Another update for another story? I seem to get on a roll like this, so I'm just going with it. ;) This fic has been in desperate need of updating for quite some time! I had forgotten how much progress I made on it a few months ago; I just needed the inspiration to polish it up.
Alas, Toy Story still isn't mine. If it was, Buzz and Jessie would have a REAL wedding and reception. :) Enjoy, and please leave a review!
Chapter 3
Jessie opened the door of the dollhouse, tightening the bow at the end of her braid as she stood at the threshold. She stared out into Bonnie's empty room until Buzz walked up beside her, wrapping an arm around her waist and kissing her on the cheek. "Morning, cowgirl."
Jessie leaned into his embrace. "Hey, you. Where d'ya think everybody is?"
No sooner had Jessie spoken that Woody darted around the corner. "Buzz! Jessie! I've been waiting for you two to get up. You gotta stay in Bonnie's room today, or you'll ruin the surprise."
"I've had enough surprises, Woody," Jessie groaned.
"Don't worry, Jess. I've got this." He patted his sister on the shoulder. "I won't let anyone get carried away this time, I promise. I'll be back to get you guys later." With his notepad and pencil in hand, the cowboy hurried out of the room and down the hall.
While Buzz turned to walk back into the dollhouse, Jessie lingered in the doorway, her hands clasped anxiously in front of her. She watched her brother turn the corner, headed to the undisclosed location of their reception, and decided she just couldn't take the suspense any longer.
"I'm goin' to peek," she resolved. "I'm not gettin' blindsided again!"
Buzz reached out and grabbed her by the belt loop. "Oh, no you don't. I trust Woody, and you should too," he reasoned. "He won't let us down."
"Hey, Lightyears!" Woody called out at the doorway. The sun was setting outside Bonnie's bedroom window, and it was time for the couple's wedding reception to begin. "You ready?"
Buzz peeked over the edge of Bonnie's bed, where he and Jessie had spent the day watching movies on the little girl's laptop to pass the time.
"We'll be right there," the Space Ranger answered. He knelt to switch off the computer, and caught the worried expression on his wife's face as she stared blankly in the direction of the screen. Buzz smiled and kissed the cowgirl on her forehead. "It'll be okay, Jessie." He picked up her hat that was resting on the bed beside her, straightened it on top of her head, and they hopped down to join Woody. As soon as their feet hit the floor, they noticed Barbie was with him. She handed a parcel to Jessie, and the cowgirl recoiled.
"Take it, it's a present!" Barbie insisted, nudging it forward.
"Uhhh, that's okay," Jessie replied dubiously. "You already gave me a gift."
"I know you'll like this one. Go on, open it!" She shoved the pink-wrapped package into Jessie's hands.
The cowgirl tore at the paper slowly and cautiously, afraid that the contents might rival or surpass the previous night's offerings. She was pleased to discover a bundle of denim, which unfolded into a long, full, western-style skirt.
"I found it in the doll clothes at Sunnyside and thought you might like to wear it tonight," Barbie explained. "You need something to dance in."
"I love it, really I do! It's perfect!" Jessie hugged her friend and slipped on the skirt, securing it just below her belt. Its length just covered her chaps and she twirled, watching the denim ruffle at the bottom flutter as she moved.
Woody chuckled at his sister's glee, and slapped his best friend heartily on the back. "Let's go!"
"Congratulations!"
Buzz and Jessie entered the kitchen to raucous cheers and a shower of paper-punch confetti, and were immediately struck by the trouble the others had taken to make their celebration special. Elaborate decorations filled the room; everywhere they looked, they noticed accents made from items found in Mrs. Anderson's craft supplies – red tissue paper roses, ribbon garlands, and a construction paper banner reading "Congratulations Lightyears!" The kitchen had been chosen as the location for its smooth, open space for dancing, and strings of white Christmas lights spanned the room from countertop to countertop, creating a glittering ceiling over the dance floor. Chuckles sat at the family's desktop computer, wearing festive sunglasses and a party hat, to serve as DJ for the night; he had offered to take the duties over from Trixie and Rex so the dinos could enjoy themselves. Nevertheless, Trixie had already made a playlist of songs for dancing and set up the speakers for optimum sound. Even Rex's tub toy friends had joined the fête, and they called out their greetings from the sink. Buzz and Jessie grinned widely, appreciative of what their friends had done for them.
Glad to see his sister and brother-in-law so pleased with his efforts, Woody climbed up onto the desk beside Chuckles and picked up the hand-held microphone that had been plugged into the computer for the evening. The cowboy stepped forward and raised a hand to silence the chattering crowd of toys. "Can I have everyone's attention, just for a second?" A hush filled the room and he turned to face the newlywed couple.
"I just want to say, how happy I am for you both," Woody started. "Buzz, with all we've been through together, you're more like a brother to me than a friend. And now, with you and Jessie married, we truly are family. Jess, I see the joy in your face when you're with Buzz, and I couldn't be prouder of how far you two have come, together. The kind of love you guys share is a rare thing for a toy. Cherish each other always; fight for each other." Woody's eyes clouded with emotion, and understanding crept across the faces of Andy's former toys as they realized he was thinking of Bo. Rex sniffled, and Mr. Potato Head hurried to remove his wife's mouth before she could begin sobbing and ruin the moment. Wanting to get the focus back on the happy occasion, the cowboy smiled. "Now, let's get this party started!"
He nodded to Chuckles, who clicked the computer mouse. Soft, romantic music began to play.
At last
My love has come along
My lonely days are over
And life is like a song…
"That's your first dance, guys," the cowboy said with a fond smile, pointing the couple towards the dance floor. "Go, enjoy it."
Jessie looked to Buzz and they stepped out under the canopy of lights, wrapping their arms around each other. As they moved to the center of the floor, and started swaying to the song, Jessie's gaze was distracted away from Buzz when she noticed the room full of eyes that were fixed solely on them.
"Why are they starin' at us?" she asked her husband in a whisper. "They've seen us dance plenty'a times before."
"Yes, but not as we are now. Just go with it, Jessie," he replied tenderly.
The cowgirl smirked and eased back into their dance, leaning to rest her head against his. Soon the others in the room seemed to disappear, and the moment became just about them.
You smiled and then the spell was cast
And here we are in Heaven
For you are mine at last.
The music ended and the toys surrounding the couple erupted into applause. Before they could leave the floor, however, a latin beat caused Buzz's hips to twitch. He pulled Jessie toward him and again they began to dance.
The newlyweds spun around the floor, this time with much more speed and abandon than before. Buzz effortlessly led his cowgirl through twirls and dips and complex choreography, perfectly timed to the upbeat music. Their friends moved in rhythm to the music along the perimeter of the dance floor, thoroughly enjoying the performance. It concluded with a final twirl and dramatic dip, and once again the crowd cheered.
"Who's idea was that?" Jessie asked, amused, as Buzz helped her to her feet.
"Mine," Buzz smirked, as he pulled her in for a kiss. Their friends whooped and hollered at this unusually bold public display of affection between the couple.
The newlyweds' reverie was interrupted by a familiar voice bellowing from the sidelines.
"Son!"
Buzz nearly dropped Jessie in his astonishment. "Zur—Dad?" he asked, as he helped his wife to her feet. Sure enough, the towering space toy wheeled toward them, dressed dapperly in a top hat, bow tie, and monocle.
"My Buzzie!" he exclaimed, wrapping his shell-shocked son and daughter-in-law into a tight embrace. "You didn't think I'd miss your wedding, did you? Well, the reception – since I wasn't invited to the wedding," he added sternly.
"It wasn't exactly planned," the space ranger explained. "How did you get here, anyway?"
"I came with Barbie and Ken, in Bonnie's backpack. I wanted to surprise you."
"But where have you been all weekend?"
"In the basement," the emperor retorted, glaring at Woody. "The cowboy thought I'd be comfortable staying in the subterranean location, and escorted me there while you weren't looking. But I was unable to return upstairs until assisted."
Woody, who was standing nearby, rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "Heh, sorry about that," he apologized, recalling the space toy's ungraceful tumble. "I forgot he couldn't really do stairs."
Before Zurg could criticize Woody any further, Barbie hoisted herself up onto the computer desk and tapped the microphone to call the other toys to attention.
"Could I get everyone to clear the floor, pretty please? Except Buzz and Jessie, I need you two front and center."
Jessie shot Woody an expression of half fear, half rage.
Buzz spoke up for his aggravated wife, who was staring fixedly and accusingly at her brother. "Woody, I thought we were just dancing. If this is anything like last night—"
"Nah, this stuff is harmless enough, she told me about it," the cowboy reassured them.
The newlyweds took several tentative steps out onto the dance floor, uncomfortable with being in the spotlight yet again. They looked to Barbie, still standing at the mic.
"Yay! It's time to toss the bouquet and garter!"
"What's that for?" Jessie asked, still uncertain she wanted to be involved in more of Barbie's plans.
"It's tradition!" Mrs. Potato Head screeched. "Whoever catches them are the next to get married, which means a wedding I won't miss!"
Barbie made her way from the desk and handed Jessie a tiny bouquet made of red paper roses tied with a yellow ribbon. She gestured for the unmarried female toys – namely, Dolly and Trixie – to join her.
"Now, Jessie, you turn your back to us, and on the count of three, you throw it backwards!"
Jessie was relieved that it actually sounded like fun. "Ready? One, two, THREE!" the bride shouted, and her long arms flung the bouquet high into the air. Three female toys looked up expectantly, trying to gauge where it would land. They scrambled to grab the bouquet, Trixie finally succeeding at catching it in her teeth.
All the toys cheered for Trixie as she set the bouquet down on the floor in front of her, proud of her triumph.
Ken raised a hand and whistled to rein everyone back in. "Men next! All the single guys, right here." As Jessie started to walk away with the girls, Ken summoned her back. Reluctantly, she walked over and stood with Buzz. Barbie approached her with a small ruffled hair tie.
"Here, Jessie, you have to put this on your leg – your thigh."
"But I got my skirt on!"
"That's part of the fun, Buzz has to reach up under it and take it off."
"With his teeth!" Ken added, as he placed a block on the floor and patted it for Jessie to sit down.
"WHAT!? You gotta be kiddin' me!"
"Yeah, uh, I-I'm not comfortable doing that. I mean not in a public setting! It's just – something like that is more suited to–" Buzz felt their friends watching him intently, waiting to hear what he said next. He met his wife's eyes, which were begging him to stop, and rubbed his forehead anxiously. "O-oh boy."
Barbie pouted. "Aww, c'mon you two, you have to do it!" She thought for a moment. "Will you, if you don't have to use your teeth?"
Buzz and Jessie glanced at each other again. "I s-suppose," the Space Ranger relented, hesitantly.
"Yay!" Barbie squealed, clapping her hands giddily.
Jessie sat and hastily slid the hair tie over her chaps and under her skirt.
"Single men, are you ready?" Barbie announced. "That means you," she winked at Ken. "And Chuckles, come down here, too!" Woody, Ken, Chuckles, Pricklepants, Slinky, Totoro, even Zurg, gathered in the middle of the dance floor, while Hamm and Buttercup dragged a reluctant Rex out to join them.
"I'm fine being single!" the dinosaur wailed.
As quickly and discreetly as he could, Buzz removed the garter, trying to ignore the embarrassing wolf-whistles from the other men. Barbie instructed him to give a count of three like Jessie had done, and he followed suit, tossing it into the group of male toys.
Rex flailed his arms in protest. "Don't throw it to me! I don't want it!" As the others were fighting to be the victor, the garter flew directly towards the toy tyrannosaurus, looping itself effortlessly on his arm like a ring toss. "Aaaaahhhhh!" he screamed in terror.
Barbie walked over to Rex and placed a hand on his arm. "Don't go anywhere." She waved to the dinosaur's female counterpart. "Trixie, can you come back over here now?"
"Why?" Rex panicked. "What's going on?"
"Okay, Rex, now you have to put the garter on Trixie!"
"O-ohh! Ooo….AHHHHHHHH!" With a horrified shriek, the male dino passed out cold on the floor. Trixie nudged him with her foot, unable to rouse him, and shrugged.
As Woody and Buzz helped a befuddled Rex to his feet and off the dance floor, the triceratops turned to Chuckles, who had returned to his post at the computer.
"DJ! Take it away! Let's dance!"
Stay tuned! There's more partying to be done by the toys. ;) It just might take until I can collaborate with my co-author again to get it finished – there are lots of fun scenes we want to tie together.
The song referenced as their first dance is "At Last" by Etta James. Incidentally, it was my first dance song, too, but I thought it was especially fitting for Buzz and Jessie.