CHAPTER 19 – The Morning After

Buzz was awakened a few hours later by the early morning light shining in his eyes. He looked down to see Jessie next to him, now turned away from him, with her head resting on her clasped hands as she slept. She was curled up foetus style, and she looked small and vulnerable next to him.

Buzz shifted slightly onto his side and curled his arm over her waist. She murmured and snuggled back to him, and he kissed the back of her neck gently. She stirred a little and he drew away from her, noticing the yellow ribbon on the end of her braid had worked itself undone in the night, and her braid was slightly messy. For some odd reason, it suited her, he thought.

"Buzz," she whispered in her sleep.

"Hmm?" He responded, and she turned over in his arms. She opened her eyes and jumped on seeing him so close to her; they were practically nose to nose. In the half light of the morning, his mouth found hers and they kissed for a moment before breaking apart.

"Good morning," Buzz chuckled against her skin.

"Hoo boy, and what a morning it is," Jessie agreed, wrapping her arms around his neck. "I had a really nice time last night, Buzz."

"Me too," Buzz kept his arm over her waist. "How about we go watch the sun rise? And then unfortunately, little missy, I have to get back to the desk...otherwise Bonnie will know something's up. She put me there on guard duty. " He laughed.

Jessie sighed. "I guess I should go back to the bed, too. But a sunrise watching sounds nice!" She added enthusiastically.

"Say no more," Buzz hopped to his feet and picked Jessie up in his arms. She put her arm around his neck to steady herself and he glanced down at her for a moment. She blushed.

"I seem to recall you picking me up like this not so long ago."

Buzz blinked. "I did?"

"Yeah...in the rubbish chute..." Jessie paused, "Oh wait, you don't remember that bit."

Buzz shook his head. "Nope. I still have no idea what keeps coming over me these days," he added, as he carried Jessie towards the window, setting her down on the desk again. He went back the way he had come, returning a few moments later with her hat, and the blanket. He put her hat on the desk beside her, and draped the blanket over her shoulders.

"It's so beautiful," Jessie said softly as Buzz sat down next to her. She watched the sun come up over the tops of the houses in the distance as Buzz reached for her hand again. She turned slightly towards him and shuffled about under the blanket, creating enough room underneath for him too.

Buzz looked at her a little uncertain, until she kissed his cheek. "Come snuggle with me, Buzz," she whispered seductively, and fluttered her lashes at him. Buzz blinked at her sudden forwardness. This was a side of Jessie he hadn't seen before. But there was a side of him that was strangely attracted to what some might call her feminine wilds.

He shifted slightly, filling the space between them, as she draped the blanket over his shoulders too. It felt nice to be cuddled up against her, he contemplated, as he put his arm around her and she laid her head back on his shoulder. He slipped his free hand into her own free hand, which was resting in her lap.

"Buzz," she murmured. "I hope it's always this way."

"What way?" Buzz murmured contentedly. She sat up and looked at him. Buzz swallowed. "Oh, right, this way, right?"

"Right..." Jessie said, eyeing him suspiciously. "What else could I mean?"

"Well...you could be worried about Andy happening all over again. I know how thoughts like that tend to plague you." Buzz said softly.

Jessie thought for a moment. "Andy is going to happen with Bonnie all over again, isn't it Buzz?" She turned scared green eyes on him, and he couldn't help but look at her with a wry smile.

"Jess, toys always get outgrown..."

"But Buzz, if Bonnie's going to outgrow us, what are the chances of us being together always?" Jessie's voice had gone up an octave in worry, and Buzz shushed her, pulling her to his chest again. He stroked her hair.

"Jessie, I promise, I will always be with you." He whispered, and she pulled back.

"Really?" Her eyes shone.

"Really." He repeated. "Even if I'm not here," he tapped the side of her head gently, "I'll be in here," he marked a cross over her chest.

Jessie closed her eyes and he saw a small tear run down her cheek. "Thats so sweet, Buzz," she said under her breath, and cuddled back to him again.

"Well, that is me all over," Buzz chuckled modestly, and she thwapped him with a corner of the blanket.

"Button it, ranger," she warned him with a smile.

"Or what?" Buzz asked, pulling her onto his lap in one movement.

"Or...I'll...hey, get off," Jessie giggled as he kissed her ear, "Buzz, stoppit," she whispered as he continued to kiss her, "Someone's going to see."

"Aw, let them look," he returned, hugging her close to him and kissing her collarbone again. "Now where was I up to," he added, throwing her a cheeky grin, working his mouth down over her shoulder.

"Buzz...!" Jessie squeaked, wriggling on his lap.

"Shush cowgirl. I know what I'm doing," Buzz responded, kissing her lips lightly to make her become quiet.

"But Buzz," Jessie's squeak became a low whisper, "Bonnie's waking up," she indicated behind them and Buzz turned.

"Rats," he muttered, lifting Jessie off his lap and grabbing the blanket. "You get back to the bed, I'll deal with the stuff on the desk." He told her.

"One more kiss," Jessie said shyly, wrapping her arms around his neck. He kissed her cheek and gave her a little push.

"There, now shoo," he said, patting her butt as she turned. Jessie looked back at him with big eyes and a grin when he did that. She hopped off the desk, running across to the bed. Buzz shoved the blanket they had been using into the tissue box and pushed the box across to its place on the side of the desk.

He was on his way back to his seat under the lamp when he noticed Jessie's hat sitting on its own by the window. "Double rats," he grumbled, doubling back to fetch it, and darting back to his place on the desk by the lamp. He looked over to where Jessie was lying on the bed, watching him.

He waved her hat at her, and her mouth dropped open in horror. At that moment Bonnie yawned and sat up, and they both froze. The little girl hopped out of bed, and padded towards the door, heading for the bathroom as she did every morning.

Quick as a flash, making sure she was definitely gone, Buzz hopped to the edge of the desk, and pretended Jessie's hat was a Frisbee, throwing it through the air and straight into the waiting arms of the cowgirl.

She caught it triumphantly, and looked over at him again, just in time to see him blow her a kiss. She pretended to catch the kiss and smiled. Buzz went back to his seat on the desk and Jessie froze as Bonnie returned to the room.

She started pulling on some clothes, and when she was done she walked across to the desk, picking up Buzz. "I think Buzz Lightyear will be flying to the moon today..." she murmured to the space toy, as she looked around, "...and there, he's going to meet his match in the sheriff of the moon..." she continued, picking up Woody, "...and then they're going to meet a animal, maybe a big mean ol' dog..." she grabbed Slinky from his place under the bed, "...and then when the two of them are cornered , out comes the deputy Jessie the cowgirl..." she took Jessie under her arm too, "...and her moon walking, jet propelled unicorn!" She reached under her blanket and pulled out Buttercup.

She giggled and looked down at her toys. "We'll go play out in the garden today," she announced loudly to herself, and skipped out of the room. As they left the room in Bonnie's clutches, the toys looked at each other and smiled.

There didn't seem to be any escaping gardens these days after all.

Fin.

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