As you all know, I don't own any of these characters... This is my first fanfiction so please be patient as I try to figure it all out. Here is a bit of an introduction to what is to come. The story starts at the point where Jack is leaving Pulitzer's place after Pulitzer tried to get him to quit the strike.
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Jack began running, taking the opportunity that David had given him to get away. He heard men chasing them and then heard Pulitzer yell, "You can't run away from me, boy! You have people you care about and you won't be able to save them all. I will get you one way or another!"
As the words sank in, he stopped running. Confused, David slowed down as well and looked back at him, "What's wrong, Jack? Come on! We have to get out of here!" Jack just leaned against the alley wall, slowly sinking down until he sat with his head in his hands. He thought about David, and Sarah, and their little brother Les. He couldn't let anything happen to them. They were too innocent to be able to survive the horrors of The Refuge. Then he stood up and started pounding the wall with his fists. When had he started to care for them? It was so much easier when he only cared for himself, when he only had to decide what was best for him. You can't survive on the streets if you let your feelings control you!
"Jack! What has gotten into you? We need to keep running!" David yelled at him.
Jack turned around and looked at him, and David could see a hint of tears in his eyes. "I can't, Davey. If I keep running, they will start trying to hurt you in order to get to me."
"I don't care! I can handle it. If they even catch me... We need you to keep the strike going. The guys are depending on you!" By this point, David had grabbed Jack's hand and was trying to pull him through the alley.
Jack just shook him off, "No! You don't understand, Davey. They won't just go after you, they will try to hurt Sarah and Les too! They would be arrested and put in The Refuge. You don't understand what that place is like, what they do to you there. Your brother and sister wouldn't survive. I don't think you would even survive, at least not without it changing you." By this point, Jack was yelling. Partly he was just trying to get his point across, but mostly he was just angry about the decision he was having to make. He took a deep breath trying to keep the memories of The Refuge at bay. Slowly he slid to the ground once again. And in a much quieter voice said, "Davey, you had better get going. They will be here any minute."
David slowly started backing away, torn between saving his friend from this horrible fate and protecting his family. Making his decision, he turned around and began running. He resolved that he wouldn't let Jack's sacrifice be for naught, and he would take whatever opportunity presented itself to get his friend freed.
Jack watched David run away, and let one tear escape as he succumbed to the memories of his previous stay in The Refuge...