Piggyback

It was afternoon in Andy's room when Buzz noticed Jessie sitting all alone on the bookcase. The little cowgirl seemed far off in thought, and didn't even see the space ranger approach her.

"Hey Jessie." Buzz called up, and she broke out of her thoughts to look at him.

"Hey Buzz." Her face wore a wan expression as she drifted back into her reverie, staring at her hands, which were resting in her lap.

"You're not still upset about Andy taking Woody to cowboy camp and leaving you behind, are you?" Buzz asked.

"No." Jessie shook her head. "I'm not mad at Andy for taking Woody."

"Then what? You've been awful quiet ever since they left this morning." Buzz pointed out bravely, and Jessie sighed.

"I'm upset because Andy took Bullseye too."

"Ah." Buzz understood. Bullseye and Jessie had never been apart since being stored together for so many years under Al's watchful gaze. Bullseye, for all the stuffing he was, had been Jessie's constant companion, and he didn't recall her ever being far from the steed's side since she'd come to the playroom many months before. Buzz still didn't completely understand why Andy had taken Bullseye and not Jessie, but he wasn't at liberty to question it. Besides, he would have missed Jessie, had she gone away, even if it was just a long weekend.

"I guess riding Bullseye is part of my everyday routine, and without him or Woody now, I feel quite alone," Jessie confessed, pulling her knees up to her chest.

"Well, you're not alone Jess. You got the other toys to talk to. And I'm always here, you know."

Jessie brightened at his words, glancing up. "I know. Thanks, Buzz." She thought for a moment. "I guess I just miss saddling Bullseye up and going for a ride around the room everyday."

"Well, I'm n-not Bullseye, but I could offer y-you a ride." Buzz said, his cheeks flushing with a sudden thought.

"You? How?" Jessie was intrigued, her legs sliding down to dangle back over the shelf edge.

"Well, I co-could give y-you a piggyback." Buzz offered. "It's not q-quite the same, but..."

"What's a piggyback?" Jessie asked, her green eyes wide as she looked down at him.

"Well, it's ba-basically-well-yo-you jump on m-me, and..." Buzz stuttered out. Why had he suggested this?

"Oh, that's what a piggyback is!" Jessie said, her face flooding now with recognition.

"Yeah, so, uh...if you want to..." Buzz offered again.

He was caught off guard by Jessie's grin and subsequent leap from the shelf moments later. With surprise, the space ranger managed to catch the cowgirl as they tumbled to the floor in a heap.

"That...wasn't what...I meant..." Buzz said awkwardly, as Jessie sat up.

"It wasn't?" She asked, straightening her hat.

"No. That was a pounce," Buzz said, hauling himself into a sitting position too. His cheeks were red from the exertion of catching Jessie.

"But I don't understand. You said to jump on you." Jessie said, confused.

"I wasn't finished." Buzz retorted. "I only stopped because I thought you understood."

"So go on," Jessie huffed, listening again. Buzz realised he couldn't back out of it now, his nerves returning.

"A piggyback is...well, y-you get on my back, and I can c-carry you that way. Hence the term piggyback. You have to m-make sure to distribute your w-weight evenly and all..." he began to explain, stumbling over his words again.

"Oh, well why didn't you say so! I'd love to." Jessie grinned at him, her previous annoyance fading in an instant. Buzz started to get up, hoping she understood this time, dusting himself down, and turned around with his back to her.

Jessie hopped up, moving to a point a few steps behind the space toy. She backed up, gauged the distance and took a little run up, jumping onto him. As she did so, her knee connected with the button in the middle of his back.

Buzz winced, his right arm flying up and down in a jerky fashion. "Ow! Jessie!"

"Oops." Her arms around his neck from behind, she moved one leg a little, bringing it up around his middle. Buzz felt himself blushing as she straddled him from behind, her head resting on his shoulder.

"No...no worries." He muttered, shifting her weight a little on his back.

"Buzz?" Jessie asked, her breath against his ear making him shiver a little.

"Mm?" He muttered, not trusting himself to talk in the present situation.

"What just happened?" She asked, patting his right shoulder with her hand.

"Oh, that...that's just my...uh, ka-karate action button. You must have tr-triggered it when you jumped on my back."

"You do karate?" Jessie asked, her eyes wide.

"Uh...sort of."

Silence. Buzz felt Jessie shift slightly in position, her knee tapping at the button. He jumped as his arm flew up and down again.

"Jess!" He complained, as her knee tapped the button again. She giggled.

"I didn't know piggyback rides could be this fun!" She squealed happily, and Buzz rolled his eyes with an amused look coming over his face.

Neither did he.