Hatless Jessie's voice caught with emotion, "Could - could I walk again?"
"Yeah, he's the best." Andy picked up the box and carried the toys from the garage into the house. The toys froze in their trademark positions as he called for his son, but he didn't appear at his father's call and the toys thawed.
"So, seriously. Why does he know about us?" Jessie persisted.
"The short version is that if he didn't, we'd be separated. Woody and Bullseye and I would be in a museum," Jessie answered. "We'd be trapped."
"So would I," Stinky Pete reminded her.
"No one cares," Woody retorted.
"That's awfully hypocritical, don't you think?" Stinky Pete asked. "You would have done anything to get out."
"You're a threat. You need to be locked away. Fortunately, that's my job."
Stinky Pete chuckled, halting him.
"What're you laughing at?" Woody demanded.
"You're just as bad as as the space toy. One plastic star on your chest and you think you're actually toy patrol!"
"Because it's in my job description! Read the star, pal. Jessie, tell him."
There was no response, and Woody looked over at her. She was staring at hatless Jessie with a look of remorse. Following her gaze he was mortified to see that she was sewing her own legs onto her body.
"That is so disturbing," Buzz muttered. He looked at his Jessie for comfort, but all he could see in her perfect face was a shattered eye.
She stared at him, unable to overlook the sudden disenchantment on his face. Paying no mind to her captive audience, hatless Jessie continued to perform surgery on herself; poking the stuffing in before sewing the seams together. Unable to watch a moment longer, Buzz hoisted himself over the wall and out of the box. Dropping onto the kitchen table, he walked to the end and examined the unfamiliar dining room sprawled out before him in shameless opulence.
It didn't take long before Jessie approached. He recognized the sound of her boots, but he was afraid to look at her - afraid to see which Jessie would be looking back.
"Are you okay?" she asked him.
"Yes. Just a...little creeped out, is all."
She nodded, playing with her fingers. "Too creeped out to look at me?"
He hesitated, but soon his eyes found hers. Before either toy could say anything, hatless Jessie hoisted herself over the edge of the box and climbed out, landing on two perfectly attached legs. She turned and the functional portion of her face smiled so brightly, so sincerely that Buzz felt his antisocial reserve begin to melt.
"I feel so tall," she announced happily.
The toys all watched as she took several unsteady steps. It was Rex's thoughtless remark that made her halt. "Now all you need is an eye patch!"
Like she had slammed into a wall, she stopped in her tracks.
"I mean...good job," Rex tried to amend.
Hatless Jessie looked at Buzz and Jessie, neither of whom met her eyes. She turned and looked at the other toys, who were either looking at Rex or at her.
Woody tried to console her. "What you need is a new name, so it doesn't get confusing."
"I never said I'd stay," she spat. She approached the edge and jumped off onto the seat of the chair, then onto the floor. "You can thank your human for me when you see him."
"New Jessie, wait - "
"Good riddance."
She continued walking, holding herself tightly.
Woody jumped from the table right to the floor, and walked after her into the hallway. "Do you know where you are? What about where you're going?"
"I'll figure something out."
"Well, the first thing you need to figure out is that door."
Hatless Jessie stopped, looking slowly up at the impossibly far knob. As she tried to formulate a plan, Woody looked down at her braid, noticing for the first time that the ribbon was worn out and the wool hair was coming loose and discolored with encrusted dirt. He felt something new - a strong protectiveness for this identical likeness of a good old friend.
"I can get you out of this house, new Jessie. But you just got your legs back and you're in an unfamiliar place. I can help you so much more if you let me."
"I never asked for your help."
"No, you didn't. I'm offering, because I like you."
She whirled to face him. "You're a liar. A liar and a traitor."
His brows rose. "How have I betrayed you?"
Her icy demeanor wavered a little. "That slipped out," she muttered. "It wasn't you."
He stared at her while she tried to avoid his eyes.
"You know," he finally said, "It occurs to me that you and I are part of a very rare collection. It would hardly surprise me if you were the Jessie from the Woody's Roundup show."
Her good eye flew to meet his and he knew he had struck pay dirt.
Finally she found her voice.
"Call me Jessica."