I'm loving that both SA and PNG's updates are James-centred.

Chapter 180: Gen & Pym's Vacation Hideaway Part Three

The Hideaway House - Lecanto, Florida - 10:16 AM

James still couldn't sleep. For some reason, his body was wide awake and alert. He wasn't sure if it was because of the bomb he found in the pantry or because he wanted to finish his dissertation. Maybe both but his busted knee was definitely a factor. It feels like it has his own heartbeat. He can't help but wonder how Daniel managed to work on and complete two dissertations and a Masters in medicine, of all subjects, in three of his four years as a cadet in the Academy. James had eight years for one dissertation and he wants to cry.

He also misses his girlfriend, more so than he ever has, even when they broke up for a bit in their second year and when she went to do fieldwork after graduation and he stayed at the Academy for an extra semester. Unlike those times before, he could see her or call her. And it could be because they're now living together so she'd always be by his side. He can't even contact her because of the conditions of his current mission. He wonders if he's reached that point where he can't sleep unless she's next to him.

Either way, she's his number one supporter in him completing his dissertation. He won't let her down.

"Oh god," Gen says as she walks out of her room, still in her pyjamas. She walks past James at the island and opens the fridge. "You're actually here. I thought you showing up here was a hallucination or a sleep paralysis demon."

James laughs, not finding that funny. "You know, we can try to get along."

Gen scoffs as she pulls out a bag of bagels. "No thanks."

"Gen."

"Here."

Gen throws him an envelope from her robe's pocket as she heads to the toaster. James picks up the open envelope addressed to her with a SHIELD emblem in the corner with urgency stated on it. He takes out the letter and is confused to see a subpoena under her name for the end of the week. It's a motion for the destruction of evidence that confuses James even more.

"FBI sent me one too for the same date," Gen adds. "It's basically the same letter. I was called as an expert witness, to act as an objective and unbiased person with specialized knowledge, skills, or information who can help conclude something. It came in the mail when I was getting groceries last week, potentially when the bomb was planted."

James nods, not bothering to ask when she didn't tell him earlier because at least he knows now. "So if you're only supposed to be the expert witness, why were you getting death threats?"

"It's classified but I destroyed the evidence I was supposed to decrypt," she explains as she takes her bagel out of the toaster, "I have more important things to focus on like staying alive."

"SHIELD didn't mention a subpoena when I was being assigned." He rereads it trying to find something he could be missing.

Gen shrugs. "It's classified, I guess. You did say that they didn't tell you anything in case you got compromised on the way here."

James nods. That reasoning does make sense but it doesn't. He can't figure out why. Either way, James knows something's up with Gen since she's eating a toasted bagel with no toppings.

"Relax, Gen, you'll be fine," James says.

Gen laughs as she breaks apart her bagel. "I'm subpoenaed by SHIELD and the FBI and will go to jail for perjury if I'm not dead by then. A mafia-esque weapon cartel group and two psycho assassins who infiltrated SHIELD possibly have snipers on me. And you're my protection."

James didn't understand the latter half of what she said. "See? We're fine."

"Pym, you may light up but you're not that bright."

He glanced at his scattered dissertation on the kitchen island. "Tell me about it."

-o-

James isn't sure when he fell asleep but he wakes up on the living room couch. His head spins as he forces himself to sit up, needing to hold on to the back of the couch to help himself up. For a moment, he doesn't remember where he is and wonders where Angela is.

"Morning."

He looks behind him and sees Gen sitting on a matching chair. Her legs are crossed and she has a book on her lap. For the first time he's seen in Florida, she's wearing her glasses.

"Is it-?" James asks unsure where he was going with that question.

"You fell asleep in the middle of the afternoon," Gen explains, closing her book.

"I was tired."

"Yesterday afternoon."

James tries to piece together yesterday but he doesn't remember much after Gen showed him her subpoena. She ate her breakfast by the pool and he stayed to work on his dissertation. He must've fallen asleep but doesn't remember going to the couch. For all he knows, he fell asleep on the kitchen island and Gen dragged him on the couch. But why would Gen be that nice?

"You're being paid to watch me," Gen tells him. "I know this is a joke to you but still."

James just woke from a long nap after three days of dealing with Gen's crap, this mission, missing his girlfriend, and his dissertation. He knows that Gen is terrified of her current predicament and taking it out on him by acting defensively, but she needs to know that he actually cares about all this.

"You really think I'm just fucking around?" James asks her. "If I wanted you dead, I wouldn't have shown up. I could've left or, even better, let you find the bomb."

Gen's face softens despite knowing she could've defused it herself (and James knows that too). " … okay, Pym, I'm sorry. I'm scared, okay?"

James grins at her. He got an apology from Genevieve bent Mikhail! Who else could say that? "Well, no shit you're scared. Come on, let's get out of this stupid house before we kill each other."

"Are you kidding? People are after me and I stick out like a sore thumb. Not to mention that the actual residents here proudly celebrate their second amendment right while waving confederate flags, and I'm Black and Asian if you couldn't tell. You look like a frat boy on spring break."

Gen shows him her dark forearm and tugs one of her tight black curls.

James rolls his eyes. "Again, if people wanted to shoot you, they'll shoot me first."

-o-

Tommy's Fish & Fry - Lecanto, Florida - 18:57 PM

James finally convinced Gen to grab a bite to eat by setting a perimeter of fire ants around the property and mosquitoes lingering in the nearby air. They drove through the county and wounded up as a restaurant by the water. It was made to look like a small and stubby lighthouse with white walls and blue shingles. A rustic sign in the front with the daily specials on it. They got a table outside overlooking the pier. James was grateful it wasn't windy since he brought his dissertation with him and didn't want that to fly away.

It nearly took up the whole table.

"I'll pray for you, darling," the waitress says to Gen when she looks at James.

"Thanks but I don't need it," Gen responds.

They both get water since they can't risk getting drunk no matter how much they want some alcohol. Gen ordered a cheeseburger and fries while James asked for the "most meaty item on the menu" with his charming smile and no salad. The waitress didn't even hesitate as she scribbled it all down but Gen was judging him, as she normally does. At least she's back to the way she acted in The Academy. That's how James knows it's all fine. Going outside was good for them.

"My girlfriend is a vegan, you know that," James says to Gen. "Let me have this moment."

"Oh lord, I'll pray for you too," the waitress says before heading back into the kitchen to drop off their order.

"That means a lot," James yells. She's for sure getting a tip.

"So, what have you been up to since whenever the hell I last saw you?" Gen asks.

James looks at her skeptically. "Are you actually trying to have some small talk?"

"It's been three days and who knows how much longer we're stuck in this stupid county together."

James didn't even think of that. SHIELD didn't give him a timeline. "God, you're right."

"As always. So, what's up?"

"Dissertation and dying," James says pointing to their makeshift tablecloth that's his research. "Missions and not dying."

"How's that going?"

"Busted up my knee a while back but the pins in it are working, maybe. Kinda forgot it was in bad shape until recently."

Gen raises a brow. "How did that happen?"

"Daniel."

Gen laughs. Not some small chuckle but full-on cackling. "So I get the agent with the busted knee. A knee busted by Daniel, of all people. Amazing. How is Daniel, by the way?"

James smiles. "He and Stark are on their honeymoon."

"Shit…" she whistles as she raises her glass as a toast. "Congrats to them. What about you and Angela?"

"Moved in together."

"About time."

"Not the first person to say that."

Once their food arrives, they're careful about where to put it on the table since it's covered in James's dissertation. When they start eating, James continues taking notes along his margins and Gen reads whatever pages are on her end of the table.

"I might need your help with this," James says, tapping his dissertation with his fork.

"You need my help with quantum entanglement?" Gen questions. "Oh, Pym, you must be desperate. Why are you getting your Ph.D. now? After all this time?"

"The end of the world could be tomorrow, I want to marry my girlfriend, and my dad won't hire me until I get it."

Gen tilts her head a little. "You want to resign from SHIELD?"

James shrugs, putting down his pencil and leaning back in his chair. "It's been on my mind for a while."

"Ah, so you're slow on your Ph.D., your relationship, and job changes."

James can't argue that, again. "Not to brag but you get the agent with the busted knee who is also planning to leave. Point is, I need to do this."

Gen can't argue that either. She gets the need for achievements. "You don't need to accomplish things to justify your existence."

James scoffs. "Says Genevieve binti Mikhail."

"Agent and Ph.D.," she proudly states as she eats a fry.

"Hypocrite. You would've said the opposite in the Academy."

"Look where getting recognized got me." She opens her arms to show the vast nature of Lecanto before pointing at him.

"And look where doing nothing got me." He copies her arm motions.

She laughs a little. "We've both fucked up and ended up in the same place, end of story. But I'm not getting you in trouble for something I did. Your mom might come after me."

James rolls his eyes. "Yeah she would but whatever. Can we work on my dissertation?"

"Am I getting a mention?"

"No."

"Good. I don't want to be associated with it."

They're silent except for the sound of nearby traffic and the water below them. Neither of them even look at the scattered dissertation on the table or even the dessert menu.

"So what happens after the hearing?" James asks.

Gen shrugs. "I don't even know what'll happen there."

"As I've said, it'll be fine. To shoot you, they'll have to shoot me."

Gen rolls her eyes. "I'm so dead."