The parts of this chapter used to be divided amongst a few chapters but our boy deserves his own chapter for this long-awaited accomplishment.

Chapter 191: A New Expert on Quantum Entanglement

Pym Technologies - 18:40 PM

After James and Gen made a run from the courthouse that turned out to be a trap, they had to contact SHIELD through an untapped line and got relocated to a small town in Georgia. James shrank and flew back to the house to shrink their belongings and gather them before they headed to an apartment unit above a fried chicken restaurant. The constant smell of oil coming from the vents in the Georgia heat made Redneck Florida seem like paradise. When they finally got the clear that they were safe, they were beyond happy to get out.

James showered before leaving and he was thrilled that the extra time (and complimentary fried chicken) helped him get in a headspace on his dissertation … anything to distract him from his current situation.

When he got back into town, he stopped by his dad's office, knowing damn well that his father is working late. James always appreciated that growing up so he wouldn't get yelled at for breaking curfew, especially if his mom was also out of town. Now he can't wait to share his big news since nobody saw it coming, even James didn't think he could do it.

"You here with your resumé?" Hank asks, spinning around in his chair and turning away from his lab table.

"Does my finished dissertation count?" James questions with a grin. "Or maybe that makes for a better cover letter."

Hank stares in disbelief as James pulls up a chair and sits across from him. In the empty space between them, James puts out his completed dissertation on quantum entanglement. He can't stop smiling as his father stares at him, wondering if he's dreaming as he readjusts his glasses. For the first time in forever, and Hank hasn't even started looking through it yet, but James has never seen him so proud of him. He never thought he would see all those cohesive pages in print, papers that were once unrealistic dreams and messy notes in the margins were a shot at his long-awaited Ph.D.

"My defence is tomorrow morning," James says as Hank leafs through it. He can't believe he just said that. "Eight years in the making finally coming around."

"James…" Hank mutters, his voice trailing off since he's reading it. He looks at his son again. "I have never been prouder."

James tears up hearing those words. It could be the long travel day or finally being home but something about that sentence hits him in the right spot in his heart. "Thanks."

"You know, now that you have this - or will have it tomorrow, I would've loved to have you work for me."

James smiles. "I still can. I'm gonna resign from SHIELD when I can. Why didn't you say anything about you wanting me to work for you? I could've gone to school somewhere else or not even bothered working for SHIELD."

Hank sighs. "I didn't want to pressure you or think this was your only path. I forced you into private school and now you chose the Academy. It's a good school, don't get me wrong. You learn things other top universities wouldn't even cover. And I'm glad I'm not giving them a dime of my money. I'm digressing but do whatever you want, James, it's your life. You'll have my support regardless."

"Wow, Dad."

"Now, want me to prepare you for the defence? I've experienced both ends many times."

James exhales. "Honestly, please."

-o-

James (and Angela's) Condominium - 23:54 PM

James didn't mean to come home this late but he got into a heated debate with his father on one of his graphs. If he didn't start yawning, they would've stayed in his father's work lab all night. He's grateful that his dad drove him home since he's had a long day and will have a busy one tomorrow.

As expected, it's dark when he walked through his door. He lights his hand and walks down the hallways until he opens his bedroom door. Angela sits on their bed, half under the sheets and on her phone, with her bedside lamp still on. The manatee postcard he sent her in Florida and a peach tree card from Georgia are framed in front of her lamp and it makes his heart patter. The ones he's sent her over the years sit in her jewelry box but she kept the recent ones out. She smiles at him and it makes his day even better. God, he missed her so much.

They start talking at the same time with excited grins, stopping and waiting for the other to go first but nobody does.

"How was Florida?" Angela asks. "And then Georgia?"

"Oh, we're so going back some time," James says as he tosses his bag near his closet. He heads into the bathroom to get ready for bed. "Palm trees, cacti, and sunshine? You'd love it there. It was heaven compared to Georgia. What about Kentucky and Tennessee?"

"We're never going there. If Orchid wants to see us, then she's either coming here or we're meeting her somewhere else. Let's meet her in Florida."

James laughs as he brushes his teeth. He heads back out to his room when he's done and stands on his side of the bed. He suddenly feels nervous when Angela turns to face him. The ends of her hair are wet from a shower and stick to her bare shoulders. God, she's so beautiful.

"What is it?" Angela asks as worry starts appearing on her face.

"I thought about you a lot in Florida," James says as he sits on the bed next to her. He ignores the pain in his knee and hides it from her. She seems too distracted from his return to notice. "Like, insanely a lot. Borderline obsessive but who could blame me? It's you. It's always you. It's always been you even if I didn't know it at first. I missed you so much that you never left my mind. I got so used to you always by my side, especially after you moved in with me. I regret not asking you to do so earlier. We work together and now we live together. I'm so lucky to have you almost every minute of the day. If I knew you were on the run a few states over, I would've picked you up and screwed Gen's cover to screw you ... I said romantically."

"James …" Angela mutters, taking his hand and holding it by her face, teasing a kiss. "You know, my mom's been asking me about marriage."

James doesn't falter because he saw Angela's lips twitch trying to hide a smile as she diverts eye contact by putting her charging phone on her nightside table. She's lying. Xavier is as bad a liar like her. Maybe worse.

"Did she really?" James asks, not buying her story. "Or did you bring it up and then she asked?"

"Ever since Emily and Daniel's wedding, I've been wondering when we'd get married," Angela explains. "We've been together since high school."

"Damn, is this a proposal?"

Angela eyes him. "I can't tell if you're joking."

James hesitates. "I can't tell if you're joking."

"But since you're taking forever to ask, I told my mother that I would ask you myself."

James shifts in his spot but squares her. "Okay then. Do it. Ask me now."

Angela looks at him like a deer-in-headlights since she didn't expect him to pull that card on her, which he predicted. James laughs as he leans over to kiss her cheek and down her neck. He puts a hand on her inner thigh and Angela shoves him off of her. James lies on her lap, covering the shooting pain in his leg with a cough, and looks up at her with a goofy grin.

"I've thought many times over about getting you a ring but I haven't gotten it yet," James explains. "Make sense?"

"I figured," she runs her fingers through his hair.

"And I mean that literally and metaphorically. I'm probably mentally and emotionally ready for marriage but I literally haven't bought you a ring."

"I'll continue waiting for one."

"I like the sound of Mrs. Pym for you."

Angela smiles. "Probably because you like the sound of your name with the woman you love as much as you love staring at your reflection."

James can't deny that. It's a great perk. "Well, yeah but now it'd be attached to something meaningful."

Angela furrows her brows. "What do you mean?"

"Now you'd be a Mrs. Pym to my Dr. Pym."

Angela's face drops as she recalls his words, especially since he isn't laughing. "You mean …?"

James nods as he sits up. "If you want to do anything right now because we're still high on reuniting and you look so beautiful, then we gotta work quick since we're getting up early tomorrow - or in a few hours but we can make it."

"Wait, you actually-?" Her voice trails off in disbelief.

James nods. "I finished it in Florida and wanted to tell you so badly when I did but I wanted to show my dad first. I was in his office for hours debating my stance on his life's work with him. In the end, he conceded because he was so proud and joked that he should've dropped me in Redneck Florida years ago with Genevieve if that's what it took to get it done. But yeah, babe, I'm finally getting my Ph.D."

Angela cheers before hugging him tightly and kissing him all over.

-o-

The Next Morning - SHIELD Academy's Science and Technology's Committee Board Room - 9:47 AM

James is the only one not nervous.

He stands outside the room where he'll defend his dissertation in front of Academy board members who expected to see him as a freshman. His body is relaxed and he feels prepared despite getting only four hours of sleep. (Even his knee is keeping calm which is nice). He's lucky he even got the four hours.

However, his mother keeps trying to fix his hair while Angela constantly fixes his tie and collar. All of which never had issues. They just needed something to preoccupy themselves. James knew his father was anxious because he was hesitating while doing a practice run-through.

"Are you sure you're ready?" Janet asks him. "You've waited eight years so what's the big deal?"

"Wanna know something he's waited for longer than eight years?" Angela asks, eyeing James with a grin.

"We've talked about this," James mutters to her.

Hank puts a hand on James's shoulder. "If you don't get this, then tell them they're wrong. That's the whole point. They'll try and tell you that your work is crap, which is then saying my life's work - you and quantum entanglement, in that order too - are crap which is a blatant lie and they know it. You're proving everything here, James, yourself and your work. In that order too."

As much as James needed that advice, the nerves are starting to get to him but he ignores those feelings. His father's done this a few times and so have Emily and Daniel. Everyone believes in him and so does he.

"Candidate Pym, the board is ready for you."

James nods a thanks as the member returns to the room. He looks back at his parents and hugs them both. For Angela, he kisses her quickly and winks before heading inside.

For those of you reading SA, our boy finally finished it!