13:

Woody shook hard as his fingers grasped the shelf underneath him. "No…" He felt as though he would vomit every piece of stuffing in his stomach. "Bo," he moaned. "Oh Bo…"

Suddenly a small soft hand was on his back. Despite his anguish, the familiar touch instantly brought back years of memories. He had craved that touch ever since it been taken from him and now…

Gently Bo pulled him to his feet. "Please," he begged as he looked into what were once her eyes. "What happened?"

"Time. Neglect. Age," she answered. "I guess I wasn't as well made as I thought." Then to his shock she said, "I'm sorry."

"You're sorry? For what?"

"You've come…all this way for nothing." Even without her eyes, he was still able to read her face quite easily. Her mouth was turned down and her voice was soft and broken. "You always loved my eyes, Cowboy."

Woody's voice caught in his throat.

She placed a kiss on her fingers then touched them to the apple of his cheek. "It was nice hearing your voice again." Turning, she started to walk away, using her crook to navigate the shelf. "Tell Buzz I said hello. I'm sure he's around here somewhere. You two always did make quite a team."

"No."

She stopped. "Pardon?" She looked confused as Woody placed his hand on her shoulder.

"I said no." And with that he turned her around. He put his hand on her cheek, tilting her face upward. "Do you really think I came all this way for a pair of blue eyes and not the girl behind them?"

"Woody…"

He was embracing her now, kissing her all over her face. As she returned his kisses her knees buckled and he quickly caught her. "Watch out!"

"Oh Woody…" She grasped his vest where she buried her face, a sob shuddering through her frame. "I've missed you so much!"

"I've missed you every day, and I love you!"

"I love you too."

Reluctantly, he stopped kissing her. "Come on, we're getting you out of here." Bending down, he picked her up.

"Where are we going?" she asked as he walked to the edge of the shelf.

"I'm taking you home."

"Wait!" Placing her fingers in her mouth, she whistled. From around the corner, Woody could see a familiar three headed shape scurry into the shadow and then come into the light.

"Howdy, Fellas," he said to the Sheep. "Miss me?" They baahhhed at him. They were dirty and scratched but otherwise seemed to be whole. "Nice to see you too."

Gently he climbed down to the ottoman, the Sheep hopping onto the maroon cushion after him. From the top he could see Buzz and Jessie in the doorway.

Jessie gasped and started to bolt toward them but Buzz placed a hand on her shoulder. He frowned and Woody guessed his Ranger instincts had picked up that something was not quite right.

Still cradling Bo, Woody climbed to the floor. "How are you doing?" he whispered to her.

"I've missed your body," she said. "Still feels nice." Sputtering, Woody laughed. She smiled impishly. "You're blushing, aren't you Sheriff? You haven't changed."

"Neither have you."

Buzz and Jessie finally joined them in front of the ottoman. "Is everything…all right?" Buzz asked.

"Everything's fine now, Buzz."

"Hello, Buzz," Bo said sweetly.

Buzz saluted. "Ma'am!"

Jessie apparently could no longer hold back and she screamed. "BO!"

"Jessie, you're here too? It is a reunion."

"Of course I'm here! Don't ya recognize…" Bo turned her face and Jessie stopped. "Oh my…"

"It's not that bad…"

Jessie looked from Bo to Woody to Buzz then back to Bo. "You're…you're…" Then Jessie did something Woody had never seen her do before.

She burst into tears.

"Let me down, Sugar." Woody set Bo on the floor and using her crook she felt her way to Jessie. "There, there…"

Jessie wiped her streaming eyes on her cuff. "Who did this to you?" she demanded furiously. "I'll kill them!"

"No one, Jessie. It was just time." She wrapped her arms around the crying Cowgirl and hugged her. "Oh Jessie. I couldn't ask for a better friend."

Jessie sniffed as if she were trying to stop crying. "Does it hurt?"

Bo looked surprised. "No, it doesn't hurt. It's just…dark."

Jessie started to weep again.

Woody was starting to feel the exhaustion of the adventure catch up with him. "Let's just go home." There was a noise in the doorway and he looked up. From the arch, he could see Shakes, watching them. "Hold on, Gang. Buzz, Jessie, take care of her for a second."

Buzz nodded. Jessie had finally started to calm down and she nodded as well.

Walking to the arch, Woody knelt so he could look at Shakes. "So you found your Love, huh?"

"I did," he said. Then after a pause, "Thank you. I could have never done this without you."

Shakes shrugged and looked away. "I'm sure you would've found your way here eventually."

"Come with us, Shakes."

She drew back in shock. "What?"

"You and Stańczyk and all your friends. You shouldn't have to stay in this rundown shack waiting for some lawsuit to settle! Come with us and live at Bonnie's!"

Her tail drooped. "I cannot…"

"Sure you can…"

"I mean, they can, if they want to. But I cannot." She spread her paws out. "I'm not like the others. Their owners never came to pick them up after they were fixed. I'm different. I was never broken." She turned so Woody couldn't see. "Until Sunny lost me."

"Sunny was your owner?"

Shakes nodded. "Marcella's daughter. The only one who wants to continue the Doll Hospital, but Serenity and Salix…" She stopped. "It doesn't matter. I have to stay."

"Are you sure?"

"I'll go tell the others that they can come with you." Slowly she walked away, her head bent.

Woody's instincts for helping started to kick into overdrive. Stop it, he told himself. Your number one priority is Bo! He looked back to the ottoman.

Bo was talking to Jessie and smiling like her old self. Despite years of dirt build up she was the most radiant thing he had ever seen.

From now on…Bo is the most important thing in my life.