Well he wasn't one to go back on his word. He glanced at Compass. She looked happy, and something else that he couldn't identify. That didn't bode well for him he knew, but he couldn't make his feet walk out the door. To the bartender she said, "His drinks are on me." He looked her up and down in an incredulous way.
"We don't serve minors alcohol." Compass snorted and withdrew a wallet from her pocket. She handed over her New York driver's license to the man. He looked from the card to Compass and back again. "I'll be damned." Remy agreed with him, Compass handed over a credit card.
"Start a tab." He snorted and took the card. Remy looked to his younger friend.
"I can drink you into bankruptcies." She shrugged.
"There was a time I could do that too. But if I'm going to be sober, someone else should be allowed to have fun." Remy grunted. He wasn't going to turn down free drinks even if people were dancing. It's not like anyone was expecting him to dance. "What do you have against dancing anyway? You can dance, can't you?"
"Course I can dance. Not sure if what they call dancin, and what I call dancin are the same thing though." Compass covered her mouth and seemed to try very hard not to laugh, as it was she snickered. Remy gave her a withering look and she didn't try to hide her laughter anymore. "Har, har, har. What's so funny?" he asked sourly. She shook her head and did her best not to smile, which is to say she failed miserably.
"Nothing." Her stomach took that moment to rumble loudly.
"When's de last you ate, petite?" She opened her mouth then closed as she thought about it. The worst part of that was she had to think about it.
"This morning, I had breakfast with Tante." Already that felt like years ago to Remy. She hadn't eaten in about fifteen hours. Upon this realization he rubbed his face and thought, I can't have kids, it'd be my doom.
"Why don't you take a break and grab a bite to eat, petite." She waved him off, her gaze looked like she was staring off into space.
"I will once I'm done here. Fate keeps pushing that there is more than can be done here. Something she really wants." Compass scanned the crowd, for what he couldn't even begin to guess. He couldn't but wonder what Fate's "pushing" was. Then suddenly he decided that that might be one of those things that better left as a mystery. Compass turned to him and smiled, he suspected she caught that thought. "You know, you remind me of someone, Remy. I just can't place who." Remy snorted, no surprise there, she still seemed to be missing large chunks of her memory. Then he remembered the card he had found in the file.
"Don't s'pose you know what Hera is?" Compass looked at him oddly, she thought about it and shrugged,
"She's a Greek goddess, if I recall correctly." Remy snorted, guess not. Compass suddenly looked like she was in a daze, her feet seemed to move on their own, moving her back through the crowd. She reappeared back on the stage. First she went to May, tapping her friend on the shoulder. When the other girl leaned over to listen Compass whispered something to her. May looked his way then quickly turned back to Compass like she had given something away. She asked Compass something and Remy glared at his little friend. What are you plotting, he thought at her. Either Fate had turned off that power or Compass was ignoring him. Compass answered and May smiled at the other girl and nodded in agreement.
"Don't you dare rope me into dis, petite." He whispered. Compass went speak with Raja. The young man didn't look pleased, but Compass gestured to something or someone near the front door. Raja shook his head, but a moment later agreed when Compass said something else. She beamed at before going to pick up her instrument. She played a few quite test cords while the announcer that made his way over to the microphone.
"Alright ladies and gentlemen, grab a partner we are about to begin. If you are new don't worry, we have plenty of people here who know the steps and who don't mind leading." People got up from their tables and moved toward the dance floor. Pairs formed quickly and Remy glared at Compass.
"Petite you better not ave-." That sentence was silenced as May tapped him on his shoulder again. He groaned inwardly and turned to face her.
"Care to dance, Mr. LeBeau?" Her face was still flushed from earlier, but there was no uncertainly in her question. Her hand was out stretched, waiting expectantly for him to take it. Not a single muscle trembled. Maybe this is what she had needed.
"I don't tink dat's such a good idea." She looked back over the dance floor, lost in memories from long ago.
"You know I used to come here with Sam. The dancing is basically a form of the waltz to slightly more modern music. Somehow I think you'll do just fine." She held her hand out to him again.
"Why don't you dance with Raja? Ya seem t'like em." May blushed but she kept her hand extended and stood up straighter.
"I might still dance with him. One song is all I ask. Who knows, you might end up with someone you like." Remy raised his eyebrows at this. She blushed again. "You switch partners three times."
"I still-." She interrupted gently.
"I was told you would probably refuse, and if you did I was told to tell you, 'Never trust Fate, trust yourself and walk the path you choose. This path does look interesting.' Now will you please honor me with this one dance?" Remy blew out a breath. He was never going to turn down a pretty woman, even if she was too young for him. Taking her hand he allowed May to pull him onto the dance floor. He took a quick peek around to see where his hands belonged then mirrored them. Someone on stage started tapping their foot to create a beat then the instruments joined in. It took him a minute to get the hang of the flow of the steps. May didn't laugh too much at him. Instead she murmured the proper steps just loud enough for him to hear and follow.
The music wasn't all that different to what May and Compass had performed. Only it lacked the more heart wrenching bits that made you want weep your soul out. A flourish was starting to build and May whispered, "Get ready, that means you're going to spin me, then turn and grab your next partner, and repeat the whole process."
"Spin, turn, catch, repeat; I tink got it." Her lips twitched up at the corners. Remy spun May and then smoothly turned and caught his next partner. She was a tall woman. Exactly even height wise with him. Bright blue hair and white contacts made her eyes look eerie in such a pretty pale face. She was dressed in a dark blue sweater that went down to her thighs and stark black pants. Mercifully she wore flats, so even if she had stepped on his feet it wouldn't have hurt as much. As it was their dance was smooth maybe even beautiful but nothing special. There was no emotion in their dance. The music shifted again and Remy nearly missed the timing; he spun his partner and turned to the next one.
A flower print dress and tall strappy heels that looked like a spikes spun into him and nearly knocked the wind out of him. Looking down he saw the first singer from earlier and she was already talking,
"I'm so sorry. I'm so clumsy. I'm Celene. Nice to meet you. Come her often? What's your name." Remy sighed inwardly and tried not to wince as a sharp heel stepped on his foot. At least it hadn't been the spike at the other end of the shoe. But he got the feeling Celene was one of those nervous talkers. Remy did his best to smile and be charming.
"Pleasure t'meet ya, Celene. Name's Remy." The girl rambled on asking him lots of questions, but not allowing him to answer, so he kept smiling and nodding or shaking his head at the right questions. He shot a look at Compass. This is all your fault, he thought at her. A smile cracked across her lips as she seemed to struggle against laughter. Glad someone is enjoying themselves, he thought sourly at her.
"You could have left." Her disembodied voice pointed out completely unapologetically. "I wonder why you didn't do that? Did you choose based on what you wanted, did you know what might happen, or did Fate choose this path for you?" Her voice sounded distant like she was very far way. Before Remy could even think of a retort Compass began the part of the song that signaled the final change in partners. Gratefully Remy spun Celene to a young man beside him then he turned to his last partner. His breath caught in his throat.
Long brunette hair that curled into gentle waves; a streak of white in that luscious hair framed the most beautiful face he had ever known. Green eyes stared up at him with equal amounts surprise ad joy. He had gotten lost in those pretty emeralds more than once before. His gaze skimmed downward. The outfit she wore matched her eyes almost perfectly. A green shirt hugged every glorious curve she had from her shoulders to just past her hips. Dark pants showcased long powerful legs that he couldn't help but imagine them around his waist. Thigh high boots finishes off the look with their many straps crisscrossing all over them.
"Anna." He whispered he name like a talisman between them.
"Ello Sugah." Her smile alone was enough to take a weight off his chest. Hope. He glanced to Compass. His heart in his throat.
"You knew." He accused softly. This time she shook her head no to the beat of the music she still played.
"I do not know the future." She said seriously. Remy believed her, sorta. "Nor would I want to know, that can be dangerous as I'm sure you already know. However, I can resonate with souls in order to guide them. Music is the easy way to do that." Before he could answer Anna asked,
"What're you mumblin bout?" She looked over the crowd and glanced across the stage, but she couldn't tell what or who he had been looking at.
"Nothin dat you'd believe." he promised. She looked at him suspiciously and opened her mouth to make a retort, but he leaned down and kissed her; effectively silencing the retort on her lips.
"Fine," She growled at him." Then ya owe me another dance, Cajun. Cause we missed this one." The music came to a halt and people started moving off to the tables.
"As the lady wishes." Instantly Compass struck up another song. It took a second for the band members to catch what she was doing and even longer for those on the dance floor to get catch the flow of the music. Remy noticed many were too distracted by the Anna and his well coordinated movements to even attempt to dance. The movements seem to come from his very soul. Their bodies twined together in dance that both seductive and loving. From his perspective it was like their souls danced unimpeded by flesh or steps. They moved to what they felt, telling their very own story. Remy was only slightly aware of the increase in the music's pace. Every twist, turn, flare of movement of any part of their bodies was perfect; beautiful yet sharp. Then the music and their movement came on a note that spoke of finality. Anna was pressed up against his chest and they were both heaving and panting from effort.
There was a brief moment of complete silence before the crowd was applauding. Remy looked around and noticed Anna did the same. Apparently they had both been so absorbed that they hadn't realized everyone else had stopped to watch. Looking down at the woman smiling back at him, he couldn't help but wonder if this had been Fate's plan all along.
"Part." A voice whispered across his mind; not Compass. A shiver went down his spine. Remy lead Anna off the dance floor and out the major part of the crowd's view. No need to flaunt the Avengers were down a woman anymore than they already had. They moved over to the bar as the next song started up; noticeably without their violinist. Anna took a deep breath and asked,
"What trouble have you been up to?" He chuckled.
"No trouble." There was a commotion off to the side of him. There was a yelp of pain and Remy heard Compass sharp voice hiss,
"Jackass, you don't just get to grab someone." The next moment Compass came stumbling back into Anna with enough force to send both of them toppling over, and the contents of Anna's small purse to be scattered about. Remy turned to see the problem. Two men, one was clutching his hand; the flesh looked like it had been scorched. His friend advanced on Compass who was helping Anna collect her things.
"Fuckin mutant bitch." He snarled at Compass. Remy stepped in front of the young man.
"Careful." he warned. "From de sound of it yer friend got off easy. One does not grab a lady without her permission." The boy took one look at Remy's eyes before he spit on the ground near Compass then turned and helped his friend out of Remy's sight. Remy sighed and turned back to his other problem. Compass smiled meekly at Anna.
"I'm so sorry about that."
"Not yer fault." She glared the way the two men had gone. Compass handed back Anna's wallet while her other hand slipped something her skirt pocket. It looked like a compact. Then Compass picked up a playing card that had fallen near her foot. It was old looking, tattered, there were smudges of soot and blood and one edge was slightly burned. The thing looked like she had taken it into a few battles. Then he notice the bit of tape going down the center of the card. It had been ripped in half then patched back together. Compass cupped the card in both her hands.
"That which is broken can be remade stronger than what it was." Her voice was distant like it had been right before he had first seen Anna. It sent a shiver went down his spine. A soft light issued from Compass's hands only to fade seconds later. When she opened her hands the tape was gone and the card was whole again. All the smudges, stains, and burn marks were still there, yet there was something off about it. It glittered like a jewel. Compass smiled mischievously. "I find carbon can make a pretty strong shield." Remy blinked then he understood what Compass had done. She had just created the biggest diamond he had ever seen. She handed the card back to Anna face up. Queen of hearts.