10/14/19
(A/N: Sorry for the long wait 😅)
You restlessly paced along the desk, your thumb gently pressed between your teeth as you kept a fixed stare on your feet. The gang had left many hours ago, into the sunset. It was now late into the nighttime, probably getting close to sunrise. The moon was near the horizon, the stars were growing fainter as they began to blend in with the slowly lightening sky.
Incredible worry and panic had been coursing through you ever since Woody was stolen the previous morning, your heightened emotional states worsening after your friends had left in search of the cowboy. You had so many of your friends to be worrying about all at once; you hadn't been able to think straight since early yesterday.
"(Y/N), honey." Bo called softly as she quietly opened Andy's door, her sheep silently trotting behind her. A sigh escaped her lips that curved down into a concerned frown as your frantic, pacing form. "You're going to wear out the poor desk by pacing like that."
"I just can't help it." You removed your thumb from between your sets of teeth and clenched your fists. "I feel like I bring trouble everywhere I go. I'm like a bad omen."
"What makes you say that?" She asked, joining you atop the desk.
"Within the first few months of me being here, the whole fiasco between Woody and Buzz happened and I was there for all of it." You began, recounting everything that had happened before the move in your head. "And now, Woody's been stolen and almost all of our friends went out into that dangerous world to find him. Don't you think this all seems too coincidental?
Bo placed her delicate hand onto your shoulder gently. "Oh, honey. None of this is your fault. Not then, not now. Everything happens for a reason, but you are not that reason." A small smile started to grace her rosy lips as she joked, "After all, Woody has always been one to get himself into trouble."
The tiniest of smiles came to your lips as you sighed in frustration. "Yeah, I can see that." You replied.
"You just need to keep your chin up." Bo told you in the sweetest manner possible, her hand gingerly grazing the bottom of your chin as she lifted your head up to look at her. "Those boys have always been quite the handful, but they know what they're doing. They all care for each other, like the family we know we are. And as long as they keep that in mind, they are able to do anything they put their minds to."
"It's not that I don't believe in them, because I do. It's just...." You sighed. "I just can't help but think of the worst case scenario. I don't mean to, but with all I've been through-"
"It became what you're used to." Bo smiled sadly, perfectly finishing your thought for you. Your face couldn't help but turn into one of sadness and anguish at her pained, sympathetic gaze. Even though toys don't have tears doesn't mean they don't have their own ways of crying. And right now, you felt like breaking down completely.
"Sweetie, don't cry." Your friend consoled you quietly before you could lose it. "Everything will be okay, I promise. Buzz and the others will be fine! They'll find Woody, and they'll all come back home to us in one piece."
"I feel so guilty, Bo." You looked out the window, sadly looking towards the millions of faint, glistening stars. "You've all done so much for me, especially Woody and Buzz, and I'm just sitting here. I should've taken Buzz up on his offer. I should've went with them to rescue Woody."
"Honey, they aren't upset with that! You also need to keep yourself safe, they know that. A shattered doll can't help her friends, rather she might instead hurt them more. Your choice was a perfectly reasonable one." She smiled at you, rubbing your shoulder.
"But...." She began, causing you to look at her with hope. "That also doesn't mean you can't change your mind."
"Oh, Bo!" You gasped in shock. "I wish I could, but I can't! Don't you think it's far too late now? I have nobody to go with me, and I have no idea where to go. It's too dangerous."
"Weren't you the one who said you felt guilty about not helping?" Bo smiled sweetly at you. "Am I wrong? Because the toy sitting right in front of me is the same one that toughed it out with Woody and Buzz, the three of you against the world. You're the one who survived in Sid's house and lived to tell the tale. You're the one who fought just as hard as Woody and Buzz to make sure you got back to Andy."
"But that's just it, Bo." You sighed. "It wasn't just me. I was with Woody and Buzz! It was never just me out there against the world."
"True, but you're the one who managed to hold on for so long after all you went through. All of the boxes and endless watching that followed each passing kid for such a long while." She smiled warmly, leaning against her crook in an affectionate manner as she looked at you with endearment. "That was you against the world, just you."
You stayed silent, stunned by her words. Not once had you ever thought about it like that before. Your past always seem so terrifying and destructive, which it was and still seemed to be. But you never looked at it the way Bo did, with how much hope, courage, and willpower it took to really hang in there all that time.
"What if I'm still scared, though? My past still terrifies me. It haunts me like a nightmare, one that clings tightly and never lets go. How could I possibly be strong if I'm still scared of my past?"
"Just because you're scared doesn't mean you are any less strong." Bo stroked your cheek softly with the back of her knuckles. "Everyone has fears. And if you think about it, the strongest people have the strongest fears. True strength isn't being afraid of nothing, it's being willing to face your many fears. It's fighting for your dreams so that you may follow your heart."
Your eyes widened as she finished talking. Bo was so sweet and caring, but you never realized just how wise she was. A newfound hope burned within you, followed by a new courage that told you to go after your friends.
"Get some rest, honey." Bo gave you a knowing smile. "You'll want at least a little sleep before morning comes." With that, she stroked your hair once before leaving the room just as quietly as she had came.
You knew what you wanted to do.
Early on in the morning, Andy's mother left to go to the store, taking Molly with her. As they were getting into the car, you were perched on the windowsill by Andy's bed. It was open just enough for you to walk through, not enough for someone to easily notice the window was ajar. The chilly, morning breeze brushed across your face as the car finally pulled out of the driveway and started down the road.
"(Y/N)! What're you doing!?" Mrs. Potato Head cried out in fear as you had taken a step closer to the window.
You turned back to her, staring silently. Behind her, you saw Bo quietly come through the door. She smiled sweetly at you, giving you confidence when she gave you a pleased nod. A smile came to your lips in return as you answered, "I'm going after them. Woody and Buzz helped me before the move, and it's time for me to help them."
"But it's too dangerous!" Mrs. Potato Head exclaimed in shock. "Are you sure you're strong enough for this?"
"Somebody once told me that true strength isn't being afraid of nothing, it's about being willing to face your fears, to fight for your dreams so you can follow your heart. And I'm not going to let my fears hold me back again. Not this time." You smiled confidently, sending a gracious smile to Bo.
"You stay safe out there, honey." She called. "I believe in you. Keep your chin up and you'll be alright."
"Thank you so much, Bo. Thank you for believing in me and always making me stronger. Me and the gang will see you soon." You ducked out the window and walked to the edge of the roof. You stared down at the ground and gulped, but slung your parasol off your shoulder anyway.
Taking a deep breath, you opened your accessory and gently let your feet fall off the edge of the roof. A sharp gasp escaped your lips when your parasol abruptly opened further, catching you in the air as it helped you carefully float to the ground. A huge, ecstatic smile graced your features when you landed perfectly on the ground. But there wasn't time to celebrate your parasol, you needed to get moving.
~~~~~~~~
You had walked for a long while before you realized that you would have a tough time catching up to your friends. Also, you still had no clue where you were going. You didn't even know if you were still going the right way, whether you were actually straying further from your actual destination or not.
Regardless, you continued to explore until you could find something that could be helpful. To your surprise, that help turned out to be a house with many toys left out on the porch. No car was in the driveway and the toys were playing around on the porch, so you assumed nobody was home. A smile on your face, you ran over and approached them.
"Hello?" You called. "Can you guys help me?"
"Why, hello there!" A plastic princess doll with brown hair and a golden gown came up to you and curtsied. "Are you lost?"
"Actually, I might be." You smiled. "You don't know how to get to Al's Toy Barn by any chance, do you?"
"Al's?" Someone asked. You turned to see a female Viking figure come up to you. She had blonde hair and light blue eyes, and she was wearing a blue top with a pale red skirt. "Me and my friend actually came from there! Why do you ask?"
"It's a long story, but some of my friends are headed there in search of one of our friends that was stolen. I need to get there quickly." You replied.
"Well, you're lucky you passed by here!" The Viking smiled. She gave a whistle and a fairly large black dragon came running over. It had green eyes and it's tail was red. A small crank lever was beneath its tail. "This is one of my partners! We're from the same collection. He can fly you there!"
"Fly?" You gasped with a smile. "No way!"
"Yup! Just crank him up and off he goes! Now let's hurry up and get you on your way! And once you're there, just crank him back up again so he can come back home." The Viking Girl smiled brightly at you as she began to crank up her dragon friend.
"Thank you so much! I can't tell you how much this means to me." You gushed.
"Don't mention it. Just a few more cranks and off you go! Hurry and get on!" She told you.
You carefully got onto the dragon and held on tight, petting the dragon while you waited. He purred and gave you a toothless smile. "You're all set!" The girl spoke up. "You ready to go?"
"Yes!" You gave her a determined nod. "Ready when you are!"
"Then off you go!" She released the crank as the dragon's wings began to rapidly flutter. He rocketed off the porch and high onto the sky, carrying you with him. It took you a moment to realize just how tightly you needed to hold on, but it was easy sailing once you got comfortable. You couldn't wait to tell the boys all about what you were currently doing, but all that mattered now as you flew through the sky was finding your friends so you could help them save Woody.