Buffy leaned up against the station house wall. She was glad to have some quiet time to herself so she could plan the next meal for her riders. Still, she did often get semi - lonely at these times. What with Pearl spending all her time with Rusty or working, and Dinah now living with Greaseball and their children, Ashley was the only company she had. The smoking car had one fault though, she was constantly puffing away on a cigarette, and, it did, on occasion, make Buffy a little sick. Stealing a short glance at the large clock in the middle of the trainyard, she realized that she only had about five more minutes of solitude. Ashley was going to be joining her for a night walk. Suddenly, the smoking car hopped into view and it was all Buffy could do to stifle a yell of surprise. After about a minute or so, she regained her normal breathing pattern and confronted her friend, "Geez Ashley, you scared the starlights outta me!" "I'm sorry, I'm just so excited!" "About what?" "I got a date!" Buffy's interests were peaked, she loved this type of talk, "Who is it?" A sly smile was all she got from Ashley and the smoking car teased her friend, "Guess." "One of the National Engines?" "No, but good guess anyway. It's Flat-Top!" Buffy must had gotten a really surprised look on her face because Ashley laughed and glided around in delight. "Are you kidding me?" "Nope. We're gonna go for a run first on the outer tracks and then watch the stars." "That doesn't sound like the Flat-Top I know, and - Hey! Wait a minute, isn't he a little too young?" The smoking car smiled, "Nah, he's our age actually, they only call him the brat of the pack because he can be disagreeable at times." "Now there's good qualifications for a date." Commented Buffy, with a little false sarcasim thrown in. "Oh you. Don't rain on my parade, it only makes me rusty." Both coaches laughed at this. A thought sprung into Buffy's head and she looked at the clock again, "So, I guess this means that our plans are off, huh?" For a moment, Ashley's face showed confusion, then, instant regret, "Oh geez, I'm not thinking! This smoke must kill brain cells too. I'm sorry Buffy." "That's alright. You really should go on this date. Who knows? It might be true love." "Are you sure?" "About the date, yes." "The true love thing." "Actually, no." With a roll of her eyes, yet a good natured smile, Ashley began to leave, "I have to go get ready, wish me luck!" "Good luck!" Called the Buffet car after her fast leaving friend. "Well, I'm still gonna go for a walk." She muttered to herself. Then, placing her paper pad and pencil into her pouch, she glided down the tracks. Gliding past the freight part of the yard, she gazed at it. It had always caught her attention, since she had never been in there, and they only female that did venture inside was Belle. She was so absorbed in her thoughts that she didn't see the truck in front of her. He obviously missed her too, and they collided, sending her sprawling back. "Ouch!" She yelped, as she hit. Bits of gravel were all around her and suddenly, an accented voice was heard, "Oh gosh! I'm so sorry! Are you alright?" As the dust cleared from her eyes, she stared up into the face of Dustin, the big aggregate hopper. The collision hadn't knocked him down, but it had sent all of his bags of gravel to the ground. "Are you okay?" He asked again, and he was genuinly worried. Then, he offered her his hand and she took it. Once on her feet, Buffy looked at herself, "I'm just a little bruised, that's all." Dustin breathed a sigh of relief, "That's good, I should apologize again, those gravel bags blocked my vision, and I - " She cut him off, "It's me who should apologize, I wasn't looking where I was going." "Where were you going?" "I wanted to go out on the outer tracks for a night walk." "It's dangerous this time of night." "I'm a tough girl." "I know, but you should go in pairs, it's better." "Well, I would have a pair but Ashley is going out with Flat-Top tonight." "Same deal with me. He conned me into taking all of his chores. I didn't know that he had a date though. Well, I'd better clean this mess up, this gravel is due in Ohio by tomorrow night." "I'll help you." Buffy said, and they both bent down to gather up the scattered bits of rock. "Hey, isn't this one a little big to be gravel?" Inquired Buffy, reaching for a large piece of stone. "I think you're right." Dustin replied, and reached for it too. By accident, he layed his hand on hers, and their eyes met. Then, they broke the graze, laughing shyly, and went about collecting other pieces. When everything had been picked up finally, Buffy offered to help Dustin take the bags to the Rockies. As soon as this was completed, the Buffet car moved to go to the outer tracks, but Dustin grabbed her arm. "I can't let you go out there alone. If something happened to you I'd never forgive myself." "Then come with me." "Hmm?" "Come for a walk with me then if you're so afraid of me being hurt." He smiled at her statement, "I'd love too. Maybe we could talk, get to know each other better. Trust me, we freight cars aren't as dumb as we seem." Buffy felt her breath get short. Feelings of regret for everything she'd said poured over her, "I'm sorry about that Dustin. It was a peer pressure thing." "Hey, it's okay. It's not the intelligence comments I mind, it's the comments about being overweight that get me." "You aren't overweight, it's muscle that you need for your job." "No, it's bad weight." "It isn't Dustin, trust me." Buffy pleaded with him, "Besides, you've got a good heart." "You really think so?" "Yeah." "Thanks Buffy, you're sweet." He blushed and she blushed as well. There was no more conversation until they reached the outer tracks. Buffy gazed up at the stars, "It's beautiful." Dustin whispered to her, "Like you." The buffet car stood still, and the hopper held his breath, had he said something she wanted or didn't want to her from him? Then, when Buffy regained her temporarily lost voice, she asked, "Do you really think so?" "I always have, ever since I met you." "I think you're cute." "Yah do?" Yeah." Buffy smiled, then, turning to look at him, she pressed her lips hard against his. Dustin found that he willingly kissed back and he wrapped his arms around her tiny waist. Suddenly, he lost his balance and fell backward, taking her down with him. Never allowing the kiss to be broken, they both felt as if this kiss was releasing all their years of built up passion and longing for someone to call their own. When the kiss ended, Dustin was shocked and happy, "Wow." He said, in an almost breathless voice. Buffy pressed her lips together to savor the heat of the kiss, "You're a great kisser Dustin." For a long time, they said nothing, just layed there, experiencing the moment. Then, Dustin spoke up, "So, what happens now?" Buffy smiled, "I think I know." He felt her hands run down his sides. Nervousness enveloped him, and the feelin that this wasn't good, "Buffy. I don't think we should." Confusion crossed her face, "Why not?" "We just had our first kiss, I want to know you a little better before there's that kind of intimacy." She layed there, thinking about what he'd said. "Dustin, you're right, and I'm sorry. I think it takes a great freight truck to say that. It shows you have common sense. That's important." Silence took over again and they layed there, side by side, watching the stars. Buffy suddenly remember a children's poem and began to recite it, "Starlight, starbright, first star I see tonight. Wish I may, wish I might count the stars I see tonight." "Hmm?" Questioned Dustin, turning over to look at her. Keeping her eyes on the stars, Buffy said, "My mother car used to tell me that, before she was disassembled. She said that if I could count all the stars, the starlight express would grant me a wish. Never could count them all though. Didn't your mother ever tell you that?" Dustin closed his eyes, "My mother car was disassembled after I was born. She died having me." She turned to look at him, her mouth open in shock, "What about your father car?" "I don't know, I was raised by my uncle, who was an aggregate hopper, like me." "That's so awful Dustin." "I've had to get over though. Tell me about your parents." "My mother was a buffet car like me, and my father was a steam engine." "What were their names?" "My mom was Tracey, I believe, and my dad is Poppa." "Poppa? Really? I thought he was only Rusty and the Rockies father." "No, Tracey was his first wife and she had me. When she died, he married Belle and had Rusty. The Rockies aren't his kids." "They aren't?" "Nope, you know old Libraria? The one who runs the girl's station house?" "Yes." "She found them. They were abandoned, like Pearl was." "Oh geez." Dustin said, and he stared back at the stars. They were quiet again until Buffy happened to look back at the clock tower. "Oh starlights! We have to get back! It's after midnight!" "Dustin jumped up and she followed. They glided back to the station house laughing with delight as they played flirtatious games of tag. Once back in the main area of the trainyard, he walked her up to the door of her station house. Buffy wasted no words before pulling him into a passionate kiss. He gripped her waist and it made her moan. As they broke apart, he whispered into her ear, "I love you." Buffy felt tears in her eyes and whispered back, "I love you too." With that, they parted, and Buffy stepped inside of the station house. Ashley was already there, "Buffy! Where have you been?" "Out. I went for a walk." "Out for a walk? Then why the big smile?" "It was a good walk." "Liar." Laughed Ashley, then, turning serious again, she asked, "Who'd you go with?" "How do you know that I went with someone?" "I'm guessing that you went with someone from the freight yard." Buffy was shocked, "How'd you know?" "There's gravel dust on your clothes and in your hair." The buffet car smiled sheepishly, looking down at her dusty attire, "Oops. Guess I'm gonna have to get up early tomorrow for a wash. After all, there's no washes after midnight." "Buffy, give me details or I'm gonna seriously hurt you." Asked Ashley, in mock anger. "Alright! I went out with Dustin." "Dustin?" "Yeah. We met up on the tracks and I asked him to walk with me." "Well, there's something I never would have guessed..." "Hey, you shocked me with Flat-Top. Speaking of which, how did that go?" "Oh my!" Ashley squealed, throwing herself onto the nearest chair, "It was fantastic! We rode the tracks for a long time, and then watched the stars. Although, we were kissing to much to really see them." "Just kissing?" Asked Buffy, raising an eyebrow. "Of course just kissing, what did you think - " Ashley broke off and then realized what Buffy was hinting at. "Buffy, that sick mind of yours is going to get you in trouble someday." Laughed Ashley, pulling herself off the chair, "Well, it is after midnight now, and I might as well to sleep." Ashley said, walking slowly down the hall to her room. She suddenly stopped and turned around. "Buffy?" "Yeah." "You got kissed, right?" "Uh huh." "Did it feel like nothing else mattered except that you were there, in that one moment? Did you know that you'd do anything for that other train just to hear him say, 'I love you?'" "Yeah." "Is that how love is supposted to feel?" "I think so, Ashley, I think so." "That's good, well, goodnight Buffy." "Goodnight Ashley." Buffy said, and glided to her room. She crawled into her bed and hit the lights. With a smile on her lips, she fell into a wonderful, deep, sleep.