Deanna Frost vs. David Striker

[SnowQueenSCW]

The Witches of Alden

”Therapy”

The Office of Dr. Glengow
New York City, New York
March 27th, 2024
1:19pm

Deanna shifted a little on the couch, her nervousness still playing tricks on her after all these weeks. It wasn’t that she didn’t trust anyone in this room – well, in terms of life and morals and whatever (the wrestling ring was still a little hazy with her wife). She just still couldn’t entirely shake the unease she had felt since this whole thing began.

At first, the redhead had figured that Selena’s concept would just be that. An idea. A notion. Something that, ultimately, wouldn’t go anywhere with Selena being too busy trying to be this ‘big, unstoppable world champion’ over in SCW, just like she had been too busy to be an outstanding student with the Aldens – well, that wasn’t entirely true but the less Deanna dwelled on that, the better.

Instead, as soon as she had dropped Deanna off at Manhattan following Retribution, it seemed, Selena was at work, working on her notion for to get them a marriage counselor. It had taken her only 48 hours to find a credible one, have background checks performed, AND get a series of appointments booked every week. No word of a lie! Deanna had gotten home, played with her kids, gone to bed, woke up, checked her health following her match with Polly, spent that day with her kids and, right at dinner, had gotten a call from Selena, telling her that they had an appointment booked.

She had barely been able to squeak out an ‘okay’ to the information, it had all happened so fast! But what was she going to do? She had promised to try and fix the issues that had arisen in her marriage to the Snow Queen. And it wasn’t that she didn’t want to – she did! She wanted her wife back – HER wife. Not whatever Selena was trying to be now over in SCW.

And, for what it was worth, Selena certainly had done the work. She hadn’t just grabbed the first counselor she could find. No, Deanna learned, at their first session a week later, that her wife had managed a thoroughly vetted program to find someone. And for that, Deanna was grateful – she recalled as she stared across the room where said doctor was sitting.

Dr. Nia Glengow. It had been surprising how Selena had found someone so… fitting – yes, Deanna could admit that easily. The woman not only had years of experience, but she had that personal relation that made her approachable. Like Deanna, Nia had grown up in a small town, ostracized for her sexuality. She was also in a fifteen year marriage with the same partner, though Deanna hadn’t met the woman yet. On top of that, she wasn’t a wrestling fan, which was a relief to the redhead.

The first session had been a ‘testing the waters’ and nothing else. Now? They were into the third session, which was where some work would be done, according to Glengow.

“So…” Glengow smiled, her dark skin contrasting with the white of her teeth. “We have about half an hour left-“

Deanna’s brain slowed everything down on its own in that moment: were they really already thirty minutes in?! All they had done was talk about the kids and Selena moving and… okay, so those two things alone could have filled up a lecture hall, but she didn’t feel like they had accomplished all that much. She didn’t feel relieved or hopeful, same as it had been with the first session.

And really… it was her own fault. She just…

“-How about we review the ‘Three and Three’ exercise you guys did. Selena?”

Turning her head, Deanna saw her wife straighten up. While Deanna wore a black pants and a green blouse, Selena wore a black pantsuit with her hair in an updo. Clearing her throat, the older Frost pulled out a piece of paper from her handbag.

“I love Deanna’s eyes and smile.” She took a moment to steal a glance towards the redhead. Despite the flutter of affection, however, Deanna mostly felt dread. “I dislike how she doesn’t always listen to me.” There was an apologetic glint in Selena’s eyes, but she kept going. “I love her spirit and passion. She works so hard to achieve things.” She cleared her throat, unnecessarily. “I dislike how foolish and dangerous she can be.” Deanna bit her lower lip, trying to keep herself from talking back. “I love Deanna’s heart…” she heard Selena’s voice hitch, breaking a little. “I dislike… I dislike how controlling she can be.”

Selena lowered her paper, taking a few deep breaths. Deanna was… surprised to say the least. Not listening? Controlling? Foolish – okay, THAT one made sense given her latest match requests. But still…

“I..I try and listen…” Deanna whispered, her hands entwining together and untying in her nervousness. “And I don’t want to control you-“

“Deanna…” Nia remarked patiently. “There is no judgment here. Selena, why do you feel your wife doesn’t listen to you and tries to control you.”

“Because…” Selena breathed. “Because she wouldn’t listen to me when I said I didn’t want to go back to SCW. She kept trying to make me go back. And then when I did, she tried to control how I went back and what I did.”

“I was…” Deanna bit on her bottom lip to stop herself. It wasn’t her turn. She was supposed to listen. “Sorry.” She whispered, sitting back in her seat.

“Selena…” Glengow remarked. “Do you feel that, perhaps, that her focus had ‘noble’ intentions?”

The Snow Queen stole a glance at Deanna. “She…” the platinum-blonde tried. “She tried to make me happy.”
“So it was out of love?”
“Yes.” Selena nodded.
“Perhaps that should be explored in the future, yes?” Nia guided before turning her attention to Deanna. “Deanna. Your three?” she smiled.

Nervously, Deanna revealed her paper, though it was far more crinkled than Selena’s (due to her holding it in her hand the whole time). “I love…my wife.” She shrugged. “Lame, I know. But I had to write that first before I could get started.”
“It’s okay.” Nia encouraged.

“Okay…” Deanna breathed. “I love my wife’s toughness. I’ve always wanted to be as tough as she was.” She eyed her paper, not wanting to look at Selena as she read. “I dislike how cold she can be.”

The image of Selena pushing her into the potted plant weeks ago flashed before her mind but the redhead pushed it back, focused on the task at hand. “I love – actually, I’m surprised we both got this one – I love my wife’s heart.” She almost looked Selena’s way, but she could still feel her wife’s smile on her. “I know she loves me and our kids and would do anything for them. But, I dislike…” she breathed. “Her ‘absolutes’ personality. There never seems to be a middle-ground with her. No room for compromise.”

“I…” Selena started.
“Selena.” Glengow prompted, immediately silencing the woman. “It is Deanna’s turn.”

“I…” Deanna tried to finish. “I love my wife’s spirit, no matter how much it’s been beaten down, I know she’s still the same woman I fell in love with. Still has that same heart, same love-“
“Deanna…” Glengow tried, but Deanna would not be stopped.
“Same kindness, same warmth, same passion-“
“Deanna…” Selena tried, but Deanna pressed on.

“But I hate that I can’t trust her.”

Deanna slammed her hands, and the paper, down, turning her eyes to gaze at both doctor and wife. “I can’t.” she remarked. “I can’t trust anything you do. Anything you say. How do I know you’re not just going to turn on me or hurt me or leave me again?”

“How could you…” Selena’s jaw trembled. “I did all this…”

“Yes, I know! But you ‘picked an official’ to mess with Kandis, didn’t you?” her emerald eyes flew to Nia. “I’m sorry.” She added. “But how do I know you care about me and my marriage and won’t just side with Selena to make me out to be the villain.”

To her surprise at such a bold claim, Glengow merely nodded her head. “I’ve had couples think the same thing, Deanna. It’s not an unfair assessment.”

“It isn’t?!” Deanna half-cried and half-laughed. “Because I am pretty sure I sound like a crazy person.”

“Couples starting therapy often have some damage done to their marriage already. Otherwise, why would you be here. Can I tell you what I see?”

“Please.” Deanna nodded, Selena remaining silent, though her eyes remained on Deanna.

“You both love one another very much, and for a lot of the same reasons. But you both feel like you’re not being listened to by the other. That the other is trying to control you through absolutes or a lack of compromise. In your case, Deanna, there are trust issues present now.”

Deanna nodded. “So what do you recommend?”

Nia gestured to the two of them with their pen. “That you reopen those lines of communication… and we can start right now.” With a smile, she leaned forward. “Let’s start with the exercise of 40-20-40…”

_______________________________________________________________


So… where do we start?

I mean, it’s an interesting question this time around. Because for the first time in… actually, a while… I find myself without a proper direction. I find myself a little lost. And to be clear, there is a difference between ‘direction’ and ‘goal’.

My goals haven’t changed. I still desire to fight the battles I’ve been fighting. Battles to establish myself in SCW on my own two feet. To establish this division that is the United States Championship. To be seen as one of the toughest, most ‘grit’ – grittiest? – superstars in SCW today. To be remembered for more than my last name!

Like I said, those goals have not changed. Those goals will not change until they are complete. And at as I approach my near ninth month as the United States Champion, I refuse to slow down. I refuse to settle and I refuse to rest on my laurels.

But… like I said, I find myself a little listless. Like a ship in the middle of the ocean without a wind to touch its sails. I feel that the wind in my sails is a little absent – how does the saying go? ‘Having the wind knocked out of you’.

But that’s understandable, right? That’s something that maybe isn’t so hard to believe, given what Polly put me through. Let me be clear: I refuse to do Polly any disservice or disrespect after the match she gave me. I won’t stand here and say “I’m good! I’m ready to go! I had no doubts about winning my match at Retribution!”. I refuse to do such a dishonor to Polly after all she gave.

Polly, you got close. Closer than anyone else has ever come. You wanted to prove to me that you were tough, that you wanted it – the title, the championship status, the spotlight – you proved it all. You pushed me further than anyone ever has before. From The One to Kimberly Williams, you pushed me to the absolute limit. To the point where I wasn’t sure a couple times which way actually was up! I may have tried pulling myself into a the floor thinking I was trying to stand up, I was so disoriented. And as cliché as it sounds, I actually became more of a believer in you. Because I truly believe now that you being a champion – of this title or any title – it’s a matter of ‘when’, not ‘if’. You earned that, Polly, so thank you.

And after the war Polly and I had, like I said, I got the wind knocked out of my sails a bit. Because I find myself, for the first time, in a division with no clear challenger. No clear contender. I mean, I don’t know what the rankings are. Can someone show them to me? Because I want to know who is next to challenge for this championship. I want to know who is next in line for me to bring my best to! Do we need a contendership match? Do we need some kind of system brought in? Do I need to create another match?

I don’t know. But without that knowledge, I spent my post-pay-per-view kind of drifting. And I don’t want to be doing that. I want to stay hungry. I want to stay sharp. I want to stay on my A-game by taking on challengers. I want to keep this title on the minds of every member within the SCW Universe as a workhorse title. No contracts or special conditions or special officials or this and that needed. Just a will, a desire, and grit that won’t quit… that actually would be a really cool saying on a T-shirt!

Anyway, I suppose, because of all of that – all I’ve said – I’m actually grateful for the match that is placed before me. I am! Not just excited, but grateful. Because I’m meant to face The Nightmare Warrior, The Leader of the Phantom Troupe, The Alpha Bad of SCW’s Underground division – David Striker.

Now… let me take a second and unpack that. I am sure I am missing a few, but that’s what’s been used lately. A man with, at least, three nicknames and he hasn’t even been here a year. I’ve been here two and I don’t have a nickname anymore. I’m not ‘The Queen’s Guard’ anymore. And I haven’t established a nickname for myself since I dropped that name. Him? He’s got three! David KNOWS who he is. And that screams confidence to me. That screams certainty. That screams that this is a man that knows what he wants and will do what he has to to get it!

And you proved that last Breakdown, didn’t you, David?

You had a challenge placed before you from Kimberly Williams. And as someone that DID beat her at her own game, in her own world, I know what a match with that woman entails. I know what it takes to go toe-to-toe with her like you did at Retribution. It’s not easy and it’s far from pleasant. A toughness is needed – required – just to walk out of it, winner or loser.

But you didn’t just accept that reality, did you, Striker. No, you upped the ante. That’s what I respect most about you, David. You brought in a match that, frankly, has NEVER been heard of here in SCW. A triple cage with a zipline thrown in. A “Long Hard Road Out of Hell”. And I watched that exchange between you and Kimberly, and you know what I thought?

I thought to myself, “What kind of mind do you have to have to create a match like that?”. I mean, think about it! I’ve put forward the Elimination Chamber and Last Woman Standing matches for the title I hold, but those are tried-and-true matches for what I was going for. You? You took our history and said “That’s not enough” and created something… something I’m a little envious of not being part of, to be honest. Triple cage? Are you kidding? What’s tougher than that? There’s the fear of heights for one!

But I digress. I am not here to step on your toes or on your new match. Far from it, I will be watching like an avid fan as you and Kimberly solve this rubber match between you. But the point that I am getting at, David, is that, at a time where I don’t know which way to go, which way the wind will send me, I get the man that created THAT. I get the man that is so tough, he upped the ante on a Kimberly Williams challenge. A man so talented, he’s made a name for himself in his first year with nicknames up the wahzoo!

Now do you see why I am grateful and excited, David? Why I am chomping at the bit to see this match through? Because I may not get any direction regarding my title division, but I sure as hell can get my other two goals looked at with you! Because who better than to test my ‘grit’ after my pay-per-view match than such a man! A man that clearly believes in always going a step further, in upping the ante? A man that may be as twisted as Kimberly Williams in his own way!

I can’t think of anyone better than that for me, David. Because it means, with this being a regular match, I am going to have to dig deep and do more than just try and launch two or three, or a dozen, Burnouts your way! I’m going to have to dig deep and challenge myself to think outside the box for someone as creative as you. I am going to have to expect nothing and everything in order to come out on top and win this match.

Yes, David, I said ‘win this match’. Because that’s one thing you and I don’t have in common. I am not going to come to Breakdown like you did at Retribution and say “if I win… if I lose… if I win… if I lose…”. I don’t think that way, young man. I think only on one mentality: I need to overcome, I need to surpass, I need to win.

Whatever is thrown at me, I need to be stronger than. I have to power through. That is how my brain is wired, David. So I don’t have a contingency for if I lose, because I am not wrestling – fighting – with a loss in my plans. I will be wrestling you 100% believing that I will win.

And tonight, I cannot imagine any other outcome. Because you are going to find, David, that, like you, I am also good at ‘upping the ante’. I am also rather proficient at taking what I am given and returning it with more than I took! Every shot, every blow, every throw, every landing! I get back up and I give it back with interest! Don’t believe me? Ask Kimberly Williams. Like the title I carry, I took hers at the Rise to Greatness Pre-show! And that little difference, David? The one that made Kimberly beat you at Retribution? That’s going to be the difference between us here tonight.

Because I will keep upping the ante, keep raising the pot, until you can’t keep up with me. Until you start to realize just how ‘all-in’ I am to this match. And that’s when you will start questioning EVERYTHING. You’ll start to question if this is worth it to you. This match. If it’s worth risking a disadvantage at Taking the Leap, which is right around the corner, by the way. You’ll start to question your own threshold, you’ll start to weigh the pros and cons… and I’ll still be raising the ante every minute. Every second.

Until finally, like I said, the ante will be so high that you’ll only have two options left. Bow out… or Burnout!

Tonight, David Striker, bring everything you have in mind for Kimberly. Bring your power, your tolerance, your creativity, all of it. Because I am going to use all of that as the wind that I need. Tonight, my ship starts sailing again! Tonight, I get things back on track for the United States division and for myself. Because I am not coming to Seattle, Washington – to Breakdown – to question the world champion, to stand up to my wife – no. That was last week. No, Striker, I am coming to Breakdown for one thing and one thing only.

To take all you’ve got… and beat your ass with it!

Checkmate, bitches!