“The One” Kirsten Scott vs. Deanna Frost

[SnowQueenSCW]

The Witches of Alden

”Something”

SAP Center
San Jose, California
December 14th, 2023
8:47pm

Deanna had barely spent more than a few minutes “fussing” over Amelia Blythe after they had made their way back to their changerooms with Luz, the latter having to rush off shortly thereafter to prepare for her own match in Fatal Fortunes. For her part, the Frost-redhead was a mix of emotions, most of which she hated. The whole night had been one large fiasco, culminating in a glorified ‘handicap match’ thanks to ‘luck’, which she wasn’t sure if she could call it that given the night’s events. She had apologized up and down to Amelia and Luz about it and done her best to keep things fair for Amelia with Diamond Steele doing whatever it took to have her ‘win’.

Still, she hadn’t stayed longer than what amounted to a few minutes – just enough to make sure Amelia was okay, Luz was ready, and there was no ill-will between the three of them given tonight’s events. In fact, it had been Amelia that had encouraged Deanna to rush out and leave them be, not out of spite but rather for the same reason Deanna was rushing through the halls, leaping and twisting her way past staff and superstar alike! If anything, she probably resembled some character in a Christmas movie rushing through the mall to get a present at the last minute – Damn… how many of those have I watched in my hotels these past weeks?… She had honestly lost track while sitting alone and eating her small “Grab n’ Go” dinners.

But Light in the Darkness knew what was really on Deanna’s mind and why Amelia had urged Deanna not to fuss over them. The United States Champion couldn’t think of Fatal Fortunes anymore now that her ‘part’ in it was done. She couldn’t think about Steele or Amelia or Luz’s upcoming title defense, or the End of the Year title shot voting, or even about the latest info revealed about Kristen Scott’s Cash-In, despite wanting to.

No, Deanna could only think of one thing: the limo-bus she had seen pull into the parking lot earlier. The entrance video that had played at the start of her match. And the absence that had followed it.

It HAD been Selena’s bus! She had recognized it immediately. At the start of the show, Deanna had stayed in her changeroom, hoping that if Selena was here, she would come by or, once Selena had been drawn and had her match, the redhead could approach the platinum-blonde and get some answers. Never did she dream she would draw her wife as an opponent! But with a no-show from the former world champion, Deanna knew she couldn’t hide for the rest of the night.

Putting on a burst of speed, not so easy with her duffle-bag slung over her shoulder, the champion powered her way to the parking lot, immediately feeling the mild weather of California – by far an improvement from the cold of Manhattan – emerald eyes dancing wildly throughout the large expanse of concrete and lights!

“Please still be here…” she whispered under her breath, ignoring how tired her legs felt after her ‘tag’ match and from running. The sight of the bus as she spied it furthered this disregard, prompting her to sprint again towards the bus without reckless abandon! She was certain she had never cleared the distance of such a massive parking lot so fast! Even as she realized that the bus-engine wasn’t running, she didn’t care! The bus could STILL just vanish into thin air at any second – she was sure of that!

But there it was… her ‘home away from home’ that she hadn’t seen since September. A flood of nostalgia rushed through her as she stood near the luxury vehicle, her eyes taking in the snowflake designs, the smiling face of her and Selena, the ‘SCW’ logo – all the decal decorations across the vehicle’s sides. But it was also the little things she spied that nobody else would really pay attention to. The fixed dent in the side that had come from Xander Valentine smashing a sledgehammer into it years ago, for example. Despite herself, Deanna reached up to place a shaky hand along the side of the vehicle, the cool metal against her fingers. It was different from the metal of the chamber. That metal had been course, cold, and rough, designed to be barbaric and create a sense of dread and punishment. This metal was smooth and cool and made Deanna, for better or for worse, feel at home.

Which only further expedited her approach as she reached the door. Pushing on the end, as she had been taught so many times by the usual chauffer, Deanna wedged the door open and stepped inside, immediately feeling both nervous and driven at the same time. It actually, her mind going back to the chamber, had been the same feeling when she had entered the construct back at Under Attack at the start of the match.

Wonder what place I’ll start off this time… She gave her head a shake. She WANTED to focus on The One and this latest plan of hers to get one up on Deanna and the United States title. She WANTED to focus on the utter strangeness of the match: to understand it better and work on strategy. But she NEEDED to figure this out first! Why was this bus here? Why had Selena’s entrance played? Why, after everything that had happened in Maplewood, had tonight gone… as it had gone?!

Pulling herself onto the bus, Deanna’s ears were immediately assailed by a voice coming further into the luxury vehicle!

“I know that!” she recognized the voice almost immediately, the rough edge overlaying the usual gentle tones she had grown to associate with the man. “But if you would just listen to me for half-a-minute… NO! This wasn’t Deanna’s idea! I did this on my own! Because…because…” she spied him then as he emerged from the back corner of the ‘kitchen’ area, his back to her.

Eric Anderson. Her chauffer and friend for the past eight years. She hadn’t seen him since Selena had quit SCW. Was that my fault? her brain quickly thought. Did I put him out of a job because I didn’t want to use my wife’s bus for my own sake? The redhead felt the twinge of guilt that came from that thought, but she quickly tucked it away to think about later.

“Look, I’ll pay for the usage, okay?” She heard the tall man try to reason, pausing as he listened to the voice from the cellphone in his hand. “You don’t have to do that. And I just wanted to…” he suddenly turned, stopping dead in his tracks as he saw Deanna standing there, the young woman a mixture of joy at seeing him and still utterly frustrated and confused by seeing him there in California in the first place! Still, her emerald eyes fixated on the phone in his hand.

“Is that Selena?” she asked, marching up to him without needing an answer and tossing her bag onto the passing side-couch. Before Eric could answer, Deanna had snatched the phone out of his hand and pressed it to her ear. “Selena?!” she spoke. “Selena, is that you? What is going on here?!”

There was no response. She couldn’t even hear a breath come from the other line. The utter silence was broken only by the beep that came from the call ending, Deanna pulling the phone away to look at the screen, proof-positive that she had been hung up on. Clenching her jaw, she jerked her head up to glare at Eric.

“Mind telling me why you’re here in California, Eric?”
Like a scolded puppy, Eric shuffled on the spot, his gaze anywhere but on Deanna’s eyes. “Are you going to yell at me like she did?”

“That remains to be seen!” Deanna remarked. “You think I have a good enough reason to?”
“Yes.” He offered. “But I didn’t mean for things to go down like this.”
“Than what did you mean?!” Deanna asked, running her hands through her hair. “And where is Selena?!”

There was a moment of silence from the young man, which only further agitated the redhead. “Talk, old man!”
“I’m like… two years older than you!” Eric countered lamely.
“Eric!”

“She’s not here!” he blurted out, backing up a step as Deanna stepped forward, almost intimidated by the small woman. Lowering his hands, he gave a sigh before continuing. “She was never here.”

Deanna felt the breath leave her lungs as the words sunk in, leaving her unable to speak as she watched Eric move further back to sit on the couch, running a hand through his shaggy-blonde hair.

“I found out about SCW advertising her for this Fatal-Fortunes thing. Figured things had smoothed over and wanted to offer my services again to get you guys there. So… I called her up.”

“And she answered you?” Deanna asked, crossing her arms over her chest, earning a confused shrug from the man.
“Why wouldn’t she?”
“It’s more than I’ve gotten lately.” Deanna whispered, looking away.

“Well…” Eric breathed, clapping his hands together to refocus. “She tells me that she’s not coming back and she never gave any indication that she was to anyone. That SCW was lying or...” He eyed Deanna. “Or that you were.”

“I didn’t say anything!” Deanna urged. “I’ve been telling every person that asks me that I don’t know or I don’t think so. I’ve tried, Eric! But no one believes me!”

“I do.” Eric shrugged again. “You’re not the kind of person to give people false hope.” He offered.
“Thanks.” Deanna whispered, her eyes cast on the floor.

“Anyway, I just… I remember sitting at home and thinking about all of this. How Selena quit. How you were alone because of it. And then… if Selena was telling the truth and you were telling the truth, than SCW was lying to the fans. And I remember just thinking ‘why’? Why would they do this to Selena, to you, and the fans?”

“Well…” Deanna breathed, moving over to sit beside the broad-shouldered man. “Plenty of business reasons. Higher ratings, viewers…”

“Yeah, I thought that too. And it just made me madder.” Eric explained. “I thought… ‘How could they do this to you guys’? Especially Selena, you know?”

“Yeah…” Deanna admitted. “For all of Selena’s stubbornness about this, I still don’t get why the fans hate her so much. And then this? Advertising her? None of this makes sense.”

It was no exaggeration! It had taken Deanna nearly killing herself inside the chamber match to get the fans to look past her last name and all that had become attached to it. She had, after months of proving herself as her own woman, started to get the fans on her side… but the boos from the sight of that bus, the boos at Selena’s entrance, the cheers when she hadn’t shown up… it had all been deafening! And it still made no sense to Deanna.

“I just… I got so mad at everyone. I wanted… I wanted to show them what they had done. I had to do something.”

“So you took the bus and drove it across the entire United States – from New York to California…” Deanna was almost in shock. That was like… a two day drive non-stop! She wouldn’t have believed it if she wasn’t sitting in the vehicle right now! She watched Eric give a guilty shrug. “And for what purpose, Eric?”

“I don’t know.” He asked, shaking his head. “I kept thinking that if I did, people would realize what they were missing – like maybe the fans would realize it. Or management would come clean about lying to the fans. Or maybe you’d come out or Selena would do something. SOMETHING would happen.” He sighed. “I’m just a driver.” He tried to explain. “I can’t do much for either of you besides that… but I had to do something.” He repeated.

“Eric…” Deanna sighed, shaking her head.

“I just hate this.” She heard him almost growl. “I want thing back to the way they used to be. Where we were travelling the world, making a difference. I don’t know… just making things better in some way.”

“I do, too.” Deanna sighed. “But we can’t. We can’t make Selena come back. We can’t make the SCW Universe accept her again. Your actions tonight proved that to me. Even management has no idea why this animosity exists…” Slowly, the redhead placed a comforting hand on Eric’s shoulder. “All we can do is continue on.” She gave a sigh. “When I saw you – well, the bus – I felt so excited and happy and nervous. I thought, for a moment, that things could go back. And then when her entrance hit, even if she was my opponent, it was something! But…” again, she shook her head. “I don’t even know if I have a wife at this point… how can I possibly ask for my wrestling partner back?”

“I’m….” she heard Eric try. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay.” Deanna offered a tired smile to the man. “We’ll figure it out, I think.”

A moment of silence passed between them before Deanna spoke again. “So, was that Selena you were talking to?”

“Yeah.” Eric nodded.
Deanna clicked her tongue inside her mouth. “So she WAS watching.” Her mind wandered how long that had been going on, but quickly dismissed the thought at the sound of Eric’s voice.

“Soon as she saw the bus on the TV, she was calling me. Angry as hell.” He released a harsh exhale at the memory. “Basically you but… not? Does that make sense?” he asked with a twisted lift of eyebrow. “Like you thought this was her doing and she thought this was your doing?”

“I guess.” Deanna shrugged.
“Well, anyway, she’s mad. You’re mad.”

“I’m not mad anymore, Eric, I’m just…” a long sigh came from Deanna. “I’m just tired of this. I’m tired of my marriage falling apart when my career is starting to succeed. I’m tired of fighting with Selena whenever I see her. I’m tired of missing her in bed when I sleep. I’m tired of feeling like a stranger in my own home. I’m tired of being unable to share my success with her. I’m just… I’m just tired.” Another sigh came, followed by silence.

She didn’t add the last part she was thinking about: tired of hoping. That was the most painful thing of it all. What she had felt seeing the bus, when she had seen those advertisements weeks prior, when she had heard Selena’s entrance music, how she saw it in Eric’s eyes, not quite as strong as hers but strong enough to prompt him to drive a limo-bus for over 2 days across the country just to try and do something.

Only to be crushed by the reality. Deanna was tired of it. Tired of throwing everything away the second Selena was brought up. Hell, she knew what she should be doing! She had a ‘do-or-die’ chamber match next week – a match where she was ‘teamed’ (for lack of the better word) with two people that hated her! Two people that would throw her under the bus, feed her to the wolves, whatever, just to save their own skins. Wouldn’t that be a keen strategy? Eliminate Deanna and The One would be out of the picture, making it 2-on-2. And why would they help? Why would they care to keep Deanna alive in the chamber if it meant keeping their titles with them? Did they even realize that their best chance was to work together so they could, at best, retain their titles in a clean sweep, or, at worst, still have rematches to regain any lost titles?

These were the things Deanna was SUPPOSED to be dwelling on, but the second Selena had been brought back into the conversation – the second a ‘whiff’ of a possibility of the Snow Queen’s return had reached, nothing else had mattered. Nothing had even come close. That was how strong her hope for her wife’s return – the return to the life they both loved (or so Deanna had thought) – how strong that hope was.

And I call myself the SCW United States Champion… she thought guiltily.

A ping came from the cellphone she still held, Eric’s, causing the redhead to utter an apology before returning the phone to its owner. Casting a quick glance, Eric released a huff of frustration and a smile to match the emotion.

“Now, I feel worse.” He muttered, earning Deanna’s full attention. With a turn of his hand, he showed Deanna the screen displaying the email he had sent. “Selena’s still paying me for this trip.”

Despite herself, Deanna felt the knowing smile that graced her features. Of course she is. She thought, looking away with a nod of her head. She’s still Selena.

“You need to talk to her.” Eric explained. “Tell her everything you told me. And everything you didn’t.”
Deanna laughed a little bitterly. “What are you? A Hallmark card?”
“Nope.” He shook his head. “I’m your friend. And Selena’s too. And you know as well as I do that this… this isn’t right. Not for you, not for me, sure as hell not for Selena-“

“Eric.” Deanna tried. “She won’t listen to me.”

“Than YOU listen to HER.” The young man pushed. “Sit her down and have her explain it all to you. Have her explain why she can’t go back. The real reasons. Explain why you want her to come back. Come up with a plan! Come to terms with things… something!” He released a huff as he looked around the bus. “You just… you have to do something, Deanna. Nobody else will or can.”

It sounded so simple, when both of them knew that there was a huge difference between ‘simple’ and ‘easy’. Even so, what was the alternative? Continue down this path with her and Selena growing more and more distant? Deanna’s mind flew back to Elsianna’s warning, her eldest child having heard Selena on the phone talking about-

THAT IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN! Her mind screamed in defiance. She refused to let that happen. But if she just stayed away and did nothing. If she continued to punish Selena until Selena ‘did things Deanna’s way’, then what other outcome awaited them?

Something far more terrifying than a rigged chamber match or a twisted narrative…

She looked back at Eric, the man having moved to the driver’s seat and starting the engine to the bus. “Yeah, yeah, you’re pissed.” He spoke to the bus (common for the man who had driven it for eight or so years). “Get over it. You need the exercise.”

Biting her lower lip, Deanna studied the man quietly as he pulled the bus out of the parking lot and onto the highway. She hadn’t fully considered how much this had affected her friend. The Frosts had been his primary source of income for so many years, not to mention one of their dearest friends. And Selena had offered this bus to Deanna, which she had staunchly refused to prove her own identity. And screwed over my friend in the process…

Slowly, the redhead made her way to the shotgun seat to sit beside Eric. “Going to be a long ride home.” She stated. “What you gonna do after that?”

“I don’t know.” Eric shrugged. “I had a gig planned for tomorrow but this plan sort of kiboshed it.”

Biting her lower lip, Deanna nodded her head. “I hate driving, you know?” she stated dismissively. “And this bus is more Selena’s than mine. But it’s hard to really focus when you’re rushing to an airport or driving for hours and hours…” her voice trailed off, her eyes checking on Eric to see if the boy would take the hint.

“It’s tough.” Was all he said.

“Right.” Deanna sighed. “So… if you don’t have any more gigs… what if you travel with me? Like be my road buddy?”

A moment paused before Eric turned his head to regard Deanna in mild surprise. “I would pay you, of course.” Deanna quickly stated. “I just…” she sighed. “If things can’t go back to how they use to be, I’d like some things to stay the same.”

Slowly, a smile broke across Eric’s face. “I would too.” he replied before casting his eyes out to the dark road ahead. “It looks like it’s gonna be a lonely road ahead.”

“Yeah…” Deanna nodded, watching the same road. “And probably going to get a lot worse before it gets better…”