Author's Notes: After seven months for an internship in Florida, I'm home! And I've got more time to write! Yay! Thanks for your support! :)
After a tortuous half hour or so of limping in silence, Bo and Woody finally made it to the exit of the shaft. The path had become more dangerous as they approached the light at the end of the tunnel.
"Careful," the cowboy said at last, cutting through the almost palpable tension in the air. They stepped over a small gap that revealed deeper, long undisturbed layers of the shaft.
Bo considered her words carefully. "Are you okay?" she asked timidly.
Yeah sure, I'm fine. My sister just trapped herself with my best friend who has been brainwashed somehow and can't remember us and wants to kill us. Everything is peachy. The words nearly escaped Woody's mouth, but he swallowed them back down. Instead he shrugged, afraid that if he did say something it would come out harsh. It wasn't Bo's fault that any of this happened. It wasn't fair to take it out on her.
At last they reached the outside world again, immediately feeling the dry heat of the desert that ran for miles and miles in their view. They stood for a moment, taking in their surroundings.
"What do we do?" Bo asked.
This decision had been looming over Woody as they'd made it through the cave. They could go back for Jessie, which would ultimately put Bo in danger due to her injury. Suppose Buzz was waiting for them to come back. It would be easy to set up a trap. And Bo desperately needed medical attention if they were going to make it anywhere.
But… They couldn't really leave Jessie behind… could they?
Just entertaining the thought made Woody visibly cringe. He was deeply troubled, finding himself at an impossible inbetween.
Bo studied him for a moment, making her own mind up. "You need to go help her."
The cowboy nearly jumped out of his skin at the words. He was about to retort when Bo pressed her fingers across his lips. "She's in trouble. You need to go help her," she said again.
He softly pulled her hand down from his face and held it. "But what about you? I- I have to keep you safe too. What if Buzz-"
Bo shook her head. "Woody, I'll be fine. I was on my own for a long time, I can take care of myself. I'll go back home, back to White Oaks. The others will look after me there, it's not too far from here." The blonde tried to conceal the fear that creeped up the back of her neck as she imagined herself alone again, injured. But this was the right thing to do, she was sure of it.
"B-but-"
"You're wasting time! You need to go! Go save your sister!" Bo cried, pulling her hand out of his and pushing him away. His expression was hurt at first, but then a second wave of determination hit him and he placed a hand on Bo's cheek.
Despite the urgency of the situation, the two couldn't help but suddenly feel a rush of affection for each other.
It was as if they were worried they would never see each other again.
Bo looked up into his eyes, swimming with uncertainty. "I love you…" she said softly, rubbing away some of the dirt on his face.
Woody closed the space between them and pressed his lips against hers, holding her tightly. When they had parted at last, Bo fought back tears.
"We'll meet back in White Oaks. I'll find some way to communicate with you, I promise," the cowboy said. "Please. Please stay hidden. Be safe."
"Go!" Bo told him again, having a harder time letting go of his hand.
He pulled away, looking at her a little longer until finally turning over his shoulder back towards Barkings. And then he was sprinting away.
Immediate regret smacked Woody in the face like the hot wind. Turn around! Turn around you idiot! His mind and his body were out of sync. He had no idea how far he'd gone when he finally forced himself to stop. Looking back Bo was too far away to see anymore.
His legs started running again, but his heart was still with her.
Bo felt the same way.
The dry heat was unforgiving as she hobbled across the dusty desert. More memories involuntarily shot into her mind. The thoughts were driving her mad, spinning and twisting the world around her.
She recognized the area outside of Barkings. It was the same place Alan had lured her to find Woody. Bo recalled seeing the cowboy's broken form on the ground, her brother taunting her, talking about their mother that she didn't even know about yet.
When she had finally passed that place the tension in her chest eased up a bit, and so she took the time to rest for a bit. The blonde gazed up at the sun setting behind the hills. Was Jessie ok? Would Woody be able to face Buzz again?
She sighed heavily. There wasn't anything she could do except to try and make it home in one piece. Her fear had subsided for now, and she gave into exhaustion.
After what had seemed an eternity, Woody reached Barkings again shortly after the sun went down. The town was deserted. There were no Star Command ships or any spacecrafts around, but the cowboy still trod carefully through the streets, past where the inn had once stood and back to the sheriff's station was still aglow with smaller embers.
Woody carefully pushed his way through the debris and ashes, finding the hole that Buzz must have blasted open. He hopped down, grabbing a torch again and searching desperately through the darkness. He walked the entire length of the tunnel up until the cave in Jessie had created deliberately.
There was no trace of her or the other Rangers anywhere, and as relieved as he was to not find her body on the other side of the cave, his anxiety went up tremendously. What were they planning for her?
The cowboy made his way back out of the cave, mulling over his options at this point. If he remembered correctly, there was a port town not far from Barkings where perhaps they still had ships stationed. Woody recognized it was a longshot, but it was either that or going back to White Oaks letting more time whittle away while Jessie's life was in danger.
He set out again in the darkness of night, hoping and praying that both Bo and Jessie were ok wherever they were.
