Mitsy stirred against Jack's side. She slowly opened her eyes. Jack smiled at her and licked her face. "Did you sleep well?" He asked.
"I suppose." Mitsy shrugged. "You're a welcome sight to wake up to!"
"I try." Jack shrugged.
"Is Woody okay?"
"Yeah. He's still shaken up from last night, but he's okay."
"Everyone else?"
"They're fine. And you're gonna be okay too."
"Yeah, right now I don't know about that." Mitsy shrugged.
"You'll get there." Jack assured her, brushing her face with his large tail.
"Jack! What happened to your shoulder?" Mitsy asked, wide-eyed.
"It's nothing."
"You got quite a few stitches! What happened? Was it from fighting Spike?"
"No. It was when Woody was trying to get you out of the car. He became trapped with you, and I...I tried to catch up, but I couldn't."
"Ohh, Jack." Mitsy looked up at him gratefully but guiltily.
"Like I said, it's nothing. Jess and Chucks fixed me up. So I'm no worse for wear. Besides, I have had much worse."
"Mmm-hmm." Mitsy nodded. She didn't want to think about that awful event.
"Would you like me to go get Woody?"
"Yes." Mitsy bit her lip.
"You'll be okay, for a minute? By yourself?"
"I'll try." Mitsy clenched her skirt.
"Alright. I'll be right back." Jack licked her face again then hopped off the bed.
Mitsy leaned back tensely against the large, fluffy pillow, as if it could shield her from danger. Truth was, she didn't want to be left alone. She was still so scared from yesterday. She hugged herself and curled into a tight ball.
Then she heard rustling, just outside the window. Mitsy froze, adrenaline running down her back. They found us! They're gonna take us away again! She thought frantically. They're here! The rustling grew louder, and it sounded closer and closer!
"No, noo!" Mitsy shrieked, shaking. She crouched on her hands and knees and scrambled toward the hardboard of the bed, intending to hide under the pillow. But in her frenzied state, she slipped from the bed and fell.
"Whoa! Easy there, Princess." Buzz said as she unexpectedly landed in his arms. "You alright?"
"Buzz, they...they're here! They're outside!" Mitsy told him.
"What?" Buzz furrowed his brows.
"Buzz, I heard them! Outside the window!" Mitsy exclaimed.
"Wait, hold on. Are you sure?" Buzz frowned deeper.
"Don't you hear them?!"
"I hear, something." Buzz admitted. "You stay here, and stay low! I'll check it out." Mitsy hid under the bed, shivering. Buzz climbed up to the window and closely scanned the area. He did hear something rapidly pattering on the tree outside the window. A gray blur rushed passed him, startling him and he gasped. A squirrel, with acorns in its mouth, cocked its head at him, then disappeared up into the tree. Buzz exhaled in relief. He chuckled then hopped down.
"Okay, Mitsy. It's all clear." He said, kneeling in front of the bed. Mitsy ever so slowly poked her head out.
"Are you sure, Buzz?" She asked seriously.
"Sure thing. It was only a squirrel. His claws made that noise as he was gathering nuts up and down the tree."
Mitsy grimaced, shaking her head and huddled against the bed. She was still trembling. "Sorry, Buzz." She muttered. "I got really scared, and...the first thing I thought of was..."
"That's alright. No one would blame you. But everything's alright now."
"Yeah." Mitsy swallowed skeptically. She was letting out very heavy sighs and rubbed her head.
"Hey, you okay?" Buzz asked, scooting closer to her.
"No, I'm not, Buzz." Mitsy bit her cheek. "It's...seems like every time I open my eyes today, waking up, something frightens me!"
"You're still rattled from yesterday. That's a perfectly natural reaction." Buzz stated calmly.
"It just a squirrel. I didn't even know what was really out there! And I...completely freaked out, like an air head!"
"Hey, be nice." Buzz scolded.
"I can't stop thinking about yesterday."
"Woody told me all about it. I'm really sorry, Mitsy, for everything that happened to you guys! I wish I'd gotten there sooner." Buzz wrapped his arm around her.
"I know. What matters to me is that you came. You and the others, you didn't leave us behind. You got us out of there."
"Not soon enough, apparently."
"Ohh, Buzz. I'm tired of feeling bogged down and helpless from all of it. I hate feeling helpless! But, after what they did to us, I'm feel too scared to even move today!"
"Listen," Buzz said soothingly, "you and Woody, you both literally survived a living nightmare. It's alright to be scared. Your brain is still in survival mode from it all. It might take a while to believe you're actually safe!"
"That's for sure!" Mitsy moaned. "Right now, I'm mostly afraid to be alone, or outside. That was when it happened. It was so fast, and so sudden! I didn't have any real time to think. And...just like that, Woody came and then...we were gone. But, I don't want to keep feeling this way! It feels paralyzing."
"Just give yourself time, Mitsy girl. It was only last night that we all returned home! Hasn't even been a full twenty-four hours yet! That's a lot to deal with."
"Buzz, do you think I'll be able to put these things aside, and live life again?"
"Yes, you will, Mitsy." Buzz smiled. "I know you will. We don't expect it to happen overnight. You and Woody need time to recover. That was really bad. But with time, you'll both be okay again." He rubbed her small arm affectionately.
"How?" Mitsy cried.
"Just remember that we all love you. That's always a good place to start." Buzz said fondly. Mitsy nodded and wearily leaned her head on his shoulder.
"Thanks, Buzz." She sighed.
"Hey, that's what family is for."
"What's the matter with me? It's not as if I was the only toy who suffered from them. Wheezy, and Fox, Link...and Woody!"
"Yep. We've all had our share of dark history with Spike and his crew. Always seems though like you and Woody get the worst of it!"
"And Jack too." Mitsy said quietly.
"Ohh. Yeah." Buzz grunted. Mitsy let out a heavy breath.
"How are Jiminy and Wheezy liking the place?" She asked, trying to change the subject.
"Jiminy seems to be fitting right in. Wheezy, he seems unable to believe he's in a kid's room again."
"Bonnie will change that. I cannot wait for her to get home tomorrow!"
"Me too." Buzz agreed.
"I think I need to stretch my legs and move around for a while. Maybe that will help." Mitsy said.
"Good idea." Buzz approved. He pulled Mitsy to her feet.
"Maybe we can help Wheezy feel a little more at home."
"We can try."
"Thanks, Buzz. For, being there for us." Mitsy tiredly smiled up at him.
"Sure thing." Buzz nodded.
Mitsy still hugged herself tightly, but the further away she was from the windows, the better she thought she would feel. She still felt so tense, but glancing around the room, seeing so many friends and family around, helped.
"Good to see you up, Little Bit." Woody said as he appeared with Jack. Mitsy ran to him and just hugged him tightly around the waist. He gladly returned the embrace, after he'd been unable to use his arms yesterday.
Buzz and Jack grinned then shuffled away. Slinky, Rex, Trixie, and Chuckles were showing Wheezy and Jiminy around. Chuckles told them about how he'd been ripped when Bonnie found him then took care of him. Wheezy's face brightened a bit when he heard that.
"Hey, Buzz! Woody! Matt's here!" Jessie called from one of the window sills.
