie..." Rusty said in an expressionless tone.
"Rusty..."
Rusty pushed himself up, "What are you doing in here?"
"I... I wanted you..."
"I said I was coming back..."
"But..."
Rusty closed his eyes, then opened then, "Oh well..." he smiled.
Jamie sat down next to Rusty. "Are you okay?"
"yeah..." Rusty said sheepishly, looking down at himself, "Still in once piece."
"Good." Jamie curled closer to him.
"I think I need to get outside before I start...A-choo!...rats."
Jamie backed away as the dust swirled around him. "You okay?"
"Y-ye-" Rusty braced to sneeze again.
Jamie backed away again.
Rusty turned his head and sneezed, then got up to his wheels.
Jamie scrambled to his wheels. "Wait for me."
Rusty waited.
Jamie moved to Rusty's side and curled close to him.
"I'm going outside," Rusty announced.
"Don't leave me!" Jamie pleaded, grabbing Rusty's couplers.
"Yeah...was telling you so you'd come.."
"Okay."
Rusty moved out of the shed, but not before sneezing yet again.
Jamie ducked, but he followed Rusty closely.
Once outside Rusty could breath easier.
Jamie hugged Rusty around the waist.
"Where'd he go?"
"Who?"
"Poppa."
"He... he was just here..."
Rusty looked around.
Jamie whimpered. "Is he... is he gone?"
"did he say anything?"
"No..."
"Then he's gotta be around here somewhere..."
"Okay..."
Rusty moved over towards the other side of the shed...and came to a stop.
Jamie almost crashed into him.
Poppa was tired all of a sudden, and when he was tired he often showed how old he actually was. Currently he was half sitting, half lying on the ground, eyes half-closed, concentrating on breathing properly.
Jamie peered around Rusty with scared eyes.
Rusty stood there for a second, "Poppa..." he whispered.
"Is... is he okay?"
Rusty didn't answer, instead he rushed over to his father, diving down next to him.
Jamie followed, kneeling down next to them.
"Poppa..." Rusty said, in a rather scared tone.
"Is he gonna be okay? What can we do?"
Poppa whirred into motion slightly, opening his tired eyes. "Rusty." he said.
Jamie clutched Rusty's arm tightly.
Rusty had seemed to have forgotten Jamie for a second as he hovered near his father.
Jamie gave Rusty's arm a shake.
Rusty looked up blankly.
"Rusty, is he okay?"
"He's..."
"What?"
"He's old..." Rusty started sadly.
Jamie nodded slowly, hugging Rusty's arm.
Poppa opened his eyes suddenly.
Jamie sniffed softly.
"Poppa?" Rusty asked softly, leaning in closer and the two talked for a few seconds.
Jamie hovered nearby.
Rusty made a face, clearly not very happy at what he'd been told.
"What?" Jamie asked, giving Rusty's arm a tug.
"Are you sure Poppa?" Rusty asked softly.
"What?" Jamie asked again.
Poppa straightened a bit, "I'm sure Rusty, I just got a bit tired..."
Jamie whimpered and tugged on Rusty again. "What?"
"nothing."
"Is he okay?"
"I will be," Poppa said firmly, though Rusty didn't look too convinced.
Jamie whimpered and clung closer to Rusty.
Rusty continued to sit there, an odd expression crossing his face. Poppa reached out and lightly grabbed Rusty's wrist.
Jamie whimpered and hugged Rusty again.
Rusty made a half-hearted tug, but of course, didn't get free from his father.
Jamie peered down at Poppa with scared eyes.
"I'll be fine Rusty," Poppa said firmly, "All I need is a few minutes to get power back..."
Jamie looked confusedly at Rusty.
Rusty nodded, "Y-you want some water or something?"
Jamie hugged Rusty tighter.
Poppa shook his head, "I have enough. Don't worry about me."
Jamie knelt next to Rusty.
"Okay..." Rusty breathed, "But Poppa..."
Jamie whimpered and hugged Rusty again.
Poppa tightened his grip on Rusty's wrist. Rusty pulled, but couldn't get away, which made him feel a great deal better.
Jamie tugged on Rusty's other arm. "Rusty?"
"Yeah?"
"Is he gonna be okay?"
"I...I think so..."
"You think so?"
"Yeah..."
Jamie whimpered softly.
Rusty gently tried to pull out of his father's grip, this time actually really trying, and he couldn't get loose.
"Rusty..."
"What?"
"What's gonna happen?"
"Go now," Poppa said, "I wanna take a nap."
"but-" Rusty started.
"Rusty, should he sleep on the ground?"
"Poppa, you can't...not here..."
"We should take him to Meg..."
"He doesn't..." Rusty started.
"What?"
"She can't help him...not with this..."
"Well, can't she do something?"
"Jamie, son," Poppa started, "I don't need her..."
Jamie whimpered softly.
"Jamie, Rusty, all I need is some rest, and maybe some water..."
Jamie snatched Rusty's water bottle from his waist and held it out to Poppa.
Poppa hid a smile and solemnly took he bottle from Jamie.
Jamie smiled shyly.
"Thank you." Poppa said.
Jamie nodded a bit, smiling.
Poppa took a drink, finally letting go of Rusty in process.
Jamie clung to Rusty again.
Poppa returned Rusty's water bottle.
"Jamie...?" Rusty started
"What?"
"Could you..."
"What?"
"Could you...watch him?"
"Me?"
"Yeah..."
"Why?"
"Be-because..."
"Cause what?"
"Please?" Rusty asked softly, almost begging.
Jamie whimpered and nodded. "Where are you going?"
"back to work..."
"Rusty! You can't leave him like this!"
"I'm not gonna...you'll be with him..."
"But he needs you!"
Rusty looked at Jamie with wide eyes, as if addressing a higher up engine, "Please Jamie..."
Jamie whimpered softly and nodded. "When... when will you be back?"
"Oh for Starlight's sake you two, I'm not gonna die," Poppa groaned.
Jamie sniffed and squeezed Rusty's arm again.
Rusty looked down sheepishly, "Please Jamie?"
Jamie nodded slowly. "But you'll hurry?"
"yeah..."
"O... okay...:
Rusty stood up, "Thanks Jamie..." he said, but he was looking at his father.
Jamie nodded slowly and sniffed again.
Rusty backed away, then turned and skated off.
Jamie sat down next to Poppa and pulled his knees to his chest.
Poppa rolled his eyes as Rusty left.
Jamie sighed softly and buried his face in his knees.
Poppa sighed, "He scare you?"
"A little," Jamie mumbled.
Poppa shook his head, "I'm just running low on power...I'll generate more..."
Jamie looked over at him. "But you'll be okay?"
"Yup."
Jamie nodded slowly and hugged his knees closer.
Poppa shifted slightly, "And as for Rusty, he'll be fine as well, I understand you were upset about him?"
Jamie looked quizzically at Poppa.
"Yeah...something about not wanting him to have to do anything..."
"Oh," Jamie said softly.
"Yes. Don't worry about him."
"Okay," Jamie said softly.
"He'll be fine, and so will I..." Poppa hesitated, "Will you?"
Jamie looked up in surprise. "What?"
"Will you be alright?"
No one had ever asked him that before. Jamie hesitated, then nodded slowly. "I... I think so..."
"good..." Poppa said slowly, "I was starting to get worried."
"About me?" Jamie asked in surprise.
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Because...you looked upset..."
"I did?"
"well yeah..."
"When?" Jamie asked softly.
"Pretty much ever since you got here..."
"Oh..." Yeah, that made sense.
"Yes, I've been worried."
"About me?"
"well yeah..."
"No one's... ever been worried about me..." Jamie said in awe.
Poppa looked at Jamie in surprise.
Jamie let go of his knees and kicked a wheel angrily.
"What?" Poppa asked.
"Nothing," Jamie said softly.
"Didn't look like nothing..."
Jamie looked away guiltily.
"If you don't wanna talk about it..." Poppa started, but clearly he wanted to hear about it.
Jamie shook his head, his eyes on the ground.
"I understand if you don't..."
Jamie sniffed softly.
Poppa shifted slowly.
"I... No one's ever really cared about me," Jamie said softly. "Until Rusty came..."
"I thought you have a sister..."
"Yeah, Jan..."
"She seems to care about you..."
"Well, yeah..."
"So you at least had *somebody*"
"Yeah, I suppose..."
"But yes, back to Rusty..."
Jamie nodded slowly. "When he came... he cared about me... He wanted to help me..."
Poppa nodded, "That sounds like him..."
Jamie nodded slowly.
"He told me that he wanted to help you, to bring you here."
Jamie nodded again. "Yeah."
"Didn't say exactly why though," Poppa said.
"What DID he tell you?" Jamie asked softly, biting his lip.
"That he had a reason for what happened, and that he needed to bring you here..."
Jamie nodded slowly.
"Yeah...and that he'd tell me more later..."
"Oh."
"He hasn't yet."
"Oh..."
"Yeah..." Poppa trailed off.
Jamie scuffed a toe stop on the ground.
"I would like to know," Poppa said, "but..."
Jamie looked up at Poppa.
"and I would like to ask about the way you look," Poppa said, "But..."
Jamie sniffed softly. "You... you can ask..."
"What should I ask?" Poppa asked softly.
Jamie shrugged. "Whatever you want..."
"How come Rusty wanted to bring you here so badly?"
Jamie looked down at his skate again. "Cause... cause he wanted to protect me..."
"From what?"
"From Tank and his gang..."
"Tank?"
"He... he was the leader of our yard..."
"Oh...that would be who called me then..."
"Y... Yeah..."
"And you needed protecting from him?"
Jamie nodded slowly, pulling his knees to his chest again.
"I see..." Poppa said slowly, "And I assume that *he* is the reason for..."
Jamie nodded slowly.
"And..." Poppa looked at Jamie wrists.
Jamie gasped softly and pulled his wrists into his lap so Poppa couldn't see them.
Poppa looked away, "I didn't say anything..."
Jamie didn't answer, but he swiped at tears in his eyes.
Poppa shifted slightly, so he was sitting up. "So Rusty wanted to get you away..."
Jamie nodded shamefully.
"Well if you were being treated badly there, there's nothing wrong with wanting to come somewhere else..."
Jamie sniffed, trying not to cry.
"There isn't." Poppa said firmly.
Jamie nodded slowly, swiping at his eyes again. "I know..."
"If you don't want to talk any more..." Poppa started
Jamie shook his head. "No, no, I can... can talk..."
"Alright, what did you want to talk about?"
Jamie shrugged. "I dunno..."
"Anything about your old trainyard?"
"Not a lot. This trainyard is a lot nicer."
"Thanks."
Jamie smiled shyly.
"I'm glad you like it here..."
Jamie nodded slowly. "Yeah. I... I like it a lot."
Poppa nodded, "You're welcome to stay...in fact, I think that a lot of people would like that..."
Jamie looked up in surprise. "You... you think so?"
"Well sure..."
Jamie smiled shyly.
"I do have another question though..."
Jamie nodded. "Okay..."
"D'you have something for me?"
Jamie narrowed his eyes in confusion. "I... I don't think so..."
Poppa sat up slowly, "Like a message or something?"
Jamie gasped and tried to look over his shoulder at the paint spots. "Oh no..."
"What?" Poppa asked gently.
Jamie sniffed and covered his eyes with his hands, starting to cry.
"Jamie...?"
Jamie looked up at Poppa through teary, blue eyes.
"What...?"
Jamie sniffed and scrubbed at his face with his fist.
"You gonna tell me?" Poppa asked gently.
Jamie reached down and touched the note inside his pocket...
"You don't have to..." Poppa started.
Jamie sniffed and pulled it out, looking at the ragged edges...
Poppa looked down at the crumpled letter in Jamie hands, but didn't say a word.
Jamie bit his lip and sniffed slowly, then slowly held it out to Poppa...
Poppa held out his hands expectantly.
Jamie hesitated, then slowly handed it to Poppa.
Poppa took the letter from Jamie.
Jamie sniffed and curled into a ball again.
"Do you know what this is?" Poppa asked gently, still not opening it.
Jamie nodded slowly, not meeting Poppa's eyes.
"Good, cuz I don't," Poppa said with a smile.
Jamie sniffed softly and curled tighter.
"Should I open this then?"
Jamie sniffed again. "If... if you want..."
"What do you think it says?"
Jamie shook his head and buried his face in his knees again.
Poppa shifted, "Regardless of what this says..." he started.
Jamie looked up at Poppa.
"Regardless of what this says, it won't change what I think about you..."
"Really?" Jamie asked softly.
"No, I tend to go by my experience when meeting people."
Jamie smiled a bit.
"So...you do or don't know what this says?"
Jamie nodded slowly. "I think I do..."
"Yes?" Poppa prompted.
Jamie shook his head.
"And?"
Jamie shook his head again.
"Oh..." Poppa said softly, "I see..."
Jamie sniffed and tried to hold back tears.
"Well I suppose I should look then..."
Jamie didn't meet his eyes, nodding slowly.
"Okay..." Poppa said, unfolding the letter.
Jamie buried his face in his knees again.
Poppa was silent for a minute or two as he read the letter.
Jamie bit his lip hard.
"don't do that," Poppa said softly.
Jamie looked up at him. "What?"
"Don't bite your lip so hard, you might bite it..."
Jamie let go of his lip and looked away again.
"I don't want you to hurt yourself..." Poppa said, sounding a bit distracted.
"I won't," Jamie said softly.
"Good," Poppa said.
Jamie curled closer to himself again.
Poppa's eyes narrowed slightly at the letter.
Jamie sighed softly.
The older engine let out something that could've possibly almost been a growl.
Jamie flinched and moved away from Poppa.
Poppa blew steam over the letter a bit angrily.
Jamie whimpered softly.
Poppa folded the letter again.
Jamie sniffed softly. "Poppa, please..."
"Yes?"
"Please... please let me stay here. I'll be good, and I'll do whatever I'm supposed to. Please..."
Poppa looked a bit surprised.
"Please," Jamie begged.
"Jamie..." Poppa started.
Jamie swallowed.
"Jamie, son, calm down, I'm not gonna make you leave."
"You... you're not?" Jamie asked softly.
"Of course not."
"I... I promise I'll be good... I'll do whatever I'm supposed to..."
"do you now?"
"Do I what?"
"Promise to be good?"
Jamie nodded hastily.
"I never expected you to do anything otherwise," Poppa said, his eyes narrowed slightly, "Is that..."
Jamie whimpered and moved away just a bit.
"Is that what they would tell you?"
Jamie nodded slowly.
"And is that why they would...do what they did to you?"
Jamie swallowed. "I... I don't know..."
"Oh..." Poppa said, "Well Jamie..."
Jamie looked up at him, scared.
"I doubt you could do anything *bad*"
Jamie sniffed. "I... I don't know..."
"So far I haven't thought of anything bad that you could do..." Poppa said gently.
Jamie looked away shamefully.
"That's not a bad thing Jamie..."
Jamie nodded slowly, but he couldn't meet Poppa's eyes.
"The point is that I doubt you'd do anything bad, which means that I wouldn't make you leave."
Jamie looked up hopefully. "I... I'd be good. I don't want to leave..."
"Then you don't have to."
"I don't?"
"No." Poppa smiled, "I wouldn't make you leave...that's not how I do things."
Jamie smiled a bit, but his smile soon faded. "I... I can't do a lot of work," he said softly.
Poppa shrugged, "That's alright."
"I... I can't pull anything, except Jan..."
"That's okay..."
"I... I get tired easily..."
"So do I sometimes."
"But... but I'm Rusty's age," Jamie said softly.
Poppa shrugged, "You're also a diesel engine."
"What does that have to do with it?" Jamie asked softly.
"You're different from Rusty, just like you're different from me."
Jamie sighed softly.
"I doubt that I'd have much of anything for you to do right now anyway..."
"But... but I want to help," Jamie offered.
"I know," Poppa said, "And you can, just right now I've got more trains then I know what to do with..."
Jamie looked away again. "Then I shouldn't take up space."
"nah, you won't take up that much."
"But I should be doing stuff..."
"You can...just don't worry about it."
"O... Okay," Jamie said softly.
"Jamie, I won't send you away," Poppa assured him.
"Promise?" Jamie asked softly, looking up at Poppa with scared eyes.
"Promise."
Jamie smiled slowly.
Poppa smiled back, "Well I think that now that you've delivered your message..."
Jamie whimpered softly.
"Now that you've delivered it and it won't be needed anymore you don't need to be marked..."
Jamie swallowed and looked over his shoulder again.
"So I think that maybe we could take those markings off..."
"We could?" Jamie asked, his eyes wide.
"Yeah we could."
Jamie smiled gratefully. "I... I'd like that..."
Poppa nodded, "we can take care of it today if you like."
Jamie nodded slowly. "That would... would be nice."
Poppa smiled, "Okay then we will."
Jamie smiled gratefully.
Poppa shifted, "I'm afraid not quite yet though..."
"When?" Jamie asked.
"As soon as I have enough power to get up..." Poppa said.
"Okay," Jamie said softly.
"It'll be today though," Poppa assured Jamie.
Jamie nodded slowly, then bit his lip. "Will it hurt?"
"Will what hurt?"
"Getting the paint off?"
"Haven't you ever been painted before?"
"Just... just when I was new..."
"It's nothing..." Poppa said, "Provided you don't mind sitting still..."
Jamie shook his head slowly. "I... I've done it before."
Poppa smiled, "You won't believe some of the trouble I've had with some of mine when they were little."
Jamie smiled a bit. "Really? Was Rusty bad?"
"Rusty wasn't *as* bad as some of the others...but..."
"But?"
"Lets put it this way, he didn't get painted too often..."
Jamie smiled slowly. "That doesn't sound like Rusty."
"It doesn't huh?"
"No."
"I've known him a bit longer then you have..."
Jamie nodded slowly. "True."
Poppa smiled, "When he was little he didn't like sitting still very much..."
Jamie laughed softly. "Really?"
"Yeah...it took quite a bit of convincing to get him to sit still..."
"What did you have to do?"
"We tried pretty much everything to get him to stay put..."
"Like what?" Jamie asked, his eyes wide.
"Bribing him...holding him down..."
"Ooh," Jamie said softly, shivering a bit.
"Although he would listen to Belle-my coach- and he would sit still if we told him stories or something..."
Jamie smiled shyly. "Rusty likes stories?"
"When he was little, yeah..."
"Doesn't he like them anymore?" Jamie asked softly.
"No...I didn't mean it like that, I just meant that when he was little, that could always keep him quiet."
"Oh. Yeah, I... I like stories too..."
"A lot of trains do..." Poppa smiled, "But when Rusty was little...he was a bit hard to keep up with."
"Was he fast?"
"He would run all the time, then he'd tell me he was in training..."
Jamie smiled. "For the races?"
Poppa nodded.
Jamie smiled. "I like watching the races."
"Rusty always wanted to race..."
"I... I always wanted to race too."
Poppa smiled at Jamie.
Jamie smiled shyly back.
"Anyway, I knew that he'd be a racer, ever since he was little."
Jamie smiled and nodded slowly. "He seems like a racer."
"Runs the family."
Jamie giggled softly.
"What?"
Jamie bit his lip to stop his laughter. "I... I just... can't see you racing, Poppa."
Poppa straightened a bit, "And why not?"
"Well, cause you're-" Jamie had to stop himself from saying "old". "Cause you seem so run down."
"Well sure I do, right *now*"
Jamie nodded slowly, unsure what to say.
"But when I'm not..."
Jamie studied Poppa carefully.
Poppa sat up a bit, a spark returning to his eyes.
Jamie scooted away a bit.
"Let me put it this way, I *was* a racer..."
"Were you fast?" Jamie asked.
Poppa leaned closer, "The fastest." he said with a wink.
Jamie grinned.
"Still am too..."
Jamie smiled, then bit his lip.
"What?"
Jamie shook his head. "No... nothing."
"What?" Poppa asked gently.
Jamie's face burned as tears stung his eyes.
Poppa leaned closer to Jamie, "Jamie?"
Jamie whimpered and squeezed his eyes shut, shaking his head.
"What's wrong son?"
Jamie took a deep, shuddery breath. "I..."
Poppa waited.
"I..." Jamie looked up at Poppa with teary, blue eyes.
Poppa still waited.
"I... I wanna... wanna be a... a racer... like you..."
Poppa smiled, "I see..."
"But... but I..."
"yeah?"
"I... I'm too... too slow..."
Poppa didn't have an answer right away, "Why do you say that?"
"Be... because I can't... can't pull any coaches, and... and I'm... I'm just really slow..."
"Oh," Poppa said slowly.
Jamie sniffed softly.
Poppa set a hand on Jamie's shoulder comfortingly.
Jamie curled into Poppa's arms, starting to cry silently.
"It's not too late..." Poppa said softly.
Jamie shook his head. "I'll never be able to race."
"You never know..."
"I'm too slow."
"Have you met Dustin?"
"Y... Yeah."
"Rusty tell you about the race?"
"Yeah..."
"He tell you who his partner was?"
"Dustin..."
"Yup...he was my partner too..."
"Really?"
Poppa nodded.
"What happened?" Jamie asked softly.
"I won."
"You won the race?"
Poppa nodded, "Yes."
Jamie smiled. "That's good."
"I won the heat that I was in..."
Jamie nodded.
"But..."
"But?"
"I'm afraid that was all the racing I did that night..."
"What happened?"
"I had to...stop...couldn't take part in the final..."
"Did... did Rusty have to take YOUR place?"
Poppa nodded.
"And... and he won?"
Again, Poppa nodded.
Jamie's eyes were wide as sky blue marbles. "Really?"
"Yeah...I figured he would have told you that..."
Jamie shook his head.
"He didn't tell you that when he won he was standing in for me?"
Jamie shook his head. "He didn't tell me it was you..."
"Oh."
Jamie went silent again.
Poppa shifted, "Well I suppose I understand." His engine whirred into motion again slowly.
"Understand what?" Jamie asked.
"Why he didn't tell you that..."
"Why?"
"Oh...well..."
Jamie hugged himself a bit.
"I'll tell you sometime I think," Poppa said, pushing himself up.
"Okay," Jamie said softly.
Poppa got stiffly to his wheels.
Jamie scrambled to his feet. "Do you need some help?"
"No...I'm okay..."
"Okay." Jamie brushed dirt from his frame.
"I'm gonna go check on Rusty, then we can go take care of that new paint job," Poppa said.
"Okay," Jamie said softly.
Poppa rolled over towards the shed.
Jamie watched him, then suddenly skated around in a circle, trying to go fast.
"Hey Rusty?" Poppa called, rolling into the shed.
Jamie tried to pick up some speed, but it wasn't working.
Poppa had vanished into the shed to talk to Rusty.
Jamie tried extra hard to increase his speed, but he suddenly tripped over his own wheels and hit the ground with a painful-sounding crash.
Both steamers came out of the shed at the sound.
Jamie tried to pick himself up off the ground, but he was too embarrassed.
"You okay?" Rusty started.
Jamie's face burned that Rusty saw him like that. He nodded slowly and sat up.
"We're gonna go give him a new paint job," Poppa explained to Rusty, not commenting on Jamie's fall.
Jamie got painfully to his feet, his wrist that he had not been paying much attention to suddenly throbbing painfully.
"Oh," Rusty said, "Can I come?"
Jamie nodded. "I... I'd like that.. Ah!" he gasped, clutching it close to his chest and rubbing it.
"What?" Rusty asked alarmed.
"It... it hurts," Jamie said softly.
"When you...?"
Jamie nodded shamefully.
"Maybe we should have Meg take a quick look at it..."
Jamie whimpered softly, but he nodded.
"We can..." Poppa said, "I will take him..."
"But-"
"Yeah?"
"I... I wanna go with Rusty."
"Rusty has to finish up here," Poppa said gently.
"But... but I want Rusty!"
Rusty nodded in agreement with his father. "I'll take you to Meg's, and then to get painted," Poppa said,
"But Rusty wants to come with!"
"I don't need to," Rusty said, "I am sorta in the middle of something..."
"But I want you to come!" Jamie pleaded, hugging Rusty tightly.
"Jamie...you don't need me..."
"But I want you to come!"
"but-"
"Please?"
"but-"
"Please?" Jamie laid his head on Rusty's chest.
Rusty looked up at Poppa, as if wanting Poppa to say that Rusty *had* to stay, but Poppa didn't answer. Rusty had to do this on his own.
Jamie looked up at Rusty with bright eyes. "Please come with."
"I can't."
"Why not?"
"Be..because..."
"Please come with," Jamie begged.
"I'm sorry..."
"Please?" Jamie's eyes filled with tears.
"Jamie, I can't."
"But... but you were going to!"
Rusty looked down and shook his head.
"Yes you were!" Jamie insisted. "When I got painted!"
"I don't think I can..."
"Yes you can!"
"Jamie, I have to...finish here..."
Jamie looked up at Rusty with pleading eyes. "Then will you come?"
"I..."
"Please?"
"I...guess..."
"Oh, thank you!" Jamie cried, giving Rusty a tight hug.
Rusty made a bit of a face.
Jamie looked up at Rusty with adoring eyes. "You'll come watch me get painted?"
"I...don't know...if I can I will..."
"You... you gotta be there, Rusty. I won't do it without you."
"What? get painted? It's no big deal..."
"But I want you there!"
"I'll....try..."
Jamie hugged Rusty again. "Okay."
"Ready Jamie?" Poppa asked.
Jamie sniffed softly and let go of Rusty.
"Oh come on, I don't bite," Poppa said.
Jamie looked up at Rusty and smiled shyly. "I... I'll see you later, Rusty?"
"Yeah," Rusty said, "See you later."
Jamie smiled and grabbed Poppa's couplers, then winced and pulled his wrist to his chest again. "Owww."
"We'll get that taken care of first," Poppa said.
Jamie nodded, tears prickling his eyes in pain. He half-hoped that Rusty would notice his pain and come with.
"Ready?" Poppa asked.
Jamie nodded. "Can... can we go slow?"
"Sure."
Jamie held Poppa with one hand, holding his injured wrist to his chest.
Poppa carefully pulled Jamie along the tracks.
Jamie glanced back at Rusty, then back at Poppa. "Is Rusty gonna come see me get painted?" he asked softly.
"Probably," Poppa answered.
"I... I want him to be there."
"I'm sure he knows that..."
"He... he didn't seem... like he wanted to talk to me..."
"Oh?"
"He... he's never been so mean to me." Jamie sounded ready to cry.
"I don't think..." Poppa started.
Jamie sniffed softly.
"I don't think that he meant it like that..."
"Well, he... he usually is so nice..."
"Maybe he's just tired..."
"Maybe." Jamie didn't sound very convinced.
"I'm sure that's what it is."
Jamie sighed softly. "I... I wish he liked me more."
"Who said that he didn't like you?"
"Well, he... he wasn't very nice..."
"A lot of trains get like that when they're tired..."
Jamie sighed softly and looked down at his wrist again. "I... I wanna go home."
"Oh, that reminds me..."
Jamie looked up.
"I assume that you and your sister want to live together..."
Jamie nodded slowly.
"That's what I thought..." Poppa said, *I'm running out of conveniently abandoned buildings*
Jamie sighed softly.
"Well since it's just the two of you..."
Jamie nodded again.
"Then I do have some place for you..."
"Where?" Jamie asked softly.
"It's not that big," Poppa said, "But I think that it'll do."
Jamie nodded slowly again. "Okay."
"I'll show you two to it later on."
"Okay," Jamie said again.
*~*~*~*
Pearl made up her mind, and left her lonely little word for the storage shed, on arriving there, she slowly peered around the door. She couldn't quite remember the last time she saw him this mucky, and was slightly taken aback, almost amused, but she smiled sweetly and said "Hey honey, things still rough down here?, how's this goin?"
Rusty looked up, delighted to see Pearl again, "Hey Pearl." He skated over to her, intending to hug her or something.
Pearl, proud though she was, couldn't help but reach out her arms and hug Rusty around the neck. As she let go, discreetly trying to rub the dust off of her shiny front, she said "I wanted to see you again Rusty!, even if it means coming to a place like.." she gestured towards the space around them. "Y'know!, I just can't wait 'til the time comes when you don't have any cause to do stuff like this....I mean....that is...." she faltered, slightly embarrassed as she thought she had made it sound like she was getting at him about his fights, "I really want us to have some proper time together again...and I know we will! won't we?"
Rusty hesitated, sorting out all that she had just said, "Oh..." he smiled, "Yeah well..." he looked down at her skates, "Pearl..."
"uhu?" she said nervously, following his gaze
"Pearl, I'm sorry..."
Pearl suddenly felt a pang of guilt!. She hadn't come down here with the intention of making him feel bad. "Oh Rusty," she said, "you don't have to say sorry. I mean, Starlight knows, it's not like you could totally help all of this"
Rusty looked up, "Yeah but...I..."
"You know what it is with you Rusty" she said softly "you're a little too good! and that's a great thing" she smiled shyly "It's probably one of the things I love most about you, but, well, you always put the ones who have done something wrong in their place, and, you always come of worse, even though you're only trying to do the right thing!, it's not fair on you Rusty is it?, it's really not!"
Rusty looked down, his ears turning red as he started to blush, "I guess not." He looked up, "But...all of this...for what happened, it's worth it..."
She smiled at him seriously "I know honey," she said, keeping her eyes in contact with his, "all the same, it still seems quite harsh on you to me."
"I guess," Rusty said, taking her hands, "But when I met them...I just had to bring them back here, no matter what."
Pearl sighed, for a moment, she didn't find any words to say, then, letting her eyes fall downwards, she said, "there you are again see?, always doing what you think is right.....even if....even if....well, what it seems......oh, y'know!"
"What?" Rusty asked, "Pearl, I couldn't leave them."
"I know, it's just, well.....was there not anything else at all you could have done for them?, any place else they could have been happy in, I'm not saying anything against them, it's just...well....all the journeys you've done!, isn't there anywhere else?"
"What d'you mean anywhere else?"
"well" Pearl faltered "you know better than anyone....oh Rusty!, I'm sorry!, none of this is coming out right", I just can't seem to.." she trailed off
Rusty took Pearl's hands again, "Pearl, what's wrong?"
Pearl looked into Rusty's eyes, she just couldn't bring herself to tell him what she was feeling right now, and, now she thought of it, she wasn't even sure what she was feeling now she was with Rusty again, How could she doubt him?, looking at him now, how could she?, but she couldn't help her worries, "Rusty, I know you couldn't leave them, but, well, this Jan, or whoever she is, well...I'm just thinking, I know she's kinda pretty and, well,....I guess, if I were her, I'd have been glad you picked me up and brought me here, and I'd be thinking how lucky I was to be riding with an engine like you....do you see where I'm going with this?"
Rusty backed up a bit, startled.
Pearl knew she had said a bit to much "Rusty, I knew I shouldn't have said anything, but, I love you, and anything that make me feel like I might loose you is bound to upset me, genuine or not!"
"Pearl."
"I'm sorry Rusty!, you can call me paranoid or anything, but I can't help it"
"Pearl..."
"I knew I shouldn't have said anything!, I've probably ruined all we've got now!, me and my big mouth!...oh but....Rusty....I can't loose you!, and if I have to make the world hate me to make sure that I don't, well, I guess they'll have to hate away!" she thought, "or on the other hand, maybe I've lost you anyway by being to clingy!" she said this in a broken voice.
Rusty reached out and grabbed Pearl's face, pulling it to him, giving her a kiss...a very long one.
Pearl all of a sudden, though in total bliss, felt very stupid and ashamed. "so I......I'm wrong aren't I?" she breathed as they came out of the kiss
"Yeah..."
"Rusty...I" she just let her feeling fly "I've been so stupid!!, how could....how could I..I think-that-of-you!!!?, Rusty!"
"Two things..."
"uhu?" Pearl said thickly through her broken voice
"First of all, Only you... ever."
Pearl instinctively began to smile, though it was very weak as she felt drained of all her energy right now, then looked at Rusty, for him to go on
"Secondly, Jan...she..."
"yeah?"
"She sorta...has somebody already..."
"Oh..." Pearl felt more stupid than she ever had done before "I should have known!, Rusty!, I'm so sorry!!!!, if I'd have bothered to get my facts right before assuming things, I wouldn't have put you through this!". She stopped as a question she didn't think totally appropriate right now came to the surface of her mind. She tried to stop it coming out, but then plunged recklessly on with it anyway "Who...who is it?"
Rusty grinned, "You'll never believe it. *I* didn't believe it..."
Pearl noticed that Rusty's voice was lighter, and smiled a little wider, "Who?" she asked a little more brightly
Rusty leaned in closer, "Flat Top."
Pearl couldn't help it, she tried to keep her face straight, but was unsuccessful "F-F-Flat-t.......HA!"
Rusty nodded, "I'm serious."
*~*~*~*
Poppa came to a stop, they had reached Meg's house.
Jamie sighed softly.
Poppa knocked sharply on the door.
Jamie scuffed a toe on the ground.
Meg opened her door.
Jamie looked up at Meg.
"Hello," Meg said, "What's up?"
Jamie moved closer to Poppa.
"Can you take a look at him? he might've jarred his wrist again..." Poppa said.
Jamie laid his head on Poppa's shoulder.
"Sure," Meg said, "Come on in."
Jamie slowly rolled inside.
"Lets see it," Meg said.
Jamie sat down on the bed and held out his wrist.
Meg gently took his wrist and felt it.
Jamie winced and gasped softly.
"Oh this isn't so bad honey," she said gently.
"What happened?"
"The setting I did before is still intact," Meg said, "But it's hasn't healed properly yet, and so when you landed on it you put pressure on a spot that wasn't ready for it yet..."
Jamie bit his lip. "That doesn't sound good..."
"I know it doesn't," Meg said, "But it's not as bad as it sounds."
Jamie bit his lip and nodded.
"It's just that when you put pressure on it it irritated your wrist again..."
"What do you have to do?" Jamie asked softly.
"I'll need to unwrap it, take a look at the surface and make a full analysis..."
Jamie nodded. "Okay."
"Then once I do that I can figure out exactly what I need to do..."
"Okay," Jamie said softly, hoping it would be over quickly.
Meg nodded and started taking the bandage off from around Jamie's wrist.
Jamie bit his lip to stop any crying. He wanted it to be over fast so he could do what he had to do.
Meg swiftly pulled the bandage off, it snagged once on the handcuff, but she pulled it free without a word.
Jamie kept silent. Tank would want those back...
Meg set the white bandage down and took his wrist
Jamie held still.
"Just as I thought..."
"What?"
"It's not that bad...painful maybe, but just temporarily."
Jamie bit his lip. "O... Okay..."
"Not nearly as bad as before..."
"Good..."
Meg nodded, "Won't take long at all to fix."
"All right."
Meg shifted a bit, "Although..."
"What?"
"Nothing, nothing for you to worry about, I'll fix your wrist, wrap it up and you'll be on your way."
"Okay..."
Meg frowned a bit as she repaired his wrist.
Jamie watched Meg with scared eyes. "What?"
Meg didn't answer right away.
"What?" Jamie asked again.
"Meg..." Poppa said gently, "What is it?"
"Yeah. What is it?"
"Your wrist will be fine Jamie..." Meg started.
"But?"
"But I don't like what these are doing..."
"What are?"
"These." Meg indicated the cuffs.
Jamie yanked his wrist back.
"I'm done," Meg said quickly, "I just want to wrap your wrist back up..."
"Okay," Jamie said softly.
"To do that I'll need your wrist..."
Jamie sighed and held it out to her again.
Meg gently started wrapping his wrist
Jamie waited, his mind a-whirl with his decision.
"There," Meg said, "I'm finished."
Jamie smiled a bit, his eyes sad. "Thanks Meg."
"Your welcome," Meg said with a smile, "Now take it easy, I like you..."
Jamie felt tears in his eyes and swallowed to hold them back. "Thanks. I... I will..."
Meg smiled, getting back up, "So what are you two up to?" she asked.
"Gonna take him to get painted, then show him and his sister to their new house," Poppa answered.
Jamie bit his lip. "Poppa, I... I think I... I need some air... I'm gonna go outside, okay?"
Poppa nodded, "sure."
Jamie smiled, glanced around at the two one last time, then headed out the door. As soon as it had closed, he bolted as fast as he could from the train yard.
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