[She moves the light as she’s directed, shining the beam on whatever corners he needs illuminated, going along with the pretense even as time stretches, and the girl in question remains unfound. Loki presses on, though he claims that the search won’t take much time, leaving Pepper to shake her head when he comments on her remark.]

It’s not an apology so much as it is sympathy. [An empathic understanding of the loss Loki faces, summed up as inadequately as ever in two small words.] I know you must be hurting, even though you’re not letting it show.