3:

The Cowboy watched Bo cautiously the rest of that morning. Whenever Jessie grabbed her or gave her small smacks on the arm in jest, he winced. Sooner or later, he was sure, Bo was going to shatter into dust. Right now though, the two friends were discussing what movie to watch.

"Pleaseeeee?" Jessie begged.

"No, Jessie."

"But-but-but…it's a great movie!"

"Jessie," Bo gave her a look. "I don't want to watch 'Rambo.' It's too gory."

The Cowgirl pouted. "The gory stuff is the fun part," she mumbled. Then she brightened. "How about 'Rocky?' It's got a love story! You like love stories!"

"Can't you pick something less violent?"

"Aw poop! I wanna watch something exciting!" Jessie cried, pulling her hat down over her ears. "I wanna watch some action! Something with fight scenes!"

Bo paused. "How about 'The Princess Bride?'"

Jessie grinned. "Ok!" As Bo went to get the film, Woody followed her out the door, passing Jessie on his way, who was now pretending to sword fight. "'Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die…'"

Woody found Bo at the top of the stairs, preparing to descend. "Stop!" Bo pulled her foot back in.

"What?"

As the Cowboy caught up with her, he pulled her away from the steps gently. "You could fall!"

"I've gone down the stairs before without falling."

"No," Woody shook his head. "It's too risky. I'll…carry you down."

"What?" Bo pulled back in surprise. "You'll do what?"

Woody surveyed the ascent. "It's the only way to keep you from danger!"

"Don't you think carrying me would actually increase danger, since you could drop…" Woody scooped her up in his arms. "Woody!"

"Just hold on tight…" he said nervously as he looked down the steps. He had never noticed how many of them there were before. Still, Woody told himself, if it kept his girl safe, he'd climb down a million stairs for her.

Slowly, he placed a boot on the first step, then his other boot. "See?" He said, trying kept apprehension out of his voice. "It's not so bad!"

Bo held onto his neck for dear life. "Woody, please, just put me down…"

"No! Gosh darn it, Bo! I'm going to protect you!" Woody said doggedly as he climbed down to the next step.

"Protect me from what?"

He ignored her. "Let's see…Right foot first, then the left…" Woody repeated as he continued to climb down. "Right foot first, then the left…" Bo let out a fearful squeak as she watched the stairs below. "Right foot first, then the left…Right foot…"

Suddenly, Woody's boot slipped and he fell to his bottom, sliding down the staircase. Bo screamed, clutching at his neck as tight as she could as they continued to coast. Finally on the seventh step they reached, the Cowboy jumped to his feet but continued to run, both he and his girlfriend screaming with fright.

As Woody reached the first floor, he skidded his boots to a halt. "See?" He panted to Bo, who was still clenching his neck in stunned terror. He swallowed. "I told you I could get you down here safe."

"Safe?" Bo repeated. She kicked her legs. "Put me down!" As Woody let her feet touch the ground, she pushed him away. "Safe? You nearly killed us!" As she stalked to the living room, Woody ran close behind.

"Wait! Don't let the door swing back and hit you!"

"Woody…"

"Look, I'll hold it open…" He pushed open the white door and held it there. "See?"

"Will you please stop it?" Bo said in aggravation as she passed.

Woody sighed and let go of the door. It swung back and hit him square in the keester, knocking him to the ground. "Oof!"

Bo stood at the video cabinet, searching through the titles. "'Pinocchio'…'Porco Rosso'…Here it is! 'The Princess Bride!'" She tugged at the VHS, dragging it to the floor. As she lifted it into her arms, Woody suddenly took it.

"Here, that's really heavy! Let me carry it!"

"Oh, like you carried me down the stairs?" Bo was a very patient person, but her frustration was being to surface. "What is wrong with you?"

"Nothing! I just don't want you to get hurt!" He tucked the tape under his arm.

"Hurt? What are you talking about?"

Woody sighed. "Bo, all I know is that if you got broken, I couldn't bear it. I just want you to be safe, that's all. I just…" He shrugged haplessly.

Something clicked in Bo's mind, and she pressed herself against him. "This wouldn't have anything to do with that nightmare you had last night, would it?"

Rubbing the back of his neck, he looked away. "Kind of…" he finally admitted.

"Oh Woody…" She sighed and wrapped her arms around his torso, momentarily startling him. "Woody, I'm fine! Look…" She tilted his chin downward. "Nothing bad is going to happen to me. Not unless, of course, you insist on carrying me down the stairs again."

Woody grimaced. "Not one of my best ideas, huh?"

Bo shook her head. "Mmm-mmm."

Woody looked uncomfortable as he pulled on his bandana. "It's just that…if you got broken, I think that I would be broken too. Not in a literal sense, but I don't know what I'd do without you, Bo. I'd fall apart…"

"Oh, just come here and kiss me already!" Bo yanked his neckerchief down to her level and pressed her lips against his.

"'HELLO!'" Shouted Jessie as she suddenly kicked the living room door open and ran inside. "'MY NAME IS INIGO MONTOYA! YOU KILLED MY FATHER! PREPARE TO DIE!'" She stopped as Woody jerked away from Bo, his cheeks burning red. Crossing her arms, she snickered. "So this is where you went? I was wondering what was taking so long!"

"It wasn't like that…" Woody mumbled, embarrassed.

"Sure it wasn't!" Jessie teased. To Bo, she said, "Come on! I wanna go watch the movie!"

Bo nodded. Taking the tape, she started to follow, but Woody pulled her back. "Remember," he said quietly. "If she wants to wrestle you 'sportsman-like,' just say no." She giggled and kissed his cheek.

As Woody watched her leave with her best friend, he sighed with relief. He now knew at last that Bo would be safe. At least for awhile.

Woody smiled to himself. Maybe he'd go watch the movie too. As he started to follow, he failed to notice the TV Guide on the floor. As he unconsciously put his foot down, the magazine glided and slipped, sending him face first to the carpet. "Ow."