The site was being all weird for my last update but if you're reading this, the last chapter is working now.

I forgot how dorky the start of this chapter was, but it's important for what's coming.

Year Two: Light is Dawning

Fifteen Years Ago - Nightingale Private School

It's playtime right before the end of the day. Most of the little boys and girls run around the classroom or play with toys on the carpet. A few kids are sitting in the corner, reading picture books or doing puzzles. Unlike them, James sits at one of the tables. He's colouring in a book, within the lines because he believes it makes the pictures look nicer at the end. Keeping with his character, he's also the only one with a clean school uniform. As if he'll survive with juice stains on his sweater vest. Janet van Dyne raised him to believe having stains was a sin.

And besides, it got him his girlfriend. Dawn keeps a clean uniform as well. That got her a boyfriend. She sits next to him, watching him colour and sipping from her juice box that he gave her since he didn't want it. Her brown curls follow her movements as she leans closer to the table to take some of their shared animal crackers. They each got their own packets, but they opened both of theirs and spilled them on a napkin to share it.

He let her have his giraffes. They taste the best. Everyone knows that.

"James, look at me," Dawn says.

James looks over. He sees Dawn smiling as she leans closer to him and gives him a quick kiss. As James sits back, putting down his crayons, Dawn crosses her legs in her chair and giggles. James's mouth opens in shock which makes her laugh even more.

"Wow," is all James says. "Can we do that again?"

-o-

Present Day - Operations' Weight Room B - 7:49 AM

James lies on the floor, staring up at the ceiling. He was looking directly at a ceiling light to the point where he believed he was going blind. Was he looking at the sun? Speaking of the sun, where is she now? James blinks, suddenly seeing darkness. Crap. Now he's blind. But once his eyes adjust, he realizes that Orchid's face is right in front of his. James jumps a little, almost hitting foreheads. He slides over a little and sits up to look at her.

Then he remembers. His class was supposed to do sit-ups and he didn't do the sit or the up parts. He just lied down and stared into the void. A part of him is surprised his prof never called him out on it but maybe he was more surprised that he showed up to class. He knows he is.

"So," Orchid says, crossing her legs and scooting closer to him. Her smile is bright and perky, somehow like the braids in her hair. "What's on your mind?"

"Nothing," James responds.

"Are you sure nobody's home?" Orchid asks, knocking lightly on his head. She laughs a little. "I think someone's there. Care to let me in?"

"Fine," James says, sitting the same way to face her. "I've been thinking about Angela."

Orchid nods, badly concealing a grin. "What about her?"

"Things are difficult. She's always busy with these amazing things and I'm, well -"

"Not doing anything worthwhile with your life?"

James narrows his eyes at her but she's right. "Yes. What about whatever you have with Brody? How's that going?"

"It's going well, thanks for asking." She notices his unusual worried and distressed face. "You know, you're much happier and more fun when you're not in class."

-o-

James walks through the Operations building, not really recognizing anyone in the same training outfit as him. Maybe it'd help if he actually went to class. Whatever. He barely knows the people on his floor in Edison and he sees them nearly every day. There's something about all their faces and glasses just blending in together. If he didn't know Daniel, he would lose his face in the mix as well. When he looks up from his phone, he sees his favourite head of blonde hair entering the corridor. Again, it's like the light dawning on him but, this time, he's not as happy to see her. It's his thoughts and concerns piling up, blocking the sun but he smiles through because she lights up upon seeing him.

"Hey," Angela says, quickly kissing him.

"Are you free later?" James asks her.

Angela pauses, biting down on her lips. "Define later."

James shrugs. "When does later work for you?"

Angela huffs, looking upwards as she relays her schedule for the rest of the day. She has a training session, some lectures, a meeting with her former work-study supervisor about a position during their break week, after first term exams, spring break, next summer - whatever works - and she has to meet with her RA about helping the Freshies embark on Camp SHIELD. James feels overwhelmed for her. Here she is planning opportunities for the future. She's making connections, getting experience, training - she's doing what she has to. He doesn't want to be in her way for all that, preventing her from these chances because then he'll feel bad.

"Wow…" James mutters.

Angela nods. "Yeah. So, when later?"

James almost forgot he asked. "How about you call me?"

"Okay." She kisses his cheek before heading off to class.

-o-

Edison Residence - 17:50 PM

James exits the elevator of his floor, moaning in pain. He looks up after realizing he did that. Whoops. James looks around the floor's common area and kitchen, seeing if anyone was around to witness that. All he sees is Keith sitting on the couch with his laptop, staring at James purely horrified and as if he's an idiot. Nothing new. James smiles, waving and smiling brightly.

"Hi, Keith!" James exclaims, heading over to him.

"I thought you had your girlfriend with you," Keith responds.

"Why would you think that?"

"You were making the same sounds the last time she was here."

James grins, impressed with himself. He has some great flashes of memories of those times before seeing Keith with his horrified face again. "Do you want to get drinks?"

Keith looks up from his laptop in shock. " … with me?"

"Yes."

" … for real?"

"Yes."

Keith has never been more confused in his entire life. " … why?"

"Because I need to vent to someone who isn't my friend friend."

"Okay." Keith returns to the paper he was typing but then looks back at James when he sees that he hasn't moved. James is just standing there, staring and waiting. " … you meant now?"

"Yes."

Keith groans. He has a paper to write and it's tomorrow, but he's so intrigued by whatever petty issue James wants to share drinks over. He doesn't even drink and James probably doesn't know that. "Fine. Let me put this stuff away first. Do I have to change?"

James looks at his outfit. It's a graphic tee with some nerd show he doesn't know or understand with jeans and sneakers. "Nah. You're fine."