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Chapter Forty-Five: Seoul

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"Rise and shine," Nat's voice was the first thing to greet me when I woke up.

I groaned, "The sun's not even up yet," I pulled the blanket over my head.

"Tell Steve all about it once you get up," Nat responded, pulling the blankets away from me, "He's the one that says we have to move now. Tony's checking out the Nexus, Banner and Fury are headed for the tower, and the rest of us are paying a visit to Helen Cho."

"Okay," I groaned, pushing myself up, "Happen to have anything I can borrow to wear? I don't think a sundress is the best attire for fighting robots."

"Ah, but I'd very much enjoy the view," a dark voice came from the door.

"Who let you in?" Nat grimaced, striding to shut the bedroom door, "I thought you were spending the evening with the cows."

"There were no cows," Loki's muffled retort came from the other side of the door, "And Rogers delivered a rather rude awakening several minutes past. I figured I could guess the reason for the delay. Alivia's never been very punctual."

"Why are you still talking?" I asked, as Nat handed me a bundle of clothes.

"Because you enjoy the sound of my voice so much so, that you dragged me out of Asgard to hear it," came the swift response.

I took a deep breath, steadying my frustration at him. Nat put a hand on my shoulder, "I'll deal with him." She reopened the door, grabbing Loki by the collar and dragging him down the hall.

I stood, closing the door to get changed. Nat had loaned me one of her skin-tight leather outfits, complete with gun holsters and knife sheaths. Red in the face, I was forced to lower the zipper on the chest to make room. I didn't think Natasha and I were quite the same size in that region.

When I was finished, I tucked my hair behind my ears. It was too short to tie back now. Then, I stepped up to the mirror. Looked myself in the eye. I removed my brown contact, and was shocked by the brightness of the orange that it concealed. I blinked a few times. Tossed the contact in the garbage. And I was out the door.

I passed Clint bidding Laura goodbye. I thanked her, before the two of us made for the quinjet parked in the field outside, where the rest were waiting for us.

We loaded inside, and I took a seat between Natasha and Steve, while Clint slipped behind the wheel. Loki sat down across from us, eyeing me darkly but not saying a word. I was beginning to think Nat scared him.

We took off into the sky, the ground falling away beneath us as we jetted off. Soon, land became ocean, and there was nothing but blue surrounding us. I felt the heat of Loki's eyes on me the whole way, but made a point of avoiding eye contact with him.

"When we get to Cho's lab, I'll drop off and check the place out," Cap said, eyeing the strip of land we were approaching, "The rest of you, stay in the sky until I give the word."

I nodded, balling my hands into fists.

"Try anything, Loki," Nat warned, glaring at him, "You'll wish you could fall on your daddy's mercy."

Loki put his hands up in mock surrender, and I accidently met his gaze. His eyes bored into mine, and a small smirk pulled at the corner of his mouth. I looked away, just as Clint lowered the quinjet and Steve hopped out.

"Two minutes," he said into his earpiece, "Stay close."

There was silence as Steve made his way into the lab. Then, over his earpiece, came a women's strained voice. I realized it must have been Cho. It sounded like she was in a lot of pain.