*Howdy Partners! Okay, fair warning again, this chapter is a sad one. This was also not one that I had previously written for this story. I literally came up with this while driving home and wrote it out at work. I actually cried while writing it. Sorry in advance for any tears!*

Bo sat on the edge of the bed, staring up at the moon. She breathed in deeply and let out a heavy sigh. Buzz and the others weren't back yet and her husband was getting worse. The paralysis had taken over half his body and his breathing was getting slower. Closing her eyes, she prayed to herself that they would return home soon when a soft voice caught her attention.

"B, Bo." She turned and moved slowly over to her cowboy. His brown eyes were open and she could see the tiredness in them. His left arm was at his side and the other was resting on his chest.

"Hi. How are you feeling, honey?" Bo asked.

"I'm, okay. N, no more pain. At, at least for now." He took a few short breaths. "Why are you still up? You should get some rest darling."

"I can't sleep. Honestly, I'm amazed any of us are getting a wink of sleep right now. Especially Rose. I finally convinced her to get a few hours of sleep in."

"Where, where is she?"

"Over on the dresser with Bullseye. The poor dear is so worried about you. We all are. None of us know what to do except wait. I feel like there is more I could do for you, but I don't know what. It just makes me feel so useless." At this, Woody took her small hand in his.

"Don't, ever say that a, about yourself. You are not useless, Bo. You're here, with me, an, and that's enough." He coughed and it came out in a wheeze. "There, there is something I, I think we should talk about though."

"What's that?" He took a deep breath.

"If Buzz and the others don't make it back..." He began.

"No." She said sharply.

"Bo, please, list, listen to me..."

"No Woody, I know what you're going to say and I'm not...I can't say goodbye, I'm not ready to."

"That's, not it. I'm not, saying goodbye, Bo. I, I know we're not there yet. I, I was going to say if, if this illness takes me before Buzz and the others get back, I..." He coughed again and took a few quick breaths. "I need you to talk Rosetta going through with the wedding." Bo gaped at him, shocked.

"Woody, Rosetta isn't even thinking about the wedding anymore. She's too worried about you!"

"I know, and if I don't make it, she, she'll won't want to get married at all. She'll want to cancel it. She may, never even want to have a wedding at all, and I don't want that. I, I want her to get married and be happy with, with someone she loves."

"She already has someone she loves. What she needs is you! She needs her father, Woody! She wants you at her wedding, walking her down the aisle, dancing with her, that will make her happy. Her whole world will break if you die!"

"I know that, Bo!" He said, his voice coming out in a strained whisper. "I want to be there, I do, but it, its looking so far fetched right now, and I, I don't want to be the reason she doesn't ge, get her happy ending. I won't be able to re, rest if I ruin that chance for her." The shepherdess looked at him, sadness darkening her face.

"Woody, you're not ruining anything for her. You didn't ask to get sick. None of us wanted this to happen, it just did. We have a chance to save you, it's just taking longer than we expected. But until Buzz and the others come back, you just have to stay alive." She placed a hand on his cheek. "You mean so much to everyone in this room, Bonnie too, but you mean the world to me, Buzz, Jessie, Slinky, Bullseye, and to that little girl on the dresser. She needs you, all these toys need you, and I..." She sighed, holding back a sob. "I need you, Woody. I lost you once and I was very close to losing you at Rainbow Hill. I cannot lose you again." Woody took her hand off his cheek and lifted it to his lips, kissing it lightly.

"I never want to, to lose you or Rosetta ever again, Bo. I'm sorry. He said softly. I, I just don't want you girls to grieve over me forever. I, I want you two to be happy, long after I'm gone. You two are my life an, and I don't want you to think about me being gone, but remember the good things, things that, that I, I never gave you."

"Sweetheart, you've already given us so many good things, don't you know that? You have done so much for all of us. You've made our friends last moments with Andy count, gave our family a wonderful new life with Bonnie. and have shown our daughter everything life could ever offer her, including true love. Don't dwell on the what if's right now, okay? Think about what you have already done. That's what you'll be remembered for, honey." She took a deep breath. "Alright, if by some chance, Buzz and the others don't make it back in time, I promise I will persuade Rose to go through with the wedding, but only if you promise me that you will continue to fight. You are a strong, fearless person and you will get through this. Just please, keep fighting for us, for your family, for your daughter. You cannot give up yet. You have so much more to live for. Your life is not finished yet, we are not finished yet, Woody. So please, fight." By now, she was holding both his hands tight, her own hands shaking. Woody took both of her hands and placed them over where his heart would be if he had one.

"I will. He said, sobbing. I will, Bo, I promise." Their foreheads touched and they both cried softly. Then Woody leaned forward and kissed her on the lips. It was quick, for he sat back, taking two quick breaths before speaking again. "You are too good for me. I, I don't deserve you." She laughed a little.

"Sometimes I feel that way too, that I don't deserve you. But then I catch your gaze and see that goofy grin and I melt all over again." Woody chuckled, coughing roughly. He turned to her.

"I love you, Bo Peep-Pride.

"I love you more, Woody Pride." She kissed him again and then snuggled down beside him, still holding his hand. He kissed the top of her head and rested his against hers. Across the room, blue eyes blinked open as Rosetta saw her parents drift off to sleep, holding onto each other. Sitting up, she held back a sob; she had heard their entire conversation and heard her father's worries. Yes she wanted her father to be at her wedding, but right now, all she wanted was for him to get better. Bullseye sensed her movement and nudged her. Se patted his head and the horse went back to sleep. Rose turned towards the window and looked up at the moon.

"Please hurry, Uncle Buzz. She whispered. Dad needs you."

*Okay, even re-reading it again is making my eyes tear up! :(