Sodor's New Worker (Semi-Hiatus Due to an AO3 rewrite)

Hush, Little Maddy

   Soon enough, the two bumbling disasters returned. James, walking in front, looked clean, fluffy, and embarrassed, while Maddy, in the back, was clean and doing her best to hold back a smile. 

"How'd it go, James?" asked Thomas, immediately knowing Maddy's failing poker face.

"Well enough."

"He got shampoo in his eyes AND made the water too hot even though I told him not to crank it so far to the right."

"YOU-"

   James whipped around to presumably strangle Maddy, who took it as a sign to book it. All their friends laughed and watched as James chased the small woman around the sheds.

"CAN'T CATCH ME-"

"I have! Multiple times! Get back here, you idiot!" he hissed.

"Dad! Help!" she screeched, quickly hopping up onto Edward.

"Wh- Hey now! Don't involve me in this!" Edward spoke, giving James the 'don't you dare climb on me' look.

"Get down from there," James said, frowning. He was waiting by Edward's side, tapping his foot. "So I can strangle you."

"Mm..let me think about it..no." she grinned, sticking her tongue out from the comfort of the roof of Edward's cab.

"James. Do not strangle her."

"Hush up, Edward," he grumbled, backing off as a sign of surrender. "I'm sleeping in my own bed."

"Sure you are Jam Jam. We all know you'll wake up in mine." Maddy snickered, slowly climbing down from her father.

   Which, in the long run, was the biggest mistake she could've made for the night, as James whipped right back around and snatched her up.

"..Mercy-?"

"James. Don't you dare."

"You.."

   He took her back to the beds, where most of their friends couldn't see what was going on. Was he actually going to strangle her? It was a very valid possibility. Instead, though, they heard copious amounts of snorting.

"J-James!" she cackled. "You...asshole!...Stop it..!!"

"..Well, better than strangling.." Henry hummed, receiving looks of agreement from Gordon, Emily, and Edward. 

"Someone...HELP ME-" Maddy choked out. "WHO TOLD HIM MY TICKLE SPOTS!? THOMAS?!"

   All she got in return was an innocent whistle.

"I'M GONNA DERAIL YOU- YOU- PFFFF-"

   Maddy could no longer speak as the giggles took over. Only after about thirty seconds of that did James think it was enough.

"You ever gonna embarrass me like that again?"

"...maybe-"

   James stared at her with the flames of a million furnaces, breathed a heavy sigh, and flopped on top of her.

"HNGH- Are you aware of how heavy you are!? Get..off me!" she wheezed.

"Honey Bee, you can pull cars several hundred times your own weight...but you can't handle me on top of you?"

"That's different, asshat! Off! My little bones!"

   She only got a low chuckle from James as she struggled to get him off. 

"James," called Percy, "You realize if you squish her, you'll be single."

   Maddy felt James tense up before begrudgingly rolling off her. Damn, the caterpillar was right. He'd grown too used to having Maddy around. They all saw what happened the last time she was gone for a long period of time.