OOC: The CD here takes place a few days before the Halloween episode of Breakdown. Promo takes place late in the week after Bound by Blood. In two parts due to length.
I of the Storm
“Two Places At Once”
Selena felt the water – ice-cold as it was flowing off her soaked face and especially the long strands of her hair - as she broke through its surface and took in a deep breath. She didn't bother to check the digital clock that was installed on the wall on the opposite side of the room. She had stopped testing herself on how long she could hold her breath under water after the third or fourth time – her brain becoming too smart to be so easily distracted – forcing the Snow Queen to simply keep ducking her head under the water and letting the freezing temperatures surround her.
Taking a deep breath, her skin and hair soaked from her bath, the platinum-blonde kept her eyes closed as she leaned against the porcelain side of the tub. She could still feel several of the dozens and dozens of icecubes that filled her ice bath, the pieces of frozen water bobbing and floating their way without a care.
Selena envied their care-free existence.
The young woman sighed. Life just seemed to want to keep throwing obstacles her way, no matter how many times she kept praying for a small break just so she could treasure the life she had. She had taken her precious daughter, Elsianna, to her home in Nome, Alaska – shown her oldest child the world Selena had grown up in – even if Elsianna knew part of it from the orphanage. And Selena had felt, after all of that, that the two of them had made some very amazing headway in Elsianna's issues with Aaron Stanton and his bullying. She certainly felt closer to her daughter after sharing how much the two of them had in common. She was even excited for the new touring Breakdowns that would be happening next week! She was either going to go to Australia and Africa or tour Europe. Personally, Selena really had no preference. If Deanna was allowed to go with her, then of course Selena would have wanted Europe so the two of them could visit one of the remote, country castles in Germany – where they had spent the most beautiful time during their honeymoon.
But it had been too much over-thinking of the future that had made Selena realize her grave mistake. She had failed to remember that Breakdown... the show that ALWAYS aired live on Wednesday... fell on the same day as Halloween...
Squeezing her eyes shut even tighter – though that didn't seem possible (despite the Snow Queen trying her damnedest to do so), the pale-skinned woman reached up, her hands breaking the water's surface to splash cold water across her face and run through her hair, making it impossible to see the tears that flowed from her eyes. They were much warmer than the cold water, though, and Selena could easily feel that they were still there.
”I'm sorry, snowflake-”
“What do you mean, mommy? You said-”
“I know... I just... I didn't know about work...”
“But... you promised...”
“I know I did...but I...”
“You said 'don't make promises you can't keep'.”
All that work: the travelling to Nome, the confiding, the fears she had felt and overcome for her daughter and their bond – now back on thin ice because of her... again. And again, while Sirus continued to haunt a part of the Snow Queen's mind, Elsianna had, once more, taken over - the young child's heartbreak, running up the stairs to her room, tears in her eyes and unable to understand why her mommy had broken such a promise, replaying in Selena's head over and over again as she soaked in the tub within her “Believe It” tour bus, the luxury bus cruising down the highway towards Oklahoma City for the Halloween-episode of Breakdown.
Towards Selena's job... as the 'Face of SCW'...
Again, to try and at least stall the thoughts, Selena dropped her head under the water, feeling the cold water fill her ears and seep into her scalp. She wanted to either freeze into the ice-cubes, becoming care-free and floating as they were, or simple dissolve into the water. Either way would be a beautiful way to go.
A coward's way to go... her mind mocked in the familiar voice of Sirus. Selena refused to open her eyes. She knew she would see Sirus smirking at her, the phantom floating above her just a few centimetres above her.
You'd just happily abandon your family? Like you are now?
With a fierce push, Selena sat up, her toned abdominal-muscles springing her up into a sitting position amidst the cold water and pieces of ice. “I'm NOT abandoning them.” she whispered harshly with spurts of water flowing over and into her mouth to be sprayed out a little as mist - even though she knew that, unless she screamed with all she had, no one would hear her. The only person on the bus besides her was Eric, her trusting chauffeur - and the older man was on the other side of the luxury-bus, driving it towards Oklahoma City. Slowly, the Snow Queen opened her eyes, immediately seeing the dark-blue tiles on the wall, the yellow-with-white-tinge tiles on the floor – but no sign of Sirus.
Despite this, Selena continued to speak. “I made a mistake.” she admitted. “I should have remembered. Should have planned ahead. Should have booked it off or something.”
Booked off showing up for an SCW show? The great Selena Frost? The Face of SCW?
The platinum-blonde took a deep breath, her hand hanging low, causing more of the soft-white tendrils of her hair to fall into the water, some sinking, others floating along the surface. Whenever she had heard that nickname before from the likes of Mr. Sharper, Mr. Winters, even her friend Jessica Winters – it made her feel warm, honoured, as if it was one of the greatest gifts SCW had bestowed upon her. And it was a gift to Selena. Representing the company – that feeling of importance – it honestly baffled her how some people could buy their way out of matches or simply walk out during shows – didn't they respect the company more than that?
Still, to be called such a thing – The Face of SCW - to be seen as different in a good way and not because she was “a freak” or “the crazy miner's daughter”...
She didn't feel that warmth hearing the nickname from Sirus. It sounded filthy coming from her. It felt like chains being wrapped around Selena's neck, around her ankles and around her wrists. It felt like an obligation – like going to work – something she had never felt towards SCW. Not in nearly five years.
You're not even in a match... the voice teased.
Not even booked and you are going there anyways... Wonder what Elsa would think if she knew that...
Her frustration, thanks to that statement, warped quickly into anger and, before the Snow Queen realized what she was doing, she had pushed herself out of the tub and was standing on the floor, cold water dripping off her naked form and forming a large puddle around her feet on the tiles. Her head twisted left and right around the bathroom but there was no sign of Sirus – a fact that Selena wasn't sure whether to be grateful for or frustrated about.
She wanted to argue with the spectre – face to face – like she would against opponents in SCW.
But she is in my head...
Spurred on by that thought, the platinum-blonde, still dripping water, made her way carefully (taking slow steps so as not to slip on the wet floor of the moving bus) across the room until she was standing by the large sink, the vanity mirror secured on the wall above it. It was her own reflection, the soaked Snow Queen, that Selena fixed her sapphire gaze upon.
“Listen to me.” she ordered, her tone sharp and harsh – one she had been using rather often when dealing with Giovanni Aries. “I know you're in there.”. Reaching up with her right hand, she rapped a pale fist into her temple a few times, as if knocking on a door. “You listening?” she hissed. “You're not going to get me to blame SCW for this. This is
my fault. I made the mistake. I forgot. If I had called and told them in advance, they would have given me the night off. I didn't – it's my fault. Hear me?”
There was no answer – of course not. Sirus only popped up to make things worse. She had already done that with her earlier words, and Selena didn't have a bottle of Crown Royal stashed away like she usually did to deal with her if she did.
Taking a deep breath and releasing it in a huff, Selena finally cast her eyes down, seeing all the water on the floor. “I...better clean this up.” she said to no one in particular before turning on the spot and reaching to open the closet behind her. There were racks of towels that met her gaze. Some dark red, some white, some purple and a lot of navy blue. Taking a purple one, Selena wrapped it around her lithe frame before taking a white one from a lower shelf. Unfolding it, she dropped the white towel on the floor and, using her feet, she waddle/slid along the wet surface, using the floor towel to mop up the water. When that task was completed, she used the purple towel to dry herself off, her hair first, followed by the rest of her.
The rest of her tasks were completed on automatic pilot: Drain the tub, brush and braid her hair, get dressed – it wasn't until Selena had slid on her blue jeans and her Frost-Hoodie over herself that she broke out of her trance. She was still thinking about Elisanna.
Hard not to.
Reaching her hand out, Selena opened the door to the lounge section of the bus (the actual length of it) and walked the distance needed until she had collapsed onto the passenger seat beside the driver, one leg swung over the other as both rested on the armrest. Eric saw her before she saw him, the broad, tall man in his light-blue uniform greeting Selena with a warm smile as he drove the bus. “Afternoon, Selena. Enjoy your nap?”
“Not really.” Selena sighed, reaching up to rub her temples. “How long have we been driving?”
“We're about four hours into the trip.” Eric replied, causing Selena to jerk her head towards the windows in front of her. She caught the sight of the sun already beginning to set. Breakdown was in two days, giving them plenty of time to travel the twenty-one hours needed from Manhattan to Oklahoma.
“The second you feel tired.” Selena started but Eric gently cut her off.
“I'll pull over to either a 24-hour parking space or one of the pit stops and sleep on the couch.”
The platinum-blonde could hear the humour in his automatic response, The two had shared that pair of lines – call and response - over and over again whenever they travelled for long periods of time. The couch doubled as a futon – which she had no problem having Eric use, along with the spare bathroom in the kitchen area. The only place the driver wasn't permitted to be was the back room, where Selena's bed and bathroom were located. It was her quiet place and allowed her peace – as much as someone with as troubled a mind as Selena's could get, anyway.
“You alright?” came the concerned voice. “You seem troubled.”
She almost had to laugh at his wonderful timing. Eric was not a close friend like Jean, Zoe or Jessica were to Selena. Nor was he a close work-friend as Kelcey or Kennedy had become to the Snow Queen. But, even so, he was a good man and had been very kind and caring to her and her family. When Vixen Cain had stolen the bus and kidnapped her, her daughter, and Zoe – Eric had been the one that followed them in another car. When Angelica Jones had bashed Selena's back, causing her muscles to bruise and become swollen, resulting in temporary paralysis of her legs, Eric had carried her to the hospital.
Years of working for Selena – the man had grown to care for the family. And he was not afraid of expressing that care with such questions.
“I am troubled.” Selena admitted. “It's this whole Halloween episode of Breakdown.”
“Don't want to work it?”
“No...I mean, yes- no, I mean no. I DO want to work it.” Selena tried to explain. “I love working with SCW – you don't have kids, Eric. So, it's hard to explain.”
“What's hard to explain that you want to take your kids out trick-or-treating and because of work, you can't?”
Selena opened her mouth to respond but closed it immediately when no sound would come out. Put that way, it did seem easy to explain. In fact, Eric's summary was exactly what her issue was. Black and white: that was it. She wanted to take her daughter trick-or-treating but she had obligations at work.
“You know...” the low timbre of Eric's voice pulled her back to present-reality. “When I was a kid, my mom really couldn't take me out for Halloween.”
“She couldn't?”
“Nah.” he answered. “Didn't have a dad, and she worked nights at the hospital. Usually, she was so tired working twelve-hour shifts that she barely had time for anything but work. But she had me and my sister to take care of, so she did what she had to do.”
For a moment, Selena turned her head to regard the built man. “Did you... did you ever resent her for it? That she wasn't there to take you out trick-or-treating?”. Her breath slowed, surprising herself that she was actually waiting on an answer with such baited breath.
The answer wasn't right away, Eric taking a moment to spin the large, driver's wheel to turn the bus onto the passing lane so he could speed past a red Ferrari and a green Montana. Selena spied the licence plate of the Montana – recognizing the Canadian flag on it.
“I think...” Eric recaptured Selena's attention again, the young woman turning her head to focus back on her driver. “I think that I resented my father far more than I resented her. Because if he hadn't left the family, my mom wouldn't have had to work all those hours, ya know?”
Selena nodded. Actually, she did know. More than Eric realized.
“My father use to take me trick-or-treating when I was younger.” she confessed in an almost whisper. “He was... really enthusiastic about Halloween. That and Christmas.”
“That where you get it from?” Eric teased.
“I'm... different.” Selena shrugged.
“So the lights that you put up in this bus every year?”
“Okay...yes, but that's for my own season. My traditions are not Christmas – it doesn't matter.” she held up her hand and shook her head. It was still October. She did not want to think about the wonders of her personal holiday – Yuletide – or the “Christmas Curse” that always seemed to follow her around each year. True, she was more confident about it than last year, thanks to Deanna, but it was all a month away.
Halloween was the concern right now.
“Anyway, after my father disappeared, the hardest part was the first year – doing things by myself that I had normally done with him. Halloween was one of them – actually, the first one of them.” she finished.
“How old were you?” Eric asked.
“Eleven. A month later, I became the Snow Queen.”
Slowly, Eric nodded his head. “Isn't eleven a bit too old to be trick-or-treating?”
The Snow Queen scoffed at the idea. “Eric, you realize that I have a costume in the back and we are going to Breakdown, where several people older than me will be in costumes, right?”
“Question withdrawn.” he shrugged.
“Damn right it's withdrawn.” Selena said under her breath. “Too old for costumes and fun – crazy.”
“So...” the driver beside her asked, his hands dancing a little as he patted out a rhythm on the steering wheel. “How was that first Halloween sans papa?”
It took a moment for Selena to answer, the young woman turning her head to gaze out, once again, upon the evening sky and the sun setting – her mind going back to that night. “One of the worst nights in my life.” she finally answered. “All I wanted was for him to appear in front of me. I even...I even thought I could talk to his ghost.”
She could feel a tear or two slide down her cheek as she remembered. Quickly, she swiped them away with the knuckle of her hand. “I don't blame him for it, but I would have given anything to have had them there. I think part of me still does.”
There was a moment of silence between the two as the bus travelled down the highway, both people (driver and queen) too lost in thought to say anything. Until, as if in mental unison.
“So, when do you want me to pull over and take you back to Manhattan?” Eric asked.
“Right now.” Selena huffed in agitation as she pushed herself out of her seat. “What the hell was I thinking?” she asked, more to herself. “I've got a great wife, wonderful children – I promised Deanna and I myself that I wouldn't put them through what I went through! And here I am doing that! Odin dammit!” she half-huffed, half-screamed as she paced around the lounge section.
“Calm down.” Eric offered. “We've got to refuel the bus anyway. So, you call work and tell them what's going on and we'll go from there.”
“You think they'll be mad?” Selena asked, stopping in her tracks.
“Oh, I'm sure they will be. But...” Eric's voice trailed off, forcing Selena to fill in the blanks.
Which she managed to do quite easily. SCW would be upset – and Selena would apologize and do whatever she needed to to make up for it – but a mad SCW wasn't the same as a heartbroken Elsianna. SCW's board – Mr. D. (Selena was sure) wouldn't cry tears or run into their office if she couldn't make one show...
She suddenly felt the shift in movement as the bus turned into the pit-stop Eric had mentioned, prompting the Snow Queen to march back into her bedroom and scoop up her phone. Quickly, she unlocked it and punched in the first six numbers. O. would surely understand – she had no match, there was nothing for her to do in terms of her goal for the United States title, Bree Lancaster did not even seeing her as a threat – having not mentioned the Snow Queen since Fatal Fortunes. The only thing that this Breakdown was was the fallout from Under Attack, and all the attention for that deserved to be on Owen Cruze for beating her and...
Selena's hand froze, preventing her from pushing the call button, a pair of names on her mind.
Owen...
Giovanni...
She felt the phone slip out of her hand and land on the mattress of her blanket-covered bed before she, herself, sat down beside it. Giovanni... the man – if Selena could really call him that – had returned from his self-induced injury and viciously attacked Owen after their match. A sigh of sadness came from Selena, though she barely heard it. She had been walking up the ramp to give Owen his due time to bask in the celebrations when she had heard multiple fans screaming for her to 'turn around'. Their tones had been frantic, urgent, but Selena had chalked that up to them wanting her to go out on a higher note or something – maybe some people that were egging for her to turn heel and do something mean or bad. She wasn't sure, but she refused to take away Owen's victory. It wasn't until she was behind the curtain and saw the tech televisions, and the bastard that was in the ring with Owen that she immediately ran out and back down to the ring as fast as her tired legs could propel her.
Not fast enough... came the mocking voice of Sirus.
But it was true. She had been too late. There, in the ring, she saw Owen, who should have been standing there with his arms raised, a crumpled mess on the mat. There was smoke all around them, thanks to some kind of smoke-bomb by Giovanni – who had chosen the hit and run when he had seen Selena.
Coward... she thought bitterly, one thought repeating itself again.
She had been too late.
If she had listened to the fans, or run faster, or stayed at ringside a bit longer – there were SO many different ways it could have gone down. It had been her that had accepted Owen Cruze's challenge and her that had left him wide open – exhausted and defenceless – in that ring.
You're supposed to protect people from folks like Giovanni! Like the D. family... like the officials... like Owen...
She was already tired of the social commentary from Sirus, but the ghost didn't seem to care much – now that it had something to torment Selena with.
Like me...
Pale hands tightened into fists as they rested against her legs, thoughts bombarding her.
And what if you decide to go home? What if Giovanni decides to strike again? What if you aren't there to protect Owen Cruze? The questions sparked that image of the young boy – still a teenager, really – lying there in that ring amidst the smoke.
What will Giovanni do? What if Owen doesn't agree with him?
A shuttered breath escaped Selena's frame. Giovanni had spoken about “awakening” Owen or some nonsense like that. Despite it being just that, the Snow Queen had been around SCW long enough to know what kind of turn Giovanni was hinting at. Hell, SCW was still reeling from the betrayal of Syren for the sake of becoming the World Champion earlier this year – the platinum-blonde still not sure if they had recovered completely from it. Was that what Giovanni was planning? Trying to get a follower for his 'Wonderland' against Mr. D., whom Giovanni clearly still believed was the fabled 'Lizard King'? And if it was: what if Owen refused to join him?
Another shudder came from the young woman. There was no second-guessing what Giovanni would do. He had tried to defeat Selena at Apocalypse, thus “exposing how weak the Lizard King and his army was” compared to him and when that had failed, he had tried a different tactic – trying to end Selena's career – possibly her life.
There was no wondering. If Owen refused Giovanni, and Selena had no doubt that he would – Giovanni would not hesitate to take down the boy.
So... either you break your daughter's heart or you risk a young boy's career, perhaps his life. Sirus' voice roared in laughter and dark humour.
Decisions...Decisions...
“Shut up! Shut up! SHUT UP!” came the roar of Selena's voice, the room ringing slightly from her scream before settling into silence. The silence, it turns out, hurt more than Sirus' mocking.
She didn't know what to do. She was damned one way and damned another. Maybe Owen wouldn't be harmed. Maybe SCW would be looking out for him. Maybe Elsianna would get over this. Maybe she would, eventually, understand.
But hadn't that happened before? With Rachael Tatum Lee? And the Coalition? Selena shook her head at the memory. She had dealt with Red Rayne during the Snow Queen's first year in SCW, fought the fight and that should have been that. Instead, the Coalition had struck, Rachel stringing Christy Matthews upside down and leaving her broken and beaten down as she hung there on Breakdown. Rather than bring the fight forward, several superstars had blamed Selena – who had not known about it before it was too late. Words like “traitor” and “selfish” from the likes of Autumn Valentine and others swirled around the locker-room, simply because Selena had not known.
And now? She still didn't know what could happen, but this time was different. She was experienced – not the naive girl that was just trying to earn a living for her snow-child. She was a woman now – with a family, a wife, and almost five years of experience with the federation, as well as moonlighting in those five for various other federations like IWC or ULW. She KNEW what the possibilities were now, and they screamed problems for Owen if she wasn't there!
But Elisanna...her baby...
There was no cold water to hide her tears this time. They just fell readily down her cheeks and she could hear the soft sound they made when they landed on the blanket – like raindrops. Quietly, she picked up her phone again, unlocking it once more, but instead of calling work, she dialed the familiar number of her home in Manhattan. It did not take many rings for the phone to pick up.
“Hello?” came the familiar voice.
“Tell me to come home.” Selena ordered.
“Selena?” of course her beloved wife would be confused by that greeting.
“I need you to tell me to come home, Deanna.” Selena stated, her voice shaking. “I'm... I'm not a leader. I can't make this decision on my own... I'm just... I'm just a fighter... just a...”
“Slow down- Selena-” Deanna tried in-between her wife's words. “Selena, stop!” that one got through and the Snow Queen was silent. “What decision are you talking about?”
“If I go to work, I break Elsianna's heart. And if I don't go, then what if Giovanni does something to hurt Owen again? What if he hurts him? Puts him on the shelf like he tried to do to me... it will be my fault!”
There was silence on the other line, no response coming from the younger Frost. For a moment, because of its length, Selena actually was worried that the line had gone dead. “De...Deanna?” she tried.
“I'm still here.” came the quiet reply. “I just...I just have no idea.”
The platinum-blonde felt her heart sink at those words. “None?” she asked weakly.
“No.” Selena could hear the sadness in her wife's voice. “Normally, I'd say 'go to work. Look out for the kid. But...” the redhead hesitated, almost not wanting to say what came out next – not wanting to burden her wife with it. “But Elsianna stayed in her room all day – crying.”
Selena held her free hand up to her eyes, pressing the palm into the sockets to try and stop the tears. “All day?” her voice shook as sobs threatened to take over her as well.
“I tried to talk to her so many times, but she just couldn't settle down. She needs you.” Deanna stated.
Of course she does... Selena's own mind – in her own voice – stated bitterly. “Well, that's just...” a sigh of pure frustration. “Perfect...”
“Do you want to come home?” Deanna asked. “Maybe nothing will happen. And Owen proved he can look after himself.”
“He can look after himself against someone like me... but against someone like Regan?”
Selena shook her head. She had watched her former best friend humiliate the young boy by elbow-dropping him after their match. Against someone with good form, Owen would be fine. Against someone that didn't care? Like Giovanni? “Everything is screaming at me that he's in danger.”
“Then go. Look after him. Make sure he's safe.” Deanna implored.
“But then I break Elsianna's heart!” Selena gripped her hair with her free hand.
“You can't do both, Selena.” Deanna stated – her frustration clear as well. “You don't trust Owen or SCW right now, that's clear, but you want to spare your daughter disappointment. Sooner or later, both are going to happen!”
“What are you talking about?” Selena asked, sitting back up.
“Whether you like it or not-” Deanna explained pointedly. “A day will come where you can't be there for SCW. Or for Owen. Or for someone. You're not going to be able to save them or help them or protect them. And the same is true here. Sooner or later, you will come up short somewhere. You're going to hurt someone, even if you don't mean to. Elsianna, Amiliah, David, me?”
Selena's spine stiffened, her mind going to the safe in her “SCW-trophy” room that always now contained a bottle of Crown Royal.
“I'll disappoint them. I'll let them down. Even if I don't want to and don't ever mean to. That's...that's life...” Deanna finished.
“How?” Selena asked. “How can you think that?”
“Because I'm not perfect, Selena. Nobody is. Hell, I'm six years younger than you and even I know that!”
Selena was quiet, letting the words sink in. “Deanna... I can't let this be a mistake. I can't do that to Elsianna or to Owen. I can't shake this feeling he's in danger and I can't let Elsianna go through what I did...”
“Well, unless you can....” Deanna's voice dropped off suddenly, alarming the Snow Queen.
“Deanna?”
“Sssh.” hushed the redhead. “I'm actually considering a stupid idea.”
Selena's eyes widened. “Stupid ideas are better than no ideas! Think, De, think!”
She didn't care how stupid was. From where she was sitting, she had no idea what to do. Deanna was right. Selena could take punishment for SCW. Monitors to the head, fractured ribs. She could be patient, waiting longer than most superstars for a chance a championship. She could take doubters and haters – but she couldn't be in two places at once. It was beyond impossible. Even for people as arrogant as Regan, Sienna, Bree and Giovanni.
“Alright...” came the voice of her wife once more. “This is going to sound crazy, but... I've got an idea...”
For fifteen minutes, Selena listened, moving only when she heard Eric returning from refilling the bus with gasoline. Upon hearing the door open, she had marched to his side, spying the large sub-sandwixh he had had curled under his arm. He gave her a quizzical look, prompting the Snow Queen to hold up one finger – a request to wait a moment. The gesture earned a nod from her chauffeur.
“I’ll just pull this into a parking space.” He whispered.
Selena gave a nod before disappearing back into her room, speaking when only absolutely necessary, as her wife continued speaking. It wasn’t until there was complete silence on the other end, followed by a slow “Well?” from her beloved that Selena spoke, taking a deep breath through her nose before doing so.
“It IS a stupid idea.” She sighed, but her tone was not condescending. “Only you would think of something like that!”
“But... it could work...”
“The first part yes, but everyone else, the convincing-“
“I’ll handle it.”
The tone in Deanna’s voice, often warm, loving and kind, was now firm and resolved. “What have we got to lose?” she asked at last.
And, in truth, Selena didn’t really have an answer. Yes, Deanna’s plan held issues if they got caught, but still... if it gave Elsianna her Halloween.
“Are you sure? Deanna, I’m being serious-“
“Minx.” Again, that tone, and using Selena’s pet name. “I won’t let you down.”
“You...” Selena sighed, her eyes fluttering closed, every fibre of her being wishing she was back home to be held and kissed by her wife. “You never have.” She finished with a whisper, “I love you.”
“I love you.” Deanna replied. “You sure you can get back here?”
“Compared to you-“ Selena scoffed. “I’ve got the easier job!”
“Still...”
“I promise, Deanna. I truly, with everything I am, promise.”
There was a pause but Selena could definitely hear her wife take a deep breath. “Okay- Go do your thing. Ill go make sure Elsa is asleep. I’ve got phone calls to make.”
“Use my office space downstairs.” Urged the Snow Queen.
Deanna added a “Got it.” Reply before the line went dead. Lowering the phone down to her side, Selena, for the briefest of moments, shaking her head, mentally remarked on the sheer lunacy of their plan. She had no idea how her beautiful redhead was going to figure this out, but what other choice did she have but to trust her?
Like you can trust her with your little “ghost” problem and “solution” for said problem?
She wasn’t sure if that was her asking the question or if it had been Sirus, but she still dismissed it. It wasn’t worth thinking about right now. She would deal with that confrontation, inevitable as it was, when she had solved it for herself. First, Sirus had to go. Selena just needed to find a way to get rid of her – just like she had the other ghosts in her life that had haunted her.
First things first... Selena gave her head a quick jerk of a shake as if to emphasize the point. One thing at a time – she reminded herself as she marched back out of her room, seeing Eric sitting on the hall couch, finishing up his sub. Seeing his employer approach him, however, the broad man merely tilted his head, his brown hair shifting a little with the movement.
“We’re going to Breakdown. “ came the Snow Queen’s report, although it was easy to imagine the driver took it more as an order. Still, though he gave a nod of his head and stood up, stuffing the last bit of sandwich in his mouth, he did question.
“What about-“
Selena wasn’t sure whether to laugh or be disgusted by Eric’s mouth full of meatballs but she quickly decided she didn’t want to be either right now, which was why she interrupted him so quickly. “Believe it or not, Deanna has a plan.” She replied simply.
“A good plan?” Eric asked.
Selena merely shrugged at first. “Beats where I was I didn’t even have a plan.” She admitted.
“Okay, Breakdown. Then what?” Eric asked as hole made his way to the drivers seat and started up the us.
‘Then you make your way back to Manhattan without me.”
“Wi-Without you?” the man was clearly caught off-guard.
The Snow Queen merely nodded. “I’m going to need to take a plane back.” She explained, her fingers already flying across her phone screen, looking up prices and travel companies.
“I can drive you –“ Eric assured. “I can-“
“Eric...”
Thank the gods the man had not started driving, because he chose to turn his head then, his eyes catching the determined, sapphire glare as Selena gazed out the front window.
“I’m not taking any chances. I need to be home faster than 21 hours.”
“But if there are no planes available? If you get stuck?”
Eric instantly regretted asking those questions as the steely glare was now fixed on him.
“I will make it.” Selena vowed. “I gave my word.”
And hell would freeze over before she broke it again...
**************************************************
[A few days later...]
“Elsianna?” Deanna called out as she moved around the room. She had just finished feeding baby Amiliah and was now cradling the little redhead in her arms, the child content to fall asleep in her mother's embrace. When no reply came to Deanna's call, the young woman quickly ran a checklist through her mind of every room in the house.
Bedrooms
Living rooms
Selena's office
Her secret room
Did I miss one?
No, she was certain she hadn't. She had triple –
No! Quadruple-checked! – everything! Even David didn't notice anything – even if he was too young to really understand, but dammit, Deanna was ready to count that as a win for her! “Elsa?” she called again, making her way around the mudroom of her Manhattan home and up the flight of stairs towards the bedrooms. “Are you getting into your costume? It's almost time to go!”
Turning her head, Deanna saw the grandfather clock, the timekeeper ticking away the seconds.
We're running out of time... the thought irked away at her mind, sending prickles of irritation against the nape of her neck. With Amiliah in her arms, however, she could not possibly scratch it. The clock was one of the few truthful things in the house to the redhead – reminding her that it was now 7:12pm.
Taking a deep breath, she continued up the flight of stairs, calling out to her oldest daughter. Amiliah, sleeping like her redheaded mother did, was out like a log and no real noise save a damn earthquake would wake her. Once more, Deanna called out Elsianna's name and was rewarded when a bark was her response – coming from atop the stairs she now climbed.
Thank you, Oberon. Deanna smiled in triumph as she finished ascending the stairs until she stood outside Elsianna's room. She knew that there were two people that would always be around Elsianna whenever she was inside the house. The first being the child in her arms (Elsianna being the loving, protective big sister to Amiliah) and the other being the lovable husky pup that kept Elsianna company almost as much as her favourite toy-soldier, Sir Crackshell.
For the briefest of moments, the young Mrs. Frost wondered how she could open the door while holding Amiliah, but when she saw that the entrance to her daughter's room was ajar, she silently thanked Odin for small miracles and gently used her foot to push open the door. She immediately noticed that the lights were all on, the room of cream-white walls illuminated. The bed was made (
Selena would be happy to hear Elsa did that!) and the many stuffed animals the Frost wives had bought Elsianna were paced either on the pillows by the headrest or on the counter top at the corner of the wall.
Deanna paid most of the details no further mind. She was looking for the resident of the room, which she found as she turned her head and spied the little girl sitting at the large vanity on the other side of the room, nearer to the door, her head resting against the small arms that lay on the countertop.
“Elsa?” Deanna asked.
The child's response was to turn her head this way and that, as if shaking her head 'no' in reply.
“Sweetheart, what's wrong?” Deanna asked as she took a step into the room. It was this movement that Oberon decided to make his presence known, the pile of white fur bounding from behind the bed – where Deanna hadn't seen him – and walking around Deanna's legs before sitting at her feet. Deanna had worked hard to keep the dog from jumping up, especially after Amiliah was born.
“Yes, Oberon. Good boy.” Deanna greeted the pup before she took a few more steps towards Elsianna. Getting a better look at her, the redhead could see her daughter dressed up in her costume – the shiny fabrics reflecting the light from the lamps and the various colors of red, green and blue – both Deanna and Selena had worked hard on Elsianna's requested costume and, Deanna was sure, their daughter was the perfect “female Mad Hatter” from Alice in Wonderland cartoon movie. Elsianna had been so happy upon the costume's completion that she had spent that same day dressed in it, a good two weeks before Halloween. Now? Though she wore it, she couldn't have seemed sadder.
“Does Odin hate me, mother?” Elsianna asked, keeping her head buried in her arms.
Deanna's eyes widened at that questions, clearly caught off guard. “Hate you?”
Deciding to risk it, Deanna re-positioned Amiliah in the crook of her single arm, managing the weight of the baby there.
That's it! I'm using our gym more! This is pathetic! Her arm free, she gently reached out to touch the white-haired girl's shoulder, guiding her to sit back in her chair. She resisted at first, but eventually, Elsianna sat back and Deanna met the red eyes of her daughter – the clear sign the child had been crying.
“Why would anyone hate you?” Deanna whispered. “No one does.”
“Then why won't this day end?” Elsianna cried. “It feel like it's been going on forever!”
“Today?” Deanna asked, somewhat worried. “But...you love Halloween. Hasn't today been fun? We watched 'The Halloween Tree' and made cookies and-”
Her voice trailed off when Elsianna sniffled. “I just want it to be over.” the child muttered. “Mommy isn't here.”
Deanna closed her eyes and bit her lower lip, her eyes trailing over to see the clock on Elsianna's nightstand. The day and time read correctly – but again, the redhead's mind ran the rampant thought:
Where are you?!
“What if...” her voice trailed off. She had asked this question days ago, when Selena had first left to travel to Oklahoma City. And while she knew the answer, she had to try again. “What if I call Gerda to look after David and Ami – and you and I can go?”
It could still work...
Despite the thought, Deanna watched the child dash the notion away with a shake of her head. “Mom... Halloween is mommy and me.”
That statement seemed to surprise Deanna. “What do you mean, sweetheart?”
“Mommy doesn't love Christmas.” Elsianna stated emphatically.
“Of course she does!” Deanna retorted. “You know she loves decorating the house and all the celebrations-”
“She loves the season. But not Christmas... She never wants to be near Santa. She doesn't play parts in the Christmas shows. Mommy... mommy likes to hide when it's Christmas time.”
Despite the misunderstandings of the child, Deanna had to marvel at the girl's brilliance in trying to understand the reality. It was somewhat true: Selena Frost, even being the Snow Queen, was not a fan of the 'traditional Christmas' that most were. She enjoyed the specials on T.V and the decorations and the get togethers. But there was a reason she had her own private celebration of Yuletide – one that only she and Deanna knew about. There was a reason she kept to herself, being seen as the Snow Queen in the neighbourhood this time of year.
It was the worst kept secret in the neighbourhood: Nobody bothered Selena Frost during Christmas. They respected her different beliefs and, much like those that celebrated Hanukkah, the neighbourhood did their best not to shove Christmas in her face.
“Christmas is for us, mom.” Elsianna explained as best she could. “You and me and Ami and David- mommy stays in the distance and watches. Halloween is for mommy and me.” she finished sadly. “And she's not here. And I just want this day to finally end.”
Deanna had no idea what to say to that. It never had occurred to her that a six-year-old would have such a grasp of reality, being raised by two women. When she had been Elsa's age, it had just been her and her sister, Amy, and the officer of Kentucky had been Deanna's sister and mother, taking her trick-or-treating and doing everything together.
Would I have thought about it like that if mom and dad had been alive? she thought for a moment but dismissed the what-if. It was partially her fault – hers and Selena's – that their daughter was like this and, for the first time that day, Deanna wanted to break down and end her daughter's misery.
Just a little longer... she told herself.
She promised... she added, even after she squashed the bit of doubt that rose within her, telling her that her wife had promised to be there for Elsianna for Halloween earlier... and had to break that promise... leading to-
Oberon suddenly began barking, startling both Elsianna, Deanna and even waking up poor Amiliah, who began crying a little at being so disturbed. Undeterred by their reactions, the husky bolted out of the room and down the stairs. Deanna, meanwhile, barely had time to say “What on-” before the sound of the front door downstairs being opened was heard. Oberon kept barking loudly as a voice surpassed his.
“Deanna? Elsianna?” the voice was light and had the slight accent that made Deanna's heart melt. Even David, who had stayed in his room the whole time, came out to stand by the rails of the stairs.
As for Elsianna? In less than a second, her expression had changed from heartbroken to hopeful and, like Oberon, she had bolted out of the room. However, where Oberon's cry had been a bark, Elsianna's was a scream that made Deanna laugh despite its pitch.
“MOMMY!”
Smiling to herself, Deanna quickly tended to her crying Amiliah, cradling and cooing her as she left Elsa's room to stand by David at the stair-base. Seeing the mudroom below, she could not contain the bright smile on her face as Selena stood there, dressed in the red uniform and black soldier hat of – Deanna couldn't deny it – her wife was a dead-ringer of a female version of Sir Crackshell!
The life-size nutcracker picked up Elsianna with ease, holding her up before holding her tight in a hug. “I promised you I'd be home!” she exclaimed happily before her sapphire eyes jumped up to meet the emerald eyes of her wife. “I....did make it, didn't I?”
“Yes, you did.” Deanna replied knowingly, adding a wink that only Selena could see. “A little late though...” she added with a tease but Elsianna was too happy to notice.
“How did you do it, Mommy?! How did you get back?!”
With a shrug, Selena opened her mouth to explain. “Would you believe me if I said magic?” she asked.
“Real magic?” Elsianna asked with a tilt of her head.
“Yes, actually.” Selena stuck her tongue out playfully. “See...right now, I'm in two places at once.” she stated, almost in a storybook mode. “I'm both here and at Breakdown.”
“Really?!” Elsianna's eyes had to be as wide as saucers.
“Yeah...”
Lowering her oldest daughter down, Selena reached into the pocket of her blue, uniform pants, pulling out her phone and opening YouTube. Quickly, she drew up the SCW channel and played the video. Before Elsianna's eyes, she saw her mother, live on Breakdown, speaking with Owen Cruze about the crazy, sunglasses wearing man who used an umbrella in doors – when it wasn't even raining indoors!!
Deanna, meanwhile, could not believe that her wife was almost messing everything up just for 'wonder'.
What am I talking about?! Of course I can believe that! she sighed, reaching over with her free hand to run it through the blonde hair of David. Elsianna, meanwhile, could not speak as her jaw hit the floor.
“Pretty cool, huh?” Selena smiled, turning off the phone and hiding it back in her pocket.
Elsianna, to bewildered and in awe to analyze the situation, merely accepted it with several nods of her head. “Does...does this mean?”
“Well...I didn't pull off that magic trick just to say 'Ta-dah', did I?” Selena grinned. “Get your stuff, snowflake! It's candy time!”
A loud “YAAAAAAYYYYYY!!!!” ran through the room as Elsianna bolted back up the stairs, rushing back into her room to get the other pieces of her costume. Deanna turned her head back to the soldier standing at the door, the large suitcase sitting beside her, and gave her a shake of her head. Selena, in turn, smiled brightly, her pearly-white teeth showing as she moved her head a little in delight as Oberon, bored once again, scuddled into the living room to do... well, 'dog-things'.
A short tug at Deanna's arm earned her attention, the short-haired redhead turning to see her two-year old staring back at her.
“I wanna go too!” whined David.
“Oh no, David.” Deanna shook her head. “Halloween is for big kids. You're not there yet.”
Deanna knew what she was in for with her answer. David had reached the terrible twos with one incredible annoyance. Jealousy. When Elsianna was playing with something, he wanted it. When Ami was getting more attention – being a baby and all – he wanted it. And if he didn't get it.
Before Deanna's eyes, David took a deep breath and held it, crossing his arms across his tiny frame. “Come on, David.” Deanna sighed, but the boy stayed put, earning a shrug from her. “Fine. Be that way.” she stated, turning on her foot and walking into Amiliah's room, placing the child, once more asleep, into her crib and tucking her in. She gave the child a kiss on the cheek and turned back around just in time to see Elsianna, now with her Mad Hatter's hat (large and green as it was) bound down the steps, candy bag in her other hand.
David had stayed put, his face now as red as a beet.
“Still going at it?” Deanna asked, leaning against the wall and crossing her arms. To answer, David stamped his foot, but it was clear he was fighting a losing battle. Deanna simply watched him as the seconds ticked by. It only took a few before the boy exhaled, unable to last any longer.
“It's not fair!” he gasped before running back into his room, still in the throngs of his own tantrum.
With a sigh, Deanna turned her head to see Selena watching the whole affair as Elsianna slid her shoes on. “You alright, pet?” she asked quietly.
The younger Frost wife nodded. “Fine. Have fun, minx. Everything is fine.”
There was a slight tone to her message – a second meaning that Selena merely nodded her head at before turning to Elsianna. “Okay, Elsa.” she began. “You know the rules. Hold my hand-” she reached out and took her child's free hand. “No running a head and remember to say thank you. We're going to go around the neighbourhood and that's it. Okay?”
Elsianna was too excited to speak her answer, choosing instead to nod her head faster than a Bobble-head. “Easy, sweetheart!” Deanna called from the top of the stairs. “Your head might fall off!”
Turning her head up to her beloved, Selena smiled. “So says the 'Red Queen'.” she added a gesture to the redhead before reaching for the door and helping the mini-Mad Hatter out. The cool breeze hit them quickly and Selena turned her gaze down to make sure her daughter was bundled up and warm.
“Mommy?” Elsianna asked, looking around their front yard and the forest trials that would take them to the neighbourhood houses. “Where are all the other kids?”
Selena looked around herself, despite knowing the answer quickly. She could see pumpkins and other decorations in the distance but there was not a single child in costume outside.
“Well...” Selena sighed. “We are running late. Most of the neighbourhood kids stopped around an hour ago. Maybe we'll find one...” she turned her gaze back to her snowflake. “I'm sorry.” she offered. “I didn't mean to be so late. It...”
“I don't care.” exclaimed Elsianna, squeezing her mommy's hand tightly. “You're here now! That's what matters!”
A smile came to Selena's lips and she gave a nod as they made their way down the trail, walking only about six minutes until they had made it to Kai and Gerda's house. Slowly, almost tentatively, Selena reached up to knock on the door, seeing the pumpkins and ghosts on the porch.
Oh please work...please work... her mind begged, her knuckles rapping upon the wooden, brown surface.
A few moments passed before the door flew open and Gerda, dressed in a traditional witch's outfit gave out a cry. “HAPPY HALLOWEEN!” she exclaimed! “Oh, a Winter Soldier and...” she eyed Elsianna carefully. “I'd say a big hatted fellow!”
“I'm the Mad Hatter, Mrs. Anderson!” Elsianna exclaimed.
“So you are my dear!” the elderly woman beamed, reaching out to tap the child's nose affectionately. “You know, Kai and I were worried! All the children had come and gone and we were afraid you wouldn't be able to make it. Better late than never though, right?”
Her smile and the wiggle of her eyebrows seemed more directed at Selena as the witch picked up a big, glass, punch bowl filled with candy. “Now, choose your treat, dear Hatter!”
“Just one.” reminded Selena, watching her child's small hand dance slightly above the assembly of candy. After a moment or two, she picked her candy bar and placed it in her bag. “What do we say?”
“Thank you, Mrs. Anderson.” Elsianna exclaimed, rushing forward to give the older lady a hug.
“Oh, you are welcome, my dear.” Gerda replied. “Quite the special night for it, I think.”
Satisfied with house number one, Elsianna turned to go, taking her mother's hand and practically dragging her away. “Come on, mommy! We have more houses!”
Turning her head, Selena barely had time to mouth the words 'thank you' to Gerda before, once again, ending up back on the trail. It was a similar fashion for the next hour and a half, the pair walking up and down the trail to different houses, each person greeting them in costume and with candy. True, they didn't find any other children in costumes, but Elsianna didn't mind. Soon enough, her bag was filled with candy and – after so much running and cheering – the child had given up walking altogether, instead being carried by her mother, the Snow Queen balancing Elsianna in her arms while the white-haired child balanced her bag of candy in her hat and in her arms and frame.
Carrying her child as Elsianna began slipping into sleep – it was well past her bedtime as it was – Selena wasn't surprised to see the beautiful redhead – having seen them approaching - opening the door to stand at the porch, her nightgown wearing frame illuminated by the single porch light. Deanna gazed at the sleepy child in Selena's arms, the nutcracker soldier standing there as her wife reached out to caress the cheek of their daughter.
“I...” Selena tried but could not readily find the words. “You are...”
I single finger was gently pressed to her lips, effectively silencing the Snow Queen.
“Put her to bed.” Deanna gently ordered, taking Elsianna's big 'mat-hatter' hat away. “Then we can talk.”
Nodding her head in agreement, Selena waited for Deanna to hold the door open for them before quietly stepping inside. Oberon looked up from his place lying on the floor in the nearby room but then lowered it as he, too, was too tired to do much. Carefully, Selena crept upstairs and into her daughter's room, carefully removing the barely conscious Elsa's costume and placing her in her pyjamas before tucking her into bed.
“Thank you...mommy...” muttered the child, earning a smile from Selena.
“You're welcome, Snowflake.” Selena whispered, tucking her own platinum-blonde hair behind her ear in order to kiss Elsianna's cheek.
Standing up, the Snow Queen crept out of the room, closing the door behind her. She was quick to wish David and Ami a good night, David now asleep as well and done with his tantrum, before she made her way downstairs to the living room where Deanna was waiting, having placed Elsianna's candy bag in one of the cupboards and out of reach of the children.
Taking off the soldier hat and removing the red uniform shirt, revealing a black t-shirt underneath, Selena placed the clothes on the nearby table before briskly moving to her wife. Spinning Deanna around so the redhead faced her, Selena quickly cupped her wife's face, crushing her lips against the younger woman's. Deanna barely had time to utter an “mmmph!” before reaching her arms around and wrapping them around Selena's neck. The two refused to move until the need for air took over. Breaking away, Selena gasped for air, but did not stop Deanna as the redhead rested her forehead against Selena's.
“I cannot believe we just pulled that off.” Selena whispered, the enormity of what they had accomplished finally hitting her. “I cannot believe
you pulled it off.” Moving her head back, she shook her head in disbelief at the beautiful woman in her arms. “How? How did you do it?”
Biting her lip playfully, Deanna took a slight breath. “It wasn't easy.” she admitted before removing herself from Selena. “Get the laptop.” she motioned towards the computer sitting on the table as she moved to the calendar hanging on the wall. “I mean – I must have checked everything four or five times to make sure I didn't miss one.”
Reaching the calendar, Deanna grabbed the red marker that rested on the table underneath it. Uncapping it, she quickly drew a line over the date October 31st before flipping the page over to November to cross out the first of that month as well. “I literally got so sick of seeing October the 31st on everything.”
“But it worked.” Selena stated, using the USB mouse on the laptop to change the date back to its rightful day of November 1st. “How did Elsianna take it?”
Turning her head to acknowledge her wife, Deanna sighed as she moved to change the time on the analog clock on the wall (which also had the date on it). “She thought the gods hated her and were making the day longer to punish her.”
She caught the expression on Selena's face shift to utter sadness at that. “I thought...” she tried, closing the laptop. “I thought if I took a plane, it be faster than taking the bus back.”
“What happened?” Deanna asked, taking her wife's hand and guiding her down a set of stairs to the play area, the Frost wives working on all the computers and clocks that required their rightful time/date to be re-established.
“The plane got delayed two hours, so it didn't take off till 1pm. Flew five hours back – that was fine, but then they didn't let us out for an hour. Some kind of error of sort, I really don't know. I was way too frustrated.” Selena confessed as the pair continued to fix the time.
“Have you slept?” Deanna asked suddenly, only now – with the suspense/excitement mixture of their plan a thing of the past – able to see the bags under her wife's eyes, thus having her answer.
“I...I couldn't.” came the admittance. “I was too stressed.”
Fixing the last clock in the room, Deanna sighed before reaching out to caress Selena's face with her hand. “You go upstairs. Have a warm shower-”
“Warm? But that-”
“I want you to be tired and exhausted, Selena.” stated Deanna. “Because you need to sleep.”
Slowly, understanding, Selena nodded. “Alright. Let's take care of the two in my office and-” she moved to approach the pathway to her office, but Deanna was quick to stop her.
“I'll change everything. It's just your computer and analog clock on the wall. Then I'll wait for you in bed, okay?” her voice booked no room for argument and, after all she had done for Selena, the platinum-blonde was not going to deny her anything. Turning to go, Selena only stopped to turn around and shake her head at her wife.
“How did you do it, Deanna?” she finally asked. “Setting all the clocks back, I get. But how did you know that you could get all the neighbours to play along? I mean... Elsa and I went to practically EVERY house and they all were in on it!”
For the first time that night, a look of shy guilt came across Deanna's face – more embarrassed shame as Selena got a second glance. “Well...” Deanna started. “First, they love us and they love Elsianna. So, when I explained what it meant to her and to you...”
Selena smiled at that. They had wonderful neighbours – far different than what she had been use to in Nome. But Deanna's words in their entirety caught up with the Snow Queen. “First? What's second?”
A sharp intake of breath came from Deanna through clenched teeth as her hands fiddled together. “I... kinda promised them that we would host the Christmas festival night this year.”
Immediately, Selena's mouth opened, ready to express her frustration at such a notion. All that Christmas shoved down her throat? All the reminders of what she had lost – her Christmas Curse of all things?!
And yet... as Deanna stood before her, her hands clasped tightly, ready to take the onslaught on, Selena couldn't find it in herself to be angry. Or even upset. “Okay.” she finally said.
Deanna's eyes widened in surprise. “Okay? You're not mad?”
“Deanna..” Selena sighed, walking the short distance to take her wife's hands into hers. “You made me be in two places at once. The most impossible thing – something that even SCW jokes about – and you made it possible for me to do it. You made our daughter happy and saved her from heartbreak because I screwed up. If that means I have to be a little uncomfortable for a night or so, then I'll gladly take that bullet.”
Deanna released a 'phew' of relief before the two shared a soft, short kiss. “I'm going to go shower.” Selena whispered, leaving Deanna to finish the task.
With her wife upstairs, Deanna was quick to move into her wife's office. A few minutes later, she had corrected the date on Selena's computer and on her clock hanging on the wall. However, just as she was about to leave, her eyes caught sight of the large bookcase that wrapped around the perimeter of the room, particularly the section that lead to Selena's 'SCW-room' of trophies.
“Did I change the clock on the wall inside- yes! Yes, I did!” Deanna recalled, quickly shuffling over to the section she knew and pulling the 'The Snow Queen' novel that activated the unlocking mechanism and moved the panel of books to allow entrance. Quickly turning the light on, the redhead caught sight of the simple, circular clock with the date in the middle of it. “Damn, I was thorough!” Deanna jokingly praised herself, spotting that the date also said “October 31st”.
Reaching up, the young woman took the clock off the wall and began rotating the dial on the back, pushing the hands forward until-
“All is right-” Deanna started but froze as her finger caught one of the batteries, flinging it out of its hold and causing it to bounce on the floor and roll under a shelf where photos of Selena with fans and Make-A-Wish people were. “Damn.” Deanna muttered before closing the distance to the shelf. Bending her knees, she knelt down and reached under it, her fingers searching around for the battery. When her fingers felt the smooth surface of something, she grinned and pulled the substance out.
But it was not a battery.
As Deanna held the item in the light, her eyes caught the ridges and curves of the shard of glass. It was a round, tunnel-like piece, covered in dust as if it had been there for weeks, Selena being unaware of its location. But it wasn't the curves or design that caught Deanna's attention, but the tag around its neck and the cap on top of it – a multiple set of crowns appeared before Deanna's eyes.
She knew what this was – hell, she saw it on TV enough and crossed it several times in the LCBO section of their grocery store!
The glass belonged to a bottle of Crown Royal!
Immediately, a hundred different thoughts whirled around in Deanna's head. Questions of how? Why? How long? And yet... as they all remained unanswered, one thought slowly emerged to take control.
The night a few weeks ago... Selena working late into the night... the children finally being asleep... Deanna coming here – to Selena's office – to seduce her wife to make love – tasting alcohol on her lips... Selena saying it was Deanna because of the red wine that night...
The event played before Deanna's eyes and she did all she could to shut it out. “No...” she whispered. “No, I'm wrong... She wouldn't do that...” she added as a thought from earlier that evening came back.
She promised... she promised...
She promised Elsianna Halloween and broke that promise. Had it not been for you, she would have!
The redhead stared down at the glass and cap in her hand. No one was allowed in this room but her and Selena – no one knew of this place but her, Selena and Elsianna. There was only one person besides her that would have Crown Royal down here.
“Selena...” Deanna whispered. “She...she lied.”
And in that moment, Halloween truly was still alive, delivering one final scare before its death. A scare to a young redhead as Deanna realized – with horror - that her wife had broken more than one promise to their family, lied to more people than just her daughter...
She's been lying to me all along...
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