04-15-2024, 10:52 PM
DISCLAIMER: The following is a work of fiction and not to be confused as complete or accurate representation of any beliefs, religions, etc. Please refer to research/articles by experts for that.
Frost ‘Forever Home’
Manhattan, New York
April 8th, 2024
11:41am
The house looked exactly the same on the inside. Why that somewhat surprised Selena, she wasn’t quite sure. She recognized the doormat, usually having pairs of shoes or boots standing in the corner by the door, she recognized the pictures hanging on the wall, the stair railing where David had gotten his head stuck that one time. Nothing had really changed. Why did that unnerve her a little? Was Deanna trying to ‘keep the past’ or something? Or was Selena simply overthinking due to being nervous of standing within her ‘Forever Home’ once again – given how shaky things were in her family.
It wasn’t like she hadn’t been here since her departure from the past, but she usually had her children brough to her in the Eyrie Tower in NYC. She… she wasn’t so sure why she felt uneasy being her. Part of her wanted to be here. Part of her never wanted to leave. However, that also meant that part of her desperately wanted to NOT be here.
It felt off – the tension, the memories of both good and wonderful times but also the heartbreaking times recent months had created. It was a tornado of emotions that just… gods she hated it.
But she had promised to be here. Had set the day aside, choosing a day and time where the children would be at school. Where it could just be her and-
“You okay?”
She turned her head to see Deanna standing before her, the redhead having moved back into the mudroom space after letting Selena into the house.
“Yeah…just…” Selena shrugged her shoulders, unable to fully explain. “Feels a little strange. I… I don’t know how to put it into words.”
Despite the vagueness, Deanna merely nodded her head at that. “Feels strange for me too.” She admitted. “But that’s kinda been our whole schtick the last few months.”
“Can’t say I’ve enjoyed it.” Selena sighed. “I rather things be clear.”
“Me too.” Deanna admitted, more to herself than to Selena, though the platinum-blonde did hear it.
Not that it was all bad. Work still continued to be a sore spot for the Frost wives, yet they had tried another date or two with Chica and Evelyn. They had done all they could to follow ‘the rules’ set up for them by Dr. Glengow – no talk about wrestling, no pretending to be anything related to wrestling. Last time, Chica had taken Evelyn to one of the parks for a walk, just chatting about life and weather and – okay, THAT particular conversation had been hard for both Selena and Deanna when wrestling was a ‘forbidden’ topic.
Cause Chica and Evelyn aren’t wrestlers… Selena reminded herself. Still, even with the restriction, it had been a pleasant experience. Selena and Deanna would hash our their issues with Dr. Glengow every week and Chica and Evelyn would meet up, when they could (sometimes Evelyn was ‘out of town’ with her flights or Chica was ‘in the writing zone’ and couldn’t be disturbed), and learn more about themselves in small ways. It was an odd process, seemingly weird on paper, but it was… something to Selena.
However, being here had nothing to do with Chica and Evelyn. She wasn’t here as her alter-ego. She was here as Selena Frost. The SCW world champion. And Deanna was…well, she was Deanna. The United States Champion.
“Should…should we be ashamed?” Selena finally asked. “I mean, that we didn’t even think about this?”
“Are you feeling ashamed?” Deanna asked with a tilt of her head.
“No, but… I mean, given circumstances, it really wasn’t the time for it, but the fact that it’s never even come up.”
“Well…” Deanna shrugged again. “It wasn’t…things were… look, you’re here now and it… it means a lot.”
“I’m trying.” Selena offered apologetically. “I know a lot of shit was said but… I meant what I said-“
“About The One and Breakdown-“
“No… not…okay, yes that, but… the other stuff.” Selena tried. “I really do want things to be better between us.”
Deanna gave a nod. “Chica and Evelyn are getting along.” She offered.
“Yeah.” Selena replied with a slightly louder exhale. “Let’s hope it works out for them.”
An awkward silence hung between them, neither Frost able to continue the conversation right away. Eventually, Deanna cleared her throat to regain the taller Selena’s attention. “Did you bring everything?”
To answer, Selena merely gestured to the black duffle-bag laying at her feet.
“Good.” Deanna nodded her head. “Was the traffic a problem?”
“Not really.” Selena replied back. “Typical New York…”
“Right.” Another nod from the redhead. “Well… come in and… we can get started…I’ll just go change.”
Taking a deep breath, Selena gave a nod of her head, watching her wife ascend the staircases and disappearing into her bedroom – their bedroom. Despite herself, Selena felt her heart speed up nervously. She stared at the empty staircases longer than she should before grabbing her bag and walking further into the house.
“You can do this…” she whispered to herself. Though, if she were honest with herself… she wasn’t entirely sure she could.
********************
The Office of Dr. Glengow
New York City, New York
April 2nd, 2024
3:13pm
“How can you not see that?!” Selena almost grabbed at her own hair in frustration, choosing instead to push herself off the couch from where she was sitting, pacing around the counseling room looking at everything – the books on the shelf, the framed university degrees (though she didn’t take time to read them – too frustrated), the heavy-looking vase of flowers – none of it calmed her in that moment and the only reason she wasn’t putting her fist through a wall (or her foot – she was close to the point of considering that – was because she didn’t want that kind of reputation showing up on TMZ or something like that.
Nearby, she could see Dr. Nia Glengow, her marriage counselor, and her wife, Deanna, staring at her. Neither woman was speaking, both pairs of eyes clearly on Selena. Like I’m crazy… she grit her teeth at the thought.
“Selena… I was just trying to keep you from making a mistake.” Deanna tried to explain.
“It doesn’t matter what you were trying to do!” she felt her voice crack, unintentionally. “We had a deal, Deanna! We made a promise!” she emphasized. “I stay out of your way and you stay out of mine when it comes to SCW! We don’t get involved with each other’s business, remember!? YOU asked for that so you could pursue these insane matches on your own!”
“Is that true?” Glengow asked, her attention, now, on Deanna, who shrugged guiltily.
“Yes…but…”
“But what?” Selena asked. “I get to keep my mouth shut about a Last Woman Standing match but you come out, in public, and talk down to me on Breakdown?!”
“I wasn’t talking down to you!” Deanna emphasized. “I was trying to keep you from making a huge mistake!”
“And what mistake was that?” Glengow asked.
“Don’t encourage her!” Selena barked. “There is no excuse-“
“Selena!”
The dark-skinned woman’s glare silenced the Snow Queen dead in her tracks, plunging the room into silence. “You’ve spoken a lot. Right now, I want to hear Deanna’s side of things.”
Despite herself, Selena bit down on her tongue as hard as she could, using the pain to keep herself quiet as Deanna, shaken, tried to collect herself.
“Deanna…” Glengow urged. “Do you think you broke your promise to Selena?”
It took a second for Deanna to exhale a shaky breath before lifting her head back up to the psychiatrist. “Yes.” She answered honestly, earning a nod from Nia.
“And can you understand how that would hurt Selena? How much it would hurt her?”
“Y-yes…” Deanna nodded.
“Did you comprehend that when you made the choice?”
“Not at the moment now – it all happened so fast. She was out there, talking about The One and forcing SCW to cancel The One’s match…”
“I’m sorry, who is-“
“My upcoming wrestling opponent.” Selena explained. “The woman who broke Deanna’s arm over a year ago.” As if that would explain anything.
Still, Deanna was able to continue. “Selena was trying to get One’s world title match revoked on suspicion of collusion with someone that attacked her the week before.”
“Oh come on!” Selena laughed. “I had every right! SOMEONE had to let Kandis get in! Someone had to help get her past security! You think they’re dumb enough to not check someone hidden by a hoodie? Please!”
“And she suspected The One.”
“Why not?!” Again, Selena laughed. “Deanna, what happened the last time I dealt with her? She colluded with Nicole Kinneck to attack me from behind! How many times did she do that to me? To you? It all fit!”
“No. It was shaky at best!” Deanna remarked. “And you were willing to risk looking like a damn coward just on such a theory.”
“So, you broke your promise to Selena.” Nia concluded, earning a nod from Deanna and a huff from Selena.
“Selena had worked… so hard… to get the world title back – to get the division to… something. I don’t really understand what. And I don’t agree with everything she’s done. But the one thing I know is that she isn’t afraid of anyone. That’s the last thing she would want to display. And if she did this, if she started taking away people’s opportunities instead of helping others get them by…” Deanna snapped her fingers, unable to recall the right words.
“Clearing the deck.” Selena spoke up, finishing the sentence for her wife.
“That’s it.” Deanna nodded. “Then all the work would be for nothing.” She turned her attention over to Selena. “I don’t like some of the things you do, but I knew that wasn’t what you wanted. And I…genuinely… don’t think Kristen had anything to do with it.”
Clenching her jaw, Selena shook her head. “Doesn’t matter if she did or she didn’t now. You broke your promise. That’s what hurts, Deanna. Why can’t you see that?”
“I can see that!” Deanna pressed. “I’m sorry I had to, but I felt I had no choice in the matter.”
“You could have spoken to me privately! You could have called me! Left a message! Anything but come out and embarrass me on Breakdown! You think I wasn’t told of your little ‘meeting’ with Aaron Demitria?”
Again, the widening of the eyes and look of shame crossed Deanna’s features as the accusation found its mark.
“I…” she tried to explain. “I just had to know. For my sake.”
“You’re meddling in my affairs, Deanna.” Selena growled. “How would you like it if I started sniffing around the United States title division?”
The question caused Deanna’s head to snap up, emerald eyes staring into Selena’s sapphire ones, prompting the Snow Queen to continue.
“How bout that? Not like I’d have to work hard to be considered for a title shot. We both know you’ve been good with mid-carders. But last time you faced a main-eventer… you lost.” She gave a cold shrug of her shoulders. “What if I decided I wanted to mess around with YOUR business?”
Opening her mouth to speak, Deanna’s mouth slowly closed, the redhead unable to say a word at the moment.
“Selena…” Nia tried. “If I may…” earning the platinum-blonde’s attention. “While Deanna’s breaking of the promise seems motivated for a genuine care and love for you… yours is coming from a place of hurt and bitterness. Can you not see that?”
Selena’s head jerked, eyes blazing at the doctor. “I don’t see why she gets to break the promise but I can’t.”
“I’m not saying you can’t.” Nia clarified. “No one here is ‘unable’ to do anything.” To prove her point, she stood up, moving over to Selena. “Punch your wife in the face.”
“What?” Selena asked shocked.
“WHAT?!” Deanna asked, even more shocked.
“Go ahead.” Nia remarked. “Actually… punch me in the face.” She offered with a shrug of her shoulders. “I’m not a fighter. I won’t fight back.”
“Selena, don’t!” Deanna ordered.
“I won’t.” Selena barked back at Deanna. “I’m not that stupid.”
“Exactly!” Nia remarked, returning to her chair. “You won’t do it because of the situation and of consequences. No one is ‘unable’ to do anything. I merely ask that you consider the consequences of your actions, Selena. Back to the conversation, you COULD go after your wife in retaliation, but will that do any good now? Will it undo your match? Will it undo what’s been done?”
Selena thought about that for a moment before shaking her head. The match was signed and sealed. She had ensured that shortly after Deanna had come out on Breakdown to campaign for Kristen Scott – of all people!
“No, it won’t. But what would happen if you did punish Deanna for trying to look out for you?”
For a moment, Selena’s eyes fluttered over to her wife’s, the redhead gazing her with a look that seemed apologetic and frightened.
There was no good answer she could give. ‘It’ll make me feel better’ wasn’t anywhere near good enough for one. It terms of herself? Worst case scenario, Deanna stunned her and beat her. And then what? Then Deanna would be pulled towards the world title picture again (assuming Selena beat Kristen, of course). Best case scenario for the Snow Queen, she’d win, using her experience and newer mentality to overcome her wife’s ‘grit’. And then what? She would destroy the greatest title run her wife had ever had! Hell, Deanna’s current reign as United States Champion had eclipsed Selena’s longest reign as world champion by several days! In fact, Selena had NEVER held a title as long as Deanna had held hers since July. Nobody in SCW had in a long time! It was… Selena had to admit… something that was gaining notoriety the longer it last. Not that it would breath the established longest reign in the title’s history, but the fact that there hadn’t been many title reigns in the past five or so years that matched Deanna’s in terms of length, including any of Selena’s?
And she was contemplating ending it – the history-making reign for her wife, who needed it almost as much as Selena, deep down, needed the world title.
But she broke her promise! Growled the ‘devil’s voice’ in her mind, surging her frustration further. But she refused to lash out again. Instead, she merely sighed. “Fine.” Selena shrugged. “She can get away with it. That’s apparently what a promise is worth. She can break it, but I can’t. Long as she has an excuse.” She turned her back to the pair of women watching her, tossing her iconic braid back over her shoulder.
“That’s not fair.” Deanna remarked. “I only broke it that once.”
“And with Aaron Demitria.”
“That doesn’t count!” Deanna shot back. “I told you I just wanted to hear it from him that he wasn’t bought or something.”
“And you couldn’t ask me because?”
“Because I wouldn’t…” Deanna gulped on her words before pressing them out. “Because I don’t think I would trust whatever you told me.”
“I REALLY AM SICK OF HEARING YOU SAY THAT!”
She had not meant to yell at Deanna, or even to raise her voice, but hearing that remark again! Like she had weeks ago. “What did I do, Deanna? Huh? You believe in Kristen Scott – are you fucking kidding me?! The woman who broke your arm to get to me! The woman that stalked you! That got a lunatic to join her and hurt us! The woman that disrespected everything you did with that title! That discredited you! That swore to do more than break your arm if you let her! You trust her over me?! Her word over mine?!”
Selena huffed a breath, unable to make sense of the situation before her. “What the hell did I do where THAT makes sense?! Where my own wife doesn’t believe in me?!”
“You left me!” Deanna shouted back. “You broke my heart, Selena!”
“Oh gods…this again!” Selena laughed. “How long are you going to play that card with me?! I didn’t want to go back to SCW! You forced me to! You and the SCW Management! I told you there would be consequences. I told you that things couldn’t go back to the way they were! You wouldn’t listen! You kept pushing! You wouldn’t take ‘no’ for an answer!”
“Because I could see what it was doing to you-“
“And you know better, right? Just like last Breakdown, right?! You knew better than me, right? You always know better than me, right?! I’m just a big idiot that knows how to kick, right?! I can’t possibly know for a single second what the hell I am doing!”
“I never said that!” Deanna countered.
“Well you sure as hell are acting like you believe that!” Selena countered back.
“Alright, stop!” Nia’s voice, calm but authoritative, was like a bolt of lightning, silencing the room once more. “I will not turn my space into a shouting match when it’s just to lash out.” Her eyes turned to Selena. “Selena, please sit down.”
“I can’t…” Selena shook her head, her body trembling. “I’m too…I’m too shot… my nerves.” She held out her hands, revealing how they trembled.
“Selena…” Deanna got up, causing the platinum-blonde to stumble back a few steps.
“No…” she whispered, wrapping her arms around herself. “You have no idea how much it hurts.” She whispered. “I don’t give a fuck what everyone else believes. They can hate me… I don’t mind it. It’s…it’s fun to make them look like fools.” She admitted, a sad laugh escaping her. “But you? I…” she shook her head. “I never thought you would ever stop believing in how much I love you and want the best for you and that everything I do is for you, me, for our family…”
Again, Deanna opened her mouth to talk but no words came out. She couldn’t find any. But her eyes were able to find tears to shed as they trailed down her cheeks. Sitting back down, the redhead was offered a box of tissues by Dr. Glengow. Selena, meanwhile, had taken support in the corner by the bookshelf, keeping herself there, her arms still wrapped around herself.
“Okay.” Nia breathed. “This is something we need to unpack.” She stated slowly. “There is some serious damage here.” She turned her attention to Deanna. “Deanna. Can you see what your choices have done to Selena?”
The redhead turned her eyes to Selena, who could not fully meet her gaze. “Yes…” she whispered. “And I am sorry, Selena. I really am. I just…” she sighed. “I don’t even know what I was doing anymore. I’m just so…I don’t know what to feel right now.”
“Numb.” Selena answered. “That’s what I am feeling right now.”
“It’s an emotional shut down.” Nia sighed. “It happens in these kind of sessions.” She adjusted her notepad in her hands. “Okay, we cannot change what has been done. But what can we take from this? What can we learn from this experience? Deanna, can you return to your promise not to get involved in Selena’s business at work?”
“I…” Deanna tried to answer before stopping herself. “I’m sorry, but… no. I can’t promise that. I was stupid to promise that. I won’t go actively looking for something but I… I can’t promise something like that again when breaking was a reflex.”
Selena wanted to be enraged at that answer. Wanted to shout and scream and frighten Deanna into returning to that promise, maybe with a fuller threat of coming after her United States title… but she couldn’t. Because it had been unfair to ask that of her.
How did she know? Because it had taken everything the Snow Queen had not to talk Deanna out of the Last Woman Standing match the redhead had had with Polly. Deep down, she had wanted to converse with Deanna, to inform her of the risks and to have her reconsider. Who cared if Polly questioned Deanna’s grit? Selena was questioned on a daily basis these days about everything! Her integrity, her skill, her courage. Hell, everyone believed that she had Aaron Demitria in her pocket, more so now because she had done the right thing and ran out to protect him after Religious Wright shoved the man into the ropes during the zealot’s match with Syren, something Syren should have done but when was THAT woman going to do anything for anyone other than herself?
“Selena?” the Snow Queen focused her attention on her counselor. “Can there be another compromise instead?”
She turned her head to glare at Deanna, her body a mixture of emotions ranging from frustration and rage to confusion and hurt. Eventually, she merely gave a shrug.
“Believe in whoever you want. It doesn’t matter.” She gave a laugh. “Cause it just makes me want to beat One all the more.”
“Selena…” Deanna tried.
“No, Deanna.” Selena shook her head, her voice a deep calm. “You can sit back and have the pay-per-view off, since you’re more concerned with my business than being the United States Champion. And you can watch the show from wherever and watch me beat the holy hell out of the girl you respect and believe in – cause that clearly isn’t me.”
She couldn’t help the smirk that came to her features. “It’s funny because…” she gazed at Deanna again. “At first, I just wanted to beat her because she was an opponent. Because she was ‘next’. But now? To show you what a mistake you made? Oh, that will be a lot more fun!”
“Selena…” Nia warned, gaining the older Frost’s attention.
“What?” Selena smiled. “Didn’t you say there were consequences to actions?”
“I did.” Nia nodded, although not quite as enthusiastic with the direction the conversation had gone as Selena was.
“Well, consequences. My wife believes this woman deserves respect and a title shot. I say she doesn’t deserve either. But if she’s so sure One is ready for it that she supports her with ‘good luck’, well… then whatever happens can be her fault too.”
“You…” Deanna looked up at Selena, pushing herself to her feet. “You don’t have to hurt her, Selena. I’m not saying you can’t beat her. You can… but she has a chance too.”
“And you want her to beat me, don’t you?” Selena asked, her eyes narrowing at Deanna. “Because, deep down, you don’t want me as world champion, do you?”
Deanna was silent, her jaw clenching shut.
“Deanna?” Glengow tried. “Can you answer the question?”
“No… she can’t.” Selena smirked knowingly. “Because she knows it’s true. She thinks that me losing the world title will ‘fix everything’. That’s the real reason you got involved, wasn’t it?”
“No!” Deanna tried but Selena wasn’t hearing any of it.
“Because you think that Scott CAN beat me. Because you’ve fought her more than I have and you managed to get by her. You know what she is capable of and what she can do, so you, more than anyone, would know if she is capable of beating me… and you’re banking on that. That’s why you lent her your support. Why you believe in her…” A sad sigh escaped Selena. “Because you still think I need to be fixed.”
Before her, Selena could see her wife fighting back tears, trying desperately to say something, but still unable to find the words.
“What will it take, Deanna?” Selena asked, tilting her head. “Are you going to cheer if she cuts my head open? You going to clap your hands if I’m right about her and Kandis and she plans another ambush that costs me the match? Maybe with Simon Lyman or, secretly, Asher Hayes? You going to whoop and holler and give her a big hug if she BREAKS MY ARM?!”
“STOP IT!” Deanna suddenly cried out, collapsing down on the couch, holding her head in her hands. “I don’t want any of that!” She cried out, her sobs breaking through her words as she shook. It was enough to get Nia Glengow to stand up, the doctor glaring at Selena.
“You’re crossing a line here, Selena.” Glengow stated. “This is supposed to be about helping your marriage. To find the problems and to heal it.”
“And the problem is my wife doesn’t believe in me, wants me to fall flat on my face and probably have my arm broken!” Selena shot back. “Heal away, doc!”
“Quite frankly… I don’t think I can.”
The remark stunned Selena, shutting her up with barely a “What?” uttered.
“Week after week, I have seen you two make progress with these activities. The alter-ego dating, the listening activities – I thought we were getting somewhere. But now? I keep seeing her letting herself be more and more vulnerable…” she gestured to Deanna. “While you get more and more defensive and punishing her for it.”
“How am I punishing her?” Selena asked. “I’m the one that’s getting the short end here.”
“You threatened to come after her and hurt her own career because she felt that she had to break a promise for YOUR sake. You threatened to hurt the person she supported because it wasn’t you this one time. And now you’re accusing her of things she never said here.” Nia shrugged. “If you ask me, you’re an insecure, bitter woman and, quite frankly, I’m surprised Deanna is here in the first place rather than divorcing you.”
Selena’s eyes went wide, her mouth hanging open. “How is that helping?” she asked in disbelief. “I’m paying you-“
“My practice emphasis honestly and vulnerability between partners, Selena. To give them a safe space to do so, but I’m not going to waste my clients’ time or money if I truly believe I can’t help them. And right now? I can help her.” Again, she gestured towards Deanna. “But I don’t think I can help you.”
The silence Selena was stunned into was far louder than saying any sound. How had it come to this? She had felt so righteous in her anger! Deanna was the one breaking promises and not being supportive! How was SHE the villain here?! How was she the one being vilified when she was just reacting to the unfair hand that been dealt her way?!
“Dr. Glengow…” the calling came not from Selena but from Deanna. “Please don’t dismiss us.” The remark was more of a plea than anything, yet it was enough to get the counselor’s attention.
“I’m sorry, Deanna, but…”
“You don’t know the pressure Selena is under.” Deanna tried to explain. “All her life, people have tried to punish her just because they couldn’t beat her. They smashed her foot, fractured her fibs, Selena show her your back.”
“I…” Selena stammered. “I don’t think that’s necessary.” She replied weakly.
“Fine.” Deanna continued. “But if you saw it, you’d see scars lining it. Scars from people she was protecting SCW and…and me… from. And all that time… she’s only ever asked for one thing from me.” She turned her gaze towards Selena. “Do you remember what it is?”
Too scared to give it full thought, Selena could only shrug. “A motorcycle?”
It was enough for Deanna to cry a small laugh. “No. It was that I never stopped trusting her or believing in her.” She sighed. “Dr. Glengow, I know what you saw now puts Selena in a bad light. But you don’t know what trust and belief mean to her. And I’ve broken all three. And she’s… she’s scared.”
Selena said nothing, too surprised by Deanna’s assessment (and simultaneous defense) of her.
“And she only knows how to fight against whatever is scaring her. Fight with everything she has…” she sighed, returning her gaze to Selena. “I do want you to lose the world title.” She admitted. “I want the burden off your shoulders because…because I think it’s hurting you more than you realize. But… I also know why you need it… and I won’t get in the way of that. Or I’ll try not to.”
There was an awkward silence between the two of them, the Frost wives merely staring at one another.
“Selena.” Glengow called out, rather sharply. “Are you going to meet your wife halfway here? Or punish her for coming to your defense?”
“I…” Selena breathed, slowly pulling herself away from the bookshelf and moving closer to the redhead. In response, Deanna shuffled over to the side, giving Selena enough space to sit down beside her. “I’m still hurt.”
“I know. I am too.” Deanna nodded patiently.
“And I still want to hurt Kristen.”
“She knows what she’s getting into. So do you.”
Slowly, almost in the slowest of slow motion, Deanna’s hand reached out to take Selena’s into hers. “Two steps forward and one step back, right?” she teased hesitantly.
“N…” Selena stammered, gazing down at her hand, conjoined with Deanna’s. “Never was the best learner.” She whispered about herself. They barely heard Nia sitting down back in her chair, her eyes studying the couple before her.
“This.” She gestured with her pen. “This is what I want to bring you two to. This… this is the end goal.”
“I’ll…” Selena breathed. “I’ll do whatever I can to get back to that.”
“Me too.” Deanna nodded.
“Then I have one last question for you today…” Glengow leaned forward. “When was the last time you two felt like this?”
**********************
Frost ‘Forever Home’
Manhattan, New York
April 8th, 2024
12:09pm
Selena spied herself in the bathroom mirror as she pulled off her black t-shirt, revealing her black bra and her back. Immediately, her eyes settled on the map of scars that lined her back. You couldn’t go far in looking across the expanse of skin without seeing a scar somewhere. Can’t believe Deanna wanted me to show this to Nia. she almost laughed aloud. Poor woman would have thought I was crazy… or crazier than I already was or something. Maybe would have called the cops.
She studied the scars for another moment before turning around to face herself in the mirror. She tried to ignore the bags under her eyes as she fixed her hair into the braid she was known for. It had taken her a week to get this all together, and with Deanna fighting David Striker, it was the best they could do before needing to head to New Jersey for the pay-per-view. Least it’s close to home… she thought simply, and while she knew she would still get booed in Jersey, the notion only further her desire to prevent losing the title this weekend.
The title Deanna wants you to lose…
She sighed aloud. She had tried not to dwell on everything that had been said in the heat of emotions last week in Glengow’s office. In truth? Scott was a good competitor. If she hadn’t won the title shot at Fatal Fortunes, it would have only been a matter of time till she had a title shot anyway. The woman was good and had worked hard to get better, maybe learning a thing or two from Deanna.
But if there was one thing she hadn’t been able to shake from last week - her desire to hurt Scott. Maybe it was unwarranted but Selena did not care. She didn’t want to lose the world title to Scott – it was a tie between the One and Kandis on that. Hell, after the last few weeks and everything said, Selena, honestly, preferred the idea of losing the world title to Xander or Ravyn (but not Syren, that woman didn’t deserve a chance at the world title for the crap she’d done).
But to lose to the woman that had broken her wife’s arm?
To the woman that Deanna believed in?
She may have let go of her anger towards Deanna in that, but she was still pissed. “That’s not what I’m here for.” She whispered to her reflection. “We will deal with that later.” She promised herself just as she heard a knock on the door.
“Selena?” it was Deanna’s voice.
“I’m still getting changed.”
“Yeah… listen can I open the door and give you something? I promise I won’t intrude.”
“I…” slightly confused, Selena looked around the room. Why, she wasn’t sure. “Okay.”
The handle to the door slowly turned and the door opened just a little, enough for a hand to slip through, that hand holding a plastic, clothing hook with something on it.
“I know it’s a lot to ask… but can you wear this, please?”
Slowly, hearing her wife’s request, Selena took the garment from her wife to study it, her eyes going wide. “How did you get this?” Selena asked. “I took them all with me when I left.”
“You left one in wash.” Deanna answered honestly. “I found it… after you left.”
“Oh…okay…” Selena looked down at the attire with some embarrassment. “I’ll…I’ll just be a minute.”
There was no other sound but Deanna’s retreating steps as the woman walked away, leaving Selena alone with her thoughts. Despite herself, she stared at the light-blue and black outfit… her old wrestling attire, the one she had worn at Rise to Greatness before… well, everything. Before she had left SCW, before she had come back as the Blue-Eyed Devil, before… again, everything.
She wasn’t surprised at Deanna’s request, but there was no shaking the discomfort in the idea of wearing it. After what you did? her mind mocked, knocking the Snow Queen back to her senses. Without another objection, she slipped into the outfit, remembering perfectly how to put on each piece. She was out of the bathroom in minutes, quickly digging into her nearby duffle-bag to pull out the SCW world championship title. Adjusting it on her shoulder, the platinum-blonde slowly walked out of the basement bathroom, down the hall and into the main room, where she saw the lights and the screen set up, a large photo camera set up on a tripod. Making adjustments to the tech was Deanna, the redhead distracted enough for Selena to study her. Like Selena, the younger Frost was wearing her own wrestling attire, complete with fall leaves and the snowflake. Her hair was free and curled, like it had that night in Toronto.
Clearing her throat, Selena waited for Deanna to look up and see her. “Wow.” Was all the redhead could say. “Hello, stranger.” She smiled. “Been awhile since I’ve seen you.”
“I feel so…” Selena sighed. “Not me.” She admitted. The costume, which had been tailor-made for her, now felt a little baggy, but not enough to really notice to anyone but the wearer. “That weird?”
“No.” Deanna shook her head. “But I do appreciate this.”
“Like I said – if it helps.” She shrugged. “But at least I know now why we didn’t do this at Toronto!”
“Why?”
Good-naturedly, Selena titled her head. “Because, same situation the year prior? I lost the world title to Allocco. I was scared that if we did, I’d lose it to Kandis. That’s why I didn’t want a photo.”
“Repeating history?” Deanna asked, earning a nod from Selena.
“Exactly. After that, well…” she shrugged.
“Better late than never!” Deanna quickly rushed, making one last adjustment to the camera before marching over to Selena. Taking the pale hands into hers, Deanna pulled the woman into the ‘shoot area’ of the camera before jumping away to grab the SCW United States title lying on the ground by the camera. Holding it back up, she rushed back over to Selena. “Perfect!” she remarked. “Three or so months both being champions and we finally are getting a picture together!”
“Yeah…” Selena smiled, tired but in good humor. “But if I lose this weekend to Scott, I’m blaming you.”
“Does that mean if you win I get the credit too?” Deanna asked before reaching up to adjust Selena’s head and posture.
“Fat chance.” Selena laughed. “I don’t get credit for your wins even though I trained you.”
“I’ve got a place for you in my autobiography.” Deanna stated.
“You have an autobiography?” Selena raised an eyebrow.
“I might… someday.” Deanna shrugged as the camera began to click rapidly, taking a picture every other second. Hearing it, the Frost wives posed and adjusted, posed and adjusted, each woman holding their own respective title together.
The last time they had done this… was the last time they had felt so connected… when they had been the world tag-team champions together, united and strong. The perfect couple – the ‘it’ couple of SCW, as people had called them on Twitter. With their backs together, both women held up their title towards the camera, a smile on both of their faces.
For Selena, she tried desperately not to have a devlish smirk, but rather the happy, hopeful face she had back when she had been ‘The Face of SCW’ and Deanna had been ‘The Queen’s Guard’. Did it feel fake to her? Yes… but seeing the smile on Deanna’s face? How could she say anything about it?
The camera kept clicking. “Hold on.” Deanna remarked. “I wanna try this pose.”
Holding the title up, she wrapped her arm around Selena, pulling her in close. The platinum-blonde ignored the leap in her chest at being so close to her wife, the first time in months, and, instead, matched her pose with her own title. She could smell her wife’s perfume and feel the warmth of her face as her cheek touched Selena’s.
Instinctively, Selena turned her head, hearing the camera clicking and pressed her lips gently against Deanna’s cheek, hearing the gasp come from Deanna for a second before the redhead turned to Selena, her eyes wide.
“What?” Selena asked. “Did I screw up? I thought you wanted…”
She was unable to finish the sentence as Deanna suddenly had her hands on Selena’s winter-coat, pulling the woman in for a fierce kiss. Even the clicking of the camera was muffled out by the blood rushing through Selena’s ears as she held her wife to her. A second passed before the two separated, both women’s eyes wide at what they had just done.
“O…okay then…” Deanna sighed, dropping her title to the ground and moving over to the camera. “The shoot’s done.”
“Deanna, I…” Selena tried. “I’m sorry… I didn’t…”
Without responding, Deanna took the world title out of Selena’s hand and tossed it to the ground, leaving it and her title behind as she took her wife’s hand in hers again and began pulling her away from the photoshoot area. “Get out of those clothes.” She ordered as she began pulling at her own attire.
“Wha…why?” Selena asked, utter confusion in her voice. It was enough to cause Deanna to turn around and stare the taller woman down.
“Because I don’t want a shred of you or I on when I take you upstairs. Not Selena. Not Deanna. Not the wrestlers. Let’s… I just want us to be Chica and Evelyn right now.”
“I don’t…why?” Selena asked, still unsure what was happening.
“Because I need you.” Deanna sighed. “And if I can’t sleep with my wife… then I rather sleep, as Evelyn, with Chica. Now come on.”
She continued to pull Selena up the stairs towards her… their bedroom, helping Selena remove her and her own clothes along the way. “You’ve got about 3 hours till the kids come on.” She warned as she managed to wrestle off Selena’s shirt. “Make me believe in you.”
The green light finally went off in Selena’s head and… she just let go. Let go of everything she had been holding back as she pulled Deanna in and kissed her fully, helping her to get them out of their clothes as best as she could.
You can do this… she thought to herself. And, if she were entirely honest with herself…
It was the only thing she entirely believed she COULD do…
_______________________________________________________________
![[Image: tetXUW1.gif]](https://i.imgur.com/tetXUW1.gif)
The camera opens up to the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. The arena is devoid of people, but the set of SCW’s upcoming pay-per-view ‘Taking the Leap’ is set up beautifully. There is a chill in the air that, while unfelt by the viewers of this segment, can still, somehow be known deep in their spines. Amidst the dark purple, blue and white lights centered around the wrestling ring, however, stands none other than the SCW world champion, herself, Selena Frost. The Blue-Eyed Devil seems deep in thought as she holds the world championship over her shoulder, the gold of the title contrasting with the black leather of her jacket and the platinum-blonde of her iconic braid. Lifting her head as the camera moves in closer, she looks around the ring – HER ring at the empty arena… HER arena.
Newark, New Jersey… she speaks aloud to the empty seats, waiting only a few seconds for her words to settle before speaking again. Do you believe?
She pauses, allowing a knowing smile to grace her lips. Of course you don’t. And I don’t mean that because of who I am… well, I kind of do… but the real blame here is who YOU are. I mean, let’s face it – even if this was two years ago and I was the top-liked person in SCW, you’d all still boo me. She laughs a little.
I mean, come on… We’re in New Jersey! Any New Yorker knows what I am talking about and, even in this big arena… compared to my last promo in New York, this is a definite downgrade. You guys are like the backyard barn animal of New York, every Yorker knows that. I mean, the only thing faker than you guys are your spray-on tans!
She gives a shrug. The good news! The good news that I can take from this whole thing… is that when I’m done here, NYC is only about a half an hour drive away. So I can do my job and be back in the ‘promised land’ in less than an hour, so I can at least be happy about that! Less time here for me, the better off I am.
And I’m gonna need that too. Because I’m gonna want to relax in my tower-castle in NYC, soak up in a nice ice bath, take everything in – hell, I can even celebrate after tonight. I’m going to deserve it. Because tonight is going to be hard work! Tonight, I’m not here just to do a job. No no… she shakes her head. I am here to make an example.
An example of someone that is as fake as all of you Jersey folk. Of course, I’m talking about Kristen Scott. The supposed ‘One’. As in, ‘The One’ that’s gonna change all of SCW! ‘The One’ that’s supposedly a ‘certain thing’! ‘The One’ that supposedly is the one to take me down and take the SCW world championship from me.
A laugh escapes her. ’The One’ that is the biggest liar in SCW! her smile immediately disappears, replaced by a cold glare.
Think you’re funny, don’t you, Kristen? You want to say you ‘respect’ me after telling me, last Breakdown, that I’m ‘everything in the old generation you despise’? You want to say I earned this title after repeating the same crap everyone else has said about me ‘hiding behind contract clauses’? You want to call me a coward but then praise me as ‘being like you’?
A growl escapes the Snow Queen as she glares at the camera. We are nothing alike, Scott. I’ve never lied to a soul. Everything I’ve said in this business, I have done. Everything I have said in this business, I have stood by! Whether it got me ‘over’ or not. But you? You stand in a cow-field and preach that shit about respect? Maybe it was appropriate… because, like that field, you’re full of crap!
Taking the title off her shoulder, Selena places it on the turnbuckle before moving around the ring slowly. You don’t get it, do you, Kristen? I’m the reason anyone is even paying attention to you. I am the reason anyone is giving you the time of day with believing that you’re ‘the one’. I am MAKING you the potential ‘One’ because I’ve beaten everyone that was in your way. Look around! Management is scrounging – digging up fossils like Ravyn and Xander – just to TRY and get me a halfway decent challenger after this because I took down ALL the top notch guys from this season!
People here – people that will fill these seats, probably half or full drunk, are going to be cheering you and believing in you, FINALLY, because of ME! Because they want to lie to themselves as you are lying to them! They want to believe that you truly are the ‘one’ because, at this point, any ‘one’ will do in their pitiful minds! Anyone will do that can take this title off me, but NO ONE can take this title off me! I’m too smart! I’m too resilient! I’m too experienced! I’m too high above every other level, including yours!
Moving away a little, Selena sees a chair set up in the middle of the ring. Gracefully, she sits on it, forearms on her knees. And I’m tired of dealing with people like you, Kristen. You want to know why I am so focused tonight? Why I am so dialed in and growling? Because I’m sick of people who will just ‘say anything’. I’m sick of hypocrites. I’m sick of liars. I’m sick of people like the SCW Universe and people like you that will do or say anything to get ahead. Anything but do the actual work!
That right there? she points to the world title. You said that THAT’S been the goal for you all along? That was your crowning achievement? That was “IT” for you? she gives a bitter laugh. Not what you said last year against Deanna…
Hey! You brought this up so we are going there, Kristen! I didn’t want to but you kept saying my wife’s name over and over again. You brought her into this! So we are going there! Last year, you were preaching about how the United States title was ‘it’ for you! That that title was more important than any other title for you! Want to go further back? A little over a year ago, you said the tag-team titles were ‘it’ for you. That getting those titles with Nicole Kinneck/Pro was ‘it’ for you. That those were the most important titles to you! More? You had a Television title reign – called yourself the ‘workhorse of SCW’, right? Said THAT title was the most important title for you.
Which one is it, Kristen? Her eyes narrow. Because I’ve NEVER faltered. Ever since I won that title in 2016, this title has been ‘it’ for me. And I’ve always found my way back to it! Spending months, years, clawing and scratching my way to be the world champion six times over – to be the best there is in SCW, exactly what I am now! But I’m supposed to believe you’re the same as me? That you want this as much as I need this title?
Selena scoffs, shaking her head. What’ll be next week, huh, Kristen? You gonna start claiming the Adrenaline title is ‘it’ for you? You gonna go back to Deanna and beg for ‘one more match’? You gonna try another movie-reference or something while trying to become TV champion one more time?
Because if this title – MY title – was truly ‘it’ for you, Kristen… if this title was truly the ‘endgame’ and ‘be all end all’ for you, Kristen, why didn’t you take me out sooner? I mean, Deanna went to bat for you didn’t she? Said you ‘always work directly’, right? You face things head on? And yet… That’s something I’ve not quite figured out yet. You had your Trios contract. You had your golden ticket. Why didn’t you use it to become world champion? Hell, if it was me you wanted to face, why not use it while I was champion last year? Insert yourself into the main-event at Rise to Greatness or challenge me – ‘head on’ - on Breakdown? Better yet, why not cash in on your match win at Fatal Fortunes and get your shot? Why let me rampage through here and take what I want? You could have beaten Asher, definitely could have beaten the walking STD...
A laugh comes out of the Snow Queen before her expression grows serious once more. You know why I don’t respect you like Deanna does, Kristen? Why I don’t believe in you like she does? Because she’s looking back with rose-tinted glasses at the feud that started her journey to be the megastar that she is becoming. She looks back and sees the good. I see the truth. She’s still naïve. I love her but she is still new to this world. Me? I see you for who you really are. I see you for the liar and the coward YOU really are. Because you want to blame me for what I did? You want to blame me for ‘ruining SCW’ or ‘hiding behind contract clauses’?
Kristen… you could have stopped it all! You were the only ONE, Kristen, that could have stopped me. You had the power to take the title and shoot past me. Yeah, everyone talks and complains about me ‘shooting ahead of the line’, but you? You had the power to get your shot before me, before the slut, before everyone else. You had the power to stop me dead in my tracks! If you are ‘the One’ to do that, why didn’t you?
A smile forms on Selena’s features. Because deep down… you know you’re not the one. Deep down, Kristen, you’ve been scared of me from the second I came back. The second I came back and took what was mine, and you’ve been delaying and hiding from me because you know, deep down, you can’t beat me! It’s why Deanna was your target years ago instead of me head-on. Why you broke her arm to ‘get to me’, right? Cause you couldn’t face me head on. Why you hid away rather than take what you ‘longed for’.
And that hasn’t changed. You’re the same coward, saying whatever is ‘buzzworthy’. This being ‘your night’. This being ‘your chance’, your ‘moment’, when you have no idea or desire to do what I do…
Selena looks up from where she sits, glaring at the camera as, seemingly, a notion comes to her. You think you can do what I do, Kristen? That it? You think you can carry this company on your back? You think you can represent what this title needs? You talk about integrity, where the hell was YOUR integrity when you broke Deanna’s arm? Scratch that. Where was your integrity when you stacked the deck against Deanna in the elimination chamber match just before I came back? Where you put her against 3 people and teamed her with two people that hated her guts and even attacked her during said match?! A match where, in case anyone forgot, forbade Deanna from ever getting a rematch long as you were champion if you won the United States championship – which you couldn’t even do! Where was your fucking integrity than, Kristen? Yet, you want to do what I do? You want to carry this belt, this company, on your shoulders and change the landscape like I have?!
She shakes her head. That’s not how this is going to go, Kristen, because that’s not what you do. Like I said, look at your track record! You come in, you make the same promises over and over again, put over whatever title you’re placed in as ‘the one for The One’, you fail or you meet resistance and you abandon it, just like you abandoned Nicole Kinneck when she couldn’t deliver the tag titles to you. Just like you abandon everyone, every division, and everything that is better than you or out of your reach.
And me? I’m as far out of your reach as it gets!
I get it! You’re dangerous. I get it! You’re tough. You’re desperate. You’re hungry. You’re hopeful. You’ve made that clear – you’ve proven it! she gives a knowing shake of her head and shrug of her shoulders. But you don’t have it in you, Kristen. You don’t have it in you to be the world champion. You don’t have it in you to be the megastar of this place. You don’t have it in you to bring the eyes in on this place and carry this company alone. You’re too much of a coward. You’re too much of a spineless worm to get the job done. To face the odds. To pull the trigger. To take the hate and the jealousy from them and use it as fuel to propel yourself higher and higher. To have conviction other than a stupid little phrase about death and taxes.
She shakes her head. And you know it. You’ve always known it. That’s why you were already talking about me getting a ‘rematch’ and getting the title back… before you even won the damn thing in the first place! Because you know… the future with me as the world champion? That’s a certainty. That’s a forgone conclusion. That’s essential and that is set.
You? You’re not really looking for that, are you? You’re not really looking to change the landscape – that’s just a catchphrase for you. That’s just buzzwords you use to sound cool. But deep down? You don’t want that.
You just want a moment. Just like the slut, just like Asher, just like Simon, just like Allocco, like Ace Marshall and every other person that’s come my way, desperately trying to be what I am. Nobody wants to do what I do. It’s too hard. It’s too draining. It takes so much out of you. They just want a moment. A moment where they say “I was world champion”! Whether it’s for a few months, a few weeks or a few seconds like a certain blonde loudmouth in the tag-division… Selena throws a wink at the camera. That’s all you, and everybody else wants. A moment that you can hang onto for the rest of your life and milk it for all its worth, fake and false as it may be…
And I’m not about to give you that, Kristen. I’m not going to cripple this company just so you can cry a few tears, tell the world you ‘did it’ and then fuck it all up at the first title defense you have. I’m not gonna give you that moment just so you can set everything back to ‘how it was’ with controversy and tainted matches. Not just so you can laugh a little and cry a little and feel good about FINALLY keeping a damn promise in your career. You want that? Go back to being ‘the workhorse’. You actually were pretty damn good at being that.
Pushing herself to her feet, Selena shakes her head at the camera. But you’re not cut out to be ‘it’ here. You’re not cut out to be ‘the One’ here, Kristen. Tonight, your ‘moment’ isn’t going to come. Your ‘moment’ isn’t going to happen at MY expense. At MY legacy. At the expense of the money I make and the food I provide for my children and my family!
Unlike you, Kristen, I’m not afraid to pull the trigger. And tonight, that’s exactly what I am going to do. I am going to line you up, I’m going to set up my killshot… and I am going to pull the trigger. And unlike you ‘calling your shot’ over and over again, in division after division, against a Frost over and over again… I won’t be needing a second shot because I won’t miss.
Reaching over, Selena takes the title belt off the turnbuckle, her back foot kicking the chair away from her.
You’ve flirted in my world long enough, Scott. Tonight, I take you out of it. Whether you want to believe it… or not!
Slowly, Selena raises the title over her head proudly, the cold glare never wavering from her features as the camera fades to black.
Villain of the Year
”Attack and Defend”
Frost ‘Forever Home’
Manhattan, New York
April 8th, 2024
11:41am
The house looked exactly the same on the inside. Why that somewhat surprised Selena, she wasn’t quite sure. She recognized the doormat, usually having pairs of shoes or boots standing in the corner by the door, she recognized the pictures hanging on the wall, the stair railing where David had gotten his head stuck that one time. Nothing had really changed. Why did that unnerve her a little? Was Deanna trying to ‘keep the past’ or something? Or was Selena simply overthinking due to being nervous of standing within her ‘Forever Home’ once again – given how shaky things were in her family.
It wasn’t like she hadn’t been here since her departure from the past, but she usually had her children brough to her in the Eyrie Tower in NYC. She… she wasn’t so sure why she felt uneasy being her. Part of her wanted to be here. Part of her never wanted to leave. However, that also meant that part of her desperately wanted to NOT be here.
It felt off – the tension, the memories of both good and wonderful times but also the heartbreaking times recent months had created. It was a tornado of emotions that just… gods she hated it.
But she had promised to be here. Had set the day aside, choosing a day and time where the children would be at school. Where it could just be her and-
“You okay?”
She turned her head to see Deanna standing before her, the redhead having moved back into the mudroom space after letting Selena into the house.
“Yeah…just…” Selena shrugged her shoulders, unable to fully explain. “Feels a little strange. I… I don’t know how to put it into words.”
Despite the vagueness, Deanna merely nodded her head at that. “Feels strange for me too.” She admitted. “But that’s kinda been our whole schtick the last few months.”
“Can’t say I’ve enjoyed it.” Selena sighed. “I rather things be clear.”
“Me too.” Deanna admitted, more to herself than to Selena, though the platinum-blonde did hear it.
Not that it was all bad. Work still continued to be a sore spot for the Frost wives, yet they had tried another date or two with Chica and Evelyn. They had done all they could to follow ‘the rules’ set up for them by Dr. Glengow – no talk about wrestling, no pretending to be anything related to wrestling. Last time, Chica had taken Evelyn to one of the parks for a walk, just chatting about life and weather and – okay, THAT particular conversation had been hard for both Selena and Deanna when wrestling was a ‘forbidden’ topic.
Cause Chica and Evelyn aren’t wrestlers… Selena reminded herself. Still, even with the restriction, it had been a pleasant experience. Selena and Deanna would hash our their issues with Dr. Glengow every week and Chica and Evelyn would meet up, when they could (sometimes Evelyn was ‘out of town’ with her flights or Chica was ‘in the writing zone’ and couldn’t be disturbed), and learn more about themselves in small ways. It was an odd process, seemingly weird on paper, but it was… something to Selena.
However, being here had nothing to do with Chica and Evelyn. She wasn’t here as her alter-ego. She was here as Selena Frost. The SCW world champion. And Deanna was…well, she was Deanna. The United States Champion.
“Should…should we be ashamed?” Selena finally asked. “I mean, that we didn’t even think about this?”
“Are you feeling ashamed?” Deanna asked with a tilt of her head.
“No, but… I mean, given circumstances, it really wasn’t the time for it, but the fact that it’s never even come up.”
“Well…” Deanna shrugged again. “It wasn’t…things were… look, you’re here now and it… it means a lot.”
“I’m trying.” Selena offered apologetically. “I know a lot of shit was said but… I meant what I said-“
“About The One and Breakdown-“
“No… not…okay, yes that, but… the other stuff.” Selena tried. “I really do want things to be better between us.”
Deanna gave a nod. “Chica and Evelyn are getting along.” She offered.
“Yeah.” Selena replied with a slightly louder exhale. “Let’s hope it works out for them.”
An awkward silence hung between them, neither Frost able to continue the conversation right away. Eventually, Deanna cleared her throat to regain the taller Selena’s attention. “Did you bring everything?”
To answer, Selena merely gestured to the black duffle-bag laying at her feet.
“Good.” Deanna nodded her head. “Was the traffic a problem?”
“Not really.” Selena replied back. “Typical New York…”
“Right.” Another nod from the redhead. “Well… come in and… we can get started…I’ll just go change.”
Taking a deep breath, Selena gave a nod of her head, watching her wife ascend the staircases and disappearing into her bedroom – their bedroom. Despite herself, Selena felt her heart speed up nervously. She stared at the empty staircases longer than she should before grabbing her bag and walking further into the house.
“You can do this…” she whispered to herself. Though, if she were honest with herself… she wasn’t entirely sure she could.
********************
The Office of Dr. Glengow
New York City, New York
April 2nd, 2024
3:13pm
“How can you not see that?!” Selena almost grabbed at her own hair in frustration, choosing instead to push herself off the couch from where she was sitting, pacing around the counseling room looking at everything – the books on the shelf, the framed university degrees (though she didn’t take time to read them – too frustrated), the heavy-looking vase of flowers – none of it calmed her in that moment and the only reason she wasn’t putting her fist through a wall (or her foot – she was close to the point of considering that – was because she didn’t want that kind of reputation showing up on TMZ or something like that.
Nearby, she could see Dr. Nia Glengow, her marriage counselor, and her wife, Deanna, staring at her. Neither woman was speaking, both pairs of eyes clearly on Selena. Like I’m crazy… she grit her teeth at the thought.
“Selena… I was just trying to keep you from making a mistake.” Deanna tried to explain.
“It doesn’t matter what you were trying to do!” she felt her voice crack, unintentionally. “We had a deal, Deanna! We made a promise!” she emphasized. “I stay out of your way and you stay out of mine when it comes to SCW! We don’t get involved with each other’s business, remember!? YOU asked for that so you could pursue these insane matches on your own!”
“Is that true?” Glengow asked, her attention, now, on Deanna, who shrugged guiltily.
“Yes…but…”
“But what?” Selena asked. “I get to keep my mouth shut about a Last Woman Standing match but you come out, in public, and talk down to me on Breakdown?!”
“I wasn’t talking down to you!” Deanna emphasized. “I was trying to keep you from making a huge mistake!”
“And what mistake was that?” Glengow asked.
“Don’t encourage her!” Selena barked. “There is no excuse-“
“Selena!”
The dark-skinned woman’s glare silenced the Snow Queen dead in her tracks, plunging the room into silence. “You’ve spoken a lot. Right now, I want to hear Deanna’s side of things.”
Despite herself, Selena bit down on her tongue as hard as she could, using the pain to keep herself quiet as Deanna, shaken, tried to collect herself.
“Deanna…” Glengow urged. “Do you think you broke your promise to Selena?”
It took a second for Deanna to exhale a shaky breath before lifting her head back up to the psychiatrist. “Yes.” She answered honestly, earning a nod from Nia.
“And can you understand how that would hurt Selena? How much it would hurt her?”
“Y-yes…” Deanna nodded.
“Did you comprehend that when you made the choice?”
“Not at the moment now – it all happened so fast. She was out there, talking about The One and forcing SCW to cancel The One’s match…”
“I’m sorry, who is-“
“My upcoming wrestling opponent.” Selena explained. “The woman who broke Deanna’s arm over a year ago.” As if that would explain anything.
Still, Deanna was able to continue. “Selena was trying to get One’s world title match revoked on suspicion of collusion with someone that attacked her the week before.”
“Oh come on!” Selena laughed. “I had every right! SOMEONE had to let Kandis get in! Someone had to help get her past security! You think they’re dumb enough to not check someone hidden by a hoodie? Please!”
“And she suspected The One.”
“Why not?!” Again, Selena laughed. “Deanna, what happened the last time I dealt with her? She colluded with Nicole Kinneck to attack me from behind! How many times did she do that to me? To you? It all fit!”
“No. It was shaky at best!” Deanna remarked. “And you were willing to risk looking like a damn coward just on such a theory.”
“So, you broke your promise to Selena.” Nia concluded, earning a nod from Deanna and a huff from Selena.
“Selena had worked… so hard… to get the world title back – to get the division to… something. I don’t really understand what. And I don’t agree with everything she’s done. But the one thing I know is that she isn’t afraid of anyone. That’s the last thing she would want to display. And if she did this, if she started taking away people’s opportunities instead of helping others get them by…” Deanna snapped her fingers, unable to recall the right words.
“Clearing the deck.” Selena spoke up, finishing the sentence for her wife.
“That’s it.” Deanna nodded. “Then all the work would be for nothing.” She turned her attention over to Selena. “I don’t like some of the things you do, but I knew that wasn’t what you wanted. And I…genuinely… don’t think Kristen had anything to do with it.”
Clenching her jaw, Selena shook her head. “Doesn’t matter if she did or she didn’t now. You broke your promise. That’s what hurts, Deanna. Why can’t you see that?”
“I can see that!” Deanna pressed. “I’m sorry I had to, but I felt I had no choice in the matter.”
“You could have spoken to me privately! You could have called me! Left a message! Anything but come out and embarrass me on Breakdown! You think I wasn’t told of your little ‘meeting’ with Aaron Demitria?”
Again, the widening of the eyes and look of shame crossed Deanna’s features as the accusation found its mark.
“I…” she tried to explain. “I just had to know. For my sake.”
“You’re meddling in my affairs, Deanna.” Selena growled. “How would you like it if I started sniffing around the United States title division?”
The question caused Deanna’s head to snap up, emerald eyes staring into Selena’s sapphire ones, prompting the Snow Queen to continue.
“How bout that? Not like I’d have to work hard to be considered for a title shot. We both know you’ve been good with mid-carders. But last time you faced a main-eventer… you lost.” She gave a cold shrug of her shoulders. “What if I decided I wanted to mess around with YOUR business?”
Opening her mouth to speak, Deanna’s mouth slowly closed, the redhead unable to say a word at the moment.
“Selena…” Nia tried. “If I may…” earning the platinum-blonde’s attention. “While Deanna’s breaking of the promise seems motivated for a genuine care and love for you… yours is coming from a place of hurt and bitterness. Can you not see that?”
Selena’s head jerked, eyes blazing at the doctor. “I don’t see why she gets to break the promise but I can’t.”
“I’m not saying you can’t.” Nia clarified. “No one here is ‘unable’ to do anything.” To prove her point, she stood up, moving over to Selena. “Punch your wife in the face.”
“What?” Selena asked shocked.
“WHAT?!” Deanna asked, even more shocked.
“Go ahead.” Nia remarked. “Actually… punch me in the face.” She offered with a shrug of her shoulders. “I’m not a fighter. I won’t fight back.”
“Selena, don’t!” Deanna ordered.
“I won’t.” Selena barked back at Deanna. “I’m not that stupid.”
“Exactly!” Nia remarked, returning to her chair. “You won’t do it because of the situation and of consequences. No one is ‘unable’ to do anything. I merely ask that you consider the consequences of your actions, Selena. Back to the conversation, you COULD go after your wife in retaliation, but will that do any good now? Will it undo your match? Will it undo what’s been done?”
Selena thought about that for a moment before shaking her head. The match was signed and sealed. She had ensured that shortly after Deanna had come out on Breakdown to campaign for Kristen Scott – of all people!
“No, it won’t. But what would happen if you did punish Deanna for trying to look out for you?”
For a moment, Selena’s eyes fluttered over to her wife’s, the redhead gazing her with a look that seemed apologetic and frightened.
There was no good answer she could give. ‘It’ll make me feel better’ wasn’t anywhere near good enough for one. It terms of herself? Worst case scenario, Deanna stunned her and beat her. And then what? Then Deanna would be pulled towards the world title picture again (assuming Selena beat Kristen, of course). Best case scenario for the Snow Queen, she’d win, using her experience and newer mentality to overcome her wife’s ‘grit’. And then what? She would destroy the greatest title run her wife had ever had! Hell, Deanna’s current reign as United States Champion had eclipsed Selena’s longest reign as world champion by several days! In fact, Selena had NEVER held a title as long as Deanna had held hers since July. Nobody in SCW had in a long time! It was… Selena had to admit… something that was gaining notoriety the longer it last. Not that it would breath the established longest reign in the title’s history, but the fact that there hadn’t been many title reigns in the past five or so years that matched Deanna’s in terms of length, including any of Selena’s?
And she was contemplating ending it – the history-making reign for her wife, who needed it almost as much as Selena, deep down, needed the world title.
But she broke her promise! Growled the ‘devil’s voice’ in her mind, surging her frustration further. But she refused to lash out again. Instead, she merely sighed. “Fine.” Selena shrugged. “She can get away with it. That’s apparently what a promise is worth. She can break it, but I can’t. Long as she has an excuse.” She turned her back to the pair of women watching her, tossing her iconic braid back over her shoulder.
“That’s not fair.” Deanna remarked. “I only broke it that once.”
“And with Aaron Demitria.”
“That doesn’t count!” Deanna shot back. “I told you I just wanted to hear it from him that he wasn’t bought or something.”
“And you couldn’t ask me because?”
“Because I wouldn’t…” Deanna gulped on her words before pressing them out. “Because I don’t think I would trust whatever you told me.”
“I REALLY AM SICK OF HEARING YOU SAY THAT!”
She had not meant to yell at Deanna, or even to raise her voice, but hearing that remark again! Like she had weeks ago. “What did I do, Deanna? Huh? You believe in Kristen Scott – are you fucking kidding me?! The woman who broke your arm to get to me! The woman that stalked you! That got a lunatic to join her and hurt us! The woman that disrespected everything you did with that title! That discredited you! That swore to do more than break your arm if you let her! You trust her over me?! Her word over mine?!”
Selena huffed a breath, unable to make sense of the situation before her. “What the hell did I do where THAT makes sense?! Where my own wife doesn’t believe in me?!”
“You left me!” Deanna shouted back. “You broke my heart, Selena!”
“Oh gods…this again!” Selena laughed. “How long are you going to play that card with me?! I didn’t want to go back to SCW! You forced me to! You and the SCW Management! I told you there would be consequences. I told you that things couldn’t go back to the way they were! You wouldn’t listen! You kept pushing! You wouldn’t take ‘no’ for an answer!”
“Because I could see what it was doing to you-“
“And you know better, right? Just like last Breakdown, right?! You knew better than me, right? You always know better than me, right?! I’m just a big idiot that knows how to kick, right?! I can’t possibly know for a single second what the hell I am doing!”
“I never said that!” Deanna countered.
“Well you sure as hell are acting like you believe that!” Selena countered back.
“Alright, stop!” Nia’s voice, calm but authoritative, was like a bolt of lightning, silencing the room once more. “I will not turn my space into a shouting match when it’s just to lash out.” Her eyes turned to Selena. “Selena, please sit down.”
“I can’t…” Selena shook her head, her body trembling. “I’m too…I’m too shot… my nerves.” She held out her hands, revealing how they trembled.
“Selena…” Deanna got up, causing the platinum-blonde to stumble back a few steps.
“No…” she whispered, wrapping her arms around herself. “You have no idea how much it hurts.” She whispered. “I don’t give a fuck what everyone else believes. They can hate me… I don’t mind it. It’s…it’s fun to make them look like fools.” She admitted, a sad laugh escaping her. “But you? I…” she shook her head. “I never thought you would ever stop believing in how much I love you and want the best for you and that everything I do is for you, me, for our family…”
Again, Deanna opened her mouth to talk but no words came out. She couldn’t find any. But her eyes were able to find tears to shed as they trailed down her cheeks. Sitting back down, the redhead was offered a box of tissues by Dr. Glengow. Selena, meanwhile, had taken support in the corner by the bookshelf, keeping herself there, her arms still wrapped around herself.
“Okay.” Nia breathed. “This is something we need to unpack.” She stated slowly. “There is some serious damage here.” She turned her attention to Deanna. “Deanna. Can you see what your choices have done to Selena?”
The redhead turned her eyes to Selena, who could not fully meet her gaze. “Yes…” she whispered. “And I am sorry, Selena. I really am. I just…” she sighed. “I don’t even know what I was doing anymore. I’m just so…I don’t know what to feel right now.”
“Numb.” Selena answered. “That’s what I am feeling right now.”
“It’s an emotional shut down.” Nia sighed. “It happens in these kind of sessions.” She adjusted her notepad in her hands. “Okay, we cannot change what has been done. But what can we take from this? What can we learn from this experience? Deanna, can you return to your promise not to get involved in Selena’s business at work?”
“I…” Deanna tried to answer before stopping herself. “I’m sorry, but… no. I can’t promise that. I was stupid to promise that. I won’t go actively looking for something but I… I can’t promise something like that again when breaking was a reflex.”
Selena wanted to be enraged at that answer. Wanted to shout and scream and frighten Deanna into returning to that promise, maybe with a fuller threat of coming after her United States title… but she couldn’t. Because it had been unfair to ask that of her.
How did she know? Because it had taken everything the Snow Queen had not to talk Deanna out of the Last Woman Standing match the redhead had had with Polly. Deep down, she had wanted to converse with Deanna, to inform her of the risks and to have her reconsider. Who cared if Polly questioned Deanna’s grit? Selena was questioned on a daily basis these days about everything! Her integrity, her skill, her courage. Hell, everyone believed that she had Aaron Demitria in her pocket, more so now because she had done the right thing and ran out to protect him after Religious Wright shoved the man into the ropes during the zealot’s match with Syren, something Syren should have done but when was THAT woman going to do anything for anyone other than herself?
“Selena?” the Snow Queen focused her attention on her counselor. “Can there be another compromise instead?”
She turned her head to glare at Deanna, her body a mixture of emotions ranging from frustration and rage to confusion and hurt. Eventually, she merely gave a shrug.
“Believe in whoever you want. It doesn’t matter.” She gave a laugh. “Cause it just makes me want to beat One all the more.”
“Selena…” Deanna tried.
“No, Deanna.” Selena shook her head, her voice a deep calm. “You can sit back and have the pay-per-view off, since you’re more concerned with my business than being the United States Champion. And you can watch the show from wherever and watch me beat the holy hell out of the girl you respect and believe in – cause that clearly isn’t me.”
She couldn’t help the smirk that came to her features. “It’s funny because…” she gazed at Deanna again. “At first, I just wanted to beat her because she was an opponent. Because she was ‘next’. But now? To show you what a mistake you made? Oh, that will be a lot more fun!”
“Selena…” Nia warned, gaining the older Frost’s attention.
“What?” Selena smiled. “Didn’t you say there were consequences to actions?”
“I did.” Nia nodded, although not quite as enthusiastic with the direction the conversation had gone as Selena was.
“Well, consequences. My wife believes this woman deserves respect and a title shot. I say she doesn’t deserve either. But if she’s so sure One is ready for it that she supports her with ‘good luck’, well… then whatever happens can be her fault too.”
“You…” Deanna looked up at Selena, pushing herself to her feet. “You don’t have to hurt her, Selena. I’m not saying you can’t beat her. You can… but she has a chance too.”
“And you want her to beat me, don’t you?” Selena asked, her eyes narrowing at Deanna. “Because, deep down, you don’t want me as world champion, do you?”
Deanna was silent, her jaw clenching shut.
“Deanna?” Glengow tried. “Can you answer the question?”
“No… she can’t.” Selena smirked knowingly. “Because she knows it’s true. She thinks that me losing the world title will ‘fix everything’. That’s the real reason you got involved, wasn’t it?”
“No!” Deanna tried but Selena wasn’t hearing any of it.
“Because you think that Scott CAN beat me. Because you’ve fought her more than I have and you managed to get by her. You know what she is capable of and what she can do, so you, more than anyone, would know if she is capable of beating me… and you’re banking on that. That’s why you lent her your support. Why you believe in her…” A sad sigh escaped Selena. “Because you still think I need to be fixed.”
Before her, Selena could see her wife fighting back tears, trying desperately to say something, but still unable to find the words.
“What will it take, Deanna?” Selena asked, tilting her head. “Are you going to cheer if she cuts my head open? You going to clap your hands if I’m right about her and Kandis and she plans another ambush that costs me the match? Maybe with Simon Lyman or, secretly, Asher Hayes? You going to whoop and holler and give her a big hug if she BREAKS MY ARM?!”
“STOP IT!” Deanna suddenly cried out, collapsing down on the couch, holding her head in her hands. “I don’t want any of that!” She cried out, her sobs breaking through her words as she shook. It was enough to get Nia Glengow to stand up, the doctor glaring at Selena.
“You’re crossing a line here, Selena.” Glengow stated. “This is supposed to be about helping your marriage. To find the problems and to heal it.”
“And the problem is my wife doesn’t believe in me, wants me to fall flat on my face and probably have my arm broken!” Selena shot back. “Heal away, doc!”
“Quite frankly… I don’t think I can.”
The remark stunned Selena, shutting her up with barely a “What?” uttered.
“Week after week, I have seen you two make progress with these activities. The alter-ego dating, the listening activities – I thought we were getting somewhere. But now? I keep seeing her letting herself be more and more vulnerable…” she gestured to Deanna. “While you get more and more defensive and punishing her for it.”
“How am I punishing her?” Selena asked. “I’m the one that’s getting the short end here.”
“You threatened to come after her and hurt her own career because she felt that she had to break a promise for YOUR sake. You threatened to hurt the person she supported because it wasn’t you this one time. And now you’re accusing her of things she never said here.” Nia shrugged. “If you ask me, you’re an insecure, bitter woman and, quite frankly, I’m surprised Deanna is here in the first place rather than divorcing you.”
Selena’s eyes went wide, her mouth hanging open. “How is that helping?” she asked in disbelief. “I’m paying you-“
“My practice emphasis honestly and vulnerability between partners, Selena. To give them a safe space to do so, but I’m not going to waste my clients’ time or money if I truly believe I can’t help them. And right now? I can help her.” Again, she gestured towards Deanna. “But I don’t think I can help you.”
The silence Selena was stunned into was far louder than saying any sound. How had it come to this? She had felt so righteous in her anger! Deanna was the one breaking promises and not being supportive! How was SHE the villain here?! How was she the one being vilified when she was just reacting to the unfair hand that been dealt her way?!
“Dr. Glengow…” the calling came not from Selena but from Deanna. “Please don’t dismiss us.” The remark was more of a plea than anything, yet it was enough to get the counselor’s attention.
“I’m sorry, Deanna, but…”
“You don’t know the pressure Selena is under.” Deanna tried to explain. “All her life, people have tried to punish her just because they couldn’t beat her. They smashed her foot, fractured her fibs, Selena show her your back.”
“I…” Selena stammered. “I don’t think that’s necessary.” She replied weakly.
“Fine.” Deanna continued. “But if you saw it, you’d see scars lining it. Scars from people she was protecting SCW and…and me… from. And all that time… she’s only ever asked for one thing from me.” She turned her gaze towards Selena. “Do you remember what it is?”
Too scared to give it full thought, Selena could only shrug. “A motorcycle?”
It was enough for Deanna to cry a small laugh. “No. It was that I never stopped trusting her or believing in her.” She sighed. “Dr. Glengow, I know what you saw now puts Selena in a bad light. But you don’t know what trust and belief mean to her. And I’ve broken all three. And she’s… she’s scared.”
Selena said nothing, too surprised by Deanna’s assessment (and simultaneous defense) of her.
“And she only knows how to fight against whatever is scaring her. Fight with everything she has…” she sighed, returning her gaze to Selena. “I do want you to lose the world title.” She admitted. “I want the burden off your shoulders because…because I think it’s hurting you more than you realize. But… I also know why you need it… and I won’t get in the way of that. Or I’ll try not to.”
There was an awkward silence between the two of them, the Frost wives merely staring at one another.
“Selena.” Glengow called out, rather sharply. “Are you going to meet your wife halfway here? Or punish her for coming to your defense?”
“I…” Selena breathed, slowly pulling herself away from the bookshelf and moving closer to the redhead. In response, Deanna shuffled over to the side, giving Selena enough space to sit down beside her. “I’m still hurt.”
“I know. I am too.” Deanna nodded patiently.
“And I still want to hurt Kristen.”
“She knows what she’s getting into. So do you.”
Slowly, almost in the slowest of slow motion, Deanna’s hand reached out to take Selena’s into hers. “Two steps forward and one step back, right?” she teased hesitantly.
“N…” Selena stammered, gazing down at her hand, conjoined with Deanna’s. “Never was the best learner.” She whispered about herself. They barely heard Nia sitting down back in her chair, her eyes studying the couple before her.
“This.” She gestured with her pen. “This is what I want to bring you two to. This… this is the end goal.”
“I’ll…” Selena breathed. “I’ll do whatever I can to get back to that.”
“Me too.” Deanna nodded.
“Then I have one last question for you today…” Glengow leaned forward. “When was the last time you two felt like this?”
**********************
Frost ‘Forever Home’
Manhattan, New York
April 8th, 2024
12:09pm
Selena spied herself in the bathroom mirror as she pulled off her black t-shirt, revealing her black bra and her back. Immediately, her eyes settled on the map of scars that lined her back. You couldn’t go far in looking across the expanse of skin without seeing a scar somewhere. Can’t believe Deanna wanted me to show this to Nia. she almost laughed aloud. Poor woman would have thought I was crazy… or crazier than I already was or something. Maybe would have called the cops.
She studied the scars for another moment before turning around to face herself in the mirror. She tried to ignore the bags under her eyes as she fixed her hair into the braid she was known for. It had taken her a week to get this all together, and with Deanna fighting David Striker, it was the best they could do before needing to head to New Jersey for the pay-per-view. Least it’s close to home… she thought simply, and while she knew she would still get booed in Jersey, the notion only further her desire to prevent losing the title this weekend.
The title Deanna wants you to lose…
She sighed aloud. She had tried not to dwell on everything that had been said in the heat of emotions last week in Glengow’s office. In truth? Scott was a good competitor. If she hadn’t won the title shot at Fatal Fortunes, it would have only been a matter of time till she had a title shot anyway. The woman was good and had worked hard to get better, maybe learning a thing or two from Deanna.
But if there was one thing she hadn’t been able to shake from last week - her desire to hurt Scott. Maybe it was unwarranted but Selena did not care. She didn’t want to lose the world title to Scott – it was a tie between the One and Kandis on that. Hell, after the last few weeks and everything said, Selena, honestly, preferred the idea of losing the world title to Xander or Ravyn (but not Syren, that woman didn’t deserve a chance at the world title for the crap she’d done).
But to lose to the woman that had broken her wife’s arm?
To the woman that Deanna believed in?
She may have let go of her anger towards Deanna in that, but she was still pissed. “That’s not what I’m here for.” She whispered to her reflection. “We will deal with that later.” She promised herself just as she heard a knock on the door.
“Selena?” it was Deanna’s voice.
“I’m still getting changed.”
“Yeah… listen can I open the door and give you something? I promise I won’t intrude.”
“I…” slightly confused, Selena looked around the room. Why, she wasn’t sure. “Okay.”
The handle to the door slowly turned and the door opened just a little, enough for a hand to slip through, that hand holding a plastic, clothing hook with something on it.
“I know it’s a lot to ask… but can you wear this, please?”
Slowly, hearing her wife’s request, Selena took the garment from her wife to study it, her eyes going wide. “How did you get this?” Selena asked. “I took them all with me when I left.”
“You left one in wash.” Deanna answered honestly. “I found it… after you left.”
“Oh…okay…” Selena looked down at the attire with some embarrassment. “I’ll…I’ll just be a minute.”
There was no other sound but Deanna’s retreating steps as the woman walked away, leaving Selena alone with her thoughts. Despite herself, she stared at the light-blue and black outfit… her old wrestling attire, the one she had worn at Rise to Greatness before… well, everything. Before she had left SCW, before she had come back as the Blue-Eyed Devil, before… again, everything.
She wasn’t surprised at Deanna’s request, but there was no shaking the discomfort in the idea of wearing it. After what you did? her mind mocked, knocking the Snow Queen back to her senses. Without another objection, she slipped into the outfit, remembering perfectly how to put on each piece. She was out of the bathroom in minutes, quickly digging into her nearby duffle-bag to pull out the SCW world championship title. Adjusting it on her shoulder, the platinum-blonde slowly walked out of the basement bathroom, down the hall and into the main room, where she saw the lights and the screen set up, a large photo camera set up on a tripod. Making adjustments to the tech was Deanna, the redhead distracted enough for Selena to study her. Like Selena, the younger Frost was wearing her own wrestling attire, complete with fall leaves and the snowflake. Her hair was free and curled, like it had that night in Toronto.
Clearing her throat, Selena waited for Deanna to look up and see her. “Wow.” Was all the redhead could say. “Hello, stranger.” She smiled. “Been awhile since I’ve seen you.”
“I feel so…” Selena sighed. “Not me.” She admitted. The costume, which had been tailor-made for her, now felt a little baggy, but not enough to really notice to anyone but the wearer. “That weird?”
“No.” Deanna shook her head. “But I do appreciate this.”
“Like I said – if it helps.” She shrugged. “But at least I know now why we didn’t do this at Toronto!”
“Why?”
Good-naturedly, Selena titled her head. “Because, same situation the year prior? I lost the world title to Allocco. I was scared that if we did, I’d lose it to Kandis. That’s why I didn’t want a photo.”
“Repeating history?” Deanna asked, earning a nod from Selena.
“Exactly. After that, well…” she shrugged.
“Better late than never!” Deanna quickly rushed, making one last adjustment to the camera before marching over to Selena. Taking the pale hands into hers, Deanna pulled the woman into the ‘shoot area’ of the camera before jumping away to grab the SCW United States title lying on the ground by the camera. Holding it back up, she rushed back over to Selena. “Perfect!” she remarked. “Three or so months both being champions and we finally are getting a picture together!”
“Yeah…” Selena smiled, tired but in good humor. “But if I lose this weekend to Scott, I’m blaming you.”
“Does that mean if you win I get the credit too?” Deanna asked before reaching up to adjust Selena’s head and posture.
“Fat chance.” Selena laughed. “I don’t get credit for your wins even though I trained you.”
“I’ve got a place for you in my autobiography.” Deanna stated.
“You have an autobiography?” Selena raised an eyebrow.
“I might… someday.” Deanna shrugged as the camera began to click rapidly, taking a picture every other second. Hearing it, the Frost wives posed and adjusted, posed and adjusted, each woman holding their own respective title together.
The last time they had done this… was the last time they had felt so connected… when they had been the world tag-team champions together, united and strong. The perfect couple – the ‘it’ couple of SCW, as people had called them on Twitter. With their backs together, both women held up their title towards the camera, a smile on both of their faces.
For Selena, she tried desperately not to have a devlish smirk, but rather the happy, hopeful face she had back when she had been ‘The Face of SCW’ and Deanna had been ‘The Queen’s Guard’. Did it feel fake to her? Yes… but seeing the smile on Deanna’s face? How could she say anything about it?
The camera kept clicking. “Hold on.” Deanna remarked. “I wanna try this pose.”
Holding the title up, she wrapped her arm around Selena, pulling her in close. The platinum-blonde ignored the leap in her chest at being so close to her wife, the first time in months, and, instead, matched her pose with her own title. She could smell her wife’s perfume and feel the warmth of her face as her cheek touched Selena’s.
Instinctively, Selena turned her head, hearing the camera clicking and pressed her lips gently against Deanna’s cheek, hearing the gasp come from Deanna for a second before the redhead turned to Selena, her eyes wide.
“What?” Selena asked. “Did I screw up? I thought you wanted…”
She was unable to finish the sentence as Deanna suddenly had her hands on Selena’s winter-coat, pulling the woman in for a fierce kiss. Even the clicking of the camera was muffled out by the blood rushing through Selena’s ears as she held her wife to her. A second passed before the two separated, both women’s eyes wide at what they had just done.
“O…okay then…” Deanna sighed, dropping her title to the ground and moving over to the camera. “The shoot’s done.”
“Deanna, I…” Selena tried. “I’m sorry… I didn’t…”
Without responding, Deanna took the world title out of Selena’s hand and tossed it to the ground, leaving it and her title behind as she took her wife’s hand in hers again and began pulling her away from the photoshoot area. “Get out of those clothes.” She ordered as she began pulling at her own attire.
“Wha…why?” Selena asked, utter confusion in her voice. It was enough to cause Deanna to turn around and stare the taller woman down.
“Because I don’t want a shred of you or I on when I take you upstairs. Not Selena. Not Deanna. Not the wrestlers. Let’s… I just want us to be Chica and Evelyn right now.”
“I don’t…why?” Selena asked, still unsure what was happening.
“Because I need you.” Deanna sighed. “And if I can’t sleep with my wife… then I rather sleep, as Evelyn, with Chica. Now come on.”
She continued to pull Selena up the stairs towards her… their bedroom, helping Selena remove her and her own clothes along the way. “You’ve got about 3 hours till the kids come on.” She warned as she managed to wrestle off Selena’s shirt. “Make me believe in you.”
The green light finally went off in Selena’s head and… she just let go. Let go of everything she had been holding back as she pulled Deanna in and kissed her fully, helping her to get them out of their clothes as best as she could.
You can do this… she thought to herself. And, if she were entirely honest with herself…
It was the only thing she entirely believed she COULD do…
_______________________________________________________________
The camera opens up to the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. The arena is devoid of people, but the set of SCW’s upcoming pay-per-view ‘Taking the Leap’ is set up beautifully. There is a chill in the air that, while unfelt by the viewers of this segment, can still, somehow be known deep in their spines. Amidst the dark purple, blue and white lights centered around the wrestling ring, however, stands none other than the SCW world champion, herself, Selena Frost. The Blue-Eyed Devil seems deep in thought as she holds the world championship over her shoulder, the gold of the title contrasting with the black leather of her jacket and the platinum-blonde of her iconic braid. Lifting her head as the camera moves in closer, she looks around the ring – HER ring at the empty arena… HER arena.
Newark, New Jersey… she speaks aloud to the empty seats, waiting only a few seconds for her words to settle before speaking again. Do you believe?
She pauses, allowing a knowing smile to grace her lips. Of course you don’t. And I don’t mean that because of who I am… well, I kind of do… but the real blame here is who YOU are. I mean, let’s face it – even if this was two years ago and I was the top-liked person in SCW, you’d all still boo me. She laughs a little.
I mean, come on… We’re in New Jersey! Any New Yorker knows what I am talking about and, even in this big arena… compared to my last promo in New York, this is a definite downgrade. You guys are like the backyard barn animal of New York, every Yorker knows that. I mean, the only thing faker than you guys are your spray-on tans!
She gives a shrug. The good news! The good news that I can take from this whole thing… is that when I’m done here, NYC is only about a half an hour drive away. So I can do my job and be back in the ‘promised land’ in less than an hour, so I can at least be happy about that! Less time here for me, the better off I am.
And I’m gonna need that too. Because I’m gonna want to relax in my tower-castle in NYC, soak up in a nice ice bath, take everything in – hell, I can even celebrate after tonight. I’m going to deserve it. Because tonight is going to be hard work! Tonight, I’m not here just to do a job. No no… she shakes her head. I am here to make an example.
An example of someone that is as fake as all of you Jersey folk. Of course, I’m talking about Kristen Scott. The supposed ‘One’. As in, ‘The One’ that’s gonna change all of SCW! ‘The One’ that’s supposedly a ‘certain thing’! ‘The One’ that supposedly is the one to take me down and take the SCW world championship from me.
A laugh escapes her. ’The One’ that is the biggest liar in SCW! her smile immediately disappears, replaced by a cold glare.
Think you’re funny, don’t you, Kristen? You want to say you ‘respect’ me after telling me, last Breakdown, that I’m ‘everything in the old generation you despise’? You want to say I earned this title after repeating the same crap everyone else has said about me ‘hiding behind contract clauses’? You want to call me a coward but then praise me as ‘being like you’?
A growl escapes the Snow Queen as she glares at the camera. We are nothing alike, Scott. I’ve never lied to a soul. Everything I’ve said in this business, I have done. Everything I have said in this business, I have stood by! Whether it got me ‘over’ or not. But you? You stand in a cow-field and preach that shit about respect? Maybe it was appropriate… because, like that field, you’re full of crap!
Taking the title off her shoulder, Selena places it on the turnbuckle before moving around the ring slowly. You don’t get it, do you, Kristen? I’m the reason anyone is even paying attention to you. I am the reason anyone is giving you the time of day with believing that you’re ‘the one’. I am MAKING you the potential ‘One’ because I’ve beaten everyone that was in your way. Look around! Management is scrounging – digging up fossils like Ravyn and Xander – just to TRY and get me a halfway decent challenger after this because I took down ALL the top notch guys from this season!
People here – people that will fill these seats, probably half or full drunk, are going to be cheering you and believing in you, FINALLY, because of ME! Because they want to lie to themselves as you are lying to them! They want to believe that you truly are the ‘one’ because, at this point, any ‘one’ will do in their pitiful minds! Anyone will do that can take this title off me, but NO ONE can take this title off me! I’m too smart! I’m too resilient! I’m too experienced! I’m too high above every other level, including yours!
Moving away a little, Selena sees a chair set up in the middle of the ring. Gracefully, she sits on it, forearms on her knees. And I’m tired of dealing with people like you, Kristen. You want to know why I am so focused tonight? Why I am so dialed in and growling? Because I’m sick of people who will just ‘say anything’. I’m sick of hypocrites. I’m sick of liars. I’m sick of people like the SCW Universe and people like you that will do or say anything to get ahead. Anything but do the actual work!
That right there? she points to the world title. You said that THAT’S been the goal for you all along? That was your crowning achievement? That was “IT” for you? she gives a bitter laugh. Not what you said last year against Deanna…
Hey! You brought this up so we are going there, Kristen! I didn’t want to but you kept saying my wife’s name over and over again. You brought her into this! So we are going there! Last year, you were preaching about how the United States title was ‘it’ for you! That that title was more important than any other title for you! Want to go further back? A little over a year ago, you said the tag-team titles were ‘it’ for you. That getting those titles with Nicole Kinneck/Pro was ‘it’ for you. That those were the most important titles to you! More? You had a Television title reign – called yourself the ‘workhorse of SCW’, right? Said THAT title was the most important title for you.
Which one is it, Kristen? Her eyes narrow. Because I’ve NEVER faltered. Ever since I won that title in 2016, this title has been ‘it’ for me. And I’ve always found my way back to it! Spending months, years, clawing and scratching my way to be the world champion six times over – to be the best there is in SCW, exactly what I am now! But I’m supposed to believe you’re the same as me? That you want this as much as I need this title?
Selena scoffs, shaking her head. What’ll be next week, huh, Kristen? You gonna start claiming the Adrenaline title is ‘it’ for you? You gonna go back to Deanna and beg for ‘one more match’? You gonna try another movie-reference or something while trying to become TV champion one more time?
Because if this title – MY title – was truly ‘it’ for you, Kristen… if this title was truly the ‘endgame’ and ‘be all end all’ for you, Kristen, why didn’t you take me out sooner? I mean, Deanna went to bat for you didn’t she? Said you ‘always work directly’, right? You face things head on? And yet… That’s something I’ve not quite figured out yet. You had your Trios contract. You had your golden ticket. Why didn’t you use it to become world champion? Hell, if it was me you wanted to face, why not use it while I was champion last year? Insert yourself into the main-event at Rise to Greatness or challenge me – ‘head on’ - on Breakdown? Better yet, why not cash in on your match win at Fatal Fortunes and get your shot? Why let me rampage through here and take what I want? You could have beaten Asher, definitely could have beaten the walking STD...
A laugh comes out of the Snow Queen before her expression grows serious once more. You know why I don’t respect you like Deanna does, Kristen? Why I don’t believe in you like she does? Because she’s looking back with rose-tinted glasses at the feud that started her journey to be the megastar that she is becoming. She looks back and sees the good. I see the truth. She’s still naïve. I love her but she is still new to this world. Me? I see you for who you really are. I see you for the liar and the coward YOU really are. Because you want to blame me for what I did? You want to blame me for ‘ruining SCW’ or ‘hiding behind contract clauses’?
Kristen… you could have stopped it all! You were the only ONE, Kristen, that could have stopped me. You had the power to take the title and shoot past me. Yeah, everyone talks and complains about me ‘shooting ahead of the line’, but you? You had the power to get your shot before me, before the slut, before everyone else. You had the power to stop me dead in my tracks! If you are ‘the One’ to do that, why didn’t you?
A smile forms on Selena’s features. Because deep down… you know you’re not the one. Deep down, Kristen, you’ve been scared of me from the second I came back. The second I came back and took what was mine, and you’ve been delaying and hiding from me because you know, deep down, you can’t beat me! It’s why Deanna was your target years ago instead of me head-on. Why you broke her arm to ‘get to me’, right? Cause you couldn’t face me head on. Why you hid away rather than take what you ‘longed for’.
And that hasn’t changed. You’re the same coward, saying whatever is ‘buzzworthy’. This being ‘your night’. This being ‘your chance’, your ‘moment’, when you have no idea or desire to do what I do…
Selena looks up from where she sits, glaring at the camera as, seemingly, a notion comes to her. You think you can do what I do, Kristen? That it? You think you can carry this company on your back? You think you can represent what this title needs? You talk about integrity, where the hell was YOUR integrity when you broke Deanna’s arm? Scratch that. Where was your integrity when you stacked the deck against Deanna in the elimination chamber match just before I came back? Where you put her against 3 people and teamed her with two people that hated her guts and even attacked her during said match?! A match where, in case anyone forgot, forbade Deanna from ever getting a rematch long as you were champion if you won the United States championship – which you couldn’t even do! Where was your fucking integrity than, Kristen? Yet, you want to do what I do? You want to carry this belt, this company, on your shoulders and change the landscape like I have?!
She shakes her head. That’s not how this is going to go, Kristen, because that’s not what you do. Like I said, look at your track record! You come in, you make the same promises over and over again, put over whatever title you’re placed in as ‘the one for The One’, you fail or you meet resistance and you abandon it, just like you abandoned Nicole Kinneck when she couldn’t deliver the tag titles to you. Just like you abandon everyone, every division, and everything that is better than you or out of your reach.
And me? I’m as far out of your reach as it gets!
I get it! You’re dangerous. I get it! You’re tough. You’re desperate. You’re hungry. You’re hopeful. You’ve made that clear – you’ve proven it! she gives a knowing shake of her head and shrug of her shoulders. But you don’t have it in you, Kristen. You don’t have it in you to be the world champion. You don’t have it in you to be the megastar of this place. You don’t have it in you to bring the eyes in on this place and carry this company alone. You’re too much of a coward. You’re too much of a spineless worm to get the job done. To face the odds. To pull the trigger. To take the hate and the jealousy from them and use it as fuel to propel yourself higher and higher. To have conviction other than a stupid little phrase about death and taxes.
She shakes her head. And you know it. You’ve always known it. That’s why you were already talking about me getting a ‘rematch’ and getting the title back… before you even won the damn thing in the first place! Because you know… the future with me as the world champion? That’s a certainty. That’s a forgone conclusion. That’s essential and that is set.
You? You’re not really looking for that, are you? You’re not really looking to change the landscape – that’s just a catchphrase for you. That’s just buzzwords you use to sound cool. But deep down? You don’t want that.
You just want a moment. Just like the slut, just like Asher, just like Simon, just like Allocco, like Ace Marshall and every other person that’s come my way, desperately trying to be what I am. Nobody wants to do what I do. It’s too hard. It’s too draining. It takes so much out of you. They just want a moment. A moment where they say “I was world champion”! Whether it’s for a few months, a few weeks or a few seconds like a certain blonde loudmouth in the tag-division… Selena throws a wink at the camera. That’s all you, and everybody else wants. A moment that you can hang onto for the rest of your life and milk it for all its worth, fake and false as it may be…
And I’m not about to give you that, Kristen. I’m not going to cripple this company just so you can cry a few tears, tell the world you ‘did it’ and then fuck it all up at the first title defense you have. I’m not gonna give you that moment just so you can set everything back to ‘how it was’ with controversy and tainted matches. Not just so you can laugh a little and cry a little and feel good about FINALLY keeping a damn promise in your career. You want that? Go back to being ‘the workhorse’. You actually were pretty damn good at being that.
Pushing herself to her feet, Selena shakes her head at the camera. But you’re not cut out to be ‘it’ here. You’re not cut out to be ‘the One’ here, Kristen. Tonight, your ‘moment’ isn’t going to come. Your ‘moment’ isn’t going to happen at MY expense. At MY legacy. At the expense of the money I make and the food I provide for my children and my family!
Unlike you, Kristen, I’m not afraid to pull the trigger. And tonight, that’s exactly what I am going to do. I am going to line you up, I’m going to set up my killshot… and I am going to pull the trigger. And unlike you ‘calling your shot’ over and over again, in division after division, against a Frost over and over again… I won’t be needing a second shot because I won’t miss.
Reaching over, Selena takes the title belt off the turnbuckle, her back foot kicking the chair away from her.
You’ve flirted in my world long enough, Scott. Tonight, I take you out of it. Whether you want to believe it… or not!
Slowly, Selena raises the title over her head proudly, the cold glare never wavering from her features as the camera fades to black.
![[Image: hffOaUZ.png]](https://i.imgur.com/hffOaUZ.png)
SCW Supreme Champion
6x SCW World Champion
4x SCW World Tag-Team Champion
2x SCW United States Champion
3x SCW Adrenaline Champion
SCW Television Champion
Longest Reigning SCW World Champion (234 days)
Winner of Shot of Adrenaline Tournament (2016)
Winner of Best of the Best Tournament (2016)
Winner of Trios Tournament (2018)
Winner of U.S. Championship Tournament (2020)
Winner of World Championship Tournament (2023)
Winner of Tactical Warfare (2014, 2019)
Winner of Elimination Chamber (2015)
Winner of Roofed Cage Match (2019)
Winner of Last Person Standing Match (2019)
The Unbelievable Main Event (2021-2023)
Winner of Double Jeopardy Match (2022)
Winner of EOTY Invitational (2023)
Winner of EOTY Invitational (2023)
Female Wrestler of the Year (2016, 2021, 2022)
Tag-Team of the Year (2020 - w/ Regan Street)
Match of the Year (2018, 2019, 2021, 2023)
Feud of the Year (2014, 2019)
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