I've always seen you as my son

Trouble in the yard

<next day>
[Thomas's branch line]
(Third person P. O. V)
It was another busy day on the island of Sodor. Thomas was on his branch line heading towards the next station. Just then, Thomas heard his driver saying.
"Thomas lad, you better stop at the next water tower. Your water pressure is starting to running a bit low."
"Ok." Thomas agreed.
Luckily for Thomas, he was just coming up towards a water tower. After stopping next to the tower, Thomas's fireman climb out and started to fill Thomas's boiler up with more water. Whilst Thomas was having his boiler filled, Edward pulled up beside Thomas and tooted his whistle at him. Thomas smiled at Edward and tooted his whistle back at him.
"Hello Thomas." Edward kindly greeted.
"Hello Edward," Thomas began saying, "how are you feeling today?"
"Very much better. Thank you again Thomas, for taking me to the steamworks, I don't know what would've happened to me if you hadn't shown up when you did." Edward gratefully replied.
"It was no problem at all Edward. I'm just glad I got you to the steamworks in time before you gotten anymore worse." Thomas gladly said.
Edward smiled at Thomas after listening what he just said. It was then he asked.
"Thomas, are you doing anything later on this evening after you've finished your jobs today?"
"Don't think so, why?" Thomas curiously asked.
"Why don't you and I go up Misty Island and watch the sunset together?" Edward sweetly suggested.
"I love would to do that Edward." Thomas excitedly said.
"Alright, that's settled," Edward happily said, "I better go, I've got to pick up a goods train from the docks. See you later Thomas."
"See you later Edward." Thomas replied whilst smiling.
After Edward left, Thomas kept smiling to himself. When his fireman was finished filling his boiler, Thomas soon set off to his next station. As Thomas was chuffing down the line, he heard Annie revealingly saying.
"You know Thomas, you and Edward are like father and son."
"Father and son? What makes you say that Annie?" Thomas peculiarly asked.
"The two of you are ever so close with one another and you always look out for each other." Annie began saying.
"And Edward was the one who taught you everything when you first arrived in Sodor. Haven't you ever considered it Thomas?" Clarabel sweetly asked.
Thomas didn't reply to Clarabel's question as he was thinking to himself. Never once did Thomas thought of Edward as a father but now he realised that Annie and Clarabel may have a point. Thomas has always been so close to Edward since he arrived at Sodor and since then he and Edward have been the closest friends as he always looks out for Edward as Edward does for him.
"You two may be right," Thomas slowly began saying, "I've never considered it before but now I am. I do consider Edward as a father but that can't be possible, can it?"
"We think it can Thomas." Clarabel quickly replied.
"You and Edward have always been so close and Edward has always looked out for you like any parent would for their child." Annie sweetly pointed out.
Thomas smiled after listening to Annie. It was then he realised that both Annie and Clarabel were right. He does see Edward as a father but was now worried whether or not if he should tell Edward about it.
"Thomas, are you ok?" Annie concernedly asked.
"You've gone a bit quiet." Clarabel then said.
"Sorry, I was just thinking," Thomas began saying, "you two are right. I do see Edward as a father but I'm just worried if I should tell him or not."
"You don't have to yet Thomas." Annie quickly replied.
"You can just wait till you find the right moment to tell Edward." Clarabel suggested.
Thomas smiled at his two coaches suggestions. With a big smile on his face, Thomas gratefully said.
"Thank you ladies for the advice and for making me see that Edward is like a father to me. I'll wait till the right time to tell him."
"You're welcome Thomas." Clarabel smiled.
"We only said it because we care about you Thomas and Edward too." Annie honestly said.
"I know Annie." Thomas happily replied.
Thomas then happily carried on down his branch-line with Annie and Clarabel.
<few hours later>
[In the shunting yard]
It was early afternoon in Sodor. In the shunting yard, Thomas was helping Stanley, Rosie and Duck by shunting trucks and flatbeds.
Just then Edward came in to collect a goods train. He smiled soon as he saw Thomas shunting some trucks into a siding but noticed that Thomas wasn't looking at him so Edward decided to play a trick on him.
Edward then very quietly pulled up beside Thomas and blew his whistle so loud that it made Thomas jump. Thomas looked and saw Edward giggling at him. Thomas began to laugh and then said.
"Edward, you made me jump."
"Sorry Thomas, I couldn't resist." Edward giggled.
Thomas rolled his eyes and began to smile at Edward. After Thomas was uncoupled from the trucks, Edward then compliantly said.
"You're getting better at shunting Thomas."
"Thanks Edward," Thomas gratefully replied, "I think your goods train is ready. I'll go fetch them for you."
"Ok then Thomas." Edward happily replied.
Just as Thomas was leaving the siding, both he and Edward heard Stanley shouting.
"THOMAS! EDWARD! LOOK OUT, RUNAWAY TRUCKS!"
Thomas and Edward immediately began to chuffed as fast as they could but unfortunately for Thomas, the runaway trucks were right behind him. Thomas started to speed up but the trucks was scarily getting closer to him. Edward noticed and began to panic as he didn't want Thomas to get hurt.
Edward then joined onto the track that Thomas was on and once he got close to Thomas, he bravely pushed Thomas into a upcoming siding whilst apologetically saying.
"I'm so sorry Thomas."
After he said, Edward felt the trucks crashing into the back of his tender and causing him to come off the rails and crash into a abandoned water tower. Thankfully his driver and fireman jumped out in time but poor Edward felt pain as he fell onto his side but then suddenly, the water became unstable and ended up falling on top of him.
Fortunately for Thomas, he managed to stop in front of some buffers but saw what happened to Edward. After watching the whole incident, Thomas was in shock. He couldn't believe it, his father got hurt from rescuing him. Thomas began to cry and only quietly said.
"Dad."