Gift From the Heart - ThomasNATION Fanstory
February 14, 2026
"Whew!" sighed Thomas as he let off some steam. "I am so exhausted! All the extra cargo and parcels! What's the occasion?"
"It's Valentine's Day next Saturday, you know!" chirped Percy. "I think the humans are getting ready to send out their letters and gifts."
"Oh, are they?" James snickered. "Hey, Thomas? What are you getting Rosie this year?"
"What's that supposed to mean?" asked Thomas.
"Oh, you know, the fact you'll likely spend Valentine's Day with Rosie." teased Gordon.
"I couldn't if I wanted to, I'm gonna be in India next week."
Gordon only laughed harder. "HA! HE'S SPENDING IT WITH ASHIMA!"
"Better get started on finding a bouqet!" taunted James. "Thomas and Ashima, sitting in a tree..."
"...S-I-L-E-N-C-E, James." Emily rolled her eyes. "Come on, you wouldn't like it if someone did this to you. Every year you do this."
"Because it's funny!" James snickered. "After all, I just love love..."
Just then, Sir Topham Hatt drove up to the sheds in Winston. "What's everybody laughing at?"
"Nothing, sir." James laughed. "Just having a bit of banter."
"Well, if I may, I need a couple of engines to pull a very special train. You see, tomorrow is the 40th anniversary of when Lady Hatt and I got married!"
"Congratulations, sir!" Rebecca smiled. "How do you still look so young?"
"Oh, you're too kind, Rebecca." Sir Topham Hatt blushed. "Now. Any volunteers?"
"Thomas can do it, sir! He's just been talking about how much he wants with Rosie!" lied James.
"James! No! I have work on my branch line tomorrow!" Thomas protested.
Then, an idea flew into Nia's funnel. "Maybe you can do it, James! After all, didn't you say you just "love love"?"
"I...well, yes, but..." James was trapped.
"Wonderful!" Sir Topham Hatt smiled.
"And for that matter, why doesn't Emily go with him?" smirked Thomas, playing along with Nia's trick.
"Capital idea!" grinned Sir Topham Hatt. "I knew I can count on you two!"
The next day, James and Emily had collected their train from Knapford and were getting it looked over.
"Well, this is a mess." James sulked. "How did we get ourselves into this?"
"We?" Emily scoffed. "I'm only here because Sir Topham Hatt told me to be here."
"Why are you so mad? Is this about last night with Thomas?"
"Yes. You know how upset that makes him."
"Why is he such a baby about this?!"
"Don't make him the problem, James, you need to apologise to him."
"For what?!"
"You know what!"
"Oh, just kiss already!" called out Diesel from another platform.
"What's that supposed to mean?" asked James.
"It's so obvious the two of you are madly in love with each other!" taunted Diesel.
"Us?!" gasped Emily. "No, we're just friends."
"Sure. And I'm the prime minister of Venus." laughed Diesel as he left the station. "We can all see it!"
Emily rolled her eyes. "Why does he always have to be such a nuisance?"
"Tell me about it." sighed James. "Never mind. Let's just get to Vicarstown before it spreads."
"It's not gonna spread."
"Emily, you know Diesel. He never lets a joke go."
"Maybe, but I think he's too busy teasing Thomas about Ashima."
"You mean Rosie."
"Gordon told him about Thomas' trip to India."
"Right."
Soon, James and Emily were on their way. As they trundled down the line, they didn't have a care in the world...until...
"Ooh, look, Ben!" smirked Bill, as he and Ben passed them. "It's James!"
"And he's with his special friend, Emily!" joined in Ben.
"Special friend?!" gasped James. "No!"
"James and Emily, sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G!" teased Bill and Ben.
"Stop it, both of you." sighed Emily. "There's nothing romantic about what's going on right now."
BUMP! Their train hit a rock on the line, busting open a crate. Paper hearts flew everywhere! This only set off Bill and Ben more.
"They're hauling a Valentine's train together!" laughed Bill.
"How romantic!" chortled Ben.
As the two twins left, Emily and James' drivers hopped out to clean up the mess. Emily was frustrated, but not as annoyed as James.
"See, Emily?" groaned James. "I told you it'd catch on."
"James, it's Bill and Ben. They make these jokes all the time. Just yesterday, I saw them teasing Nia and Percy."
"Well...I suppose you have a point." sighed James. "I mean, what are the chances this spreads to other engines like it did with Thomas and Rosie?"
Very high, apparently. Diesel's joke spread across the island like a wildfire. Other engines, Troublesome Trucks, even a few of the more mischievous humans had gotten into it. It was driving James and Emily up the wall! Eventually, they had to take a break from it all and tuck away in a siding.
"Okay. You were right." Emily conceded. "It's spreading because of Diesel."
"I told you."
"How do we get them to stop this?"
"Don't look at me, I don't know anyone who endured what we're going through."
Just then, Thomas pulled up. James and Emily's hiding spot didn't fool him. "James? Emily? What are you two doing in a siding?"
"Thomas, we need your help." James started. "Everywhere we go, we're bombarded with all these comments! "Hey, there's the happy couple!" "Hey, look at James and Emily, they're so in love!" I'm so fed up with it! What do I do?!"
Now, Thomas could've tried to give James some advice. He could've helped him through the situation. And he could've gone out, talked to Diesel and stopped the rumor at the source. But he chose not to. Instead, he had only one thing to say.
"Hm. Not so funny when it happens to you, is it?"
James gulped as Thomas just left them there. "Oh...is that what I've been doing to him?"
"I didn't want to say it because I wanted you to learn on your own." Emily sighed. "But you can't say I didn't warn you."
"You're right." frowned James. "I've made a mistake, haven't I? Let's just get the job done and go home."
James kept moving down the line, but even as they pulled into Vicarstown, Thomas' words floated around in his head. He wasn't just regretting it, he was starting to feel a little guilty.
"Rosie, is Thomas here?" asked James as he pulled into the station.
"Let me guess, because he's madly in love with me?" scowled Rosie.
"No, I-"
Rosie laughed. "I'm joking. He's in the shunting yards."
"Thanks." James uncoupled from the train. "Emily, let Sir Topham Hatt know where I am."
"What? James?" Emily gasped as James left. "Where are you going?!"
James immediately raced into the shunting yards, finding Thomas filling up with water.
"Thomas! Hey!" James panted. "I've been meaning to apologise for all that business with you and Rosie."
"Really?" Thomas asked, curiously. "I take it you learned this after enduring this yourself?"
"Yes." James continued. "And that's why from this day forward, I'm vowing never to make those jokes again."
"Wow. Thanks, James." Thomas smiled. "Yeah, we're all good."
"Great. Now, if you excuse me, me and Emily have to deliver Lady Hatt's anniversary present."
The night went on as James and Emily's present was successfully delivered: a romantic dinner between Sir Topham Hatt and Lady Hatt. And every Valentine's Day from that point on, James was as good as his word. He never made those jokes toward Thomas again. The same can't be said for Diesel, Gordon, Bill or Ben, but y'know. Baby steps.
About the Author: JF the LOLZOR
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