Tap tap.

Alaska sighed into her sheets and lazily swatted at her shoulder.

"Wakey-wakey," chirped a voice at her back.

She retaliated by burrowing further into her sheets. Soft. Warm. Whatever time it was, it was too early to wrench her from her cocoon of blankets.

"Allie!"

While perhaps she couldn't be pulled out of her bed, she could certainly be pushed off of it. She landed with a cushioned thump! and groaned. She squinted up at the figure chuckling down at her.

"I'm going to strangle you, Del."

He shrugged. "At least treat me to dinner and a movie first. Assuming we're alive by the end of the week, that is."

Alaska stretched out of her blanket-burrito as Delaware showed himself the exit. She dragged herself over to her metal closet to begrudgingly abandon her pajamas in exchange for her standard-issue kevlar suit. If she could walk around in her fleece jammies all day, she would. Perhaps she would suggest dress-down friday to staff sometime.

She gave the dog tags hanging in the closet a little tap, smiling at the jingle. She lumbered out of the door, only to receive a playful shove to the shoulder. The body belonging to it just so happened to be the same mischievous chocolate-eyed, tawny-haired man who had woken her.

"You're it," he trilled.

"In your dreams." Alaska clapped his shoulder as she began her way through the labyrinthine halls of The Mother of Invention with a battle of "you're it"s trailing behind her and Delaware. She was half-certain that they left anyone in their path to the canteen groaning.

"Allie!"

Shortly after entering the room, Alaska found her arms pinned in a strict hug. Long black hair hung over her shoulder like a curtain while its owner giggled with her constrictor-like vice.

"Hi, Nessie."

Tennessee slipped off of her. A lithe woman with a gentle pair of dark almond eyes and - surprisingly long - straight, black hair. She gave Del a brief hug and tugged them over to a sparsely populated table.

"Finally," grunted a fully-suited man. "Tenn has been dying waiting for you two."

Another man, a strawberry-blonde whose navy eyes twinkled, gave him a sharp whack to the shoulder. "Shut up, why don't you. It's a big thing for her. Not all of us got to have our own-"

The armored soldier hit him back. "Well don't spoil it."

Delaware rolled his eyes. "I keep saying we need to get these two a room, but nobody ever listens to me."

"Shut up," the two snapped simultaneously. Alaska rolled her eyes and sat herself opposite of the suitless man. Tennessee slammed her hands on the table, leaning between the other four parties.

Tennessee spoke low. "Guess what!" She sucked in a breath, not waiting for a reply before blurting, "I'm getting an A.I.!"

She bounced up and down on the balls of her feet, practically dancing. It was clumsy, but happy. It made Alaska chuckle while she rested her head on her hand. Nessie's frolic even wormed a laugh out of the man in armor.

Alaska grinned at him. "She's gonna be like you, West."

West scoffed and removed his helmet. He shook his head, loosening his dark hair. "I still don't have my A.I.yet, you know; I'm just on the list…." His voice trailed off with pride, a tone which the gleam in his bright silver eyes confirmed.

"I'm just on the list," parroted the man next to him. "No big deal, I just get a high-end piece of technology~!"

West's pale face flushed at the cheeks. "Hawaii," he hissed.

Hawaii laid a hand over his chest. "Me?"

"Really, I don't see why they can't at least get their own closet."

Alaska stood, flicking Nessie's hair as she walked past her. She returned with a small breakfast to Del and Nessie watching Hawaii groaning in defeat from the armored headlock West had him in. The other three chatted and ate over the finishing squabble until they all fell silent. A buzz came from the speakers. West released Hawaii, who now crossed his fingers. He was either hoping the be included in a mission, or hoping to not be included in a new reprimanding. Alaska rolled her eyes and picked at her muffin; why would the director ever call on somebody other than his favorites?

"Agents Kansas, Hawaii, West Virginia, Alaska-" she choked, spraying crumbs onto the table "-Tennessee, and Delaware are to report to the Briefing Room ASAP."

Hawaii's eyes were wide with shock and sparkling. Tennessee seemed confused. Even West's sunken eyes betrayed his sense of interest. Del grinned.

"About time we got something again. Allie, can you go get Kan once you're done choking?"

"That's what she said!" Nessie exclaimed.