It pains me that there are so few fanfics about Beans, who is my favourite Rango character, especially when the romance between herself and Rango is one of the most eligible topics regarding the film and franchise. I decided my first Rango fanfic ought to be about the two of them, therefore, and when this idea struck me I jumped right on it. It was originally going to be a drabble, but I found as I composed it that it would need to be fleshed out just a little more in order to make sense. I tried to keep the detail focused on Rango's emotions surrounding Beans, shortly after they are married, so much of the background is left open to interpretation. As a warning for those who don't care much for cute romances, this is probably not the story for you.

Rango, the sheriff and town hero of Dirt, felt like he was on top of the world as he carried his beautiful, blushing bride up to the threshold. As if it were possible, Beans looked countless times prettier than he'd ever seen her before, adorned in a beautiful white wedding gown, a white veil (not too long for fear of getting tarnished by the dusty, sandy ground), her tidy ringlets bundled up atop her head. She looked her strong-willed but proper self, and yet in her bridal attire, as Mr. Furgus had escorted her to the altar, Rango saw that elusive softer side to her personality that she rarely let show, even to him. Much to his surprise, however, even through the veil shrouding her face, when her gaze turned to her awaiting bridegroom, he saw something else in her eyes…

He'd had trouble placing it, then, but he forgot about it as it came to the two of them giving their vows. The puzzle of that unfamiliar gleam in Beans' eyes resurfaced during their reception at the Gas Can. Somehow a toast to the bride and groom lead to a minor brawl between a few of the guests, but it had been more than love and wonder at his new wife that had distracted Rango as he settled everyone down (it was his big day but he was still the sheriff). Before the dispute had started, he'd turned one eye to speak to her - the other surveying the room and the guests for such interruptions as what was to come - and saw again that look in her eyes as she turned her face wholly to him and smiled. That mysterious glint, that sparkle he was certain he'd never seen before… or had he? It made him turn to face her completely, gaze fixed, whatever he wanted to say forgotten.

"Cat got your tongue, honey?" Beans had drawled, amused.

Rango gave no response, but kept staring into her eyes. A moment later, Beans frowned. "You're not makin' fun of me, are ya?"

The moment her expression changed, the hold that unnamed look had on him was relinquished. He snapped out of it. "Fun? Oh yeah, sure, I'm having fun! Aren't you having fun? I mean, I know what they say about the horrors after marriage, all that 'newly wed, nearly dead' stuff and all that, but still, it's gonna be different with us, right? Coz we, that 's you and me, we have fun! Like hell, we're havin' fun!" In his excitement, Rango slammed his fist down on the table and caused one of the boards to break out of its fastening and come shooting up, nearly wapping Beans in the face. That had earned a dead silence throughout the saloon. Staring at the upended board, the newlyweds blinked in shock, before Rango turned to Buford, and muttered in a stage whisper, "Yeah… so I'm guessing you'll want me to pay for that, right?"

/

Now, as they approached the front door of the house on Beans' father's ranch, she turned to Rango and commented, "It was some wild party, huh Rango?" Rango seemed off in another world. She tried breaking the silence again. "I'll bet what did it for everyone was when young Waffles inserted that rant about the time he walked in on you in the outhouse!" Waffles' speech about the bridegroom had indeed taken a less-than-anticipated turn right about that point...

Rango paid only minor attention to what Beans was saying, for after hours of puzzling, he'd finally deduced what was so different about her now. He recalled where he'd seen her look at him like that before. It had happened first when they were trapped in the water vault together, just before she'd kissed him. It happened again after he'd saved the town from the mayor's evil plan. It happened again the evening he popped the question to her. Since he had saved the town and restored its water supply, thereby also saving the ranch her beloved father had left Beans, things had become a lot easier for her. On top of that, she'd found love with Rango, and his later proposal to her had made her secure in that she would one day continue her father's legacy… not to mention it put her long-term rival Angelique in her place. She was both at ease and elated. He had helped her vanquish the demons which had plagued her life, and now he was going to help her make a new, brighter one.

"Rango? Rango honey," Beans waved a hand in front of his face.

"Huh, wha?" Rango shook his head.

"You've hardly said a word since the weddin'. Everythin' alright?"

"Oh, sure thing, Beans!"

"Then why the silence?"

"Silence? Oh, uh, because I was just thinking about you - the way you -" How was he going to put this? They were man and wife, but he still didn't know how to explain his absentmindedness ever since their wedding. As if it were planned, he was saved from having to finish his answer by tripping over the threshold as he opened the front door and carried Beans inside. "Whoa-oa-OAA!" Rango shouted. "Rango! Watch the -" Beans cried too late as her husband collapsed onto his knees. Rango shut his eyes and braced himself, using every fiber in his body to hold onto Beans, but fearing the worst.

As soon as the initial shock of falling was over, Rango opened one eye and looked around. Seeing that everything seemed to be alright, he opened his other eye. Miraculously, he'd maintained a firm grip on his wife, and as soon as she came to he was certain she'd tell him she was fine.

"High step!" Beans suddenly finished, then glanced around herself. "Rango? Are you okay?"

"Me? Yeah, yeah I'm alright." He became thoughtful. "Hey, you know what? I guess I almost spilled the Beans there, didn't I?"

Beans' face darkened for a moment, and Rango suddenly became fearful. Had he pushed Beans' limits? Had he overdone it with that last joke? Would it be that on their first night together, he'd sleep alone? If, that is, nothing worse happened?

To his immense relief, Beans' glare changed to a smirk, which grew into a smile, then a full-blown laugh. He sighed, then joined in her merriment. When at last they quieted, Rango, still on his knees, pulled Beans' face down to his and kissed her with unscrupled passion. When the moment seemed right, he'd explain the double entendre behind what he'd said, but for now, they were going to be far too busy being at ease, together.

The End.

AN: I wonder, myself, if it wasn't Beans who drove the wagon back to the ranch after the reception, knowing how she is. Well, I hope everyone enjoyed reading this story as much as I did writing it! :)