01-19-2019, 11:50 PM
OOC: CD takes place across multiple times. Promo takes place Sunday morning of Pay-Per-View. Two parts due to length.
I of the Storm
“A Feeling of Home”
December 27th, 2018
2:13pm AKST
Nome, Alaska
“Aww come on kid.” the balding, rotund man whined as he pulled the large backpack out of his truck. “Is this really all necessary?”
The backpack was heavier than the bar-and-grill owner wanted to admit – that or he needed to get back to the gym. Make good on that membership that I haven't used in... what? Eight years? He chuckled, more to himself than anyone else, before slugging the backpack away from his blue pickup truck. “I don't even know what's in this damn thing – how are you going to carry it?” he asked as he dragged the backpack the few feet ahead.
In front of him stood the young woman. She was dressed entirely in white apparel, from the white leggings that wrapped around toned calves and quads, the white hiking boots, the white winter coat with a slight off-white faux-fur trim around the neck, even the toque she wore was white as well. The only thing that did not much the standing 'snowwoman' of sorts was the black binoculars in her hands as she scanned the sight before her – it was a trail that bent forward and around, stretching off and down a hill and into the distance.
“Perfect.” she whispered, a genuine smile gracing her face as she lowered the binoculars. “So much beautiful mountain and hillsides...”. She added with a whisper, “just what I need.”
“Hey, kid?” Liam asked impatiently, causing Selena Frost to turn around, smiling excitedly at her father-like figure.
“Hmm? Sorry, wasn't listening.”
“Yeah, I gathered that, princess.”
The young woman rolled her eyes at the large man as he took a few deep breaths of air. “I'm not a princess, Liam.” she playfully whine – her usual retort coming through. “I'm a queen.”
“Always will be a little princess to me.”
“Even when I'm a few inches taller than you.”
“Hey...” playfully warned the large man. “Taller or not, I got no problem getting tough.”
“Tough love?” Selena raised an eyebrow.
“Damn right.” Liam winked.
Shaking her head in good nature, Selena turned her gaze back towards the trail before her. The Grand Central Valley was the ideal spot to start her hike through the Kigulaik Montains – one of the mountain ranges near Nome, Alaska and the Seward Peninsula.
“You know...” Liam interjected her thoughts with his words. “When you said you wanted to go for a walk and needed a ride – I figured you were gonna visit some nice park or the shore – what was I thinking?”
“What were you thinking?” Selena shook her head in disbelief. “Do I look like a wallflower to you?”
“I don't know.” Liam shrugged teasingly. “Been in the city an awfully long time, sweetie.”
He immediately regretted his words – even when they were in humour – as the pale-skinned woman's face fell, expression altering from light to sad and focused. “I know.” she replied quietly. “But that's why I am here.” she reminded herself quietly.
“Aww, listen, princess...” offered Liam, moving around to wrap a large, round arm (like a massive roll of sausage) around the woman. “I didn't mean anything by it.”
Sniffling a little, the Snow Queen turned her head, offering her old friend and, often at times in her youth, caretaker a fleeting but warm smile. “I know.” she replied, leaning in to kiss his stubble-covered cheek. “Doesn't mean it isn't true.” she stated.
“You think you'll find what you're looking for out there?” he asked, pointing a big finger towards the range.
Selena nodded. “Couple of days hiking around here should answer that.” she replied before noticing the backpack Liam had placed beside her. “Thank you.” she replied before picking it up and slinging it over your back.
“What if there's trouble? You got food?” Liam asked, his protectiveness – brought on by his old friendship to Selena's father, Donovan – gaining ground.
“Several days worth.” Selena stated.
“Water – like clean stuff.”
“Yep.”
“Toilet paper?”
“Liam!” Selena shot back in mild surprise.
“Hey – you wanna use leaves -”
“I have everything I need.” Selena pressed.
“Knife?”
That last one on the checklist cause the platinum-blonde to do a double-take. “Why would I need a knife?”
“Case of wolves.” Liam shrugged.
“There's no wolves really near this trail.” Selena stated, quite sure of that.
“News says they've been migrating for the winter – just saying.”
“Liam...” Selena sighed before turning her head back to the large man. “Uncle.” she added. “I'll be fine. Okay? I'm not going to be eaten by wolves.”
Instead of responding, Liam Jacks simply turned around before heading back to this truck. A few moments went by before he returned to Selena's side, holding out a rather wide and long knife, the steel of the blade sheathed in a brown, basketweave leather. “Here.” he stated, holding the weapon out to Selena.
“Come on-” Selena tried but Liam raised his free hand to stop her.
“Just take it, kid. I'll sleep better knowing you at least got something.”
It was an argument Selena did not wish to have to start off her time back home, and so – humouring the old man, she took the knife from him, sliding it into one of the many pockets in her coat. “Thank you.” she added.
“No problem.” Liam cupped his hands together to blow into them, rubbing them briskly after doing so. Selena could see the cracked skin of his bare knuckles, the sign of a man often out in the cold. “Not sure how you can stand hiking a mountain range in this weather.”
“Uncle, I'll be fine.” Selena smiled. “I'm just going to get as close to Osborn as I can without having to climb and then turn around and make my way back down. Twenty-three miles, not even a mile high – I'll be fine. And I have my phone. Now, if I don't start now, it'll just take me longer to get back.”
“Alright, alright!” Liam surrendered, stuffing his hands into the pocket of his green hoodie. “Get going then. Call me when you're reaching back here. I'll see you in a few days.”
To ease her 'uncle's' mind, the young Frost gave him one last hug before turning towards the trail and beginning her hike – one step at time. She didn't hear Liam get into his truck and drive away, back to Nome, for she was out of sight rather quickly, going up and then down a hill to start. Still, she knew she was alone in the winter of Nome, Alaska.
Just like the old days... her mind thought – unable to feel the spark of joy that resonated for her. Though she wished she could be back in Manhattan with her family – nursing her sick daughter to full health – there was no denying what she felt. This...this had to happen. She was where she was supposed.
For her family.
For SCW.
For herself...
Slowly, a quiet hum started in her throat – a tune that evolved into a whistle as Selena let her mind wander as she travelled through, the sound of crunching snow beneath her boots.
Heart don't fail me now..
Courage don't desert me, don't turn back now that we're here...
People always say, 'Life is full of choices...”
No one ever mentions fear...
Or how the world can seem so vast
On the journey to the past...
************************
December 22nd, 2018
3:43pm EST
Manhattan, New York
With a push, Selena shoved the last bit of snow off her driveway and onto the street in front of her. The small spittle of white dust flew into the air and landed on the ground without a sound – not surprising considering the Snow Queen had shovelled the trail of asphalt about an hour ago... and again an hour and a half before that.
In fact, if someone was keeping tally (and Selena certainly wasn't), so far today, she had shovelled the driveway four times, walked the trail around her neighbourhood twice, adjusted her holiday lawn ornaments six times, cleaned the tiles of her kitchen floors and walls once, checked her mailbox (she had actually lost track on that one), checked Amiliah's diapers so many times that even the near six-month-old was confused, and checked every single light-bulb inside her house a total of fourteen times, flicking the light switches on and off to see that they still 'worked'.
Every light-bulb except the two in one certain room...
Placing her shovel down on the driveway so she could lean on it with her elbow, Selena turned around to stare at her home. The lights weren't on, but that didn't surprise her – being that it was the middle of the day and all that. Still, all she wanted was X-ray vision to see through her house and see her daughter – the one she had been forbidden to see.
She had returned from Breakdown – and laying down the cash-in for her Trios Contract against Bree Lancaster at next year's very first pay-per-view: Making Things Right – to be told by Deanna that Elsianna's results had come back from Doctor Embers....
Elsianna had a bacterial pneumonia and was in the stages that, Dorian describes, as 'highly contagious'.
In other words: Go to jail. Go directly to jail. Do not pass Mommy. Do not collect any hugs, kisses or lullabies!
She gave a shake of her head while she kicked the snow in frustration (also something she had done so often that she had lost count). She had overheard Deanna, Elsianna, and everyone else playing monopoly while she had put on her jacket and scarf to shovel the driveway – Think it was the second or third time...
Dejected, Selena stopped at the porch to place the shovel against the wall of the house. She was certain she was going to shovel the driveway at least a few more times today – even if it wasn't snowing like it had last night. Opening the door, the platinum-blonde stepped into her house just in time to hear-
“KILL IT WITH FIRE!”
Immediately, Selena's senses were on high alert. Perhaps it was her dislike of heat and how it made her feel sluggish and drained her energy or perhaps it was all the unoriginal SCW superstars that loved to use the line of 'melting the Snow Queen' in their promos and tweets on Twitter whenever they spoke about her. Either way, Selena's head jerked left to right, looking for anything! A flame-thrower, a blowtorch – hell, she'd believe someone with a box of matches could be up to something in here -
However, as the sound of agreement and cheering was overheard, coming from upstairs, Selena only had to look up to the door of her daughter's bedroom to see the source of the noise.
“You hit the Giant Constrictor Snake with your fireball!” came another, older sounding, female voice. “The creature hisses and howls, 'AHHHH! EEEEE!'.” the cries seemed to be from the same voice but, to Selena, it didn't sound like a giant snake – more like an angry dinosaur.
Quietly, Selena slipped her feet out of her loose boots and crept up the stairs, making sure to avoid the spot that usually creaked whenever it was stepped on. She only had to go up a few steps until she was able to see the inside of Elsianna's room. Before her eyes, her white-haired daughter, still in her pyjamas, sat in her bed, her legs still under the covers. However, around her: two on the bed, and two sitting in chairs on each side of the bed, where several other young girls. And while Selena recognized a few of them, like Osana, who sat the closest to Elsianna on the bed, and Rebecca, the others she did not...
This also included the girl that sat in a chair behind a table that had been placed in front of the foot of the bed. A cardboard frame stood before this particular girl, like a curtain of sorts.
“The giant snake lies in burnt ashes at your feet, what shall you do now?” she asked.
Selena had absolutely no clue. Where had these girls killed a giant snake? Was this some kind of euphemism? It better not be! Selena thought bitterly.
“Skin it?” one of the girls asked.
“Take it's fangs?” said another.
“Ohh! Ohh! Ohh!” Selena recognized that voice as she saw Elsianna raise her hand and wave it frantically. “I know! I know! I-”
The child had to suddenly stop as the familiar coughing fit struck her. She had been cooped up in bed for about a week now, unable to really do much until she was cured. The good news was that Doctor Embers had changed her medication from 'straight cough syrup' to antibiotics – assuring Selena and Deanna that their daughter should be alright in a few more weeks.
A fact that hadn't sat well with any of the young women in the household, especially with Christmas just a few days away.
Continuing to listen in, Selena heard Elsianna's coughing fit finally subside, allowing her to speak – at least they were getting less intense, for which Selena was grateful for. “Let's loot it's stomach! Maybe it swallowed something magical or precious!”
“Oh that's funny!” teased Rebecca, the blue-haired girl laughing. “The girl that got her very own Christmas Tree put in her room wants to look for more stuff to own!”
The group exploded into amused laughter, Elsianna looking away, a bit embarrassed but also amused. Yes, she had her own Christmas Tree. With her having to potentially miss the “Neighbourhood festival”, Elsianna had cried in her pillow so many times – each time breaking Selena and Deanna's heart. That is until Deanna, ever the caregiver, had the brilliant idea:
”Let's bring as much of the festival to her!”
The two had worked in tandem. Selena had helped Deanna take the Christmas tree in the living room apart and brought the pieces upstairs and Deanna had brought them into Elsa's room for the mother/daughter tag-team to set it up. Add a few more odds and ends of decorations from around the house and Elsianna soon had her own little festival in her room – much to the jealousy of David (Selena truly hoped the boy would grow out of that phase soon).
With a shake of her head, Selena turned on her heel and quietly made her way downstairs, moving into the kitchen where she immediately saw her wife over the oven, checking on something inside – Selena had to guess it was cookies or something for the guests. That was usually Deanna's 'go to' for children.
Biting her lower lip as an idea crept into her mind, the Snow Queen quietly tried to sneak up behind her wife, moving as slowly as her white, socked feet would allow. However, she failed to realize just how well the tiled walls of the kitchen had been cleaned by her own hand, for as the redhead looked up, all she had to do was spy Selena in the polished reflection in front of her. With a knowing grin, Deanna spun around, throwing her arms around Selena's neck, catching the Snow Queen off guard!
“AH!” was all she could get out before instinct took over and she caught her wife in her arms before Deanna was crushing her lips onto Selena's fiercely, a loud 'MMMMMMMMMMWHA!' kissing sound, like from a cartoon, coming from the younger woman.
“Hi!” she smiled sweetly at her beloved wife, causing Selena to raise an eyebrow as she held Deanna.
“This is usually your line, I know, but... have you been drinking?”
“No.” Deanna's tone suddenly became serious at the question – causing Selena to mentally curse herself for ruining her wife's good mood. “There's none here. Not even the cough medicine.”
“There's booze in cough medicine?” Selena asked, her eyes wide.
“Yeah...” Deanna nodded. “Some have like – 83% alcohol.”
Selena's mouth hung open. She was never sick – so such information was useless to know. Still...that percentage was higher than the BreeZee drink she had made weeks ago.
Imagine if you had drank that instead... came the voice in her head, though Selena wasn't sure if it was Sirus or her past-Nome-self, whom had been showing up more and more frequently since that hateful night, often showing up while Selena was alone and on the road, usually to mock or ridicule the Snow Queen over something.
“Don't bother looking.” Deanna stated, breaking Selena's thoughts. “There's none in the house.”
“I wasn't looking.” Selena promised. “I'm glad we don't have any. Makes it easier to not want it.”
You sure? Okay, THAT voice was Sirus and it licked behind Selena's ear. Just a few drops to quiet me... like you guys did for Elsianna the first few nights...
'WOOOO!'
'LEVEL UP!'
'BUY IT!'
The sounds of hooping and hollering were heard, albeit not too loudly, as they came from upstairs. Using the distraction, as both ladies were now facing towards where the noise came from, Selena grappled with her mental-ghost's choice of topic, marching away from Deanna a few steps before gesturing to the second floor. “What are they doing up there? And while we are on the subject, who are all those kids?”
With a dismissive wave of her hand, Deanna turned to check on her cookies. “Those are some of Elsianna's classmates from school. You know Rebecca and Osana from the neighbourhood, right?”
Selena could only stare at her wife, dumbfounded at her calmness about the situation.
“Umm...Deanna?”
The redhead turned to face her wife with a tilt of her head. “Yes, sweetheart?”
With jerky movements, Selena pointed back to the upstairs above her. “Kids? Upstairs? Daughter? None of this seems like a bad idea?”
The questions finally seemed to get a reaction from the young redhead: Confusion. “Why would it be a bad idea?” she asked. “I think it's wonderful.” she dusted her hands off as she continued to work around the kitchen. “Poor thing's been cooped up in here for a week – it's nice that her friends have been coming over every few days.”
“They have?!” Selena's eyes widened as she looked back through the entrance she had entered. “Well, then, does that mean... that's wonderful!”
Quickly, Selena turned to go, her feet moving only a few steps.
“Whoa! Hey!” Deanna called out to her. “Where are you going?”
“To give my daughter a hug!” Selena replied joyously.
She did not expect Deanna's confused expression and answer of, “Wha- no! You know better than that, Selena!”
“Wha...I don't- you just said that she's had friends over throughout the week to keep her company!” Selena stated, trying to keep her voice down so the children upstairs couldn't hear her.
“Yes. Mostly her Dungeons and Dragons group-”
“So, why can't I go up there and see her? Be with her? Play with her?” Selena asked with an irritated shrug of her shoulders.
“Because she's sick, remember?” Deanna stated.
“You're telling me to remember?” Selena asked incredulously. “You're the one letting kids into her room and not me, Deanna.”
The oven dinged, signalling the end of the baking session, but it also seemed to serve as a light going off in Deanna's head. “Oh gods...” she mentally cursed as she smacked her forehead as well. “Geez, I'm so sorry, Selena. They've just been by so often the past week, I thought I had told you. Just a sec...”
Turning around, Deanna quickly fished out the oven mittens from a nearby drawer and, sliding them on, opened the oven to pull out the tray of perfectly-cooked cookies, placing them on a cooling rack on top of the oven. That accomplished, the redhead took of her mittens, turned off the oven and then turned to face her wife.
“Okay.” she explained. “Rebecca, Charlotte, Erin, Violet, and, even Osana, were all infected with pneumonia earlier last month. Essentially, they've been through it already and developed immunity to it. They and Elsianna are part of this Dungeons and Dragons group that Elsianna told me about -”
“Okay...” Selena nodded her head, trying to understand.
“Well, anyway, after we learned that she'd be bedridden indefinitely, she asked me to call Violet and let her know. I did and it turns out they all had had it. They asked if they could bring their game to Elsianna, since they weren't carriers or anything. Dorian Embers said it was okay, as long as they restricted their presence to Elsianna's room.”
It was...something... to hear for the Snow Queen – though she wasn't sure if that something was good or bad. One one hand, she was happy to hear that her sick, little snowflake, didn't have to deal with all this alone. On the other hand, the selfish hand...
“So...even kids and friends outside this family get to be around my daughter... but I still can't.”
Sighing knowingly (and in understanding), Deanna slowly approached her wife. “I know it sucks. It does, Selena. I can't imagine how you've been coping.”
“Shovelling the driveway four or so times and counting the number of different sized rocks in our neighbourhood. Did you know we have 23 medium, 14 large, and 7 irregular sized rocks in our backyard alone?” Selena stated.
“I....did not...” Deanna replied slowly, not exactly weirded out but her wife statement of fact, but not exactly sure what to make of it either.
Selena shook her head. “This isn't fair.” She stated. “I should be able to go up there and be around her. If the kids can do it, if Amiliah and David are alright-”
“Selena.” Deanna pressed. “It's too risky.” she reminded Selena. “I have to watch David and Amiliah like a hawk. Hourly check-ins, the works. The notion is I am immune. If you get close to Elsianna-”
“I may not get infected, but I will likely become a carrier since I am not 'immune'.” Selena lamely recalled from memory, more annoyed.
“Right. So think about the family and just stay out of it, okay?” Deanna pressed with finality.
Giving a huff, Selena replied with a curt “Fine.” before turning on her heel and heading for the exit of the room.
“Where are you going?” Deanna asked, following her wife and watching as the platinum-blonde throw her boots and long, winter-coat back on.
“To shovel the driveway again!” stated Selena bitterly. “And then I'm going to start looking for more rocks! Maybe I'll find one that looks the United States Championship! Won't that be funny!”
She didn't wait for an answer, closing the door behind her to start 'round five' of her vs. the driveway!
************************
December 28th, 2018
4:43pm AKST
Nome, Alaska
The summit of stone stared down at her as she gazed at its structure. It was leaning and appeared to be rotten, the series of stacked rock of black, orange, red, brown, and beige jutting out from the blanket of snow that covered most of it. From where she was perched, Selena turned around to view down the tall mountain towards the valleys and lands below. The snow was uniform in some places and displaced in others...
And it was beautiful!
“WOOOOOOO!!!!” she screamed at the top of her lungs! She wasn't scared of any avalanche, for she was only a little under 4,500 feet above ground level. Hearing her voice echo as it tumbled down the hill, Selena breathed in the cold air of the winter, exhaling happily.
She had made it to the top, just like she planned to. She'd set a goal and had accomplished it!
For the Snow Queen, in that moment, it felt incredible. For the past year – a year that was finally drawing to a close – she had made dreams and goals for herself and for SCW. From standing up to those that tried to take it down, to protecting those that would harm innocent people simply doing their job. Still, despite this, she had to admit what this year was for her:
“An abject failure.” she whispered, this message not picked up by the echoes of the mountain.
Still, it did not make the statement any less true:
She had failed to avenge herself in her battles with Sienna Swann, who had tried to take her out of SCW for good.
She had failed make any sort of impact with the Television title after winning it.
She had failed to 'restore the concept of professional wrestling' in her match with Blake Mason.
She had failed to make Regan pay for all the Hellcat had done to SCW and to her.
And lastly, she would end 2018 having failed to get the United States Championship from Bree Lancaster.
So... while it wasn't much to anyone – it was so much for Selena to be standing there, in that moment, having achieved... something... something she believed in. Something she wanted to do. Something that, when others said 'don't do it! Why're you doing this?', she pressed on and did it anyway.
For a moment, Selena considered using her phone to take a selfie – mostly a nice reminder for herself. There was no wifi or towers or routers for data use anywhere and there wouldn't be where she would, inevitably, end up – but she could always take a picture and wait until she needed to go down to the town of Nome and upload it then while checking emails and submitting footage to SCW for the weeks ahead.
It only took Selena a moment to consider it before she turned away from the summit of rock, the Snow Queen beginning to make her way back down the trail she had come from. This wasn't about mementos or souvenirs. This wasn't a journey for her to film and flaunt. The world would see snippets relevant to SCW, for sure, but this was her journey. One she needed to take alone.
Not really alone... came the soft voice in her head.
“You don't count.” Selena stated as she walked. “Though you should be happy. I brought us back.”
“Oh yeah... you so wanted to come back, didn't you?”
Selena stopped in her track to turn her head towards the voice, though she knew there would not be anything there. That wasn't how this phantom operated. She appeared when she wanted to be seen.
“Actually, I kind of did.” Selena answered anyway.
“Explain...” came the voice.
“No...” Selena shook her head. “No, I don't think I will. Cause I've still got a day's more of walking to do.”
With a smile, she continued her trek, her backpack bobbing a little as she walked in the snow.
“You can't outwalk your problems!” the voice called out to her.
“I don't expect to.” Selena called back without hesitation.
Because the truth of the matter was – she wasn't trying to evade to her problems...
She was looking for them.
Somewhere down this road, I know someone's waiting
Years of dreams just can't be wrong!
Arms will open wide. I'll be safe and wanted
Fin'lly home where I belong.
Well, starting now, I'm learning fast...
On this journey to the past
************************
December 24th, 2018
9:30pm EST
Manhattan, New York
“WOOF! ARF!” Oberon barked as he ran around the limited space he was allowed, his black collar and leash, which was tied to one of the many support beams of metal, keeping him nearby.
“Oh, stop whining.” Selena chastised the white, husky pup. “Santa has his reindeer. The Snow Queen can have a 'wolf' of sorts.” she stated as she knelt down to give her pet some much desire affection and attention, rubbing his head and muzzle affectionately. Oberon hummed happily, getting what he wanted, and sat down on the snowy ground as Selena sat down beside him, though she sat on the steps of her 'throne' of sorts.
She had to admit – despite her feelings about tonight – Christmas Eve – and this whole event, the festival had turned out beautiful and without any problems. Looking out across her 'clearing', she saw several of the remaining kids finishing their paper cups of hot chocolate. Some tried throwing them to the ground, only for their parents to stop them, make said child/children depending on the case pick up the trash, and toss it into the trash bin nearby.
“So...” Selena asked, turning her attention back to the dog she held. “When are you going to learn to do that?” she asked.
“ARF!” whined Oberon.
“Yeah, yeah. You've got me wrapped around your little paw, don't you, you big furball?”
Turning his head, Oberon eagerly returned the affection Selena was bestowing upon him, licking her face enthusiastically.
“O-Obi!” Selena tried, laughing despite herself. “Come on! You're going to ruin my makeup!”
She hadn't worn much for her part in this neighbourhood event – I'm not Bree Lancaster or Sienna Swann after all – she thought, though she admitted it was a lame insult. All she had was a bit of foundation, purple eye-liner for her eyes and a tinge of blush for her cheeks. In truth, her face was something she wasn't proud in showing in terms of 'beauty'.
Her dress though?
Biting her lower lip as it formed a smile, Selena cast her eyes down, staring at her favourite dress – what she, affectionately, called “The Winter Sky Dress”. The navy blue ensemble zipped up at the back and flowed down her, the skirt section light and billowing out only a little, but still able to sway as she moved her hips. The long sleeves and the corset were studded with small sequins, like diamonds and a furry line of white, faux-fur rounded around just above her breasts and under the tops of her shoulders, leaving her neck, shoulders, and some cleavage on display.
And since it was a “Selena dress”, it had come with a cape – a long, matching, see through material with its own set of elaborate snowflakes. Yeah, how's that 'Superman'? she thought playfully as she stuck her tongue out a little between her white teeth. You got a red cape? I got at least two! Cape crusader? Nah, I'm a cape collector! A cape enthusiast!
She quietly chuckled to herself as she kept near Oberon. The only thing Selena loved about her appearance more than her dress was her hair. She had it perfectly done for tonight, painstakingly braiding and re-braiding it three times (yes, this one she had counted) if so much as one hair was out of alignment. A large hairpin of a snowflake sat comfortably in the right side of her hair, just behind and above her ear, and her braid had a few smaller pins placed there as well. It truly was no contest – her hair would always be the one thing she loved over every material thing she bought or was given... regardless of comparable worth...
I suppose... she thought for a moment. It's same with the United States title and the World title.
She sighed a little, only a bit of sadness in the exhale. She was still angry, on some level, over what Bree had done to her in their last match – but after nearly two weeks of being here, being home, she had just felt frustrated. Bree didn't get it – didn't understand what Selena was doing. She was just laughing and mocking Selena on Twitter, acting 'unafraid' about facing Selena in a roofed cage match again. And while others seemed to agree with Bree, like Sienna and those in Beauty Network – those that didn't weren't making nearly as much noise as them.
That needs to change... Selena decided in thought. But not now...too happy to be so depressed-
That was it. It finally dawned on Snow Queen how she could be in such good spirits tonight. It was because, despite everything, she was happy. Seeing the laughing and smiling children made her happy. Seeing her wife, hours ago, playing with them (for the Snow Queen's castle was only stop number 1 on the neighbourhood trail) before sending the first batch on ahead – the final stop being Santa's workshop.
Her only wish to make things better was an understandable one – that her Elsianna could be there with the other children.
As if sensing her thoughts, Oberon gave a quiet, yet high-pitched whine, regaining Selena's attention. “You wish she was here too, huh, boy?” she asked, earning a few panting sounds from the dog. “I know.” Selena smiled a little sadly. “I've been imaging it on and off all night. She's stop her first, probably one of the first of many to get a photo with me. She'd sing and dance with Deanna as they had hot chocolate...”
Turning her head, Selena took in her 'castle throne room' that was station number 1 for the trial. It was a simple gazebo decorated with crystal sugars hanging from the ceiling, fake snow lying the inside and her thrown, a lavish, blue-painted throne chair that reminded Selena of something from the Tudors era. Still, it suited 'The Snow Queen' she thought.
“And while I sat there on the throne and met the children who came later, she'd rush off with Deanna and meet Frosty, the penguins – all people in costume – don't tell her, okay?”
Oberon barked his agreement, earning a pat on the head.
“Then, she'd meet Santa – tell him what she wants for Christmas and come right back here to me. So I could spend time with her and David.”
“Arf?”
“Amiliah is too young for this, boy. You know that. She needs to stay inside where it is warm.”
With a shake of her head, Selena watched the last of the children in the clearing head down the trail. One, a young girl, close to Elsianna's age, Selena gathered, stopped in her tracks before tugging on the hand she held – that of her mother's. Because of the distance from the, Selena could not hear what the little girl was asking, but she definitely understood the body language, especially in this case, for she had seen most of the night.
The mother/daughter pair hesitantly approached the white-haired woman, who smiled and waved at them.
“Hello, Mrs.-” the woman, dark-skinned and wearing a red jacket caught herself as she spied the blue and white sign (complete with 'icicles' painted and placed over it) that read 'Snow Queen's Castle'. “Snow Queen.” she corrected quickly, “she-” the woman continued, indicated her daughter, who looked very much like a miniature version of her mother, except she had a pink, puff coat and her pink toque almost went all the way down past her eyes. “She was wondering if she could pet your wolf...”
Slowly, Selena gazed at Oberon, who, upon hearing – and recognizing – the word 'pet' perked right up. “I think he'd love that.” Selena replied, nodding her head in approval as well.
“Go ahead, darling.” the woman encouraged to her child, but the pink-wearing girl was slow, hesitant as she stepped closer to the pair of dog and queen.
“He's not going to bite me, is he?” she asked, concern in her voice.
“Of course not, sweetheart.” Selena assured. “He loves children. He's a big softie.”
To illustrate her point, Selena, keeping her knelt position, beside Oberon, reached out to scratch him behind his ears, earning a content, purr-like sound from him.
Slowly, building her courage, the child reached out an ungloved hand, moving a slow step at a time, until her hand was touch the top of the husky's white head. Ears perking up, Oberon recognized one thing and one thing only now.
SOMEONE NEW IS PETTING ME!
Immediately, the dog licked and nuzzled the new hand, earning a series of laughs from the child, who found the dog's tongue to be quite ticklish against her palm. The whole scene, like others before tonight, brought a smile to Selena's face, making her miss the first few clicks of the camera as the mother, using her phone, took some quick shots. The third however, gained Selena's attention.
“What's your name?” she asked the child.
“Rosalyn.” the girl answered.
“Rosalyn.” Selena tried. She wasn't a fan of the name but then again, who was she to judge? “Rosalyn, can you look over there?”
Carefully, the Snow Queen of the neighbourhood pointed towards Rosalyn's mother, who waved at the pair as the child turned around to face her. “Can we give her a smile?” Selena asked, but it seemed that Oberon had a better idea.
Before Rosalyn's mother could take another picture, the husky pup had turned his head and began licking Rosalyn's cheek like he had Selena's. Immediately, the child burst out into giggles, as did Selena as she witnessed the whole scene. The clicking transformed into a patter of clicks before the mother, delightedly, skipped over to her daughter, taking her hand and gracing Selena with a bright smile.
“Thank you so much, Mrs. Frost.” she whispered low so Rosalyn couldn't hear her.
“You're very welcome, Mrs. Cagney.” Selena smiled. “I'd offer some hot chocolate, but the last group drank what was left.”
“That's alright.” Mrs. Cagney – Kyra – smiled. “She'll be too busy looking for Santa.”
Understanding, Selena nodded her head as Kyra took Rosalyn's hand and ushered them off down the trail, clearly aware that the event would be ending at 10pm. After all, 'the children needed to be asleep for Santa' – committee's words, not Selena's. The young woman watched the mother/daughter pair go before suddenly clapping her hands and rubbing them.
“Well, boy...” she smiled, finally showing her tiredness. “I think that wraps things up on our end. First seen, first to go sort of thing, right?”
Oberon, surprisingly, wasn't entirely listening. Instead, his head was tilting back and forth as he looked down, towards the opposite direction the trail was going. Past Selena's gazebo and towards the 'undecorated' section of the path – for Selena, it was her shortcut to her house because it was only a quarter of the way around the area as opposed to three-quarters if she had gone the 'trail that lead to the North Pole'.
“What, boy?” she asked her pet. “See a squirrel?”
On his feet, the white husky moved and darted around, as if suddenly very interested in the spot just beyond the trees, barking towards it as he fought a bit against his leash.
“Wow...you're suddenly enthusiastic.” Selena observed before her head jerked back to stare at the dog. “Wait... please don't tell me its a rabbit!”.
Despite the woman's questions, however, the husky pup would not be denied, leaping with his head jerking back to try and get the collar off, veering left and right, testing and re-testing the leash's limits. For a moment, the poor thing was moving so much and so forcibly against the confines that Selena feared he was going to inadvertently hurt himself.
“Alright! Alright!” she acquiesced, shuffling over to her dog's side. Reaching old both pale hands, she had to pull and push her hands to and fro as she tried to get a hold of the pup. “Hold still.” she ordered before her slender fingers clasped the latch that kept the cord to his collar. With a short pull and twist, it was undone and before the Snow Queen could utter a word, Oberon sprinted towards the dark side of the woods, barking as he ran.
“Don't eat it!” ordered Selena. “You'll get sick!”
She doubted Oberon would hear or even understand her but, he was young – and, again, like she was the one to talk about putting harmful substances in her body.
Hypocrite, much?
Selena ignored the voice much more easily than previous times, her good mood refusing to diminish. Still, the sound of someone screaming in alarm – coming from the darker side of the woods Oberon had disappeared from – that was something Selena could not ignore.
“Hey!” she called out, putting on a burst of speed across the snow-covered grounds as she rushed into the woods after Oberon. Almost immediately, she could hear the sounds of her dog – a mixture of barks and high-pitched hums coming from nearby, combined with... laughter? Laughter as in 'ha ha ha'? Selena refused to question it further, choosing haste over logic as she followed the sounds through the woods until she spotted the white of Oberon's fur, the medium-sized pup on top of...someone?
“OBERON!” Selena ordered. “No! Down boy!” she began to say she rushed to his side. She could barely make out the hoodie-wearing person Oberon was pounced on. But as she pulled the dog off, repeatedly giving her apologies for her dog's behaviour, she heard something.
A set of coughs – the kind that she had heard every night she had been home here. And, even in the dim light of the undecorated woods, she could still see well-enough ion the dark to recognize the design of hoodie the person was wearing. After all, it was her favourite, snowflake embroidered hoodie.
Kneeling down, Selena reached forward towards the person on the ground until she could feel the familiar fabrics of the hoodie's hood. Swiftly, Selena pushed the hoodie back, and a sea of white flowed from underneath, framing the soft features of the young face that gazed up at the Snow Queen with knowing shame.
“Hi mommy.” the child coughed.
“El....Elsi...Elsianna?!” Selena asked in disbelief. To say that the former world champion was not stunned and mortified at the sight of her pneumonia-stricken daughter outside in the damn cold, wearing little but her pyjama bottoms and Selena's favourite hoodie would be completely untrue. In fact, the mother had to blink her eyes several times and give her head a good shake in order to register that what she was seeing was, in fact, real. But as Oberon bounded back near Elsianna in order to lick the young girl's face – the animal, clearly, not giving a damn about catching whatever it was Elsianna had – reality seemed to catch up to the older woman.
And for a moment, she had to decide whether she should be angry or terrified with her daughter. Not so much 'which one she would use', but rather, which one should she use first! Luckily, for Elsianna, love and concern won out, and Selena quickly scooped her oldest into her arms.
“What were you thinking, young lady?! You're not supposed to leave your room!” she stated angrily as she walked further into the woodsy trail. “You're lucky you didn't catch your death of cold!”
“But mommy-” the child tried. “I wanted to see-”
“Elsa!” Selena sharply interrupted. “We told you not to do something, didn't we?!”
The child, at first said nothing, merely curling into a slightly smaller human ball as she lay in her mother's arms. “Didn't we?” Selena asked, though her tone was far more demanding and commanding.
“Yes...” muttered the young girl.
“And what did you do?”
“I snuck out...” Elsianna half-whispered and half-cried in shame.
That part surprised Selena. “How...how did you sneak out?”
“While Ms. Gerda was asleep on the big blue chair.” the child admitted honestly.
If reaching home and getting Elsianna inside a warm environment had not been the priority at that moment, Selena would have had quite a few follow-up questions. But as she continued walking around the quarter-long short path, her home now a stone's throw, she pushed such thoughts to the back of her mind as she rushed up the stairs, Oberon following close behind. Quickly, she rushed up the stairs and made a right, going down the hall a short distance until the platinum-blonde was standing in the bathroom.
Quickly, the woman placed her child down, giving her a simple order. “Out of those clothes.”
“What?”
“You heard me.” Selena's voice booked no room for argument as she reached into the section of the tub to turn on the water, ensuring it was a very warm temperature. “Into the tub, young lady.” ordered the Snow Queen. “Can't believe you sneaked out!”
“But...I knew where you were...” the white-haired six-year-old tried, only to be interrupted.
“And what if you had gotten lost in the dark, Elsianna? Hmmm? Or worse? What if someone had taken you?”
It was not Selena's intention to truly frighten her daughter, but at the moment, the panic, anxiety and fear gripping her own heart could not be contained. All she could see were those two scenarios:
Elsianna getting lost, coughing fit after coughing fit as her sickness got worse in the cold.
Elsianna getting picked up by a stranger – kidnapped like she had been with Malcolm Scythe and her biological father, Ryan Scythe.
Why? she asked herself and to any of the gods that could hear her thoughts. Today had been... had been good. The first good day I had since she was sick... why did you have to take that from me? Why did you have the one good day out all the other bad ones? Couldn't you have taken one bad day and left me this?
Her frame shuddered as the emotional tears wracked her frame. She heard sniffling behind her and turned to see her daughter standing there, her clothes in a pile on the floor. Gently, Selena picked the young girl up under her arms, placing her in the warm bathtub.
“You hate me.” the child sniffed and Selena could see tears falling from her baby's eyes. Had anyone else said such a thing to her, the Snow Queen would have responded in her cold sarcasm. But Elsianna was not just anyone. She wouldn't understand such a thing.
“Elsa.” Selena whispered, her tone sharp. “Do you not understand why I am upset?”
“Because I'm near you... and you don't want to be sick like me.”
Her answer almost made Selena laugh. Almost. “Sweetheart – do you remember when the evil men took you away from me?”
Slowly, her small frame mostly submerged in the soapy, warm tub (save for her neck and head), the child looked up and nodded.
“And I thought I would never see you again?”
Another nod.
“And you thought you were being taken away from me forever?”
No nod came this time, but despite that, Selena knew the child understood what was being said. “Imagine that right now. I have hated... hated... that I can't be near you. I've fought so hard to change that but...” her voice trailed off for a moment.
“I'm sorry, mommy.” the child whispered guiltily. “I just wanted to see you and Santa.”
It was all Selena could do to nod her understanding as she cleaned her daughter, ensuring the child's hands and feet were warm and cleaned. With that done, the platinum-blonde gathered her daughter out of the tub, dried her off and wrapped the towel around her small frame. “Do you have any clean pyjamas?”
The six-year-old shook her head. “Mom forgot to do laundry today.” came the answer.
Slowly, Selena nodded, mentally cursing herself. She'd have to apologize to Deanna later for not asking her if she need any help. “Get into your bed. I'll take care of it.”
Keeping the towel wrapped around her, Elsianna scampered out of the bathroom and into her own room. Selena, meanwhile, made her way down the stairs, and into the family room. The room was still lit up with a few nightlights in order to see around the room, but but the large, blue chairs lay the old woman – the family baby sitter.
With a sigh, Selena quietly walked over to the shorter, rounder woman, gently shaking her shoulder to rouse her. “Gerda? Gerda?”
The elderly woman snapped awake rather quickly, taking in her surroundings before her eyes settled on the woman standing near her. “Oh, I'm so sorry, dearie. I must have dozed off for wee spell.”
“That's alright.” Selena lied – choosing not to burden her neighbour and friend. “I just got home myself. Why don't you head home, okay? I'll watch the children best as I can.”
“Alright.” Gerda nodded, pushing herself out of the chair and heading out the door. She was gone a minute or so later. Undeterred now, Selena quickly made her way downstairs, reaching the laundry room half a minute later. Fortunately, she found a clean pair of Elsianna's pyjama bottoms in the dryer. Sadly, there was no doubt.
Better than nothing... Selena thought as she rushed back upstairs, but as she reached the top of the stairs at the bedroom floor, and stood between Elsianna's door and David's bedroom – she was suddenly shocked by a sudden realization.
Like I said before: came the teasing voice from the hotel room. My snow child would never have gotten sick...
Oh... and my snow child would have never gotten ME sick...
Selena rushed into her own bedroom, too alarmed to go anywhere else. She had been so scared of Elsianna being out in the cold, and then the idea of her sneaking out of the house – Selena never knew her daughter was even capable of that! - that she had forgotten the initial orders the doctor had given. Orders to stay away from Elsianna!
Now? Not only had Selena crossed that line – she was practically dancing on the other side.
What if I have it? her mind raced. What if I'm a carrier? What if I give to David or Amiliah or-
“Mommy?”
The voice came calling out from Elsianna's room, causing the Snow Queen to spin around in surprise, her jerkish movements accidentally knocking over a wooden box of keepsakes that were on her own nightstand. With a quiet curse, Selena bent down to pick up the box, seeing most of its contents, treasures and mementos from her life. Items such as ticket stubs from her first date with Deanna, a stuffed penguin no bigger than her hand that her father had gotten her when she was a child, one of Elsianna's first drawings for Selena when the pair had first met at the Pilgrim Springs Orphange in Anchorage...
But her hands stopped as she saw the small, golden item shining in the little light that was in the room and coming in through the windows via the holiday nights. Slowly, her nimble fingers picked the item up, holding it up to the moonlight and Christmas light glow.
She recognized the item almost immediately, feeling the wave of memories, of thoughts, that had plagued her the past month.
Maybe you just stopped believing...
I don't think I'm strong enough to change it back...
Oh Selena, you already are me... you just haven't realized it yet...
They all deserve better than me...
And it was then that Selena knew what she had to do... what she should have done from the very beginning...
************************
December 29th, 2018
6:29am AKST
Nome, Alaska
The sound of a dog barking barged in on Selena's senses, breaking through her dreams to slowly bring her back to the land of the living. “Not now, Oberon.” Selena waved her hand away. “I'll take you for a walk later.” she promised before settling down in the cold earth that was covered only by the thin sheet of her sleeping tent.
And it was that realization that made the young woman have another realization. Oberon isn't here – he's in Manhattan...
Selena's sapphire eyes shot open and her head jerked up just in time to see the shadowy silhouette as it grew and shifted against her tent. Despite its shape changing of sorts, Selena instantly recognized the four legs it walked on and a frame so similar to her husky pup, Oberon.
Oh shit... Selena thought over and over again. Slowly, as slow as possible, the platinum-blonde reached into her pocket, pulling out the leather sheath and knife Liam had given her when she had started this trek a few days ago. From there, she did not make a move nor a sound, and as she saw the wolf reach up and tent shift as it pressed a paw into the material, her heart leapt into her throat.
Don't run...Don't yell or scream... she thought, trying to convince herself not to be a coward. However, the more and more she tried to be the protector and be brave – the more afraid she got.
Why the hell are you afraid? came the voice so achingly familiar to her own. Remember a week ago? When they said you couldn't be near our daughter? Or when Evangelina DeWinter said you couldn't be married to Deanna because it was an 'abomination'? But a big dog shows up and you'd rather be curled up in your sleeping bag like a cocoon?
“This is different.” Selena whispered. “This is an actual predator-”
I'M AN ACTUAL PREDATOR! roared the voice. YOU'RE AN ACTUAL PREDATOR! You tamed one of these things to be your friend!
Selena's eyes widened at the memory... how could she have forgotten? Oberon had not been the first 'wolf-like' pet she had raised and befriended – no, earlier in her life, she – or, Nome-Selena – had tamed an Alaskan wolf, naming the puppy Titania, becoming a sort of... part-time pet for the Snow Queen as she grew up in the hell of Nome.
So why are you sticking around, hiding in a tent?! What are you, Bree-
Snap.
That was the sound of the last nerve going off in Selena's head. She had come to Nome, Alaska, her hometown, to face her problems and her fears, not to be mocked by them! And certainly not to be compared to that bitter, pathetic toad that called herself the 'rightful' United States Champion!!
Gripping the knife angrily, the Snow Queen ran towards her tent 'opening', yelling at the top of her lungs as she unzipped the opening and tumbled out, rushing out and around the field, looking for the wolf that had dared to spook her.
“Where are ya?!” she bellowed out, turning around just in time to see the wolf – grey fur, small for its species – staring up at her with a look of utter confusion. “What?!” she asked, standing before the animal. “Do I look yummy to you?” she tilted her head, holding the knife in front of the wolf. “Two choices. That way.” she pointed behind the wolf. “or through me.” she then pointed the knife to herself. “Your call, but guess what-”
The wolf never guessed what. Instead, it merely turned around and ran away, going up the hill until it was a good distance from Selena. “Ye...Yeah!” Selena yelled to it in surprise. “Keep running!”
She probably looked lame to anyone that saw the whole scenario unfold, but-
“I did it...” she whispered, unable to stop the feeling of pride within herself. “I was scared and I stood up to what was scaring me... just like you did...”
No... I would have tracked it down and skinned it for its pelts.
“That's unfair and against some of the gaming laws in-” the Snow Queen's statement dropped as she gazed back at the hell the wolf had disappeared from, except now, he was back... and not alone. For beside him were four more wolves, all of them gray, but with various tints of colors in their fur as well.
Quietly, Selena gulped, afraid that she had just angered a whole pack of wolves. Even 'Nome-Selena' had never handled that. And yet, as the wolves stood on the hill, none of them made a move, only watching Selena as she stood in place on the snowy hills, and what felt like an eternity for her, was mere seconds as the male alpha of the pack, lowering his head, moved on down the mountain range, his pack following him away from Selena.
Okay, now I'm impressed... the voice in her head chimed. I never had to deal with a pack of wolves before...
This time, however, Selena had felt no elation. No sense of pride. True, she had done something worth bragging about but she had no desire in showing it off. Rather, as she saw the wolves that were following the one that had bothered her in the first place – or bothered her tent, at least – she saw a few pups running up from behind, one of the wolves nuzzling and snuggling them trying to urge them to keep up with the rest of the pack...
Home...
Love...
Family...
There was once a time I must have had them, too.
Home, Love, Family,
I will never be complete
Until I find you...
************************
December 25th, 2018
12:08 am EST
Manhattan, New York.
Deanna quickened her pace back home as she saw the winding driveway draw nearer. Was she worried? More than she cared to admit. Where was Selena? Where was Oberon? The redhead had dropped by to collect them both after the neighbourhood Christmas event had officially concluded, only to find neither of them there. Phone calls to Selena's cell had not work and none of the committee of the neighbourhood, event overseerers or the set take-down team , had seen anything.
That left just one option. Home.
Reaching the door, Deanna opened it. Immediately, all she saw was the odd light-bulb in each room. “Selena?” she whispered, carefully making her way up the stairs. “Selena?” she tried again, in front of her bedroom, followed by David's, followed by-
“Selena?” she tried, but she dared getting an answer.
“In here...” came the soft voice, causing Deanna throw her head back and groan as she walked into Elsianna's bedroom. Reaching into her pocket, the redhead pulled out her phone to turn on the flashlight.
Before her eyes lay her wife, Selena, in track pants and a black, baggy t-shirt, their beautiful daughter, Elsianna, sound asleep in her mommy's arms.
“I think I might be infected or, at least a carrier now.” Selena stated.
“What are you-” Deanna tried to ask, even if she found the sight to be beautiful.
“She sneaked out of the house and came to the Christmas event to find us. I had to get her out of the cold. By the time I realized what I had done, it was pretty much too late.” she admitted. “And when she couldn't sleep, I figured I couldn't do much worse. I'm...I'm sorry...”
Reaching up with a smile, Deanna caressed her wife's fingers (one of the hands that held Elsianna snugly). “What do we do know?”
“I know.” Selena sighed. “I'm leaving early in the morning.”
“Morning – Selena, you're leaving on Christmas day?
Slowly, Selena nodded, this time with no apology in her voice. “I won't be able to keep away from them if I stay.” she cast her glance at her daughter.
“Where will you go?” Deanna asked.
“The only place I can go to get my head on straight for...what's next for us.”
The implications of that 'what's next for us' was not lost on Deanna: 2nd honeymoon at the castle, addiction therapy, potentially Selena quitting SCW...
But there was only one question that Deanna didn't know, yet as she saw her wife lying on the bed, the redhead spied the golden nugget hanging around her beloved's neck.
And thus, all her questions were answered.
“Will...will you be alright up there?” she asked. “All by yourself?”
Slowly, Selena nodded. “I have to be.” she teased. “Otherwise I'm just going to get my butt kicked in that cage. And if...” she paused, not wanting to say the next set of words. “If this is really going to be my last...”
There was a pause before the Snow Queen continued. “I need to be someplace in my head where I give her everything I've got. Otherwise, I'll never be able to walk away...”
For a moment, Deanna watched the pair – mother and daughter – as they lay on the bed, Elsianna as quiet as possible given her state, clearly asleep. “Tomorrow?” she repeated quietly.
Selena nodded. “I've already got it worked out.” she stated. “I'll return after the pay-per-view.”
“What about-”
“You only need to tell me where to go.” whispered the older woman. “Here or the castle...it's up to you...”
A decision the redhead knew she'd need time to make. With a sigh, she nodded her head to Selena. “I'll go pack your bag.” she whispered before quietly leaving the room.
Along with her daughter again, Selena reached down to gently kiss her daughter's crown.
“Mommy?” whispered the child. “Do you really need to go?”
Selena stiffened, wishing her daughter had been asleep and unable to hear what had been said. “I'm afraid so, sweetheart. I don't want to get anyone sick, and... I need to get ready for a big fight...”
“But...what about Christmas...”
Selena's smiled at her daughter, though Elsa couldn't see it. “It's Christmas now.” she whispered, turning her daughter to allow her to see the clock. “See?” she smiled before kissing her daughter's forehead.
“Merry Christmas, mommy.” she said.
Selena only hesitated for a moment before indulging her daughter. “Merry Christmas, snowflake.”
“Can...can you do me one last thing until I fall asleep?” she asked.
In the dark, Selena nodded, squeezing her daughter in her arms affectionately.
“Please... sing me the lullaby...” asked Elsianna...
“Of course, my love.” Selena whispered before singing the soft tune to her daughter, never letting go until she was certain her daughter was asleep. Only then, did she slip off the bed and towards the door. And she was one foot out the door before she heard one last message – a beautiful message from Elsianna...”
“Happy birthday, mommy...”
************************
December 31st, 2018
7:58pm AKST
Nome, Alaska
The cave loomed before Selena, and despite it being years since she had seen or stepped foot inside, it looked exactly the same as it had those years ago.
Well, how much can a bunch of rock change? It's rock.
Turning her head, Selena finally saw her – her younger Nome-self standing before her, dressed somewhat similar to the Snow Queen.
“I get the feeling that you're not going to be too cooperative with me.” Selena stated with a shake of her head.
Her past-self-ghost smirked. If it was going to be easy, you wouldn't have had to be here, would you? Or walked close to thirty miles, or camped in the mountain, or face down a wolf.
With a sigh, Selena shook her head as she stared into the entrance of the cave. “Well, we've got a few weeks...”
Might as well get started. her ghost-self stated, starting to walk into the cave. The apparition stopped, however, as 'she' realized Selena was not moving. Turning around, it spied that Selena looking at her phone clock – as if she was waiting.
Hey! Crazy, Miner's Daughter? mocked the spectre, only to earn a raised hand by Selena.
“One second.” she replied and watched as the clock, finally struck:
December 31st, 2018
8:00pm AKST
Nome, Alaska
And
January 1st, 2019
12:00am EST
Manhattan, New York
With a smile, Selena tapped her phone before turning it off and stuffing it in her pocket. With a deep breath and head tilted towards the sky, Selena whispered a single message to her gods.
“Happy birthday, daughter.”
Before she stepped forward, following her 'past-self' into her father's cave...
One step at a time! One hope, then another!
Who knows where this road may go?
Back to who I was! On to find my future!
Things my heart still needs to know.
Yes, let this be a sign! Let this road be mine!
Let it lead me to my past
And bring me home...
At last!
I of the Storm
“A Feeling of Home”
December 27th, 2018
2:13pm AKST
Nome, Alaska
“Aww come on kid.” the balding, rotund man whined as he pulled the large backpack out of his truck. “Is this really all necessary?”
The backpack was heavier than the bar-and-grill owner wanted to admit – that or he needed to get back to the gym. Make good on that membership that I haven't used in... what? Eight years? He chuckled, more to himself than anyone else, before slugging the backpack away from his blue pickup truck. “I don't even know what's in this damn thing – how are you going to carry it?” he asked as he dragged the backpack the few feet ahead.
In front of him stood the young woman. She was dressed entirely in white apparel, from the white leggings that wrapped around toned calves and quads, the white hiking boots, the white winter coat with a slight off-white faux-fur trim around the neck, even the toque she wore was white as well. The only thing that did not much the standing 'snowwoman' of sorts was the black binoculars in her hands as she scanned the sight before her – it was a trail that bent forward and around, stretching off and down a hill and into the distance.
“Perfect.” she whispered, a genuine smile gracing her face as she lowered the binoculars. “So much beautiful mountain and hillsides...”. She added with a whisper, “just what I need.”
“Hey, kid?” Liam asked impatiently, causing Selena Frost to turn around, smiling excitedly at her father-like figure.
“Hmm? Sorry, wasn't listening.”
“Yeah, I gathered that, princess.”
The young woman rolled her eyes at the large man as he took a few deep breaths of air. “I'm not a princess, Liam.” she playfully whine – her usual retort coming through. “I'm a queen.”
“Always will be a little princess to me.”
“Even when I'm a few inches taller than you.”
“Hey...” playfully warned the large man. “Taller or not, I got no problem getting tough.”
“Tough love?” Selena raised an eyebrow.
“Damn right.” Liam winked.
Shaking her head in good nature, Selena turned her gaze back towards the trail before her. The Grand Central Valley was the ideal spot to start her hike through the Kigulaik Montains – one of the mountain ranges near Nome, Alaska and the Seward Peninsula.
“You know...” Liam interjected her thoughts with his words. “When you said you wanted to go for a walk and needed a ride – I figured you were gonna visit some nice park or the shore – what was I thinking?”
“What were you thinking?” Selena shook her head in disbelief. “Do I look like a wallflower to you?”
“I don't know.” Liam shrugged teasingly. “Been in the city an awfully long time, sweetie.”
He immediately regretted his words – even when they were in humour – as the pale-skinned woman's face fell, expression altering from light to sad and focused. “I know.” she replied quietly. “But that's why I am here.” she reminded herself quietly.
“Aww, listen, princess...” offered Liam, moving around to wrap a large, round arm (like a massive roll of sausage) around the woman. “I didn't mean anything by it.”
Sniffling a little, the Snow Queen turned her head, offering her old friend and, often at times in her youth, caretaker a fleeting but warm smile. “I know.” she replied, leaning in to kiss his stubble-covered cheek. “Doesn't mean it isn't true.” she stated.
“You think you'll find what you're looking for out there?” he asked, pointing a big finger towards the range.
Selena nodded. “Couple of days hiking around here should answer that.” she replied before noticing the backpack Liam had placed beside her. “Thank you.” she replied before picking it up and slinging it over your back.
“What if there's trouble? You got food?” Liam asked, his protectiveness – brought on by his old friendship to Selena's father, Donovan – gaining ground.
“Several days worth.” Selena stated.
“Water – like clean stuff.”
“Yep.”
“Toilet paper?”
“Liam!” Selena shot back in mild surprise.
“Hey – you wanna use leaves -”
“I have everything I need.” Selena pressed.
“Knife?”
That last one on the checklist cause the platinum-blonde to do a double-take. “Why would I need a knife?”
“Case of wolves.” Liam shrugged.
“There's no wolves really near this trail.” Selena stated, quite sure of that.
“News says they've been migrating for the winter – just saying.”
“Liam...” Selena sighed before turning her head back to the large man. “Uncle.” she added. “I'll be fine. Okay? I'm not going to be eaten by wolves.”
Instead of responding, Liam Jacks simply turned around before heading back to this truck. A few moments went by before he returned to Selena's side, holding out a rather wide and long knife, the steel of the blade sheathed in a brown, basketweave leather. “Here.” he stated, holding the weapon out to Selena.
“Come on-” Selena tried but Liam raised his free hand to stop her.
“Just take it, kid. I'll sleep better knowing you at least got something.”
It was an argument Selena did not wish to have to start off her time back home, and so – humouring the old man, she took the knife from him, sliding it into one of the many pockets in her coat. “Thank you.” she added.
“No problem.” Liam cupped his hands together to blow into them, rubbing them briskly after doing so. Selena could see the cracked skin of his bare knuckles, the sign of a man often out in the cold. “Not sure how you can stand hiking a mountain range in this weather.”
“Uncle, I'll be fine.” Selena smiled. “I'm just going to get as close to Osborn as I can without having to climb and then turn around and make my way back down. Twenty-three miles, not even a mile high – I'll be fine. And I have my phone. Now, if I don't start now, it'll just take me longer to get back.”
“Alright, alright!” Liam surrendered, stuffing his hands into the pocket of his green hoodie. “Get going then. Call me when you're reaching back here. I'll see you in a few days.”
To ease her 'uncle's' mind, the young Frost gave him one last hug before turning towards the trail and beginning her hike – one step at time. She didn't hear Liam get into his truck and drive away, back to Nome, for she was out of sight rather quickly, going up and then down a hill to start. Still, she knew she was alone in the winter of Nome, Alaska.
Just like the old days... her mind thought – unable to feel the spark of joy that resonated for her. Though she wished she could be back in Manhattan with her family – nursing her sick daughter to full health – there was no denying what she felt. This...this had to happen. She was where she was supposed.
For her family.
For SCW.
For herself...
Slowly, a quiet hum started in her throat – a tune that evolved into a whistle as Selena let her mind wander as she travelled through, the sound of crunching snow beneath her boots.
Heart don't fail me now..
Courage don't desert me, don't turn back now that we're here...
People always say, 'Life is full of choices...”
No one ever mentions fear...
Or how the world can seem so vast
On the journey to the past...
************************
December 22nd, 2018
3:43pm EST
Manhattan, New York
With a push, Selena shoved the last bit of snow off her driveway and onto the street in front of her. The small spittle of white dust flew into the air and landed on the ground without a sound – not surprising considering the Snow Queen had shovelled the trail of asphalt about an hour ago... and again an hour and a half before that.
In fact, if someone was keeping tally (and Selena certainly wasn't), so far today, she had shovelled the driveway four times, walked the trail around her neighbourhood twice, adjusted her holiday lawn ornaments six times, cleaned the tiles of her kitchen floors and walls once, checked her mailbox (she had actually lost track on that one), checked Amiliah's diapers so many times that even the near six-month-old was confused, and checked every single light-bulb inside her house a total of fourteen times, flicking the light switches on and off to see that they still 'worked'.
Every light-bulb except the two in one certain room...
Placing her shovel down on the driveway so she could lean on it with her elbow, Selena turned around to stare at her home. The lights weren't on, but that didn't surprise her – being that it was the middle of the day and all that. Still, all she wanted was X-ray vision to see through her house and see her daughter – the one she had been forbidden to see.
She had returned from Breakdown – and laying down the cash-in for her Trios Contract against Bree Lancaster at next year's very first pay-per-view: Making Things Right – to be told by Deanna that Elsianna's results had come back from Doctor Embers....
Elsianna had a bacterial pneumonia and was in the stages that, Dorian describes, as 'highly contagious'.
In other words: Go to jail. Go directly to jail. Do not pass Mommy. Do not collect any hugs, kisses or lullabies!
She gave a shake of her head while she kicked the snow in frustration (also something she had done so often that she had lost count). She had overheard Deanna, Elsianna, and everyone else playing monopoly while she had put on her jacket and scarf to shovel the driveway – Think it was the second or third time...
Dejected, Selena stopped at the porch to place the shovel against the wall of the house. She was certain she was going to shovel the driveway at least a few more times today – even if it wasn't snowing like it had last night. Opening the door, the platinum-blonde stepped into her house just in time to hear-
“KILL IT WITH FIRE!”
Immediately, Selena's senses were on high alert. Perhaps it was her dislike of heat and how it made her feel sluggish and drained her energy or perhaps it was all the unoriginal SCW superstars that loved to use the line of 'melting the Snow Queen' in their promos and tweets on Twitter whenever they spoke about her. Either way, Selena's head jerked left to right, looking for anything! A flame-thrower, a blowtorch – hell, she'd believe someone with a box of matches could be up to something in here -
However, as the sound of agreement and cheering was overheard, coming from upstairs, Selena only had to look up to the door of her daughter's bedroom to see the source of the noise.
“You hit the Giant Constrictor Snake with your fireball!” came another, older sounding, female voice. “The creature hisses and howls, 'AHHHH! EEEEE!'.” the cries seemed to be from the same voice but, to Selena, it didn't sound like a giant snake – more like an angry dinosaur.
Quietly, Selena slipped her feet out of her loose boots and crept up the stairs, making sure to avoid the spot that usually creaked whenever it was stepped on. She only had to go up a few steps until she was able to see the inside of Elsianna's room. Before her eyes, her white-haired daughter, still in her pyjamas, sat in her bed, her legs still under the covers. However, around her: two on the bed, and two sitting in chairs on each side of the bed, where several other young girls. And while Selena recognized a few of them, like Osana, who sat the closest to Elsianna on the bed, and Rebecca, the others she did not...
This also included the girl that sat in a chair behind a table that had been placed in front of the foot of the bed. A cardboard frame stood before this particular girl, like a curtain of sorts.
“The giant snake lies in burnt ashes at your feet, what shall you do now?” she asked.
Selena had absolutely no clue. Where had these girls killed a giant snake? Was this some kind of euphemism? It better not be! Selena thought bitterly.
“Skin it?” one of the girls asked.
“Take it's fangs?” said another.
“Ohh! Ohh! Ohh!” Selena recognized that voice as she saw Elsianna raise her hand and wave it frantically. “I know! I know! I-”
The child had to suddenly stop as the familiar coughing fit struck her. She had been cooped up in bed for about a week now, unable to really do much until she was cured. The good news was that Doctor Embers had changed her medication from 'straight cough syrup' to antibiotics – assuring Selena and Deanna that their daughter should be alright in a few more weeks.
A fact that hadn't sat well with any of the young women in the household, especially with Christmas just a few days away.
Continuing to listen in, Selena heard Elsianna's coughing fit finally subside, allowing her to speak – at least they were getting less intense, for which Selena was grateful for. “Let's loot it's stomach! Maybe it swallowed something magical or precious!”
“Oh that's funny!” teased Rebecca, the blue-haired girl laughing. “The girl that got her very own Christmas Tree put in her room wants to look for more stuff to own!”
The group exploded into amused laughter, Elsianna looking away, a bit embarrassed but also amused. Yes, she had her own Christmas Tree. With her having to potentially miss the “Neighbourhood festival”, Elsianna had cried in her pillow so many times – each time breaking Selena and Deanna's heart. That is until Deanna, ever the caregiver, had the brilliant idea:
”Let's bring as much of the festival to her!”
The two had worked in tandem. Selena had helped Deanna take the Christmas tree in the living room apart and brought the pieces upstairs and Deanna had brought them into Elsa's room for the mother/daughter tag-team to set it up. Add a few more odds and ends of decorations from around the house and Elsianna soon had her own little festival in her room – much to the jealousy of David (Selena truly hoped the boy would grow out of that phase soon).
With a shake of her head, Selena turned on her heel and quietly made her way downstairs, moving into the kitchen where she immediately saw her wife over the oven, checking on something inside – Selena had to guess it was cookies or something for the guests. That was usually Deanna's 'go to' for children.
Biting her lower lip as an idea crept into her mind, the Snow Queen quietly tried to sneak up behind her wife, moving as slowly as her white, socked feet would allow. However, she failed to realize just how well the tiled walls of the kitchen had been cleaned by her own hand, for as the redhead looked up, all she had to do was spy Selena in the polished reflection in front of her. With a knowing grin, Deanna spun around, throwing her arms around Selena's neck, catching the Snow Queen off guard!
“AH!” was all she could get out before instinct took over and she caught her wife in her arms before Deanna was crushing her lips onto Selena's fiercely, a loud 'MMMMMMMMMMWHA!' kissing sound, like from a cartoon, coming from the younger woman.
“Hi!” she smiled sweetly at her beloved wife, causing Selena to raise an eyebrow as she held Deanna.
“This is usually your line, I know, but... have you been drinking?”
“No.” Deanna's tone suddenly became serious at the question – causing Selena to mentally curse herself for ruining her wife's good mood. “There's none here. Not even the cough medicine.”
“There's booze in cough medicine?” Selena asked, her eyes wide.
“Yeah...” Deanna nodded. “Some have like – 83% alcohol.”
Selena's mouth hung open. She was never sick – so such information was useless to know. Still...that percentage was higher than the BreeZee drink she had made weeks ago.
Imagine if you had drank that instead... came the voice in her head, though Selena wasn't sure if it was Sirus or her past-Nome-self, whom had been showing up more and more frequently since that hateful night, often showing up while Selena was alone and on the road, usually to mock or ridicule the Snow Queen over something.
“Don't bother looking.” Deanna stated, breaking Selena's thoughts. “There's none in the house.”
“I wasn't looking.” Selena promised. “I'm glad we don't have any. Makes it easier to not want it.”
You sure? Okay, THAT voice was Sirus and it licked behind Selena's ear. Just a few drops to quiet me... like you guys did for Elsianna the first few nights...
'WOOOO!'
'LEVEL UP!'
'BUY IT!'
The sounds of hooping and hollering were heard, albeit not too loudly, as they came from upstairs. Using the distraction, as both ladies were now facing towards where the noise came from, Selena grappled with her mental-ghost's choice of topic, marching away from Deanna a few steps before gesturing to the second floor. “What are they doing up there? And while we are on the subject, who are all those kids?”
With a dismissive wave of her hand, Deanna turned to check on her cookies. “Those are some of Elsianna's classmates from school. You know Rebecca and Osana from the neighbourhood, right?”
Selena could only stare at her wife, dumbfounded at her calmness about the situation.
“Umm...Deanna?”
The redhead turned to face her wife with a tilt of her head. “Yes, sweetheart?”
With jerky movements, Selena pointed back to the upstairs above her. “Kids? Upstairs? Daughter? None of this seems like a bad idea?”
The questions finally seemed to get a reaction from the young redhead: Confusion. “Why would it be a bad idea?” she asked. “I think it's wonderful.” she dusted her hands off as she continued to work around the kitchen. “Poor thing's been cooped up in here for a week – it's nice that her friends have been coming over every few days.”
“They have?!” Selena's eyes widened as she looked back through the entrance she had entered. “Well, then, does that mean... that's wonderful!”
Quickly, Selena turned to go, her feet moving only a few steps.
“Whoa! Hey!” Deanna called out to her. “Where are you going?”
“To give my daughter a hug!” Selena replied joyously.
She did not expect Deanna's confused expression and answer of, “Wha- no! You know better than that, Selena!”
“Wha...I don't- you just said that she's had friends over throughout the week to keep her company!” Selena stated, trying to keep her voice down so the children upstairs couldn't hear her.
“Yes. Mostly her Dungeons and Dragons group-”
“So, why can't I go up there and see her? Be with her? Play with her?” Selena asked with an irritated shrug of her shoulders.
“Because she's sick, remember?” Deanna stated.
“You're telling me to remember?” Selena asked incredulously. “You're the one letting kids into her room and not me, Deanna.”
The oven dinged, signalling the end of the baking session, but it also seemed to serve as a light going off in Deanna's head. “Oh gods...” she mentally cursed as she smacked her forehead as well. “Geez, I'm so sorry, Selena. They've just been by so often the past week, I thought I had told you. Just a sec...”
Turning around, Deanna quickly fished out the oven mittens from a nearby drawer and, sliding them on, opened the oven to pull out the tray of perfectly-cooked cookies, placing them on a cooling rack on top of the oven. That accomplished, the redhead took of her mittens, turned off the oven and then turned to face her wife.
“Okay.” she explained. “Rebecca, Charlotte, Erin, Violet, and, even Osana, were all infected with pneumonia earlier last month. Essentially, they've been through it already and developed immunity to it. They and Elsianna are part of this Dungeons and Dragons group that Elsianna told me about -”
“Okay...” Selena nodded her head, trying to understand.
“Well, anyway, after we learned that she'd be bedridden indefinitely, she asked me to call Violet and let her know. I did and it turns out they all had had it. They asked if they could bring their game to Elsianna, since they weren't carriers or anything. Dorian Embers said it was okay, as long as they restricted their presence to Elsianna's room.”
It was...something... to hear for the Snow Queen – though she wasn't sure if that something was good or bad. One one hand, she was happy to hear that her sick, little snowflake, didn't have to deal with all this alone. On the other hand, the selfish hand...
“So...even kids and friends outside this family get to be around my daughter... but I still can't.”
Sighing knowingly (and in understanding), Deanna slowly approached her wife. “I know it sucks. It does, Selena. I can't imagine how you've been coping.”
“Shovelling the driveway four or so times and counting the number of different sized rocks in our neighbourhood. Did you know we have 23 medium, 14 large, and 7 irregular sized rocks in our backyard alone?” Selena stated.
“I....did not...” Deanna replied slowly, not exactly weirded out but her wife statement of fact, but not exactly sure what to make of it either.
Selena shook her head. “This isn't fair.” She stated. “I should be able to go up there and be around her. If the kids can do it, if Amiliah and David are alright-”
“Selena.” Deanna pressed. “It's too risky.” she reminded Selena. “I have to watch David and Amiliah like a hawk. Hourly check-ins, the works. The notion is I am immune. If you get close to Elsianna-”
“I may not get infected, but I will likely become a carrier since I am not 'immune'.” Selena lamely recalled from memory, more annoyed.
“Right. So think about the family and just stay out of it, okay?” Deanna pressed with finality.
Giving a huff, Selena replied with a curt “Fine.” before turning on her heel and heading for the exit of the room.
“Where are you going?” Deanna asked, following her wife and watching as the platinum-blonde throw her boots and long, winter-coat back on.
“To shovel the driveway again!” stated Selena bitterly. “And then I'm going to start looking for more rocks! Maybe I'll find one that looks the United States Championship! Won't that be funny!”
She didn't wait for an answer, closing the door behind her to start 'round five' of her vs. the driveway!
************************
December 28th, 2018
4:43pm AKST
Nome, Alaska
The summit of stone stared down at her as she gazed at its structure. It was leaning and appeared to be rotten, the series of stacked rock of black, orange, red, brown, and beige jutting out from the blanket of snow that covered most of it. From where she was perched, Selena turned around to view down the tall mountain towards the valleys and lands below. The snow was uniform in some places and displaced in others...
And it was beautiful!
“WOOOOOOO!!!!” she screamed at the top of her lungs! She wasn't scared of any avalanche, for she was only a little under 4,500 feet above ground level. Hearing her voice echo as it tumbled down the hill, Selena breathed in the cold air of the winter, exhaling happily.
She had made it to the top, just like she planned to. She'd set a goal and had accomplished it!
For the Snow Queen, in that moment, it felt incredible. For the past year – a year that was finally drawing to a close – she had made dreams and goals for herself and for SCW. From standing up to those that tried to take it down, to protecting those that would harm innocent people simply doing their job. Still, despite this, she had to admit what this year was for her:
“An abject failure.” she whispered, this message not picked up by the echoes of the mountain.
Still, it did not make the statement any less true:
She had failed to avenge herself in her battles with Sienna Swann, who had tried to take her out of SCW for good.
She had failed make any sort of impact with the Television title after winning it.
She had failed to 'restore the concept of professional wrestling' in her match with Blake Mason.
She had failed to make Regan pay for all the Hellcat had done to SCW and to her.
And lastly, she would end 2018 having failed to get the United States Championship from Bree Lancaster.
So... while it wasn't much to anyone – it was so much for Selena to be standing there, in that moment, having achieved... something... something she believed in. Something she wanted to do. Something that, when others said 'don't do it! Why're you doing this?', she pressed on and did it anyway.
For a moment, Selena considered using her phone to take a selfie – mostly a nice reminder for herself. There was no wifi or towers or routers for data use anywhere and there wouldn't be where she would, inevitably, end up – but she could always take a picture and wait until she needed to go down to the town of Nome and upload it then while checking emails and submitting footage to SCW for the weeks ahead.
It only took Selena a moment to consider it before she turned away from the summit of rock, the Snow Queen beginning to make her way back down the trail she had come from. This wasn't about mementos or souvenirs. This wasn't a journey for her to film and flaunt. The world would see snippets relevant to SCW, for sure, but this was her journey. One she needed to take alone.
Not really alone... came the soft voice in her head.
“You don't count.” Selena stated as she walked. “Though you should be happy. I brought us back.”
“Oh yeah... you so wanted to come back, didn't you?”
Selena stopped in her track to turn her head towards the voice, though she knew there would not be anything there. That wasn't how this phantom operated. She appeared when she wanted to be seen.
“Actually, I kind of did.” Selena answered anyway.
“Explain...” came the voice.
“No...” Selena shook her head. “No, I don't think I will. Cause I've still got a day's more of walking to do.”
With a smile, she continued her trek, her backpack bobbing a little as she walked in the snow.
“You can't outwalk your problems!” the voice called out to her.
“I don't expect to.” Selena called back without hesitation.
Because the truth of the matter was – she wasn't trying to evade to her problems...
She was looking for them.
Somewhere down this road, I know someone's waiting
Years of dreams just can't be wrong!
Arms will open wide. I'll be safe and wanted
Fin'lly home where I belong.
Well, starting now, I'm learning fast...
On this journey to the past
************************
December 24th, 2018
9:30pm EST
Manhattan, New York
“WOOF! ARF!” Oberon barked as he ran around the limited space he was allowed, his black collar and leash, which was tied to one of the many support beams of metal, keeping him nearby.
“Oh, stop whining.” Selena chastised the white, husky pup. “Santa has his reindeer. The Snow Queen can have a 'wolf' of sorts.” she stated as she knelt down to give her pet some much desire affection and attention, rubbing his head and muzzle affectionately. Oberon hummed happily, getting what he wanted, and sat down on the snowy ground as Selena sat down beside him, though she sat on the steps of her 'throne' of sorts.
She had to admit – despite her feelings about tonight – Christmas Eve – and this whole event, the festival had turned out beautiful and without any problems. Looking out across her 'clearing', she saw several of the remaining kids finishing their paper cups of hot chocolate. Some tried throwing them to the ground, only for their parents to stop them, make said child/children depending on the case pick up the trash, and toss it into the trash bin nearby.
“So...” Selena asked, turning her attention back to the dog she held. “When are you going to learn to do that?” she asked.
“ARF!” whined Oberon.
“Yeah, yeah. You've got me wrapped around your little paw, don't you, you big furball?”
Turning his head, Oberon eagerly returned the affection Selena was bestowing upon him, licking her face enthusiastically.
“O-Obi!” Selena tried, laughing despite herself. “Come on! You're going to ruin my makeup!”
She hadn't worn much for her part in this neighbourhood event – I'm not Bree Lancaster or Sienna Swann after all – she thought, though she admitted it was a lame insult. All she had was a bit of foundation, purple eye-liner for her eyes and a tinge of blush for her cheeks. In truth, her face was something she wasn't proud in showing in terms of 'beauty'.
Her dress though?
Biting her lower lip as it formed a smile, Selena cast her eyes down, staring at her favourite dress – what she, affectionately, called “The Winter Sky Dress”. The navy blue ensemble zipped up at the back and flowed down her, the skirt section light and billowing out only a little, but still able to sway as she moved her hips. The long sleeves and the corset were studded with small sequins, like diamonds and a furry line of white, faux-fur rounded around just above her breasts and under the tops of her shoulders, leaving her neck, shoulders, and some cleavage on display.
And since it was a “Selena dress”, it had come with a cape – a long, matching, see through material with its own set of elaborate snowflakes. Yeah, how's that 'Superman'? she thought playfully as she stuck her tongue out a little between her white teeth. You got a red cape? I got at least two! Cape crusader? Nah, I'm a cape collector! A cape enthusiast!
She quietly chuckled to herself as she kept near Oberon. The only thing Selena loved about her appearance more than her dress was her hair. She had it perfectly done for tonight, painstakingly braiding and re-braiding it three times (yes, this one she had counted) if so much as one hair was out of alignment. A large hairpin of a snowflake sat comfortably in the right side of her hair, just behind and above her ear, and her braid had a few smaller pins placed there as well. It truly was no contest – her hair would always be the one thing she loved over every material thing she bought or was given... regardless of comparable worth...
I suppose... she thought for a moment. It's same with the United States title and the World title.
She sighed a little, only a bit of sadness in the exhale. She was still angry, on some level, over what Bree had done to her in their last match – but after nearly two weeks of being here, being home, she had just felt frustrated. Bree didn't get it – didn't understand what Selena was doing. She was just laughing and mocking Selena on Twitter, acting 'unafraid' about facing Selena in a roofed cage match again. And while others seemed to agree with Bree, like Sienna and those in Beauty Network – those that didn't weren't making nearly as much noise as them.
That needs to change... Selena decided in thought. But not now...too happy to be so depressed-
That was it. It finally dawned on Snow Queen how she could be in such good spirits tonight. It was because, despite everything, she was happy. Seeing the laughing and smiling children made her happy. Seeing her wife, hours ago, playing with them (for the Snow Queen's castle was only stop number 1 on the neighbourhood trail) before sending the first batch on ahead – the final stop being Santa's workshop.
Her only wish to make things better was an understandable one – that her Elsianna could be there with the other children.
As if sensing her thoughts, Oberon gave a quiet, yet high-pitched whine, regaining Selena's attention. “You wish she was here too, huh, boy?” she asked, earning a few panting sounds from the dog. “I know.” Selena smiled a little sadly. “I've been imaging it on and off all night. She's stop her first, probably one of the first of many to get a photo with me. She'd sing and dance with Deanna as they had hot chocolate...”
Turning her head, Selena took in her 'castle throne room' that was station number 1 for the trial. It was a simple gazebo decorated with crystal sugars hanging from the ceiling, fake snow lying the inside and her thrown, a lavish, blue-painted throne chair that reminded Selena of something from the Tudors era. Still, it suited 'The Snow Queen' she thought.
“And while I sat there on the throne and met the children who came later, she'd rush off with Deanna and meet Frosty, the penguins – all people in costume – don't tell her, okay?”
Oberon barked his agreement, earning a pat on the head.
“Then, she'd meet Santa – tell him what she wants for Christmas and come right back here to me. So I could spend time with her and David.”
“Arf?”
“Amiliah is too young for this, boy. You know that. She needs to stay inside where it is warm.”
With a shake of her head, Selena watched the last of the children in the clearing head down the trail. One, a young girl, close to Elsianna's age, Selena gathered, stopped in her tracks before tugging on the hand she held – that of her mother's. Because of the distance from the, Selena could not hear what the little girl was asking, but she definitely understood the body language, especially in this case, for she had seen most of the night.
The mother/daughter pair hesitantly approached the white-haired woman, who smiled and waved at them.
“Hello, Mrs.-” the woman, dark-skinned and wearing a red jacket caught herself as she spied the blue and white sign (complete with 'icicles' painted and placed over it) that read 'Snow Queen's Castle'. “Snow Queen.” she corrected quickly, “she-” the woman continued, indicated her daughter, who looked very much like a miniature version of her mother, except she had a pink, puff coat and her pink toque almost went all the way down past her eyes. “She was wondering if she could pet your wolf...”
Slowly, Selena gazed at Oberon, who, upon hearing – and recognizing – the word 'pet' perked right up. “I think he'd love that.” Selena replied, nodding her head in approval as well.
“Go ahead, darling.” the woman encouraged to her child, but the pink-wearing girl was slow, hesitant as she stepped closer to the pair of dog and queen.
“He's not going to bite me, is he?” she asked, concern in her voice.
“Of course not, sweetheart.” Selena assured. “He loves children. He's a big softie.”
To illustrate her point, Selena, keeping her knelt position, beside Oberon, reached out to scratch him behind his ears, earning a content, purr-like sound from him.
Slowly, building her courage, the child reached out an ungloved hand, moving a slow step at a time, until her hand was touch the top of the husky's white head. Ears perking up, Oberon recognized one thing and one thing only now.
SOMEONE NEW IS PETTING ME!
Immediately, the dog licked and nuzzled the new hand, earning a series of laughs from the child, who found the dog's tongue to be quite ticklish against her palm. The whole scene, like others before tonight, brought a smile to Selena's face, making her miss the first few clicks of the camera as the mother, using her phone, took some quick shots. The third however, gained Selena's attention.
“What's your name?” she asked the child.
“Rosalyn.” the girl answered.
“Rosalyn.” Selena tried. She wasn't a fan of the name but then again, who was she to judge? “Rosalyn, can you look over there?”
Carefully, the Snow Queen of the neighbourhood pointed towards Rosalyn's mother, who waved at the pair as the child turned around to face her. “Can we give her a smile?” Selena asked, but it seemed that Oberon had a better idea.
Before Rosalyn's mother could take another picture, the husky pup had turned his head and began licking Rosalyn's cheek like he had Selena's. Immediately, the child burst out into giggles, as did Selena as she witnessed the whole scene. The clicking transformed into a patter of clicks before the mother, delightedly, skipped over to her daughter, taking her hand and gracing Selena with a bright smile.
“Thank you so much, Mrs. Frost.” she whispered low so Rosalyn couldn't hear her.
“You're very welcome, Mrs. Cagney.” Selena smiled. “I'd offer some hot chocolate, but the last group drank what was left.”
“That's alright.” Mrs. Cagney – Kyra – smiled. “She'll be too busy looking for Santa.”
Understanding, Selena nodded her head as Kyra took Rosalyn's hand and ushered them off down the trail, clearly aware that the event would be ending at 10pm. After all, 'the children needed to be asleep for Santa' – committee's words, not Selena's. The young woman watched the mother/daughter pair go before suddenly clapping her hands and rubbing them.
“Well, boy...” she smiled, finally showing her tiredness. “I think that wraps things up on our end. First seen, first to go sort of thing, right?”
Oberon, surprisingly, wasn't entirely listening. Instead, his head was tilting back and forth as he looked down, towards the opposite direction the trail was going. Past Selena's gazebo and towards the 'undecorated' section of the path – for Selena, it was her shortcut to her house because it was only a quarter of the way around the area as opposed to three-quarters if she had gone the 'trail that lead to the North Pole'.
“What, boy?” she asked her pet. “See a squirrel?”
On his feet, the white husky moved and darted around, as if suddenly very interested in the spot just beyond the trees, barking towards it as he fought a bit against his leash.
“Wow...you're suddenly enthusiastic.” Selena observed before her head jerked back to stare at the dog. “Wait... please don't tell me its a rabbit!”.
Despite the woman's questions, however, the husky pup would not be denied, leaping with his head jerking back to try and get the collar off, veering left and right, testing and re-testing the leash's limits. For a moment, the poor thing was moving so much and so forcibly against the confines that Selena feared he was going to inadvertently hurt himself.
“Alright! Alright!” she acquiesced, shuffling over to her dog's side. Reaching old both pale hands, she had to pull and push her hands to and fro as she tried to get a hold of the pup. “Hold still.” she ordered before her slender fingers clasped the latch that kept the cord to his collar. With a short pull and twist, it was undone and before the Snow Queen could utter a word, Oberon sprinted towards the dark side of the woods, barking as he ran.
“Don't eat it!” ordered Selena. “You'll get sick!”
She doubted Oberon would hear or even understand her but, he was young – and, again, like she was the one to talk about putting harmful substances in her body.
Hypocrite, much?
Selena ignored the voice much more easily than previous times, her good mood refusing to diminish. Still, the sound of someone screaming in alarm – coming from the darker side of the woods Oberon had disappeared from – that was something Selena could not ignore.
“Hey!” she called out, putting on a burst of speed across the snow-covered grounds as she rushed into the woods after Oberon. Almost immediately, she could hear the sounds of her dog – a mixture of barks and high-pitched hums coming from nearby, combined with... laughter? Laughter as in 'ha ha ha'? Selena refused to question it further, choosing haste over logic as she followed the sounds through the woods until she spotted the white of Oberon's fur, the medium-sized pup on top of...someone?
“OBERON!” Selena ordered. “No! Down boy!” she began to say she rushed to his side. She could barely make out the hoodie-wearing person Oberon was pounced on. But as she pulled the dog off, repeatedly giving her apologies for her dog's behaviour, she heard something.
A set of coughs – the kind that she had heard every night she had been home here. And, even in the dim light of the undecorated woods, she could still see well-enough ion the dark to recognize the design of hoodie the person was wearing. After all, it was her favourite, snowflake embroidered hoodie.
Kneeling down, Selena reached forward towards the person on the ground until she could feel the familiar fabrics of the hoodie's hood. Swiftly, Selena pushed the hoodie back, and a sea of white flowed from underneath, framing the soft features of the young face that gazed up at the Snow Queen with knowing shame.
“Hi mommy.” the child coughed.
“El....Elsi...Elsianna?!” Selena asked in disbelief. To say that the former world champion was not stunned and mortified at the sight of her pneumonia-stricken daughter outside in the damn cold, wearing little but her pyjama bottoms and Selena's favourite hoodie would be completely untrue. In fact, the mother had to blink her eyes several times and give her head a good shake in order to register that what she was seeing was, in fact, real. But as Oberon bounded back near Elsianna in order to lick the young girl's face – the animal, clearly, not giving a damn about catching whatever it was Elsianna had – reality seemed to catch up to the older woman.
And for a moment, she had to decide whether she should be angry or terrified with her daughter. Not so much 'which one she would use', but rather, which one should she use first! Luckily, for Elsianna, love and concern won out, and Selena quickly scooped her oldest into her arms.
“What were you thinking, young lady?! You're not supposed to leave your room!” she stated angrily as she walked further into the woodsy trail. “You're lucky you didn't catch your death of cold!”
“But mommy-” the child tried. “I wanted to see-”
“Elsa!” Selena sharply interrupted. “We told you not to do something, didn't we?!”
The child, at first said nothing, merely curling into a slightly smaller human ball as she lay in her mother's arms. “Didn't we?” Selena asked, though her tone was far more demanding and commanding.
“Yes...” muttered the young girl.
“And what did you do?”
“I snuck out...” Elsianna half-whispered and half-cried in shame.
That part surprised Selena. “How...how did you sneak out?”
“While Ms. Gerda was asleep on the big blue chair.” the child admitted honestly.
If reaching home and getting Elsianna inside a warm environment had not been the priority at that moment, Selena would have had quite a few follow-up questions. But as she continued walking around the quarter-long short path, her home now a stone's throw, she pushed such thoughts to the back of her mind as she rushed up the stairs, Oberon following close behind. Quickly, she rushed up the stairs and made a right, going down the hall a short distance until the platinum-blonde was standing in the bathroom.
Quickly, the woman placed her child down, giving her a simple order. “Out of those clothes.”
“What?”
“You heard me.” Selena's voice booked no room for argument as she reached into the section of the tub to turn on the water, ensuring it was a very warm temperature. “Into the tub, young lady.” ordered the Snow Queen. “Can't believe you sneaked out!”
“But...I knew where you were...” the white-haired six-year-old tried, only to be interrupted.
“And what if you had gotten lost in the dark, Elsianna? Hmmm? Or worse? What if someone had taken you?”
It was not Selena's intention to truly frighten her daughter, but at the moment, the panic, anxiety and fear gripping her own heart could not be contained. All she could see were those two scenarios:
Elsianna getting lost, coughing fit after coughing fit as her sickness got worse in the cold.
Elsianna getting picked up by a stranger – kidnapped like she had been with Malcolm Scythe and her biological father, Ryan Scythe.
Why? she asked herself and to any of the gods that could hear her thoughts. Today had been... had been good. The first good day I had since she was sick... why did you have to take that from me? Why did you have the one good day out all the other bad ones? Couldn't you have taken one bad day and left me this?
Her frame shuddered as the emotional tears wracked her frame. She heard sniffling behind her and turned to see her daughter standing there, her clothes in a pile on the floor. Gently, Selena picked the young girl up under her arms, placing her in the warm bathtub.
“You hate me.” the child sniffed and Selena could see tears falling from her baby's eyes. Had anyone else said such a thing to her, the Snow Queen would have responded in her cold sarcasm. But Elsianna was not just anyone. She wouldn't understand such a thing.
“Elsa.” Selena whispered, her tone sharp. “Do you not understand why I am upset?”
“Because I'm near you... and you don't want to be sick like me.”
Her answer almost made Selena laugh. Almost. “Sweetheart – do you remember when the evil men took you away from me?”
Slowly, her small frame mostly submerged in the soapy, warm tub (save for her neck and head), the child looked up and nodded.
“And I thought I would never see you again?”
Another nod.
“And you thought you were being taken away from me forever?”
No nod came this time, but despite that, Selena knew the child understood what was being said. “Imagine that right now. I have hated... hated... that I can't be near you. I've fought so hard to change that but...” her voice trailed off for a moment.
“I'm sorry, mommy.” the child whispered guiltily. “I just wanted to see you and Santa.”
It was all Selena could do to nod her understanding as she cleaned her daughter, ensuring the child's hands and feet were warm and cleaned. With that done, the platinum-blonde gathered her daughter out of the tub, dried her off and wrapped the towel around her small frame. “Do you have any clean pyjamas?”
The six-year-old shook her head. “Mom forgot to do laundry today.” came the answer.
Slowly, Selena nodded, mentally cursing herself. She'd have to apologize to Deanna later for not asking her if she need any help. “Get into your bed. I'll take care of it.”
Keeping the towel wrapped around her, Elsianna scampered out of the bathroom and into her own room. Selena, meanwhile, made her way down the stairs, and into the family room. The room was still lit up with a few nightlights in order to see around the room, but but the large, blue chairs lay the old woman – the family baby sitter.
With a sigh, Selena quietly walked over to the shorter, rounder woman, gently shaking her shoulder to rouse her. “Gerda? Gerda?”
The elderly woman snapped awake rather quickly, taking in her surroundings before her eyes settled on the woman standing near her. “Oh, I'm so sorry, dearie. I must have dozed off for wee spell.”
“That's alright.” Selena lied – choosing not to burden her neighbour and friend. “I just got home myself. Why don't you head home, okay? I'll watch the children best as I can.”
“Alright.” Gerda nodded, pushing herself out of the chair and heading out the door. She was gone a minute or so later. Undeterred now, Selena quickly made her way downstairs, reaching the laundry room half a minute later. Fortunately, she found a clean pair of Elsianna's pyjama bottoms in the dryer. Sadly, there was no doubt.
Better than nothing... Selena thought as she rushed back upstairs, but as she reached the top of the stairs at the bedroom floor, and stood between Elsianna's door and David's bedroom – she was suddenly shocked by a sudden realization.
Like I said before: came the teasing voice from the hotel room. My snow child would never have gotten sick...
Oh... and my snow child would have never gotten ME sick...
Selena rushed into her own bedroom, too alarmed to go anywhere else. She had been so scared of Elsianna being out in the cold, and then the idea of her sneaking out of the house – Selena never knew her daughter was even capable of that! - that she had forgotten the initial orders the doctor had given. Orders to stay away from Elsianna!
Now? Not only had Selena crossed that line – she was practically dancing on the other side.
What if I have it? her mind raced. What if I'm a carrier? What if I give to David or Amiliah or-
“Mommy?”
The voice came calling out from Elsianna's room, causing the Snow Queen to spin around in surprise, her jerkish movements accidentally knocking over a wooden box of keepsakes that were on her own nightstand. With a quiet curse, Selena bent down to pick up the box, seeing most of its contents, treasures and mementos from her life. Items such as ticket stubs from her first date with Deanna, a stuffed penguin no bigger than her hand that her father had gotten her when she was a child, one of Elsianna's first drawings for Selena when the pair had first met at the Pilgrim Springs Orphange in Anchorage...
But her hands stopped as she saw the small, golden item shining in the little light that was in the room and coming in through the windows via the holiday nights. Slowly, her nimble fingers picked the item up, holding it up to the moonlight and Christmas light glow.
She recognized the item almost immediately, feeling the wave of memories, of thoughts, that had plagued her the past month.
Maybe you just stopped believing...
I don't think I'm strong enough to change it back...
Oh Selena, you already are me... you just haven't realized it yet...
They all deserve better than me...
And it was then that Selena knew what she had to do... what she should have done from the very beginning...
************************
December 29th, 2018
6:29am AKST
Nome, Alaska
The sound of a dog barking barged in on Selena's senses, breaking through her dreams to slowly bring her back to the land of the living. “Not now, Oberon.” Selena waved her hand away. “I'll take you for a walk later.” she promised before settling down in the cold earth that was covered only by the thin sheet of her sleeping tent.
And it was that realization that made the young woman have another realization. Oberon isn't here – he's in Manhattan...
Selena's sapphire eyes shot open and her head jerked up just in time to see the shadowy silhouette as it grew and shifted against her tent. Despite its shape changing of sorts, Selena instantly recognized the four legs it walked on and a frame so similar to her husky pup, Oberon.
Oh shit... Selena thought over and over again. Slowly, as slow as possible, the platinum-blonde reached into her pocket, pulling out the leather sheath and knife Liam had given her when she had started this trek a few days ago. From there, she did not make a move nor a sound, and as she saw the wolf reach up and tent shift as it pressed a paw into the material, her heart leapt into her throat.
Don't run...Don't yell or scream... she thought, trying to convince herself not to be a coward. However, the more and more she tried to be the protector and be brave – the more afraid she got.
Why the hell are you afraid? came the voice so achingly familiar to her own. Remember a week ago? When they said you couldn't be near our daughter? Or when Evangelina DeWinter said you couldn't be married to Deanna because it was an 'abomination'? But a big dog shows up and you'd rather be curled up in your sleeping bag like a cocoon?
“This is different.” Selena whispered. “This is an actual predator-”
I'M AN ACTUAL PREDATOR! roared the voice. YOU'RE AN ACTUAL PREDATOR! You tamed one of these things to be your friend!
Selena's eyes widened at the memory... how could she have forgotten? Oberon had not been the first 'wolf-like' pet she had raised and befriended – no, earlier in her life, she – or, Nome-Selena – had tamed an Alaskan wolf, naming the puppy Titania, becoming a sort of... part-time pet for the Snow Queen as she grew up in the hell of Nome.
So why are you sticking around, hiding in a tent?! What are you, Bree-
Snap.
That was the sound of the last nerve going off in Selena's head. She had come to Nome, Alaska, her hometown, to face her problems and her fears, not to be mocked by them! And certainly not to be compared to that bitter, pathetic toad that called herself the 'rightful' United States Champion!!
Gripping the knife angrily, the Snow Queen ran towards her tent 'opening', yelling at the top of her lungs as she unzipped the opening and tumbled out, rushing out and around the field, looking for the wolf that had dared to spook her.
“Where are ya?!” she bellowed out, turning around just in time to see the wolf – grey fur, small for its species – staring up at her with a look of utter confusion. “What?!” she asked, standing before the animal. “Do I look yummy to you?” she tilted her head, holding the knife in front of the wolf. “Two choices. That way.” she pointed behind the wolf. “or through me.” she then pointed the knife to herself. “Your call, but guess what-”
The wolf never guessed what. Instead, it merely turned around and ran away, going up the hill until it was a good distance from Selena. “Ye...Yeah!” Selena yelled to it in surprise. “Keep running!”
She probably looked lame to anyone that saw the whole scenario unfold, but-
“I did it...” she whispered, unable to stop the feeling of pride within herself. “I was scared and I stood up to what was scaring me... just like you did...”
No... I would have tracked it down and skinned it for its pelts.
“That's unfair and against some of the gaming laws in-” the Snow Queen's statement dropped as she gazed back at the hell the wolf had disappeared from, except now, he was back... and not alone. For beside him were four more wolves, all of them gray, but with various tints of colors in their fur as well.
Quietly, Selena gulped, afraid that she had just angered a whole pack of wolves. Even 'Nome-Selena' had never handled that. And yet, as the wolves stood on the hill, none of them made a move, only watching Selena as she stood in place on the snowy hills, and what felt like an eternity for her, was mere seconds as the male alpha of the pack, lowering his head, moved on down the mountain range, his pack following him away from Selena.
Okay, now I'm impressed... the voice in her head chimed. I never had to deal with a pack of wolves before...
This time, however, Selena had felt no elation. No sense of pride. True, she had done something worth bragging about but she had no desire in showing it off. Rather, as she saw the wolves that were following the one that had bothered her in the first place – or bothered her tent, at least – she saw a few pups running up from behind, one of the wolves nuzzling and snuggling them trying to urge them to keep up with the rest of the pack...
Home...
Love...
Family...
There was once a time I must have had them, too.
Home, Love, Family,
I will never be complete
Until I find you...
************************
December 25th, 2018
12:08 am EST
Manhattan, New York.
Deanna quickened her pace back home as she saw the winding driveway draw nearer. Was she worried? More than she cared to admit. Where was Selena? Where was Oberon? The redhead had dropped by to collect them both after the neighbourhood Christmas event had officially concluded, only to find neither of them there. Phone calls to Selena's cell had not work and none of the committee of the neighbourhood, event overseerers or the set take-down team , had seen anything.
That left just one option. Home.
Reaching the door, Deanna opened it. Immediately, all she saw was the odd light-bulb in each room. “Selena?” she whispered, carefully making her way up the stairs. “Selena?” she tried again, in front of her bedroom, followed by David's, followed by-
“Selena?” she tried, but she dared getting an answer.
“In here...” came the soft voice, causing Deanna throw her head back and groan as she walked into Elsianna's bedroom. Reaching into her pocket, the redhead pulled out her phone to turn on the flashlight.
Before her eyes lay her wife, Selena, in track pants and a black, baggy t-shirt, their beautiful daughter, Elsianna, sound asleep in her mommy's arms.
“I think I might be infected or, at least a carrier now.” Selena stated.
“What are you-” Deanna tried to ask, even if she found the sight to be beautiful.
“She sneaked out of the house and came to the Christmas event to find us. I had to get her out of the cold. By the time I realized what I had done, it was pretty much too late.” she admitted. “And when she couldn't sleep, I figured I couldn't do much worse. I'm...I'm sorry...”
Reaching up with a smile, Deanna caressed her wife's fingers (one of the hands that held Elsianna snugly). “What do we do know?”
“I know.” Selena sighed. “I'm leaving early in the morning.”
“Morning – Selena, you're leaving on Christmas day?
Slowly, Selena nodded, this time with no apology in her voice. “I won't be able to keep away from them if I stay.” she cast her glance at her daughter.
“Where will you go?” Deanna asked.
“The only place I can go to get my head on straight for...what's next for us.”
The implications of that 'what's next for us' was not lost on Deanna: 2nd honeymoon at the castle, addiction therapy, potentially Selena quitting SCW...
But there was only one question that Deanna didn't know, yet as she saw her wife lying on the bed, the redhead spied the golden nugget hanging around her beloved's neck.
And thus, all her questions were answered.
“Will...will you be alright up there?” she asked. “All by yourself?”
Slowly, Selena nodded. “I have to be.” she teased. “Otherwise I'm just going to get my butt kicked in that cage. And if...” she paused, not wanting to say the next set of words. “If this is really going to be my last...”
There was a pause before the Snow Queen continued. “I need to be someplace in my head where I give her everything I've got. Otherwise, I'll never be able to walk away...”
For a moment, Deanna watched the pair – mother and daughter – as they lay on the bed, Elsianna as quiet as possible given her state, clearly asleep. “Tomorrow?” she repeated quietly.
Selena nodded. “I've already got it worked out.” she stated. “I'll return after the pay-per-view.”
“What about-”
“You only need to tell me where to go.” whispered the older woman. “Here or the castle...it's up to you...”
A decision the redhead knew she'd need time to make. With a sigh, she nodded her head to Selena. “I'll go pack your bag.” she whispered before quietly leaving the room.
Along with her daughter again, Selena reached down to gently kiss her daughter's crown.
“Mommy?” whispered the child. “Do you really need to go?”
Selena stiffened, wishing her daughter had been asleep and unable to hear what had been said. “I'm afraid so, sweetheart. I don't want to get anyone sick, and... I need to get ready for a big fight...”
“But...what about Christmas...”
Selena's smiled at her daughter, though Elsa couldn't see it. “It's Christmas now.” she whispered, turning her daughter to allow her to see the clock. “See?” she smiled before kissing her daughter's forehead.
“Merry Christmas, mommy.” she said.
Selena only hesitated for a moment before indulging her daughter. “Merry Christmas, snowflake.”
“Can...can you do me one last thing until I fall asleep?” she asked.
In the dark, Selena nodded, squeezing her daughter in her arms affectionately.
“Please... sing me the lullaby...” asked Elsianna...
“Of course, my love.” Selena whispered before singing the soft tune to her daughter, never letting go until she was certain her daughter was asleep. Only then, did she slip off the bed and towards the door. And she was one foot out the door before she heard one last message – a beautiful message from Elsianna...”
“Happy birthday, mommy...”
************************
December 31st, 2018
7:58pm AKST
Nome, Alaska
The cave loomed before Selena, and despite it being years since she had seen or stepped foot inside, it looked exactly the same as it had those years ago.
Well, how much can a bunch of rock change? It's rock.
Turning her head, Selena finally saw her – her younger Nome-self standing before her, dressed somewhat similar to the Snow Queen.
“I get the feeling that you're not going to be too cooperative with me.” Selena stated with a shake of her head.
Her past-self-ghost smirked. If it was going to be easy, you wouldn't have had to be here, would you? Or walked close to thirty miles, or camped in the mountain, or face down a wolf.
With a sigh, Selena shook her head as she stared into the entrance of the cave. “Well, we've got a few weeks...”
Might as well get started. her ghost-self stated, starting to walk into the cave. The apparition stopped, however, as 'she' realized Selena was not moving. Turning around, it spied that Selena looking at her phone clock – as if she was waiting.
Hey! Crazy, Miner's Daughter? mocked the spectre, only to earn a raised hand by Selena.
“One second.” she replied and watched as the clock, finally struck:
December 31st, 2018
8:00pm AKST
Nome, Alaska
And
January 1st, 2019
12:00am EST
Manhattan, New York
With a smile, Selena tapped her phone before turning it off and stuffing it in her pocket. With a deep breath and head tilted towards the sky, Selena whispered a single message to her gods.
“Happy birthday, daughter.”
Before she stepped forward, following her 'past-self' into her father's cave...
One step at a time! One hope, then another!
Who knows where this road may go?
Back to who I was! On to find my future!
Things my heart still needs to know.
Yes, let this be a sign! Let this road be mine!
Let it lead me to my past
And bring me home...
At last!
![[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)
![[Image: 34zetxl.png]](https://i.ibb.co/SnpvD5T/34zetxl.png)