Project: Black Ice
”And the daughter is…”
The Shakespeare
New York City, New York
July 4th, 2022
2:31pm
They had all been sitting there for the better part of an hour. Their food had long since arrived at their table (at least twenty minutes ago) and while Deanna’s stomach had growled a little at the sight of her fish and chips, the beer-battered cod creating an almost irresistible, crisp smell that wafted into her nostrils, and while she worried about everyone else’s food (as well as her own) growing cold, the redhead, like everyone else, had not touched the array of food before them. Of course, she, along with the two oldest people sitting at the table with her, had had to quickly assure the waiting staff that everything was fine, and she did feel guilty for worrying them.
Still, no one had begun eating. They were waiting on Selena.
Guiltily, Deanna admitted to herself, she had let her mind wander to and from the present company of her wife and her in-laws – Alejandra and Jonathan VanHohenheim.
Damn ADHD… the thought grumbled through her mind – allowed it to wander to, always inevitably, SCW.
Winning the Television title had been an incredible moment for the redhead, and one she would always cherish. However, it was a hell of a title to be the first to win. And she would be lying if she wasn’t already starting to feel the pressure. Not only did she desire to conform to the title’s rules of weekly defences, keeping her in a constant state/mix of worry and excitement, but every challenge seemed to get harder and harder.
With her challenge against Allocco, hell, the number one contender had stated it as arrogantly as he could. No one had expected Deanna to beat the former promoter. He was ‘too hot’ or whatever term people wanted to currently use for ‘having momentum’. Not only that, her title had not been on the line – so the pressure had been off Deanna as a ‘champion’ and more on her as a fighter to show her grit and desire to compete on a level ‘higher’ than what had been associated with the Television title in recent history (with Kimberly Williams and Jenni Anderson being prime examples of how the title had fallen in integrity in the eyes of many, including Shaun Cruze) and what, as Adam had put it, been “expected” of her.
To go from that loss, and all the highs and lows that came with it, facing Ace Sky, while a definite challenge and a worthwhile one at that, had been something that Deanna had been so driven to ‘just do’. She didn’t want to give Adam Allocco more to ‘brag about’ in his war with Deanna’s wife, Selena. It would be easy for the man to falsely claim – as he often did – that he had ‘broke Deanna’ or ‘embarrassed her’ or whatever else to ‘bury her’ in his attempt to make himself as ‘untouchable’ as possible. And she, additionally, refused to let him think he had ‘encouraged her’ or whatever. No, she had fought like hell against Sky on her own for the purpose of retaining her championship and to prove that one loss would not define her or stop her – only push her to be better. That drive had made it ‘easier’ to enter her first title defence with less ‘nerves’, as it were.
But now? She was facing – she had sighed multiple times today in just ‘thinking’ about her opponent’s current name - ‘Where’s the Beef?’. She often skipped that part in her mental ramblings, not wanting to address it just yet. What mattered was what the member of The Brand – and wife of Samuel Davis – could do in the ring…
And Deanna could not just block out her nervousness this time around every time she thought of the upcoming match in Pittsburgh. Because she was nervous. For Odin’s sake, she was facing The Brand!
First of all, the wars Selena had had with them were still fresh in the minds of everyone in SCW – wars that had, at more than a few points, included Deanna. The Brand hated Selena, hated the Frost family. And that was fine, Deanna wasn’t particularly fond of them or their juvenile antics against them, like trying to ‘bug’ the World Championship, running their ‘anti-Selena’ ad campaigns on Breakdown, trying to make the platinum-blonde out to be some kind of bully, and manipulating their way to countless title opportunities…
But that was sort of the reason why she was nervous. For all their faults, The Brand was extremely powerful. Giovanni Aries had pushed Selena to her limit at Taking Hold of the Flame, Holly Adams had almost dragged Selena’s good-name into the dirt to the point of never being able to recover, and Cid Turner had beaten the Snow Queen in the past. However, what made Deanna nervous was the fact that Clamydia/Beef DIDN’T necessarily fit that build of ‘powerful’. She was part of the ‘members’ – being as used and manipulated as Samuel Davis – with the same level of ‘success’, which wasn’t much considering all of The Brand’s lofty guarantees and promises.
But, as a whole? The Brand was nigh unstoppable and when they worked together? When they
attacked together? Selena had almost lost her title twice over thanks to their ‘tactics’… and she was Selena! What if, to help Beef, they came out in droves? The redhead had been dreading that. She wasn’t ready to take on The Brand by herself, and she had to believe she would be alone because Selena needed to focus on Rise to Greatness and Allocco. What if Samuel came out to ‘get even’ over his humiliating loss to Selena? What if Holly came out because of her three failed attempts to steal the world championship? What if Giovanni came out just to give his “Nirvana” a semblance of credibility back after Selena had outright silenced it last Pay-Per-View?
And then to lose to… Deanna groaned very silently… to lose to “Where’s the Beef?”. The woman had been a jobber, for lack of a better word for decades, and Deanna didn’t wish to disrespect anyone but that was the truth. Her losing streak was long – hell, she had only managed a win in her last match because Sarah Wolf had gone nutzo (and yes, that was the technical term) and disqualified herself after winning the match. If Deanna lost… she could bounce back maybe, but what would that say about the integrity of the Television title? What would that say about its worth in SCW, after Shaun had asked her to rise its stock up within the federation?
So, yeah, she was definitely more nervous than even when she had faced Allocco. The stakes for losing were so much damn higher! Screw her ego and ‘standing’ in ‘SCW’s ranks’! A loss to someone like ‘Beef’ would ruin everything she wanted to do for the Television title! And she couldn’t stop thinking about that, which she hated herself for.
Because while she was thinking these thoughts, her wife’s eyes hadn’t left the sight of the white envelope that was on the table amidst the plates of food. While Deanna was worrying about her mission and being screwed out of the title she had just won, her wife beside her (Deanna saw) couldn’t stop her pale hands from shaking.
Mentally cursing herself, Deanna yanked her focus back to the immediate and reached out to take Selena’s trembling hands into her own. Immediately, Selena’s hands latched onto hers, holding tight, though the sapphire eyes did not stray from the letter. It had been in their mailbox as the Frosts had returned from last week’s Breakdown, immediately taking the focus off Allocco’s ‘games’ towards Selena and Kimberly Williams’ ‘tweets’ towards Deanna.
Because inside the envelope were the test results for Selena’s paternity tests to Alejandra and Jonathan – or, rather, the test that would state whether or not she was really their daughter. Really Selena Frost.
Another shaky breath came from Selena, one of many, as she continued to stare a hole through the letter.
“I say we rip it up.”
The voice came from Jonathan as he sat to the left of Deanna, at the longer side of the table. It was a strong voice – full of determination, and it surprised the three women sitting there as well.
“Jonathan…” Alejandra tried but the older man cast a glare at his wife, not angry at her but at the situation.
“No, I mean it.” He pressed, a slight growl in his voice. “Who cares?! Who cares if that killer is telling the truth or not?!” he gestured to Selena. “Selena, right there – her! – she’s our daughter. End of story. No paper or test is going to make me think or believe or otherwise!” He saw the world champion bit her lower lip at his proclamation, his voice immediately lowering. “Why are we even entertaining this? Why are we giving this any power? We should just rip that paper to shreds, throw it in the trash and just forget the notion even exists.”
“It’s…” Alejandra tried gently, grasping his forearm with her dark-skinned hands. “It’s not that simple, sweetheart. You…” she chose her words carefully. “You don’t remember what it’s like. Selena grew up cherishing being who she was – sharing your name, sharing your legacy – being of ‘Frost blood’.”
“In a life where she was alone, abused, driven nearly insane…” Deanna tried to add. “Being a Frost was all she had that she could be proud of.”
“But the clan were nutcases!” Jonathan tried. “Didn’t she disavow, uh, or renounce them-“
“It wasn’t because of them.” Deanna shook her head slowly. “It was because of you. She was proud to be YOUR daughter. Proud to be the daughter of Donovan Frost. That’s how much you meant to her – what you STILL mean to her.”
Before their eyes, Jonathan’s expression shifted, as if he had been struck. Sitting back in his seat in the booth, he looked away towards the ‘old tavern’ décor of ‘The Shakespeare’, the pub Selena’s favourite place to dine in, either by herself or with her family – an escape for the Snow Queen if only for a few hours. “I…” his dark eyes flew back to the platinum-blonde, still staring at that damn envelope. “I didn’t mean it like that.” He tried, almost desperately. “It’s just… you mean more to me than that. Family… it’s more than just genetics…”
“She knows.” Alejandra gently shushed her husband by patting his forearm.
“But part of who she is is her name – her identity…” Deanna sighed sadly, returning her eyes towards her wife. She wanted to embrace the older woman but she was too scared such an act would shatter her already fragile lover. Throughout the eight years she had known Selena – nearly seven as her wife – Deanna had watched her wage wars over her identity. Putting her name on the line against the clan, wagering her iconic hair against the likes of Dawn Lohan and then Vixen Cain, Selena had defied so much merely on the belief of who she was and who she believed ‘Selena Frost’ to be. It was a foundation that had, till Killjoy, been the strongest thing about Selena (save for her love for her family).
For the redhead, it had made the idea of being her wife all the more a treasure. That Selena would share that name with her – allow her to be part of the ‘Frost’ family – Deanna’s foundation, she would be lying if she denied it, had been built in part to make her worthy of such a gift. To make Selena proud that Deanna was her wife and a member of the ‘House of Frost’. It was partly why Deanna hadn’t backed down from becoming Television Champion and why she was so beyond scared of losing the title now. She didn’t want to fail. She didn’t want to disappoint anyone, especially her wife and family.
People in SCW looked up to the Frosts, believed in them so strongly. How would that last if Selena believed her very existence was a lie? If her very identity she had spent three decades living for was, from a biological perspective, untrue?
“Open it.”
The voice came from Selena, stunning everyone as the platinum-blonde held the envelope towards Deanna, just above the Snow Queen’s ‘Shakespeare Burger’ (“The best burger in New York” as Selena had said). Emerald eyes went wide as Deanna beheld the paper.
“Are…are you sure?” her voice shook as she met Selena’s sapphire orbs.
“I’m not strong enough to do it.” Selena admitted. “But I need to know.”
“But I…” Deanna tried, but her voice died in her throat.
Jonathan opened his mouth to speak, no doubt to volunteer, but he quickly clenched his jaw shut as he saw the desperation in Selena’s eyes.
“Please…” Selena whispered. “Deanna…I… I can’t…”
“Please, Deanna.” Alejandra joined in.
Biting her lower lip, the redhead felt her stomach lurch as if it was sick (while it was STILL hungry because it hadn’t eaten that delicious cod!). Suddenly, her nerves – stemming from her upcoming SCW title match and all that stuff – were quadrupled as, with a trembling hand, she took the envelope.
It was beyond unfair! Why was this being asked of her? Why did she have to be either the bringer of good news or – worse – destroy her wife with but a few words?! Why did it have to be her?! Why couldn’t Jonathan or Alejandra do it?!
And yet, seeing Selena there, looking so fragile when, for so many years, she had been so strong – this unbreakable SCW World Champion that had weathered storms and worse for her beliefs… for Deanna – to see her look so fragile in that moment… Deanna felt her own questions of ‘unfairness’ and ‘why?’ being answered in that instant.
She took a shaky breath before desperately leaning her head and kissing her wife’s lips, surprising the Snow Queen. “No matter what happens…” she whispered as fiercely as she could. “No matter what…” the last word was more of a growl, as if daring the gods to step in and prove her wrong!
“I know.” Selena nodded her head quickly. “Nothing between us changes.” She finished Deanna’s words for her.
“Between ANY of us.” Jonathan pressed, reaching out to take Selena’s free hand. “Not one thing changes.”
“Nothing.” Alejandra reaffirmed.
With one last deep breath, Selena nodded her head, her eyes suddenly cold and determined. “Do it, Deanna.”
Taking a breath of her own, the younger Frost ripped open the envelope and pulled out the crisp, white piece of printer-paper. On it were a slew of letters, words, numbers – none of which made sense to Deanna had first glance.
“Lab ID…blah blah blah… Case ID… Name: Selena Michelle Frost, Blood type… B Positive…” Deanna bit her lower lip. “Is it wrong that I find that amazing? It’s the closest thing to “B-lieve’ we could get-“
“Deanna.” Selena gulped, her body rigged.
“Sorry.” Deanna quickly apologized. “Nervous. Alright. D10S1248 – No idea what any of that means. Penta D, no clue… Where’s the…”
Her eyes stopped as they reached the bottom. “Statement of results.” She read, her eyes scanning it. “The alleged mother and father…” she quickly scanned and rescanned the words before her, checking (what felt like) a hundred times in those two seconds to make sure she was reading it right.
“The alleged mother and father… CANNOT be excluded as the biological father and mother of the tested child!”
The gasp that came from Selena – a near cry – was the loudest, filling the small space of the room of the pub they occupied. “C-cannot be excluded?” she asked nervously, feeling her hands clutching both Alejandra’s and Jonathan’s tighter than before. “Are you sure?”
Slowly, the redhead smiled, still reading. “Based on the analysis of STR loci listed above, the probability of paternity is 99.9999999999%!!!”
Quickly, Deanna turned the paper, thrusting towards the other three, her finger pointing at the section she had been reading. “Right there! Look at all those nines, Selena!”
Despite herself, Selena couldn’t stop the tears from falling down her eyes as she gasped out another cry, her eyes shutting and her head lowering down a little in, what could only be viewed as an absolute expression of relief. Soft cries escaped her as she continued to hold onto her parents’ hands, Deanna wrapping her own arms around her beloved.
“You’re you.” Deanna whispered into Selena’s crown. “You’re a Frost.”
“I’m a Frost.” Selena whispered.
“You always were.” Alejandra added.
“And nothing can refute that.” Jonathan added. “Though I want to punch the teeth out of this Killjoy brat for putting us through this.”
“Yes…” Selena half-spoke, half-cried. “I’m sorry for worrying you. I’m sorry for…for even giving this any credit.”
“Don’t apologize.” Deanna whispered. “Killjoy is a monster that knew how to get to us, especially you. But now? You’re still the world champion, you’re still you, and you’re still ‘Selena Frost’ – all UNDISPUTED facts. She has nothing now!”
Biting her lower lip, Selena gave a nod of her head. “We’ve…” she sighed but another small cry. “We’ve won.”
“We sure have.” Deanna whispered. “Although – I agree with Jonathan. A few good hits if we ever see Killjoy again – or maybe Zoe can hit her with her car again! But like…like REALLY get some hangtime this time around!”
“Deanna…” Selena laughed despite herself. “You’re not supposed to make me laugh at that.”
“But that’s who
I am.” The redhead smiled at her wife. “And I always will be. But, at the moment, I am also very hungry. Can we finally get to-“
Sapphire eyes went wide at those words. “Yes! Yes! Of course. Gods, the food is probably ice-cold by now. I’m so sorry.”
The others said nothing as, finally, they were allowed to dig into their food. And yes, it was on the cooler side – not as good as ‘fresh out of the oven’ but none of them complained. For Deanna, the goods news made up for that, her smile never fading, neither did Selena’s.
The conversation shifted to their plans for the rest of the day. With it being the fourth of July, the family had also promised the Frost children to visit their usual spot at 42nd and FDR Drive for the Macy’s Fireworks display. The youths were beyond excited, though they always fell asleep before it was over. For Deanna, it was almost fitting –
“A big firework display to celebrate.” She stated aloud, popping a room-temperature, but still tasty, French-fry into her mouth. “Ya think we could get them to set one off in the sky that spells out ‘Suck it, Killjoy’?”
The remark got a laugh out of the family, even Jonathan.
“Probably not.” Selena shook her head in good nature, more and more calm and even happiness easing into her features. “Though I would pay big money to do it AND see the look on her face if we could.”
“Oh, I imagine it wouldn’t be that much of a surprise.”
The laughter died from the Frost family in that millisecond as the four members turned towards the chair that was suddenly before their, and the person sitting just outside their booth - the leather-jacket wearing platinum-blonde smirking at all of them, her sapphire eyes not hiding the delight in their shock at her intrusion and presence.
“Now that you’ve ruined the surprise for me, that is.” Killjoy smirked as she picked up a fry from Deanna’s plate, plopping it into her mouth. “But if you like… I can always act surprised – sort of look like you all are looking right now.” The mocking tone in her voice was beyond evident but no one could say anything in that moment. Slowly, methodically, the vile woman turned her head towards the VanHohenheims, her words like ice-cold water to their celebration.
“Hello, mom. Hello, dad. Been a long time, hasn’t it?”