Love is a canvas furnished by nature and embroidered by imagination.
Voltaire


Buzz Lightyear thought he had been through everything. He'd been pushed out of a window, tortured by a kid, chased by a dog, punched square in the face by two different toys, crushed by a television, and almost burned alive. Buzz felt that he was prepared for anything that came his way.

"Buzz, quit moving! Trying to draw over here!" Hamm shouted.

Except this.

Buzz sighed and kept still. He stood in the middle of a circle of toys. Everyone had a pack of Post-It notes and were scribbling away with a toothpick dipped in ink. Each would look up for a quick glance at Buzz and then look back down to draw.

Buzz had assumed the position of his default toy mode, standing tall with his fists on his hips. Only difference was that we was not smiling.

Woody looked up from his drawing. He folded his arms on top of the Post-It pack he was drawing on and rested his chin on his crossed arms.

"You know, Buzz, we've seen that pose a thousand times already. Do something different. How about striking one of your Flamenco dancing poses."

Buzz shot Woody a look. It was obvious that Woody was trying hard to keep a straight face, but the sheriff was clearly having way too much fun.

"Come on, Buzz. We're all waiting." Woody tapped his drawing pad with his toothpick.

"This is undignified," Buzz mumbled.

Jessie bit down on her lower lip to keep from laughing. At the sight of her, Buzz softened. He changed his position. He raised his right foot so that his tiptoes were touching the floor. He raised his right arm high in the air and assumed a dancer's pose. It was the same pose that Buzz had assumed when he was first switched to Spanish mode. Of course Buzz didn't know that, but the pose just felt natural to him.

"Okay, we'll go with that," said Woody as he dipped his toothpick in ink. "Hold that pose, Space Ranger!"

Mr. Potatohead groaned and balled up a sheet of paper in his hand. He tossed it behind him where the wad joined a pile of other discarded paper that was about as high as he was tall.

"I give up! Why do we gotta do this anyway?" He rubbed his hands on some tissue to get the ink off.

"No one's making you do this, Potatohead," said Wood simply without looking up from his drawing.

Mr. Potatohead looked over at his wife.

"Speak for yourself."

"Oh come on, Potatohead, this is fun," said Dolly as she dipped the tip of her toothpick in a vat of ink. "It's different."

"Different, smifferent. Let's stick with playing cards, or maybe karaoke." Mr. Potatohead glared at Woody. "There's this song I can't get outta my head, I Shot the Sheriff!"

Woody looked bemused, but still didn't look up as he continued with his drawing.

Mrs. Potatohead reached over and stroked his cheek. "Now now, Dear. I love watching you draw. It makes you so culturally sensitive."

As she tickled his chin, a big goofy grin spread across his face.

"Yeah? Really?"

Mr. Potatohead beamed as he picked up a clean Post-It pad and started scribbling. Mrs. Potatohead looked at Woody and winked. Woody chuckled and went back to his drawing. After a few minutes Woody looked at a watch he had laying beside him.

"Alright, everyone, time's up. Let's take a break."

Buzz let out a sigh of relief. He walked over to his empty seat between Jessie and Woody. As he sat , down he put his left hand on his right shoulder and began to rotate his right arm. He groaned as his joint made a popping sound with each arm rotation. Jessie reached out and put a hand on his thigh.

"What's wrong, Partner, getting old?"

Buzz smirked.

"You should talk, Cowgirl." He leaned closer towards her and whispered, "Did you enjoy the show?"

"Oh, you bet," she whispered back as she gave his thigh a squeeze.

"I'm glad," he said as he kissed her cheek.

Buzz had meant it to be a simple kiss, be he lingered and began to nuzzle her cheek. The sound of her giggling gave Buzz incentive to continue. He would have do so had it not been for the sound of beeping. Annoyed, Buzz turned in the direction of the sound. It was Dolly resetting the watch.

"Alright, Guys, lets do a couple more," she said. "So, who's next?"

"Ooh, ooh! Me!" Jessie jumped out of her seat and headed to the middle of the circle.

As she assumed a pose, Buzz was so entranced by Jessie that he didn't even realize that he was chewing on his toothpick. When she turned to blow him a kiss, an unpleasant taste had filled his mouth. He had bitten right through the toothpick and the ink was staining his tongue.

"Ugh!" He coughed and vigorously tried to wipe off his tongue.

"Buzz! You okay there, Pal?" Woody gave Buzz a hearty slap on the back.

Jessie tried to hold her pose, but then doubled over in laughter.

Mr. Potatohead slapped his forehead.. "Oh, come on! What is it with you and Buzz and staying still?"

"S-sorry! I-" Jessie clutched her stomach and fell on her back with laughter.

Despite Buzz's obvious discomfort, he managed to smile. He seemed to be entranced by her laughter. With one last wipe of the tongue, Buzz leapt up and landed next to Jessie.

"B-Buzz-"

"An agent of Zurg if I ever saw one. You dare laugh at the forces of good? Cease and desist at once!"

He knelt over her and started tickling her. As she laughed and kicked, the other toys smiled broadly, even the grumpy duo Chuckles and Mr. Potatohead.

Mr. Pricklepants rubbed his chin. "Ah! I have an idea! How about Buzz and Jessie pose together."

"What?" Hamm looked up from his drawing. "Need I remind you that those two are hard enough to draw individually. That's too complicated. Show some pity!"

"Nonsense!" Mr. Pricklepants argued. "Where's your sense of challenge, Man. This will be glorious! Here is the gallant defender of truth and his ravishing beauty."

Jessie's smiled faded and she sat up. "Beauty? Me? Um..."

Buzz sensed the tension in Jessie. Woody, the ever observant one, sensed it too. He put his drawing utensils down and walked to the center of the circle.

"Jess, can I talk to you for a sec?" He stretched out his hand to her.

"Um. Sure, Woody." She reached out to take his hand. She brushed her pants off with her free hand.

As he led her away by the hand, Buzz stood up. His eyes never left the two cowfolk. When they were out of earshot, Woody whispered something in her ear. Jessie's eyes widened, and then she gasped. She tried to pull away, but Woody held her hand firmly.

"Woody, I can't!"

"Of course you can. Let's go, Jessie."

His voice was authoritative yet gentle, the voice of one that commands without really having to.

Woody continued to hold Jessie's hand as he walked towards the door. He stopped at the threshold and called back.

"Don't worry, Buddy, I won't let anything happen to her!"

"I know," Buzz said simply.

With a nod, he gave Woody permission to do whatever it was he was about to do. Woody led Jessie through the door. Before she disappeared into the hallway, she glanced back longingly at Buzz as if pleading for him to intervene. Buzz merely nodded and motioned for her to go with Woody.

When they had exited the room, Buzz continued to stare at the door intently with a laser-like focus that never ceased to amaze his comrades.

"Oh, dear, it would appear that I have caused a bit of trouble," said Mr. Pricklepants from behind.

"Not at all, Friend."

"I'm afraid that I don't understand what just happened."

"Truthfully, neither do I," said Buzz shaking his head slowly, "but I trust Woody, and I love Jessie. That's all I need to know."

The hedgehog grinned broadly. "Outstanding! I admire your loyalty towards your friends. I feel inspired to write my next production."

Buzz smiled back at the hedgehog and turned his attention back to the door. Buzz Lightyear thought he had been through everything. Since coming to Bonnie's house, he realized that he still had more to experience in life. He closed his eyes and smiled, content to wait for his best friend and the love of his life to return.

To Be Continued

Hey, Peeps, pop over to my deviant art page. I've been drawing comic-book style covers for my stories. Go to my fanfiction profile and click on the link. Before you pop over there, show some love and leave a review. There are 2 more chapters to go. Until then, peace out!

Virtgrad the Virtual Graduate