All I want for Christmas is to say that I own this franchise!

Choice

He never thought he'd have to choose between his two best friends.

That's really what it boils down to as Buzz stands there between Woody and Jessie in the Caterpillar room. Jessie wants to stay, wants to feel alive again with kids who will never abandon or throw her away. Woody wants to go home to a kid who's all grown up and will cherish him in a way that won't involve playtime.

Buzz isn't sure what he wants.

Woody is waiting for him, clearly astonished that Buzz didn't follow his lead immediately. Jessie isn't even looking at the space ranger, trusting him to back her on this.

If he stays here with Jessie, he'll know that she and the other toys are taken care of. They'll have kids to love them and a whole community of new toys to socialize with. They'll be doing what toys are made to do together, as a family. He'll see Jessie every day. But he'll never see Woody or Andy again.

If he goes home with Woody, some of the other toys are sure to follow. Slink, Bullseye, possibly Rex. He won't be alone in the attic. And someday, as Woody said, Andy might have a family. He might pass his toys down to his children, and then Buzz will have his best friend by his side every day… but only one of his best friends. He'll never see Jessie again.

And he'll have to live with the knowledge that he walked away from her.

Suddenly all Buzz can think of is Jessie and all that she's been through. Emily abandoned her, the Prospector deceived her, Andy dumped her, and now Woody is willing to walk out on her. How many more loved ones should the cowgirl have to see give up on her? How much longer is she going to have to wait before she finds someone who will never leave her?

Buzz takes a deep breath, looks between Jessie and Woody one more time, and realizes that there never really was much of a choice.

Hey gang!

I am hurriedly typing this up in the middle of getting ready to fly out of town for a few days and visit my five-month-old nephew, so I apologize if it seems a bit rough! I thought it was very smart of Pixar to put Buzz in the middle of the confrontation between Jessie and Woody and not be able to be loyal to both of them at the same time! But I also thought he wouldn't stay at Sunnyside merely because he wants to get played with again or because he likes Jessie. So once I started tinkering with this scene, I realized that his true motives were probably a bit more altruistic.

Anyways, I hope you enjoyed, but now I gotta run! See you Tuesday. ~Owl