Later that night, way past bedtime, Woody sat alone on Bonnie's windowsill. But he wasn't sulking this time, he was musing over the day's events. He'd had to look twice when Mitsy ran up to him, eager to show him how she looked in her new dress. It had made him feel like a 'father' again, delighting in whatever amused and please 'his little girl'.
Today had been a 'normal' day again, and he felt warm inside, and loved again. He was conscious of another toys' presence, and slightly turned his head. "Evening, Sheriff," came a wise voice. It was Jack, not Buzz!
"Oh, uh...uh...hey there," Woody stammered, not sure what to do next. This was very unusual.
"Do you have a minute?" Jack asked. "I wanted to have a word with you."
"Sure," Woody said curiously. Jack sat down on the other side of the sill. "What's on your mind, partner?"
"Like I said before, I had a very educational field trip today." Jack said.
"Uh-huh. Yeah?"
"On the drive to Sunnyside, Mitsy told me about that evil bear Lotso and how you all narrowly escaped from his clutches. I had no idea about any of that. You wouldn't think it had once been a dark prison if you went there today."
"I know. Barbie and Ken have done a fantastic job there," Woody agreed.
"She told me about how you had tried to keep them from going, Sheriff, because you all still belonged to your kid, Andy."
"Did...did she mention how...how I walked out on my friends and left them there?" Woody mumbled.
"Yes, she did." Jack looked thoughtfully at the cowboy who hung his head shamefully. "But she also told me that you came back because you cared too much about your friends to leave them in such a place, once you knew the danger they were in."
"Oh," Woody chuckled, still embarrassed that Jack had learned one of his past failures. Jack grew quiet and looked troubled. After a few silent moments, Woody asked, "Hey, are you okay?" Jack looked so dejected that Woody was afraid he was angry and disappointed that Woody had left the toys, and Jack's princess, in the first place.
"Sheriff, there's...there's something I need to know!" Jack declared adamantly.
"What's t-that?" Woody asked shakily, afraid of where this was headed.
"I want the truth."
"Of course." Woody said bravely. Jack looked him straight in the eyes.
"Is...is it true...is it true that you all almost...almost got burned alive in the incinerator at the dump?" Jack's strong voice was quivering with fear.
Woody had never seen the fearless dog behave in this manner, and he felt bad for him. He scooted closer. "Yes," he finally answered.
"And was it because Lotso left you there to die, after and you and the Space Ranger risked your own necks to save his?"
"Yes." Woody nodded solemnly. "Every word of it is true." Jack's face was filled with horror. He grimaced and leaned his head on his paw, sighing heavily and groaning. Woody stared sympathetically at the old dog, wishing he could do something to help him. "Hey, take it easy there, partner." He said gently.
Jack shook his head, exasperated. He looked helplessly up at the sky. "When...when I think of how someone could be so heartless...how my little girl almost died, was almost killed...by, by the very thing she fears more than anything else in this world! And...and I wasn't there to keep her safe from it! I wasn't there to help you and all your wonderful friends. There was nothing I could do! If I'd been there, Sheriff, I would've tried to get you guys out!"
"Thanks, Jack." Woody smiled wryly. "There was nothing any of us could do. We would've given anything in the world to have not gone through that experience! It was...it was...unimaginable! It was unlike anything we'd ever thought of."
They both sat in silence for a while. Jack finally broke it. "You know, Mitsy speaks about all of you all the time," he said, more relaxed now. "But you're the one she talks about the most."
"M...me?" Woody gaped, surprised.
"She speaks very highly of you. She's spoken of how you went after Jessie the cowgirl to save her from flying to Japan, and how you rescued Wheezy from being sold by accident in a yard sale. All the times you could've played it safe and cared less about what happened to any other toys besides yourself. How you threw yourself into it without giving it a second thought because because they were your friends. She's told about when the Spikes Toy Gang trapped you two in the box, about how you kept her behind you to protect her, and then told her to run to safety when they attacked you. I wanted to thank you, Sheriff. I'm truly grateful to you."
"Hey, that's what friends are for." Woody smiled. "You did so much more than that."
"Can I ask you something, uh...personal?" Jack prodded cautiously.
"I guess." Woody gulped.
"Just who was Bo Peep?" Jack inquired. Woody sadly smiled and stared at his boots.
"She...she was the one love in my life." He whispered. "She was...she was gorgeous, she was..." Woody gulped again and couldn't continue.
"I'm sorry, Sheriff." Jack said, patting Woody with his paw. "I'm sorry I asked...hey, can I tell you something?"
"S...sure." Woody looked up.
"I have to be honest with you. I...we haven't gotten to know each other very well. But if we're both going to be Bonnie's toys, I think that needs to change."
"I agree with ya there, pal." Woody nodded.
"I guess," Jack continued, "what I'm trying to say, is...is that I really admire you, Sheriff Woody." Woody's jaw dropped. "I admire your courage and kindness, but most of all, your loyalty. It truly stands out more than you'll ever know."
"I...I don't know what to say," Woody said. If he had been human, he would've broken out in goosebumps.
"Mitsy talked so much about you and what a great guy you are, that I...I was afraid I was losing her respect. I was afraid you were replacing me in what I thought I strongly felt was my place as guardian in Mitsy's life."
"What?" Woody was astonished. "Aw, come on. You're...you're pulling my leg!"
"No," Jack disagreed. "I really did feel that you were replacing me."
"But how in the world could you believe that? Why, every toy in Bonnie's room is crazy about you." Woody stated.
"I wouldn't expect you to understand, Sheriff. Everybody looks up to you. But you see, when you share a special connection with someone and it looks as if it's being intruded on, it's easy to watch seeds grow into weeds of jealousy."
"Whoa!" Woody gasped. "Now, wait a minute. I'd better straighten you out on a few things. Number one: Jack, pal, you have no idea how many times in life that has happened to me! I've been through it several times, I'm sorry to say. Why, I resented Buzz from the first moment I saw him."
"The Space Ranger? I never would've guessed that!" Jack sputtered.
"I know." Woody chuckled. "He's the best friend I have in the whole world...now. Number two: are you trying to say that you felt jealous of...of me?"
"Yes, Sheriff." Jack sighed. "I'm sorry about that. I was."
"No, no. I'm sorry!" Woody corrected him. "I was jealous of you!"
"Are you serious?" Jack asked. "But why?"
"Yes. All my friends have been so fascinated by you and I've felt invisible. I felt like no one cared to notice me."
Jack laughed, so did Woody. Bonnie stirred, and the two toys shushed each other. But Bonnie kept sleeping. "Well," Jack finally said, "I think we both need to learn to share our friends, don't we?'
"Yeah," Woody chuckled. "Most of the time, I think I'm passed that stage and that I'm okay. But eventually, something comes up where I have to learn it all over again!"
"I'm afraid I'm not as seasoned there as you are. Do you think you could help me, Sheriff?" Jack asked, smiling.
"Not sure of how good a teacher I can be," Woody laughed, shrugging, "but I'll try."
