Chapter 1

Jessie Pride pulled her car down the long gravel lane to her brother's ranch, her heart beating a mile a minute. It had been four years since she left for veterinary school, four years since she had last seen the rolling acres of the Round Up Ranch. She grinned as she put the car into park; Woody was not expecting her for another few days. She wondered where he would be at the early afternoon hour, but as she got out of the car, she did not have to wonder long.

"Hey, howdy, hey!" Her brother's jubilant cry echoed across the yard. In a few moments, Woody had crossed the grass and grabbed Jessie up in a hug, lifting her from the ground. "What are you doin' here?"

Jessie laughed as she was set back on the ground, "I couldn't wait another second to come home. As soon as my last final was done, I was in my car and headed here. Surprised?"

Woody smiled, taking his younger sister by her shoulder, "Am I! Let me get a good look at ya!" His chocolate brown eyes took her in. She was a few inches shorter than him, and still as pixie-thin. Her green eyes were as bright and her freckles as plentiful as they had ever been. She still wore her red hair long, but instead of a single braid, she had two braided pigtails pinned around her head like a wreath. "Glad to see you haven't changed that much. It's so good you're home!"

"Things look the same around here…well, 'cept you. You've definitely aged." She laughed as Woody clapped her on the shoulder. She wrapped her arm affectionately around his waist as he draped his over her shoulders. They were headed back towards the house as Jessie asked the one question still left burning in her mind, "So, was that Buzz's truck I saw in town?"

Woody nodded, "Yeah, he's back from deployment. Should be a long leave, too, which will be good for him. Um, you should probably know he will be over for dinner tonight."

Jessie's voice sounded forcibly light, "Oh, well, that's no problem. I'll just call up Bo and see if she wants to hang out."

Woody stopped, rubbing his hand along his neck, "Yeah, see, she'll be here, too."

"Oh. It's ok, I can find somewhere else to be."

Woody looked down at his sister, "You and he have to face each other sometime, Jess."

Jessie looked away, playing nervously with her pinky finger, "I know, I know. It's just… I dunno."

"So, um, y'know how Bo and I were dating?"

"Yeeeeeees," Jessie gave him a sidelong look.

"Well, we're a bit… further along than that." Woody ducked, and with good reason.

Jessie smacked her brother on his shoulder, repeating the action after every word, "How…could…you…not…tell…me…something…that…importan t?!"

Woody backed away, holding up his hands in surrender, laughing, "Hey, easy, easy! She made me swear to keep it a secret! She wanted to surprise you with it this weekend, when we thought you'd be just getting home!"

Jessie glared at her brother, all the while grinning with delight, "Just wait 'til I see her tonight! Oh she's in for a shock, all right! Seriously, Woody, that is great news!" She grabbed her brother in a hug.

Woody exhaled in relief, "I don't know if I can handle all of these secrets! At least I don't think Bo will attack me as viciously. Hey, don't you have luggage or something we should bring in?"

"Oh, yeah. And if I'm going to surprise Bo, I better find a place to hide my car. Have you kicked me out of my old room?"

Woody shook his head, "Nope, it's just the way you left it…a complete and utter disaster area." He laughed, ducking another smack and running towards Jessie's car.

Jessie tossed the last bag onto the floor and flopped down on to her bed. Despite Woody's claim, her room was tidy, with the same pale blue walls. She looked around, feeling like she had stepped back four years. After she graduated from college, she announced her decision to attend veterinary school. That came as no shock to anyone; it was the location that set off the bombshell. Jessie had been accepted at a school in South Carolina, far away from their farm in Oklahoma. Woody and Bo had been more than supportive, but things with Buzz did not go so well. As soon as Woody and Bo had left for a walk, Buzz began hurling questions at her. Jessie closed her eyes, remembering that evening.

"What do you mean South Carolina? How can you just up and leave so easily?"

Jessie's hands flew to her hips, "Oh, this from you? Give me a break, Buzz! You enlisted right out of high school, you just couldn't wait to be part of Star Command. And who has always been the one dreaming of going to far off places? Let me think… oh right, YOU!"

"So what? I still call this town home. Wasn't going to college in another state enough, now you have to run away again?"

"Run away? From what am I supposed to be running away?"

Buzz paced back and forth, "I don't know. But nothing about this town has seemed enough for you lately. I mean, you just came back and now you're leaving in a few weeks?"

Jessie folded her arms across her chest, "Ok, again, YOU making this argument just isn't going to hold water. I love this town, but this is one of the best schools in the country, and they accepted me! Do you even know how hard it is to get into vet school?! And I'm supposed to just decline the offer, and stay here? For no particular reason at all?"

"So I'm not a reason for you to stay, is that what you're saying?" Buzz's blue eyes were as cold as steel.

"No, I am not saying that, although the way you're acting now…Buzz you are NEVER home anymore! And now you're being shipped off to some mission God knows where! You want me to stay here on the ranch but meanwhile you feel no conflict in darting off at the drop of a hat. Do you not even think of what could happen to you? Buzz, you could be killed doing this! But you love that, don't you? You love the danger, the glory of it. Don't you dare talk to me about not being considerate when you clearly don't give a damn about…"

"ENOUGH!" Buzz's shout silenced Jessie. "I am doing what I do because that is my job, regardless of how I feel about it. You running off to South Carolina for school is just… you being a selfish brat."

Jessie stared at the man before her. She and Buzz grew up together; he was always over at the house, hanging out with Woody, including her in their games. When she was in high school, they began dating and it seemed as if nothing could ever separate them. Now it all seemed to be crumbling around them. Jessie bit her lip, thinking before opening her mouth again, "You think I'm a selfish brat for following my dream, just as you have always pursued yours? Buzz, I have wanted to be a vet since I was little; you KNOW that! Grandpa left me money just so I could go after what I love to do. Now, I don't know why you're suddenly so against it, but I am going, and maybe it's just as well. It seems we have said all we have to say to each other." She turned to walk back in to the house. She paused, looking back over her shoulder, "Listen, be safe on your mission, ok? Woody would be lost without his best friend." With that, she turned and walked through the door and headed up to her room, mustering all of her self-control to keep the tears at bay until she was alone.

A soft knock on her door frame brought Jessie back to the present. "Jessie?"

She pushed herself into a seated position, "Thought you said this place was a disaster area," she grinned at Woody. "What's up?"

'You okay?"

"Yeah, just a little tired. It's a long drive." She gave him a lopsided smile, "Tryin' to muster up the energy to unpack all of this stuff." She nudged one of the bags with her toe.

"Aw, leave it 'til tomorrow. Anyways, Bo is going to be here in about fifteen minutes. Thought I should give you ample time to hatch whatever devious plan you intend to unleash upon my poor girl."

Jessie laughed, "Don't worry, brother dear. I don't plan on scaring her too badly. I better change, though; I feel like part of my car." After Woody left, Jessie rummaged through a suitcase, finding a clean pair of jeans and a summery yellow top with small red flowers. She checked her hair to make sure her braids were in place, and she heard the kitchen door open and Bo greet Woody. With an impish grin, she crept down the stairs, letting Bo have a few moments alone with her brother. She leaned against the doorframe, unnoticed by either of them, before walking up and tapping Bo on the shoulder, "What's goin' on in here?"

The young blonde woman jumped and gave a yell of surprise at the sight of the red-head. Jessie laughed and caught Bo in a warm hug, "Surprised?"

Bo laughed, returning the hug, "Of course! When did you get in, Woody said you weren't going to be home until the weekend!" She rounded on the cowboy, "Did you lie to me, Woody Pride?"

Jessie rushed to her brother's defense, "No, no. He was just as surprised as you were. I couldn't stand to be away any longer, and I didn't need to attend the graduation ceremony anyway. Soon as I was done finals, I was in my car. Anything new with you?"

Bo blushed deeply, "No, no, nothing at all. Why d'you ask?"

Jessie laughed, poking her best friend in her arm, "I would have thought my brother would have proposed to you by now. Y'mean he hasn't and you're still sticking around?"

"Well," Bo looked somewhat demure, "actually…"

"Jessie?" a familiar but hesitant voice came from the kitchen door.

Jessie looked up and felt her heart rate speed up. In the doorway stood Buzz Lightyear, looking not much different from the last time she saw him. His light brown hair was slicked back on his head, and he was still as fit as ever with his broad shoulders and chiseled jaw. Jessie affected as best a smile as she could, "Hey, Buzz."

Buzz looked as nervous as she felt, "Didn't know you were back already. Thought it was…"

"This weekend, yeah, I know." There was an awkward silence for a few seconds. "You can come in, if you want, you know."

"Oh, right. Yeah." Buzz came inside, handing Woody a six pack of beer, "My turn, remember?"

Woody smiled, grasping his best friend's shoulder, "Always good to see you, Buzz, especially when your hands are full." He noticed Bo steering Jessie into the living room, and dropped his voice, "You gonna be ok with this? I didn't know she was going to be back today."

Buzz swallowed hard, "Yeah, I mean what's the difference between now and a few days from now, right? Is she… is she still mad about…?"

Woody shrugged, "Dunno, we haven't talked about it. You're both different people now, Buzz. Just relax, okay? Come on, have a beer, and let's go join the girls."

Buzz nodded, taking a bottle from Woody. Seeing Jessie brought back so many memories, and he cringed to think about their parting. Best you can hope for, Lightyear, is to strike up friendship. For all you know, she's gone and gotten engaged. Buzz sighed, squared his shoulders, and followed Woody into the living room, where the sound of Jessie and Bo's laughter brought a small smile to his face.

After some slightly strained conversation, Bo asked Jessie to help her get dinner ready. Jessie followed readily. She was tossing the salad as Bo asked, "It's hard, I guess, seeing Buzz?"

Jessie nodded, "I just don't know what to say or expect. I'm walkin' on eggshells, and prob'ly for no reason at all. For all I know, he doesn't even think about me, and I'm makin' a mountain out of a molehill."

Bo smiled, "I wouldn't say that, Jessie. We've been around him for a while now, and I think, and this might be just woman's intuition, but I think he probably is uneasy about things as you are. Maybe you should just talk to each other?"

Jessie shrugged, "You have always been a hopeless romantic, Bo, God love ya for it. But I can't say as I share in your optimism. Come on, we'd better get dinner on the table before those two start getting restless."

Dinner was a more comfortable affair, whether because Jessie was so glad to be back with her family or the few beers Buzz had to drink, it was hard to say. Jessie waited for a lull in the conversation as Woody leaned back, resting a hand on his stomach. She cleared her throat, "So, um, I have an announcement."

All eyes turned towards her, although Buzz's reluctantly so. Jessie smiled, "I…. have a job!"

Bo clapped her hands, "That's great, Jess!"

"Where?" Buzz's one word question spoke volumes and almost caused Jessie to flinch.

Jessie played with her pinky finger, "In town, actually. I spoke with Slink, to see if he could use help down at the vet office. Well, you know how he is, and so I am now a part time tech, so he can keep the office open even if he's out making a house call." She smiled sheepishly.

Woody nodded, "That's perfect! But why only part time?"

"Well, I figured you'll be needin' help around here, too. Gotta pull my weight around here, somehow."

Woody stood and circled the table to hug his sister, "I'll take you as a hired hand any day. Buzz, care to give me a hand with the dishes? Only fair," he grinned at Jessie, "since you girls did the cookin'."

Bo and Jessie sat at the table and caught up as the sound of running water and the clinking of dishes wafted in from the kitchen. Jessie filled in Bo about South Carolina, the ocean, the things she loved and hated about veterinary school. In turn, Jessie learned about the latest news on her friends and the town, that Bo worked at Hamm's diner, and finally Bo confessed to her engagement to Woody, showing off the delicate ring with a blush.

Jessie laughed and hugged her friend, "I am so excited for you. You two are good for each other, you know."

"Naturally I expect you to be my maid of honor."

"Naturally. And I will be, unless you intend me to wear some frilly, pink monstrosity and then we're gonna have words."

Bo laughed. "You don't have a thing to worry about. I wouldn't dream of trying to dress you in pink, not since you almost laid me out back when we were little."

Jessie laughed at the memory, "Sure threw a fit, didn't I? Be right back, 'k?"

Jessie wiped her still-wet hands on her jeans as she came back from the powder room, but Bo was no longer in the dining room. "Bo?" Jessie checked the downstairs, and finally looked out on the front porch. Neither Bo nor Woody were there, but Buzz was sitting on the porch swing.

He saw Jessie and hastily stood up, "Hey. I think Woody and Bo went for a walk, and I thought you might have been with them."

Jessie shook her head, "No, seems they snuck out on us."

Another of many awkward silences followed, neither of them looking at the other. Finally the silence was simultaneously broken by both.

"Jessie…"

"Buzz…" Jessie looked at Buzz and finally laughed sheepishly as Buzz chuckled. "Sorry, you go."

"I just…I just wanted to say that it's good to see you; I'm glad you're back home."

"Oh, thanks. Listen, Buzz… the things I said to you before I left…I'm sorry. I was hurt, confused, and…"

"No, it's ok, Jess. I'm sorry, too. I wasn't at my best, either, and I've regretted our parting ever since."

Jessie felt a hopeful flutter in her heart, "So… can we be friends? I'd really like to be friends again."

Buzz smiled and the tension in his body relaxed, "I'd really like that, too."

Woody and Bo came around the corner of the barn, arm in arm, and could see Buzz and Jessie talking on the porch: Jessie stretched across the swing and Buzz sitting on the railing. Woody looked down at Bo and gave her a relieved smile. He leaned down, kissing her cheek, "Maybe things won't be as bad as they seemed," he whispered in her ear.

Bo smiled up at her fiancé, "Let's hope." She leaned her head against his arm as they continued on to the house.