The Piano
He couldn’t breathe. He put his hand up to the reactor and Remy understood. He pressed the gas pedal down and the car shot forward. The cajun was keeping his eyes on the road and seemed calm but his eyes were occasionally flashing purple. He got to the Tower around two minutes later. He shot into the garage and stopped with screeching tires. T’Challa and Remy ran out of the car and opened Tony’s door. Remy looked over to where he knew a camera was and said quickly:
“Jarvis! We need a new reactor! Where are they?”
A second later Friday answered.
“I’m sorry but I’m not Jarvis. The reactors are in the workshop. Miss Natasha is on her way down with one now.”
The elevator door opened cutting Remy’s question as to who Friday was. Natasha came out with all the others behind her. The only missing person was Fury. Remy grabbed his staff but it was pulled out of his hand by Wanda’s powers. It didn’t bother him much. After all he could use anything to blow them up but he stilled when he noticed Bucky.
“Winter?”
The newcomers looked shocked but Bucky quickly collected himself, took the reactor from Natasha’s hand and went over to Tony. But then he stopped. Remy, seeing his uncertain face, took the reactor from his hand and opened Tony’s jacket. He unlocked and pulled the old reactor out and quickly put the new in. The Avengers were shocked. From what everyone had known, only Pepper knew how to change out the reactors. The new reactor shone up brightly and Tony was relieved. He could breathe again.
“They are fine Remy.”
The cajun looked over to them and seemed unconvinced. But then he nodded and helped Tony to slowly stand up. Bruce went over to them with his hands raised.
“I’m a doctor.”
But instead of calming him the sentence made Remy draw a few cards out. Tony quickly put a hand on his shoulder and whispered.
“It’s fine Remy. Trust me.”
He slowly nodded and put the cards away. T’Challa looked around with surprise in his eyes.
“You all are working together again?”
Natasha nodded and started to quickly explain what had happened. Meanwhile Wanda went over to Tony and Remy stepped away. Somehow he trusted the girl.
“You a mutant cherie?”
Wanda looked at him with untrusting eyes. He sighed and stretched his hand out.
“Name’s Remy LeBeau, cherie.”
She glanced over to Tony and took Remy’s hand when the older man nodded. Remy surprised her when he brought her hand up to his mouth and kissed it. She blushed and answered with a shaky voice:
“Wanda. Wanda Maximoff.”
He smiled and Tony rolled his eyes.
“Slow down Cajun. You were ready to blow them up a second ago.”
Wanda, understanding what Tony was implying, pulled her hand away from Remy’s. Tony went over to her and hugged her.
“Hey kid.”
She hugged him back. She had been worried. Friday’s communication with Tony had been cut the same second Tony stepped into that Hydra base. Then, some time later, Friday said that Tony, T’Challa and an old friend of Tony’s were on their way back. After a few minutes she had said that Tony was in need of a new reactor. They had all raced to the workshop where Natasha took the reactor out of the hidden box and they rushed downstairs. When they let go of each other Natasha had been done with explaining everything to T’Challa. He was now on the phone talking in Wakandian. Wanda glanced over to the man that had came with Tony. He was handsome and that accent was beautiful. She shook her head. He had tried to blow them up. She couldn’t go and fall for him now. But he had been protecting Tony. The girl was wondering if she would have acted like that too when she noticed that the man was on his guard all the time. His eyes were going around all the time but at the same time he seemed relaxed, almost nonchalant. He noticed that she was looking at him and smiled. She turned away and stepped away from Tony so that Bucky could smack him on the head. Remy didn’t even blink at that. She was surprised but on the other side he had recognized Winter before.
“Never do that again.”
Tony smiled.
“I’m alive right?”
Bucky rolled his eyes but before he could say anything Remy spoke up.
“You almost died. You should go to sleep.”
Tony immediately heard the underlying message.
“You’re not leaving Remy. Not again. You want to find Creed, I’ll help you. But I’m not letting you go out there again. Hydra and Ross will be looking for you now. This Tower is the most secure place right now.”
Remy hesitated.
“I can take care of myself.”
Tony smiled softly.
“I know you can. But I want you to stay. Your old room has not been touched.”
After a few more seconds of hesitation he nodded.
“All right. But you are going to bed.”
“Fair enough.”
They all went into the elevator and everyone noticed how Remy stood so that he could see everyone. In his hand he flipped cards. Friday stopped the elevator on Tony’s floor. They all went out and suddenly Remy relaxed.
“Jarvis. Would you mind…”
Then he stopped.
“Wait. Where is Jarvis?”
Tony lowered his head and Vision stepped in.
“Whatever is left of Jarvis is inside me.”
The cajun’s eyes widened for a second. He turned to Tony and then back to Vision.
“You are Jarvis?”
“My name is Vision. But yes, Jarvis is a part of me.”
Remy looked impressed. Tony slowly moved to the door where his bedroom was.
“I’m going to bed. Remy is right. I need to rest. I’ll explain everything in the morning. You should rest too. Your rooms are in the same places. Pep? Would you mind showing Winter to one of the guest bedrooms?”
She smiled at him.
“I’ve got it.”
Tony smiled back and then went into his bedroom. Pepper herded them all back to the elevator. But instead of going to their respective floors the elevator stopped on the floor where all the guest rooms were. Friday spoke up when no one went out.
“I think it would be best if all of you stayed on one floor. This way, if something happens, you will be able to assemble much faster.”
They all nodded and got out. After saying good night everyone went to their rooms. Everyone but Remy. He slowly went back into the elevator and the doors closed.
“What’s your name girl?”
“I’m Friday.”
“Nice to meet you Friday. I’m Remy.”
It was quiet for a moment and then Remy asked:
“Can you take me to the piano?”
The elevator went down. At the same time Wanda went into the other elevator.
“Take me where he’s going Friday.”
Remy arrived there first. He went over to the big piano and sat down. His hands rested on the keys for a few seconds before he started to play a slow calming melody. He hummed along for some time and then said without lifting his eyes from the piano.
“I know you are here cherie. You don’t have to hide.”
Wanda came out of the shadows that she was hiding in.
“You don’t trust me.”
It was a statement. Wanda shrugged.
“I’m not sure. I don’t know you.”
He nodded towards the piano bench he was sitting on. All the time he was playing the same melody. Wanda hesitated but then went over and sat down next to him.
“It sounds nice.”
He smiled.
“Mrs. LeBeau used to play this for me when I couldn’t sleep.”
Wanda was confused.
“Mrs. LeBeau? You mean your mother?”
The cajun sighed and stopped playing.
“I’m an orphan. LeBeau took me in when I tried to pickpocket him. I was ten.”
He put his hands back on the keys and begun to play. Wanda kept her eyes on his face for some time.
“Can you tell me about yourself?”
Remy turned his head towards her and it was almost as if he was checking her for signs of hostility. But her face was honest.
“LeBeau was the leader of Thieves Guild . I messed up there. One of the guys from the Assassin’s Guild wanted to duel me. I was only 16 and I lost control over my power. Almost killed him. I was banished. Had to live on the streets. I was stealing to survive. Played to get money. Learned how to use my powers. Then I lost control again and Mr. Sinister said he could help me. He took a part of my brain tissue out to help me control my powers. I was in debt to him. He had me create a group. Marauders. There was a mutant underground community back then. Morlocks. What I didn’t know was that Sinister wanted the Morlocks gone. We went there and they… They killed them all. I tried to stop them but Creed… He slashed me. Almost got killed that time. I managed to grab one girl and get away. I left her in a safe place and got away. Only to get captured by Stryker.”
The melody became suddenly very aggressive.
“He kept trying to use my powers. Most of the time I was tortured since I never complied. The guards are the ones that gave me the name Gambit. No one there could beat me in poker. In his base I met Creed again. They had to keep us apart because I was after him. Two years later I escaped. I was 20. I got here and found out about Tony Stark being Iron Man. I wanted to steal his suit and sell it for information about Stryker and Creed. Jarvis caught me when I broke in. I had expected everything but an AI. I thought Tony would lock me in somewhere. Try to use my powers. That was all I knew back then. But he helped me. He told me his story. So I stayed. He helped me find Stryker. We got him and gave him to the authorities. I wanted to destroy him but Tony stopped me. He said I wasn’t a murderer. I left after that. Lived on the street. Joined Hydra to get information on Creed. But that monster is impossible to find.”
Wanda was watching his playing hands with wide eyes. This man was not much older than she was. And he had been through so much already. Suddenly he stopped playing and stood up.
“I’m going to bed. Bonne nuit. Cherie.”
He turned around and went into the elevator. When Wanda went to sleep around 20 minutes later she still had the soft melody of the lullaby in her head.