I don't waste time. Here the last chapter.

34. Just one last hug

Rango couldn't stay any longer in the saloon and went outside. He looked around.

Where did they gone? When he met Priscilla, he knew they stood in front of the town. Rango didn't waste time and walked to the edge of the town. He didn't need search long. Beans and Jake began to move again. He saw how they came back. He stayed in the town's entrance and waited for them with expectant posture.

Beans stopped. Jake did the same and looked at her with asking eyes. Beans glance lifted up to his face.

The rattlesnake narrowed his eyes when he realized a pleading request.

Beans lips trembled a little when she spoke: "Let me give him a last hug."

Jake hissed upset. Beans pressed her hands together and looked at him with pleading eyes.

"Just one last hug. Please."

Jake narrowed his eyes more, but then he sighed darkly and nodded.

"Just one last one."

Beans sighed thankfully with relief. Then she avoided his glance and walked forward. Still with lowered face.

Rango watched her thoughtfully and fear rose inside him. He felt, she didn't have good news for him and not for them together. There was no together anymore.

When Beans stood in front of him, she lifted her face and looked into his eyes. She didn't have to say a word. The chameleon could read the answer in her eyes, which looked at him sadly.

Slowly Beans thawed. She embraced him softly and laid her head on his shoulder gently.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "I gave my word to him."

Rango was like paralyzed. Hesitantly he hugged his arms around her and held her tightly.

Beans gave a sudden sob and Rango began to pet her back.

"It's okay, it's okay," Rango said calmly. "I understand."

Beans closed her eyes and pressed herself closer to Rango.

"You have to be strong," he continued, despite the words hurt him terribly.

Doc watched the scene sadly in distance.

"What is he doing?"

Doc looked to the side with surprise. "Oh, Bill. What are you doing here?"

"Just to see the end of that damn story. I was just curious what that little dummy sheriff…"

He stopped when he saw Rango and Beans standing very tight together.

"Uh, what's going on with them?"

Chorizo scratched his head. "Making half-love standing up?"

Kinski gave him a hard slap on his head.

The two lizards realized nothing around them. Beans had loosed herself a little. She pressed her forehead on Rango's head and snuggled him fondly.

"Take good care for yourself," she said. "Do you promise that?"

Rango swallowed and his lips trembled. "I will do."

"You promise?"

"I promise. For you. Only for you."

She touched his face. She pressed her lips on his. That's the way she used to kiss him, like the day before the robber had attacked him. But this time the kiss became more intensive.

He opened his eyes. He saw tears on her cheeks.

He didn't interrupt the kiss. The tears touched his lips and he tasted the salty taste.

"Do they want to stay there for the next few years?" Stump asked.

He had never seen a kiss which was longer than one minute or less.

Suddenly, after more than one minute, Rango took her head and pushed it away from him.

"You have to go now. Don't make it more badly. I will never leave you."

She pressed her chest on his. He could feel her heartbeat, which pumped very fast.

"I don't want to leave you."

"I know. Be a brave girl. Do it for me. Don't make me cry."

He looked to the sky, where the moon became visible in the dusk.

"Look at the moon every night. I will look at it, too."

Beans got tears in her eyes again. She pressed her eyes and the wet drops rolled down her cheek and touched Rango's clothes.

He bent forward and kissed her cheek. He wished he could save the tears. He licked his lips. Dear, he never had taste her tears. He never saw tears in her eyes before. Not even when he had forced to leave the town long time ago. Only sadness he had found. But no tears. Now there were only tears.

There was a rattling sound in the air. Jake became impatient.

Beans pressed himself closer to Rango. Her hands trembled. Rango pressed the girl tighter.

"You have to go, please go."

He gave her a last squeezing hug. Then he took her arms away from his body.

"Go, and don't look back."

She pressed her lips together.

Rango forced a sad smile. "Do it for me. It will make it easier for me."

Beans shook her head. "I hate it to say goodbye."

"Me too, but be sure, I will never say goodbye. Even not a farewell."

She embraced him again and whispered softly: "This goodbye is not forever. I promise."

"Don't break your promise to him," Rango said, although he wished she would do.

A new rattling sound let them froze and Beans managed to walk one step back. Rango had much bother not to hold her back.

Beans hesitated, but the rattling became more vigorous and she took two steps more back.

"I have to…"

Rango nodded, but before she turned around, he spoke the words, which burned on his tongue a long time.

"I love you."

Her eyes flickered when her eyes became wet again.

Rango smiled warmly. "No promise in the world can change that. I hope you know."

Beans pressed her lips together. "I know," she replied hoarsely.

She lowered her glance. " I love you, too. I wanted to say that long time ago, but… I don't know why I never did…"

"At least we did it now," Rango anticipated.

Beans chuckled nervously. "Yes, we did. I hope, it is not too late for you."

"Better too late than never…"

They winced when a threateningly rattling rattlesnake broke the silence again.

Beans threw herself forward, hugged Rango very tightly. Then she let him go and ran away. After few meters, she became slower. Rango watched her, but she didn't looked back.

His stomach clenched more and more together when she walked away step by step. Until she reached the rattlesnake. They changed a few words, then they disappeared into the dessert. She became smaller and smaller and he got a lump in his throat. He didn't realized anything. Nothing. Everything seemed to be like empty space around him.

He just realized footsteps when a person went next to him but he didn't look to the side.

"You let her go?" Bill asked in disbelief. "With him?"

Rango sighed deeply without to look at Bill. "I gave my promise. She gave her promise. I can't break it. She can't break it."

"But, I thought… I thought you would fight for her like last time."

Rango shook his head slowly. "I can't. I gave my word. I never break a promise which I give."

Bill scratched his head under his hat. He didn't understand the world anymore.

"Uh… Bill? What are we supposed to do now, Bill?" Chorizo asked.

"What? Oh… I think we ride… Or no… first a drink."

"In saloon?" Stump asked.

Bill snorted. "Where else?"

Kinski lifted his hand. "Who will pay the bill?"

"The one who is asking."

They left the place but Rango. He stayed there and looked in the distance where Beans and the rattlesnake had gone, until the night enveloped the sky.

- End of part one -

Awww, I could cry. :'( What have I done? -_-

Well, first I never planned to write a sequel, but when I decided to write the last chapter like this... well, I think I have to do. :D

Well, sequel is in work, but patience please.

I know how the story should go on, but I still don't have a right plot. If you want to give me some suggestions, send me a note, that I can inform you what I'm going to plan to write. If you don't want to know details, well, in this case, don't ask. :D

I hope you liked the story so far. Thanks for everyone for reading and reviewing. ;)

Special thanks to MMM Guest and Roxette, which I couldn't write a feedback for their comments, because there is no way here to write back anonymous reviews.