A/N: Hello my lovelies! Thank you to all of the favs/follows/reviews so far! I really appreciate them and they're very helpful. As for people wondering why I am apologizing for Aster's portrayal, you'll learn in this chapter. I guess it couldn't have been mentioned since Jack was knocked out for the majority of the trip back to camp. But you'll see for yourself. ;)

Also! I have three drawings of the characters from this fic completed! I'll do a group drawing of all of them when they are all done, but I thought I'd show you the ones I've done so far. The three that you'll see if you go to my profile will be Tooth, Baby Tooth, and North (who looks pretty badass if you ask me).

Please read, review, and enjoy! :)

Conflict of Interest

Jack wiped the apple's juices from his face and smacked his lips. Tossing the core into the opposite corner of the room, he wondered what time it was. How long had he been out for? Clearly, he was safe. Well, safer. There never had been such a thing as "safe" since the Outbreak. To be honest, Jack didn't think there was ever anything as "safer," either. Any prefix, suffix, adverb, or other English grammatical structures surrounding the word "safe" would never make it true. Not for this world. Even if Toothiana and Aster remotely cared about his well-being, Jack had to rely on his own instincts. The brief joy at being rescued by living, breathing humans had quickly been replaced with morbid cynicism shortly after Jack bit into the apple. He'd been reminded of it because who else would have known that's what he'd been trying to reach for? Of course, from the sound of it, Toothiana was oblivious and Aster was focused on other things. For all Jack knew, they pitied him and took him away so that they could leave again.

Jack's stomach rumbled and he decided to eat the next apple still on the ground. The thud that he had heard turned out to be a metallic one. He'd learned so because when his fingers tried to grasp the apple, they were greeted with the smooth chill of metal flooring. It hadn't occurred to Jack in that moment to think about where he would be that would implement metal floors, but as he reached for the second apple he paused. His ankle was throbbing against the tight splint, but he didn't dare take it off. Whatever he could do to make it heal faster would be done. If that meant resting in a dark, unknown room, so be it. At least he had his staff and his bag. But these floors were unlike any he'd seen before, except in science fiction movies. A momentary thought passed around the idea that Jack was in a space ship presently, but it dissipated with a chuckle. The second apple was still on the floor where it fell and rolled, a bruise beginning to show. Jack picked it up and slowly raised his upper body to sit up straight. A jolt of pain was felt, but the effects were lessening. Jack grimaced as he ignored the pain and sat the rest of the way up, resting on an equally metallic headboard. A few ribs must be bruised, if not broken. Jack figured that the distinguishing factors would be different, but failed to remember which complied with which.

One bite of the apple later and there was a knock coming from Jack's right. He nearly spat out the apple. It was obviously someone who was human, since an Unconsecrated would try to break it down. Jack wasn't a huge fan of that term for the things, but it was clearly better than "the things." Was it Toothiana? Aster? Jack set the apple on the desk and tried to look more respectable, tousling his dirty brown hair. It was then that he noticed his head was wrapped in gauze. A slight ache appeared from the fogs of his unconscious. Great, a concussion, too? "Come in?"

The door slammed open and beams of light blinded the poor Jack. His arm instantly shot in front of his eyes, causing his side to ache. Thick boots stomped into the room and Jack's heart fell. Neither Aster nor Toothiana were heavy steppers. Jack slid his legs up toward his chest defensively, ignoring the pain in his ankle and abdomen in immediate panic. One arm pawed around the other side of the bed for his staff until the intruder spoke.

"Vhy are curtains drawn shut?" A low voice boomed. "Is too dark. You'll go near blind, no?" The voice traveled to the foot of the bed and the sling of curtains was heard as more light flooded the room. Jack held in a yelp, uncertain of whom this man was and what he would think of the injured boy, not to mention this man's strange accent. Had this man found him and taken him somewhere? Would he never see Toothiana or Aster again? The thought was discomforting, to say the least.

As Jack blinked his eyes slowly, adjusting to the rapid influx of light, he took in the environment around him. The room was a small rectangle, with one window and one door. The walls were also made of the same nondescript metal. The curtains, it turned out, had been completely black. In actuality, it seemed to be around ten in the morning. Jack had gotten used to telling the time based on the sun in his three years of next to zero technology. The bed he was in was not a bed at all, but a cot with a small amount of padding beneath the blanket that had been tossed over Jack. The headboards were actually rails that were constructed around three of the four sides of the bed, save the side Jack had been rolling toward to reach the apples. There was also a fourth side of metallic rail, but it had swung down to allow for Jack's confusion. If it had been pulled up, he would have been fenced in, but without a ceiling of bars (which was a huge relief). The nightstand was a single filing cabinet with a padlock on it. His backpack and sweatshirt were on top. Jack instantly grabbed the sweatshirt only to find out that it smelled amazingly clean. Somebody had washed it. Checking to see if it was true, Jack realized that the bloodstain had been taken out. How had someone washed his clothes? There hadn't been electricity since a few days after the Outbreak breached the safe zones a little over two years ago.

Knowing his injuries would act up if he tried to dress himself, Jack set the sweatshirt over his staff beside him and looked up at the man who had entered the room. He was a tall, broad man with a tight red shirt and an impossibly long white beard, with shoulder-length white hair to match. This man was also muscular, but to a lesser extent than Aster had been. In addition, this man was rather... rotund. Jack would never say that to this man's face, however, because the tattoos that stamped his forearms were warning enough. Jack thought he caught the word "naughty" on one arm. The man's pants were pressed and clean, appearing dark brown to the still-blinded boy on the cot. His combat boots were tall and intimidating. Jack couldn't see the man's eyes, since the sun was directly behind him, but he could tell the man was looking at him. With what expression, Jack couldn't tell.

"How is dat? You are to be looking much better than few hours previous," the man continued as he took some steps forward. His tone was more... jolly than Jack had anticipated. On edge, Jack braced his screaming muscles to get ready to defend himself. But could he really injure such an incredible guy with merely his staff? Either way, Jack didn't care. If he went down, he was going to do so fighting.

The man must have noticed. "You need not to be scared, young Jack, the Scouts were very concerned about you and brought you 'ere," the man waved his arms widely. There seemed to be no small gestures with this guy. All of his movements were not fit for a room of this size. Jack doubted these movements were fit for a room of any size. Now that light was in the room, it was apparent to Jack that the room was spinning and his head was thoroughly under the weather. A moment later and it registered to Jack that the man knew his name. But the Scouts? What the hell were those?

"Too...thiana... and Aster?" Jack could barely form a cohesive sentence. Was the ability to see so persuasive that he couldn't perceive the true condition he was in when it was so dark?

"Perhaps you need more rest," the man concluded, beginning to turn away.

"Wait!" Jack instantly regretted shooting his hand toward the man. His bruises made themselves known to his consciousness and he reeled backwards in pain. "A-are Toothiana and Aster here?"

The man smiled. "I see you've gotten chance to know names. They are taking care of supplies and drawing maps, but you can join them soon, if you wish." He stroked his beard, waiting on Jack's response. It was like he was being analyzed, but not scrutinized.

Regardless, Jack almost didn't hear him because his hopes were lifted again. They had saved him! They had brought them to their camp after all! There were other humans! And they were talking to him! All of the internal excitement caused Jack's vision to blur momentarily. As it cleared, Jack looked at the man more closely. He saw that his eyes were in fact a deep and resounding blue. The kind of blue you see in the oceans of the tropical islands that the richer folks would visit on vacations. But it was also the kind of blue you see in a wintry sky, cold but vast and endless. He didn't look nearly as dangerous now, but the tattoos were still glaringly present. Jack gulped. "Where am I?"

"Oh!" The man palmed his face quite forcefully. No gesture too big. "Of course! Introductions are to be under ze way. I am Sergeant North, but North is just fine. I am retired. Aster is native to this land, but which tribe I never remember. Toothiana is our researcher and medic, if need should arise. However," the man named North pointed to Jack's ankle, "Sanderson is one who fixed your foot. He is clever with hospital equipment, no?"

Jack was dubious about the fact that a board of plywood and masking tape or gauze was considered hospital equipment. There hadn't been real hospital equipment in so long because they had been the first supplies rounded up and rationed and ultimately stolen. But what North said was true. It was helping and Jack thought that perhaps he could even walk with this brace. Of course, he didn't want to chance standing up and falling flat on his face before he took one step, so Jack remained stationary. But Jack realized suddenly that North had continued talking and he tried to tune in to the man's explanations.

"─secret bunker has been in place since World War II, and I had detailed, confidential plans. After military failed to stop Outbreak, I took liberty of said bunker and viola! Here is my Workshop! Great name, no? Anyway, we take in as many people as can be afforded and offer them livable life. Is nothing too fancy, but is manageable."

Of course the military failed to stop the Outbreak. They failed to see that Jack had been human and were awful at sensing their surroundings. Soldiers were trained for people, not... those things. They could have waited until they all started dying and then made the world safe by killing off the decrepit beings, but no. They didn't. Jack knew that they were just following orders, but surely common sense was a factor, right? However, Jack wasn't about to insult the military in front of an officer, retired or not. He still didn't have a solid clue about where he was, and he wasn't about to press for more information. It would make him seem weak. Since it was the first time in three years that he had been around other humans, he wanted to do this right. He wanted them to know that he was strong and that he didn't need to depend on them. Jack wasn't sure if he could ever fully trust anyone.

But Jack did need these people. He needed someone to care for him, and someone he could care for in return. Jack promised many things, and he wasn't about to go back on any of them. He had to live. Perhaps being with these people would be his way of surviving in this world. He had to know more.

On the other hand, getting any number of people to trust Jack was a slim chance at best in his mind. He'd killed. Sure, these people probably have, too. But did they kill their families? Did they kill their little sister to save her from her misery? That's what happened in the movies and, sure, it was sad, but Jack still couldn't get over the stark reality. He had killed. He could have been taken to prison, had circumstances been normal. But because circumstances weren't normal, did that mean killing at all was somewhat justified? Jack wanted to say that it depended on the situation, but there were so many gray areas that even the same situation could be taken in so many different directions. In the end, it mattered not only on one's choice but on others' reactions to those choices. The murky waters Jack had waded into were going to drown him if he didn't keep his conscience clear. However, Jack was afraid his first choice suffocated any other choices he could ever make. Still, he wanted to attempt some form of redemption before he ultimately returned to the dust of the earth.

"Can I see it?" Jack's eyes were filled with wonder.

North's eyes held a twinkle upon hearing the request. "But of course! Once you are rested," he added as a condition.

Jack insisted that he would be okay. "I have my staff as a crutch. I'll be fine!" He had to know what he was getting into, and if he could see Aster and Toothiana again in the process, all the better. He'd be sure of his decision when he saw the extent of where he was now living.

North admired the boy's spirit. "You want to see Workshop? Let us go, then! As long as staff is only used for crutch, I will allow it. Normally, weapons are to be stored away, but I make exception. Come, come."

Jack braced himself and hauled himself out of the bed in one giant swing, simply to get the pain over with. It wasn't awful, but he could tell that North had seen his wince. Jack pulled on his newly clean sweatshirt, which smelled vaguely of lilac, and kept his staff by his side. Discretely peering inside his pack as North's back was turned, Jack saw that they hadn't taken his holster but stashed it inside his bag. Jack felt that must have been in violation as well, but didn't want to ask about it in case it was taken away. As he followed North, Jack had the sudden urge to knock the man out and make a run for it. Something stopped him. He didn't trust him, but North seemed to be at complete ease. It was unlike the nature of every human that was actually still alive, let alone a military officer.

Leaving the room, the pair entered a slim corridor, also encased in the same metal. There were no windows, and the overhead lamps swung freely on rusted chains. It wasn't necessarily dim, but it was the sort of light that made one feel like they were being interrogated. The smaller corridor led to a conjunction with a larger hallway, easily twice as wide. Without stopping, North turned left and continued onward. Jack took a moment to glance down the other side, noticing a dead end with a single door. He wanted to ask what was down there, and curiosity certainly wanted the better half of him to, but Jack held his silence. The lights didn't reach as far as the hallway went, and Jack wondered if he would get to look into it at some point. Creating a mental note, he turned away and jogged awkwardly to catch up to North. He walked at a brisk pace without wondering if Jack was still following. It was an uneasy sense of trust that North carried, and it made Jack warier.

The left side of the hallway that they traveled down eventually emptied out into a larger, more open area on the right. North stopped here and turned, already explaining the layout. "Ze right here we will get to, this here room on left," he patted a door with a small square window, "is my quarters. You will come here with questions concerning Workshop and to seek duties each week." Jack froze in shock. This guy was already talking to him like he lived here and was expecting him to work here as well? Jack's stomach staled, and the itching proposition to run fueled his veins. He still wasn't even sure where this place was, how far he had traveled to get here, or where Toothiana and Aster were. Even if he couldn't trust them either, Jack at least knew it was something like a checkpoint. Jack forced himself to take a deep breath and continue listening.

"As for this area, it is eating place, exercise place, very... recreational," the thick-accented voice searched for the appropriate terms in English. Jack wondered, not for the first time and certainly not for the last, where this man originated. And did he mention which military? Was he even from the United States? Borders probably didn't matter anymore, but this man's background was of interest to Jack. "It is also trick. See how there are three doors branching off in back? All stay locked, but only one leads to barracks. Which do you think is correct?"

Jack took his time, trying to notice slight tricks. All of the doors looked the same, but in the tiny windows Jack could see faint impressions of the metal siding in two of the windows. In the third window, in the middle of the other two options, Jack definitely noticed stronger light. Jack furrowed his brows. "The middle one?"

"WRONG!" North's laughter was so loud that Jack swore every Unconsecrated within a twenty mile radius could hear him. Shortly after, he returned to a serious set of features and lectured Jack. "Right goes to all various supplies, laundry, and food; each sectioned and rationed. Middle actually leads to cave system where we get our water. I will explain more later. Left is barracks. All beds are military bunks, with around twenty total per section, there being four sections. None are private. I, of course, stay up here to guard ground floor. Others are designated similar rooms when on duty. You'll be assigned bed down in barracks when better. Perhaps you will rank with us soon. That includes myself, Aster, and Toothiana, as you already know. Sanderson usually stays with children, but due to shortage, he takes his turns. Then there is Phil, but he is mainly in charge of hunting. But, more on that later. Until all has been decided and you are well, you stay in health care area until Sanderson and Toothiana see that you are well." It was a lot to take in, and Jack was already forgetting which doors went where. Nonetheless, he patiently allowed North to tote him around. All of this was really to Jack's benefit, so it wasn't necessarily bad in the long run. If bad changed to worse, Jack could take advantage of them. Normally, Jack wasn't that type of person. But in this new world, Jack was unsure if he would really ever have the same morals as he believed he had.

"We will continue downward into mountain, but first let me show you fortifications." Fortifications? Am I in a castle? Jack kept the bemusement to himself and let North guide him up a set of stairs next to the office door. They winded around like a castle, much to Jack's surprise. His ankle made climbing stairs nearly impossible, but he was determined to use as little help as possible. He had always been stubborn like that. North, of course, seemed to have completely forgotten that Jack didn't have full capabilities of both feet. Upon reaching a thick reinforced steel door, North unlocked several padlocks and heaved the door open.

"Is easier to open from outside for Watch purposes," North added, as if to ease any uncertainties, of which Jack had plenty, least of which had to do with this door, "but only if given code." Wow, the man kept some secrets. Jack was surprised, but said nothing. North sidestepped so that Jack could see out the door. "Ramparts look over inner courtyard of bunker, not easily seen from air nor land. Then beyond is cliff leading down towards rest of world. Not too worried about attack from dead here," North concluded as he began to shut the door again. Jack had little time to think about the ramifications of what he'd meant by that last statement before North had escaped his view once again.

The inner courtyards could only be reached by two doors: one going inside the bunker and one going out into reality. Here was where they planted gardens because it was guaranteed to be quiet and filled with sunlight. Special privilege only and it had to be silent. Very understandable, seeing as the valley that the bunker was nestled into echoed with the smallest of noises, reverberating through the trees and the ground and off the mountain peaks. The water for the gardens was carried up from the cave system by hand but also supplied through a small stream from the outside that flowed underneath the walls. Normally it was safe, North commented, but they had to check all water supplies for contamination every few hours. If any bad blood was mixed in with the water and got into their food supplies, they all risked infection to a certain degree. This was the first time that Jack had heard any details pertaining to the sickness that was responsible for the world's present state. There were specifics in how it was carried and how it infected? Movies either went too deep and became unrealistic or remained vague and extremely unhelpful. But this meant that there maybe could be something done to change the course of humanity. Needless to say, Jack was interested.

"What kind of risk?" Jack asked.

North thought about it for a moment. "You would ask Toothiana that one. As I mentioned, she is our researcher. She stores all information we have on Outbreak. Perhaps she will let you look. Once you get her going, she doesn't like to slow down," North chuckled as they moved back onto the main floor of the bunker and went into the middle door in the recreation area.

North opened the door and popped a lantern off of the wall and started descending. The floors became earth and the ceiling was much lower. North had to constantly duck so as not to bump his head and possibly risk collapsing the entire infrastructure. Jack stuck his staff into the ground and checked his splint. He knew North was only going downward and there couldn't be any other path otherwise without going back up. The splint was definitely dirty now, but it still held. The wooden piece chafed against Jack's inner ankle and the side of his foot, which itched excruciatingly. This tour was going to keep him bed for much longer if there were any more places to add to this bunker. Bracing himself, Jack leaned onto his staff for more support as he awkwardly tumbled down the tunnel after North. His voice rang throughout, making it all the easier to catch up to him without getting lost. "Most of bunker is under ze ground. So any point past recreation and storage is going to be earthen. Was not completely finished due to Second World War ending and all that."

After a few minutes, the small cave emptied out into a large underground cavern. Most of the floor was actually water instead of land. Steel footbridges stretched out over the waters with small docks attached in each pool. In total, there were two large pools, with sections drawn off with chalk on the sides of the rocks. They walked into the center were an artificial dam had been created to separate the pools.

"On that side," North waved his hand over one pool, "is West Aquifer. Is purified and used for drinking, cooking, and such. Feeds from spring farther under the earth. Here on this side is East Aquifer. Is used for bathing and cleaning of clothes, marked off like so," North pointed to the chalk marks, written in some language Jack didn't understand. That worried him. "But this Aquifer feeds from the outside, which is why we do not drink it, yes? This water is tested every few hours just like stream up on surface. The hole is mostly hidden," North took Jack's shoulders and squared him off to see a small speck of natural sunlight coming from the farthest end of the cave, "but that is where Scouts will go to personally check water as far as five miles out. Makes for ze getting out into fresh air and easing of tempers. Aster can especially vouch for it," North laughed. Jack wanted the man to let go of his shoulders. The touch of another human was still strange to him and it made Jack jump from its unexpectedness. This man was way too nice. Something had to give. And yet, Jack was not going to be the one to push the buttons. He would wait and see.

"There is much more to inner workings here," North was going through the last of the motions as they headed back toward the above-surface portion of the bunker, "but you need not to be knowing so much so soon." Wait, there was even more? Jack fought the urge to ask. His ankle hadn't taken kindly to the walk down to the Aquifers and he wasn't pleased about having to make the trip back up the tunnel. Even though it would appear weak to ask so, Jack desperately wanted to sit down and rest. But he couldn't. It was almost done and then he would get to see Toothiana and Aster. For only meeting them fleetingly, Jack really wanted to see them. He wanted to know more. Knowing more led to trust, right? Was that why North was telling him as much as he had? It made sense, but Jack remained cautious.

When they returned to the recreational area, North turned to the small boy. "You have been quiet. Do you have questions?" He raised an eyebrow and waited understandingly.

There was something odd... "Where is everyone?"

North sighed and put a hand behind his head, scratching nervously. "Remember how I said our goal was to rescue people? Well, we've taken to rescuing kids. They need childhood in order to survive in this world. That and humanity would die out otherwise. We keep them safe and teach them of what life was like and how to survive. Is our purpose. But..." North glanced toward the doors to the left, the ones that led to the barracks, "we have had fewer numbers in past months. Children grow restless and want to believe they are ready. They do not enjoy their childhood while they still have it.

"Anyway, Scouts and many of new ranks went out for raids, scouts, and hunts─" Jack had no idea what these terms meant, but he did not interrupt the man's story, "─and were attacked by horde. Not many survived."

Considering the place was empty and North refused to take Jack to the barracks, the boy could only assume that North, Toothiana, Aster, and Sanderson were the only people living in this bunker. It was terrible. Truly awful. But Jack had been away from human connection for so long that it seemed common place that the hordes would get their fills at some point. It was atrocious that it had come to them, but Jack was still reeling from his headache. And to add onto the injuries, Jack was also hung up on the purpose of this place: to give children their childhood. Jack's heart ached for his sister. He wished that she were alive, that the marks hadn't decided her fate, and that she could be here. But Jack had lived in this world, alone, for three years and knew that there was no way anyone could have any childhood. They were proposing a safe place. Jack nearly scoffed. They wouldn't want him here. He also had very little reason to stay here.

"Sgt. North!" A familiar voice bounded up to the pair. Jack turned around and saw the streamlined figure of Toothiana making her way to them from the barracks. She was still wearing the same clothes that Jack had seen her wear out there. They were still wildly inappropriate for many reasons, but Jack let it slide. The girl could fight, and she looked beautiful while doing it. Suddenly, Jack had a reason to stay. "What is Jack doing all the way out here? He's supposed to be resting! Sandy alerted me that he was missing and I came looking for you. Thank goodness you're both alright!" Jack assumed "Sandy" was, in fact, the Sanderson that North had kept talking about.

Her slight accent mixed with worry sounded like a sad song to Jack and he immediately felt guilty. "It was my idea. I wanted to see the place."

"Where is Aster?" North's entire body became straight-laced and he resembled an actual military man for once.

Toothiana had been looking at Jack, darting her eyes around his face but lingering at his mouth for some odd reason. Snapping out of it, she answered, "I believe he's checking the East Aquifer water line. He's not exactly cheery about the new addition, sir."

North waved it all away. "How many times must I tell you, Toothiana? You need not to be calling me Sergeant or sir. Is too formal. I am retired. As for Aster, make sure he takes rest. He has Watcher duty for first half of ze night."

Toothiana was about to say something when a knock was heard from the hallway where Jack and North had first come from. North and Toothiana both turned as if expecting this to happen. Jack spun around, eyes wide from the sudden noise. A short man─ very, very short, as Jack noted─ with golden blond hair walked up to them with an air of finesse about him. He had bags under his eyes like he hadn't slept in days, but appeared wide awake. He was wearing a simple pair of brown slacks and a yellow polo shirt, looking to be in his thirties or forties. He waved as he walked up into the circle of people. Already, Jack was starting to feel claustrophobic. The man began moving his hands and fingers in rhythmic motions, almost too quick for Jack to comprehend. The boy realized that this man must be deaf and wondered if he would have to learn sign language if he wanted to stay here any length of time. Being the only other human in this bunker that Jack hadn't yet met, he concluded that this was Sanderson.

"Ah, Sandy! Were you worried, dear friend?" North chuckled.

The man pursed his lips and narrowed his eyes, clearly a little upset. He pointed to Jack and then flattened his left palm downward, patting the side of his wrist. His arms came up to his chest, parallel to each other, and one hand rested against the opposite cheek with the palm facing outward. Jack wasn't completely sure if this was sign language at all, or if the guy was actually deaf. He didn't seem to have a hearing aid and it looked like he understood North perfectly.

As if to answer one of his questions, Tooth explained the situation. "He said that you need to rest your ankle and that the splint needs to be checked. Are we done here, Sgt. North?"

North rolled his eyes. "Yes, yes. You can take him back now. "

Jack guessed that he had no choice but to follow Tooth and Sanderson back to his room. Anything else that he wanted to know or do would have to wait until later. Besides, a rest sounded like a gift sent from the heavens.

If only the heavens had cared enough to let his sister live.

A/N: Okay, a lot of this was North talking and giving a tour. So sorry if I mess up the accent somewhere. I'm not trying to change every single possible letter to make it sound overly Russian and highly illegible, I'm just making it believable. His English isn't that twisted in the movie, at least not to my ears.

You'll learn more about Sandy and meet Baby Tooth in the next chapter (I think, I'd have to check the plot plans again). I promise this will get updated more frequently!

Oh, and I am a shameless self-promoter, so if you wanna read some HiJack [Hiccup (HTTYD1/2) x Jack Frost (RotG) go and check my profile! I just started a shorter series on it. Yeah, I know, that means I've got like, four ongoing stories all at once, but I can't help it! I come up with all of these ideas and I get carried away when I write something new. (If you're already reading A Choice of Faults and saw this same self-promotion, I'm sorry for bugging you with it again! I just want to branch out to my readers.)

Alright, I'll stop ranting and let you get on with your life. Good day/night! :)