You & Me

Cause it's you and me and all of the people, With nothing to do, nothing to lose,

And it's you and me and all of the people, And I don't know why I can't keep my eyes off of you

Jax would always hold tightly to every memory he had of the girl known as Haley Holiday Winston, but he never could have imagined the impact that little firecracker would have on the shape of his life.

If her beginning was any indication, everyone should have known from the start she'd be a force to be reckoned with. Her mere presence tore a family apart. Opie was six years old when his little sister was born. Piney had, had a fling with stripper, and common face at the local bar scene, Honey Holiday. It wasn't love, was never meant to be anything of the sort, but from dirty things done in the dark came forth Haley Holiday Winston. To a mother who didn't know how to change her fast style living ways, and to a father who at first didn't even want her at all. Mary left Piney for good when she learned of the girl's existence, taking Opie with her. Nothing was ever the same after that.

While Opie and Haley grew up in separate households they always shared a close bond. Opie was fiercely protective of his little sister. Even at a tender age he knew their old man was a tired drunk who had already seen his best day. He also knew Haley's mother liked to party with a tough crowd that left his baby sister open for collateral damage to the slime bag using and boozing fast life.

From as early as Opie could remember he kept watchful eyes out for the little girl who looked at him with her big chocolate orbs that took everything in, like he was some kind of hero. Like he could save her from this big bad world she was unfortunate enough to be born into… so he did.

That's how Jax met the force of nature known as Haley. Being Opie's best friend it only came natural for Jax to look out for Haley too. He'd always cherish and hold special keep to the childhood times he had with her.

Like one warm Charming day as the sun hung blazing hot over head, Jax sat upon his bike waiting for Opie to exit his old man's place, then they could hit the road. Finally old enough to taste the wind as it whipped around their bikes out on the road, free and untamable.

A pretty girl from their senior class waited beside Opie's bike. Her platinum blonde hair like a spotlight against the already blinding sun. Her big boobs barely contained inside her low cut shirt. Just the kind of trash those boys craved in their early years.

When Opie finally escaped out the front door Haley was hot on his heels in her quick smaller step. "Opie take me with you!" She pleaded again with her big brother's back as they stomped across the fading front lawn, over grown by weeds, and littered with bald spots.

"Can't this time kid." He called in his departure as his biker boots hit the cement sidewalk. He loved his little sister more then he thought he could love anything, but sometimes when you're eighteen letting your twelve year old sister tag along isn't in the cards.

"Opie please!" Haley begged, her lower lip forming into a pout as she grabbed his leather jacket, and gave it a good tug to halt him. There was no denying she felt safest with her big brother. It wasn't that Haley didn't trust her parents, she just knew they had a hard time noticing her when their vices called for payment.

The desperation in his little sister's voice had a way of getting to Opie, and digging in under his tough skin like nobody else could. Turning around he finally faced her, the sadness pooling in her big innocent brown eyes hit him where it hurt. Reaching out he placed strong hands on her both of her shoulders, and met her eyes with quiet empathy.

"I can't fit you on my bike. I got a girl with me this time." He tried to make her understand with a soft smile that revealed the gentle side to him she knew best.

"Don't leave me here with dad, Opie please. He's already drunk." Haley's lower lip quivered with her plea. Haley wasn't afraid of her dad. It wasn't that Piney was mean or crazy when he was drunk. She just hated listening to him stumble into things about the house. Slurring his words whenever he tried to talk to her before he'd pass out in some random location, and leave her to clean up his mess.

Opie's heart went out to the kid, he hated it when their old man got drunk too, which was more often then not, but he was in a bind. His date already waiting.

Watching from the sidelines, seeing the sad desperate look in Haley's young eyes, knowing her sensitive nature had a hard time with the cards life had dealt her, Jax stepped up like the noble man he was. "You can ride with me." He offered out of the blue, settling the issue.

Wide and blinding like an explosion, a smile burst across Haley's young face as she turned to look at Jax with overwhelming gratitude. He was the closest thing she had to another brother, and the way he was there for her won her heart and trust every time.

"You sure, man?" Opie double checked. Knowing his best friend could just as easily get a hot chick to ride on the back of his bike instead of his twelve year old little sister.

"Yeah," Jax nodded with confirmation, standing by his offer as he reached around to grab his spare helmet. "Come on kid." He called for her with a blinding smile that reminded Haley of an oasis off in the distance.

Haley didn't need to be told twice. Her dirty, worn in tennis shoes raced over to his bike in the blink of an eye. Something giddy and bouncing in her step from excitement. Climbing off his bike, Jax secured the helmet twice her size to her tiny head.

"Thanks Jax," She beamed, with a wide smile, and grateful eyes that shined with her thanks.

"No problem," He smiled back, his features twisting beautifully with the gesture. Before his hands gripped her tight, and lifted her effortlessly onto the bike.

Climbing back on, Jax revved the engine as he felt her small arms wrap tightly around him. "Hold on tight. Don't let go." Jax instructed as if she didn't already know. He felt the helmet nudge against his back as she nodded.

Then they were off. Blazing down the streets like two runaway bandits.

Broken

The broken lights on the freeway left me here alone,

I may have lost my way now, haven't forgotten my way home

Four years later a night would occur that Jax would never forget, and he was pretty sure he wasn't the only one who wouldn't forget either. He was twenty-two then, Haley barely sixteen.

It was after midnight, Jax had been sound asleep when it happened. Tucked deep in his warm bed beside his wife Wendy, when an insistent knock came at his door.

Stumbling down his hall, clothed in only his pajama pants, Jax was less than thrilled by this uninvited visitor, and on high alert for bad news that only seemed to come calling at these kind of twilight hours.

The knocking continued until he reached the door. A loud exasperated groan slipped from Jax's lips with a lack of amusement. Gun in hand in case this visitor didn't belong, Jax cracked his front door. "This better be good." He grumbled, his voice deep and thick from sleep.

"Hey Jax," A meek uneasy voice quickly came from outside as the chilly night air pummeled his face. Standing in the cold, her trembling arms encircled tightly around herself for warmth as Haley tried to keep her face hidden and hung low. This wasn't the first time Haley had run to one of her hero's when she needed a place safe. This was just the first time one of them might actually discover she was running. When she was younger Opie was always her first safe haven. Haley had considered going to her brother's house tonight, but he had a small child, and Donna was pregnant again. Haley couldn't bare to bring her mess to his door. So she went to the only other place that felt safe.

Recognizing that sweet melody voice anywhere, Jax quickly opened the door.

"Haley?" He questioned, something close to worry filling his surprised breath. She was the last person he expected to be knocking on his door. Without hesitation he ushered her inside where it was warm and private.

Feet could be heard coming down the hall, padding against the carpet. "Jax, who is it?" A sleepy feminine voice called on approach.

"Everything fine. It's just Haley." Jax answered back before Wendy could worry more then he knew she already was.

"Hi Wendy. Sorry it's so late." Haley glanced down the hall, and spotted Jax's wife covered in his oversized shirt as her wiped at her tired eyes.

Something close to relief washed over Wendy as a haggard smile touched her face. "That's alright Hun. You know you're always welcome here." She called back. Jax's connection and protectiveness toward Haley was one of the first things she had learned about the man who had become her husband. Something she had also learned would never change with him.

"Go back to bed. I'll be in in a minute." Jax instructed, saving his wife anymore sleep then she had already lost. Wendy's small hand could be seen offering a brief wave before she lazily moved back to their bedroom.

"What's up, Hales?" Jax started in, knowing full well she wouldn't be at his home at this hour without a reason.

As soon as Haley heard the bedroom door shut she turned back to Jax. Her jacket still snug around her, the hood over her head as she tried to keep her face out of his view.

"I'm sorry it's so late… I was kind of hoping I could crash here tonight… I had an argument with my mom's boyfriend… I had to get out of there." Disjointedly Haley relayed the edited version of her night. She always knew she could count on Jax, that he would be there for her, but she wasn't about to get him in trouble either. So she kept the ugly parts of her story to herself as she made her way over his couch eager to crash into it, and sleep this one away.

Jax saw right through her. That Haley was shaken up and clearly hiding something.

"You know you can always stay here." He reassured her as he took a step closer. Suddenly her stance caught his attention. How not once had she flashed him her beautiful smile or met his eyes. Jax wasn't sure what it meant, but the tightening in his gut told him it meant something. Just as she reached the couch he stopped her. Grabbing her shoulder, Jax grasped Haley's chin, and slowly pulled her face to him. "That all that happened…" He softly asked, lowering his voice to match his gentle touch, but the words died on his lips as her face came into view.

The broken locks were a warning you got inside my headI tried my best to be guarded, I'm an open book insteadI still see your reflection inside of my eyesThat are looking for a purpose, they're still looking for life

Haley's eyes darted away from his as the truth revealed it self. Her right eye was swollen twice it's size, and was black and purple of varying hues. Her eye lazily half closed, Jax could still spot the burst blood vessels darkening her eyeball.

Rage hot as fire blew like a back draft through his veins. "Did he do that to you?" Jax questioned, his tone low and deep with deathly calmness.

Haley squirmed out of Jax's grip, and took a step back, trying to hold herself together as her dirty little secret came to light. "Jax…" Her voice pleaded with him as her chocolate eyes finally crept upon his sterling heated blue. Everything inside her orbs begged him to just let it go.

"Did. He. Do. That. To. You?" Jax's voice rose loud and demanding as his tempter began to unleash tiny explosions within him. Nobody hurt Haley and got away with it, nobody. That girl meant the world to him, and seeing her face battered up unlocked an anger inside him any man should fear.

Haley's lower lip began to quiver from the velocity in the tone of his voice, as tears filled her eyes with the difficulty it was to admit somebody could hurt her like this. One warm salty tear drizzled down her cheek as Haley's gaze slipped from his, and she nodded yes. "Yeah," Haley whispered breathlessly with confirmation of the injuring truth. That word one of the hardest to admit, because she had never told anyone when this happened before.

Her confirmation was the final straw on a rage that was just begging to be released. Hearing all he needed to, Jax took off for the keys to his bike, grabbing his leather vest along the way.

"Jax you don't have to do this!" Haley called after him in her frantic step. She didn't want this, she didn't want to drag him into her dirt, but he didn't listen to a word she said as he charged out his front door like a man on a mission. "I'm coming with you!" Her insistent voice called after him as she shut his front door, and chased him into the driveway.

Ten minutes later Jax was banging loud and demanding on Honey's front door. The middle aged woman who still hadn't lost her beauty answered the door quickly, covered in her rob with buzzed glossy eyes to match. "Jax, what are you doing here?" She pretended to be dumb, but they both knew why he was there. As if there was any confusion. Anyone in Haley's life knew how Jax and Opie were with her. There was no room for doubt as to why Jax would be fuming at her front door in the middle of the night.

"Where is he?" Jax sneered as he pushed past her, and charged through the door with a one track mind.

"Jackson this doesn't concern you." Honey called after him as she shot her daughter a disapproving glare for bringing this to her home.

Stopping abruptly in their living room, Jax turned to Honey with a lack of patience and a fuming breath. "Where. Is. He?" His yell was so furious and forbidding it echoed through all of them.

"What the hell is this all about!" A drunken slurring voice filled the air as everyone turned to see Drew, Honey's boyfriend staggering as he emerged from the hall.

Everything moved at lightening speed after that. Like the blink of an eye, like when the thunder rolls, and shakes everything around it. In an instant Jax attacked, slamming his fist into the older man's face, sending Drew quick and fast to the ground before he even knew what hit him. Female screams erupted throughout the room from the startle as punishment was handed down.

Grabbing Drew by his shirt that tore in the process, Jax threw him against the wall with a loud back crunching thud. "So you like to hit little girls, huh? Try someone your own size!" Jax hollered in a blinding rage that left him unable to see anything past the adrenaline rushing through his veins. He slammed another powerful fist into the guy's face, everyone watched in horror as blood shot from Drew's broken nose, and the drunken man collapsed to the floor, dazed and almost knocked out cold.

Honey's scream pierced the room as she dove to her boyfriend's side. "Get out!" She screamed at the strong, blonde haired, young man she had known for years, but who had suddenly turned into a wild beast all in her daughter's name.

Jumping in front of Jax, her hands found his firm taunt stomach as she pushed him back. "Jax, we gotta go." Haley's panicked voice pleaded with him to be reasonable about this. This is exactly what she didn't want. For him to get blood on his hands for her.

His eyes heated and focused like an animal finally dropped to her chocolate brown pair. As their gaze met she began to nod profusely, and drag him toward the door by his leather vest.

Jax ignored Honey's screaming voice that sounded like a broken record as he left a parting message for her boyfriend of the week. "You ever touch her again and I will kill you." Jax seethed in a low thick voice that said what he meant was more then a threat, it was a promise. His eyes blazed on the offender, his breath huffed from the adrenaline pounding altercation as he let Haley pull him out the door.

Back at the house it took a lot of convincing to get Wendy back to bed after she heard her husband charge out of their house in a heap of thunder, and then had to be the unfortunate soul to take Honey's belligerent ranting phone call before they got back.

The whole time Haley sat on the couch lost in her own thoughts. Shocked over what Jax had done for her. Terrified certain her mother would kick her out for this. Insecure over where she'd go, and angry with herself for bringing this mess upon Jax. A guy who was always there for her like Opie, her big brother.

I'm hangin' on another day, Just to see what you throw my way,

And I'm hanging on to the words you say, You said that I will be Ok

After an hour Jax emerged from his bedroom alone. His step quick enough for Haley to know he was still a little riled up. "Has he hit you before?" Jax questioned with a tight jaw as he passed the living room, and disappeared into his kitchen. Returning with a bag of frozen carrots a few moments later.

Haley's vulnerable eyes met his on approach. She wanted to lie, but what was the point anymore. He deserved nothing short of the truth after what he had just done for her.

"Not him…" She answered vaguely, but her words said volumes on the harsh truth of her home life. Funny in a really sad way, Drew was a drop in the bucket on the scale of her mom's shitty boyfriends.

Some just lashed out on occasion, but the two worst would have been the one who liked to drink whiskey all day, and then take it out on her and her mom in places he said people wouldn't see. Or his rival for top spot, her mom's boyfriend, Haley's last year of middle school. Who had given her, her first kiss. While other girls her age had that first experience with a boy they liked or found cute. Haley had hers with a guy who tried to convince her this is how families showed each other love before he smothered his lips against hers. Luckily for Haley that time her mom believed her, and kicked his butt to the curb. But she couldn't tell Jax about that, she couldn't tell anyone. Haley liked to pride herself she was strong enough to take it on her own. She felt bad enough getting him caught up in this mess.

Jax shook his head with disgusted disbelief. The thought of others hurting Haley was almost enough to send his fist flying through the wall.

Crouching down in front of her, Jax handed her the frozen bag. "I think you should probably stay with Piney for awhile. Here, put this on your eye." He instructed softly, as sterling blue eyes full of concern looked upon her so gently. Something hurt in his eyes, hurt for her.

Haley held the warmth of his stare for a moment before her gaze dropped as she took the cold plastic bag into her hand. That's when she spotted it… A few sprinkles of blood on his sculpted chest from the back spray when he broke Drew's nose.

Haley's hand hesitantly reached out, her fingers brushed his warm skin wiping the red evidence from him.

His gaze dropped with her touch to inspect her actions. Seeing what she had been cleaning up his eyes rose back to hers, and found pooling tears waiting for him.

"I'm sorry Jax," Haley apologized for bringing him into this mess as a few fresh thick tears rolled off her eyes.

Reaching out to comfort her as her tears stung his heart, Jax swept her hair behind her ear before this hand slipped behind her head. "This isn't your fault." His thick breath whispered back to her. Holding her gentle but steady, Jax leaned in, and placed a soft kiss upon her forehead.

Pulling back he met her eyes as his hand slipped to her cheek. "You can always come to me. I want you to come to me. Nobody hits you, you got that? Nobody." Jax's thick voice whispered to her with conviction. Making the unspoken promise he had always given her, that he was there for her, and he wasn't going to let anything happen to her.

The safety in Jax's sterling blue eyes choked Haley up more as she gazed into his orbs, and nodded silently. Without another word, she dove against him. Her protector, next to Opie he was the only person who truly made her feel safe and loved. Haley's arms wrapped tightly around his neck as her face buried in the crook of it. The ends of his long blonde hair tickled her chin. He smelt of cigarette's and beer, but it felt safe there, in his arms. Jax held her close, his strong arms tightly bound. He adored her, loved her in the most innocent and sacred of ways, and he swore to himself he'd never let anyone hurt her like that again.

I'm falling apart, I'm barely breathing, With a broken heart that's still beating

In the pain, there is healing, In your name I find meaning,

So I'm holdin' on, I'm holdin' on, I'm barely holdin' on to you

Lifehouse, "Broken" & "You and Me"

Note: This Story is for The Amazing Emmy!

(winchestergosp)