The sound of Molly and Andy's voices fade as the front door closes. A moment later the lid of the toy chest is pushed up and Woody climbs out, setting his hat on his head as he does so.

'Good luck, cowboy.' Buzz's voice makes him turn back on his way to the door and he catches sight of the line of worried eyes between the toy box and its lid. The Potatoheads are holding hands.

'Guys, I'll be fine. So will Bo. She's going to a great family and the new baby will love her. I know it.' There's a feeling in Woody's chest as if his voice box has been wound too tight, but he manages a smile. It's important to keep morale up, especially in these uncertain times.

'A' course she will,' says Slink firmly. 'Now go have a great day.' The other toys mumble various agreements and Woody's smile becomes a little more real.

'Thanks, guys. See you later,' he says.

Fortunately the door has been left ajar and he doesn't need to waste time on acrobatics to reach the door handle. In the living room he can see Bo on the table, along with a pile of baby clothes. Molly's Great Shape Barbie is there too, he can hear her and Bo talking as he gets closer.

'They're excited about travelling so keep a close eye on them and come and get me if they get out of hand,' she says.

'It'll be fine, Bo. Go enjoy yourself,' replies Barbie, petting the sheep in front of her. Woody swings himself onto the table and clears his throat.

'Hello, sheriff,' says Bo with a coquettish smile. 'You wouldn't happen to be here for me, would you?'

Barbie giggles, leaving Woody feeling awkward and embarrassed. But Bo kisses him and for once it doesn't matter who's watching.

They go outside, it takes Woody a bit of effort to get the back door open but he's always been pretty good at getting around even if he's less flashy about it than Buzz. It's a beautiful day, Andy is probably having a great time at the zoo with his Aunt and Uncle, but this time Woody's glad that Andy's too old to want to take him along.

'It's beautiful,' says Bo, looking up at a sky as blue as Andy's old wallpaper. 'I haven't been outside in ages.'

'It's normally too risky to be that far out of place, but today we have,' and his voice hitches, recognising that it's not true even as he says it, 'all the time in the world.'

Bo takes his hand and squeezes gently, for someone made of porcelain she's still the strongest person Woody knows. 'Today we do.'

They wander, they reminisce. Do you remember the time Andy had me tied to the railway tracks? Do you remember the time Barbie lent us her corvette so we could pretend the TV was a drive in movie? Remember the party after Jessie and Bullseye arrived? They wind up under a rosebush, curled together on the dry earth, watching the sun turn leaves and petals into emeralds and rubies.

'So, a new baby,' Woody says quietly. 'You'll get to know your next owner from day one.'

'I'm looking forward to it,' admits Bo. 'Even if I am going to miss a certain cowboy.'

Woody laughs and pulls her closer, almost on top of him. Molly's long since grown out of nursery lamps and Andy hardly needs a damsel in distress for his infrequent games. It's time for Bo to move on, however much he wants to keep her with him.

'She'll love you,' he says, gazing up at her. The sun catches the gold of her hair and he reaches up to touch it, hand sliding to cup her face. 'Anyone would.'

Bo smiles, the gently devious smile that normally means he's about to get a crook around his neck, and neither of them says anything else for a while.

The sunlight is just starting to fade when a dog's howl calls them out from the flowerbeds and onto the path. 'Slinky,' Woody explains, waving his hat at Andy's window in acknowledgement of the signal. 'They'll be back soon.' He bows with a flourish, hat still in hand, 'May I escort you home?'

Barbie is waiting anxiously on the table as Woody helps Bo back up, although not as anxiously as the sheep who run over baaing at once. At least Bo will always have them.

'Bo-' Woody starts, but they can hear the car now. The engine stops and one of the doors opens. Woody glances to the door, calculating how long it will take him to make it back to the toy box, before looking back at Bo.

'I love you, Woody,' she says. 'And today was perfect.'

'I love you, too.' There's no time left to say anything else, but perhaps there's nothing else left to say. They manage one last kiss and then Woody slides off the table as the front door opens, diving to hide behind the sofa until the coast is clear.

He watches as Andy's mom packs up the baby clothes and finds a box for Bo Peep. Andy's aunt picks up the lamp while she does, smiling at the porcelain figurine. 'Thank you so much for letting me have this,' she says. 'It's such a cute lamp. My daughter will love it.' She puts down the lamp and rests her hands on her swollen belly, her husband laying his hands on her shoulders. Woody, from his hidden vantage point, lets out a sigh of relief. For the first time he really believes Bo will be okay. They're toys and they've always come second in one another's hearts, it's not wrong it's just the way it is. As long as Bo has an owner who loves her, who needs her, nothing can possibly be wrong.

Andy and Molly are talking about the zoo, the adults are looking at the baby clothes, and Bo manages to look in Woody's direction and blow him one last kiss before Andy's mom turns to lift her into the box. Woody waves as she disappears into it, hoping she manages to see.

'Goodbye, Bo,' he whispers into the twilit room.