Guess what? Toy Story 3 comes out on Tuesday!

Okay, in honor of the movie that broke them apart, lets get around to hooking them back up, shall we?

Sometimes a sheriff's gotta do what a sheriff's gotta do. And that's:

Hang 'Em High

-March, 2012-

Sick of folding laundry, Ellie got off her bed and signed into her IM account to see if maybe Andy was back from his meeting yet. There was a familiar chime, and several online buddies popped up Andy wasn't one of them. She was about to sign off again when a message appeared on her screen.

MOLLYGIRL12: Ellie! Pam is having the baby!

Ellie squealed with delight. Bonnie was finally going to have that little brother she'd been telling everyone about for months. She flipped on her webcam and saw Molly and Bonnie smiling at her.

"You were supposed to text me, Molly," Ellie laughed. "Are you excited, Bonnie?"

The nine-year-old brunette nodded. "And Molly is going to have a sleepover with me tonight!"

Molly touched the little girl's hair. "I'm watching her overnight. Pam asked if I'd get someone else to come over too; do you wanna?"

Ellie grinned. "Of course! Have you told Andy yet?"

"I sent him a text but I think he's still in that meeting."

"Okay. Let me grab my stuff and I'll be right over, okay?"

"Sweet. We're going to go make dinner, aren't we?" Molly asked Bonnie. Bonnie jumped off the couch, scattering toys and clothes, and bounded for the kitchen. "I think that's a yes," Molly said and set her laptop down on the couch.

Ellie grabbed a bag from the hook on the back of her door and started stuffing her pajamas and toothbrush into it. When she finally left the room, she shut the door behind her but neglected to turn off the light. Or the webcam.

In the absence of another human in the shot, Bo could see the couch where Molly and Bonnie had been sitting, and she nearly shrieked with delight.

Bo listened for a moment, making sure the house was still silent, and then let herself down onto the bed. At the side, she stopped again and squinted at the computer screen. She couldn't see or hear Bonnie or Molly (whom she had barely recognized; she was so much older!), so she crossed the floor and climbed up onto the desk. Behind her, her sheep bleated loudly.

"Shh. She left the camera on."

Cautiously, not wanting to scare any unsuspecting humans by suddenly appearing on the webcam, she peaked out from behind the pencil cup.

Woody was stuck because he knew the camera was still on, even if Molly and Bonnie were out of the room. He was lying on the sofa, his face hidden and hat dislodged. Bo smiled and laughed out loud at her luck.

"Lying down on the job I see, Woody," she said, hoping her voice didn't shake.

He didn't move, but off the screen, Bo heard voices.

"Did you fellas hear that?" Jessie!

"Hear what?" And Buzz!

"Sounds like someone was talking to Woody."

"Woody?" Buzz's voice called.

The cowboy still didn't move.

"They're gone, Woody, you can get up," Buzz insisted.

"Oh, shoot! The camera!" Jessie's voice dropped to an urgent whisper.

Their voices were like music to her ears. She laughed. "It's me," she practically shouted.

She thought she saw him twitch, but it could have just been the poor video quality.

"Woody?" she asked softly, "Please talk to me."

Very, very slowly, Woody raised himself and stole a glance at the computer screen. He stared for a very long time at her. "Bo?" his voice was so faint she barely heard it.

"Woody," she murmured back, trying to cram all the love and friendship she could into the name, making it into a verbal embrace. Words would have to do tonight.

He stared at her as if in a trance, still on his knees. She felt herself melting at the sight of his dark brown eyes – they were gorgeous. Black and white 50's footage did not do her cowboy justice.

Woody slowly climbed to his feet and stepped towards the laptop. A reverent smile was finding its way onto his lips. "My yellow Rose of Texas," he whispered, touching the screen.

Bo let out the breath she was holding. She had nearly forgotten he used to call her that. She had been his Mexacali Rose, his Rose of San Antoine. They were silly sentiments, and she knew it, but somehow, when she'd been in his arms, slowly dancing through the shafts of moonlight pouring in the kitchen window, they hadn't been. "Hey howdy hey, cowboy," she whispered back.

"Woody? What's going on?" Rex's voice floated up from the floor below him.

Woody gave her a crooked smile. She remembered what that meant. "Hey guys," he called, "get up here! It's Bo!"

Before she knew it, all her friends, and several other toys, were crowded around the computer screen. They were a sight for sore eyes.

"You belong to Ellie?" Woody asked incredulously over the din of everyone around him.

"Yes, she bought me at the yard sale," she answered. She felt like she was going to sing she was so happy.

"Guys, guys! Quiet!" Woody whispered loudly. "Bonnie will hear us." The clamor around him died down a bit. "So you're safe, then?" he asked, making sure.

Bo nodded. "Ellie's a sweetheart."

"And she's gonna marry Andy!" Jessie hollered, then caught herself.

Bo just laughed. "She hopes so! He's all she ever talks about anymore."

"So how long have you known she was dating him?" Woody asked, making a concerted effort not to tip over the laptop as he stepped off it.

"Since a few semesters ago...and then I saw you on Facebook."

His jaw dropped.

"Facebook? Woody, you didn't tell us you have a Facebook account," Rex called.

Woody looked at Rex incredulously for a second. "Because I don't?" He looked back at her. "How on earth-"

Bo cut him off. "Ellie tagged you in an album." She grinned. "I use Facebook and her blog to keep track of her now that she's in college. She had you tagged as a Very Handsome Cowboy." She leaned on her crook, anticipating his reaction and enjoying every delayed, buffered second that she had to look at him.

Jessie shoved Woody. "I'd forgot Ellie's sweet on you!" She looked at Bo. "You ain't jealous, now are you?" she joked.

"Mmmm...my roommate having a crush on Woody... Very jealous."

Woody just grinned goofily.

"You know, there's a picture of her and Andy and all of you that she's had as her wallpaper forever."

"I remember that," Buzz said.

Woody laughed. "So what have you been doing besides stalking us on Facebook?"

"Well...I found out that you can find all of the Woody's Roundup episodes on the internet."

His jaw dropped again. "You can!"

Jessie let out a whoop. "Let's watch 'em!"

Woody swallowed, looking slightly embarrassed. "And...you actually watched them?"

Bo smiled at him. "I just wanted to see you," she said quietly. "I missed you." There was a slightly awkward pause as the other toys realized that maybe they should give the two of them some space. Bo shook her head and looked over at Jessie and Bullseye. "And you two! It was so good to see you all, and hear you... it was like watching Andy playing." She laughed. "Woody, the Combat Carls across the hall all think you're a gunman for hire."

Woody grinned at her and shook his head. "They're confusing me with Paladin. Wait," he raised an eyebrow. "Combat Carls?"

Bo made a face at him. "Silly. They're awful; they like to try and kick my sheep off the dresser and-"

"And show you a good time?" came Carl's voice from right behind the monitor.

"Play?" Another Carl's voice came from behind her.

Holding her crook tightly, she spun around to look at him. "Get out," she warned him. They'd all been thrashed by her crook a dozen times before, but none of them ever seemed to get the hint.

"Nah, we wanna see who you're talking to," called another Carl, and two of them ducked out from behind the pencil cup.

Bo took a deep breath and glanced back at the screen. "This might take a minute," she said, trying to sound nonchalant.

All of her friends screamed simultaneously as the Carls jumped her. However, seven years of dealing with them had made her rather adept at knocking them off of furniture with her shepherd's crook, and seconds later, two of them were on the floor and a third had been knocked senseless. Bo heard Jessie and Woody laugh.

"Reflexes like a rattler and a personality like a hawk, what did I tell you?" Jessie called out.

Distracted, Bo, turned from her task of beating the last Carl to look at the screen. That's when the fourth Carl picked up a pencil, swung it, and at long last knocked Bo's crook to the floor in two pieces. She was weaponless.

"Get out," Bo said again, forcing her voice to be calm.

He twirled the pencil in his hand and helped his buddy up. "Get 'er," he said, and the two of them, coordinating efforts, managed to grab both of her arms.

"Bo!"

She looked back at Woody, focusing on him, as the other two Carls appeared. One grabbed her from behind and covered her mouth with his hand. The Commander Carl approached and and touched her chin softly. She shuddered.

"Hey! Get away from her!" Woody shouted.

The Commander grinned wickedly at Woody. "Some of your old friends, darling? We're some of her new friends," he winked. "Hey, it's even the gunman!" He clucked his tongue. "She's a pretty little thing, ain't she? A fellas gotta have a pretty girl around to help him relax, you know?" he said softly, stroking her under her chin. He hit her sweet spot and she jumped.

On the screen, so did Woody. "Get off of her!" he shouted furiously, his hands balled into fists.

The Commander turned and looked at Bo appraisingly. He tickled her chin again and she shuddered, gritting her teeth. Not fair, not fair!

"Mmm. You gotta jump start," he grinned. "To Zack's room, boys! I don't think any of them need to see any more."

"Woody!" Bo screamed as the Carls pulled her away from the computer.

"Bo! No-"

The screen was blank.

"They've switched off the camera!" Jessie hissed, grabbing her braid. "Woody, what're we gonna do!"'

Woody was looking around furiously. Nobody touches my girl like that! "I – I don't know, um… I know Ellie's address, but a lot of good that's gonna do us…"

"We could call her!" Jessie said, grabbing Woody's arms. "Call Ellie, tell her to go back home!"

"It's a little late for that," hollered Hamm from the window. "She's just pulled up."

"Woody, her car!" Buzz shouted.

It was crazy, but Woody knew Buzz could drive it, and he was going to get to Bo even if he had to run the whole way there. "Right. Everyone hide so she doesn't pick us up!" Woody darted under the couch with everyone else. Ellie let herself in after knocking.

"Hey Molly, it's me!"

From the kitchen, Molly answered. "We're in here!"

"Making pizza!" Bonnie hollered.

Ellie laughed and dropped her purse on the couch and made her way into the kitchen. The moment she was out of sight, Woody jumped back up on the couch and grabbed her car keys. "Sorry, Ellie, but I'm borrowing your car!"

"Let's go!" Buzz shouted, and Woody tossed him the keys. Jessie ran ahead and opened the front door.

"Ride like the wind, guys!" she hollered, watching as the entire gang sans the aliens and Bonnie's original toys ran out the door. Jessie looked back to see Bonnie's toys looking rather stunned.

"So…you're just going to steal Ellie's car?" Dolly asked, raising an knitted brow.

Jessie grinned broadly. "That's the thing about life with Woody; you never know what's gonna happen!" And she dropped from the door handle and raced out to the car.

...

Bo was angry. She was sitting on an inverted shoe box in Zack's room, her hands twist tied behind her back. Her shepherd's crook was broken in half on the floor in front of her. Far from having sentimental value, she knew that she'd lost her best defense against the Carls.

However, the Combat Carls were apparently so thick that they weren't even sure what to do with a girl. They had been taunting and poking at her for the last ten minutes, but only the Commander had tried anything. He'd attempted to kiss her a few times under her chin, but she'd knee-d him in the jaw. After that they hadn't tried anything disgusting.

In fact, they seemed to be getting a little bored. After seven years they had finally managed to nab her, but it was rather like Elmer Fudd finally capturing Bugs Bunny. They stood around like a bunch of eight year old boys who had captured girls on the playground and taken them to their fort.

"Are you going to let me go yet?" she asked, irritated.

"Not yet," one of them smirked.

They'd had plenty of time to try and take advantage of her and hadn't done it yet. She wasn't scared anymore, she was just angry. "If you were going to just stare at me, you could have at least waited until I'd said goodbye to my friends. It was rather rude of you to interrupt," she said condescendingly.

"Nah, we're gonna keep you here all night," the Commander laughed.

Bo itched to smack them all across the face with her crook. The first time in seven years she'd been able to talk to Woody, and the Carls had to interfere. She longingly thought of what Woody would do if he could get his hands on them.

The Carls were sitting around an empty matchbox, making off-color and terribly predictable jokes. One of them held up a clubbed hand. "Did you guys hear somethin'?"

The rest of them shook their heads. One of them found a marble and began kicking it.

"Really, can I leave now?" Bo demanded. "You're more boring than staring at the ceiling all day."

The Commander guffawed loudly. "Dreaming about your gunslinger friend, eh?" He slapped the Carl closest to him confidently and they all started laughing obnoxiously.

Bo rolled her eyes. "Sheriff," she corrected him.

The Commander just laughed. "I guess he's a little bit out of his jurisdiction with you, eh?"

Bo remained stonily silent.

"After all, he's just a rag doll; what's he gonna do to us?"

Underneath the doorway, a light suddenly shone into the room.

"It's comin' from Ellie's room," one of them said.

"Then you'd better untie me," Bo droned, looking at the wall. She desperately wanted to go back to Ellie's room and see if she could get the webcam to work again.

"No, it's from the street light outside. It turned on just now," the Commander said.

"Yeah, that's it."

The shadow of an enormous pair of legs appeared underneath the door. The Carls all shouted and stood up, cowering behind her. Bo rolled her eyes. "It's just one of the family, guys," she muttered.

Something heavy and clanking hit the door hard, shaking the floor. Bo sat up a little straighter. That wasn't a sound that any of the family made. She silently prayed that a robber hadn't broken in.

Again, the door shook. The Carls quaked behind her. In the silence that followed the second heave of the door, a very distinct scratching sound slid over its surface. Bo took several deep breaths. A robber would disregard her. But if it was a large dog outside the door, chances were it would not.

Then without warning, the door swung wide open and the shadow of some large creature loomed across them. Whatever it was let out an awesome roar.

The Carls abandoned her, squealing like little girls, and scattered across the floor. But on the matchbox, Bo started laughing. She'd know that roar anywhere. The ceiling light turned on and revealed Rex standing in the doorway, not looking the least bit ferocious at all. Behind him were crowded Andy's old toys. Jessie was hanging from the door knob.

"I think you called for help, missy?" Jessie hollered and dropped to the ground.

The Carls had skidded to a stop and were looking, dumbfounded, at Rex and Jessie. "Toys?" They all asked on pitch.

Bo turned and glared at them. "Friends."

The Carls started laughing. "It's just a gang of Preschool toys!" the Commander shouted, pointing.

"Gang? Oh no Commander, this is my posse."

At the sound of Woody's voice, right there in the doorway, Bo felt like hot liquid had been poured into her hollow porcelain body. He had come to rescue her.

"Let's get 'em!" The cowboy yelled, and broke into a run, a flood of Andy's old toys behind him.

"Let's hog tie, em, Woody!" Jessie yelled, launching herself into the knot of Combat Carls who had become frozen in place.

"I've got some string!" Mr. Potato Head's voice came from somewhere in the confusion.

"And I've got tape!" hollered Slinky's voice.

"That's right, Jessie! Bring them over here!" Woody and Buzz appeared at Bo's side. Woody had her hands untied in seconds and he swept her off the shoe box. Buzz flipped it over. "Is there a lid to this?" he asked officiously, looking around.

"Over there," Bo pointed to the desk. She turned to find Woody, but he was lost in the melee.

Buzz retrieved the lid just as Jessie and Rex appeared, holding a very hog-tied Carl between them. "Drop him in the box," he ordered.

The Carl wailed as he was dropped into the box, thrashing wildly but unable to get loose. Moments later, a very satisfied looking Woody and Potato Head carried in another one. Then Hamm and Slinky rolled a third over.

"Where's that Commander?" Woody demanded furiously, turning on his boot heel. "I'm going to-'"

From the bed above them, the Commander threw himself headlong into Woody, knocking him to the ground. In a flurry of fists and inertia, the two of them hurtled across the floor, Woody's hat sliding away. The pair of them crashed hard into the CD tower, which teetered ominously above them as the pair struggled.

"This town ain't big enough for the two of us..."

"Ow!" Woody kicked hard and the Commander was jolted off of him. He hit the wall and sat dazed for a moment before climbing to his feet. Woody was waiting for him, shoot-out style, with his knees bent and arms ready. The two slowly circled each other, then without warning rushed together again. This time Woody side stepped the Commander's attack at the last moment and clotheslined him, pushing him up against the wall and kicking the soldier's leg and elbow joints hard so that they locked into position and the Combat Carl clattered to the floor, twitching like a dead spider.

Angry, Woody stamped his boot into the Commander's neck. He bent over the helpless toy and glared. "Like I said, this town ain't big enough for the two of us."

The Commander glared back. "I think you're outta your jurisdiction, Sheriff."

Woody stamped his boot again and the Commander grunted in pain. "The minute you touched her you found yourself smack dab in the middle of my jurisdiction."

"What're you gonna do with us?"

Woody stepped off the Commander's neck, taking care to scratch his spur against his cheek. "Consider yourself my prisoner," he growled. He turned and walked away. "Jessie!" He jerked his head back towards the paralyzed Commander. "He's all yours."

Jessie appeared and obligingly tied Carl up rather snuggly. "Hope that's not too tight," she simpered, kicking his boot as she stood up. Together, she and Woody lifted the contorted toy up and tossed him into the box with his comrades.

"What should we do with them, Sheriff?" Buzz asked jovially as the pair of them stared down the whimpering Combat Carls.

Woody grinned wickedly. "Lid."

Buzz and Jessie put the lid on the jiggling box.

"Tape."

Slinky pushed the roll of duct tape towards Woody, and within seconds they had the shoebox sealed so not even a flea could get in.

Woody glanced up at the ceiling fan. "Hang 'em high," he said, grinning.

Within minutes, the box of hopelessly shackled Combat Carls was strapped to the top of a fan blade. As Woody and Slink dropped from the ceiling, Buzz obligingly switched the fan on.

Woody appeared at Bo's elbow. "I think, ma'am, that that clears up your little pest problem."

Shaking with delight, Bo jumped into his arms and hugged him. "I'm not even going to ask how you got here, Woody!"

"Ellie's car," Buzz replied behind her.

"Sweet mother of Abraham Lincoln!" Jessie shouted. "Ellie's gonna wonder where it is!"

At that moment, the phone rang. Bo grabbed Woody's hand and dragged him out into the hall so she could hear the voice mail. Everyone else followed.

"Hey, is anybody home? I think someone took my car… Dang it, no one's home, Molly. I was hoping it was Zack." Ellie sounded scared.

"Did you call him?" came Molly's voice.

"No. I'll do that now before I call the cops…"

The line went dead.

Woody sighed. "I guess that's our cue," he said, touching her chin. "At least I know where you are now."

Bo nodded. He was going to leave her here. He was going back to Bonnie, and she couldn't leave Ellie. It hurt, but she understood. "Thank you," she whispered and kissed his cheek, feeling that was probably safer than really kissing him.

Woody hugged her.

"We'll be in the car, Woody," Buzz muttered, ushering everyone away.

Bo pulled away from Woody. "Wait guys. I meant everyone when I said thank you." She moved over to Jessie and hugged her.

Before she knew it, she was being hugged by every one of her old friends. It was like the first time she'd met Woody. Feeling someone against her was magic. Ellie talked to her, but never really held her. Contact with another being was something Bo had learned to cherish over her life.

Woody grasped her hand and they followed everyone back into Ellie's bedroom. The others nodded a last farewell and began climbing out the open window.

"I'm not sure what to say," he said.

"I still love you," she blurted out. After seven years of being apart, it was imperative that he knew this, whether he was with someone new or not.

He chuckled. "My yellow Rose of Texas. I just can't quite get you out of my mind."

The car horn honked. "We haven't even been here five minutes!" Woody fumed, staring at the window furiously.

"Honey, this isn't goodbye," Bo said, genuine belief in her voice. "We're closer than we thought we were, see?"

Woody said nothing, but pulled her into his arms and held her tightly. "I've missed you," he whispered fiercely, hugging her tighter. They weren't kidding anyone; they couldn't be together again yet.

Feeling suddenly alone and vulnerable, Bo shuddered against him. "Please don't leave," she pleaded, knowing he would have to.

"Bo, I am so sorry..." he choked. It wasn't fair, it wasn't right, but he was going to have to do it.

They held each other for a long time, her face buried against his cheek and his hands moving slowly up and down her back. One of the snaps on her dress caught his fingers and popped. He froze. "Um...it didn't used to do that," he said, sounding like a kid who'd been caught sneaking into the cookie jar.

Despite herself, Bo giggled. "Ellie likes to make me lots of clothes," she explained.

"A-ah." He hadn't moved his hand. Bo could feel a couple of his fingers touching her skin.

"You can snap it back up," she offered, trying hard not to laugh.

He didn't budge. Giving in, Bo laughed and turned around in his arms, looking over her left shoulder. She reached around to her back and guided his fingers in re-doing the tiny snap. "It's not so hard," she said quietly.

From behind her, Woody slid his hands to her waist and kissed the left side of her neck. She straightened, looking back at him. He stretched further and his lips found the sweet spot at the base of her chin. A chill of delight swept through her. She closed her eyes and leaned back into him. It was his sweet spot, no one else's.

Very slowly, Woody pulled himself away. When she opened her eyes again, he was gone. She turned to see him tip his hat to her on the windowsill. She blew him a kiss, and then he vanished into the night.