This chapter is a good one for two reasons that put a smile. Its title parallels the chapter Angela and James broke up.

Year Two: Sunshine in Paradise

Academy Courtyard - 16:18 PM

Angela said thirty minutes but she came earlier. She wondered if she should've slowed down but she didn't want to pace around in her thoughts and speculate. If James wanted to talk, she should just rip this bandage off. She could do this. They're adults and long-time friends who have known each other their whole lives who have also fallen in love and fallen apart. They can have this conversation, right?

Or so she thinks. When she sees him sitting on a bench, looking down at his phone waiting for her, she almost makes a run for it. She's fast. He'll never know she was here. She'd be running against the wind but that'll make it even better, right?

But she doesn't move. She's not a child anymore. She can do this.

The closer Angela gets, James looks up from his phone and puts it in his pocket. Angela takes a seat beside him on the bench, leaving enough space for another person to sit between them. She lays her hands on her lap, looking at her fingers and waiting for him to say something but he's quiet. Angela doesn't look up at him because she can sense that he's looking at her. She's missed that. She's missed him.

She didn't want to make eye contact before remembering that she's an adult. Adults make eye contact.

"You said you wanted to talk," Angela says to prompt the conversation.

"Right," James says, turning his body to face her. "So, I've been thinking."

"About what?"

"Becoming Michelangelo."

Angela didn't know what this conversation would be about. She should've taken some time to speculate but whatever theories she would've created wouldn't have come close to what he just said. Even if this conversation happened months ago, she'd have the same reaction.

"What does that mean?" Angela asks. "Were you smoking pot with Merida?"

"What? No. That was Daniel."

"What?"

"I'll tell you later. Anyways, I don't think Xavier told you this because you left campus and it's better that you hear from me," James responds. He takes a breath. "So I flew down a couple of my exes and I learned some things."

Again, she would've never come to that conclusion. But she still has the thought of Daniel smoking pot with Merida in the back of her mind. "What?"

"I know it sounds ridiculous. But -"

"Wait," Angela holds up her hands. She takes a minute to process that information. "How is seeing a handful of your exes supposed to make me feel better?"

"Because you're my ex and weren't invited?"

Angela narrows her eyes at him. Forget taking longer to get here, she should've ghosted him and stayed in her dorm. A part of her thought she'd be petty about James getting a rebound but finding out he flew down a few of his exes irks her even more.

James notices her anger because even he knows how stupid he sounds. "If it helps, I wanted to talk to them about us and what happened. They all called me an idiot for dumping you."

"Obviously."

"They also said we haven't been talking as much which is partially why I dumped you."

Angela pauses. Her body relaxes a little. "My dad said the same thing."

"Wait, really?"

Angela nods. "He said that whenever we, as in all of us, are faced with a problem, we just keep it to ourselves and then get mad at each other."

"He's not wrong. My exes said that I ran away from you because I didn't want to be responsible."

"It's not like I tried my hardest to stop you."

"At least you tried."

Angela bites on her tongue for a second. "Which exes were there?"

James looks at her. "That's your take from all that?"

Angela shrugs, grinning a little. "Well, now I'm curious. Was one of them, as Emily named, Cologne Bitch?"

He bites down on a smile he's failing to hide. "I'll tell you later."

"Fair enough."

"Look, Angela, I can never forgive myself for making you go home or for breaking up with you which caused you to leave." He moves a bit closer to her and she doesn't stop him or scoot back. "If I had known, I would've gone after you."

"Weren't you entertaining your exes?"

"... fair point but they were mostly entertaining each other. I started a group chat that's now texting about arranging spa days when they're back home. I wanted to die for nearly the entire night."

Angela holds back her smile. "James, you were my escape. You were my distraction from everything. That makes me sound selfish but you make me the happiest I could be. I may not have been your first love, first date, first girlfriend, first ex, even, but I just want to be your last everything."

James looks at her and, for the first time since this conversation, he has hope sparking in his eyes. "I want that too but first and foremost, you are your own woman - first, last, and always. The Academy is much more than a guaranteed job. It means doing something, being somebody, not just existing through others."

For someone who barely went to class, had no Ph.D., and barely paid attention to life, James understood more of their purpose here. Angela thinks about her busy schedule but incorporated James's words, weaving them in between the square boxes. What was the point of everything she was doing? She was barely a person let alone the one she wanted to be. Forget James Pym being her escape, he was helping her along the way and he didn't even know it. It took him leaving for her to realize that she needed his constant presence by her side.

Angela leans in a little closer to him. "So, what are you going to do about that?"

James hesitates. " … would you be mad if I said I'll figure it out in third year?"

Angela laughs, looking down for a moment before meeting his eyes again. "No, not at all. I know you well enough to know you don't have a plan."

James mimics her laugh but it comes out like an exhale. "I love that you know that but not as much as I love you."

"I love you too. What was that about Michelangelo?"

"Actually, it's Michel-Angela."

"So much happened in this conversation that's left me confused."

James immediately stands up. "Let's walk and I'll tell you."

Angela smiles as she takes his hand.

-o-

Noakes Library - 17:02 PM

Merida takes a seat next to Brody in the private study area. The layout is four desks grouped together with barriers around each desk to enforce privacy. Merida sits in an empty spot facing Brody who turns around after she pokes his arm a few times.

"Sup," Brody says as he takes out his headphones.

"Whisper," Merida commands, speaking in a hushed tone.

"What has you so rattled?" Brody asks, whispering this time.

"It's the rules. We're in the silent study area. Hell, we shouldn't even be talking."

Brody's taken aback right now. "Since when do you follow the rules?"

"I had a close call and almost got my friend expelled."

"Was it either Rogers? Ruiz? Vermillion? Pym?"

"No, Banner."

"Damn, Barton, what'd you do?"

Merida looks around for a moment. Nobody's watching them since the surrounding classmates were either glued to screens, studying, sleeping, or making out. Merida extends her arm out towards Brody's desk. She puts her hand inside her sleeve and pulls it out again, taking out the sandwich bag with the last blunt in it. Brody holds back a laugh, ignoring her annoyance.

"You're so inexperienced," Brody tells her.

"I'm never getting high again," Merida states. "Not because of the expulsion or even the close call. Being a downer fucking sucked."

Brody smiles at her. "What'd you learn about yourself?"

"I don't want to talk about it. Enjoy yourself with that."

Brody looks up as if he's seeing a godsend. "You, Merida Barton, are a saint."

-o-

Atlantic Residence - 19:16 PM

Merida has never felt freer than walking out of the library with nothing up her sleeves. Her parents were right although she knew they were saying that to poke fun. She should've never done drugs. But it's not like she'll become a good girl and follow the rules. Now that it's over, Merida thinks back to scheming through the dorm inspection with Daniel. The rush, the panic, the adrenaline - looking back, it was fucking hilarious. Thor bless Apollo, wherever they are. She even feels the smile as she enters her dorm.

Merida walks inside and sees Angela turning around to face her from her bunk bed. It looks like she just woke up from a nap.

"So, you went to talk to James," Merida states. "Are you two good or should I go back to ignoring him for more than usual?"

Instead of Angela responding, James pops up from beside her in the bed. He grins at Merida and almost laughs at her horrified face (even Angela's holding back a laugh by covering her face with her hand).

"Both," James tells her.

Merida has never left the dorm quicker.

Forget it. She hates her life.

-o-

Wakanda's Palace - 19:27 PM

Iqadi quickly and swiftly walks into one of the royal offices, closing the door behind her to make it look like nobody outside saw her entering. Inside, she sees her mother finishing for the night but she pauses when her daughter starts approaching her. Before she asks, Ororo can't help but have a feeling (or maternal hunch), that there was something different about Iqadi. She knows that she hasn't been feeling well lately and, therefore, cancelled most of her training sessions. But now? Iqadi looked so happy and energetic that she was about to burst at the seams.

"Iqadi," Ororo starts, "you're looking well."

"Mother, I didn't tell Father yet because I decided to tell you first. He knew that I picked a suitor first so now it's your turn."

Ororo raises a brow in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"Actually, Imanu already knows but that's besides the point."

"He knows what?"

"That I'm pregnant."

If you've already read PNG, you'll know why I had to take many breaks between writing the upcoming chapters … aside from summer school and my other stories. And I'm sorry in advance for what's to come.

But hey, Angela and James are back together.