Gavin Taylor vs. Selena Frost

[SnowQueenSCW]

The Dark Side of the Sun

"Recollection"

The smoke from the fire stung her eyes, causing them to water. Not that she needed any more tears. She had already cried more than her share as she stared into the tall pyre, the massive pile of logs, forming a rather odd-shaped cone, crackling as they burned in the night. Again, for the umpteenth time, she stared into the fire, trying to see the creature that was at the center of the burning pile. She saw the orange glow of the flames and parts of the wood breaking down but it was almost like the fire itself didn't want her to see more beyond that.

Another sniffle escaped her and she reached up to rub her nose with her hand. You're really gone... She thought. This wasn't some joke - which a small part of her had crazily held onto with all she had till this moment. Again, her eyes stung from the smoke and more tears fell. She didn't want to think in that moment. She had come here to push herself and prepare for one of the most important nights of her professional life... To be ready to fight like never before for the SCW and the United States Championship Tournament.

Now? She just wanted the world to stop for a moment. Stop and allow her a second to breathe. Stop for a second so she could try and stop this growing sense of numbness that was slowly consuming her. Stop and...and...

Just stop...

************************************

Nome, Alaska
February 14th, 2006
11:13am

She just wanted them to stop! Why couldn't they? She angrily thought as she kicked a stone down the dirt and snowy road, watching it skittle ahead a few feet in front of her. She knew she was supposed to be in school - it was a Thursday, after all - but she wasn't going to give Gavin and his goons the satisfaction!

Having reached the stone on the ground, the sixteen year old kicked it again, harder this time, and again, the small rock tumbled and danced its way further down the trail. It become a sort of action and reaction as Selena Frost walked down the trail, taking her frustrations out on the stone as she made her way back home from her high-school.

The day had actually started pleasant. The classes were in full swing and already heading towards the midterms. She had done well last semester in terms of grades, at least well-enough that her mother wouldn't punish her - the young girl bit her lower lip angrily at the thought. And in English class, their teacher had given them a new Shakespeare play to study - A Midsummer Night's Dream! It was about these lovers and these fairies named Oberon and Titania and magic and love, it sounded hilarious and fun!

But as the day had turned into the lunch break, Selena had been sitting by herself in her private space, the small garden in the center of the school, when the next thing she knew, she was soaked from head to toe in something that smelled like orange soda. Gavin and his cronies had splurged and bought out the soda vending machine, buying as many cans of Orange Crush as they could. Emptying them all into a cooler one of them had brought, they had snuck up on Selena and dunked the contents on her, screaming "Welcome to Orange County!".

And now? She was sticky and, as far as she was concerned, never wanted to go near orange soda for the rest of her life. After composing herself from the initial shock, she had just grabbed her lunch bag and left the school, not a word to anyone and ignoring any onlooker that saw her as she walked, be it out of the school or now.

Bullies! she growled as she thought. Cowards!

They always attacked in groups now, ever since she had beaten up Gavin years ago when she was in public school and took his leather jacket, which still fit her and her growth spurt, she was happy to say. She was beyond grateful she had not worn it when she had gotten drenched, though she wasn't excited about explaining to her mother how the new white winter jacket she had gotten for Christmas, that her mother insisted on her wearing as it was 'stylish', was now stained with Orange color.

"Say goodbye to the Internet for a couple of weeks." Selena grumbled, kicking the stone again.

As she reached the top of the hill, she left the rock where it now lay, trekking up the path till she reached her house. Using the spare key that was under the porch ornament, a stone dragon - the symbol of her family clan - Selena unlocked the door, put the key back, and walked inside, leaving the door open. She was quick to strip off the stick coat and clothes off her body and take a cold shower. Changing into clean clothes, she dumped her wet clothes into the tub in the bathroom and refilled it with hot water to soak them, hoping it would remove the soda. She used the heavier plates her family owned to weigh the articles of clothing at the bottom of the bathtub. That accomplished, the young girl - recently declared 'Snow Queen' of Nome - now changed into her jeans and a dark-blue hoodie, made her way to the tool shed to grab her digging tools. She was going to spend some time in her father's cave to clear her head.

She had just stepped out of the shed and was now making the journey toward the cave when she heard a soft whine. Ordinarily, sounds of nature wouldn't have bothered the sixteen-year-old. She heard them all the time, part of being so close to the forest and different game reserves. This time, however, when the sound came a second time, it sounded like a cry for help. A high yelp that indicated fear or suffering, she wasn't sure. And when the sound came a third time, the young girl began following it, leaving her tools on the ground near the shed as she walked around her house, stopping every so often to focus on hearing the sound again. After about ten minutes of listening and searching, the young student even began to hum back, trying to match her voice to the pitch of the sound. Whether that did anything or not, she had no idea.

Still, as she turned towards her backyard and the old barbecue that her father used to use all the time - but her mother never did - that sat in the corner near the fence, she heard the cry again, as loud as it had been. Taking a deep breath, Selena slowly approached the large, black, metal tank and lowered herself onto the snow-sprinkled ground to look under it.

She couldn't believe her eyes.

For there, under the legs of the barbecue, was a small puppy!

"Wha...what are you doing there?" She asked slowly and the pup merely continued to whine, its small body shaking uncontrollably. It was no bigger than Selena's hand and its fur was a series of colours of white, gray, and tufts of black. It reminded Selena of the husky one of the fisherman's kids brought to school years ago for show and tell. "Did you get lost or something?" She asked. She remained perfectly still on the ground, her leather jacket keeping her dry from the patches of snow beneath her. She had no desire to scare this pup off. Odds were it belonged to someone. The pup, itself, for the most part, remained still, either too scared to leave or not knowing where else it could go or what Selena was.

"Uh..." Selena decided to try. "Are you hungry? I'll be right back."

Slowly, she got to her feet and made her way back to the house as calmly as she could to avoid scaring the pup. Raiding the fridge was her goal and she dug through whatever she could find, setting on a pack of hot dogs she found in the freezer. Boiling the water and cooking them took about five minutes and she was soon back outside, a dozen or so hot dogs in a plastic bag. A few feet away from the pup's hiding place, she stopped and tilted her head a little towards the ground, checking to see if the pup was there. Sure enough, when she mimicked its cry, it came right back as a reply from under the metal machine.

"Okay." She said slowly, lowering back down. "Hope you like hot dogs." She slowly spoke, taking out one from the bag and slowly bringing it towards the pup. The poor thing jumped back in alarm, causing Selena to keep her arm still. "It's okay." She cooed, eating one herself to show it was safe. "Yummy!" She insisted.

Slowly, almost painstakingly so, the small animal sniffed the air and approached Selena's hand and the offering. It sniffed again and drew a little closer. It sniffed for a third time before tentatively biting into it - right before it devoured the first one.

"Holy..." Selena laughed as she watched the little thing eat, offering it another one slowly, which it ate as well. She just kept feeding him until he had gone through four hot dogs and now just lay on the ground, unsure of where to go. Being this close to the animal, Selena realized, with sudden worry - the pup didn't have a collar on.

What do I do? She asked herself. He's not mine, but what if he's lost? What if he's sick? What if- she kept thinking of a hundred different what-ifs, each more absurd, but no less depressing, than the last, until finally, she made up her mind. Slowly, and calmly, reaching out, she reached under the barbecue until she felt the soft fur of the pup. The little one gave a quick yelp of surprise and fidgeted wildly as Selena pulled it out from under the metal cover.

"It's okay." She gently whispered, using her free hand to pet the small animal. "I've got you." She added, continuing to comfort the pup. She didn't move until the poor thing calmed down and began to lay still.

Keeping the pup in her arm, Selena awkwardly began the long walk back down the hill and towards town. She was going to get this fellow looked at, she decided. Because maybe she was wrong... It wouldn't be the first time... But as she had first held this pup in her hands and seen the look in its eyes, she suddenly had seen something... Familiar. Something that was driving her actions now.

An abandoned child recognizes another abandoned child...

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Wait..." Selena's eyes widened in shock. "It's not a puppy?"
"No, it is." Smiled the young man. "But it's not a dog like you think."
"But then... What is it?" The platinum-blonde child asked in disbelief.
"Well, Ms. Frost, see the nose here and ears. It certainly could be confused for a dog... But it's actually a wolf."
"Wait...I found a wolf pup?" A smile broke across Selena's face. "Awesome! Can I keep him?"

The young girl stood in the back room of the animal clinic, having brought the small pup there to be checked on. Now, the little fellow was on the table, being looked at by the young man, a Dr. Gillian by name - the pup's wide eyes turning this way and that to take all these new surroundings in. The veterinarian chuckled at Selena's question as he continued to look over the small animal. "I wouldn't recommend that. Wolves aren't meant to be kept as pets." He replied. "That being said, you did the right thing bringing her here."

"Well, he was just- wait..." Selena caught the doctor's words. "'Her'?"
"That's right." Gillian grinned. "It's a girl."
"Oh..." Selena's mouth hung open. "I...I never checked. I just assumed..."
"Well, she seems in good spirits." Stated the doctor.
"Um..." before that moment, Selena's eyes had been on the pup as it, too, stared back at her, barking a little. But as she considered her question, she turned her attention to Gillian. "How did a wolf find its way to my backyard?"

The veterinarian was quiet for a moment as he turned the pup gently onto her back, Selena instinctively rubbing the wolf's belly with her hand to keep her calm.

"Well, judging from her size... I have to guess that she was born a runt."
"A what?"
"A runt." Gillian repeated. "Means born smaller and weaker than the others. Some mother wolves, if they think they're baby isn't strong enough, will abandon it."
"What?!" Selena's eyes widened. "How could her mother do that?"
"You have to understand, Ms. Frost." The doctor patiently explained. "Most wolves give birth to a litter of puppies. And sometimes, the mother has to make a choice, based on keep her family alive. Let me ask you: You have three puppies and only enough food to keep two alive. If you try and keep all three alive, all three will starve and die. Do you let all three die or do you abandon the weakest for the sake of the other two?"

Selena was quiet, lowering her gaze to stare at the wolf pup staring up at her. Reaching out, she rubbed the top of his head. "I think I understand - but I still don't like it." She whispered. "I don't think I'd ever be able to get rid of my kid-"

The door to the main lobby suddenly flew open and the receptionist, a young, dark-skinned lady, that Selena had met when she had first arrived with the pup in tow, was suddenly staring at the two of them in alarm. "Uh... Dr. Gillian, there's a bit of a disturbance in the lobby. I think the young girl's mother is here."
"Who- my mother?" Selena asked, pointing to herself in surprise. "How did she even know I was here?" She asked aloud, more so to herself that to anyone else, as she picked up the small wolf and made her way back into the lobby. She had only taken a few steps out the back door when she spotted the tall woman with blonde hair, not quite as white/platinum as hers, dressed in a black dress. Seeing her daughter emerge from the back, the woman's eyes narrowed at her.

"Selena." She replied curtly. "Care to explain why I got a call from a friend who says they saw you walking through town with an-" her words stopped as she stopped the furry companion in her daughter's arms.
"I found her under the barbecue in the backyard." Selena explained simply. "She looked like she needed help."
"Why were you even home in the first place, young lady?" Anastasia DeCarlo scowled. "You were supposed to be at school."
"Same problem as every other time." Selena stated back flatly, holding the pup close to her. "I tell you it was Gavin, you don't believe me and they do it all again next week."
"Gods, this again?" Anastasia huffed. "You'd rather I believe that the mayor's son has a personal vendetta against you rather than the simple truth that you're just a disobedient little girl?"

The young girl bit her lower lip and kept her thoughts to herself, not wanting to cause a scene in the clinic and frighten the little pup. Turning to the doctor, she handed her over to Gillian. "Will she be alright?" She asked.
"I think so." Gillian replied, taking the pup gently into his arms. "We'll keep her here for a few weeks, make sure she gets the needed food and nutrition in these crucial, growing weeks. Then when she's safe, we'll transfer her to the animal shelter on the outskirts."
"What then?"
"Well, they'll watch over her, train her, and with any luck, they'll be able to release her back into the wild-"

The doctor was stopped as the little pup suddenly started to shift and move, its paws and whines directed towards Selena. Without thinking, the student opened her arms and quickly took the pup back into her embrace, where it slowly calmed down.

"Of course..." Gillian stated in mild surprise. "That may be a little tricky if she thinks you're her mother."
"Oh, you can't be serious." Selena heard her mother whine, but she ignored her.
"Will that be a problem for her?" She asked.
"Not with time. She might be a little difficult to train, but the shelter will know more than me." Gillian answered. "I'll give them a call in a few days."

The idea came to Selena as Gillian was explaining, and before she had throught it through, she had blurted out the question. "Do they accept volunteers? Like young people to help look after animals-"
"Absolutely not!" Came the shrill voice of Anastasia. "You are not spending your time with filthy animals." She declared. "You have your studies and lessons!"

Despite her mother, Selena kept her eyes on the young veterinarian. She didn't want to see her mother's expression, though she could imagine that the older woman's face was turning red. "Do they?"

Gillian held a look of uncertainty, sort of caught in the middle between mother and daughter. "Yes." He answered slowly. "They do, but I recommend you being on the same page as your mother before approaching them."

Not likely. Selena huffed mentally before looking down at the pup, who by now was back to being comfy in her arms. "I'll think of something." She replied quietly before handing the small creature back to Gillian. She had to leave before she heard the wolf's whine again. Turning on her foot, she marched past her mother and out of the clinic, making her way down the streets in the direction towards her house once again.

"I hope you understand how humiliated I am." The voice came from behind her, harsh and sharp, her mother marching beside her. "That my daughter was skipping school and seen carrying some kind of wild animal."
"I thought it was dog." Selena sighed. "I didn't know till I got there that it was wolf pup..." She cast her sapphire eyes towards the woman she reviled. "Though I still would have brought her here."
"Of course you would." Hissed Anastasia as the two marched home. "You'll do anything to get a rise out of me."
"Not everything I do is about you, mother!" Selena hissed back. "The poor thing looked hungry and alone and scared. What would you have done?" She caught herself. "You know what? Don't answer that. I don't want to hear how you would eat a wolf-cub."
"Don't be childish." Chastised her mother.

"I'm being childish?" Selena laughed. "No, childish are the people that poured orange crush soda all over me today. Speaking of which, my clothes are soaking in the bathtub. Including my coat." She hesitated on the last part, knowing it would not sit well.
"You ruined your brand new coat?" Anastasia asked in disbelief. "Why?"
"Did you miss the part I said about someone pouring orange pop all over me?" Selena asked.
"Why do you constantly have to make up-"
"I'm not making it up!" Spat back the Snow Queen. "You'll see when we get home!"
"That you spilled pop on your coat?"
"No!" Huffed Selena before throwing her arms up and dropping them back to her sides.

The two walked in silence, Anastasia the taller of the two. Selena preferred the quiet, for it allowed her mind to drift back to the small wolf pup. As the mother and daughter were ascending the hill, she turned her face to gaze at her mother. "I want to volunteer at the Animal Shelter."
"No." Anastasia sharply answered. "I believe I made that clear."
"Dr. Gillian said it would help."
"That man is not a doctor." Anastasia laughed. "He's a drop-out from medical school."
"Just because he's a veterinarian doesn't mean he dropped out." Selena countered.
"Regardless, the answer is still 'no'."
"Why not?" Selena asked, rushing in front of her mother to cut off her walking. "It be my free time, I won't miss out on my lessons or classes."
"I just caught you skipping school." Laughed Anastasia. "Your promises are useless."
"Mother, please!" She was begging now, eyes pleading with the cold DeCarlo. "I'll do anything if you let me have this."

It was a phrase she hated using when she wanted something, but it was the only way to get Anastasia to concede. To bargain. Give her some power over Selena. But what choice did she have?

She needs me. Selena thought, thinking of the little pup that had been in her arms.

Anastasia, meanwhile, had not taken her eyes off of Selena, had in fact narrowed them a little in scrutiny of her daughter. "Alright, child." She spoke coldly. "You'll be allowed one day a week to volunteer there - PROVIDED -" she stressed the last word. "That you do not miss a single class or single lesson."
"Three." Selena tried. One day a week wasn't nearly enough.
"Be grateful I'm considering one." Warned Anastasia, but Selena pushed.
"Okay. Two and I'll..." She thought quickly. "I'll start taking those piano lessons." She groaned.

"Really?" Anastasia tilted her head in disbelief. It had been a subject that they had fought over again and again. Selena had no desire to learn something has boring as the piano and had fought her mother every inch along the way. But now, she was relenting! "Fine." Anastasia quickly replied. "But not one lesson skipped. Not one class missed. Or you'll have nothing for that week. Is that clear?"

"Yes...mother." Selena nodded her head, as if in surrender, but inside, her heart was doing backflips. She would see her little pup again. Not only that... she decided as she continued on the walk back to her house with her mother in tow. But next time I see you, I'll give you a name!

***********************************

Liam Jack's Bar and Grill
Nome, Alaska
June 27th, 2020
7:30am

Selena was still in shock as she sat in the booth inside her uncle's restaurant, her sapphire eyes, unblinking, staring a hole through the scratched up table in front of her. Her senses were still working. She could hear the clicking of old dials and the sizzling of grease that was coming from the back as the fryers and ovens were already turned on and prepared. She could smell bacon and eggs and several other different things. And she could see her uncle Liam shuffling around the store, keeping it closed when he usually opened around this time for the breakfast groups. The place hadn't changed she had worked there almost seven years ago.

Still, Selena didn't move, her hands clutching one another, fingers fidgeting, as they rested on the marked-up table. The lights were on, which offered the most illumination in the place as the sun slowly began to rise, still covered mostly by the horizon and taller buildings that ran down the streets and the trees further back from there.

"Hey." Came the soft whisper as Liam stood just to the side of her table. In one hand, he held a simple, white porcelain cup, filled near to the rim with hot chocolate, half a dozen or so small tiny marshmallows and Liam's special ingredient (according to him), chocolate powder made from a grated up Kit-Kat bar. It was a drink the large man would always make Selena when she was younger, her favourite drink, and his way of cheering her up. Without another word, Liam placed the cup on the table and gently pushed it towards Selena's hands, which opened instinctively to wrap around the warm beverage. Quietly, the bar and grill owner shuffled into the other side of the booth, resting up against the dark-green with blue speckles cushions before, like Selena, he rested his hands over the table. "I...uh...I wanted to call you sooner and tell you what happened..." He started, trying to explain. "But Jean wanted us to be sure and let you know the next time you were here. When you called last week and said you'd come by this weekend..." He stopped mid-sentence, noticing that Selena hadn't moved from her spot, hadn't even flinched, her eyes locked on the steaming mug in her hands. "We held off the funeral to tonight so you could join us." He finished.

Nothing was said for the longest time, the only sound being the tick-tock of the battery-operated, analog clock as the hands slowly moved their various speeds.

"Are you sure it's her?"

Selena's voice came out broken but clear. She didn't shift her gaze from her mug, which only made Liam sigh sadly.

"Yeah." He answered. "She was in the wild, kid, but... She was the only wolf that came near the town."

Slowly, Selena nodded her head - only once - as she watched her pile of marshmallows slowly melt in the hot drink. "How did it happen?" She asked.

"Well, that's just it." The older man took a deep breath to steady himself. "I mean... It's beyond clear but... You sure you want to hear this?" He cast a glance at Selena, worry in his voice for the platinum-blonde, and didn't look away until he saw her slowly nod her head.

"Alright." He sighed. "I guess, the first things you should know is where we found her. It was by Terry's farm, just up the hill from his backyard. You know my nephew Terry? You've met him a few times, right?"

She didn't answer at first, mostly because she was trying to get her brain to work amidst the shock and grief. She remembered Liam's nephew - tall, thin man, a solid ten years older than Selena, for sure. She didn't see much of him because he lived on the outskirts of Nome, further than she did, operating a farmhouse. She nodded her head slowly. From what she could recall, Terry was the big supplier for most of the stores and business in Nome when it came to produce and specific meats and diary products - most larger commercial companies that filled the States weren't really keen in coming to a small town like Nome, where the only way to travel out and in was by plane. Terry provided a grand surface for all of the town, including his uncle Liam.

"Well, for the last couple of months, he'd been having a hell of a time with those red foxes raiding his chicken farm. Digging under the fences-" he moved his hands, imitating the movement such a creature would make. "And running off with his chicks, you know?"

Again, Selena only nodded, but her head had moved up to gaze at Liam's eyes, sapphire glistening near droplets of tears. It made Liam almost forget himself, the large man stammering for a moment before continuing. "An-an-anyways, kid." He recovered. "You know I'm more of a hunter than he is..." the platinum-blonde again nodded. Whole she didn't really knew Terry, she knew Liam - the old man acting as a sort of second-father to her when her father had disappeared all those years ago. And hunting was something she knew Liam enjoyed. He was a sport about it, only hunting what he was allowed to and never more than a few animals a trip during the proper seasons to help keep the population under control. The Snow Queen had been to his house and seen some of his 'prized hunts' decorating the walls of her 'man-lair'.

Is that where Titania is now... Selena's eyes shut closed as she tried to banish the thought from her mind.

"You alright?" Liam asked, alarm in his voice.
"No." Selena finally spoke. "But please keep going."
"Well, the foxes... You see, we tried everything to slow them down. Traps, tricks, better fences and barbwire, making the place seem like unappealing territory - nothing worked." he waved his hands. "Crafty bastards. They'd eventually figure it out and sneak in and take the hens. And..."

She heard Liam's voice shake as he looked away, biting his thick, lower lip as if he was ashamed.

"And what?" Selena asked.
"And I made a mistake." Liam admitted. "A couple of years ago, we had a problem like this and we ended up solving it with using this thing that the foxes thought was a piece of meat. Looked like chicken and had a smell like it, but..."
"Fox poison." Selena finished. She had heard of it. Hell, it was on sale at some of the stores for 'pest control', though only as a last resort if traps and altering the territory didn't work.
"Yeah." Liam sighed. "You gotta understand, kid, the only animals that were coming close to that farm were the foxes. Wolves had never gone there, not even yours."
"She wasn't mine." Selena whispered. "I didn't own her."
"Well..." Liam looked down awkwardly. "Anyway, Dr. Gillian said that she must have ate some of it and..."

He ended it there. He didn't need to explain the last part.

Selena didn't know what to feel. She didn't even understand how this was even possible. Terry's farm was not Titania's territory. It wasn't far from it, but still! The forest near her home and mine was where Titania had stayed. How had she gone all the way over there-

"How did she get there?" Selena asked. "I mean, yes, she came down into town, but only a certain ways. Terry's farm is a far longer travel."
"I'm not sure." Liam shrugged, "But Gillian had a theory when he...um... When we brought her to him."

The wrestler remained silent, waiting to hear from Liam what the local veterinary had seen.

"Kid... Did you know Titania was pretty much blind?"
Selena's eyes widened in alarm. "Blin- No. Of course I didn't know."
"Well, she was old." Liam explained. "Or at least that's what the guy said. Slowly lost her sight."

Quickly, Selena tallied up the years. She knew, just from how long she had known the wolf, that the lupine was at least fourteen... She was old... Selena realized. How could I have missed that? sadness struck her again. Wolves lifespans were different according to expert, but none lived more than 17 years according to the most optimistic ones - Selena had done hours of research when she had been taking care of Titania at the animal shelter, remembering certain facts even to this day. But blind?

"He figures that she got lost somehow, turned around from her hunting ground, and ended up walking to Terry's, smelled the poison, thought it was food..." Again, he trailed off. Again, he did not finish the train of thought, and again, he didn't need to.

"I guess..." Selena's voice was hollow and soft. "I guess that's that then." She settled on saying but it did little good. All she could imagine was her little pup, scrambling around blind, lost and scared - and she wasn't there to help her. To protect her. The guilt and pain gripped her fiercely. "She's gone. What now?"
"Well..." Liam tried. "We're gonna do the funeral tonight if you want to join us." He offered. "Jean said we could do it at your place cause that where she often was."

Her territory... Her home... Selena's eyes finally released a few tears, a pale hand releasing the cooling cup of hot chocolate to wipe at them harshly with her palm. "Yeah." She whispered. "I just... I'll just be back home. Thinking."
"You got a place to stay?" Liam asked as Selena pushed herself out of the booth, leaving her cup on the table.
"In the cave." Selena replied.
"Come on, kid." Liam tried, a look of genuine care on his face. "You know you can bunk with me and Angie-"
"I know, uncle." A sad smile came to Selena. "But I... I need to be there - now more than ever after this..."
"I..." The old man stopped himself, perhaps because he knew the woman his little girl had become or perhaps he knew that if she didn't do this, she wouldn't be able to get any kind of closure. "Yeah..." He settled on saying. "You do what you gotta do."
"Thanks." She nodded her head, making her way to the backdoor exit, Liam following her so he could lock it behind her.

As she opened the door, the cold, morning air hitting her full force, she adjust her leather jacket, otherwise unfazed by the cool breeze. She was down the two wooden steps and just a few steps away when she heard Liam's voice again.
"Hey, Selena?" He called out, causing her to turn around. "I...I wish I could undo it, you know? I never meant to hurt her... Or you."

Eyes still moist with tears, Selena could only offer him a sad smile as her head slightly tilted. "I know, uncle." She replied. With a small wave of her hand, the Snow Queen continued on her way, the path she knew by heart to get to her old house and - more importantly - to her father's cave...


*************************************

Donovan Frost Mining Cave
Nome, Alaska
December 7th, 2013
1:36am

She hated feeling this big, but loved it at the same time. None of her old clothes fit her and, what little money she could put towards new clothes wouldn't fit her a few months from now. Still, she was happier than she had been in a long time. She was engaged to be married to a wonderful man - the love of her life - and, more importantly - she took a deep breath of the cold air as a her hand drifted down over the large swell in her abdomen.

Won't be long now, snowflake. she thought to the bundle she felt sleeping inside her. She could feel the child's head resting just to the side of her left rib cage, which Selena had figured out was the baby's 'favourite sleeping spot' because she always went there. She felt a slight movement as she walked along the outside of her house, the baby turning in her sleep. "Easy, Elsa." Selena whispered. "It's hard to balance when you're moving like that." Despite that, she couldn't help but smile brightly as she reached her father's cave. She hadn't dug here or searched for gold since halfway through the latter half of her second trimester. She would get back to it afterwards, she knew, but her father would never forgive her if she put the searching for gold ahead of carrying his granddaughter.

"Oh daddy..." Selena whispered as she walked inside the cave running her hand along the cavern walls. "I wish you were here to meet her." A few tears stung her eyes, though she didn't care. It was just her inside the cave, it didn't matter. "I know you'd love her. I know you'd give her everything mother won't." Selena sighed, wrapping her arms around her bare arms. She wore only a large nightgown with sleeves. It wasn't too cold for the Snow Queen and she had brought her shawl in case it was.

"I'm going to do everything I can for this baby." Selena promised aloud as she continued to walk throughout the cave. "I'll teach her right and wrong like you taught me. I'll let her skip school once in awhile. I'll let her play pirates." Selena smiled at the fond memory of her father playing pirates on the jungle gym long ago. "I'll show her how to mine for gold." She added. "She'll be wonderful, father." Selena cried happily. "She'll never be unhappy a day in her life - because she'll have me and Adrian."

She stopped for a moment to take a deep breath again, and for a moment she felt her father's spirit inside her. This... This here and now, this was what mattered most to her. Not some title like "Snow Queen" or being "a proper lady of power" like her mother wanted. But family. A family full of love and happiness...

A sharp bark from the entrance of the cave caused Selena to spin around, clumsily with her larger frame, her eyes wide and scanning the entrance, her heart racing. However, as she spied the animal standing there, she instantly relaxed, her face forming another smile.

"Hi girl!" Selena beamed as she lowered herself to a knee as Titania bounded over to her, immediately entering Selena's embrace to lick her face and receive pets and rubs from the pregnant blonde. "Did you hear me leaving the house?" Selena asked playfully. "Did you hear me leaving the house?"

Titania was now on her back, receiving her belly rubs with the utmost joy. She used her mouth to playfully hold Selena's arm, though not enough to cause her pain. "Oh you're happy to see me?" Selena asked knowingly, changing her hands position to rub and paw Titania's furry face. The wolf continued to lap up the affection until the two were content enough, Selena pushing herself to sit against one of the walls of the cavern, Titania moving to lay beside her protectively.

The female wolf had hit adulthood two years after Selena had found her and was returned to the wild shortly before that, though she had stayed near Selena's home. The young Frost, true to her word, had kept with her studies and lessons, visiting and caring for Titania as much as she could by volunteering at the shelter. There were some hard weeks where things went wrong between her and her mother, but all and all, Selena did all she could to constantly be there for Titania.

Now? At seven years of age, the wolf was a full-sized adult, yet still the same loveable pup Selena had found when she was a teenager. Smiling down at her, Selena reached over to softly scratch the back of Titania's head. "So..." She whispered to the wolf. "In a couple weeks, you're going to have a sister."

Titania lifted her head to gaze at Selena. "That's right, girl." Selena smiled, continuing to rub her head. "A little girl is going to join our family. And I'm gonna need you to love her and protect her like you have for me."

The wolf whined a little.

"No!" Selena laughed. "I'm not gonna play 'favourites' with you." She stared at Titania's expression. "Don't give me that face!" She laughed before petting all over the wolf's face, Titania licking her hand in response. "You have kids too now." Selena laughed. "And grandkids if my math is right. You gonna say you love me more than them?"

Titania didn't answer, instead laying her head on Selena's lap.

"That's what I thought." The Snow Queen smugly replied in victory. "With mother living with her current boyfriend, it'll be just us."

The notion sounded like heaven. She had managed to free herself from her vile mother, no longer the target of Anastasia's pitiful dreams and schemes. No, she and Adrian would be married after their baby was born and their new lives would begin!

"It sounds perfect, doesn't it?" She smiled, leaning down as best as she could to kiss the wolf's head. The wolf whined but it was a happy whine. It matched how Selena felt.

Peaceful. Content. Happy.

It was a feeling she never wanted to lose...


*************************************

Selena Frost's Alaskan Home
Nome, Alaska
June 28th, 2020
11:43pm

The fire was dying down now, the wood and all within the pyre having been burned to ashes. There was nothing she could recognize anymore. It was all ashes...

"Goodbye, Titania." Selena whispered, reaching up to wipe the last tears from her eyes. "I know...wherever you are..." Her voice shook. "They're serving hot dogs." She couldn't help the sad laugh that escaped her while she answered that. "I...I'm sorry you couldn't meet Elsianna or David or Amiliah. But you met Deanna." She smiled, remembering the day she had taken her wife hiking and introduced her. The wolf had been reluctant at this stranger, but... Selena couldn't explain it, but - maybe Titania saw that this woman was Selena's mate like the one Titania had. Whatever the reason, she had been kind to Deanna.

"I know..." Selena continued. "I know that I wouldn't be who I am if it wasn't for you, girl." Selena whispered. "You were the first person I truly fought for - you showed me what it was like to fight for someone and now... Now I'm somewhere where I can fight for so many. I have my own family - my own pack." She gasped as she smiled, a breath quickly escaping her in a mixture of a smile and a sob. "You were always a fighter, girl. And you gave me the strength every time I needed to come here and find my own, you were there to help me find it."

She turned her head, seeing Liam Jacks standing near by but remaining silent to allow Selena time to speak. Near him, watching silently, was Jean Black and Zoe Evers. She was grateful to them both for arranging this and letting her say goodbye to Titania. With one last deep breath and a sigh, Selena gazed at the fire once more. "I'll never forget you, Titania. I promise you."

With one last look, Selena turned and made her way over to Liam, who opened his big arms to embrace her. "I'm sorry, kid." He whispered. "If I could go back and undo it-"
"I've thought about that over and over again for weeks, Liam." Selena sighed. "But...She had a good life" She cast a glance back at the still-glowing embers. "And a dear friend recently told me that you can't change the past." She shrugged sadly. "All you can do is the next right thing."

A slow half-smile, earnest, spread across Liam's face. "I kinda... I mean - I wanted to do something for you... But... I'm scared."
"Scared?" Selena asked in worry. "Of what?"
"That you'll hate me for it."

Without explaining, the restaurant owner, dressed in a bright red windbreaker jacket moved to his car to open the trunk. Reaching in he pulled something out, though Selena could not see from where she was standing. Jean and Zoe said nothing, merely standing by their own car as Liam approached Selena.

"If this is bad. Tell me and I'll throw it in the pyre, okay?" He said as he handed the item to Selena. With the help of the moonlight and the headlights of Jean's car, Selena was able to look down and see what she now held. It was a medium-length leather jacket, much like the red one she always wore, but this one was black and... There was something out. Reaching her hand out, Selena ran the pale hand along the soft fur that lines the head-hole, the wrists and down both sides of the opening.

"There wasn't enough to make a full coat, but..." Liam tried. "I know she would have wanted you to have a piece of her with her." His voice shook, he was so scared that he had screwed up and upset Selena further. The woman had never worn true-fur before, the closest think being faux-fur of her Winter-Sky dress. But as she stared down at the coat, her hand still feeling the soft fur, she almost cried again.

"It feels just like her." Selena half-cried, half-laughed. "Just like when I would pet her."

Looking up, her eyes streaming with new tears, she reached out to wrap her free arm around Liam. "Thank you, uncle."
"I love you, Selena." Liam whispered.
"I love you too." Selena whispered before leaning back, just as a loud set of howling sounds filled the skies from aways away.

"Looks like the wolves are out tonight." Jean Black stated absent mindedly. No one replied, but Selena knew better.

She knew it was Titania's pups, her grand pups, and even her great grand pups. Her family. Saying goodbye.

Looking down at her coat, Selena pet a section of fur again.

It's okay... she thought as she felt herself slowly healing again... I've got you.

__________________________________________

Frozen Central

The camera slowly fades upon the interior of the Canadian Tire Center in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. It is filled with empty seats and an empty ring, preparations for tonight's episode of Breakdown, where the semi-finals and the finals of the United States Championship Tournament will take place. Last week, eight superstars battled. Now, only four remain. Two former world champions, a veteran, controversial figure, and hot-shot new face to SCW - one of these four will be crowned the NEW S-C-W United States Champion on the verge of Rise to Greatness. The excitement for the night and the tournament's end has been buzzing through the backstage, even exciting several of the roster and staff of SCW beyond the remaining participants, which almost makes the quiet in this shot rather eerie. Still, as the camera shot alters to closer to the ring, Arctic-blue and white lights washing over it, and the woman that sits in the middle of the ring, that silence is broken by the sound of voices.

You're nothing more than a woman who is playing a supporting role in this production.
A snow queen from Alaska... Who once won a beauty contest and it went so far to her head...
Your heart is elsewhere...
I want the belt for what it WILL BE across my shoulder
I will lead by example. I will prove why I am the very best in SCW!

The voices, recognized as those of Christy Matthews and Chris Cannon - one of whom shall be in the finals tonight - repeat their statements over and over again until they are overlapping one another into a cacophony of noise, difficult to discern until, after a moment, it all goes silent and the woman, who has been sitting in the ring, her legs crossed, takes a deep breath before opening her eyes, sapphire beauties staring into the emptiness of the arena. Her hair is tied in its iconic braid, but wrapped around her frame is a leather jacket with fur trim around the neck, wrists and front.

One more night. Two more matches. And a new United States Champion will be crowned... she inhales and exhales a little, her eyes holding how deep in thought she is. One more night, and history will either repeat itself or something new may happen...

Another breath before the Face of SCW shakes her head, her expression changing to a bright smile. Before that, let me say Happy birthday - happy Canada day - to the wonderful SCW Canadian fans! I have been here a few days now and, as with every year I can come to visit Canada around this time, everyone is celebrating. There are snippets on television, people re-enacting Canada's history as it celebrates another year. Fireworks will illuminate the sky in celebration, and the nation will look both behind in reflection of the precious year and ahead for the year that awaits...

The young woman's hands fidget as they hold one another, her eyes watching them do so. Like those she spoke of, she seems reflective for a moment, perhaps from the voices heard moments ago or something more personal to her, it is unclear.

History, memories, legacy - these are words that are thrown around so much on holidays like these, but more so here in SCW. Especially now - this time of year - when you not only have the SCW Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, immortalizing a chosen few, but also Rise to Greatness. You've only to see the other side of this tournament, hear the words of Christy Matthews and Chris Cannon to become quite overburdened with it.

She sighs, lifting her head to observe the camera and audience. I said a few days ago that the two of you were cut from the same cloth. I didn't speak that from a simple glance at your biographies or Wikipedia pages or whatever. I spoke from experience. I spoke from my personal history fighting and watching both of you for years. Experience and history: two things that will be my edge against Gavin Taylor. The two of you - especially you, Chris - are quite certain that I will be the one that one of you will meet at the finals of the tournament to crown a new United States Champion. Selena takes a deep breath before shifting her gaze.

That is not a slight against you, Gavin. I've said enough about you in that regard. It's a statement about me. As clever, talented, and tricky as you are, I know this ring. I know this place. I know this world that is SCW. It's not something that comes by pretending to be a different kind of SCW champion every week. It doesn't come by spending a week or even a year here. It comes from being here year after year, hardship after hardship, despite the failures. It comes from not giving up on yourself and what you believe in, even if it takes years for an opportunity to come your way. Even if things seem unfair. It's holding yourself accountable for your actions, not making excuses for them. Holding yourself to a standard that truly means "Supreme Championship Wrestling".

The Snow Queen pauses for a moment to, once again, regard the camera. Of those things, Gavin, I do not believe you have yet. And that experience - that history - that will be my edge to get by you in the semi-finals. I know you will make me work for that and I will have to be on my toes every second of our battle... But I know I can win. I know I can get to the finals and I know that that I have the tools to beat the supposed 'All-Star'.

A moment of silence comes from the platiminum-blonde, her gaze hardening as she glares at her new targets. Which makes me return to the two of you: Chris and Christy. The man that thinks I'm nothing more than a 'supporting role' in this tournament and the woman that laughs at the notion of me being chosen to be in this tournament.

Why is it you laugh, Christy? Selena tilts her head with a slight smirk. Is my presence here a joke to you? You were quite lazy in using that same old line about my nickname and how I look. Do you feel, as Glory Braddock did, that I don't belong here, in this tournament? Or are you so full of yourself still that you think you can just steamroll over me?

See, Christy, that's something you've always had with you - that disrespect for me. That arrogance where you saw me as nothing more than an insect that you could crush at any moment. And you and Chris, you both have so much in common. The two of you can both claim victories over me and nights where you have taken the championships from me. That, I cannot deny, but I'll get to that.

I could almost forgive Chris' view of me, Christy, but you? You and I have fought over and over again. Hell, we have fought for the title that is on the line now, remember? Countless battles... Selena's eyes narrow. How many of those have you lost, Christy? How many of those matches did you get knocked down and pinned by me? Shall I mention a rather famous one? It was a tournament semi-final - much like one you will have tonight here on Canada day - you, the champion, facing me. How did that end? How did the tournament end?

Selena does not give an answer, the 'Year of Selena Frost' that was 2016 still a rather shining moment in the platinum-blonde's resume.

Or is that another joke to you, Christy? Selena tilts her head. You know, I find it rather hypocritical of you. You whine and complain about Adam Sharper, the Voice of SCW, undermining you, disrespecting your victories, etc... And yet...

With a flick of her wrist, Selena gestures towards the large titantron screen at the top of the ramp on one side of the arena space. The screen quickly shifts and turns, revealing none other than Christy Matthews, herself, standing in front of a camera, a clip from her promo last week against Jake Starr.

I did eventually get an opportunity, a year and a half ago, against Selena Frost. Calamity ensued. A JOKE of an ending saw her walk away with the belt...

The clip pauses, frozen in place, as Selena slowly, darkly, turns her gaze back towards the camera.

A 'joke', you say? she raises an eyebrow. Adam Sharper undermines you? 'Cheapens your wins' and 'what you do in the ring', but me defeating you is a joke?

No, Christy, what is happening between you and Sharper is the same thing that happened between you and me and it will be the same thing that happens to you if I face you in the finals. It's called karma.

Because let's go back a bit to that 'joke', shall we? Selena gets to her feet, dusting her hands as she does. There you were, having just betrayed Sasha and SCW. And I don't mean you openly sided with Katya as some did because they felt she was better. No no no. You, Christy, pretended to be on Sasha's side so you could stab her in the back. And why? For a title shot against me. A title shot, mind you, that had your associate, Alexander Crowe, by Katya's will, serve as the special guest referee. And in a match where you choked me with camera cables but didn't get disqualified, where the official attacked me and broke up my holds... I somehow managed to retain. No... Let me take words from you, Christy. Selena's eyes narrow. I outthought Christy Matthews. I outwrestled Christy Matthews. I beat Christy Matthews.

The words echo a little as Selena leans forward a bit, only to lean back and shrug her shoulders. But apparently, I am a joke to you. Apparently, you are untouchable. Apparently, it is your destiny to win. Why? Because you 'want the belt for what it will be across your shoulder'?

And what is that, Christy? You said that you would embody the 'American Dream' and that same old line of 'restoring' the title. Look, Christy, I'll be the first to say that the United States title needs something after Bree's reigns and her dumping it. I said so earlier, but exactly, what can that title 'be' with you holding it?

Because as far as I've seen... You've been nothing but hypocritical so far. You saw you're undervalued yet you call me a joke. You say you feel disrespected yet you laugh at us and disrespect this tournament.

So what can that title be with you as its champion, Christy? Is it you coming to the ring every night, surrounded by your group, Infamous? Is it needing five or six other people in your corner to face one person? Like you did with Jake Starr? Is it ambushing a six on one assault against people that stand up to you and talk back? Is that the 'American Dream'? Is that what the title 'will be' if it goes to you?

Or is it backstage deals with others to get what you want? Is it you selling out one value after another to get something more or something bigger? Like you did with Katya. Or is it making a deal with a friend just so you can say you 'held a title' like you did with Autumn Valentine and Ryan Watson, playing hot potato with the tag-team titles across house shows. Do you think anyone bought that two-bit acting, Christy? Worst kept secret in SCW. Is THAT what will happen if the opportunity presents itself to you, Christy? You play hot-potato with Ravyn so she can have 'the most US title reigns' or something? Or with Syren so she can be one step closer to being a 'Supreme Champion'?

Because if that's the case, how are you any better than Bree, Christy? How are you even remotely concerned with the 'purpose' of that title?

Selena shrugs her shoulders as she walks along the ring. I'm not interested in seeing you as a joke, Christy. I'm not interested in seeing our possible meeting in the finals as a joke. If you manage to get past Chris Cannon and the Beauty Factory, I will not question for a single second the war you and I will wage and how far you will go to finish your near ten-year 'dream'. I have seen and experienced the desperate acts you'll go to to try and win, remember? But if you think you can laugh and waltz through this tournament without a single problem. If you believe we are jokes to you? Well... Selena shakes her head. History will certainly repeat itself where you and I are concerned.

A pause, before she continues. It's not being pessimistic, but realistic. I know that I will either face the full wrath of Infamous or the full wrath of the Beauty Factory. From being a 'joke' in one, to being a 'supporting, two-bit part' in another, right, Chris?

Selena crosses her arms as she leans against the nearest turnbuckle. Chris, I would have thought you would have learned from Glory Braddock. She also thought she could write my story for me. She thought she could 'decide' where my path would go. What happened? I don't care how much power you think you have. I don't care what your obsession is. You're not one of a kind, Chris. Your 'need'? Your 'years' of waiting? Somewhere between Christy's decade of trying to win the title and my four-hundred plus days of wanting another chance at it, and no more or less powerful. But even with that need, even with your skills, Chris, you are not strong enough to determine my destiny, my role in this tournament.

But you were right, Chris. I am the favourite to win this. The majority of the SCW fans have expressed their love and made their voices heard and those voices are screaming "We Believe!". But you seem to think that 'favourite to win' is the same as 'odds are in my favour' and nothing could be further from the truth, Chris. Because, unlike you, when I say something, I genuinely mean it. I genuinely back up what I try to fight for. And against a man like you or a woman like Christy, I should bring an army. For the five or six possible people you could bring, from Bree to Sienna to Xiomara and so on, I should be bringing David Helms, Regan Street, Delilah, Jason Helms... But I'm not going to. Because as much as you think I am just a 'supporting role', I have done it, gotten here, on my own. I have clawed my way to this place, to this moment. I have fought against overwhelming odds, against failure, against being cast aside and treated like trash from my peers, trying to replace me, and still I am here. Still, I am fighting for what I believe in.

Yet you think that my heart isn't in it, Chris? Selena tilts her head and smiles, amused. 'My heart isn't in it', Chris? Do you have any idea how easily I could have dropped out of this tournament and given my spot to someone else? Do you have any idea how few phone calls or how few conversations I would have to have with Sasha to make that happen? Yes, I want to be there for my sister when we challenge for the tag-team titles at Rise to Greatness. Yes, I want to be there to help her become a supreme champion. Tell me, how is that different from you wanting to be there for Sienna when you were both locked in that chamber against James Evans, aside from the moral issues? How is that different than you staying out of last year's End of the Year Battle Royale so you didn't have to face your wife, who was defending the world title?

See you look at my love for my sister as a distraction. As something that will 'hold me back' and, like you were about my place here, you are very wrong. Regan believes in me like the SCW Universe believes in me and that doesn't make me weaker. They are my family, Chris, and they make me stronger. They make me stronger than you can imagine. But you see, you're a brilliant man. I think you know that. I don't think you would really believe that such a remark - that I'm 'distracted' or 'I don't have the heart for this' - would fly here after I've already made it this far. Selena shakes her head.

No. I think the person distracted, I think the person trying to 'distract' all of us, Chris, is you. Because one thing has remained common in every promo you've aired since this tournament began. And no, it wasn't who you could face. It was that moment... turning her head, Selena watches as the large screen of the titantron flickers before showing a clip from Taking Hold of the Flame of David Helms eliminating Chris and, thus, winning the event. The clip freezes on David Helms celebrating in the ring and Chris Cannon on the ground, frustrated and angry before returning to Selena.

Every promo, you've spoken about how you deserved to be where David was. That it was your right to be there. Yet, we both know you're not. Just like this tournament, that 'beauty factory main-event' was denied to you. So... Let me say to you now, Chris. After all of that, I can't help but think your heart is elsewhere. she smiles with a tilt of her head. I think it still burns inside of you, Chris. That, like Retribution, when you had everything to gain and you thought you couldn't possibly lose... You did. I think it burns inside you to the point where all you can think about is David Helms and the main-event of Rise to Greatness, and how you won't be there. So, much like Bree Lancaster has done over and over again in her career, you're settling.

Oh yes, I'm sure she'll be happy to hear that. But it's true. Bree failed twice over to win the World title before she went after the United States title and the second she didn't need it anymore, she cast it aside. And here you are, having failed to get the World title shot, telling us all how badly you want it. When just last week, you were preaching how you would settle for ANY title, right, Chris? You may want any title, Chris, but compared to Christy and I, who want THIS title - the United States Title - perhaps it's you that doesn't have the heart.

The Snow Queen throws her braid back, letting it settle over her shoulder, against her back. Is that what you meant when you said you would 'lead by example', Chris? That you'd just repeat what Bree did? Wait until the World title came your way, settling for the United States title until it did and dumping it like she did? Or will you take a page from Christy's 'goals' and just hide behind your stable and continue your ambushes and cheap ploys? A man that needed a handicap match, with the timekeeper, official, and enforcer in his pocket against one man. A man that had such 'strength to beat me', as you put it, that he needed to attack my wife and throw her into the barricade to defeat me. Is that your 'example', Chris? Is that the strength you are searching for in your soul, Chris? Cause if it is, you're no better than Giovanni Aries.

Sapphire eyes narrow again. You said that you were going to do me a favour, Chris. Allow me to return the gesture and give you some advice, free of charge. Find that strength in your soul. Dig as deep as you can to get it. And once you find it... Keep digging. Because you're not facing the young girl you faced in 2014. You're not facing the girl who's wife you needed to hurt in order to win. You're facing the woman that has been a thorn in your side since the days of Monarchy and into Beauty Factory. Your facing the person that you are pretending you are: one of the very best of SCW.

Selena scoffs. I may be a joke or a two-bit part to both you two, Chris and Christy, but I'm the only person that actually is going to 'lead by example'. Because I am going to earn my spot in the finals by being the better superstar. Not by cheating. Not by outside help. No! I am going to do what I have done for nearly seven years and keep getting back up and fighting every fight like it will be my last - representing this company! And I'm not going to promise an 'era' or 'a certain future'. I'm not going to claim what winning this tournament will make me or what it does for the future.

Gently, she reaches up to pet the fur on her jacket. I'm just going to be me. I'm just going to fight until I can't anymore. Because that is who I truly am. And that is who I will always be.

Believe it, guys... And let's see who history remembers as the winner of this night!

With a flourish, Selena spins her hand as the cameras slowly fade to black.