Love Hurts

Love Hurts is the seventh episode of the first series of Miniature Railway Adventures. It was first drafted in 2010 by Michael White. 
== Synopsis ==
Bernard is furious when he finds out that the Model Engineers Society is gaining more public interest than before. He looks back at the days when Cars used to work for him and how much of an improvement he had made for the business. He then has an idea to set a wolf in sheeps clothing to the railway in hopes of convincing Cars to return working for the MCS. Cars gets the shock of his life when he discovers who this wolf is. Plus Jane makes the biggest mistake in her life. 
== Plot ==
A week after the events with the road roller, the Model Engineers Society have been gaining a lot more attention from visitors to the railway which angers Bernard greatly. He tries to think of a way to get Cars back working for him, and after a suggestion from Gears, decides to send in a wolf in sheep's clothing to persuade him to come back. The wolf in question is his young secretary, Rachel Davidson, who Cars had been dating during his time at the MCS. At first Rachel is pleased to get the chance to see Cars again and she starts thinking back to when they first met back in 2006 when she was just a young student. 
Meanwhile at the railway, everyone is preparing for the big inspection from the directors to see if the proposal for an extension line to their return loop would be granted. Cars is taking full control to ensure everyone is not slacking. He catches Case 'bathing' at the station. and just as he's lecturing him about the railway's code of conduct, Rachel arrives. The two have a heart felt reunion and Cars invites her back to the mess room for a cup of tea. Rachel's arrival stirs suspicion from Casey, but the others see no issue with her. Cars and Rachel catch up with all that has happened to which Rachel asks the question about would cars ever consider coming back to the MCS, even for her sake. She reminds him of the time when he saves her from a drunken employee of Bernard's who attempted to rape her while she was trying to get home after work. But despite this memory, Cars says that he made his decision and that nothing would persuade him to come back. Besides he never was a legal employee for Bernard considering he never signed a contract to begin with. His work for Bernard was so good, that the MCS forgot to give him one. But as well as that there was something else that caused Cars to leave, but before Rachel asks he's called away. 
Rachel soon becomes friends with Jane and the two chat about Cars and how he works the railway. However after discussing Cars' sudden mood transition during the his time at the MCS worries Rachel which causes Jane to reveal the reason. She tells her the events of the Petrol scheme and what role Cars had with it. She only got as far as when Cars shoots Whitehouse that Rachel had heard enough. Scared out of her wits, she flees the MES, leaving Jane worried about what she'd done. 
The next day, at the MCS, Rachel relays what she knew, including the info of Cars shooting someone. Even though Bernard knows the true story about Cars not killing anyone, he uses this opportunity to blackmail Rachel into carrying out a task to get Cars fired from the railway. Despite what was told to her, Rachel still loves Cars and regretfully goes along with the plan. 
Meanwhile at the railway, Cars is enquiring why Rachel left so suddenly. He asks the others who were just as puzzled. Then Cars remembers leaving Rachel with Jane and asks her. After a hesitant start, Jane reveals that she told Rachel about the 'Lost Engine' incident, which is something the gang wanted to keep as a secret. Enraged by what she'd done, Cars fires Jane from the railway. He soon regrets his decision, but Jane had already left when he goes to apologies. Casey, Whitehouse and Corps also talk about the event and come to the conclusion that it's best to reveal the event to everyone so that it no longer bothers them, however in the state that Cars is in they decide to leave it till the time is right. 
Rachel, Grinder and Gears prepare for the sabotage by planning to cause a landslide by the return loop and claiming it on Cars. However Rachel is not too keen on pursuing it and is shocked to ear what had happened to Jane when she left. However Bernard uses his black mail to keep her in place and informs her that she is under heavy surveillance from 'his men' should she try and find ways to warn Cars. Rachel relents and thinks back to when it all happened. As she goes back to work she thinks about the last time she saw Cars before he left the MCS. 
The day of the inspection arrives and Cars is in both a strict and absent mind. He is in such as state that he fails to notice Grinder, Gears and Rachel arrive at the site and start the landslide. However Rachel double crosses the brothers and warns the train. Luckily she does so in time, but the landslide disturbs a large pine tree which falls and crushes Rachel before Cars could save her. 
Saddened by the loss, Cars becomes seriously depressed and he starts to loose focus on his work. However a letter arrives to him with only a railway timetable inside. A highlighted time marked on it intrigues him and he rushes to the station to find Rachel, alive. However their reunion is short lived when Rachel informs that she faked her death to fool Bernard so that she can be free of the MCS' contract. She plans to relocate to the USA to take up the job as a journalist, but is saddened that she can't be with Cars any more. As the two talk, one of Bernard's spies, the man who 9 years ago tried to have it off with Rachel, informs Bernard of Rachel's whereabouts and asks if he should bring her back. After some thinking Bernard decides to let Rachel go, much to his spy's annoyance. 
Rachel and Cars bid a heartfelt and sad farewell as Rachel boards her train and leaves Cars, alone on the platform. 
In a post credits, some weeks later, Cars gets a letter from Rachel saying that she has made a great start with her new life. However he is heartbroken to learn that Rachel has found someone else and plans to get married very soon (Though, the fate of the criminally insane MCS worker remains unclear). Cars is saddened by this news, however he is cheered up by the arrival of Jane, who heard about what had happened and thought Cars could do with some company during his sad time. Cars apologises to Jane and thanks her for telling Rachel about what happened, as the story has since been shared to everyone. He also gives Jane back her job at the railway, which she is very grateful for.
== Audiobook ==
Part 1 of the audiobook adaption was released on the 11th April 2023. It was read by Michael White. Part 2 was released on 23rd April 2023 on YouTube with the full audiobook uploaded to Soundcloud shortly afterwards. 
== Trivia ==
* References to Search of the Lost Engine are made in this story and would be the last time it's mentioned as well as diving into Mark Carson's past, while working for the MCS.
*The story takes place a week after the events of Road Vs Rail
*Foreshadowing the events of Casey and the Traitor are made in this story.
*This features the last appearance, for now, of Rachel Davidson.
* This story features scenes loosely based around the ending of Brief Encounter and the flagging of the train in The Railway Children. 
*Like with Lost Engine, this story features moments that take place in a series of flashbacks leading up to the event.
*This is the first story to feature a few things: The first somber themed story in the series and the starting point of Mark and Jane's relationship.
*Cars is mostly referred to by his real name, Mark Carson, in this story.
== Goofs ==
* When Rachel is recounting how long it had been since she and Cars had last seen each other, it claims to have been 8-9 years. However this can't be correct for the story actually takes place 6 years after the events of Lost Engine, which happened in 2008. 
Category:Stories