I am so sorry about the slow update! I was typing two long chapters when my computer crashed due to a virus. I couldn't access any of my files. I finally just got my computer back have recently been trying to work on retyping those two lost chapters.

Even if you hate me. Please continue to love Buzz and Jessie. It's not their fault their story got put on hold.

Timepond out!

Chapter 24: What's another bet worth?

Buzz quickly followed Jessie out to the barn where she disappeared. The yellow morning sun was just leaving the Horizon painting everything from the blades of grass, to the fence post, light shade of gold.

This place sure was something. Buzz thought to himself. It does seem to have a lot of activity in the mornings though. He shook his head. He looked over the vast field that stretch on for miles out to the side of this path.

For a moment he was just completely captivated by the beauty. The wind pushed the grass with long wistful strokes. A movement that was so hypnotic it looked as if he was gazing at the cresting waves of a Amber ocean.

On Buzzs home planet it was mostly cities. Advanced vibrant colored technology that was built one top of another. Many people of different species all lived within the limited space, always on the go never stopping. Most of them strangers, never even knowing one another.

Nothing like this quiet town.

Buzz sighed and continued his way down to the barn.

"Jessie?" He said, calling out her name when he walked in the musty place. Dust curled in the air swirling through the yellow beams of light that shone down from the windows.

He spotted her over in the far back, next to her animals in one of the stalls. She seemed to be muttering to herself, listing off the things that she might need for the day.

She took no notice of Buzz as he approached her.

"Jessie I'm not quite sure what happened with you, and your friend? Suddenly you were talking about racing barrels and dancing?"

As if snapping her from her reprieve she turned to Buzz. "It's the Andy Day Festival!" She cried. "It begins today and that little rat Slinkey thinks he can take my title away from me! Well he's got another thing coming."

She turned away from him and hoisted a saddle up off the wall and onto but Buttercups back. "I'm gonna barrel race of my life depended on it."

" Barrel race?"

"Barrel racing is a rodeo event in which a horse and rider attempt to complete a Cloverleaf pattern around preset barrels in the fastest time. Both women and men compete, but the rodeo event is primarily for women. I have been barrel racing every year since I was seven."

Buzz didn't quite understand this but shook his head as if you did.

"Why do people do this?" He said confused.

Jessie stopped her preparations with Buttercup and turned to Buzz. She threw her arms in the air exasperated, "It's the same reason people enjoy other sports! It's fun, it shows off their talents and the competitive spirit!" She said with fire in her eyes. "Your Space Academy, it's like a military right? Didn't you ever have exercises that could be considered competitive just for fun?"

Buzz thought back, "Well, we do have this one exercise where we practice the precise handling of our laser guns, and it can become quite competitive among comrades. Everyone is assigned a team and players attempt to score points by tagging the other team targets with low beam lasers. It teaches precision and accuracy."

"So it's laser tag." Jessie said bluntly.

"Yes we tag each other with lasers." Buzz said confused not knowing her reference.

"We have something like that on earth too." Jessie said smiling. "We'll have ta play together sometime." She turned back to her task at hand. Picking up her things and started getting all her equipment together. turning her head from side to side she looked up. "I'm missing something, what am I missing?" She said to herself.

Jessie got down on her hands and knees and started to crawl towards the corner where a bunch of barrels were stacked.

Buzz smiled down at her. "I'm sorry to tell you this but ever since I left the Space Academy, no one has been able to beat my score."

" I bet I could do it." She said cockily not looking at him as she dug into one of the barrels for something. "Woody made me his deputy, and not just because I'm sister. I'm a good shot."

"Ah ha! Found ya!" She jumped back up with a rope and something metal in her hands and started to walk past Buzz.

Without thinking about Buzz blocked her path with his arm. He leaned in close to her face. "We shall see. Such big words From such a tiny cowgirl. If we ever do get a chance I'm definitely taking you to the training arena at my old Space Academy."

Buzz didn't know why, but ever since last night something deep inside of had come forward with in himself and he wanted to be even closer to her.

After his restless night of hardly any sleep and fever dreams which he could not remember he had woken up with a new sense of purpose. He just didn't know what it was.

Buzz stepped closer to her. Their noses almost touching.

Jessie didn't back down. "Another bet? Hmmm. What do I get if I win this one?"

"What do you mean?"

"There really wasn't any stakes on our last bet. Only that you could get me to go to space. Which in all technicality you didn't win, because I decided to go to space on my own. What if I beat your score at laser tag? What do I get it?"

Her eyelids were lowered at half mast and her breath fanned against Buzzs face. Was she flirting? Even if she wasn't doing it on purpose, she was doing a damn fine job.

Buzz suddenly felt extremely nervous. Just keep the conversation going and you won't look like an idiot. He thought to himself.

"Well, what do you want? Even if I gave you a million years, you could never beat my score at the Academy Training Center, but on the inconceivable chance that you do, what you want?"

Jessie flashed a brilliant white smile, stretching the freckles across her face and blinked her eyelashes at up at him.

"Hmmm." She considered. "I don't know. What do you Space Rangers have to offer?"

Buzz didn't responded. Didn't trust him self to. Jessie was so close all he could do was stare into those bewitching green eyes of hers and try not to get lost. He gulped.

"You only get a reward, if you beat my score." He finally said unsteadily. "Come up with something on your own."

"Fine." She leaned up on her tippy toes and whispered in his ear. "But after I beat you, I'll let you know."

Buzz sat in the stands with Woody. The smell of sugar and smoked meats, mixed with the smell of life stock blended on the breeze.

It had been cooler when they had arrived at the festival grounds earlier that day. With Jessies horse trailer hitched to the back of her truck, but now the sun was high in the sky and beat un mercilessly down on the crowd.

Buzz looked around, he hadn't realized there was going to be so many people. In the brief time he had gone through the town he saw only a hand full of people here and there.

Now the crowded stands looked close to bursting with the population as a whole, they seemed to had filled every last place up. Well not every place. Although Buzz was in a deep green T-shirt and torn jeans, he still gave off a strange vibe. People seated around him gave him a wide birth. There were still a few empty seats right next to him and Woody.

He looked over at the sheriff who was reading a program. "Well it looks like Jessies entry was so last minute, they didn't get her name down. Oh well."

Woody smiled and looked at Buzz expectantly.

Was he addressing me? Buzz was taken aback.

"Oh um, that's..." Buzz didn't know what to say.

Woody laughed and placed his hand Buzzs shoulder. "Look, I know we haven't exactly, been buddies, but that doesn't mean we cant start." He shook he's head smiling.
"Even though I thought you would be another problem last night, you pulled it together and did boarder patrol the next morning. I admire that in a man."

Woody tilted his cowboy hat backward.

"After all, you're going to be staying here for the next few months right? It will be nice to have another man around the house."

It was then Buzz realized the women hadn't told Woody about Jessie leaving in two days. He still thought they were going to be staying on planet earth.

What was he to say?

He was in the process of coming up with something to say when Woody spotted Bo climbing up the stands to where they were seated. "Bo over here!" Woody cried waving his hands in the air to get her attention.

Bo saw her husband and smiled. When she reached them, she placed popcorn and drinks in both Woodys and Buzzs hands.

" I got the kettle corn this time."

"What exactly is this?" Buzz said looking at the foreign food.

Buzz looked up but found he had been completely forgotten.

Bo was leaning into Woody sharing a intimate moment together. Sharing a deep kiss, their fingers entwined as they held hands.

Buzz was shocked and looked away embarrassed.

Did earth beings readily show open public displays of affection?

Buzz glanced at them out of the corner of his eyes.

It was then, Buzz suddenly felt it.

Something that he hadn't felt for so long it took him a moment to realize exactly what it was.

Longing.

Buzz wanted something. He wanted to so much it sucked the breath from his lungs.

And Buzz knew what he wanted.

Who he wanted.

Buzz shook his head profusely.

Why was he suddenly feeling this way? What in the last 24 hours had changed him so drastically?

He never wanted someone so much.

Ever since he had woken up that morning every move, every flick of her hair, every smile she did, had him under spell.

He wanted her. Badly.

But how? he hung his head. It was impossible. He was here on his mission. He was to obtain the Poz-324 and make sure it stayed out of the hands of Zurg. He was not here for himself.

This was...bad. He gave a deep audible sigh.

"What's wrong partner?" Woody said as he leaned on Buzzs shoulder. He was still holding Bos hand, but had turned his attention back on Buzz.

"Just sort of...confused."

"Well you aren't from here, so you wouldn't know how these events work." Woody said mistaking Buzzs train of thought.

"Jessie rides her horse every year in the Andy Day festival. I was hopping she would just forget about doing it this year. I just don't want people to get suspicious. I have been keeping her home from work and have been telling everybody that she has been healing. But Normal humans just don't recover from having a mine shaft cave in on them, and race horses in the next week." Woody rolled his eyes.

"But does she listen? Nooooo!" He shook his head.

"What about you Buzz? You have siblings?"

Just then a familiar shrill voice interrupted there conversation. "Hey Woody!"

Buzz looked down into the arena where a large tanned woman with Bright red lips and purple eye shadow. That could only be...

"Hey!" Woody said waving back. "Where's Mr. Potato?" He called back.

Mrs. Potato pointed back up at them.

"You have saved our lives, we are eternally grateful." Three voices in unison said to Buzzs immediate right.

"WOULD YOU LEAVE ME ALONE!"

"Daddyyyyy!" Came the happy reply.

Mr. Potato groaned as he came up the steps and sat next to Buzz. "Move over block head and make room for the kids." He said to Buzz gruffly.

Three blonde boys with green eyes where clinging to Mr. Potato, swinging on his arms like they were a play set for children.

"Are those...?"

"The freaky things that followed you to earth, and are now living in my house as kids? Yeah they are."

Mr. Potato glared at Buzz as he knocked a piece of dirty chewed gum out of one the kids hands just as he was about to put in his mouth.

"And you! don't be eating things off the floor! What's wrong with you, do you want to make yourself sick?"

The little LGM looked up apologetically. "Sorry Daddy."

"You should be." He said harshly. But Buzz could see Mr. Potato's face soften just a tiny bit towards the little creature.

"Daddy! Daddy!" The one who had climbed on his knee cried.

"What is it Matthew?" He sighed tiredly.

Buzzs eyes widened. The LMGs were all using the same disguise. How could Mr. Potato all tell them apart?

"What's going to happen?"

"You are here to see you aunt Jessie. She's here competing. Just cheer for her ok?"

"OOooooh" All three LGMs nodded.

"Look, here they come!" Cried Woody shaking Buzz by the arm.

"Ladies and gentle men!" A Deep friendly voice came from the speakers overhead. "Welcome to the Andy Day Festival Barrel Race!"

Another mans voice joined in.

"That's right Stan, As we all know, the towns founder Andy Daivs was A true cowboy! And every year we try to be just like him."

"Boy I'll tell you what, this year we have the best looking competitors I've ever seen."

"Mmhm, I agree. Its gonna be tuff out there. Now folks lets meet this years competitors!"

"The 1st is competitor is Olivia Hill and her horse Jak.
The 2nd is Slinkey Blackfoot and his horse BrownBack. They will be competing against each other in the first round."

Buzz watched as Slinkey and another rider rode out into the arena, waving from atop there horses.
As they finished their circle, another set of riders rode out to do their circle.

"The second set of competitors is Lucas Martin With his horse Spice, and Jose Gomez With his horse Thomas!"

Two more riders followed the exiting set, and then did their circle. Buzz looked at the riders and their horses. Where was Jessie?

"Alrighty Stan, here's the third set of competitors. Bella Wasser with her horse Mikail and Ella Stevens with her horse Beauty."

This set came out raising their hands in the air motioning for more Cheers. Which the crowd happily gave as they got louder.

"The fourth and final set in this compition is Jane Miller with her Horse Duke,"

"And last but certainly not least, last years Winner-"

"Well she's been the Winner for the last 4 years."

"You got that right. This little darlin wasn't even going to compete this year do to an unfortunate accident that left her severely injured."

"But that didn't stop her! Because here she is, the town sweetheart!"

"JESSIE PRIDE!" They said together.

The clapping and cheering rose to a roar that shook the stands as Jessie shot forward, Full gallop, to do her circle.

The crowed whistled and cheered as she blew kisses and pumped her fist in the air. She looked like she was having a great time. Soaking up the attention and loving every moment of it

The people went crazy when she stood up on Buttercups back and waved to the crowed.

"Now she's just shown off!"

"Hey, that's fine with me. People always come for a good show. She just gives the people what they want."

Just to push the envelope further Jessie did a handstand on Buttercups back, with her hat between her teeth.

Woody groaned "Aw Jessie don't show off." He slapped his hand over his face.

Buzz Along with the rest of the crowd was impressed. But it didn't look like she was showing off, it looked like she was having fun.

Jessie righted herself and followed the other competitor, who had been Regally ignoring her, back out of the arena.

"Alright folks who's ready for some barrel racing! Lets see who is 'The Rootenss- Tooness Cowboy in the West.' Let the competition begin!"