Project: Black Ice
”Family at Fireside”
The VanHohenheim Home
Maplewood, New Jersey
June 8th, 2022
10:34pm
The loudest thing that Deanna could hear was the crackling of the roaring fire as it burned within the manmade hearth of ground and metal, the metal framing containing it and keeping it from spreading. She recalled an odd conversation that explained the existence of the metal ‘guard’, as it were. Jonathan VanHohenheim had wanted a natural looking ‘fire-pit’, devoid of any metal but Alejandra had argued him out of that notion.
’If you want a fire roaring in our backyard next to my garden and the apple-tree, then we’re getting a guard’.
The memory of the story left Deanna’s head immediately as she saw a particularly bold flare of flame stretch up to the sky before being ‘pulled’ back down to its source, the firewood that filled the pit. She also spied the remains – charred and black – of the unfortunate marshmallow that had dared attempt to escape David’s stick as the boy had continuously tried to make smores. It was comforting, though, that should the burnt confectionary survive it’s ‘fiery ordeal’, there were squirrels and birds nearby that would make use of it – as Jonathan had pointed out to the boy hours ago. Lifting her head a little, Deanna could hear some of those animals, the nightlife of New Jersey (strange as that sounded), making their rounds as they, too, sought food and family: birds, crickets, she was sure she even heard the chitter of racoons.
“Are your rats as big as ours?” She asked aloud without thinking, turning her head to suddenly see the surprised expression of the other three: Alejandra, her mother-in-law, dressed in a dark green sweater that complimented her darker skin but contrasted her white and black hair, and gray track pants.
Jonathan, Alejandra’s husband and Deanna’s father-in-law, with a light-red t-shirt, black shorts and blue running shoes.
And Selena – in a light blue t-shirt and black jeans. The world champion’s hair was tied up in its braid, and she had been holding it strongly, twisting it like she used to when she was nervous.
I guess she never broke out of that habit… Deanna thought for a moment.
Just nothing to grab for the last year or so…
Seeing their expressions, the redhead bit her lower lip, feeling a little guilty for interrupting the conversation that had been taking place since the children had gone to bed inside the guest rooms of the VanHohenheim house. One of the benefits of her in-laws living only 45 minutes to an hour away (depending on New York traffic) from the Frost’s Manhattan home was that they could easily spend any day or night with them and still ensure that the children didn’t miss any school (they would just have to wake up a little earlier to accommodate the extra travel back into New York in the morning).
Again, she gave her head a shake to keep herself from being distracted again. “Sorry.” She muttered. “Didn’t mean to sound weird. I was trying to just break the really bad silence…” she explained lamely.
But that had, honestly, been her intention. The Frost family had visited the VanHohenheims (it was Deanna’s idea) simply to talk to them about the figurative bomb that had been dropped in the Frosts’ laps weeks ago. They had waited for the children to go to bed before confessing all the events that had occurred in Nome: Gavin Scythe becoming mayor, Ryan Scythe being arrested on charges if assault and battery, and Killjoy’s confession and revelation.
“It’s…” Alejandra sat back in her lawn chair (she and Jonathan each had one while Selena and Deanna sat at the lawn-decorative picnic table near them and the fire). “It just can’t be true.” The older woman sighed, shaking her head.
“That’s what I said.” Deanna replied.
“I agree.” Jonathan added, a bit more strongly. “I mean, I don’t remember that part of my life, but I would know if my own child was switched.”
For her part, Selena said nothing, merely resting her chin on her joined hands as she starred into the fire. It had been difficult for her to explain the story – Deanna had noticed. And while she had received a small level of ‘respite’ in this drama - defeating Giovanni Aries and effectively defeating the remaining ‘part’ of the Brand, thus securing her spot in the main-event at Rise to Greatness for a second time - the epicness of that moment had only given them a few days of joy before the weight of the world was seemingly back on Selena’s shoulders.
“Selena…” Deanna heard Alejandra call out, gaining the Snow Queen’s attention, the mother smiling at the platinum-blonde. “It’s not true, okay?” she tried. “Listen, hunny.” She further implored. “I held you in my arms the entire trip from Devon Island back to Nome. I never let you go until I had no choice. I spent over two decades with that memory burned into my brain – every feature on your face.” She pointed a little to Selena’s pale countenance. “It’s all there.”
It wasn’t much, but a ghost of a smile formed across Selena’s features, the light of the fire flickering across the smooth skin. “Thanks, mother.” She tried. The smile was gone a second or so later. “But what if it’s true?” her voice slowly came out again. “What if… I mean, everything Killjoy said made sense. Of course, Malcolm would do something like that – of course he would ‘play god’ – he did it for years.”
There would normally be something almost uncomfortable about speaking ill of the dead to all four family members, but in the case of the man that had done so much damage in all of their lives, it did feel far more warranted. “And what is ruining one more if he gets his ‘perfect heir’.”
“Except Killjoy thinks that you were that ‘perfect heir’.” Deanna replied. “Which is ludicrous because you’ve NEVER been on board with the Scythes except for-“
“Me falling in love with Adri- with Ryan.” Selena corrected herself. “Thank Odin that didn’t happen.” She breathed a sigh of relief. She could have easily suffered Talia’s fate in being married to that man – and the sooner that divorce was finalized, the sooner Selena could, maybe, help Gavin with his kind pursuit of the dark-haired woman – in time, of course. She wanted both of them to be happy and Gavin had proven what a far better man he was compared to his brother. Still, there would be some detractors if anything did happen, but if they had something that was worth it…
“It all sounds so ridiculous.” Deanna heard Jonathan remark. “But why don’t we just solve it once and for all?”
“How so?” Selena’s head raised and both she and Deanna regarded the older man.
“Well, I mean – maybe I’m not Donovan anymore.” He had a slight look of guilt towards his daughter and daughter-in-law, the absence of his memory strongly felt in this moment. “But I’m still him… biologically.” He gave a shrug. “A simple paternity test will tell us everything we need to know.”
“Very true, honey.” Alejandra reached out to take Jonathan’s arm, giving it a tight squeeze as she smiled at him. “Tomorrow! We can make it happen! We’ll go to a clinic or something and get started!”
“Easy, peasy!” Deanna remarked. “We can throw it all back in Killjoy’s smug face!”
“Unless he’s right.”
Again, like cold water to the fire, Selena’s words silenced everyone, the three people’s attention back on the Snow Queen.
“Selena…” Deanna tried, only to hear a small laugh come from the young woman.
“Yeah…that’s my name.” Selena remarked. “Except it might not be. I might not even be a Frost.” Deanna watched her wife worry her bottom lip with her teeth, the platinum-blonde’s expression altering through a myriad of emotions: Confusion, anger, sadness, despair, uncertainty. “And what if she was telling the truth… then who the hell am I? What is my name?” her eyes turned towards Alejandra and Jonathan, who were leaning forward in their chairs. “She…she might be your real daughter.”
Both parents’ eyes widened, yet they remained silent, which only prompted Selena to continue.
“All these years – living someone else’s life…” she whispered. “Do you have any idea what that’s like?”
“Yes.”
The answer came from only one voice as Jonathan pushed himself out of his chair sharply to make his way over to Selena. Immediately, Deanna shuffled off the bench to allow the older man to take her spot beside his daughter. A strong hand took Selena’s, the Snow Queen barely able to move her eyes from the ground.
“Having your identity stolen from you? Your name? Everything that makes you you?” Jonathan nodded his head. “I know exactly how that feels, Selena.” He gained Selena’s attention as the young woman gazed at him, her eyes a little moist.
“Father.”
“When I awoke in that hospital years ago – not knowing who I was? I was angry. I was mad at the world. How could this happen? What did I do that was so wrong to warrant this? Do I blame God? Do I blame whoever did this to me? Whoever it was that dumped me in New York? For so long, all I could do was wallow in my own misery, not knowing who I was, who my parents were-“ he gave Selena’s hand a strong squeeze. “Who my family was. I won’t lie, it almost drove me insane. I needed medication to help with that.”
Selena’s eyes widened. “You did?!”
“For awhile.” Jonathan nodded, his free hand stroking his trimmed beard. “It’s a dark road your mind will go with such questions and a mindset – so let me be a father and give you some advice.”
With a broad sweep, he gestured first to the house, more so to the occupants that were sleeping inside. “The only thing that got me through it was years later, after I had gotten a job, a house and was dating your mother.” He cast a quick glance to Alejandra before continuing. “I realized that, maybe I didn’t have the ‘beginning’ or ‘start’ that was taken from me, but if I couldn’t have an identity to lean on, I’d make my own. You get me?”
Despite herself, Selena bit her lower lip, her eyes cast down to the ground once more.
“You’ve got three wonderful children, Selena.” Jonathan added. “A life that belongs to YOU, regardless of your name. You’ve got a career that belongs to YOU – Killjoy can’t take that away without stealing it from you and only if you let her win.” His eyes lifted a little to see Deanna standing there, just a few feet away from the two. “And you’ve got something that I had to get you through all this.” A quiet smirk graced his features. “Someone that loves you for you and couldn’t care less about your name.”
Without thinking, Deanna took the few steps needed to reach Selena, kneeling down onto the soft grass to take the Snow Queen’s other hand, gaining the young woman’s attention, sapphire eyes meeting emerald eyes and neither one wavering.
“You could be ‘Fanny McSplooSploo’, and I’d be MRS. McSplooSploo.” Deanna stated with no hesitation, earning a snort/laugh mixture from Selena as the redhead brought the hand she held up to her lips to kiss the pale knuckles.
“Where did that name come from?” Selena tried to say, despite the teary laugh that came from her, unable to wipe at her eyes because both of her hands were being held. She suddenly felt another pair of warm arms wrap around her from behind – Deanna seeing Alejandra join the group as she held her daughter around Selena’s back and collar bone.
“You may think this will change everything.” She whispered gently to her daughter. “But you’ll still always be Selena – our daughter – to us.”
“And my wife to me.” Deanna added. “Cause…you know…it be weird if you were my daughter and all that-“
“I get it.” Selena shook her head at her wife lovingly, the glow of the fire dancing in her sapphire eyes.
“The question is…” Jonathan spoke again, his voice still firm. “Who do you want to be?”
The Snow Queen was silent for a moment, her eyes taking in the three people gathered around her. An answer was inevitable, and it came out without any hesitation or reservation.
“I want to be me.” She stated. “I want to be Selena Frost.”
Deanna knew that it was more than mere desire in that statement. It was a need. To her and the VanHohenheims, she would always be Selena. It was like Selena had said to Killjoy that night in Nome. Even if Killjoy was born ‘Selena Frost’, she had just been given it. It had been Selena – the Selena that sat before her - that had EARNED that name, surviving a hell that, from what Killjoy had told them, dwarfed Killjoy’s ‘sad life of exile’ with Rebecca Scythe. Killjoy had known love far more than Selena had and could even have had a life all her own, forging one like Jonathan had. But Killjoy had chosen bitterness and now was choosing to try and ‘steal’ the life Selena had built. Whether she felt entitled to it or not, Killjoy had done NOTHING to make a career in SCW, in finding love and braving coming out as a lesbian woman, in taking down the DeCarlos, the Scythes, and the Frost/Frostmere clan. It was like she had just waited for Selena to do all the work and then wanted to swoop it and reap the rewards.
It was beyond unfair and, for Deanna, it was achingly familiar to a certain blonde that had taken SCW – well, not by storm because that would have implied something respectable and worthwhile – but rather like a sickness.
Jenni Anderson.
Despite herself, Deanna was grateful that she was facing away from the fire, her face, at least, partially obscured by the night’s shadows so Selena wouldn’t see her wife’s jaw clench at the thought of that damned woman.
She hadn’t spoken about her match at Taking Hold of the Flame with Deanna, nor had she spoken to Selena about the ensuing conversation she had had with Shaun Cruze following it. First, she had failed to get her match with the “Queenpin” – which sounded like a damn bowling joke rather than a ‘lethal nickname’ with the way Jenni kept throwing SCW’s integrity into the damn gutter.
Ooo, keep that in mind! That might be a good ‘promo line’! – Jenni choosing to, once again, use her wealth on that Mallory Groening girl. First, she had hired Mallory to attack Deanna last Breakdown, effectively giving Deanna a win but through disqualification, which wasn’t really a win at all for the redhead. And then, the cowardly blonde had acted again, this time getting Mallory to ‘take her place’ in the match! All because Deanna had refused to use her wife and the SCW world title – a title that wasn’t hers – as some sort of bargaining chip!
It was disgusting! Jenni had wanted Deanna to ‘use her marriage’ to get her a world title shot! The very idea made Deanna’s stomach churn. And then, for the woman that LOST to Deanna to get a TV title shot at her very next match? And the whole thing with Beard not tapping out?! And then Taking Hold of the Flame?!
Despite herself, Deanna’s mind seemed to slow everything around her, allowing her brain to process her thoughts much faster. Maybe it was talking about Killjoy’s Machiavellian tendencies that had prompted such thoughts. Why had Michael Constantine called for the bell when Beard clearly hadn’t tapped out? Had he made a mistake? Even so, why had he tried so hard to keep Deanna back last weekend, allowing Jenni to get in several cheap shots at the Pay-Per-View? And then, he had just ‘fallen over’ – apparently from being hit him in the head…but Jenni hadn’t hit him in the head or really anywhere, simply using his frame to reach over and hit Deanna – but as soon as he had fallen, Jenni had her opening to try some kind of assault- and he conveniently wasn’t looking when Mallory had tried to attack Deanna again-
Was…was it possible…
Deanna didn’t want to dwell on these thoughts, it was a dangerous downhill, but hearing how Killjoy had used her ‘deadline’ to manipulate Selena in the hopes of the Snow Queen ‘losing it all’ at Taking Hold of the Flame against ‘GiGi’ – was it that far of a stretch? Why was it always Constantine dealing with Jenni’s matches? Was there a reason behind it? Was the reason what Deanna was thinking of right now?
What if, like Killjoy, Jenni had a farther reach than most believed. What if Constantine… an SCW official… was in on it? After all, Jenni had tried to even bribe Shaun Cruze at THOTF just so she wouldn’t have to fight Deanna. And she had done it without any hesitation, as if she truly thought she could get away with it… She clearly wasn’t above ‘bribing anyone’ and she didn’t give a damn about integrity like Deanna, Selena and Shaun did.
Had she bought the services of Constantine to make her a champion? Had she bribed someone in management to give her the title shot and always keep Constantine as the official in her matches?
The more and more Deanna thought about it – the idea of this “Syndicate” Jenni had mentioned in her promo against Beard, the more she worried… but they were worries that she had to solve herself.
Seeing her wife here, like this, merely secured her decision on why she hadn’t said anything regarding last week’s PPV events. Selena had too much to worry about – her very identity was fair more important that Deanna’s grudge matches with the silver-spooned-brat. It was why, after giving Selena her ‘good-luck kiss’, Deanna had said nothing while Selena went out and retained her championship. Said nothing in the days that followed. Her only words regarding the whole affair was when Selena had apologetically asked her how her match had gone days after THOTF, unable to see it due to focusing on her world title match at the time.
”Oh, it was fine. Got the win”. had been Deanna’s response with a mere shrug – a response that she was ashamed of.
She had wanted to explain how much beating Jenni had meant to her. How she understood what Selena felt like, referring to the numerous times Selena had been screwed out of a match and, sometimes, more due to such tactics like Jenni had employed. But she hadn’t been able to. She hadn’t gotten her match – which was why she needed to win at Breakdown… win the match that Jenni couldn’t weasel out of…
Selena had enough on her mind. She could be told when things were better and the “Queenpin” was in Deanna’s rear-view mirror, beaten once more and now with nothing of power to hold onto. Yeah….Deanna was sure she could hold out till then-
“Can we talk about something else?” she heard Selena ask, the Snow Queen taking a deep breath from the emotional roller-coaster she had just been on. “Something pleasant?”
“Sure.” Alejandra smiled, giving Selena a kiss on the cheek. “Maybe it’s too early, but I brought some ice-cream cake to celebrate!”
“Gods, that is going to sit with me like a bag of bricks.” Selena smiled. “But what are we celebrating? Did something happen?“ her eyes flew from her father to her mother.
“No, nothing on our end.” Alejandro shrugged as she released Selena and moved towards the house. “But, at the risk of jinxing it, I think we need to celebrate you beating Ryan, heading to that big show of yours and Deanna’s upcoming title match!”
Yeah, Deanna could hold out till then… unless of course someone blurted the existence of said match out loud!
Immediately, as she bit her lower lip, Deanna felt sapphire eyes suddenly on her.
“Wait, what?” Selena asked, tilting her head. “Who has an upcoming ‘title’ match?”
“Yeah…so….” Deanna winced as she sucked in a little air through her teeth. “Remember when I told you that my match at the pay-per-view went fine?”
“And that you won?” Selena asked, an eyebrow raised.
“Yeah…” Deanna smiled, the guilt spread across her features (thank goodness for the night’s shadows). “So a funny thing happened that I neglected to mention…”