As Jax and Joplin sat awake, Joplin fought back her exhaustion. Jax could clearly see she was tired, but refusing to sleep. He sighed as he walked over to her and pulled her in between his legs and laid her against his chest. "Darlin', you need to sleep, please. You have my word, I won't try anything and I'll be here when you wake up." Joplin blushed as Jax had both been so bold as to lay her on his own chest and given her his word to not be like every breeding male she'd encountered before him and try something and promising to be there when she woke up.
"Fine... you win." Joplin said with a tired smile, resting her head against Jax's chest. He still smelled like a bonfire and strong-bourbon. She smiled to herself and closed her eyes. Jax, a minute-and-a-half later, found her sound sleep laying against him. He couldn't help but smile, gently running his fingers through her hair. He held her close to himself in a very protective fashion. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw someone creeping close to what looked like Joplin soundly asleep on the floor. However, the figure froze at the click of a pistol's safety coming off. Jax opened his eyes for the person to see him, then motioned for them to step into the moonlight. It was just another perverted local, trying to get a little one-on-one with the heroine of Grand Junction.
Jax grinned darkly as two rounds from his silenced .22 dropped the pervert without a second thought and without waking Joplin. He looked down at her sleeping face then back to scanning the room with his eyes. "I swear", he thought to himself, "I'll keep her safe. She won't suffer at their hands again." As he finished his mental thought, he dropped another two perverts with a satisfied, dark grin. "She's mine... back the fuck off... or die trying." Whispered Jax watching as several others fled the building. He shook his head disgustedly, killing another two who hadn't left. Sure, most people would never have been so proactively protective of someone who hadn't been a spouse or partner in a committed relationship. However, Jax had a bit of a... darker story to tell. "My father once put his hands on my mama..." whispered Jax, talking to the sleeping Joplin, "...that night, I broke his nose and collarbone. Some many people I used to be around, related to, whatever, all decided I was their confidant for these acts of violence, for these disgusting behaviors."
Jax shot another, watching their body hit the floor lifelessly. He hated the old world. Men abused women, Women abused men, and both of them abused society's bonds. A culture of lust-filled sex, stringless relationships, and a culture of commitmentless relationships were worshipped had infested the United States. He watched as people around him succumbed to lustful urges, caring not for the other human being on the receiving end. By modern standards, Jax was a fossil... a relic of love-culture that had been publicly strangled as an execution the masses just accepted as it had already been killed off by social media and Hollywood. Yet, Jax refused such garbage with the hope he'd meet someone... a dream of meeting her... someone like Joplin or better yet... Joplin.
Jax paused for a moment, looking down at Joplin's beautiful moonlit face. "There's a reason I ended up in that facility... I'd killed, beaten, or broken all of these people. Men wanting control over women, Women wanted to get back at innocent Men for shit they didn't do... I was untouchable until a gal sold me out. Said her boyfriend was beating her, even had the bruises to prove it. Only, when I arrived, the egghead and their goons gassed me then hauled me to the facility. I never had a real first kiss, crush, or relationship. I was too busy keeping the wrong people from getting into one." As Jax looked down, he was met by Joplin's eyes staring up at him.
They stared each other down for an awkward long moment, then Joplin held Jax's cheeks gently. She planted a gentle yet impactful kiss on his lips. "Now we can both say we've had our first kiss." She whispered into his ear, sending a chill down Jax's spine. He kissed Joplin back, both refusing to pull away. After a few minutes and now with heavy breaths, Joplin pulled back. "For a cowboy vigilante... you're a pretty good kisser with soft lips." She giggled softly, then laid back against his chest. "Sweet dreams, Jax." She said, laying against him, quickly falling back asleep. Jax's heart raced as he held her possessively, realizing she'd heard everything he'd said. "Looks like you're falling from me... don't make it too easy for a Texan to tame the Prairie." Jax whispered softly, eventually lightly resting for a few hours.
As the sun peaked over the horizon, Officer Jenkins was on guard outside the diner for the last shift. However, as he looked through morning fog, a lone soldier appeared from within its veil with a severe limp. Officer Jenkins raised his pistol but a voice called out to him. "Please, I mean you no harm. Have you seen a red dodge pickup? We got separated on our way here." As Officer Jenkins looked closer, a very injured but alive Master Sergeant Naylor limped into view, his shotgun slung over his shoulder. "Have you seen the others?" He asked hoarsely...