Good lord, I am so nervous about this fic. I probably went way over my head with this concept, but I really wanted to try it. It kept nagging at me and took me forever, but I hope I did all right.
This idea was inspired by Reeves3's story "100 Reasons Why I Love You." You should definately go read it. It's awesome.
Just to give a little warning, fluff and character death (please don't let that discourage you!) ahead. Please enjoy...or wish to skewer me...
Ready
Exhaustion plays a horrible game. It consumes the player and renders him or her helpless on the playing field, forcing them into one of the hardest fights of their lives. The goal of staying awake, remaining in control seems distant and inaccessible. In the end, exhaustion always wins.
Buzz finally began to lose to exhaustion's game as well. He did not seem to remember how long he walked aimlessly for, his understanding of time having slowly given in to forgetfulness a couple of years ago. He stumbled often on weary feet, his graceful poise lost long ago when his joints stiffened and rusted. The energy he once knew no longer fueled his body with fervor. Even then, his last set of batteries was barely pumping enough power into his circuits to keep him going.
"Careful, Buzz. Not too fast."
Jessie smiled gently as he heeded her words, probably not even noticing she had taken his arm to steady him. She walked beside him, just as she had for the past nine or so decades, watching over his stability and safety. It always became harder for Buzz to take care of himself when the acids in his batteries drained to dangerous points, leaving him nearly helpless.
For days, they hunted for a new pair, discreetly checking homes, browsing stores, and scaling streets for any until they reached a deserted alleyway somewhere in the Tri-County area. Deep down, they knew their search would be in vain. No one made the batteries that served Buzz's circuits anymore. Since his arrival into the world a hundred years ago, technology had advanced until rechargeable or nanotechnology batteries served all portable energy purposes. Double A's had been discontinued years ago. Luckily for Buzz, they had managed to find old ones within the trash, enough to keep him functioning for a few more years.
Their supplies had since run out, though.
The space ranger eventually turned and glanced at the cowgirl, finally noticing she held his arm after focusing all of his attention on his feet and thoughts. He gave her a small, grateful smile, receiving a broad grin in return. Suddenly, his lack of attention sent his feet tripping over a stone, causing him to stumble and fall.
"Buzz!"
Jessie tried her hardest to catch him, but even her own strength had waned over the decades. Buzz's weight pulled her down with him, causing her to land beside his fallen form. It took the cowgirl a moment to recover, lifting her heavy head slowly to refocus and check on her space toy. On his front with his forehead resting against the pavement, Buzz lied still with his eyes shut.
For a second, Jessie felt like panicking, but the urge passed quickly once she laid a hand on the ranger's jetpack, warmth reaching her fingertips. Pushing herself on her knees, the cowgirl gingerly rolled Buzz over. Still unsatisfied, though, she wrapped her arms around his torso from beneath his back and struggled to pull his heavy body onto her lap. It took her a while and a few breather breaks, but she finally managed to succeed.
Adjusting him slightly, Jessie laid Buzz's head against her shoulder and cradled him tenderly against her soft, cloth body, wanting to make sure he was comfortable. He had not moved since she brought him close, but she was ready to wait for however long it would take him to wake again. She knew he would.
Over the years, when conserving battery life became essential to him, Buzz learned how to concentrate its power to certain parts of his body. He had long ago stopped sending energy to the circuits that controlled his buttons and laser, rendering them unusable. He even blocked out his voice box eventually. Instead, he used that energy for more important things, like moving around and making his brain function normally.
Jessie knew from experience he was concentrating his energy again, lying still to make sure he did not waste any before he recovered from his fall. Thus, she waited patiently, more than content with having him in her arms.
Stroking his cheek as gently as possible, the cowgirl studied Buzz as he rested. Dirt and mud stained his suit from months of traveling and from the untidiness of their last owner. His once bright green and purple colors had faded considerably to soft, pastel-like shades. The dirtiness and paint marks of his clear, plastic helmet made it impossible for him to see anymore. Most of his stickers had ripped or peeled off while the others had faded. Time had definitely worn him down.
Jessie knew she looked no better, probably even worse since her age beat Buzz's by about fifty years. The vibrant red color of her yarn hair had faded into a light orange color and the yarn itself began to untwine from its tight spirals. The dye and paint on her body had dulled as well, the yellow of her shirt nearly blending with the dirty white and her, polyester, cowhide chaps nearly worn down to its original color. Some of her stuffing had toughened due to constant use and the hot, Californian sun drying it out. The only thing that remained generally untouched was her hat and she felt grateful about that.
The years had done a good job on altering them both for the worst. Jessie could care less, though, about the way they looked or how old they felt. Buzz sat within her arms, within her grasp, and she only cared about that.
Decades ago, she could only dream of having him with her after finding themselves separated for the first time. Their second owner after Bonnie decided to sell them all, Andy and Bonnie's toys combined, until they each found themselves in the hands of different owners. Jessie felt grateful about another child wanting to share her love with her, but she could not help but feel a piece of herself missing. She felt utterly incomplete and never entirely satisfied. Yet, she still hoped, wished that one day she would see Buzz again, just as he promised her they would right before their final kiss goodbye. She held onto that wish for seven long years, through playtime, through caring for the other toys, and through her child growing up.
Until the wish came true.
One day, the cowgirl sat outside in her owner's backyard while watching the younger toys play. She felt content, enjoying the fresh air and the warm sun until a noise in the bushes caught her attention. When she looked to see what caused the disturbance, her phantom heart froze. Buzz stood feet from her, gazing at her with a look of disbelief and hope. Jessie had only taken a moment to confirm his presence before practically pouncing on him, sobs ripping from her throat. She held onto him fiercely, afraid to let go.
"You found me! You actually found me!"
"I promised you I would."
"Please, don't let go. I don't want to lose you again."
"I never did, Jess. I never will."
He didn't. Other owners wound up separating them several more times, through yard sales, hand-me-downs, and even by accident. That didn't stop either Jessie or Buzz. They always managed to find one another again, whether he found her or she found him, it didn't matter. Even if it took a few years, they always wound up together again in the end.
Utter happiness filled Jessie's being as she sat in the cold, gloomy alleyway, ownerless for years, and quickly falling apart. She only needed Buzz to put her at ease and keep her content, to dispel all her fears and wash away her sadness. Nothing could break the perfect peace that descended upon her.
The cowgirl suddenly felt something brush against her face. Looking down, she found Buzz's azure eyes open and his fingers gently caressing her cheek. She smiled and returned the gesture, gazing into his eyes before noticing something amiss about his expression.
Dismay wrought his features. His mouth pursed into a tight frown, barely trembling. His eyes shimmered guiltily, miserably, as if they were silently apologizing for some wrong he committed. Furrowing her brow, Jessie made to voice her concern, but the words never passed her lips. She abruptly understood the mystery behind his expression.
Jessie felt sadness warping her own features quickly as she turned her gaze from Buzz for a moment. She knew the end would come eventually. She never denied it, but never knew when to expect it. She should have known, then more than ever, but she hadn't thought about it because…she didn't need to worry. They had faced it once before, but even then, when it would have come so suddenly and too soon, they were ready. They had each other. They did not need to face it alone.
Taking a deep breath with a smile forming on her lips, Jessie knew then that she was ready once again and so was Buzz. They had nothing to fear. They had each other.
"It'll be okay, Buzz." The cowgirl whispered, leaning down until their foreheads touched. "There's nothing to worry about."
The ranger gave a tired, uncertain glance, but Jessie continued to smile as she began stroking his face again.
"We won't be separated for long, I promise. I'll be right behind ya."
Buzz's azure eyes widened for a moment, searching for the sincerity in her emerald eyes. Eventually, he smiled softly, seeming to comprehend her thoughts and finding them consoling. He gazed at her intently, love silently pouring from him.
"I love you too, Buzz." Jessie placed her lips tenderly against his, exchanging her passion and devotion. "Sleep."
She opened her eyes and found the space toy's eyes closed, his breathing nonexistent. Yet, the peace settled upon his features relieved the cowgirl. Smiling and suddenly quite weary, Jessie lied herself against her space ranger, tucking her head into his neck. At peace and content, she breathed in deeply one last time, ready to follow her love.
Ready to be with him again.
Eventually, everyone's time will come. However, how you face it matters the most. This story was meant to show death as, not an ending, but the next step of life, where happiness, love, and peace overpower sadness and fear. Thank you for reading.