Supreme Championship Wrestling

Tag League Match

4 RP Limit for tag

11:59:59 pm ET Tuesday, January 5, 2021

End of the Year Special
Scotiabank Place
Toronto, Ontario
8:44pm

Regan: “Selena, I don’t know how much time I have left.”
 
Selena just stood there, her face a mixture of the utmost joy she had felt mere moments ago, and the new, invading emotions that filled her. Shock and concern. She must have misheard. Must have. SCW had decided to have Frozen Hell start the show with their match against Xander, their future as a tag-team at stake, which happened to coincide with the award for Tag-Team of the Year, which Frozen Hell happened to win. And lastly, the match itself…

That has to be be it. The Snow Queen told herself. The high of suddenly being “Tag-Team of the Year”, the anxiety building as their match began, back up to the high of tearing Xander Valentine apart and winning the match. That had to be it – the roller-coaster ride of emotions had caused her to mishear her sister’s words in that changeroom. 

Before her, still in her wrestling gear as Selena was, Regan Street gave a quiet sigh as she sat.  
 
“I wasn’t going to say anything, sister, at least not now. But as we continued to climb the ranks, win matches then tonight happened and what we have in front of us, I have to tell you the truth.”
 
Alarm. That was what was gripping the young Frost in that woman. The way her partner had seemed so… less than enthusiastic as she had been over their win over Xander. She couldn’t understand it. Why wasn’t Regan happy? Why wasn’t she excited? Why was she spouting nonsense of ‘not knowing how much time was left’?! 

“What is the truth?” Selena settled on saying.
 “My mother is dying, Selena.”
 
Despite herself, Selena quietly exhaled a breath she had not known she was holding. “I understand.” She replied instantly, moving a little closer to the spot where her sister was seated. “ Totally. And you need to spend time with her.”

For Selena, she had never really had her mother in her life until she was much older and her step-mother, while her death had been sad, the harsh past Selena and Anastasia had shared could not allow her to fully relate to Regan’s situation. Still, she knew enough that family was as important to Regan as it was to her.
 
“No…. no that is not it.” Regan’s words interjected Selena’s thoughts. “My mother is dying, and the only way she will have a shot at living is if she gets a kidney and bone marrow transplant. They put her on the donor list and before that… they found the perfect match.”

Again, more confusion filled Selena. Wasn’t this good news?! A donor meant that her mother would be alright. Wasn’t that a GOOD thing? Yet, there Regan sat! Her US title shot on the horizon, utterly dominating and humbling the bastard known as Xander Valentine and her own mother was going to be okay! Yet, she’s sad? What is this? Opposite day?!
 
“That is great news!” Selena replied. “Take all the time off you need Regan.” She assured. Maybe that’s what Regan needed. Just assurance that Selena would understand that, at some point, Regan would need some time to herself and that Selena would wait for her! That had to be it. “I will be here…”

But as Regan’s gaze remained quiet and – broken? Was that it – and she slowly shook her head, Selena’s brain replayed every word Regan had said, realization dawning on her. “Wait…..”
 
She saw Regan’s eyes start to swell up – the dawning of realization being confirmed by such an expression and instantly transforming into full-fledged horror within Selena. No. Her mind screamed. Not this… ANYTHING but this… 
 
“It’s you.” She stated, her voice shaky, all traces of joy having been obliterated in those few seconds. “You’re the perfect donor?”
 
“Yes.” Was all Regan said in reply. Selena, meanwhile, could not stop the wails of her mind, every part of her trying to deny it. Trying to shift. Trying to make it not what, deep down, she knew it to be. After all they had been through? All they had JUST – mere moments ago – had survived…
 
“What…. What are you going to do?” she settled on asking, though she already knew the answer before Regan spoke it.
“Save my mother’s life.”

Of course. her mind affirmed. How could she do anything else? It was the only rational thought that came to Selena as she felt her world spinning out of control, the reality she thought she had – a future with her sister and them reclaiming the world tag titles after winning the tag-league – now seeming as fake as the notion of Santa Claus.
 
“When…. When did you know about this?”
 
Regan shrugged in response, hesitant in her answer. “A few weeks ago. I didn’t tell many people, not even my mother knew until a few days ago.” Selena stumbled back a little, her hand grasping the nearby couch for support. Regan, back on her feet, moved towards her but pressed her explanation. “I made the decision the minute the option presented itself to me and I had to take it. I didn’t talk to anyone, not even David, it wasn’t a choice, Selena.”

No… shut up. Selena’s brain screamed. Don’t tell me that! Don’t tell me you hid this from me! Don’t tell me you knew all along! Don’t tell me- the words formed within her before she could stop them from escaping.
 
“All this time, and you said nothing to me?” Her eyes glared at the exposed Hellcat. “You kept allowing me to believe that we were headed onward in 2021.” Regan tried to speak but the cold tone of the Snow Queen cut her off. “This night was special because it was about us against a man that for almost two years has been running rampant on our friends, family and the two of us, and I wanted to shut him up, I wanted to humble him and so did you…” she looked away from Regan, eyes fixed on the wall as her mind continuing to fight the truth beyond its rage. “But when we were wrestling out there, instead of telling me, you were fighting knowing there was going to be an end and soon?” 

Her head jerked back to Regan. “How soon!?” she demanded to know.
 
Regan paused for a moment before answering, but only for a moment. “I don’t know, but it will be soon.”
Just like that… the young Frost’s mind thought. Just like that, it’s over. It was all for nothing. Risking EVERYTHING against Xander? Months and months spent to be the tag-team champions? All for nothing…

She knew, deep in her heart that it was untrue. But when that truth was currently buried under a mountain of hurt and scars? 

“I…. I can’t…” she said, shaking her head. “I have to go.”

She was moving before she even knew that she was, grabbing her bag from its spot on the floor, even as Regan shouted to her to stop.
 
“Selena, listen to me!” implored the Hellcat. “I was going to tell you, but I didn’t even know myself what the hell I was doing!? Sometimes I can’t tell anymore what I am even fighting for anymore.” 

Despite her words, Selena kept moving, gathering up her things. 

“I don’t care Selena.” Regan pressed “All I want is my mother to live. I am sorry that I was not truthful with you, but I have to do this and if it means my career is over….” She only paused for a moment, so much certainty in her voice that burned Selena’s ears. “Then it is over, and I will break a promise to your daughter, I will go back on my word to what I said to Elsy, that I would never leave your side and….”
 
“Don’t…” the cold, demanding tone from Selena was the only thing that could stop Regan’s string of words, if only for a moment.
“Selena…..”

“Don’t talk about my daughter.” Selena said with finality before leaving the room with her things. She didn’t care where she went or the fact that she had promised Regan that they’d celebrate the countdown of New Year’s together. She just had to get away from the truth – away from the reality that it was over.

That Frozen Hell, no matter what happened… was over.


***************************************

Schonburg Castle
Oberwessel, Germany
January 3rd, 2021
3:09am

She sat there in the dark, feeling the cool winds of the new year blowing against her and the nearby trees. She had always loved coming here, to the garden section of the castle, to clear her head. Almost as much as Gunther, the castle owner and keeper, enjoyed taking care of the numerous flowers and trees that covered the area. Many times, in her stays here, Selena had heard the old man singing and talking to them as he watered them or fertilized their soil or some other task that the plants required.

For the Snow Queen, it was the perfect spot. The noise from the castle was minimized in this area. Only the wind, the birds and animals, and the sky above was audible if one stayed quiet. In the past, she had often walked and sat in this space with her beloved wife, Deanna. Before…

Selena sighed, allowing the sudden break of negative emotion to join the festering pile that was already a part of her. She didn’t have the strength anymore to fight them off. Didn’t have the will to try and view things positively. And as she raised her head again from where she sat on the bench that was bolted into the cobbled walkway of the garden, her sapphire eyes took in this precious place differently.

Because there were no flowers along the ground that she could see. And there were no leaves hanging from the trees. No, it was January. It was Winter. And Winter had killed everything before her eyes, burying it in the cold snow.

“Fitting…” the young woman whispered onto the wind, though she saved the last part of that observation for herself. Fitting and sad…    

For how many years did she believe in the beauty of the winter? The winter wonderland? Snowball fights, snowmen, festive holidays, singing, wonder in general? That’s the kind of thing she had wanted her name and her nickname to mean to most, only gracing into the darker elements for certain exceptions within SCW. It was why she never did anything over the top with her promos, like ice castles or statues of her opponents, past and present/future. It was why she didn’t dress in crowns or ‘ice gowns’. 

She had never wanted to be a ‘gimmick’ like so many people in SCW had been/were. She wanted to be herself, a woman that saw the wonder in something many other people despised. A woman that believed in things fully and fought for them, even when she was seen as crazy. That included finding the beauty in the most destructive season the world had.

Looking down at her booted feet, Selena leaned down a little to scoop up a handful of snow that was gathered all around her. For a moment, she observed the white powder-clump in her hand, taking in every single detail of it. A flurry had hit the castle around New Years, decorating the estate in a scene that had reminded the Snow Queen of her honeymoon (first and second) with Deanna, as they had spent both here during the winter season.

“Now, it’s just you that’s with me…” Selena whispered to the handful of snow, feeling it cool her bare fingers and run through the space between the digits. “Because she’s out there…” Selena cast her eyes towards the dark skies, her mind picturing the prison that was an hour and some away. The buildings of concrete and metal that, like a cage, were holding her beloved prisoner, leaving Selena, simply, with the snow.

The young Frost shook her head. She truly owed her wife an apology. In the past few months, Deanna had slowly emerged from the incident with Queenie – Selena couldn’t bring herself to say the word ‘rape’ right now – and regained some semblance of her old self. It wasn’t the exact same, but with Queenie staying away from her – afraid of Selena’s threats – the redhead had slowly regained some part of her old self, Selena had observed during the Christmas party last week. And, to Selena’s shock and delight, when she had visited Deanna the following Monday for their ‘monthly conjugal visit’, which had often just been them sitting and talking for hours lately, her wife had greeted her with a loving kiss, embrace and wish to try and resume intimate relations…

Within the night, Selena heard herself scoff at the memory, her breath instantly condensing into a wisp of fog that drifted upon the air. It hadn’t been Deanna that had bit off more than she could chew that day. It had been Selena. She had wanted to. Gods how she had wanted to be with her wife again. And yet, her mind had not been able to separate the anxiety and stress she had still felt towards the End of the Year event. Risking her tag-team with her sister, the possibility that Xander had something planned that would hurt Regan (Selena didn’t give a damn what the bastard did to her) – it all combined to a state where Selena… simply couldn’t.

With another sigh that transformed into mist, Selena lowered her head into her hands, holding it and the platinum-blonde hair mop that covered her head. “I really need to apologize to her…” she whispered, though she wasn’t sure, in that moment, if it was Deanna she was referring to… or her sister… or even both.

It had been three days since Regan had confided in the young woman about her mother’s condition. Three days since Regan had spoken to her about the unstable future of their tag-team – of her sister’s own career within SCW. And every morning, Selena would look to see messages sent – texts and missed calls – from Regan.

None of which she had replied to.

Selena hadn’t wasted time. Per her word, she had been there at the New Year’s countdown to ‘ring in the new year’ with Regan. But she had refused to talk about that conversation as the city celebrated the end of 2020. Instead, once she had the chance, she had left the scene, hopped into a cab and gone straight to the airport. She only had the weekend and a day or so more to spend with her children, so she had planned an immediate departure after the event/celebration, even if she had to drag herself limping into the private plane. 

Instead, the planning had also become her means of escape. With travelling as it was in the world, Selena knew she would not be followed in her route to Germany. In short, her plan had been modified into an escape plan and she had disappeared from the world – not evening visiting Twitter to brag about her and Regan’s show of dominance over Xander or to promote her upcoming match at Breakdown: The much anticipated Frozen Hell vs. the undefeated team of Cookie Dreams and Jordan Majors.

“What does it matter anymore?” Selena whispered to the snow at her booted feet. They no longer had the tag-team titles anymore, Selena responsible for that in being pinned by Chris Cannon at Last Laugh, so there was no ‘obligation’ to defend the titles that the champions had to follow when in the Tag-League. And besides… what was the point in winning the whole tournament now when… when…

“It doesn’t matter…” Selena concluded, her eyes sealed shut against the tears that threatened to fall.

It was only the sound of the nearby door to the interior of the castle opening that caught her attention, her head jerking up and twisting towards the intrusive sound. Before her eyes, the first thing seen was a big, red beanie that popped out of the doorway, a withered face with a snow-white beard scanning the space left and right before settling on the bench and the woman occupying it. 

“Ah, of course...” The thick, German-accented voice softly spoke as Gunther pulled himself the rest of the way into the outside. The overhead light above the door illuminated the thick, brown coat he wore as well as the red beanie. 

Selena said nothing to the caretaker, merely offering him a sad smile before casting her eyes out towards the garden and beyond.

“You know…” he tried, patting his arms aggressively, as if to instill some warmth into them. “I still am not use to how you handle the cold so well.”

The remark surprised Selena, causing her gaze to cast downward for a moment. To the black pants and simple dark-blue sweater she wore, a far cry from Gunther’s attire.

“But then I remember…” the man continued, undeterred. “You came from the Cold-Factory!” he joked with a hearty laugh, not quite loud enough to be ‘disruptive’ but enough to hear the genuine amusement he was finding in his own humor. Despite herself, a small smile ghosted across Selena’s lips as she held her hands together in her lap.

“Margarette said you’ve been visiting this place every night since you came back last week…” Gunther stated, his tone shifting to serious, though it was more matter-of-factly than accusatory. Out of the corner of her eye, Selena spied him pointing towards the window of one of the nearby castle walls that encompassed part of the garden. Following the direction, Selena turned her head to just barely make out the figure standing at one of the windows, overlooking the garden and its occupants.

“I’m sorry if I’ve disturbed you both.” Selena whispered sincerely, her hands moving to brace on her knees as she slowly began to push herself up to her feet. “I’ll-“ 

“Now wait a minute, mein liebling.” Gunther assured, holding up a thickly gloved hand to cease Selena’s movement. “We’re not disturbed in that sense – we are worried.” 

With a soft, kind gesture, the elder requested Selena to return to her seated position, which the Snow Queen did, her posture returning to the more regal bearing her step-mother had instilled upon her since childhood. A moment passed as Gunther walked towards her and slowly, eased himself onto the bench beside her. “Is it Deanna?”

It was fair question, and Selena knew that would be his first concern in relation to herself. Before her incarceration, Deanna had spent so much time here, becoming a sort-of daughter to Gunther and Margarette, which meant Selena did in some way. The Frost family was the primary concern for the keepers of this castle. To was the old man’s mind, Selena gently shook her head. 

“No change.” She assured him. “Nothing beyond what I can handle, anyway.” She added. “You know being married to her and her to me is its own… adventure.” 

“Ja.” Gunther chuckled good-naturedly. “Your children have received similar blessings from you.”

The thought of them, Elsianna, Ami and David, still brought a smile to Selena’s face, but it slowly faded as she continued to gaze out into the cold. 

“What about the other girl? The one you bring in from Nome? Mrs. Scythe?”

The platinum-blonde’s spine became stiff at the name, merely on instinct, but after a few soft breaths, she was able to relax a little, reminding herself of the situation. “No.” she answered. “Not her.”

Fortunately, for both Talia and Selena, Talia’s injuries in her car ‘accident’ (Selena wasn’t so sure it was, knowing her former childhood best-friend) were not life-threatening and, upon a few days in the hospital, she had been discharged into Selena’s care and placed in a room of the castle once more, Gunther and Margarette doing all they could to aid in the lawyer’s recovery. 

While the raven-haired woman had been polite and grateful to them, she had refused to speak about the accident, or how her meeting had gone with her contact earlier that day, and Selena wasn’t really willing to push the matter – given the situation. She had dropped the matter of Talia’s task to free Deanna, opting only to use kind words when she visited and not bring up anything Talia didn’t want to talk about. The lawyer still treated her like a forced-acquaintance, but it was still better than hatred and scorn. 

“Selena, kleine Schneeflocke. I refuse to believe that you are merely out here because the castle is ‘too warm’.” Gunther teased. “And I am prepared to stay here all night with you until I am something to bring back to my wife so she can allow me to return to bed.”

There was a mixture of laughter, but also a hint of desperation in his voice – neither of which Selena could blame the man for. It was late and, unlike her, the man had duties early in the morning (in a few mere hours in fact). 

“Would you believe me if I said I can relate?” she offered the man, attempting her own humor (a lame attempt though).
“Ja.” Groaned Gunther, offering a soft pat on the back of Selena’s shoulder blades with a gloved hand. “You have a wife too. This I know!” he added.

“But I’m lucky.” Selena bit her lower lip, the memory causing her to smile a little again. “Deanna hates having me out of bed. I have to set my alarm ten minutes earlier than usual because she’ll realize I’m leaving and cling closer to me, whining ‘Noooo….’.” Selena tried to impersonate the adorable ‘cry’ she remembered from her pet. Secretly, she loved it. 

She loved how much Deanna needed her – reminded her every time they spoke, touched, kissed, everything. It was both part of Deanna, but also for Selena. To say that Deanna knew everything about her wife – her knowledge surpassing even Regan Street (which was saying something!) – would be an understatement. The life that Selena had had, devoid of affection beyond fleeting moments, moreso filled with the feeling of loneliness, abandonment, and feeling ‘unloved’ and ‘worthless’… Deanna had dedicated herself to ensure that not a moment went by where her platinum-blonde wife was unaware that she was loved whole-heartedly, flaws and all.

Wasn’t that what love was? Not a ‘select’ feeling that you picked when it was ‘active’ or effective? Wasn’t it supposed to be an emotion you feel not in spite of hardships but through hardships? Wasn’t that what she had with Deanna? How many times had Selena failed her? How many times had they inadvertently hurt one another or ‘messed up’, only to be forgiven and grown stronger?

What she and Deanna had was love. Selena would believe that until the breath was taken out of her body forever. It was something special. Worth anything. And in her world of SCW, where ‘lovers’ and ‘couples’ switch partners more than square-dancers, it was…

“I’m very fortunate.” She whispered. 
“And yet…” Gunther gently prodded. “Here you have been every night.”

With a sigh, Selena nodded her head. “It’s my sister.”

“Sister?” Gunther thought for a moment, a strong, gloved hand stroking the thick beard that covered his face, trying to recall. “Ah! Ze young woman who visited here last few weeks. Ms… Street?”
Selena merely nodded.
“She cares deeply for the children.” He stated. “Seen her a few times with Ms. Elsianna…” for a moment, the elderly, broad man seemed to hesitate in choosing his next words. “Though quite mouthy at times, eh?”

The remark forced a snort and a laugh, short and quick, from Selena. She had heard from others in the castle of Regan’s occasional ‘slip-of-the-tongue’ in terms of the woman’s language. Not that Selena could entirely fault her sister for that. Sometimes, ‘SCW-Regan’, aka The Hellcat, broke through. It wasn’t intentional and Regan did her very best to be the picture of a role-model for Selena’s children, especially to Elsianna. Aside from the immediate family, Regan was the only person Elsianna felt comfortable enough around to show her gloved hand/arms to. For the Snow Queen, she was beyond grateful for the progress and aid that her sister-in-arms gave to her daughter. Still, that Regan’s mouth, notorious for getting her in trouble in SCW in the past, was what Gunther noticed about her was beyond amusing to Selena, which made the reality of her situation all the more heart-breaking.

“She and I are…” Selena tried. “At odds.”
“A dispute?” Gunther asked. “To have you here every night – it must be quite serious.”
Selena nodded. “She…hid something from me – and that wasn’t what bothered me. But, I mean…”

Selena sighed. She had dealt with this negative pile of emotions for so many days, just accepting problem after problem, too drained to fight them off, that, now that she was talking about it, she couldn’t isolate what specific issue was hurting her the most. Was it the anger? The frustration? The bitterness? Or just the notion that it was unfair!

“Take your time…” offered Gunther. “But not too much time.” He teased, nudging Selena softly with his shoulder.

“I…” the platinum-blonde took a deep breath. “She’s made a choice…one I can’t fault her for. But it’s one that will probably… probably change everything about how we work together – if we ever work together again.”

“Hmmm…” Gunther hummed. “Your work – wrestling…” he tried. “I watch it on occasion. You and her are partners, ja?”
“Ja.” Selena sighed.
“And you think that will end?”

Slowly, Selena nodded. “Everything I’ve ever loved and cared about with all my heart has ended up broken and damaged at my feet.” She quietly confessed.

“That cannot be true.” Gunther pressed, his soft eyes hard as diamonds as they bored into Selena’s frame. “You are capable and deserving of love.”
“And look where it lead me, Gunther.” Selena almost cried. “Deanna is in prison – almost two years now! My children have been uprooted, hunted, assaulted. My father was taken from me. My true mother had to abandon me and now my sister may lose her career, the one thing she’s loved for herself except family.”

She stopped, reaching up a hand to swipe angrily at the tears that were forming there. “She has given to so many people again and again. Done so much for everyone over and over… and yet, still she’s being asked to not only give but to risk her own career.”

It was beyond heart-breaking to Selena. Regan was so close! So close to achieving everything that she wanted to in her career. Completing the supreme championship run/winning the tag-team titles with Selena had meant that only two goals truly remained for Regan. Winning the World Champion once more and headlining Rise to Greatness, something neither member of Frozen Hell had done. 

But now? It all was at risk. Them as a tag-team, Regan’s future as a wrestler, Regan’s future as a person!

“So why are you not with her?” Gunther gently asked.

“Because I can’t do anything!” this one Selena shouted, unable to care about who heard her. “I can’t fix this! I can’t throw myself into the operating room and tell them ‘Take my kidney! Take my bone morrow!’. I can’t ‘fix’ Giselle! I can’t ‘find’ parts needed so Regan doesn’t have to risk anything! I can’t fight it off. I can’t stop it! I can’t do anything!”

And there it was. She felt it in her soul: as if she had hit a nail on the head perfectly with a hammer, driving it down into her heart with one solid whack. For every obstacle that had presented itself for her sister, Selena had been able to help in some way.

With Datura: she had been able to advise Regan and help with her training.
The Tag-Team titles/Supreme Championship: she had been able to create ‘Frozen Hell’ with Regan, capture the SCW Tag-Team titles and become the SCW Tag-team of the year.

Hell, they had just survived – scratch that. They had thrived together against Xander Valentine, beating him to a point where people in SCW were STILL talking about it. They had risked their future and survived together – overcoming the obstacle.

But, perhaps for the first time, Selena could not help her sister. This was an obstacle where Selena could do nothing. And not ‘nothing’ as in ‘stay in the back and not interfere’ like she had for Regan’s upcoming U.S. title match with Xander. No, this was nothing as in ‘nothing you can do will change anything. Nothing can be done by you to fix this.’

This…was helplessness. This truly, in the most definite sense, was…

“I feel…powerless.” Selena whispered. “I haven’t felt something like this in so long. Even with Deanna, I always felt like I was doing something to help. But this? I can’t…”

Silence filled the garden, with the exception of the animals that were still awake and the wind that was blowing.

“You know…” The hearty voice came from deep within Gunther’s frame. “A part of me always hates this season.” He admitted. “Oh do not get me wrong-“ he continued, his voice holding some amusement within it. “I appreciate so much of the winter and what it gives, like you do. But you work so hard on the flowers and the garden and the upkeep and, deep down, you know it’s all temporary. You know winter will come and kill them all. You know that there is nothing you can do to stop that.”

Bending down, as Selena had done earlier, Gunther scooped up a handful of snow, holding it within his gloved hand. “But do you know what I think?” 

Selena didn’t give him an answer, assuming correctly that it was rhetorical question.

“I think that if that wasn’t so – if the flowers stayed year round and never died… would they be as beautiful to me?” he shrugged his massive shoulders. “I do not think so. Without them dying, I would not have the joy of taking care of them. Of replanting them… of saying goodbye to them till next year.”

A knowing eye peered from him a little (within peripheral vision) to cast a glance at Selena.

“Is that not why life is so wondrous? Because it doesn’t last forever? Is that not why we are encouraged as people to live each day to the fullest? Because we know, one day, it will all end?”

“But we survived that.” Selena pressed. “We beat Xander! So, yes, it would all still end, but we had earned the right to have that end be when we retired! When we were old and couldn’t wrestle anymore! Not when there’s still so many years we could give!”

“So, you would deny the rest those flowers deserved for your own sake?” Gunther asked gently, taking Selena’s frustrations in stride. “You would have them endure more pain and heartache for your own satisfaction?”

“I…No…I just…” Selena stammered. “Regan isn’t a flower, Gunther! She’s not going to ‘come back’ next season! Once she’s finished…. That’s it. No spring. No return. Nothing.”

“And the alternative?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Her…” Selena gulped. “Her mother dies…”

“So…” Gunther sighed. “You’d deny a daughter the chance to save her mother you fear losing your work partner.” He stated.
“I…No…” Selena tried. “I just…”

“You ran away to this castle, did you not?” Gunther interjected. “You ran away from her, did you not?”
“I needed time to think.”
“And? You still feel powerless, more frustrated.” Gunther observed. “Because, deep down, you know that what your sister is doing is right. What she has chosen to do is right. You simply don’t want it to happen because you don’t want to lose her as a partner.”

Selena took a shaky breath, the truth tumbling through her mind and body with each one. All this time, whenever they had talked about ‘retirement’ or ‘packing it in’, it had always seemed like a distant place they still had miles to go in order to get to. Hell, even with Xander and their match at End of the Year, while there had been anxiety within her, Selena’s mind had still possessed a semblance of denial that the end was truly coming. That it was still something far, far away.

But there was no denying it now. The end was VERY realistic and VERY near. Even if everything went well and Regan and her not only won the Tag League and regained the tag titles but also Regan’s chosen surgery resulted in no negative side-effects, allowing the Hellcat to continue to wrestle (which Selena did not believe was possible given the surgery) – even if ALL of that came to pass, Regan was being set up to resume her place as a top singles. The Snow Queen had no doubt that she would be the one to take the United States Title off of Xander. 

And if there was one thing the two of them had realized in the coming months, it was that maintaining a place in the tag-league WHILE dealing with Xander Valentine WHILE defending a singles title as prestigious as the United States title had simply spread them too thin.

So, whether it was the Tag-League that saw them get eliminated or Regan’s push towards her last goals of World Champion/RTG main-event or the surgery that risked all of that… 

Frozen Hell was going to die… just like Gunther’s flowers.

“So what do I do?” Selena whispered.

She felt a strong arm wrap around her shoulders into a one-arm hug, Gunther protectively close to the Snow Queen. “Be there for her. You may lose your work-partner, but she will always be your sister.” He whispered. “And until the end truly does come, appreciate the time you have left.”

“And just let it all happen?” Selena asked with a sigh, though she already knew the answer before Gunther nodded his head.
“The one thing you’ll regret more than being ‘powerless’.” He slowly advised. “Will be if you choose not to be there when it’s time to say ‘goodbye’.”

The remark caused Selena to lift her head and regard the smiling old man, seeing the sudden sadness in his eyes.

“Gunther…” she whispered. “You’re not talking about the flowers anymore, are you?”
“No.” Gunther’s sad smile remained as he shook his head.
“Nicodemus…” Selena whispered, earning a nod from Gunther as he pushed himself to his feet.
“My general would hate to see me so.” He stated. “But…to not say goodbye when I had the chance… will forever remain a regret…until the sun rises and I see him again.”

With that, Gunther turned on his boot and headed towards the door, stopping as he grasped the iron handle. 

“Do not make that mistake, Kind von Winter.” He advised. “You have enough white hairs to have more added through regrets.”

He was gone before Selena could respond, leaving her, once more, alone in the cold and snow. For a moment, Selena’s mind ran back to the last time she saw Nicodemus, his eyes full of farewell and a sad smile as he stood there, facing each demon of his past that literally stood before him.

“You didn’t run away.” Selena sighed. “You knew the end was coming and you faced it. Even if you were powerless to change it.”

A long breath escaped the Snow Queen as she cast her gaze towards the garden again, Gunther’s words echoing in her mind.

Is that not why life is so wondrous? Because it doesn’t last forever?

______________________________________



The camera opens up to the interior of the Little Caesar’s Arena in Detroit, Michigan, the site for tonight’s episode of Breakdown – the very first of 2021. And with it carries something from 2020 – the Tag-League, the last string of matches coming up within the coming episodes of Breakdown and concluding before the month is out. To say that it has been a long journey for all would be an understatement, and yet, it could be said that the longest and hardest journey from start to finish in terms of increasing difficulty would be reserved for the team consisting of Regan Street and the woman standing in the ring. Unlike the usual spot she occupies (the center of the ring), Selena Frost sits on top of one of the turnbuckles, her eyes cast onto the ring mat below her, her shoulder stretched along part of it, thanks to the blue and white lights associated with this segment.

Say it again, Xander. her voice is strong as her eyes stay focus on her shadow. Why don’t you tell me how ‘lost’ I am. Why don’t you tell me how weak I am. Why don’t you call me “The Shadow of SCW” again! Tell the world how much ‘better’ and ‘stronger’ you are than Regan Street and Frozen Hell!

There is a moment of silence as Selena remains perched on the turnbuckle, her head lifting to stare into the camera that is focused on her.

Oh yes, Xander. Are you at home now? Licking your wounds and preparing some poetic spiel to save face? It wouldn’t surprise me. Your ego and image are the two most important things about you, isn’t it? Never can Xander Valentine be exposed as a liar. A hypocrite. A fool.

A smile breaks across Selena’s face as she shakes her head. And you know, Xander? I feel sorry for you. Yes, that’s what it’s come down to. Because what happened to you in Toronto? The match that was little more than a squash match – and you were the jobber? You can’t blame that on them like you did after losing to me at RtG a year and a half ago. she gestures to the empty seats in the arena. And you can’t blame Regan or I. You did this. You made this happen. You bragged and bragged about how you were better than us, more than us, and how we were nothing compared to your dominance.

Did you honestly think that we would allow that to exist without proof? That’s not how it works here, Xander! You have to earn the right to call yourself the most dominant force in SCW. You have to earn the right to say you’re greater than two world champions of Regan and my calibre. 

Make no mistake about it, Xander. You have NOT earned that right. Last week, if anything, you were exposed. Because we all saw it. Hell, even CHBK saw it and his ego, like Syren’s, is as big as yours. We saw the desperation… the fear.

Content, Selena hops off the turnbuckle, landing gracefully on her feet. That look – knowing you were outmatched. You… knowing the truth about your “dominance”. I will hold that memory forever, just like I did with our RtG match. 

Because this is where I leave you Xander. With those memories, and the knowledge that I hold the kryptonite to your very existence. Enthusiastically, Selena smacks her right leg with her hand, indicating the weapon she possess that took down Xander in emphatic fashion twice now. Now, I will move on past you and let my sister, when the time comes, take the only thing you have left – the United States Championship.

For a moment, Selena’s expression seems clouded at the mention of her sister-in-arms, as if remembering something. Just as quickly, however, she shakes her head briskly and continues.

However, I will give the credit to the match itself. There’s something to be said at when you face the potential ‘end’ of something and are forced to either concede or fight with all you have to continue to exist. When your back is against the wall, Regan and I have proven time and time again that that is when we are at our most dangerous.

And I think that needs to be made clear to both of you, Jordan Majors and Cookie Dreams.

Rubbing her hands, Selena takes a deep breath, refocusing on her future opponents.

Now, let’s get this out of the way. You two deserve your just-respect. And while that includes your amazing matches in 2020, Jordan, not to mention your damn impressive world title match last week against Bree and, of course, Cookie, winning two awards that same night… while those are indeed part of it, it isn’t the focus of my remark.

I am referring to all of this. she gestures with a spin of her fingers, indicating the ring and arena. Forgive me, but like many other people, when I entered into this tag-league with Regan, I was excited at facing your team, especially you, Jordan, after the year you’ve had. But never did I believe you two would thrive as you have.

That isn’t a slant against either of you, but I had seen so many teams ‘give up’ or ‘quit’ in this league that the ‘unlikely’ pairing of you two, I thought, would fall into that statistic. That, after a few losses, you two would ‘want out’ like several of the other teams seem to have done. 

But then you beat Dark Fantasy. Selena clicks her tongue inside her mouth. I won’t undersell this – you two stunned me. You shocked me in the most wonderful way. You defied the odds and every tangible set of odds since then, until now? You’re undefeated. Your place is assured for, at the very least, the final night of the Tag League…

But the thing is, ladies… it’s that reason why you won’t be entering that night with a ‘clean sweep’. her tone growing serious, Selena paces around the ring, a hand on the rope.

See, it’s a tradeoff, girls. Had you of faced us earlier, we might have underestimated you, as I said, and you could have shocked us instead of Dark Fantasy. However, now? The game has very much changed, hasn’t it?

You see, because of you, Regan and I have been playing catch-up this entire time. Throughout the entire league, as you continued to win, we were left no choice but to push further and further, trying to keep up with you two. And in one case, we failed, which is why this match is not for the world tag-team titles. Apologies for that.

But here we stand… and while you two think that this is much different a task than us facing Xander, I can assure you that the stakes are no less high than they were that night in Toronto. For you see, Cookie, Jordan, since losing those titles, Regan and I have had each and every match be do-or-die for us. A situation where we either win or we are out of the Tag-League. And with every person wanting to be “the team that took out Frozen Hell”, you can imagine the odds that were stacked against us.

Now? We are two matches away – you and Dark Fantasy – both remaining a ‘must win’ for us to make it to the final night.

With a sigh, Selena turns back to the camera. I just need you two to understand that before we begin. Understand that what you see from Regan and I is not personal like it was with Xander. We have the utmost respect for both of you. But you see – what you saw in Toronto, that dominance? That force that silenced the Executioner? It is going to be unleashed on you. Why? Selena shrugs. Because we are the Tag-Team of 2020.

Can you relate to that Cookie? Being “the Star of tomorrow” and “Rookie of the Year”? Jordan, who held such an award the year before? Can you understand what that does to us? How it makes us need to represent this division well? How we need to be there with you in the semi-finals, amidst all the beaten, quit or fallen tag-teams, to continue to be a dominant force in this division?

Because, as the updated notes on the board said, you two are in control of your destiny. Win or lose, you are going to the final night. Nothing Regan or I do can change that. Your destiny is set and you both are in control…

Selena’s eyes narrow. But so are we. Because, as we proved in Toronto, NO ONE is in control of our destiny but us. No one decides for us when ‘enough is enough’. We fight. We push. We do all we can and we decide what is next for us.

As she continues to speak, Selena moves towards the center of the ring. Many of ‘cast’ Frozen Hell out of the league in favour of you two. I can’t blame them for that. You two deserve to be seen as the favourites now, being undefeated as you are. But again, that just changes the game. As I said, if you had faced us first, you might have beaten us.

But that isn’t the case.

Because now, we are the underdogs. We are the ones fighting against the tide, not you. We are the ones with something to prove. We are the ones with everything to lose. And we are the ones who are… she suddenly stops for a moment, her eyes looking off past the camera, as if seeing something, or someone, beyond it. For a brief moment, Selena’s jaw shakes alittle, her eyes flitting towards the two points, the camera and spot beyond it. Who know the challenge before us and how to conquer it…

For a moment, Selena’s eyes go back to the spot beyond the camera, the Snow Queen taking a few breaths before she releases a long sigh, biting her lower lip and turning her head back to the camera.

But you know what will make the big difference girls? Between you and Frozen Hell? I know it sounds cliché, but it’s the inexperience. No, I don’t mean the lack of matches you’ve had. Not that at all. It’s… Sapphire hits dart back to spot beyond the camera, then back to the camera. 

You two have had nothing but success after success. Victory after victory. And yes, that could speak volumes about your teamwork and chemistry. But you want to know what really shows a team’s strength? What shows a kinship? Or a sisterhood? It’s when things don’t go your way. When you lose… when you fail… when you come up short as a wrestler… or as a person, and your partner is still there… her eyes go back to that ‘spot’. Ready to help you pick up the pieces.

It’s knowing what it’s like to feel, not only the highest of highs like you have, but the lowest of lows. It’s risking everything for one another. It’s being…being broken and still able to put yourself together because she’s there too, helping you do it. It’s knowing… she takes a deep breath. It’s knowing that it all could end in a moment and yet, there is no one else you’d rather fight with. No one else you’d rather stand beside. And even if it did end, nothing could take away what you did together. The bonds of sisterhood that survived every trial and tribulation.

There is a pause from the Snow Queen as she takes a deep breath before turning back to regard the camera. With all respect, Cookie and Jordan, as good as you both have proven yourselves to be, as singles wrestlers and, more importantly in this case, as a tag-team, you’ve done nothing but ride an emotional high. You don’t know how it feels to have doubt. To be brought down the lowest point and survive as a tag-team. 

So as good as you are, that will be what pushes Regan and I to overcome you – to be the only team to BEAT you in this entire run. Because that is what it will come down to. Which one of us, when we are pushed to that limit of doubt and lowest of low… can get back up.

And tonight, girls. a quick glance to the spot, then back at the camera. Will be us.

Believe it, girls. And we’ll see you tonight…. And in the semi-finals!

The camera fades on the Snow Queen, the promo ending as it fades to black.
_________________________________________________________________________

Little Caesars Arena
Detroit, Michigan
January 6th, 2021
11:23am

She exhaled as she saw the little red dot on the camera go out, the tell-tale sign that the recording was through. “Thank you.” Her voice, serious and stern a moment ago as she was giving her promo and speaking to her next pair of opponents, was quiet and grateful to the camera-handler, who gave her a nod before leaping off the apron he had been standing on to get the right shot, and making his way towards the backstage area, his now unplugged camera in hand.

Normally, this was the part of “Frozen Central” where Selena could relax. Her part, the filming, was finished and since there was little to no real ‘editing’ that needed to be done, the promo would hit the airwaves (that being SCW’s website, youtube accounts, etc) within a hour or two, she’d be able to relax.

Today? Not so much the case as the Hellcat slid under the ropes to stand in the ring, her arms crossed across her chest. Selena had spotted her near the end of her promo and, despite herself, had gone off her planned script, choosing to speak a bit more to Regan than to anyone else, albeit subtley. 

“So…” Regan started. “Has it gotten to where I need to watch your promos to get a word from you?”

“Yeah…” Selena sighed, turning her back to her sister and moving over to grasp the ropes once more. 
“I thought things were okay.” Regan tried. “When you came to celebrate New Year’s and-“
“Did not occur to you that there was a reason why I couldn’t listen to you apologize?” Selena asked, keeping her eyes towards the empty seats, allowing her to concentrate. “That I couldn’t talk about any of it to you while everyone was shouting and drinking? I wasn’t okay, Regan.” She stated. “I was the farthest thing from ‘okay’.”

She was silent for a moment, taking a shaky breath to steady herself. “I’m sorry.” Came the Snow Queen’s eventual words. “I didn’t…” she closed her eyes. “I did not take it well.”

A long sigh came from Regan this time, the Hellcat not moving but her posture relaxing. “Yeah, well, my timing could have been better. ‘We just beat the shit out of Xander! Oh, by the way…’”

Despite herself, Selena laughed at that, allowing her to turn around. 

“So you’re still upset?” Regan asked. “Can we talk about it?”

“We can.” Selena nodded, her hands rubbing and twisting together. “And I’ll always be upset about this, Regan.” She started. “I’ll be upset at the unfairness of it. I’ll be upset that, after risking everything for our mere existence here in SCW, fate seems fit to screw us over anyway. I’ll always be upset with myself because I can’t do anything to help you. I can’t fix this. I can’t make this better, no matter what I try. We both know you’re the perfect donor, which means I can’t offer my kidneys or bone morrow.”

“I wouldn’t let you.”
“I wouldn’t let you stop me!” Selena countered. “But it’s moot. And yes, I was angry at you – initially. I’m sorry for that. It was a knee-jerk reaction and I regret doing that and running away to Germany and not contacting you, and making you worry-“

“Selena…” Regan lifted her hand to stop the younger woman. “I get it.”

Closing her mouth, Selena nodded her head before continuing. “Truth is… I realized that I never really accepted the fact that, some day, all of this-“ she gestured between herself and her sister. “Would be over. There’s always been some childish part in my mind that believed we’d be tag-team partners forever, or at least until we retired from old age. Now? With everything – our odds in the tag-league, Xander for you, and now this?” she released a shaky sigh. “I found myself losing that denial so fast that I tried to fight it. And when I couldn’t…”

“You ran away from it.” Regan finished, earning a nod from Selena. “Are you afraid of losing me?”

“Among other things.” Selena admitted. “But since coming back here…it’s more than that.”

Slowly reaching out, Selena’s pale hands took one of Regan’s, holding it tenderly as she kept her eyes on the Hellcat. “I know that, simply, if this all ends one way or another, you’ll still be my sister and we’ll still be in each other’s lives.”

“Of course.” Regan assured.

“And while I’ll miss being your tag partner when it’s all over, I’ll remember all the beautiful moments we had.”
“Like winning the Tag-League and-“
“Don’t jinx it.” Selena pointedly interjected. “But what also scares me is…I don’t know where to go from there.”

Casting a look down at Regan’s hand, Selena had to take another shaky breath to continue her explantion.

“For a year – all of 2020 – I have simply been your tag-team partner. Yes, there were moments for me, like winning the tag-team titles, but let’s face it… I became your tag-team partner first and foremost.”

“Selena-“

“No, let me finish, please.” Selena stressed. “And hearing how I ‘couldn’t be anything but your tag-partner’ from people like Kandis? Tommy? ‘The Shadow of SCW’ from Xander? I tried to just ignore them, but I have to admit, it wasn’t something I could do. And you…” she shifted her gaze back up to Regan, meeting her eyes. “You’ve always had a direction beyond us. Xander and the US title, the world title, RTG… I didn’t. So… when I lost that naievity and knew that, no matter which way, we were on borrowed time, I hated it because of everything I said…”

“But also, you were afraid of where you would go without me.” Regan concluded, earning one last nod from Selena. “And now?”

“Still afraid.” Selena admitted. “Still don’t know. But… I don’t want that to get in the way of enjoying what time we have left, however long or short it may be.”

It took a moment of letting all their words sink in, but eventually, the taller woman reached out her arms to embrace the shorter Selena. “Let’s focus on that right now.” Regan whispered. “Let’s focus on one day at a time. Like tonight. Tonight, it’s about us and Frozen Hell and the Tag-League…and for you? We’ll figure out where you go when that comes our way.”

It was a tad childish and playing right to the old naievity that Selena had recently had destroyed. However, coming from her sister, Selena finally understood why she had waited till after their last match with Xander to tell her the truth.

Because, though Selena still needed Regan as much as before, she was able to see that Regan needed her – that deep down, Regan was scared of so many things. The differnce between Regan and Selena, Regan was ready to face those fears head on, where Selena had run away. Regan was moving forward inspite of her fears…

And Selena could either run away from that again… or be the sister Regan needed. 

And there's a hand, my trusty fiere
And gie's a hand o' thine
And we'll tak a right gude-willy waught
For auld lang syne
For auld lang syne, my dear
For auld lang syne
We'll tak a cup o' kindness yet
For auld lang syne

Enjoyed writing this, some light heartedness so you could say back to basics with Cookie. Best of Luck, though honestly probably don't need it lol. <3

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1xPmf...sp=sharing