A/N: I've been thinking about writing this for a while ever since I first saw the film, I was really interested in the relationship between Rattlesnake Jake and Rango at the end of the film and this kind of sprung out as a 'what if' situation. Hope you enjoying reading this as much I enjoyed writing it.

Disclaimer: Unfortunately I don't not own Rango, all rights go to Gore Verbinski.

It'd been a slow day

Rango sighed as he looked at the town from the porch outside the Sheriff's office; sure he'd been kept busy sorting out the Bank and sending out letters to the people who'd left so they could reclaim their land, but nothing exciting seemed to be happening.

"But Rango, that's what life's like out here" Beans explained when he told her of his boredom "things like what you're imagining don't happen often"

"I know that but" Rango hesitated for a moment, finding it difficult to put his feelings into words "it's just that I kinda wish something like that would happen again, it was dangerous yet exciting" he noticed Beans's expression and sighed " hell I'd just like another adventure"

"Life's an adventure Rango" Beans said crossly "next you'll be saying you want Rattlesnake Jake to come back"

Rango rested his head in his hands and stared gloomily out towards the desert, was it really too much to ask for a little excitement again? A large pair of yellow eyes suddenly appeared to his left and he turned to see Priscilla staring at him. "Hello little sister" he said kindly "what can I do for you?"

"What's wrong Rango?" the cactus mouse tilted her head slightly "you don't want to leave do you?"

"No! Wait who said that?"

"Beans thought you might leave, you did before"

Rango winced "yeah well that was cause of Jake, don't worry I'm not leaving"

"Good" Priscilla smiled and tugged at his sleeve "Wounded Bird wanted to see you, says he's got something to tell you"

Rango frowned "he was on watch wasn't he?"

"Uh huh, he said it's important come on!"

They found Wounded Bird standing by the Bank staring out into the desert; Rango came up beside him and squinted in an attempt to spot what the bird was looking at. "What did you want to tell me Deputy?"

"I've seen snake"

Rango felt a cold chill run down his spine "do you think it's-"

"Rattlesnake? Probably"

Rango swallowed, now he'd finally got a little excitement he wasn't sure he wanted it. "Was he heading towards Dirt?"

"No that's what I wanted to tell you" Wounded Bird turned his gaze on the lizard "snake was behaving oddly, wasn't moving quickly"

"Rattlesnake Jake likes to show off a little then he's on the move" Priscilla pointed out and slipped her hand into Rango's.

Wounded Bird shook his head slowly "even Jake doesn't move that slowly, he kept stopping. Only just got undercover twenty minutes ago" he gestured towards a grey blur in the distance "there's a small cave over there"

"When did he start?" Rango asked suddenly very curious, if the snake was Jake then this was very unusual.

"At noon"

Rango glanced at the newly repaired clock and frowned "but that was two hours ago"

"What're you going to do Rango?" Priscilla looked up at him questioningly "if it's Jake, will you leave him?"

Rango looked out at the cave and straightened up "I don't know what I'll do" he said quietly then smiled "but it's gonna be exciting" he glanced around and spotted a spare roadrunner tethered to porch of Spoons's house "Tell Spoons I'll bring him back later" he called as he mounted the bird and rode past the pair.

Priscilla waved and Wounded Bird inclined his head, watching the lizard ride into the desert "good luck" he said quietly.

It didn't take long for Rango to reach the cave; he dismounted a couple of metres away as a precaution and advanced slowly towards the cave, holding his hands before him in a gesture of peace. "Jake? Is that you in there?" Rango stopped a couple of feet away from the cave's entrance and pulled out his gun "I'm not going to do anything to you unless you give me a reason to" he dropped it in the sand and lowered his hands slowly.

"A dangerous move sheriff" a familiar voice hissed "what if it hadn't been me? You'd have been dead before you had time to blink"

Rango relaxed slightly despite the fact it was Jake he was talking to "I trust my deputy"

A low chuckle sounded from inside the cave's depths "you trust everybody son" Rango saw something flash from inside the cave "come on in sheriff; if I was going to hurt you I would have done it already"

Rango picked up his gun as a precaution and tucked it back into it's holster, he stepped carefully into the cave, almost banging his head on the low ceiling, inside the embers of a small fire were glowing a dull red, lighting up the cave. He sat down beside it and looked around "surely you don't need a fire Jake?" he called "it's hot out there"

A low rattle sounded near him and he turned to see the snake's tail resting behind him, he swallowed and took a deep breath "it's been a while"

"Long time no see...brother" Jake himself slithered out of a small side tunnel and slowly circled the lizard a few times, coming to a halt a little way in front of him.

Rango stared at him, at the bullets wrapped around the muscular body and the gatling gun in the place of a rattle and drew in a shaky breath. No matter how much he liked to boast that he and Rattlesnake Jake were on speaking terms, Jake still scared him and the thought that Jake was wandering round in Dirt territory was worrying, it made him nervous. He stood up warily and hitched up his belt with as much dignity as he could muster; "good to see you again brother, but you're in Dirt territory now and as sheriff" he couldn't help puffing out his chest a little at the word. "I have to ask you to leave" what's he doing here anyway? He thought as he stared at the snake.

Jake gazed at Rango coolly "why should I sheriff? Why should I do what you say?"

Rango felt a small chill run down his spine as the snake's gaze fell on him "from one legend to another Jake" he said quietly in the hope that Jake would respect his own words and leave.

Jake blinked and for a moment he seemed to consider Rango's request, but then he smiled nastily "do you even qualify as a legend Rango?"

Rango stiffened; he'd learnt what it was truly like to be alone that night and he suddenly hated Jake for bringing it up. "I'm giving you to the count of ten to be on your way" he said sharply, pulling out his gun and aiming between the serpent's eyes.

Jake hissed threateningly "don't test me sheriff. I could kill you before you had time to pull the trigger"

"Ten, nine, eight, seven-" Rango didn't doubt the snake's threat but he had to prove that he was prepared to kill.

Jake bared his fangs and didn't move "you don't have the guts sheriff, you didn't before and you don't now so just give it up before you get hurt"

"Six, five, four, three, two, one"

Jake glared at him, he didn't think that the lizard would keep to his threat; he tensed ready to strike then flinched with surprise as at the last minute Rango quickly pointed the gun outside the cave and fired. He gazed at the sheriff with a look of silent respect "just one bullet" he said softly "you know how to make a point."

"Get out of here Jake, and don't let me catch you round here again without a valid reason" Rango turned to go and walked a couple of steps before Jake's tail whipped round him and pulled him back as strong coils wrapped tightly around his small body, he let out a small yell of fear and quickly clamped his mouth shut, goddamn it he wasn't a coward!

Jake chuckled darkly at his plight "Come now sheriff, don't you want to know why I'm here?"

Rango struggled in the snake's grip "not really, it's your business not mine" he tried looking away from Jake's eyes to steady his nerves which were already frail to begin with. "If you don't mind putting me down, I'll let you off this time"

"Now isn't that polite?" his grip on Rango tightened and the lizard gasped for air.

"I have always prided myself on my courtesy" Rango paused as Jake's tail rattled threateningly and stared up at the snake "why are you here?"

In answer Jake released him and his head fell onto the cave floor, his tongue flickering out of his mouth. "Can't you smell it?" he muttered.

Rango sniffed the air; nope he couldn't smell anything out of the ordinary, apart from... He quickly looked down at the ground around Jake, rivers of blood were quickly spreading round him "god Jake...what?"

"That bird you killed, it had a mate" Jake's eyes slid shut and Rango felt himself relax slightly, it was so much easier to concentrate when those eyes weren't watching him, when he looked into them Rango got the sensation that he was falling into the fires of hell itself.

"It didn't take kindly to the loss of partner and since I-" he paused and Rango couldn't tell if it was from the pain or from the fact that he would have to admit that he was afraid of birds. "Since I've killed birds before, it guessed that I would be to blame" his voice trailed off.

"Er Jake?" Rango gently prodded the snake's nose "Jake?" he let out a yelp as Jake's eyes shot open and his head swung round, his fangs inches from Rango's face "hold your horses Jake!" he stammered "it's me sheriff Rango!"

Jake blinked and drew back slowly "my apologies sheriff"

"That's...alright" Rango shook his head several times before he looked back up at the snake "do you mind if I? I mean I have to see..."

Jake looked at him warily and rolled on his side wincing and Rango moved closer to examine the wounds properly, there were several long lacerations that started on snake's stomach, ripping down most of his body and stopping a couple of inches before his tail. Four puncture wounds cut deep into his sides. Rango felt bile rise in his throat at the sight and swallowed with difficulty, "there's some mighty deep wounds you got there" he tried as best he could to keep his tone light and casual but his hand was shaking on his handle of his gun and Jake missed nothing.

"You're scared" he said simply, it was a statement that couldn't be denied, couldn't be refused.

"A little yes" Rango swallowed again and looked at the wounds; there was no way that Jake could be left out here alone. Left alone like this he'd probably die within the day. Rango moved closer, his hand held up before him in a gesture of peace "I'm going to have to..." his voice trailed off as he gently touched one of the puncture wounds, Jake's tail rattled warningly and he swallowed "calm down Jake I ain't gonna-" he felt his foot slip on a rock and he stumbled forward as his hand slipped and sank deep into Jake's punctured flesh.

Jake let out a strangled hiss and swung his tail towards Rango so he was looking down the barrel of his gun "you wanna stay on my good side don't you sheriff, then don't ever do that again"

"But Jake someone has to check you over, you can't go around like this"

"I've had worse than this before sheriff, don't you doubt that" his eyes were sliding shut again "just leave me alone"

Rango hesitated, as much as the cowardly side of him wanted to leave Jake lying in the cave he knew he couldn't, it wasn't right. "I can't do that" he said quietly.

"What was that sheriff?" Jake hadn't opened his eyes yet Rango could still feel his gaze on him.

"I said I can't do that Jake" Rango said loudly and suddenly grinned "I can't leave you here, even though you're an outlaw I can't let you sit here and die. You're gonna come back to Dirt and we'll get you fixed up and-"

A sharp rattle cut him off mid sentence and Jake swung his head round to face the sheriff, his fiery eyes burning into the lizard's yellow ones "what makes you think I'm gonna come with you sheriff?" he snarled.

Rango folded his arms and gestured towards Jake's gun "you're out of ammunition for one thing and even if you weren't you wouldn't waste it on little old me, and second" he looked straight into Jake's eyes "you don't have much of a choice"

Jake hissed threatening "I could still squeeze the life out of you sheriff, don't forget that"

Rango held out his arms "go on then, I'm making it easy for you" inside he had a strange feeling of calm; he didn't really care if the snake killed him now. But something told him that Jake wouldn't and sure enough Jake soon slowly backed away, gazing at Rango thoughtfully.

"You've changed sheriff; you're not the same as you once were"

"Everyone's gotta change sometime Jake, even you"

The rattlesnake chuckled darkly and withdrew into a side tunnel "some of us don't change" he gazed out at the lizard and inclined his head "I'll be seeing you brother"

Rango folded his arms "oh no Jake, you're coming back to Dirt with me"

Jake snarled suddenly "you think I could come in this condition!" he snapped "I suppose that bird told you how long it took me to get into this blasted cave" he suddenly smiled nastily "has he recovered from the wound I gave him?"

Rango cleared his throat uneasily "he's getting there, but I can't leave you in here Jake"

"This is none of your business sheriff now leave me be!" Jake had gotten so close that Rango could see the poison dripping off his fangs.

"Well you've made it my business by coming into Dirt territory!" Rango retorted then paused thinking it over, if he didn't want any help why did Jake come into Dirt territory knowing that he'd have to face the sheriff. "That's it" he said slowly "you wanted to see me; you knew that if you came into Dirt territory I'd have to come and check out the situation. But you didn't want to come into town. Oh no that would ruin your reputation for being the toughest outlaw now wouldn't it? So you hid out here and waited for me to come to you and offer you help" he looked up at the snake who looked furious "ain't that about right?"

"Listen to me you pathetic fraud, I don't need your help, I don't need anyone's help!"

"Then why are you here? Tell me that Jake" Rango found it slightly ironic that he wasn't the one losing his temper in this situation. He'd assumed he'd be shouting eventually in an effort to either convince Jake to leave or to find out why he was there. But he'd backed the serpent into a corner now and Jake knew it.

Jake snarled at him as though he'd read his thoughts, then he stopped and sighed "fine" he muttered "do what you like"

"Good" Rango straightened up and grinned at Jake "wait here and I'll be back"

"Where else would I go?" Jake looked pointedly at his injuries and hissed angrily "I can't go anywhere"

Rango winced apologetically and started to run out the cave "just hang on now and don't do anything stupid!"

Jake considered biting off the lizard's head for saying something so ignorant but let him leave the cave unharmed, at least for now.

"Rango! Where the hell've you been? Priscilla's been asking for you" Beans stopped mid rant as she saw the look on Rango's face "what the hell's happened to you?"

"No time to talk Beans" he called rushing past her "we need a wagon, the biggest one in Dirt"

"Why? Rango what's happened?"

Rango paused and put his hands on her shoulders "I found Jake out in the desert Beans, he's in a bad way, hurt real bad" he placed his finger on her lips as she opened her mouth to retort "I know he's dangerous, but I can't just leave him there"

Beans shook her head "you're crazy, Jake never leaves without taking a soul, everyone knows that. If you bring him here somebody's gonna die"

"I know that Beans" Rango sighed "maybe I can reason with him, but we have to hurry, he was half dead when I found him, now who owns the biggest wagon in Dirt?"

"That's Doc"

Rango grabbed her hand and pulled her towards Doc's office. Doc himself was already outside watching Rango running towards him "long time no see sheriff, what can I do for you?"

"We need your wagon Doc"

"My wagon" Doc scratched his head with a puzzled expression "why do you want it?"

Rango took a deep breath "I'm also going to need your help Doc"

By the time they got back to Jake, the rattlesnake was slumped on the ground, his eyes closed "I was wondering if you were coming back" he said quietly as Rango and Doc approached.

"Course I was coming back" Rango muttered "I wouldn't just leave you out here"

Jake chuckled darkly and opened his eyes, the fiery red glow was considerably duller than before "and you brought a doctor"

"You need one Jake" Rango gestured for Doc to move forward but a sharp hiss from Jake stopped him.

"I'd prefer you did all that once we're in Dirt sheriff"

Rango didn't question the snake, though he glanced at Jake with a puzzled expression silently asking him, why don't you want help now? Surely it'd be easier?

If Jake saw the question in Rango's face he gave no indication of it, instead he turned his gaze on Doc, exposing his fangs slightly "how exactly do you plan to get us back to Dirt?"

Doc swallowed nervously but met Jake's gaze "Rango's told me the extent of your injuries so I'm assuming you can't move easily?"

"You think I'd be here now if I could move?" Jake snarled "I don't need your assumptions" he hissed and bared his fangs inches away from Doc's face.

Doc didn't react though Rango heard his breathing quicken "we'll help you onto the wagon" he said as calmly as he could "then we'll take you back to Dirt"

Jake snorted "I don't need your help"

"Should we follow him?" Doc asked quietly as Jake slithered slowly past them, uttering soft curses as he did. Rango watched him and sighed.

"No, let him try, he'll tell us when he needs help" at least he hoped Jake would, despite that they were in every sense of the word enemies. The thought of Jake further injuring himself just to keep his reputation in tact, made him both loathe and pity him.

Outside they heard a loud crash and a low moan, Rango nodded to Doc and they went outside to find Jake lying sprawled in the sand, the wagon lying overturned beside him.

"Don't need any help then brother?" Rango asked, knowing that he was pushing his luck as Jake's eyes opened and he hissed softly.

"Don't try my temper sheriff, I could kill both of you before you could blink" he swiped his tail uselessly along the sand.

"Help me Doc" Rango muttered and rolled up his sleeves, the longer it took for them to right the wagon, the more vulnerable they were. He checked his gun quickly and sighed, "one bullet, we're gonna be pretty defenceless if a hawk comes along" out the corner of his eye he watched Jake grimace and move up beside them. "Now now I'm not having you injuring yourself further, you stay back and-" he was cut off as Jake hissed angrily.

"Just shut up sheriff and help me push!"

Rango and Doc lifted the wagon from the sand and Jake forced his tail underneath, he then lifted his tail which acted like a lever, helping to push the wagon upright from beneath. Rango threw his weight into lifted the wagon, pushing his shoulder against the side when it was at the right angle for him to do so. Out the corner of his eye he could see Jake faltering slightly "need a hand brother?" he called and Jake snarled at him.

"Less talk more pushing sheriff"

It took them fifteen minutes to turn the wagon back over, by the time they'd finished Jake was breathing heavily, his sides red with his own blood. Doc approached him warily "Mister Rattlesnake Jake, please would you let me-" he stopped as Jake bared his fangs at him.

"You'll do nothing till we're in Dirt" he eyed the wagon warily "are you sure it's big enough?"

"You just have to make do Jake" Rango fanned himself with his hat and scanned the sky quickly "we weren't expecting to have to use Doc's wagon for something like this"

Jake glanced at Rango with an unreadable expression and did his best to slide onto the wagon, Rango nodded to Doc and they held onto the sides to make sure it wouldn't tip over again with the snake on top of it. Jake managed to fit most of his body on top of the wagon and curled up tightly, scanning the sky warily.

Rango glanced at the snake "you ride up on front Doc"

"But sheriff" Doc lowered his voice "what if he bites you? Injured snakes are more likely to attack"

"He didn't kill me earlier so I'm hoping he won't now" all the same Rango swallowed nervously as he climbed up beside Jake.

Jake glared at him "what do you think you're doing sheriff?"

"Keeping you company" Rango said cheerfully and grinned "why do you keep looking up at the sky Jake?"

Jake was about to retort but then the wagon jolted forward forcing him to clamp his mouth shut, Rango glanced at him sympathetically "easy there brother, it's like this the whole way back"

"I know that!" Jake snapped but he suddenly sounded more subdued "I had to travel across here didn't I?"

Rango looked at the snake's sides and at the blood slowly soaking his clothes "I'm sorry about that"

Jake looked at him curiously but didn't say anything in response.

A small crowd was waiting for them when they got back to Dirt; Priscilla had probably told them about him bringing back Jake, Rango glanced quickly at his 'brother'. The snake looked exhausted and furious, a crowd was not what they needed right now, besides the sight of the snake would only terrify them. He leaned forward and tapped Doc's shoulder "could you stop the wagon? I'd better go and explain to everyone what's going on" he then lowered his voice slightly "I'll distract them so you can get Jake to your office without anyone noticing, I don't think he can handle the stress right now"

Doc nodded and stopped the wagon "you'd better tell him though"

Rango grinned and turned back to Jake "right, now I'm going to distract this lot so you can get some peace and quiet, but you're going to have to go with him and cooperate"

Jake hissed quietly then sighed "I don't have a choice do I sheriff?" he inclined his head wearily "I'll do it, but not because you asked"

Rango nodded and tipped his hat, he didn't really expect anything else from the snake "much obliged Jake" he hopped off the wagon and waved to the crowd "It's alright everybody, I'm back!"

There was a surge of movement as the crowd rushed forward to greet him, Rango gestured for Doc to go ahead and the wagon quickly rushed past as the crowd swamped the lizard. Waffles tugged at his sleeve "so did you find him sheriff? Did you find Jake?"

"As a matter a fact I did" Rango straightened up proudly and strutted over to where the sheriff sign swung in the small breeze "He was in that there cave" he gestured towards the cave dramatically "and I told him to leave"

"Did he leave Rango?"

"Is he going to leave us alone?

"What's he doing here anyways?"

"Quiet now people settle down" Rango called pointed at the sign "you now that as long as that sign hangs up there, you've got hope right? Well that sign's still hanging and I can't see it falling down anytime soon, so listen to me" he leaned in a little closer "when I found Jake, he wasn't doing so good, a hawk's cut him up real bad. I've asked Doc to take a look at him and see if we can help"

"What so we're gonna help him?" Spoons called "sheriff he's the grim reaper, next you'll be saying he's in town"

"Yeah" Rango swallowed "well never mind about that the point is this, even though he's a criminal I didn't want to leave him out there with no hope. Even an outlaw needs help sometimes right?"

There were a few scattered mumbles of agreement and Rango grinned "see what I mean, now Spoons" he pointed at him suddenly "could you have left him out there to die?"

"Well I don't know..."

"And you Waffles?" Rango interrupted whirling round and pointing at the lizard "could you have left a fellow reptile to wallow in the agony of his ailments"

"What did he say?" Waffles asked Wounded Bird who sighed.

"You bring snake into town, someone dies"

Rango laughed nervously "I've heard that, but don't worry. I'm sure I can convince him not to. Now if you'll excuse me" he pushed his way through the crowd and quickly headed towards Doc's office.

Beans and Priscilla caught up with him easier "what the hell do you think you're doing Rango? Rattlesnake Jake always kills when he comes to town. Why'd you bring him back here!" Beans half shrieked and Priscilla looked innocently up at Rango.

"Did the bird gut him sheriff? Can I see?"

"I told you why I was going to bring him back Beans, I couldn't just leave him there, and no little sister the bird did not gut him" Rango said all at once "I think it's better if you ladies wait outside" he said as they stopped outside of Doc's office "Jake's kind of jumpy at the moment"

Beans just glared at him and marched through the door; Priscilla skipping along behind her, Rango closed his eyes and prayed that they weren't eaten as they walked through the door. When no screams sounded he opened his eyes and peered warily into the room to find it empty. "But I told them to come here" Rango muttered as he looked round in confusion.

"Jake's a little too big for this room Rango" Beans pointed out, "they're probably out back"

Rango nodded gratefully and led the way round to a large alley that lead to the back of Doc's house, there they found Jake lying curled up on the ground, his eyes closed. Doc stood a little way away from him, pulling off a pair of gloves that were stained scarlet "I did my best sheriff" he said wearily and wiped his forehead with the back of his hand "it's up to him now"

"Thanks Doc, I appreciate it" As he moved closer Rango saw with some relief that Jake's sides were slowly moving in time with his breathing. Swathes of bandages covered most of his body; Rango looked back at Doc "did he give you any trouble?"

"No" Doc looked down at Jake with a confused expression "I'd thought he'd a least put up a fight, but he just lay there with his eyes closed. I suppose he didn't have the energy to struggle"

"Yeah" Rango thought back to when they were lifted the wagon and sighed "it'd take a lot for him to act like that" he moved closer to Jake then sat down close to Jake's head "if you don't mind Doc I'll take it from here"

"But Mister Rango-"

"Any instructions Doc on how he can recover quicker?" Rango interrupted and Beans shot him a sharp look. Rango winced slightly "any advice would be appreciated"

Doc thought for a moment before replying "make sure he doesn't move much, he'll tears his stitches if he does" he gestured at the bandages "change those daily and he should be fine however" he held up his finger "I cleaned those wounds as best I could but considering his method of travel, it's likely some dirt or sand got stuck inside them, if they get infected, he'll get feverish and a rattlesnake with a fever isn't safe to be around"

"Much obliged Doc, you if you'll excuse us" he gently but firmly pushed them all out of the alley ignoring Beans's protests then returned to Jake's side.

It would probably be a while before the snake woke up but he was willing to wait, even outlaws needed help sometimes.

A/N: Sorry if it's a little too long, but once I started writing it I didn't want to leave it at any particular point in this chapter, the next one will be probably be a lot shorter.