Patch didn't know what to think. Her first instincts of originally hiding in the bushes with Bonnie's toys instead of her own was to send the message that maybe she's made a decision. But, upon seeing that Betty was happy to have found her toys and sad over losing Patch, or thinking she lost her, the blue dog questioned her decision.
"Well, I guess, she dudn' think you survived?" Slinky asked. There was a hint of hope in his voice, though he chose to hide it. Patch knew that Slinky was desperately wishing that she would choose to stay with them.
"Mhm." Patch nodded.
"Are you okay?"
Patch shrugged.
Later, her and Slinky laid under the bed, listening attentively to the conversation.
"Huh." Emily said, picking up Woody from the floor.
"What is it?" Mrs. Anderson asked.
"I had a toy from the same line when I was younger." She observed Woody carefully. "Jessie the cowgirl, I remember it as clear as day."
"You mean this one?" Bonnie spoke from the floor, proudly holding up her Jessie doll. Emily carefully put Woody down, and hesitantly took Jessie from Bonnie's grasp. Emily studied the cowgirl, rubbing her thumb along her plastic rosy cheek like she once did with her own Jessie doll as a young girl. It was still as she remembered. The carefully designed stitching, the classic yarn hair. Emily could've sworn the emerald green eyes stared right back at her.
She kneeled near Bonnie. "You've got a very special doll here." She spoke, delicately. "I had one just like her when I was young."
"Really?" Bonnie asked with big eyes.
Emily nodded, still looking down at Jessie in her grasp. "She meant a whole lot to me. I was sad to give her away when I was older, but I knew someone else would need her more than I would."
With those final words and a last glimpse at the inanimate green eyes, Emily handed Jessie back to Bonnie. Soon enough, the people left the room to leave the toys in what they had just witnessed.
Many circled around Jessie as Buzz took her hand.
"I'm sorry if that might've upset you." Blox apologized.
"No, it..." Jessie raised a hand to where her first owner had touched her on her face like she use to. "It's what I needed."
Slinky smiled, finally feeling peace ascend amongst the room again.
Hearing the commotion from the rest of the house, Bonnie's toys surrounded Betty's who made their way to Betty's bag as she had placed them in preparation to go back home.
Patch remained with the circle.
The four toys that belonged to Betty turned when she didn't follow.
"Patch?" Blox asked.
The wind up dog walked forward without hesitation
"Patch?" Slinky asked, stopping her to turn and look at him. Now was the time.
"It's not what you think." Patch assured the springy dog.
Blox almost looked hurt. "I know that Betty thinks you're gone, but you can surprise her. Toys do it all the time."
The icy blue dog gave a smile. "It's been quite the ride, robot."
For Bonnie's toys, it was heartbreaking to see the realization that suddenly creeped onto the faces of Patch's friends. Patch had been up all night tossing and turning on what she would do, but it was an elephant in the room. Everyone knew what she would decide.
Patch could've sworn Blox's eyes were gleaming. "Patch." She croaked. "Patch, I don't know how much time we have, but..." the robot came and kneeled near the dog. "I'm sorry. It's just...losing everyone we know, who we loved, made me want to so desperately wanna protect you and everyone else. And I guess the more I saw how much freedom you wanted, the tighter I held on."
Blox held her paw. "But if I want to protect you, I've gotta let you stay with him." She peered at Slinky over her shoulder, whom Patch turned her head to as the two dogs exchanged caring looks.
"Blox." Patch said. "I'm sorry I've been, well...your anxiety."
Blox cracked a smile.
"But," Patch nodded. "I know better now that you just wanted to keep us safe. Thanks..." They indulged in a hug, that Betty's toys joined. When they parted, Patch looked to Quinn the snowy owl.
"I don't know what I'll do without you, spots." Quinn tried saying playfully, her voice trembling.
"Right back at you, feathers." Patch knew how hard of all her friends this would be on Quinn. The dog looked down at her stitched collar, and tore it off much to everyone's surprise. She handed it to Quinn.
The owl weirdly eyed her offer.
"I know it's not a million dollars, but-"
"It's great." Quinn assured.
When the hurried footsteps were heard coming towards the room, Betty's toys piled into the bag. Patch took one last glimpse at them, exchanging a smile with Quinn and Blox. The robot gave a wink before zipping the bag closed. Patch grinned, and hid under the bed.
Though it happened quickly, Betty's grab for her bag and quickly leaving the room felt entirely slow for Patch.
The toys came back to life once Betty and her toys were gone. Bonnie's toys chose not to crowd Patch or Slinky right away, and give the couple the alone time they so desperately needed. That for once, wasn't during the night on the lawn.
"Patch, is there anything I can do?" Slinky asked, feeling absolutely useless after his girl had wrapped things up and departed with her friends.
Patch's tale wagged. "You already have."
Slinky's grin was huge. "Well, great! Bonnie's gonna love ya, I hope she pairs us in playtime. Maybe if we sit close, we'll-"
"Not all at once, Slink." Woody said, as he approached with Jessie and Buzz.
Patch could've sworn Slinky blushed. "Heh..." He eased when Patch put her paw on his.
"Patch, I..." Jessie stepped forward. "I wanted to say sorry. I was caught up in my own past, that I didn't see how rough you actually had it."
The wind up dog bit her help. How she dreaded this awkwardness. "It's alright. I shouldn't have gotten angry and made assumptions about you. I swear, I didn't know about Emily."
"I believe ya." The cowgirl assured. "Actually, thanks for that."
"Wait, really?"
Jessie cracked a small smile. "I think I've been pushing her back for so many years, I didn't realize how much I needed that closure 'till I actually got it with 'er."
Patch smiled back, but continued to lack anything to respond with. "Well, uh...I'm glad I could help?"
Slinky snorted and she nudged him.
"Welcome to the family, Patch." Woody said.
"Hey, Patch!" Dolly said, walking up to the dog along with Rex and Trixie. "Are you as good at cards as Slinky has built it up to be?"
Patch looked towards the springy dog with a smirk. "Built it up to be? You've never even seen my play."
Slinky shrugged. "Yer the one who wouldn't stop braggin' about it."
"Did someone say cards?" Mr. Potato Head intriguingly asked, approaching with his wife and Hamm.
"Uh, yeah."
"Huh." Hamm snickered. "I've been waiting for a rookie to cream in cards. Can I offer you an easy game of bridge?"
Patch eyed the piggy bank with competitiveness. "Black jack is more my game, actually."
Mr. Potato Head and Hamm exchanged a dazed look. Patch continued to indulge in active conversation with the rest of Bonnie's toys. Woody came and stood by Slinky.
"You've picked pretty right." Woody whispered to Slinky.
"Wasn't a pick, really." Slinky responded, smiling across the group at Patch. "It all started with jus' being friends. I dudn' think it would end up like this at all."
"You never do." Woody said.
Slinky looked at his old friend. "Bo?"
The sheriff nodded. "But don't let that spite yourself, Slink." He assured. "She's a great girl."
Patch's eyes locked with Slinky's. The springy dog smiled. "She really is."
When the toys heard Bonnie fast approaching to the room, they all ran to place. Patch suddenly realized how real everything was and ran up to Slinky.
"I'm not sure I can do this." Patch whispered to Slinky. "It's only ever been Betty's grandma then Betty."
"You can." Slinky held her paw. "Bonnie'll love you. I'm sure of it."
When Bonnie was even closer, Patch pressed her snout to Slinky's in a kiss. The slinky dog's fluttered close and his tail wagged so fast he swore it could've fallen off. Patch parted from the kiss, and rushed to the centre of the room, going frozen. Slinky grinned and went lifeless just as Bonnie entered.
The little girl picked up Rex, the first toy she could find. "Hi to-"
She stopped when she noticed Patch.
"Oh, hello." Bonnie said cheerfully, picking up the blue dog. "You're so pretty! Are you here to stay with us?"
Of course, Patch didn't answer. But, Bonnie swore her eyes sparkled for a second.
"Oh no, the Evil Doctor Porkchop and Scary Witch have a new super villain," She waved Patch in the air while grabbing Dolly. "Spots, the Terrifying Hound!"
Amidst the ongoing actions of the little girl, the wind up dog eye's came in contact with Slinky more than enough times. Slinky had never thought he'd find love of his own. He'd always thought he was the type who helped other toys out to make them happy. So that they would feel good about themselves.
For once in his life, he did both.
The End :)
(I know it was a short ending, but I didn't want to drag it out too long for the purpose of quality over quantity. Thanks for reading and make sure to check out my other stories!)