Further up the line, Lady was now trembling in the snowdrift that she was stuck in. She was trembling from both of the cold and from the fear of Diesel 10 destroying Thomas and Percy. She listened hard, hoping to hear the two engines whistling cheerfully and laugh cheekily, as they often did. The only sound she could hear was the wind blowing through the snow-laden trees either side of the line.

Lady now closed her eyes, letting off a small sob. She had been hoping to come to the Island of Sodor to enjoy the magic of Christmas and also be reunited with the engine she loved. She had not expected to see her old enemy again, and the love of her life to risk his life to save her for a second time. She had not seen Thomas or Percy since Diesel 10 had left her, and she did not know if she would ever see them, again. The thought of them being destroyed broke Lady's heart.

Lady was about to start to cry, when she suddenly heard Percy's whistle echoing out through the wind. Gasping, feeling very delighted to hear it, Lady opened her teary eyes to see the little, green engine reversing back up the line. Her eyes followed him as he reversed towards her, and as he came closer, Lady's eyes now widened in happiness to see that Thomas was coupled in front of Percy, reversing alongside with him.

As a huge smile appeared on Lady's face, she looked at the two engines in delight as they stopped beside her. "Thomas! Percy! You're back! You're okay!" She cried in happiness.

"Yeah, and Diesel 10 won't be back." Percy giggled.

"He is certainly not okay." Thomas chuckled, winking at Lady. "He managed to get himself buried under an avalanche. He won't be hurting you or any other steam engine for a long time."

Lady smiled at Thomas in relief. "I'm so happy to hear that, and I'm very relieved that he hasn't hurt you. Thanks for saving me, again, Thomas." She said happily.

"It's okay, Lady. Now, Percy and I will help pull you out of this snowdrift." Thomas smiled back.

Thomas and Percy backed up until they passed a set of points that would switch them from their line to Lady's. They crossed the points and were soon puffing up towards Lady. Thomas gently buffered up to her, coupling up to her. He and Percy started to puff hard, their wheels spinning backwards, as they pulled Lady out of the snowdrift.

"Thank you, you two." Lady sighed in relief, letting off a cloud of steam. "I had never seen snow before coming here this evening. I think it looks really pretty, but I didn't know it could get me stuck."

"Oh, trust me, Lady." Thomas remarked. "I have a bad history of getting stuck in snow, countless times. That's why Sir Topham always reminds us to wear our snowplows when we go out in snow."

Lady was now confused. "Then how come you aren't wearing a snowplow, Thomas?" She quizzed.

"Because Thomas hates wearing his snowplow!" Percy replied, unable to stop laughing loudly. "So he never wears it, but he always gets stuck! Yet, he never learns and will still avoid trying to wear it!"

Thomas now made a face. "Well, enough talking about stupid snowplows. Let's go back to the station and enjoy the party."

The three engines all blew their whistles together, and they started to reverse back up the line towards the station where the Sodor Christmas party was being held.

~*~*~

Darkness soon fell, and the snow was falling at a much heavier rate, but the party was still going on down at Tidmouth Station. The music being played over the speakers much louder than before, and the Christmas lights that hung from the station buildings looked even brighter in the darkness of the night. The children were inside the station building, enjoying a Christmas buffet.

As everyone enjoyed the party, a chorus of whistles now got their attention. They all looked to see the Josephine Railway engines pulling up, Braedey, Diana, Anna, and Ken arriving with Shadow, Madeline, and Jonson, while the other engines were on well-wagons. The engines had Christmas lights on them, and they were all adorned with tinsel and baubles across their frames, funnels, cabs, and running boards.

"Sorry about being late." Braedey called, the others all laughing but they joined in with the others.

"Let's have some Christmas fun." Ken announced.

"Celebrate good times, come on!" Jane called out.

The engines of the North Western Railway were all there too, all of them smiling and laughing with each other. Thomas, Percy and Lady had returned to the station. Lady was parked right in front of Thomas, facing him with a soft grin. She even had a large Christmas hat covering her funnel, and so did Thomas. Percy was on the middle line, parked next to Thomas. He was enjoying watching his friends grin wordlessly at each other. Lady had made quick friends with the other engines very quickly, all of them happy and excited to see her again and even get acquainted with her. Even the Josephine Railway engines greeted her with open buffers.

After a little while, the party had begun to wind down. At the three engine shed nearby the station, Thomas, Percy, and Lady had huddled down there for the time being. Lady now decided it's time for a second attempt to tell Thomas how she felt. When she had almost done it the first time, she had ended up puffing for her life from Diesel 10, and for the second time in his life, Thomas had saved her. It made her love for him grow.

"Percy." Lady said nervously, hoping the little, green engine would not take offense, again. "I know I've ask you to do this once, today, but could I-"

"Have a word in private with Thomas?" Percy interrupted with a smile, knowing exactly what Lady was going to ask him. "Of course you can, Lady."

Lady's jaw dropped with surprise. "You're okay with that?" She asked.

"You don't mind, Percy?" Thomas asked, raising his eyebrows.

"Of course I don't mind. If you have something to say to Thomas in private, Lady, I'm okay with that. I'll let you do that." Percy smiled gently.

Lady grinned gratefully. "Thanks, Percy."

"You truly are my best friend, Percy." Thomas smiled at his small, green friend.

Percy grinned at the two engines as he now started to reverse our of the rear shed doors, puffing away from them. Clouds of thick, white steam spouted from his funnel. "It's lucky for you that the stationmaster didn't give me a Christmas hat, or I wouldn't have been able to leave."

Chuckling, Lady watched as Percy cleared the station and disappeared around a bend, now passing a wall of trees. Lady turned shyly to Thomas, who was looking at her curiously.

Lady felt her cheeks burn as they turned bright red. "There's something I want to tell you, Thomas."

"I figured that out. But I have no idea what it is." Thomas said.

"Well, Thomas... the thing is... ever since I left Sodor after you saved me for the first time... while I've been away from this place... I've missed you." Lady began.

"Really?" Thomas' eyes widened as he started to blush. "I've missed you too, Lady."

Lady smiled softly as her blush deepened. "I've missed everything about you; your kindness, your loyalty, your bravery, your sweetness, your selflessness. Everything about you, Thomas, I have missed. And seeing you, again, makes this the happiest day of my life. That's why I'll be very sad when I will have to leave."

As her voice trailed off, Lady now took a few breaths, preparing herself to tell Thomas the three words she desperately needed to hear. "Thomas...before we part, again, I need to tell you something. What I need to tell you is... is... I... I lo-"

"Thomas! Lady!" A male voice now boomed loudly. "I thought I'd find you both here!"

The two engines now jumped with surprise at the sudden sound of the voice. They looked over towards the left station platform to see the Fat Controller walking up to them. His suit was no longer covered in coal dust. He stood on the platform and turned to Lady, smiling joyfully at her.

"Are you enjoying Christmas, Lady?" Sir Topham asked.

"Yes, I am, Sir." Lady put on a smile, secretly feeling disappointed that the Fat Controller had stopped her from confessing her feelings to Thomas. "And it's very nice to be back on Sodor."

Sir Topham Hatt smiled. "Well, I hope you will find it just as nice - everyday."

"Huh?" Lady was confused by what Sir Topham meant. "I don't understand what you mean, Sir. You said that I'm staying here overnight." She said to him.

"That's right. Overnight, every night." Sir Topham said.

Reaching into the inside pocket of his coat, Sir Topham pulled out a rolled up piece of paper. He unrolled it and showed the side with written text on it to Lady, revealing it to be a signed document. From where they were parked, Lady and Thomas were unable to read the majority of the small text on the document, but at the bottom of the piece of paper, they could see the Fat Controller's signature, reading 'Sir Topham Hatt' in black ink.

"This is what I did not tell you, did I, Lady?" Sir Topham explained, rolling up the document and placing it back into his inside coat pocket. "This is my Christmas present to all of my engines; I have bought you. You are now officially one of my engines."

"Really, Sir?" Thomas and Lady gasped in amazement, unable to believe what they had heard. Their delighted eyes were wide, as they were both ecstatic at the news they had just been told.

Everyone had overheard this, and they too were in shock and surprise by what they heard. Lady was now a permanent member of the North Western Railway fleet? This was exciting beyond anything. The engines all whistled in response, everyone happy and elated by what they heard.

Sir Topham Hatt nodded, a proud smile on his face. "I'm very happy to have you stay permanently on my railway, Lady, and I'm sure you'll be a Really Useful Engine."

"Thank you, Sir." Lady smiled happily, grateful to now be a part of the Sodor railway. "I will be a valuable engine and will do my best for you when working for you, everyday."

"I'm very glad to hear that. I'll let you two get on with enjoying the party." Waving to his two engines, still smiling, the Fat Controller disappeared through the door of the station building, closing it behind him.

Thomas looked at Lady, smiling widely and happily. He was very pleased to hear that the engine he loved would never have to leave him. "What do you think of that, Lady? You are now a North Western Railway engine!"

Lady smiled up at Thomas, very glad to live with him on Sodor. "It's wonderful news, Thomas... because... now I never have to leave you."

"I don't want you to leave me either, Lady." Thomas remarked, wondering what she telling him was leading him to. "But why wouldn't you ever want to leave me? What were you going to say?"

"Thomas... I would never want to leave you...because I... I..." Lady paused, looked down at her buffers, took a few deep breaths, then looked up at Thomas nervously with a sigh. "I love you."

The little, blue engine's jaw now dropped in disbelief. "You love me, Lady?"

"Yes, Thomas. I do. I love you so much." Lady replied.

Thomas' eyes widened. He could not believe what he had heard, but indeed, he had heard it. The engine who he had missed so much and who he was in love with felt the same was as he did. It was the most beautiful thing he had ever heard.

"Well, Thomas." Lady murmured quietly, growing more nervous as her blush deepened. She was feeling very afraid that she had ruined her friendship with Thomas. "What do you say to that?"

"I love you, too, Lady!" Thomas cried happily, a huge smile on his face as he blushed deeply.

"You do?" Lady gasped back, looking up at Thomas with wide and surprised eyes. "You love me?"

"I certainly do, Lady! You're so beautiful, so kind and so caring! I love you more than anything, and I always will!" Thomas replied back with happiness in his voice.

Lady grinned softly up at Thomas, her blush now deepening. She felt so happy. Her life, from now on, would be living on the Island of Sodor with her most beloved friends and the engine she loved, who happened to love her in return. Thomas grinned back at Lady. One moment, they were just sitting in front of each other with soft grins and red cheeks, the next moment, their lips suddenly joined as they shared their first kiss. They closed their eyes, feeling the happiest they had ever felt, which continued to grow with each second as they kissed each other's lips.

When they finally pulled away, their cheeks were even redder, burning as hot as their boilers. Lady giggled softly as she looked up at Thomas. "We'd better tell Percy he can come back, now."

"Oh, yes." Thomas agreed with a smile. "And we're gonna have to tell him that the two of us are now a couple."

Neither of them knew that there was no need for them to tell Percy that they were a couple. He had been hiding behind the wall of trees by the bend before the station, listening in on their confessions. He had heard everything, and when he puffed forward a few inches, he had seen them share their first kiss. It was very lucky for Percy that Thomas and Lady were unable to hear his loud, cheeky giggles.

~*~*~

By the next day, Lady was more than ready to do her part for the North Western Railway. She had been allocated to assist with the shunting and light goods and passenger work; Lady didn't mind what job she got, as long as she got to see Thomas every day she can, and she's out of the workshop in Muffle Mountain. Sure, she will miss that place, but she knows Burnett would want her to live out her life to the fullest.

Lady even got a present for Christmas: her own purple snowplow. She was happy to have this snowplow to get through the snow, and it worked well for her on the branchlines and shunting yards.

Lady was grateful for the snowplow; now she won't be stuck in any more snowdrifts like before and freeze up like last time. The snowplow wasn't heavy and rather durable, so it wasn't a hassle to deal with. She thanked Sir Topham gratefully for the gift, and he smiled to her, saying it's the best gift an engine could ask for.

All of the trucks and coaches behaved very well when Lady shunted them into their proper sidings and onto the right trains, to the surprise of Edward, but he was impressed by Lady's work and dedication. The others also were impressed by Lady's hard work ethic, and Lady thanked them back dearly. Lady had settled into her new role very well, and she was very pleased to be a member of the NWR.

Lady was more than happy to help out the others whenever she can along the railway: every now and then, Thomas would let Lady take both Annie and Clarabel on his branchline while he is away. The coaches thanked her and welcomed her warmly.

Toby and Mavis also welcomed Lady to the branchline, even the locals that lived around the line. Terrence the Tractor even got along with Lady, the two chatting like old friends. The trucks also didn't play any tricks with her, and she was fortunate enough to handle the trucks and she kept them from getting out-of-hand.

Lady would even help out on Edward's branchline from Wellsworth to Brendam, her performing beyond expectations. She even didn't mind getting her paint dusty or dirty, and she did not even complain, which is something James got a mocking for from Gordon and Henry, only for the two to belt up when Lady told the two off. Lady even took the Flying Kipper on occasion, to the surprise of Henry, but she handled it like a professional, and the two got along well. Salty, BoCo, Daisy, Dennis, and Bear were very friendly and welcomed Lady with open buffers, and she got along with them.

Lady had been changing things around and been working so hard in just a few short days on Sodor, Diesel, Arry & Bert were very jealous of her, showing them up with how well she performed and displaying how well steam engines worked. The three diesels would try and mock her for being small and weak compared to them, but Thomas would give the diesels a glare, threatening to give them what for if they tried. The other engines also stood by Lady's side, saying she is more than just a friend, for she is part of the family. Lady even got her own personal berth next to Thomas.

Now, Lady is a North Western Railway engine, and she couldn't be more proud of where she is now, among friends and family, and being alongside the one who saved her and whom she loves very much.