Hey guys. Shameless plug time!

If you're enjoying my fictions, you should totally look up funkywatermelon. Her fic "To Meet a Friend", is something I'm co writing with her. :-) I am reading your reviews on it and would love to know what you think as it progresses. Thanks xx

But as always, review my own solo efforts too! :)

Chapter 4 – Separation

The car stopped after what seemed to be many many long minutes. The engine ceased to hum as the young woman climbed out of the car and collected the two bags from the back seat. They were carried into a house, and there was the bump as the bags were placed on a hard surface of some kind. They heard talking; the girl who had bought them could be heard first, her excited syllables drifting to meet their ears. Then another, unfamiliar voice joined in.

"You got her toys?" Really? At her age?"

"You know what Liz is like, Mom. She'll love it."

This sounded odd. The toys glanced at each other, just as a hand reached into the bag. With a frightened glance at her counterparts, Jessie was lifted out into the light. Buzz wanted to scramble after her, but he knew in the back of his mind that it would do no good.

"Oh my gosh, she's beautiful. She could do with a bit of a clean, though." The unfamiliar voice now remarked.

"Liz will take care of that. I mean, it's not like she hasn't looked after things before. Look at all the animals she's had over the years."

"True...well, you better get a move on. Weren't you due to meet her at three? It's nearly half two now."

The younger girl cursed under her breath and rustled in the other bag. Buzz looked at Woody in horror. His dream, he realised, was coming true. He was destined to be separated from the cowgirl after two decades of being together.

Buzz realised, as strange snipping and more rustling noises were heard, that Jessie had been right in what she said.

Sometimes you didn't get the chance to say goodbye.

The three remaining toys sat forlornly in the bag together long after the house fell quiet. The young girl evidently had taken Jessie to some child called Liz, who would love her and care for her. But what was to befall him, Woody and Bullseye, Buzz wondered?

Neither him nor Woody had spoken a word since the cowgirl had departed, and even Bullseye had been strangely quiet. Woody was evidently feeling the loss as much as he was, the space ranger surmised. He'd lost his sister and Bullseye had lost the mistress he'd always known.

Buzz just hoped Jessie was okay. He hoped she was safe and warm and...

Oh who was he trying to fool? He couldn't even fool himself. He regressed, right back to the day in the incinerator when he'd made the first move after so long and taken her small hand into his. He remembered the first time she curled into him for comfort. The first time he'd kissed her. The first time that they'd danced together. The first time they made love. So many firsts, and yet only one end.

Without warning, a sob rang in his ears, and to Buzz's dismay, he realised the sob had come from his own throat. "Jessie," he choked out miserably, wrapping an arm around himself. He closed his eyes, raising one hand to place over his mouth, masking the sounds coming from it. It was too much, too soon. The pain ripped right through his core at the thought that he'd lost her, forever, to some place he'd never know. A comforting hand was laid on his back, and a soft, broken, southern drawl met his ears.

"I know Buzz. I miss her too."

However the gentle sentiment delivered by his best friend, only served to make Buzz's sobs and subsequent tears flow harder and faster than before.

Woody watched his long time friend in agony, and raised his eyes to where Bullseye stood in first of them. He never thought the Roundup Gang would be separated; now it seemed that was being put to the test once again. What were any of them without Jessie in their midst, the sweet little cowgirl who could make a toyroom light up? He'd never thought of Jessie in any other fashion than merely his sister that he'd lost and found again. With her now missing, Woody suddenly realised that without her, his life was going to be a lot duller. The only potent memory of her remaining was the steed she'd left him with. Bullseye's ears had lowered either side of his head, and he was scuffing at the plastic bag beneath him with a hoof.

Woody watched him for a moment, and then spoke finally.

"I wonder what was in that other bag?"

"Who cares?" Buzz muttered, wiping the tears of sentiment from his eyes, keeping his head lowered.

"Well...maybe it would help us find out where she went to."

Buzz didn't reply, so Woody guessed he was going to have to go it alone.

"Bullseye, give me a boost," Woody said to the horse, climbing up onto the horses back. He pulled down the side of the bag and peeked out, making sure the coast was clear before scrambling from the bag to the surface below. When he landed, he realised he was in a kitchen on the worktop, and the other bag that had been brought in with them was tipped onto its side. From it spilled a variety of different coloured paper, brightly coloured paper boxes, ribbons and bows. Next to the bag lay a pair of scissors, and a roll of clear tape.

Woody thought back to the rustling they had heard. It became obvious to him in a flash, and he crawled back into the plastic bag to relay the news to the others.

"Guys! I know where Jessie is!"

Buzz looked up hopefully.

"She's been given as a present to that Liz!" Woody couldn't keep the excited tone out of his voice.

"How does that help us?" Buzz asked, folding his arms.

"Don't you get it?" Woody exclaimed. "We find Liz, and we find Jessie!"

"Mom? I'm back." The sound of the young woman's voice filtered through Woody's brain as he sat there waiting. They had agreed to take it in turns to sleep that afternoon, and wait for the young woman's return from wherever she had taken Jessie. It was many hours till this happened, and Woody sat straight up in recognition, nudging Buzz who was snoozing beside him.

"Uh...wha-?" Buzz snorted, coming awake.

Woody put a hand over the space ranger's mouth. "Shaddup," he hissed, straining his ears to hear.

"I'm just going to take my stuff upstairs." The young girl called from the hallway.

"Okay. Don't forget we're going out tonight for dinner with your aunt." Came the other female voice from another room further away.

"I haven't Mom. I'll just sort my things out and then I'll get changed." The young girl called back.

The sound of footsteps came into the kitchen and the bag jostled as it was picked up. The toys encountered a bumpy ride, Bullseye falling over on top of Woody as they were carried up what seemed to be a flight of stairs. They were placed down again, this time on some kind of soft surface, and one by one the young woman pulled them out into the light.

They were settled gently into a plastic tub sitting on a shelf, and Woody looked at Buzz. Was that it? That was all that was going to happen to them? He crawled forward a little and peeked out, just in time to see the young woman pick up her cell phone and tap a few keys.

She settled herself on the bed as she waited for the call to connect, and then began to speak.

"Lizzie? It's Amanda. Did I leave my lipgloss at yours?"

Pause.

"I did? I'll be right there."

Woody blinked at the conversation. Amanda was going all the way back to Liz's house in order to collect some lipgloss, when she had to go out that night too?

As the girl left the room, Woody scrambled out of the box. He landed on a piece of shelf, running along it, climbing over books in his way. It was now or never.

"Woody!" Buzz called from behind him, but the cowboy didn't turn. He had to get to the window. He had to see which way Amanda was going. Skirting another box, Woody suddenly ran out of shelf. He looked down. The bed was directly below him now, and the only safe place. The window was parallel to the top of the bed.

There was only one thing for it.

Woody jumped.

He landed on the bed in a heap, untwisting himself quickly. He looked back up to see Buzz and Bullseye watching from above. There was no time to waste though.

Woody leapt up to the windowsill. He pressed his hand against the glass, searching for Amanda's presence outside, and saw her going out of the gate, and walking along the road opposite. She turned into a house three doors down, and he saw her ring the bell. The door opened, and after a short conversation with a brunette at the door, Amanda turned and started to retrace her steps back to her own house.

Woody had seen enough. That had to be where that child Liz lived, he thought, as he began to climb down off the windowsill and started to figure out a way back up to the box on the shelf. Amanda must be her babysitter or something, and that brunette must have been Liz's sister or her mother.

It was all making sense now.

He couldn't wait to tell Buzz and Bullseye.