AN: This was somewhat inspired by the line Andy's mom said in Toy Story 2 about Woody being an old family toy. And a line in one of the Toy Story 3 trailers. Andy says something along the lines of, "Woody's special" or " He's not an ordinary toy". (If anyone knows the exact line, plz let me know) I wanted to explore that a little more, and give Woody a bigger role in Andy's life. I wanted to explain why their bond is so strong; and why he was so hurt when Buzz came along. (I haven't written anything in a very very long time and am just starting to get back into it.) :)
Woody was sure he heard the baby stir. Something had woken him, and now he stared into Andy's crib. Sure enough, the baby had woken up and little tears were starting to stream down his face. Woody stood up from the nightstand he was laying on and looked at Andy with sympathetic eyes. The child's pathetic whimpering was really starting to break his heart. He sat down on the edge and let his feet dangle.
"Hey. Hey, Look at me...", The cowboy doll pleaded gently.
Little Andy turned his head.
"Listen, it's ok. Don't be scared of me. Just stop crying...Please?"
Andy wasn't going to be calmed that easily. Woody tried to think of something. He remembered Andy's mom singing to him one night; and that it had made him stop fussing. He didn't want to, but he knew he had to.
"Hush little baby, don't say a word...Something something something mocking bird..."
"This isn't going to work if you can't remember the words, Woody.", he muttered under his breath.
Slowly the baby calmed. He didn't stop completely, but it seemed as though Woody's voice was having an effect on him.
Andy's eyes were red and swollen from crying. He hadn't gotten much sleep since his parents brought him home from the hospital. After about two weeks of crying constantly, Andy's father had insisted they put his favorite cowboy doll next to the crib.
"What good will that do?," his mom had said
"Woody's not a normal toy, honey. When I used to cry, my mother would put him in the crib next to me, and like a miracle I started sleeping through the night."
Although skeptical, Andy's mom couldn't see the harm in trying. So that night, she had placed Woody on the dresser next to the crib, and turned off the light.
This was the first time Woody had seen the new baby. He had been in a closet for who knows how long before Andy's father finally took him back out again. He looked at Andy; tiny squirming Andy, and was reminded of the boys father, and how he would keep him company late at night.
Now this little human being with his big round eyes, was looking right at Woody. And he suddenly melted. Andy depended on him. At least at night anyway. He knew then that he loved him.
"Yeah, I've never liked that song either. Okay, let me sing you a real song, partner."
"Home, home on the range. Where the deer and the antelope play. Where seldom is heard a discouraging word and the skies are not cloudy all day. Oh, give me a land where the bright diamond sand, flows leisurely down the stream. Where the graceful white swan goes gliding along like a maid in a heavenly dream."
Woody sang a few more lines, and looked at Andy. He was still staring at him with his big blue eyes, and he had stopped crying completely.
"See? You don't have to cry, partner. Your safe here. I'm a sheriff you know." Woody smiled in spite of himself, knowing that he had just cracked a joke to a baby who had no idea what he was saying.
Still, he had gotten him to stop crying. Now he stared at him intensely, waiting for the minature man to talk again.
"What do you know? You actually like me, dont you?", Woody said, tipping the front of his hat.
Andy stuck out his hands towards Woody and clasped and unclasped them.
"Now wait a sec, little fella, I can't get in there with you. How would I get back out?"
Andy repeated the motion and let out a whine this time.
Woody's heart broke. Andy was threatening to cry if he didn't get his way.
He let out a sigh as he stood up and walked over to the bars of the crib. The baby reached for him, and Woody caught and held on to one of his tiny fingers. His heart started to pound in his cotton chest as he felt the first of many warm embraces.
It was then that a bond was formed. A bond that would last for decades. Andy and Woody looked at eachother, both saying the same unspoken thing to eachother, "I trust you." Andy trusted Woody to keep him safe; like a third parent. And Woody trusted Andy to love him, like the boys father had loved him for entire life.
Woody's life seemed to pass before his very eyes. In the moments it took for Andy to fall asleep again, Woody had an epifane. He suddenly realized he had a purpose now. After all those years in storage, he knew he was still loved. That beacuase of this little baby, he would not be forgotten.
Woody looked at the now sleeping child. And he began to whisper to the infant.
"You've given me my life back. I can't wait to watch you grow up. You can garantee I'll be there. I wouldn't miss it for the world. I love you, Andy. I'll always be there for you."
It was then he decided it wouldn't be too bad trying to get out of the crib in the morning. After removing his hat, he shimmied through the bars and laid next to him. After a few moments, he too fell asleep.
Please review. I would like to know what you thought since this is the first story I've ever written for Toy Story. That, and sorry if there are any spelling errors. I don't have spell check on my computer. :)