Toy Story Fanfic
Nov. 7th, 2012 12:23 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
hebbycakesI wanted to write a fanfic about Woody and Bo-Peep. Here it is!
“Home at Last”
A Toy Fanfiction
Things had finally returned to how they were. It had been years since Andy’s toys had anyone play with them, and now here they were, living with a new owner and being played with every day. Bonnie’s toys had accepted them whole-heartedly, and they truly felt loved. It had been almost two years now and with two Christmases and a birthday under their belts, the toys felt like they could handle anything coming their way. Every day was filled with laughter and excitement, and every toy was happy.
Every toy except a certain Sheriff Woody, that is. It wasn’t that he was dissatisfied with the new household arrangements, he was all for them! But it was spring time and love was in the air… Seeing the trees grow new leaves, the apple trees in blossom… Each year, all the pink reminded him of a certain someone. This someone was very dear to him and had been taken from him over ten years ago, and yet he never stopped thinking about her. Her name was Bo Peep, a porcelain doll who tended to her flock, and his heart, with tender, loving care. Woody had first met Bo when Andy received Woody for his fifth birthday, a gift from Andy’s father. Bo belonged to Andy’s mother, and her duty now was to watch over the children as they grew up.
Woody had never seen someone so beautiful in his entire life. At first he was nervous, tripping all over himself whenever he tried to talk to Bo, and eventually he stopped trying all together. When new toys were slowly being introduced into the household, Woody assumed leadership over them since he was Andy’s favorite, and it was around this time that Bo began to admire the cowboy. He was brave, handsome and quite the charmer. Being the Sheriff made it easier for Woody to talk to Bo, but whenever he’d get close to her, she’d reveal her more daring side, which always threw the cowboy for a loop (but he liked it). When Molly, Andy’s little sister, was born, Bo was given to Molly as a nightstand to watch over her, too. By this point, Molly’s crib was in Andy’s room, which meant Bo and Woody could see each other every night, though Woody would sleep in the bed with Andy.
Andy always had the best playtime—All the toys had roles to play, even Bo, and he was very gentle with her. She never suffered a scratch nor a crack (much to Woody’s gratefulness), and Andy had acknowledged the romance between Woody and Bo, usually having Woody save the day when Bo Peep was in danger, or her flock needed rescuing. Bo had always let Woody know how much she appreciated his help, and was always there to cheer him up when he was down. Even when Buzz Lightyear descended into their lives, Bo was there to try and reassure Woody that Andy hadn’t replaced him, even if the Sheriff didn’t believe her.
All the toys had great times together with Andy and Molly, but there was no denying the fact that the kids were growing up… Slowly, their numbers shrank, and even when they tried to protect their own from Yard Sales, they couldn’t save everyone. Wheezy, Etch, RC, Rocky… So many toys had been put out to pasture, but none more so than Bo Peep: That was a day that Woody would never forget.
Mom had started her usual cleanup, putting toys into boxes to be taken out to donate or sell in a Yard Sale. All of the toys were nervous, thinking maybe it would be them, despite Woody and Buzz’s reassurances, but when Bo Peep and her sheep were taken off their nightstand and wrapped up in separate newspapers, realization struck: Bo Peep was not a toy, she was a porcelain doll. She couldn’t be played with like other toys, she needed a lot of care or she could be damaged. Woody watched as the love of his life was wrapped up and taken away from him and there was nothing he could do to stop it.
He tried, there was no denying that. He practically threw himself out the window to go to her rescue, pulled out all the stops to try and get her back. When Mom wasn’t looking, he hopped into the box she’d been placed in, pulling back the newspaper to find her smiling face.
“Hey there, Sheriff,” she said to him, her voice gentle and calming as ever, “This ain’t a place for a cowboy.”
“Bo, come on, I’ll take you back to Andy’s room. This is a mistake, Mom knows it, she can’t get rid of you, Andy and Molly will be so upset. So let’s get you out of this box and back upstairs, whaddya say?” Of course he was expecting her to agree, what kind of toy wanted to be donated in a yard sale?
“Oh, Woody… You haven’t realized it yet, have you?” Bo replied, a sad smile appearing on her porcelain face, “Andy and Molly… They’ve grown up. They don’t need me anymore.”
“That’s not true! Of course they need you!”
“Woody, I’m not a toy like the rest of you, I’m vintage, an antique. I’m not supposed to be played with; I’m supposed to watch over children as they sleep… You and Buzz were both broken more than once in this house, but me… If I break, that’s it, there’s no repairing me.”
The cowboy couldn’t believe what he was hearing, “This is—what—what are you saying? You want to be donated?”
“It’s not that I want to, Sheriff, but nothing lasts forever. We all find greener pastures someday, and now it’s my turn. I’ll miss all of you and cherish the memories I have forever, I promise you that. And there won’t be anyone who can replace you, Woody. But you know it in your heart that this is the way things have to be… That we have to go our separate ways.” She nodded her head slowly, raising a hand to gently touch Woody’s face, stroking her palm over his cheek, “And someday you’ll find yourself on happier trails, finding new adventures with another child. Maybe Andy’ll have kids of his own someday and you’ll be there for them, but I can’t. I won’t last that long in such a rough’n’tumble house.”
“But… But Bo, please—” This wasn’t how it was supposed to go, but Woody couldn’t deny in his heart that he knew she was right. In reality, Molly and Andy didn’t care about her anymore, in fact the only ones that did were their toys. It was the hardest realization to come to grips with. He raised his hand, slowly taking hers in his and clasped it tightly, “I don’t want to be without you.”
“Now now, that’s no way for a Sheriff to look. You’ve got a whole room up there filled with toys that need you. This isn’t goodbye… Who knows, maybe we’ll meet each other again in the big wide world. You never know.”
Woody was about to answer her when he heard the sound of Mom’s voice—she was coming back, probably to take the box. Looking back at his Shepherdess, the Sheriff gave her one last hard look before he leapt out, falling under the table in order to hide. The rest of the toys watched from the window, staring out in both disbelief and sorrow. Mom picked up the box, gently carrying it to her car…
That had been the day Woody had truly realized that nothing lasts forever—no matter how much another toy may mean to you, you’re not the one that gets to decide if they stay or not. The ones that decide your fate are your owners, or their parents. It’s never up to you. You just have to believe that your owners will take care of you and do what’s best for you… But it was ultimately Woody’s decision that led all his friends to be together with him at Bonnie’s. It had been difficult leaving Andy, but college wasn’t any place for a toy… A toy’s true desire was to be played with and to make a child happy.
And for the last two years, that’s exactly what they’d been doing—they were getting played with and filling Bonnie’s days with laughter, and yet Woody couldn’t help but think of Bo. Every time spring came around the corner, he felt a painful throb in his padded-stuffed chest. Where was Bo Peep? Was she still in once piece? Was she with a loving family, or tucked away in an attic somewhere? His thoughts went back to when he first met Jessie, Bulls-Eye and Stinky-Pete. They’d been in storage for decades, not having felt the love of a child in all those years.
Now, Jessie and Bulls-Eye were part of their family, the both of them happy and cared for. Buzz and Jessie had started dating and became serious with their relationship after the groups’ last adventure when trying to get back to Andy’s house. Woody was glad that they’d found happiness, and yet he couldn’t help but feel even more down by just looking at them… as he was doing presently. Woody was sat on the desk near the window, looking over at the bed where Buzz and Jessie were chatting with some of Bonnie’s stuffed animals, Mr. Pricklepants, Buttercup and Totoro. He couldn’t make out what they were saying, but they were laughing and… the former were holding hands. Letting out a hefty sigh, Woody turned to stand up but misjudged his footing, scrambling on the edge of the desk a moment before letting out a yelp and tumbling to the floor.
Hearing the noise, Buzz turned around quickly and ran to the cowboy’s aid, “Woody! What happened, are you all right?” The space-ranger knelt beside his friend, offering a hand up. The cowboy coughed, slowly pushing himself up and dusting himself off, “I’m fine, Buzz, really. Just… uh, just took a tumble, that’s all.”
Buzz stared at Woody a moment, raising a brow, “Woody, you’ve been acting strange lately; you've been skipping meetings, you don’t stay to chat after playtime, what’s gotten into you? You’re not acting like the Sheriff I know.”
Oh great, thought Woody, Buzz noticed. But how couldn’t he? Buzz and Woody have been best friends since their adventures began, even if at first their relationship had been rocky and of a rival-nature, the two had begun to understand each other better than any other toys could. They’d be together, for infinity and beyond. Woody had been there for Buzz when he needed him and vice-versa, it wasn’t fair to hide the truth from the space-ranger. Woody gave a long sigh, dragging his palm across his face and gesturing for Buzz to follow him.
“It’s just… it’s spring again. You remember seven years ago, right? That one Yard Sale when we lost a lot of our friends…” Woody began as he walked, trailing his sentence in hopes he didn’t have to say all of it. It hurt.
Luckily, Buzz was on the same track as the cowboy, immediately putting a hand to his shoulder, “You’re thinking about Bo Peep again, aren’t you, Woody? It wasn’t your fault that she got given away.”
“I know that. But… That yard sale was right around this time of year. I know it’s silly, I know there’s no way she could have stuck around with us and all the rough housing we did at Andy’s, even when we weren’t getting played with. It’s just… I miss her, Buzz. She was the one, you know. And I… I see you with Jessie and how happy you are and… And I just can’t help but think of her.” Sighing, Woody shakes his head, “I’d never want you and Jessie to grow apart, and I’m not trying to be that jealous guy because I’m happy for the both of you, I just—”
Now it was Buzz’s turn to shake his head, smiling gently at his pal, “I understand, Woody. You don’t need to apologize. You’re within reason to feel this way. I’m not going to tell you to move on, but I will say this: if you ever need to talk to someone about it, I’ll always be here. You just let me know.”
Woody really had a great friend in Buzz, and he knew it. Unable to keep the smile from his lips, the cowboy grabbed Buzz by the helmet-rig and shook him playfully, “All right, all right. Now enough about me, Bonnie’s birthday is tomorrow. Any high hopes? Worries?”
“Well,” Buzz started, about to speak his mind on the issue when a loud yodel came from the bed. Both toys stopped, peering upward toward the source of the noise, when Jessie the Cowgirl came leaping off the sheets, flipping and landing next to the space-ranger.
“YEEEEEEEEEE-HAWWWWWWWWW!!” she shouted, pumping both fists in the air.
“Jessie! What are you so excited about?!” Woody exclaimed, eyes blinking as he leaned back somewhat—Jessie was loud as ever.
“Woody, you just said it! Bonnie’s birthday is tomorrow! Maybe she’ll get another critter to add to the gang, maybe a race car track or a board game—oh the list just goes on! Aren’t you both excited? More friends to add to the gang!” Jessie explained, throwing her arms about Buzz, who smiled nervously.
The Sheriff couldn’t help but laugh, cheered up by Jessie’s positive energy. She’d really made a 180 since coming to Bonnie’s, no longer worried about being replaced, abandoned, and stored away—as long as she had her friends, she knew she’d be okay. “Jessie, you must be the only toy I know that’s actually excited for birthdays!”
“Well, why shouldn’t I be?! It’s the best time to meet new toys! Don’t you remember last year?”
“I remember last year.” Buzz added, shaking his head somewhat, “We all got face-fulls of cake and ice cream.” Jessie laughed, flicking the space-ranger’s nose, “Oh come on, that’s just part of the fun! What’s a birthday without getting dirty?”
“Not a very exciting birthday.” Woody grinned, wagging his finger, “I guess when you put it like that, birthdays aren’t so bad.”
“Y’see?! C’mon, Buzz, let’s go wait for Bonnie to come home from Daycare! I’ve got a brand new idea for how we can rescue the peas and the aliens this time!” Jessie shouted, grabbing the ranger by the end and whisking him away without hesitation, meriting a yelp from the action-figure. Woody laughed loudly, always impressed by Jessie’s energy.
But now that they were gone, Woody felt the familiar pain in his chest and gave another sigh, walking towards the shelf. Sitting atop a few books was Dolly, one of Bonnie’s toys. She had been watching the previous exchange and had noticed Woody’s saddened demeanor—it wasn’t that hard to miss. “Hey, cowboy. Button for your thoughts.”
“Hey, Dolly.” Woody nodded, climbing up to sit next to her, “I’m fine, just thinking about old times.”
“Thinking about Andy?” She smiled, “I’m sure he’s doing fine. I’ve never been to college, but from what you’ve told me about him, I know he’ll pass with flying colors.”
“Nah, it’s not him. I mean, I think about him every day, but… Have you ever been in a Yard Sale?”
“Well, this is sudden,” Dolly blinked, tilting her head slightly, “No, I haven’t, but I was purchased at a Sewing Shop. What brought this on?”
Woody shook his head, smiling lightly, “Nah, it’s nothing. Don’t worry about it. Like I said, just thinking about old times.” The rag-doll wasn’t convinced, but she didn’t press further, “If you say so, Woody.”
***
The next day came as usual, with Bonnie waking up bright and early to go eat her breakfast. The day had progressed onward with nothing exciting happening, save for a couple playtimes. Once it was time for lunch, Bonnie hurried downstairs, and the toys could hear her cries of excitement. It seemed like Mrs. Anderson had already wrapped her presents. Woody sat up in bed, looking to the window where Buzz and Jessie sat, hand-in-hand. The cowboy smiled at his friends before turning to get ready for the big event. Sliding off the bed, Woody placed two fingers in his mouth and blew hard, whistling loudly.
“All right, everybody! It’s Bonnie’s birthday today. Dolly, would you like to help me?” He asked, gesturing for the toys to gather ‘round. Dolly smiled, hopping off the bed to join her comrade. This wasn’t a tradition in the Anderson family, but she’d learned from Woody that he and Andy’s toys always got together during birthdays and Christmas in order to fret about the new toys being brought in—she wasn’t about to change that for anyone.
“All right, Woody. Come on everyone, gather ‘round! Today is Bonnie’s 6th Birthday! She’s bound to bring new friends our way, so let’s be sure to give the new arrivals a warm welcome.”
Woody smiled, giving Dolly a kind salute, “Thank you, Dolly. I want everyone to remember that Bonnie loves each and every one of us. She’s a nice kid, and she’ll definitely take good care of us. Let’s not forget that, even if she plays with her new toys more, we’re still here for her.”
“Ohhh, I wonder if we’ll get any Tater-Tots?!” exclaimed Mrs Potato Head, hugging onto her husband. “More kids!? We’ve already got three!” He yelled, gripping his hat and pulling it down.
“I wouldn’t mind another dog. Maybe even a cat! I could do with some runnin’ around, heh.” Slink grinned, his tail wagging excitedly.
It was a little surreal—this was their second birthday with Bonnie, and yet none of the toys were fretting, in fact they all looked excited. There was no worry about whether or not they’d be replaced, everyone appeared to be at peace. This was good, this made Woody’s job a lot easier, even if he wasn’t really the leader of the room anymore, he still had duties to fulfill as Sheriff. And Andy’s toys still looked up to him, even if they never said it aloud.
Buzz and Jessie watched their friend from the window, smiling. It was good to see everyone so happy, though Buzz knew that inside, Woody was feeling regret, and he wasn’t sure what to do about it. Holding Jessie’s hand more tightly, the space-ranger looked at her, giving a smile. Feeling his grip tighten, the cowgirl grinned back at her partner, swinging their hands back and forth, “C’mon Buzz! Let’s join the posse!”
As the toys talked amongst themselves, footsteps could be heard coming up the stairs, and Bonnie’s voice was shouting, “I wanna open them now! Lemme get my toys!!” Bonnie was coming! Eyes widening, the toys clamoured about, trying to get back to their places in time. Luckily, since Bonnie was still young, she didn’t really recognize smaller details like the odd toy being in the wrong spot, so that gave them a little leeway.
Once the 6 year old burst into the room, she immediately hoisted up a basket, filling it with toys, “You guys, it’s my birthday today! I’m gonna be 6 years old after I eat my cake! I dunno why it’s the cake that makes you grow older, that’s what my mom told me anyway. Or maybe it’s the candles! I guess if you blow out the candles, it’s like you’re blowing away that other year!” She prattled on, grabbing Woody and Dolly and stuffing them in the basket. Once she had enough toys, she placed Totoro at the door, “You stay here! You gotta protect the room from alien invaders! If anyone shows up, radio us in, okay? We’ll be right up!”
“Come on, Bonnie, everything’s ready!”
“Coming! Okay toys, blast-off!!” Shouting with joy, Bonnie hurried down the stairs, careful not to trip and fall, sliding across the wood floor into the kitchen, placing the basket on a nearby chair. Bonnie’s mother gestured for her to come near and pointed at her presents. From what Woody and the others could see, there were four presents in all, all of them in boxes. They didn’t want to move in fear of being spotted, so they watched from their toy pile in the basket.
When it came time to open presents, Molly was very careful with each, removing the wrapping paper and opening each box slowly. First there was a Hello Kitty doll. There’s Slink’s cat, thought Woody. Next came an art kit with all kinds of colouring books inside, and as the presents went on, the group felt more at ease and comfortable, though they all knew there was nothing to fear anyway. The final gift was a box of farm animals: cows, chickens, sheep…
Sheep.
It was no secret that hearing that word reminded Woody of Bo, but at this point, it was hard not to think of her. After all, he was still melancholy. “Are these all of them?” asked Bonnie, looking in the empty boxes. Another successful birthday proceeded without any problems, mission accomplished.
“Well, now that you mention it… You know, sheep need to be taken care of. And I have a special person here whose specialty is taking care of sheep.”
Those words stopped Woody, so much that he even found himself unable to stay frozen. Luckily, Bonnie and her mother were far enough away for them to not notice his movements. A person that looks after sheep? Could it actually be…?
“Really?”
“Yes. Her name is Little Bo Peep the Shepherdess. She spends her days tending to her flock and keeping watch so no one comes to steal them or any mean animals come to eat them. She’s very kind and beautiful and people from all over tell her how lovely she is. She’s delicate, though, so you can’t be rough with her.” Slowly, Bonnie’s mom walked to a nearby closet, removing a figure wrapped up in newspapers and turned back to face her daughter, “Do you think you can be gentle, Bonnie?”
“Yeah! I wanna see her, mom!”
Please… Please let me see her. Woody could hardly believe what he was hearing. Could it be a dream? Was this really his Bo? His hands braced themselves against the wicker basket, not wanting to wake up if he was still asleep, but not wanting to feel the pain of disappointment either. Bo had told him she was vintage, like him… It was very unlikely that he’d see another one like her, so he just had to believe that this was real, that she was the one he’d fallen in love with.
Slowly, Mrs. Anderson began unwrapping the figure, slowly revealing the nightstand with none other than Bo Peep and her Sheep hooked on, carrying their usual peaceful looks. She placed the porcelain figures on the table very gently, letting Bonnie look at them. The 6 year old approached the table, peering up at the Shepherdess with curious eyes. “Wow…”
It was really her. It was really Bo Peep… his Bo Peep. Woody could see where the paint had flaked off due to age, and yet she was still the most beautiful toy he’d ever seen. He felt as though right there he could leap out of the basket and hug her, feeling warmth inside his padded stuffing, relief washing over him. She was home. Bo was finally home.
“Hey, Ms Peep? I got some friends for you to meet!” Bonnie chirped, hurrying over to the basket and bringing it closer. She first took out Buzz, spreading his wings for her to see, “This is Buzz Lightyear. He’s a gall-attic space ranger! He protects everybody and is a great friend. If your sheep are ever getting abducted, he’ll spring to your rescue!” Next, she took out Jessie, “This is Jessie. She’s a really tough cowgirl! Yee-haw! I think you two will be best friends. She’ll teach you how to ride horses and you can ride on Bulls-Eye, the fastest horse in the west!”
Bonnie’s mother watched as Bonnie began introducing all of her toys to the porcelain doll, and eventually she got to Woody, who she held up slowly, removing his hat and making him bow. “Howdy, lil’ lady, I’m Sheriff Woody. I’m the law enforcer in these parts. If you ever get into some sort of trouble, you just let me know, y’hear? I promise to protect you.” Bonnie grinned, replacing Woody’s hat, “It’s nice to meet you, Ms Peep. My name is Bonnie. I hope you like it here. I’ll be really gentle and I won’t break you, I promise.”
“All right, Bonnie. Take your toys back up to your room and it’ll be time for daycare! When we get back, there will be cake and ice cream!”
“Oh boy!” Bonnie exclaimed, replacing her toys in the basket before gently lifting up Bo-Peep and her nightstand, placing her in the basket next to Woody, “There we go, you two fit together perfectly! Ride ‘em, cowboy, giddyup! Yeehaw! Blast off!” As Bonnie headed back up to her room to drop off her toys, Woody slowly crept his hand downward, sliding it into Bo’s and holding tightly. To his pleasure, she returned the notion, closing her fingers around his.
***
“Wow, look at this room. A new family, a new house, and new friends. I never dreamed I’d get to meet you all again… This is a dream come true, I have to admit.” Bo smiled, turning in a circle to get a better look around the area. The other toys were gathered round her, but Woody stood in the back, staring at the love of his life. She was real, she was standing right there and it was actually her.
“Isn’t it great!? Oh, we’re all a family again. I’m so happy to see ya!” Jessie laughed, rushing forward and giving Bo a tight hug, “Things just weren’t the same ‘round these parts without ya, Ms Peep! Woody’s been getting into all kinds of trouble, he’s really needed you.”
“Is that so?” the Shepherdess raised a brow, “I’ll be sure to get him back in shape. It’s good to see you again, Jessie.”
Next, Buzz stepped forward, “Where were you all this time? What happened after that yard sale?” It was the question on everyone’s mind, really. Where had Bo ended up, and how did she get back here of all places?
“Now I was thinking one of you was going to ask that, and to be honest, it was all a stroke of luck. When Andy’s mom took me away, I was given to a thrift store. I was there nary a day when a nice old woman came and picked me up… She was very old, you see, but she was a collector. She loved porcelain dolls and I fit right into her collection. She told me all kinds of stories, about how her children loved her dolls and used to bring them to her as presents… Her children stopped visiting her, though, and we were the only company she had left,” Bo explained, smiling down at her sheep, “But nothing lasts forever. The old woman, Nancy, had one day fallen and broken her hip, and she had to be moved to a nursing home and wasn’t allowed to take any of her dolls with her, it just broke your heart. From there I was donated to a Children’s Hospital. Every day I watched over the sick kids, they were so young. I loved each and every one of them, but I never stopped thinking of all of you.”
Her eyes focused on Woody, who stood up straight when he noticed her gaze, “I kept thinking… I want to see them all again someday, no matter what. Even if it’s out of my control, I just have to believe that I’ll see everyone again. As much as I love children, I knew they weren’t my family… My family was all of you.”
She was talking to him, and Woody couldn’t even say a thing back, too awestruck to even think of an answer. “Then what happened?” asked Mrs. Potato Head, leaning anxiously from side to side. Bo closed her eyes, nodding and turning to look back at her friends, “Well, it just so happened that I was donated again, along with a lot of other hospital toys, to a nearby daycare. When we were brought in, the receptionist took me out and realized that I wasn’t fit to be in a daycare, that I would break too easily, you see. She seemed to take a liking to me and decided that’s when she’d take me home with her. I had no idea at the time that I’d be seeing all of you again after so many years.”
Everyone smiled, some were getting teary eyed. Slinky walked closer to Bo, nuzzling her dress, “It sure is nice to have you back with us, Bo Peep. You ain’t the only one who was doin’ a lot of missin’. We thought about you every day.”
“Thank you, Slinky. I’m just happy to be home.”
Feeling himself starting to get choked up, Woody turned, taking a few steps away from the crowd. He couldn’t afford to let himself lose his composure now; he had to be strong in front of the other toys. This was no time for waterworks! But no sooner had he started to walk away that he was suddenly harshly pulled back by a crook looping around his neck and yanking him backward.
“Oof! Ow!”
“Now where are you off to, Sheriff? Don’t I get a welcome home from my favorite cowboy?” Bo asked, leaning in close to Woody, her blue eyes staring into his. This was probably the happiest moment of his life, and he never even saw it coming. He’d once thought that it was the end, that he’d never see Bo Peep again after she was given away, and yet here she was, holding him close, her crook around his neck (rather painfully) and a daring smile on her lips.
Finally breaking the silence, Woody placed his arms around her, his expression one of joy and warmth, “Welcome home, Bo.”
“Home at last,” she replied, leaning in for a kiss.
THE END
“Home at Last”
A Toy Fanfiction
Things had finally returned to how they were. It had been years since Andy’s toys had anyone play with them, and now here they were, living with a new owner and being played with every day. Bonnie’s toys had accepted them whole-heartedly, and they truly felt loved. It had been almost two years now and with two Christmases and a birthday under their belts, the toys felt like they could handle anything coming their way. Every day was filled with laughter and excitement, and every toy was happy.
Every toy except a certain Sheriff Woody, that is. It wasn’t that he was dissatisfied with the new household arrangements, he was all for them! But it was spring time and love was in the air… Seeing the trees grow new leaves, the apple trees in blossom… Each year, all the pink reminded him of a certain someone. This someone was very dear to him and had been taken from him over ten years ago, and yet he never stopped thinking about her. Her name was Bo Peep, a porcelain doll who tended to her flock, and his heart, with tender, loving care. Woody had first met Bo when Andy received Woody for his fifth birthday, a gift from Andy’s father. Bo belonged to Andy’s mother, and her duty now was to watch over the children as they grew up.
Woody had never seen someone so beautiful in his entire life. At first he was nervous, tripping all over himself whenever he tried to talk to Bo, and eventually he stopped trying all together. When new toys were slowly being introduced into the household, Woody assumed leadership over them since he was Andy’s favorite, and it was around this time that Bo began to admire the cowboy. He was brave, handsome and quite the charmer. Being the Sheriff made it easier for Woody to talk to Bo, but whenever he’d get close to her, she’d reveal her more daring side, which always threw the cowboy for a loop (but he liked it). When Molly, Andy’s little sister, was born, Bo was given to Molly as a nightstand to watch over her, too. By this point, Molly’s crib was in Andy’s room, which meant Bo and Woody could see each other every night, though Woody would sleep in the bed with Andy.
Andy always had the best playtime—All the toys had roles to play, even Bo, and he was very gentle with her. She never suffered a scratch nor a crack (much to Woody’s gratefulness), and Andy had acknowledged the romance between Woody and Bo, usually having Woody save the day when Bo Peep was in danger, or her flock needed rescuing. Bo had always let Woody know how much she appreciated his help, and was always there to cheer him up when he was down. Even when Buzz Lightyear descended into their lives, Bo was there to try and reassure Woody that Andy hadn’t replaced him, even if the Sheriff didn’t believe her.
All the toys had great times together with Andy and Molly, but there was no denying the fact that the kids were growing up… Slowly, their numbers shrank, and even when they tried to protect their own from Yard Sales, they couldn’t save everyone. Wheezy, Etch, RC, Rocky… So many toys had been put out to pasture, but none more so than Bo Peep: That was a day that Woody would never forget.
Mom had started her usual cleanup, putting toys into boxes to be taken out to donate or sell in a Yard Sale. All of the toys were nervous, thinking maybe it would be them, despite Woody and Buzz’s reassurances, but when Bo Peep and her sheep were taken off their nightstand and wrapped up in separate newspapers, realization struck: Bo Peep was not a toy, she was a porcelain doll. She couldn’t be played with like other toys, she needed a lot of care or she could be damaged. Woody watched as the love of his life was wrapped up and taken away from him and there was nothing he could do to stop it.
He tried, there was no denying that. He practically threw himself out the window to go to her rescue, pulled out all the stops to try and get her back. When Mom wasn’t looking, he hopped into the box she’d been placed in, pulling back the newspaper to find her smiling face.
“Hey there, Sheriff,” she said to him, her voice gentle and calming as ever, “This ain’t a place for a cowboy.”
“Bo, come on, I’ll take you back to Andy’s room. This is a mistake, Mom knows it, she can’t get rid of you, Andy and Molly will be so upset. So let’s get you out of this box and back upstairs, whaddya say?” Of course he was expecting her to agree, what kind of toy wanted to be donated in a yard sale?
“Oh, Woody… You haven’t realized it yet, have you?” Bo replied, a sad smile appearing on her porcelain face, “Andy and Molly… They’ve grown up. They don’t need me anymore.”
“That’s not true! Of course they need you!”
“Woody, I’m not a toy like the rest of you, I’m vintage, an antique. I’m not supposed to be played with; I’m supposed to watch over children as they sleep… You and Buzz were both broken more than once in this house, but me… If I break, that’s it, there’s no repairing me.”
The cowboy couldn’t believe what he was hearing, “This is—what—what are you saying? You want to be donated?”
“It’s not that I want to, Sheriff, but nothing lasts forever. We all find greener pastures someday, and now it’s my turn. I’ll miss all of you and cherish the memories I have forever, I promise you that. And there won’t be anyone who can replace you, Woody. But you know it in your heart that this is the way things have to be… That we have to go our separate ways.” She nodded her head slowly, raising a hand to gently touch Woody’s face, stroking her palm over his cheek, “And someday you’ll find yourself on happier trails, finding new adventures with another child. Maybe Andy’ll have kids of his own someday and you’ll be there for them, but I can’t. I won’t last that long in such a rough’n’tumble house.”
“But… But Bo, please—” This wasn’t how it was supposed to go, but Woody couldn’t deny in his heart that he knew she was right. In reality, Molly and Andy didn’t care about her anymore, in fact the only ones that did were their toys. It was the hardest realization to come to grips with. He raised his hand, slowly taking hers in his and clasped it tightly, “I don’t want to be without you.”
“Now now, that’s no way for a Sheriff to look. You’ve got a whole room up there filled with toys that need you. This isn’t goodbye… Who knows, maybe we’ll meet each other again in the big wide world. You never know.”
Woody was about to answer her when he heard the sound of Mom’s voice—she was coming back, probably to take the box. Looking back at his Shepherdess, the Sheriff gave her one last hard look before he leapt out, falling under the table in order to hide. The rest of the toys watched from the window, staring out in both disbelief and sorrow. Mom picked up the box, gently carrying it to her car…
That had been the day Woody had truly realized that nothing lasts forever—no matter how much another toy may mean to you, you’re not the one that gets to decide if they stay or not. The ones that decide your fate are your owners, or their parents. It’s never up to you. You just have to believe that your owners will take care of you and do what’s best for you… But it was ultimately Woody’s decision that led all his friends to be together with him at Bonnie’s. It had been difficult leaving Andy, but college wasn’t any place for a toy… A toy’s true desire was to be played with and to make a child happy.
And for the last two years, that’s exactly what they’d been doing—they were getting played with and filling Bonnie’s days with laughter, and yet Woody couldn’t help but think of Bo. Every time spring came around the corner, he felt a painful throb in his padded-stuffed chest. Where was Bo Peep? Was she still in once piece? Was she with a loving family, or tucked away in an attic somewhere? His thoughts went back to when he first met Jessie, Bulls-Eye and Stinky-Pete. They’d been in storage for decades, not having felt the love of a child in all those years.
Now, Jessie and Bulls-Eye were part of their family, the both of them happy and cared for. Buzz and Jessie had started dating and became serious with their relationship after the groups’ last adventure when trying to get back to Andy’s house. Woody was glad that they’d found happiness, and yet he couldn’t help but feel even more down by just looking at them… as he was doing presently. Woody was sat on the desk near the window, looking over at the bed where Buzz and Jessie were chatting with some of Bonnie’s stuffed animals, Mr. Pricklepants, Buttercup and Totoro. He couldn’t make out what they were saying, but they were laughing and… the former were holding hands. Letting out a hefty sigh, Woody turned to stand up but misjudged his footing, scrambling on the edge of the desk a moment before letting out a yelp and tumbling to the floor.
Hearing the noise, Buzz turned around quickly and ran to the cowboy’s aid, “Woody! What happened, are you all right?” The space-ranger knelt beside his friend, offering a hand up. The cowboy coughed, slowly pushing himself up and dusting himself off, “I’m fine, Buzz, really. Just… uh, just took a tumble, that’s all.”
Buzz stared at Woody a moment, raising a brow, “Woody, you’ve been acting strange lately; you've been skipping meetings, you don’t stay to chat after playtime, what’s gotten into you? You’re not acting like the Sheriff I know.”
Oh great, thought Woody, Buzz noticed. But how couldn’t he? Buzz and Woody have been best friends since their adventures began, even if at first their relationship had been rocky and of a rival-nature, the two had begun to understand each other better than any other toys could. They’d be together, for infinity and beyond. Woody had been there for Buzz when he needed him and vice-versa, it wasn’t fair to hide the truth from the space-ranger. Woody gave a long sigh, dragging his palm across his face and gesturing for Buzz to follow him.
“It’s just… it’s spring again. You remember seven years ago, right? That one Yard Sale when we lost a lot of our friends…” Woody began as he walked, trailing his sentence in hopes he didn’t have to say all of it. It hurt.
Luckily, Buzz was on the same track as the cowboy, immediately putting a hand to his shoulder, “You’re thinking about Bo Peep again, aren’t you, Woody? It wasn’t your fault that she got given away.”
“I know that. But… That yard sale was right around this time of year. I know it’s silly, I know there’s no way she could have stuck around with us and all the rough housing we did at Andy’s, even when we weren’t getting played with. It’s just… I miss her, Buzz. She was the one, you know. And I… I see you with Jessie and how happy you are and… And I just can’t help but think of her.” Sighing, Woody shakes his head, “I’d never want you and Jessie to grow apart, and I’m not trying to be that jealous guy because I’m happy for the both of you, I just—”
Now it was Buzz’s turn to shake his head, smiling gently at his pal, “I understand, Woody. You don’t need to apologize. You’re within reason to feel this way. I’m not going to tell you to move on, but I will say this: if you ever need to talk to someone about it, I’ll always be here. You just let me know.”
Woody really had a great friend in Buzz, and he knew it. Unable to keep the smile from his lips, the cowboy grabbed Buzz by the helmet-rig and shook him playfully, “All right, all right. Now enough about me, Bonnie’s birthday is tomorrow. Any high hopes? Worries?”
“Well,” Buzz started, about to speak his mind on the issue when a loud yodel came from the bed. Both toys stopped, peering upward toward the source of the noise, when Jessie the Cowgirl came leaping off the sheets, flipping and landing next to the space-ranger.
“YEEEEEEEEEE-HAWWWWWWWWW!!” she shouted, pumping both fists in the air.
“Jessie! What are you so excited about?!” Woody exclaimed, eyes blinking as he leaned back somewhat—Jessie was loud as ever.
“Woody, you just said it! Bonnie’s birthday is tomorrow! Maybe she’ll get another critter to add to the gang, maybe a race car track or a board game—oh the list just goes on! Aren’t you both excited? More friends to add to the gang!” Jessie explained, throwing her arms about Buzz, who smiled nervously.
The Sheriff couldn’t help but laugh, cheered up by Jessie’s positive energy. She’d really made a 180 since coming to Bonnie’s, no longer worried about being replaced, abandoned, and stored away—as long as she had her friends, she knew she’d be okay. “Jessie, you must be the only toy I know that’s actually excited for birthdays!”
“Well, why shouldn’t I be?! It’s the best time to meet new toys! Don’t you remember last year?”
“I remember last year.” Buzz added, shaking his head somewhat, “We all got face-fulls of cake and ice cream.” Jessie laughed, flicking the space-ranger’s nose, “Oh come on, that’s just part of the fun! What’s a birthday without getting dirty?”
“Not a very exciting birthday.” Woody grinned, wagging his finger, “I guess when you put it like that, birthdays aren’t so bad.”
“Y’see?! C’mon, Buzz, let’s go wait for Bonnie to come home from Daycare! I’ve got a brand new idea for how we can rescue the peas and the aliens this time!” Jessie shouted, grabbing the ranger by the end and whisking him away without hesitation, meriting a yelp from the action-figure. Woody laughed loudly, always impressed by Jessie’s energy.
But now that they were gone, Woody felt the familiar pain in his chest and gave another sigh, walking towards the shelf. Sitting atop a few books was Dolly, one of Bonnie’s toys. She had been watching the previous exchange and had noticed Woody’s saddened demeanor—it wasn’t that hard to miss. “Hey, cowboy. Button for your thoughts.”
“Hey, Dolly.” Woody nodded, climbing up to sit next to her, “I’m fine, just thinking about old times.”
“Thinking about Andy?” She smiled, “I’m sure he’s doing fine. I’ve never been to college, but from what you’ve told me about him, I know he’ll pass with flying colors.”
“Nah, it’s not him. I mean, I think about him every day, but… Have you ever been in a Yard Sale?”
“Well, this is sudden,” Dolly blinked, tilting her head slightly, “No, I haven’t, but I was purchased at a Sewing Shop. What brought this on?”
Woody shook his head, smiling lightly, “Nah, it’s nothing. Don’t worry about it. Like I said, just thinking about old times.” The rag-doll wasn’t convinced, but she didn’t press further, “If you say so, Woody.”
The next day came as usual, with Bonnie waking up bright and early to go eat her breakfast. The day had progressed onward with nothing exciting happening, save for a couple playtimes. Once it was time for lunch, Bonnie hurried downstairs, and the toys could hear her cries of excitement. It seemed like Mrs. Anderson had already wrapped her presents. Woody sat up in bed, looking to the window where Buzz and Jessie sat, hand-in-hand. The cowboy smiled at his friends before turning to get ready for the big event. Sliding off the bed, Woody placed two fingers in his mouth and blew hard, whistling loudly.
“All right, everybody! It’s Bonnie’s birthday today. Dolly, would you like to help me?” He asked, gesturing for the toys to gather ‘round. Dolly smiled, hopping off the bed to join her comrade. This wasn’t a tradition in the Anderson family, but she’d learned from Woody that he and Andy’s toys always got together during birthdays and Christmas in order to fret about the new toys being brought in—she wasn’t about to change that for anyone.
“All right, Woody. Come on everyone, gather ‘round! Today is Bonnie’s 6th Birthday! She’s bound to bring new friends our way, so let’s be sure to give the new arrivals a warm welcome.”
Woody smiled, giving Dolly a kind salute, “Thank you, Dolly. I want everyone to remember that Bonnie loves each and every one of us. She’s a nice kid, and she’ll definitely take good care of us. Let’s not forget that, even if she plays with her new toys more, we’re still here for her.”
“Ohhh, I wonder if we’ll get any Tater-Tots?!” exclaimed Mrs Potato Head, hugging onto her husband. “More kids!? We’ve already got three!” He yelled, gripping his hat and pulling it down.
“I wouldn’t mind another dog. Maybe even a cat! I could do with some runnin’ around, heh.” Slink grinned, his tail wagging excitedly.
It was a little surreal—this was their second birthday with Bonnie, and yet none of the toys were fretting, in fact they all looked excited. There was no worry about whether or not they’d be replaced, everyone appeared to be at peace. This was good, this made Woody’s job a lot easier, even if he wasn’t really the leader of the room anymore, he still had duties to fulfill as Sheriff. And Andy’s toys still looked up to him, even if they never said it aloud.
Buzz and Jessie watched their friend from the window, smiling. It was good to see everyone so happy, though Buzz knew that inside, Woody was feeling regret, and he wasn’t sure what to do about it. Holding Jessie’s hand more tightly, the space-ranger looked at her, giving a smile. Feeling his grip tighten, the cowgirl grinned back at her partner, swinging their hands back and forth, “C’mon Buzz! Let’s join the posse!”
As the toys talked amongst themselves, footsteps could be heard coming up the stairs, and Bonnie’s voice was shouting, “I wanna open them now! Lemme get my toys!!” Bonnie was coming! Eyes widening, the toys clamoured about, trying to get back to their places in time. Luckily, since Bonnie was still young, she didn’t really recognize smaller details like the odd toy being in the wrong spot, so that gave them a little leeway.
Once the 6 year old burst into the room, she immediately hoisted up a basket, filling it with toys, “You guys, it’s my birthday today! I’m gonna be 6 years old after I eat my cake! I dunno why it’s the cake that makes you grow older, that’s what my mom told me anyway. Or maybe it’s the candles! I guess if you blow out the candles, it’s like you’re blowing away that other year!” She prattled on, grabbing Woody and Dolly and stuffing them in the basket. Once she had enough toys, she placed Totoro at the door, “You stay here! You gotta protect the room from alien invaders! If anyone shows up, radio us in, okay? We’ll be right up!”
“Come on, Bonnie, everything’s ready!”
“Coming! Okay toys, blast-off!!” Shouting with joy, Bonnie hurried down the stairs, careful not to trip and fall, sliding across the wood floor into the kitchen, placing the basket on a nearby chair. Bonnie’s mother gestured for her to come near and pointed at her presents. From what Woody and the others could see, there were four presents in all, all of them in boxes. They didn’t want to move in fear of being spotted, so they watched from their toy pile in the basket.
When it came time to open presents, Molly was very careful with each, removing the wrapping paper and opening each box slowly. First there was a Hello Kitty doll. There’s Slink’s cat, thought Woody. Next came an art kit with all kinds of colouring books inside, and as the presents went on, the group felt more at ease and comfortable, though they all knew there was nothing to fear anyway. The final gift was a box of farm animals: cows, chickens, sheep…
Sheep.
It was no secret that hearing that word reminded Woody of Bo, but at this point, it was hard not to think of her. After all, he was still melancholy. “Are these all of them?” asked Bonnie, looking in the empty boxes. Another successful birthday proceeded without any problems, mission accomplished.
“Well, now that you mention it… You know, sheep need to be taken care of. And I have a special person here whose specialty is taking care of sheep.”
Those words stopped Woody, so much that he even found himself unable to stay frozen. Luckily, Bonnie and her mother were far enough away for them to not notice his movements. A person that looks after sheep? Could it actually be…?
“Really?”
“Yes. Her name is Little Bo Peep the Shepherdess. She spends her days tending to her flock and keeping watch so no one comes to steal them or any mean animals come to eat them. She’s very kind and beautiful and people from all over tell her how lovely she is. She’s delicate, though, so you can’t be rough with her.” Slowly, Bonnie’s mom walked to a nearby closet, removing a figure wrapped up in newspapers and turned back to face her daughter, “Do you think you can be gentle, Bonnie?”
“Yeah! I wanna see her, mom!”
Please… Please let me see her. Woody could hardly believe what he was hearing. Could it be a dream? Was this really his Bo? His hands braced themselves against the wicker basket, not wanting to wake up if he was still asleep, but not wanting to feel the pain of disappointment either. Bo had told him she was vintage, like him… It was very unlikely that he’d see another one like her, so he just had to believe that this was real, that she was the one he’d fallen in love with.
Slowly, Mrs. Anderson began unwrapping the figure, slowly revealing the nightstand with none other than Bo Peep and her Sheep hooked on, carrying their usual peaceful looks. She placed the porcelain figures on the table very gently, letting Bonnie look at them. The 6 year old approached the table, peering up at the Shepherdess with curious eyes. “Wow…”
It was really her. It was really Bo Peep… his Bo Peep. Woody could see where the paint had flaked off due to age, and yet she was still the most beautiful toy he’d ever seen. He felt as though right there he could leap out of the basket and hug her, feeling warmth inside his padded stuffing, relief washing over him. She was home. Bo was finally home.
“Hey, Ms Peep? I got some friends for you to meet!” Bonnie chirped, hurrying over to the basket and bringing it closer. She first took out Buzz, spreading his wings for her to see, “This is Buzz Lightyear. He’s a gall-attic space ranger! He protects everybody and is a great friend. If your sheep are ever getting abducted, he’ll spring to your rescue!” Next, she took out Jessie, “This is Jessie. She’s a really tough cowgirl! Yee-haw! I think you two will be best friends. She’ll teach you how to ride horses and you can ride on Bulls-Eye, the fastest horse in the west!”
Bonnie’s mother watched as Bonnie began introducing all of her toys to the porcelain doll, and eventually she got to Woody, who she held up slowly, removing his hat and making him bow. “Howdy, lil’ lady, I’m Sheriff Woody. I’m the law enforcer in these parts. If you ever get into some sort of trouble, you just let me know, y’hear? I promise to protect you.” Bonnie grinned, replacing Woody’s hat, “It’s nice to meet you, Ms Peep. My name is Bonnie. I hope you like it here. I’ll be really gentle and I won’t break you, I promise.”
“All right, Bonnie. Take your toys back up to your room and it’ll be time for daycare! When we get back, there will be cake and ice cream!”
“Oh boy!” Bonnie exclaimed, replacing her toys in the basket before gently lifting up Bo-Peep and her nightstand, placing her in the basket next to Woody, “There we go, you two fit together perfectly! Ride ‘em, cowboy, giddyup! Yeehaw! Blast off!” As Bonnie headed back up to her room to drop off her toys, Woody slowly crept his hand downward, sliding it into Bo’s and holding tightly. To his pleasure, she returned the notion, closing her fingers around his.
“Wow, look at this room. A new family, a new house, and new friends. I never dreamed I’d get to meet you all again… This is a dream come true, I have to admit.” Bo smiled, turning in a circle to get a better look around the area. The other toys were gathered round her, but Woody stood in the back, staring at the love of his life. She was real, she was standing right there and it was actually her.
“Isn’t it great!? Oh, we’re all a family again. I’m so happy to see ya!” Jessie laughed, rushing forward and giving Bo a tight hug, “Things just weren’t the same ‘round these parts without ya, Ms Peep! Woody’s been getting into all kinds of trouble, he’s really needed you.”
“Is that so?” the Shepherdess raised a brow, “I’ll be sure to get him back in shape. It’s good to see you again, Jessie.”
Next, Buzz stepped forward, “Where were you all this time? What happened after that yard sale?” It was the question on everyone’s mind, really. Where had Bo ended up, and how did she get back here of all places?
“Now I was thinking one of you was going to ask that, and to be honest, it was all a stroke of luck. When Andy’s mom took me away, I was given to a thrift store. I was there nary a day when a nice old woman came and picked me up… She was very old, you see, but she was a collector. She loved porcelain dolls and I fit right into her collection. She told me all kinds of stories, about how her children loved her dolls and used to bring them to her as presents… Her children stopped visiting her, though, and we were the only company she had left,” Bo explained, smiling down at her sheep, “But nothing lasts forever. The old woman, Nancy, had one day fallen and broken her hip, and she had to be moved to a nursing home and wasn’t allowed to take any of her dolls with her, it just broke your heart. From there I was donated to a Children’s Hospital. Every day I watched over the sick kids, they were so young. I loved each and every one of them, but I never stopped thinking of all of you.”
Her eyes focused on Woody, who stood up straight when he noticed her gaze, “I kept thinking… I want to see them all again someday, no matter what. Even if it’s out of my control, I just have to believe that I’ll see everyone again. As much as I love children, I knew they weren’t my family… My family was all of you.”
She was talking to him, and Woody couldn’t even say a thing back, too awestruck to even think of an answer. “Then what happened?” asked Mrs. Potato Head, leaning anxiously from side to side. Bo closed her eyes, nodding and turning to look back at her friends, “Well, it just so happened that I was donated again, along with a lot of other hospital toys, to a nearby daycare. When we were brought in, the receptionist took me out and realized that I wasn’t fit to be in a daycare, that I would break too easily, you see. She seemed to take a liking to me and decided that’s when she’d take me home with her. I had no idea at the time that I’d be seeing all of you again after so many years.”
Everyone smiled, some were getting teary eyed. Slinky walked closer to Bo, nuzzling her dress, “It sure is nice to have you back with us, Bo Peep. You ain’t the only one who was doin’ a lot of missin’. We thought about you every day.”
“Thank you, Slinky. I’m just happy to be home.”
Feeling himself starting to get choked up, Woody turned, taking a few steps away from the crowd. He couldn’t afford to let himself lose his composure now; he had to be strong in front of the other toys. This was no time for waterworks! But no sooner had he started to walk away that he was suddenly harshly pulled back by a crook looping around his neck and yanking him backward.
“Oof! Ow!”
“Now where are you off to, Sheriff? Don’t I get a welcome home from my favorite cowboy?” Bo asked, leaning in close to Woody, her blue eyes staring into his. This was probably the happiest moment of his life, and he never even saw it coming. He’d once thought that it was the end, that he’d never see Bo Peep again after she was given away, and yet here she was, holding him close, her crook around his neck (rather painfully) and a daring smile on her lips.
Finally breaking the silence, Woody placed his arms around her, his expression one of joy and warmth, “Welcome home, Bo.”
“Home at last,” she replied, leaning in for a kiss.
THE END
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