Buzz and Jessie were still outside. "Jessie, I...I feel there's something you should know," Buzz said somberly. Jessie perked her head up from his chest.
"W-what?" She asked shakily.
"You saw what we found when we arrived at the school."
"Yes."
"Well, Woody told me that we didn't see it all." Jessie gasped and Buzz stroked her hand as he told her all that had happened to Woody and the princess. Jessie cried and Buzz let her whimper on his shoulder. She grabbed him in a hug and he carried her up to the window. He was taking his wife to the bean bag, their spot, when he stopped.
"Well, would you look at that?" Buzz mused. Jessie smiled, cocking her head and stood on her feet.
"Aw. Look at them, Buzz. They're sleeping like two babies," Jessie remarked. They were both so very relieved. This was the most peace and rest the cowboy had gotten since returning home. Woody was eased back down comfortably in the bean bag and Slinky lay across his body. "He looks so peaceful." Buzz happily took his cowgirl's hand. "Do you think he'll be okay tonight?"
"I think so," Buzz said confidently. "But we'll be on hand in case he needs help." Jessie crawled next to her brother and kissed his head and patted Slinky's. "Rest up, cowboy. You've earned it," Buzz whispered. He led Jessie by the hand to the kitchen play-set and sat up on the plastic stove-top with her. Jessie leaned on his shoulder.
"I cannot wait for Bonnie to get back!" Jessie exclaimed. "I'll feel so much better once she's here."
"Yeah." Buzz agreed. "It'll be nice to have some normalcy back in here!"
"Buzz?" Jessie spoke cautiously.
"Yeah?" Buzz cocked his head.
"Do you ever-" Jessie began then pursed her lips, tugging on her braid.
"What's wrong, Jessie?" Buzz asked seriously, rubbing her back. "Talk to me."
"Buzz, do you ever...have feelings of jealousy?" Jessie asked, keeping her eyes on her boots.
"What?!" Buzz sputtered. "Jealous? Jealous of who? Of...what?"
"Woody. Do you ever envy what Woody shares with Mitsy?" Jessie finally met his eyes. Buzz stared at her, momentarily confused. Then he let out a huge sigh.
"You mean...their connection?" He answered. "Woody's fraternal actions?"
"Yeah." Jessie nodded sadly. "Do you ever kind of wish sometimes to have what they have?"
"Jessie, are you saying...that you sometimes wish you had a child to look after?" Buzz asked tentatively, squeezing her hand. Jessie looked at him with such sad eyes it broke his heart.
"Y-yes." She squeaked. "Sometimes, I...I get so angry watching Woody and Mitsy. I feel so jealous, Buzz, that I feel like I'm on fire! I want a kid to hold and comfort, to rock and tell stories to. A child to hear laugh when we toss them in the air, to sing to when they have nightmares, to make them giggle when I tickle them, to have to brush dirt off them before Bonnie sees the fruits of their shenanigans-no thanks to certain parties in this house!"
Jessie began to sniffle and drew her knees to her chest. "Jessie, I...I had no idea." Buzz scooted even closer and clasped his arms protectively around her. "I didn't know you felt this way. That you wanted a kid so badly. Jess, why didn't you tell me?" Buzz asked, his voice and heart heavy with discouragement.
Jessie quivered. "I didn't know how you would feel, Buzz. I've seen how much it takes a toll on you to help Woody and Dolly run the gang. You already have so much responsibility, I was afraid-"
"Afraid of what, Jessie? That I wouldn't like the idea?"
"That it would just be another burden on your shoulders. That you would see it as an extra responsibility."
"Ohh, Jessie! Honey, I don't feel that way about it! Not at all! If I had known you felt this way, if you had shared your feelings with me...Jess, if by some miracle we could have a family, the way Bo and Woody had Mitsy enter their lives, I'd love it!" Buzz exclaimed.
"You would? You're not just saying that?" Jessie's green eyes lit up with hope.
"Yes, Jessie. I'd be thrilled if we had a kid to call our own. Or even five of them!" Buzz smiled. "It'd be great. I always thought you'd make an amazing mother. But since toys can't really-you know-, I didn't think you'd want to without being able to like humans. So, I never brought it up, afraid I'd hurt your feelings if I did."
"Ohh, Buzz." Jessie smiled. "You wouldn't mind? I mean, if we find a toy child or children that seem to fit us, that we fall in love with, you really, really wouldn't mind?"
"I'd be proud to be your children's father, Jessie." Buzz said adoringly. "If they'd have me." He shrugged. Jessie threw her arms around his neck, and kissed his lips so hard he fell onto his back. But he reached his hand behind her hair and reciprocated her affection. He loved her. How he loved her! If having kids would make her happy, he couldn't imagine how much happier it would make himself!
"I love you, space ranger." Jessie murmured, nuzzling his ear as she sat on his chest.
"Not as much as I love you, my fired up cowgirl." Buzz beamed seductively. He felt her cloth body slacken with relief. How long had Jessie been aching over this? And how had he never noticed? That was a stupid blunder on his part!
Jessie sidled next to him, her head in the crook of his arm and her hand across his broad chest. "Do you think it's possible?" Jessie panted hopefully. "A family of our own...someday?"
"Someday, Jessie. I wouldn't be surprised. And, maybe we could talk to the Potato Heads and Woody about this. They do have more experience than we do."
"Uh huh. I can hardly wait to pick their marbles about this? Oh, Buzz, I feel like I'm going to explode!"
"Shh. Not tonight, cowgirl. Our current family has been through a lot. And I think we need to begin practicing by looking out for them first."
"I know." Jessie sighed. "I just can't help getting excited at all the possibilities!"
"At least we're toys. We don't have to deal with all that tiresome paperwork and whatnot to make it all official." Buzz said sarcastically.
"That's right, we don't! Besides," she caressed his chest plate just above his round red wing button, where she imagined his heart to be, "I really think that this is what makes it all official."