Valentine's Day

Disclaimer: I do not own Toy Story, unfortunately.

A/N I would like to thank Angie J Trifid for this idea:) Thanks to those who have read, reviewed, put the story on their alert/faves list so far. It means a lot!

"So, Buzz," Bo asks eagerly, a suspiciously saccharine smirk on her face. "It's Valentines Day tomorrow... Do you have anything in mind for a...certain someone?"

Buzz, still looking rather preoccupied, sits cross-legged by the foot of Andy's bed, gingerly looking through his selection of card-paper. Blue is cool, warm, steadfast - an honest reflection of his character - but red..red is VIVACIOUS. It was lively, high-spirited, energetic and voluptuous just like, just like -

Just like...

"Uh," Bo fake-coughs into her fist. Dawdling by her side, her three sheep baas in Buzz's direction, startling him upright.

"Wh-wh-what?" Buzz asks, shaking his head in confusion. "Oh, Bo, I didn't, uh... I didn't see you there."

"That's okay," she says. "I was just asking if you have any plans for a certain someone?"

"A certain someone?"

"Yes, Buzz."

"Uh, no-" Buzz suddenly takes notice of how visible the card-paper is, and frantically slides them under the bed. "A someone certain? I mean, a certain someone - not at all. Mrs. Potato-Head just wants me to make a model spaceship for the aliens, that's all."

"That's all?"

"Yes." Buzz coughs into his fist, and then runs a finger along the line of his helmet as if he were trying to adjust his collar.

"Buzz," Bo sighs. "Every toy in here knows you're making a card for a certain cowgirl. Well...except for Jessie, of course."

Buzz arches an eyebrow. "Really? They do? I mean, uh, of course not!"

"Buzz, it's okay," Bo laughs, absent-mindedly turning the staff around in her hand. "I don't want to embarrass you - I'm here to see if you want any help."

"Any help?"

"Of course. Us girls have a mind for these things," she winks. "If you go gather what you need, I'll help you out?"

Buzz considers for a moment. "Well, in that case..."

...

Dammit, where could they be?

Andy's cupboard, nothing.

Under Andy's bed, nothing.

Andy's closet, nothing. Nothing but old shoes and lonely socks.

He groans in frustration. Where are the craft supplies? Where could they be? He has been looking for close to an hour now, and very soon Andy would be home, and he wouldn't be able to give Jessie his card. Where in all the galaxy quadrants could they be?

Glue and glitter, that was all he needed for his cards. Glitter and glue. But they were nowhere to be found. Absolutely nowh-

"Hey, Buzz," a small tap on his shoulder makes him jump 180'c in the air, arm outstretched and finger on his laser trigger. He breathes deeply, his heart - well, his internal battery - beating wildly in surprise.

"Woah, woah, woah," It's Woody, his palms raised upwards in peace. "What's gotten into you, Buzz? Were you restored to factory settings, or something?"

Realisation soothes vigilant expression. "Sorry, Woody - you know not to sneak up on me like that" he chuckles, rubbing the back of his neck.

"I just came over to ask you what you're doing?"

"Me?" Buzz asks in fake surprise. Despite having it on good authority that Woody actually knows, he can't bring himself to be honest. "Oh, nothing."

"Really?" If any eyebrow could be questioning, Buzz was sure that Woodys arching eyebrow definitely was. "Because it looks like you're looking for something, pal."

"Absolutely not!"

"So...you're not looking for anything?"

"Well, no - I mean, yes, I mean-" - he spots a sly grin twitch Woody's lips - "it's not like that!"

"Oh really? So you wouldn't happen to be making a certain something that's a certain card for a certain someone on a certain day called Valentine's Day?"

"Wh-what?" If Woody wasn't his best friend, Buzz was sure he would have told him that there's a spaceship going to the sun in the morning - perhaps he should consider boarding it? But alas, Woody is his friend, and Buzz is loyal, so what could have been a rather uncharitable insult to his toyhood came out as: "Woody, if you wouldn't mind, I have some stuff to be getting on with."

"So you are! There's no point in lying to me, Buzz," Woody takes the hint when Buzz remains silent, and clicks his fingers "You know I can read you like a book and I just happen to know that my reading age is quite high." He relishes a few more moments of awkward silence from Buzz, then continues: "it's no secret, Buzz - we all knew the moment we brought her home."

Buzz's eyes widen a fraction, but yet he takes all efforts to remain composed. "I don't know what you're talking about, but I have to go now."

"I was actually hoping you could look at something I made. You know, just to see if it's any good or not?"

"Not now, Woody. I'm a little busy, but maybe later, all right?"

"Okay, then," Woody chuckles, a little disheartened. "But you don't know what you're gonna be missing."

"I'm sure I'll live."

"Oh, really? We thought you were going to be eaten by Martians!" Woody remarks sarcastically. "I had a speech prepared and everything!" And, then as Buzz turns around and makes towards Andy's bedroom door, rolling his eyes and shaking his head, "The glitter's in Molly's room, if you're looking for it."

It takes every ounce of Buzz's will-power not to bury his head in Andy's floorboards.

Finished. Finally!

"Oh, Buzz, Jessie's going to love this!" Bo exclaims.

"I know, right?" He says smugly, folding the project up neatly and positioning it between his arm and left side. At his height, the card almost touches the floor. "I really hope she likes it." He stands still for a couple of moments, eyes closed, breathing steadily to gather his courage. Then he lifts up his head. "I think I'm ready to give it to her now."

"Ready as ever, Space Ranger."

Now I just have to find her, Buzz thinks to himself. Come to think of it, I haven't seen her all day.

He looks around Molly's room but finds no-one but Bo and Mrs. Potato-Head playing hide-and-seek with the aliens. Not in there.

So he heads back to Andy's room.

Not on Andy's desk. Or on his bed. Or on the floor below. So that only leaves: under Andy's bed.

He stands beside Andy's bed, bracing himself, then he reaches for the fabric only to-

"Do you like it?" He stops dead in his tracks, hand hanging limply in the air. That's Woody's voice, but who is he speaking to?

"Oh, Woody that is so darn cute." Jessie. But what was she doing under there?

"I know it is, innit?"

"And you really spent all of last night working on it?" Her voice. He's never heard it sound like that before. So melodious. So heavenly.

"Yep."

"It's so beautiful."

The card. Woody must have shown her his card. He must have beaten him to the race.

And to think he had thought Jessie could one day be his. If only he could have mustered up the courage - iff only he could have been quick enough! He's had years to do this - well, now he's been beaten in the race, and he is entirely deserving of the loss.

Looking at the message on the Valentine's card again, it strikes him that his gift was and is completely useless. Happy Valentine's Day? How rubbish and banal. Completely asinine. How stupid was he to think that he might have had the slightest chance with Jessie? He was a space ranger; she was a cowgirl. Woody and Jessie are from the same line - they were literally made for each other!

Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!

To dispel some of the negative energy building up inside him, he tears up the card in his hands. First down the centre, then he aligns the pieces again and makes a second tear. Then again and again and again until his hands are overflowing with tiny pieces of red card-paper.

If it was possible for a toy to have tear ducts, then he might have been crying as he walked away with the card in his hands as torn up as all his prospects at a future with Jessie.

Meanwhile:

"Oh, Woody - that is the cutest darn picture I have ever seen of Buster! Bo's going to love it!"

"I know. He's really cute, isn't he?" Woody bragged.. "I spent all of last night trying to print it off while Andy was at a sleepover with his friend."

"She's going to love it." Jessie repeats, then places a gentle hand on Woody's shoulder. "Y'know, I'd never say this in front of anyone else, but you certainly are a sweet'un when it counts."

"Aren't I just."