Inspired both by rain1940's drawing "October" and also "Sunrise" by Rascal Flatts.
The warm autumn evening was making the space toy feel incredibly tired. Try as he might, he couldn't fight off the demons that tugged his eyelids downwards. For a moment or two, he forgot where he was and allowed himself to drift off. It was only for the briefest time, because he was disturbed by something falling on his hand. It tickled ever so slightly, and Buzz's eyes opened into little slits, peering out to see what the movement was. A leaf lay against his right hand, and as he gazed at it, and then slightly upwards to the other toy lying with him, he remembered what had gone on that day.
Earlier that afternoon, Bonnie had begged Mrs Anderson for an outdoor tea party. This had involved a fair bit of preparation – first Mrs Anderson had spread out a big tie dyed red and yellow rug on the grass under a tree. Bonnie ran into her bedroom to grab her tea set, which she laid out on the rug; plates, teapot, milk jug, sugar bowl, and the little cups on their saucers.
Lastly the little girl had run back inside to gather up a few of her toys – Buttercup and Trixie, the latter of which always had interesting, life changing news. She had then grabbed Woody, Buzz and Jessie, as well as Bullseye. She had settled down on the rug with a delighted squeal, noticing her mother had prepared something in her absence – for on the plates were a couple of sandwiches, a piece of cake, slices of fresh apple, along with a small bowl of jellybeans. There was also a carton of juice sitting next to the teapot, so there were all the makings of a real feast set out.
Bonnie had taken no time in arranging her toys in a semi circle and pretending to pour tea into the cups. She didn't have quite enough cups so she paired off her toys so they could take turns in 'sipping' from the plastic crockery. Unknowingly, she paired off Buzz and Jessie, and while Bonnie was pouring tea for Trixie to share with Woody, Buzz shot a look at Jessie, who blushed as she looked back at him over the rim of the cup between them.
The afternoon wore on, and a happy, excited Bonnie ate the sandwiches and the apple slices provided. She broke off pieces of cake to "feed" her toys with, and picked up Woody to ascertain whether the jellybeans were poisoned by the evil witch Dolly – who of course was nowhere to be seen, but better safe than sorry.
It was all too soon that Mrs Anderson called for Bonnie to come inside, and with a sigh, Bonnie began to gather up her things. She stacked the plates and cups neatly and took them inside, then returned, picking up Woody and Trixie first, and then Buttercup. She struggled, her arms full of toys, as she reached down to grasp Bullseye's hoof between two fingers. She glanced at Buzz and Jessie, sitting together on the rug in the slow waning summer light. "I'll come back for you," she decided out loud, carrying the other four toys inside.
Several minutes passed. The two toys waited together, and finally, after not seeing Bonnie grace the front porch a second time, Buzz came out of toy mode. Jessie followed suit, and after making sure no one could hear her, she spoke aloud. "Where did she go?"
"She went inside." Buzz kept his eyes glued on the front door, lest Bonnie should appear out of nowhere and catch them moving and speaking of their own accord.
"I know that," Jessie huffed, taking off her hat and laying it down just behind her. "I mean, did she go inside for a reason?"
Buzz tore his gaze away from the door to glance up at the sky, noting the position of the sun before he turned back to refocus on his original target. "It's about four forty five. Bonnie has television time at five for one hour, and then she has dinner at six. Bath at six thirty, followed by playtime at seven for one more hour, then bed at eight sharp."
Jessie blinked. "You memorised her schedule?"
Buzz nodded, but didn't speak - he simply stared at the door leading into the warm comfort of the house.
"Buzz?" Jessie started behind him, and he turned his head ever so slightly, still keeping a watch out.
"Yeah?" He asked, glancing across just as the cowgirl yawned, covering her mouth with a hand.
"I'm tired. Do you think Bonnie will notice if I laid down?"
"I guess not." Buzz shrugged a little. "She'll probably think you just fell over or something."
"Good point." Jessie flopped down, tucking her knees up towards her chest.
"Comfy?" Buzz asked with a small smile, keeping his eyes on the cowgirl. Suddenly all thoughts of keeping a eye out for Bonnie's return had flown off to the gamma quadrant as he watched the pretty little doll next to him.
"Yep." Jessie breathed, a soft smile playing over her features, her eyes crinkling with affection as she looked up at him. "You should try it."
Buzz hesitated, glancing up at the sky a second time. The sun had moved ever so slightly. It would almost be five pm by now. Bonnie would get interested in her cartoons for a whole hour. He glanced down at Jessie, who had remained in place, her eyes fixed on his face. She was blushing again, and he couldn't resist her when she looked like that.
"Okay…" he uttered, swinging his body around and laying down next to the cowgirl gently. He mirrored her actions from before, drawing up his knees to his chest. Jessie gazed at him as they lay together, before shuffling closer a tiny bit closer. She tilted her head forward and her forehead brushed Buzz's as she reached up, laying her left hand on his right cheek. Buzz smiled, mimicking this gesture too, sliding his hand up between the rug and her cloth skin, cupping her right cheek in his left hand.
As Jessie's eyes fluttered shut, a happy smile still on her features, the space toy felt his heart skip a beat. He had slept alongside Jessie many times over the years with Andy, and the last few weeks with Bonnie they had been inseparable. But this was the first time she'd fallen asleep next to him while they had been totally alone.
So there they were, under the tree in the garden on the rug, the rapidly setting sun dappling between the leaves.
Turning his attention back to the leaf on his right hand which had disturbed his slumber, Buzz knocked it away. He glanced across once more at Jessie. She was peaceful, only her chest rose and fell as she breathed deeply.
Her left hand was still on his cheek, he realised, but it had slipped down slightly from its initial position. Buzz noticed her other arm was curled up between them, her palm upwards and her fingers curled in a little. He raised his free hand gingerly, threading his arm under hers before placing his long fingers over her wrist. She shifted and murmured, and Buzz stopped, not moving further. Jessie settled again, and he dared to exhale the breath he'd been holding.
The close contact caused Buzz to feel a way he had never felt before; he was lost somewhere he never thought he'd be. Lying there on the rug with her, he found himself wondering how he had managed without Jessie all those years before Woody had been toy-napped by Al.
The rapidly developing sunset warmed the garden, and within a few minutes, the space toy had once again given in to the weariness. His last thought, just before he fell asleep, was that by the end of the season, he would have helped some of the cowgirl's bad memories fade, and perhaps even change the way she lived every day, not with fear of what was to come, but with hopefulness of their future together.