WARNING YOU MAY WANT TO SKIP THIS CHAPTER, IT CONTAINS VIOLENCE AND BUZZ & WOODY ARGUMENTS YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!

Okay so I wrote this chapter as basically two chapter in one so you'd only have to avoid the one chapter if you dont like it.

This whole story has been harder to write than I first thought it would be, but this chapter was particularly hard to write, I know I've said that before but this truly was.

I hated the ending but I promise you all this story WILL have a happy ending.

Oh and don't be too hard on Woody's dad, he has issues I've decided. :p

Oh and dont worry Buzz will get his ten cents in with Woody's father. ;)

"Woodrow, how long have you known this lovely little lady? She's a delightful creature." Evelyn laughed again and held her close. Jessie was enjoying all the attention, Woody wasn't. He just wanted to get back to Bonnie's room and check on the toys, see if Buzz was back yet.

"We met quite a few years ago…"

"Woody and I were gonna go to Japan to be part of the collectables with Stinky Pete!"

Woody held his head down; she really didn't need to say that.

"And you declined?" George asked incredulously.

"Andy is…Was my life, he was our owner before Bonnie, I convinced Jessie to come back with us…" Woody lifted up his shoe to show his mother and father, Andy's name was still tattooed to the bottom of it and as he lowered his foot he fingered the letters carefully, taking in each one of them with a memory.

"Woodrow you need to stop thinking in the past and look towards the future!" George said sitting back on the old bit of plastic log.

"Your father's right Baba, you need to think about what you're going to do with the rest of your life, however long it will be."

"Forever if you come with us." George mentioned; Woody looked up to him.

"Father no toy lives forever…"

"HA!" George burst out, sitting up. "When you're a collectable, you just go on and on and on forever, they replace your clothing after hundreds of years but your still the same man as you were the day you were created."

"What happens when they forget about you?"

"Woodrow listen to me, they do not. People will tell you stories that are nonsense! You think of all them army dolls, been around for hundreds of years and their perfectly persevered."

"Behind glass…" Woody remembered something Buzz said.

"What Baba?" Evelyn asked gently of him.

"Buzz convinced me to go back, I told him I didn't have a choice, he said 'to do what Woody? Watch kids from behind glass and never be loved again?' I think he was right…"

"PAH! That Buzz Lightyear needs a good smack down! Space bloody toys are no good I tell ya!"

"Father he's not all that bad…"

"Yeah plus Woody and Buzz are dating."

Woody's mouth dropped. Jessie covered hers.

"Excuse me?" George looked at her as if she'd just told him where to go, Evelyn covered her mouth too, shaking. Woody looked only from Jessie directly to his father who was walking towards her as if he was going to deck her, woman or not.

"What did you JUST say?" He cringed, gripping his fists.

"George NO!" Evelyn said, standing up but he pushed her down to the ground with one hand, she landed with a thump and he never flinched.

"Father!" Woody stood up and ran in front of Jessie. "Father she was joking!"

"LIAR!" George growled. "All this time and the LOT of you were lying to me! Me! Your father, you disgusting pitiful boy and you!" He pointed over Woody's shoulder at Jessie who looked terrified.

"You pathetic waste of a cowgirl, how dare you even come to me and lie to my face, you think just because you're a girl I wont slap you down where you stand! You're nothing but a waste of fabric!"

"Father wait!" Woody wanted to stop him.

"Who in hell do you think you're talking to, you freak!" George grabbed him by the collar and picked him up, almost strangling him.

"Jessie…R…U…N!" Woody choked out through gasps, she couldn't move her legs, she was rooted to the spot.

"Get out of my way boy!" George threw his son to the floor next to his mother, Jessie backed up against the wall.

"W-why are you so angry! I thought you l-loved your son!" Jessie could see the hatred in his eyes, he wasn't listening.

"Father!" Woody shouted trying to stumble to his feet, as George swung to punch Jessie square across the jaw; Woody grabbed his fist, spun him and decked him.

"You touch her and I'll never forgive you!" He was showing pure anger in his eyes…But the anger soon faded as his father returned to normal standing height and literally kicked Woody's legs from under him.

Woody fell to his back and smacked his head, rubbing it slightly he saw his father come to stand over him. "What did you think I would do Woody? Let you get on with it? Go home and tell the others my son is sleeping with a space ranger? Let them all laugh at me! The very people that took over our daytime television and ruined us all! You disgusting…" He punched Woody once "Pathetic!" He punched him twice "Useless!" He punched him three times "WASTE of a son!" He punched him a forth and final time…

Buzz was just walking back into Bonnie's room when he heard Jessie scream from down the hall… Looking to Hamm he quickly asked. "Where are Woody and Jessie?"

"They went off with Woody's parents back to the…" He didn't get a chance to finish his statement as Buzz was gone, Zurg, Winifred and the others followed.

"I taught you to be a man and look at you! You coward GET UP!"

"George stop it!" Evelyn cried out, she'd seen him like this only once before.

"You want…want me to apologize for what?"

George smacked him down again, the anger rising, the pressure in his grip strengthening. "I want you to tell me what a coward you are, what a waste of a toy you are!"

Buzz ran into the room at full speed, his heart pounding as he saw Jessie and Evelyn holding each other, Woody holding his arms over himself to stop the constant blows he was receiving from his father.

"You and that Buzz Lightyear having it off? What's he do to you Woody? Make you go all weak at the knees? I'll make you go all weak boy!" His father threw a deafening punch to Woody's right ear, he reverberated his head off the ground and heard a crack, his world was spinning but he was still alive and could still hear his father.

Buzz had promised to stay back and not interfere but this was too much for the space ranger, obviously someone had told George about him and Woody and it wasn't going down well.

"George!" Buzz said angrily, Woody lifted his head gently to stare at him.

"Buzz don't you dare!" Woody shouted. George moved towards him at full speed, Buzz braced himself to block the attack but George began to fall, fall as if he'd tripped.

Woody had grabbed his ankles to stop him going for Buzz, meekly standing, Woody wobbled on his feet and fell into the space rangers grasp. "Woody?" Buzz whispered lifting his head.

"You promised." Woody said shaking his head.

"Woody I can't…"

"Yes you can!" Woody shot him a pleading look, Buzz felt his heart crumple as he watched his father take the man he loved and reduce him down to a crumpled heap on the floor.

After the shouting was over, the noise died down and the room stood shocked. George's fists hurt as he stood over his son, his cowboy -beaten to a pulp- son…

"What…What have I done?" He looked to Evelyn who cowered still with Jessie, Buzz stared at Woody, he was barely moving. The other toys simply stared in disbelief at the whole scene.

As Woody pushed one hand down to the ground, his palm flat to the surface, his father stepped away from him, looking to Evelyn mostly but to Jessie and Buzz as well. Zurg came up behind his son and placed a hand on his shoulder, there'd been enough fighting for one night.

Buzz turned to him and looked him the eyes. "Go to him." Zurg said simply.

"I never told you dad…You wasn't supposed to find out like this."

"It doesn't matter…Your happiness is more important to me than who you choose to love."

Buzz looked at Winifred, maybe the fighting wasn't over. "Dad…She's…" He stopped himself looking hatefully at Winifred.

"What son?"

"It can wait." Buzz said angrily.

"Talk to me in the morning…" Buzz nodded and after another glare at his step mother, Buzz turned back to the matter at hand, his lover, his cowboy.

Buzz looked to Jessie, then Evelyn and indicated for both of them to move.

"G-George…" Evelyn approached him, he collapsed into her arms and they made their way silently out of view, to their little 'patch.'

"Buzz…It's my fault…I slipped up…I'm sorry."

"Just go Jessie." Buzz didn't look at her, or acknowledge anything, Buzz was worried about Woody for sure, but he was also angry at him…

"Let me know if…"

"Go!" He shot her a glare and she nodded, running out of the room.

Woody was panting heavily, he gingerly pushed himself up on one hand and then another before wincing and falling to his elbows. "Buzz…" He whispered.

"Get up Woody." Buzz stared at him from across the room; he couldn't move his legs, he was too afraid to see Woody hurt. Too afraid to go to him and see what he'd let happen.

Woody tried, eventually pushing himself up and stumbling somehow to his feet. He soon fell though, back to his knees again as he couldn't withstand the pain any longer. Buzz tried not to feel incredibly selfish but he couldn't help it, how could he let this happen to Woody, he should have gone back on his promise.

"Woody…" Buzz stared at him, slowly walking over and falling to his knees in front of him. Woody was exhausted, he looked terrible and hurt emotionally, physically and mentally drained the cowboy broke down.

"Buzz…I…" Woody tried but gripped his side.

"No Woody, don't try, just let me help you now."

Woody fell into his lovers open arms and cried, Buzz held him to his chest, cradling him as if he could take away everything that had just happened. Buzz felt awful, he called himself Woody's guy, but how could he be if he wasn't willing to save the man's soul.

Sure he'd do it now in a heart beat, but when it had mattered Buzz was to intent on keeping Woody's promise. A promise that could easily be broken and fixed, unlike his cowboy.

"Buzz…I wanna go home."

"We are home Woody…"

"I wanna go back to Andy…"

"Andy's gone Woody…"

Woody shivered; it seemed all his emotion was pouring out and why not? Buzz couldn't change what had happened but he could take care of Woody and make him better again and now that the truth was out…They didn't have to hide.

Getting onto one knee, Buzz lifted him up into his arms and carried him slowly out of the room, down the hall and towards Bonnie's room. Thankfully Bonnie wasn't coming home for the next week; Buzz had heard her mother leave with suitcases earlier.

"Buzz where are we going?" Woody asked as Buzz turned off from Bonnie's room and headed down the darkening stairs to the living room.

"It's okay Woody…Just you rest now." Buzz kissed his forehead and gently placed him into the soft pillow of the sofa. Kneeling next to him he smoothed the scratches on his already fragile body, his hands taking their time to slowly caress his arms up to his shoulders.

Woody couldn't believe he'd been through it all and come out alive, he winced a little at Buzz touching his shoulder but it didn't faze him, he just wanted to sleep. "Buzz…I love you so much." His final words before the sleep took him and he gently released his space ranger.

"You really have no idea how much I love you too Woody."

Buzz stared at him, taking him slowly into his arms and protectively wrapping him in them…Dawn was a long time away yet.

The next few days passed without incident, everyone kept to themselves and hardly a word was spoken, so much silence that the other toys were getting worried that maybe Woody wasn't going to pull through, even Buzz himself had tried to coax Woody into reality again, but he slept mostly and though Buzz had things to do with his father, he remained at Woody's side.

Dawn broke and Buzz noted they only had 5 days left with the parents. Woody's father had moved about a bit but hadn't spoken, Woody's mother had been to see him briefly but she'd not been much use.

No-one had spoken of that day's events and Buzz wondered if maybe that was half the trouble. Finally as dawn was stirring Woody opened his eyes and gingerly began to sit up.

"My head feels like its been dragged around a lamppost." Buzz smiled slightly and helped him up.

"How do you feel Woody?"

"I…I don't know… Just aching I guess…Sore…Wounded pride."

"You took one hell of a nock to your head…Bonnie's gonna have to get that fixed for you." Buzz moved his fingers over the slight crack in Woody's hair line and to the back of his neck, bringing him slowly in for a passionate kiss.

Woody felt much better for sleeping off most of the pain, he wasn't about to let on to Buzz that his whole body still felt weak, Buzz was right he needed to get up and get moving.

"Buzz…" Woody whispered as he looked into his eyes. "I'm sorry…For everything."

"Don't be sorry Woody, never be sorry to me, you don't deserve that."

"I do deserve it Buzz, I…I just wanted to make you happy…"

"Woody you make me happy every day, every moment you smile or laugh or do something silly or make me jump or whatever you make me happy, I see you open your eyes in the morning and I know its gonna be a great day."

"Except this one wasn't."

"Well…No it wasn't Woody, I was scared to death I was gonna loose you…"

"I can handle him Buzz…I've done it before."

"Woody?"

"Mom never knew about the beatings, dad used to take me somewhere quiet and do it in private; he normally told mom we'd been fishing or something."

"And you never told her?"

"I didn't dare, I was new and our owner was boisterous, he had no respect for us as toys and that's partly why my father hates the fact I live here with Bonnie."

"He has no right to hurt you though Woody, you're his son!"

"I'm…I'm nothing Buzz…He's right about me, I'm useless, pathetic, not a man just a boy who's trying to love a space ranger."

"Woody don't you dare say that! How can you think that's all you are? You think because he doesn't like it that he's got the right as your father to beat that kind of love out of you? Woody you're a man, not a child, you can't choose who you love!"

"Buzz its simple for you…" Woody watched as he stood angrily.

"Simple?" Buzz growled at him. "You think loving you is the easiest thing in the world?"

"It isn't?"

"No the hell its not!"

"I love you so much Woody I'd have died that night for you…I think back to that inferno and the way I looked at Jessie and now I'm thinking…"

Woody stared at him in shock. "Now your thinking you made a mistake with me?"

Buzz sighed, lowering his head. "Woody…It's not like that…"

"No Buzz, you made it perfectly clear to me."

"You won't even let me explain!"

"Explain what Buzz? How you're still in love with Jessie?" The noise of the pair arguing had lit up the silent house, everyone could hear every word and nobody moved just to listen to what was being said.

"I am not in love with Jessie!"

"Now who's lying Buzz? I thought that night had proved something to you about me, that I WAS willing to die for you too!"

"You think that I couldn't have handled that pathetic father of yours?"

"Don't you dare call him that!"

"Oh my god Woody are you real? The man tried to beat you senseless! Why are you sticking up for him!"

"Because he's still my father Buzz, your parents might be perfect but we don't all have that luxury!"

"My parents are far from perfect so don't make me out to be the fly boy!"

"There you are! Putting words into my mouth again Buzz, after all we've been through together and you do this to me!"

"Oh for god's sake Woody grow up and stop living in the toy world! You're a man who cant stand up to his own father because he's too afraid of him, he probably beat you into submission I don't know but whatever happened to you before Andy and before anything it screwed with your head, maybe the other night finally knocked that into you!"

"He's my father Buzz what would you have me do? Stand up and whack him one and tell him how useless of a father he is?"

"He does it to you!"

"He has a right!"

"What the bloody heck are you talking about Woody! Your telling me that you'd let him beat you to death if it made him happy because you're his son!"

"Oh forget it Buzz you'll never understand, you'll never truly know what I mean, until you see it in your own way then it's nothing to you because it's not what you were taught to do! Life to you isn't right if it isn't your way or the highway!"

"You think I don't care!" Buzz asked incredulously.

"Well if the shoe fits Buzz Lightyear!"

"After I just spent the last few days looking after your sorry ass!"

"Oh I'm sorry I was so much of a burden on you!"

"You wouldn't have been in that state if you'd have just let me help you when I wanted to! But no, you just have to be brave Woody; you just have to make sure that nobody can knock down our precious hero! Well let me tell you something Woody I think your weak and pathetic too, your father was right, you're not a man you're just a scared boy!"

"How can you say that to me Buzz?"

"How can I tell you the truth? I don't know maybe its time we stopped kidding ourselves and woke up to the reality, we were never meant to be!"

"You're breaking up with me?"

"No we're finishing it as a couple, you will never agree with me and I will never agree with you…"

"And that's reason to break…"

"Save it Woody!" Buzz cut him off, walking away a little. "I've had enough of listening to you."

"Well fine, go back to Jessie with your tail between your legs Buzz, seeing as that's the whole point you were getting to!"

"Maybe I was wrong about you all along, maybe I was wrong to leave Jessie…"

"Maybe you should stop talking and go back to her."

"Maybe I will."

Woody stared at him in shock, he stared back and began to walk away, but Woody had one final thing to say.

"Is this all because you cant except me for the man I am Buzz or because you cant except the fact my family has a problem with it?"

"Both Woody, if they cant except it and you cant stand up to you father, then we will never be anything more than a thing inside my head, I wont ever be anything more than a friend in yours."

"How can you say that?" Woody's eyes conveyed his sorrow.

"I think we both know that's the truth."

"Don't tell me what to feel!"

"Drop it Woody, stop fighting me and start living in reality."

"We're done Buzz Lightyear, we're through for good!"

Buzz stared this time, then turned slowly and jumped off the sofa, leaving the cowboy alone.

Upstairs, the toys all looked to each other, unable to believe what had just happened. Had their team broken apart? Was this truly it? It was so hard to believe now that should they have been back in that inferno, Buzz and Woody would not have stood together, but very much alone.