The Feelings In My Heart

[SnowQueenSCW]

December 23rd, 2019
Frankfurt Prison III
6:29pm

“So... you said no?”

The question caused Selena, who had been studying the clock on the wall and the time it displayed for the umpteenth time, turned around to gaze at her wife. “At first.” she answered honestly. “I felt horrible doing it – especially after she had just thrown away her chance at the World title for me.”

“Why did you?” the redhead asked as she walked around the room, nibbling at the chocolate she had dug out of Selena's bag like a damn squirrel looking for a nut.
“I'll get to that.” Selena sighed, casting her gaze at the clock until she felt a familiar pair of arms wrap around her waist from behind. She smelled milk chocolate but didn't hesitate to lean into the woman holding her.

“Should I leave you two alone for some privacy?” teased the younger Frost, her a bit of the chocolate bar between her teeth and sticking out of her mouth. “You've been staring at that clock on and off for nearly an hour.” she added. “A girl just might get jealous.”

“Oh really?” reaching behind her, Selena broke off a piece of chocolate, with help from Deanna's teeth. “Don't know what you're talking about.” she dismissed playfully before plopping the delicious sweet into her mouth. 

“Cheeky.” Deanna teased at Selena's stealing of her chocolate. “I don't get as much chocolate as you.”
“I bring you some almost every visit!” Selena countered.
“Yeah! But that's like, what? A bar a visit? I need my energy to survive in here.”

She felt her wife stiffen in her arms at the joke.

“Is...is it bad in here? From what you've told me...”

Deanna tightened her embrace around Selena to silence her. “No... I keep my head down and stay out of everyone's way. Plus, Shar looks out for me.”

It took Selena a moment to recall the name, but she eventually did. Deanna had, sometimes, spoken about one of the inmates, sentenced to life here in Frankfurt III that had taken a shine to the adorable redhead, looking out for her while she served her time. Selena had actually met her, unknowingly, during her first conjugal visit with Deanna.

“You know she hit on me when I first met her.” Selena stated.
“Yeah... me too.” Deanna sighed, leaning over to kiss the nape of Selena's neck, sending a shiver down the Snow Queen's spine. “Once I told her about you, though-”
“She knew she couldn't compete.” Selena teased.
“No, she thought our story was cute and she said raping me would be like kicking her pet dog when he was a damn puppy.”

Selena spun around in her arms, eyes wide. “She threatened to-”
“Relax!” Deanna laughed. “She was joking... I think... pretty sure. Besides, she's not done anything to me.”

It was hardly reassuring, but there was little Selena could do about it, other than worry. Her hands, now around Deanna's waist, pulled her in close, the pale wrestler resting her forehead against Deanna's.

“I want you to promise me something.” Selena whispered.
“Okay...” Deanna's voice trailed off.
“Tell me the second something happens... if things become...” she didn't finish the sentence, opting instead to kiss her wife softly.

When the kiss had passed, she opened her eyes to stare into the emerald orbs of her beloved. “You already promised to stop hiding work from me-” Deanna answered. “I'll promise not to hide prison from you.” 

Deanna lifted her head, seeing the worry still in her wife's eyes. “Okay!” she suddenly exclaimed. “I know it's usually done on midnight and – fuck it!”

Taking the hands of her confused wife, Deanna guided Selena to the bared window, allowing them to stare out of the prison and into the outside. With the winter time looming in Germany, the skies were already dark, leaving the night sky filled with stars. This left the single light in the center of the ceiling as the sole source that illuminated the room enough for the Frost wives.

“Deanna?” Selena asked in slight amusement. “What are you doing, pet?”

“Just stand right there!” Deanna teased, but there was an underlying hint of a direct order in her voice.
“Okay.” Selena shrugged as she stood near the window as Deanna scampered further into the room. She watched her wife rush towards the folded clothes on the bench by the door, digging through her orange, prison jumpsuit, specifically the pockets. Selena couldn't see what her wife was doing but the room was suddenly encased in darkness, save from the moonlight from outside as Deanna turned off the single light, the redhead bouncing back to her wife's side, a slew of items in her arms. 

“Okay!” Deanna huffed in what could only be described as a mixture of nervousness and excitement. “I've been practising this for weeks!”. Standing against the nearby sink-counter, which she had used earlier that day to calm her wife from the throngs of an anxiety attack, Deanna placed the items on the counter, using the moonlight that streamed in through the window as her guide. 

Gazing over her shoulder, Selena was able to see the pile of items, but couldn't make heads or tails of them. A metal cup, a rock (or pebble of concrete, Selena couldn't be sure), a wooden matchstick, and something shiny she couldn't make out very well. What did-

A final deep breath from Deanna cut off her thoughts as the redhead turned and took the metal water cup and small rock. “First...” she started. “We ring the bell.”

Selena's eyes widened at that particular phrase as Deanna struck the metal cup with the pebble, creating a sharp 'ringing' sound that was almost bell-like.

“Oh my gods...” Selena's hands flew to her lips as her wife stood before her, eyes closed as she tapped the cup again. “De-Deanna...”

“Sssh!” hushed Deanna. “I'm trying to count!” she kept tapping the cup until the right number had been struck. Lowering the cup and stone, placing them back on the counter, she turned her gaze back to Selena, taking her hands into hers. “Okay, next, we search the stars!... And I am so glad it was a clear night for this!”

“It could be cloudy and I would still be...” Selena's voice shook as her joy threatened to overtake her, tears brimming in her eyes. “Look at me – you're making me cry.”
“Good!” Deanna smiled. “Tears of joy!”
“Oh shut up.” Selena laughed. “Just so you're warned... I am going to kiss you breathless when you're done.”
“Incentive! I love it!” Deanna smiled before turning back to the window and night sky, reciting from memory as she opened the window in front of the bars (which were on the outside part of the wall while the window was inside). She shivered a bit at the blast of cold air, while Selena revelled in its embrace before wrapping her arms around Deanna from behind to keep her pet warm. “Thanks.” Deanna cuddled. “Now, searching the stars. See that one?”

She pointed towards a certain pairing of stars, tracing out lines to form a sort of deformed 'Y'. “That's Perseus! And that one there?” she traced another design. “Cassiopeia.” 

“What about...” Selena's voice trailed off for a moment, opting to chose her words carefully. “Can you show me constellations that we know back home? I want...” she paused, burying her face in her wife's red hair. “I want to know one or two that we both can watch together...even if I'm in New York.”

With a smile as she bit her lower lip, Deanna slowly took Selena's left hand with her own, guiding it out the window to trace a pattern in the sky. “See that?” she asked. “That one's Ursa Major. You know that one.” 

She felt Selena nod against her head. “Great bear.” Selena replied.
“And beside that.” she moved the hand a little. “Little dipper... but... this one.”

The platinum-blonde could feel her wife buzzing with as much excitement, which fuelled her own – here they were in prison and her beloved was still able to feel joy and make her wife feel it... the words “lucky” and “blessed” jumped to Selena's mind as her wife drew out one more shape of stars.

“This one is my favourite.” she whispered, finishing the long tail of tails that ended with a triangular head shape. “You know this one.”

It was the head that Selena recognized, for it was her favourite as well. “Draco.” she whispered. “The dragon.”

“Yep. Imagine my joy when I found it here.”

The pair said nothing for a moment, revelling in the feeling of the other in their arms. “It's...it's funny...” Selena whispered. “How many times have we been here?”
“In prison?” asked Deanna playfully.
“In Germany.” Selena sighed amusingly. “Yet we never stopped to look up at the stars long enough to just... I don't see what we shared.”

“There's something philosophic about that.” Deanna hummed in delight. 
“This has been wonderful.” Selena smiled. “I can't believe you did all this for-”
“A buh buh buh buh!” Deanna held her fingertips to Selena's lips to silence her as the redhead faced her wife. “Not done yet!” she stated before turning around to the counter nearby, grabbing the shiny object. 

“Next: the giving of the precious gems!” she held the shiny object in her two fingers before handing it to Selena. Taking the object in her palm so as not to drop it, Selena gazed at it, the moonlight reflecting off it to give her a better view.

“What is this?” Selena asked. “Is this gold?” she turned the item in her hand, her eyes suddenly going wide. “IS THIS SOMEBODY'S GOLD TOOTH?!”

Selena's mouth hung open as she stared at her wife in shock. Deanna, for her part, placed her hands behind her back, a sheepish look planted on her face. “Yeah... there was a fight a few weeks ago... one girl called another a bad name... like a REALLY bad name and...” gently, the redhead punched her left palm with her right fist, emphasizing her point. “I was put in charge of cleaning the room where the fight took place and...well, when I found it...”

Selena said nothing, her mouth still hung open, the gold tooth in her hand. 

“Just to be clear!” Deanna assured. “I washed it thoroughly when I got it and again this morning.”

“I...that...I mean...” Selena stammered before suddenly breaking out into a fit of laughter. “You're the tooth fairy!” she laughed. “I'm the Snow Queen and you're the damn Tooth Fairy!”

Deanna beamed at her wife's humor, tilting her form as she smiled, creating a cutsy pose. It was enough for Selena's laughter to fade before the Snow Queen cupped the face of the 'tooth fairy' with her free hand. “Oh...I'm sorry I lied.” she smiled in adoration.

“What?” a surprised expression of confusion crossed Deanna's moonlit features. “When did you lie?”
“When I said I would kiss you breathless after you finished. I lied.”

With a bit of passion and gusto, Selena pulled at the nape of Deanna's neck, pushing her lips against her wife's in a blazing kiss. It only took a second for Deanna's hands to find Selena's hoodie, pulling on the front to deepen the kiss. Tongues gently wrapped around each other, taking turns in their mouths as Selena's other arm wrapped around the young woman's waist, pulling her in even closer. They stayed that way until Selena felt Deanna's arms go limp, falling to her side. Gently breaking the kiss, Selena smiled as she saw her wife's expression – eyes closed but the brightest of smiles.

“Brain has melted to jelly.” Deanna drawled a little. “Kiss melted brain. Can't remember anything...”

Selena laughed, leaning in to kiss Deanna's forehead once more. “I can't believe you did all this for me.” she sighed. “How did you get all this stuff?”

Her wife shrugged. “Got a bit creative. And lots of free time here.” she added.
“Just one thing.” Selena asked, tilting to look over Deanna's shoulder. “What's the matchstick for?”

Deanna's eyes widened in sudden realization. “Right!” she turned in Selena's arms to reach and grab the wooden twig before turning back into Selena's arms to face her. “THIS is why I have such trouble doing things when around you. You make my brain go sleepy-bye.”
“And you make my heart skip a beat.” Selena shrugged. “We've both got problems.”

Pursing her lips at the comeback, Deanna lifted an eyebrow. “Smartass.”
“Your smartass.” Selena countered again but mewled in surprise when she felt her wife spank her playfully! “Cheeky, madam!”
“You betcha!” this earned Selena another spank but also a firm squeeze, causing her cheeks to blush slightly.

“Okay, so I know how the ending goes...and I couldn't get a log but... the smokers let me have one of their matches... and it's made of wood so...” Carefully, Deanna lit the match against the stone wall, holding it horizontally. “Quick!” she ordered, holding the makeshift 'yule log'. “Before it burns my hand! Make a wish.”

Closing her eyes, Selena's brain thought fast. I wish we could both be home in Manhattan with our children – free of all this...” she didn't even have to think twice. “Okay!” she said, opening her eyes a second before Deanna did. Quickly, Deanna blew out the match and tossed it out between the bars of the still open window before closing it. 

That was it... the last step. Ring the bell, find the stars, gems, and yule log. Selena stood there in amazement of her wife. “You...you did it.” she whispered, holding her wife in the moonlight.

“Happy Yuletide, my beloved.” Deanna whispered, her eyes brimming with unshed tears before placing her head over her wife's chest and heart. “I love you.”

Gently, Selena ran her hand through auburn-red hair. “I love you more than anything.” she whispered. For several minutes, they simply stayed that way, until the sound of rumbling came from Deanna's stomach.

“Um...” Deanna smiled sheepishly once more. “Do you have any more-”
“Check my bag.” Selena offered, but as her wife ran towards the bench, she quickly cast her eyes up to the clock, noting how close they were to the seventh hour.

“You know –“ came her wife's voice, as she fished out the dress that Selena had worn when she had first entered the prison that day – her “Winter Sky” dress of blue and white. It had been several months since she had worn it, actually close to a year, if Deanna recalled correctly. It was Selena's favourite dress with it's white-faux-fur trim around the shoulders. Gently, she placed the dress to the side in order to be able to dig deeper into Selena's bag, searching for more chocolates. In fact, so determined was she to find the chocolates that she did not notice Selena slip by, gather up the dress Deanna had just put aside, strip out of her clothes and slip into the beautiful, snowflake-decorated attire (which was an impressive feat onto itself). “-and I really liked the Swiss chocolates from last week-” Deanna's voice continued its ramble as she search but suddenly stopped as she felt around in the bag in the dark.

“Something wrong, pet?” Selena smiled knowingly. Payback time, you perfect wife!
“Uh...” Deanna started. “I just put your dress to side... did you pack a second?”  Carefully, Deanna pulled up a shimmering fabric of green in her hands.

“I did, but...” It was only as she spoke that Deanna looked back at her wife, realizing she now was dressed in the dress. The moonlight bounced of the gems sewn into the dark blue fabric. “But that one doesn't fit me.”

It took Deanna a couple of sight shifts between the dress and her wife for her to realize Selena's inference. But when she did, her eyes went as wide as Selena's had been during the makeshift Yuletide. “Mercedes says, 'hello, DAHling!'.” Selena imitated the accent of the dress-designer as best she could.

“Oh my...” Deanna was suddenly up on her feet, pulling off her hoodie and track pants.
“Easy!” laughed Selena as she helped her wife into the dress, zipping it up behind her. 

Quickly, Deanna rushed to the bathroom to observe herself in the mirror. The dress was an emerald green that shimmered because of the material, but it was... the only way Deanna could describe it would be that it reminded her of the canopy of a forest or the beauty of a grassy field. It wasn't clumpy but it wasn't 100% smooth, having ruffles in it as it flowed down to her shins. There was silver embroidery design, a pattern that stretched like an elegant web along her sides, across her lower back and top of her chest before circling around to become a fastener around the back of her neck.

Slowly, Deanna stepped out of the bathroom and Selena could see the tears in her eyes. “It's been so long since I could...since I wore...”

“Did you really you were the only one in this relationship that was planning something weeks in advance?” Selena crossed her arms over her chest as she gave a tilt of her head. 

“But why?” Deanna asked, wiping the happy tears from her eyes. “I won't be able to keep it and...”

She suddenly stopped as there came a sound of breaking static from the speaker. Immediately, her eyes flew to the clock on the wall. “That's not right!” she gasped. “We still have three more hours!” Despite this, the static crackled a little more, signifying an incoming sound or alarm – and only one would come through this speaker. “This is wrong!” 

Without thinking, Deanna rushed into Selena's arms, gripping her triceps tightly. “What is going on?” she asked. “They can't take you away from me yet.”

“I'm sorry, Deanna.” Selena sighed, shaking her head, as the sound of static seemed to change slightly. “But I really can't stay.”

“Wha- why not?” Deanna gazed at her in shock. “Was the dress just a- did we run out of time?”
“I've got to go away.” Selena said wistfully, though she didn't move. Rather, she swung Deanna's arms a little.
“Selena?” Deanna asked, confusion and fear growing within her.
“This evening has been so very nice.” Selena smiled at Deanna, but instantly gathered up one of the hands holding onto her. “I'll hold your hands. They're just like ice.” she smiled, lowering her head to kiss the knuckles of the hand.

Realization dawned on the redhead around the same time the music began to play from the speaker – the opening tunes of “Baby, it's cold outside”, the pair's favourite Christmas song coming through.

“You...” Deanna started but, instead, started swatting Selena's covered arms with her hands. “I hate you!” she mumbled, thought not meaning a word of it. “You meanie! How could you do that to me!”

Laughing a little, Selena caught her wife's hands, allowing her to pull her in close to her. “Just dance with me, Deanna, before the song ends. Then you can beat me up.”

Mumbling, Deanna fixed herself by adjusting the outstretched hand Selena held and wrapping the other around Selena's waist, allowing the older Frost to lead. “Don't think I won't.” she added before the two begin to sway and step in time to the dance...


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

December 18th, 2019
L.A, California
7:43pm

“The neighbours might think... say? What's in this drink?”

Selena hummed along to the tune as she swayed back and forth, her eyes closed. She tested her weight on both legs before twirling around on the spot. Aside from some dull aches, her body did not fail her, causing Selena to sigh with relief. She had been trying various dance moves ever since she had arrived in California the other day. The first few days, she had still had some nagging injuries from her match with Xander and her other match with Autumn, but now? If she had to give a percentage, she would say 65% easy, and she still had five days till her conjugal visit with Deanna.

Plenty of time to be able to handle this... she thought to herself in determination.

She had done her best to make this perfect. Mercedes had been more than delighted to make a new dress for Deanna when Selena had requested it in October and the warden of Deanna's prison, once the Snow Queen had made the request, was more than willing to oblige 'in the spirit of the holiday'. 

“She won't even see it coming.” Selena smiled, unable to mask her excitement, as she gazed at her own reflection in the body-mirror on the side of the door of the change room. She was dressed in black leggings and dark-blue t-shirt with snowflakes decorating the left side. She wasn't booked to wrestle tonight for Breakdown, but if Xander or Zero Frogs (Selena still loved referring to them as that) were going to try anything, she still wanted to be able to move well. And kick too...

The last thing she wanted to do was get caught unaware like last week and be too injured to ruin the surprise she had for Deanna. For a second, Selena sighed as she lamented. How long had it been since she and her beloved wife had danced together? Selena couldn't even remember in that moment. They hadn't even had the chance to dance at the marriage vow renewal, the intrusion of Brachiss and DeWinter and...well... everything else that happened making it impossible.

We're overdue... Selena thought, and it wasn't just for Deanna. The platinum-blonde longed to hold her wife and dance with her again. Longed to feel her heart beating against hers as they stepped in tandem – like the perfect team.

Perfect tag-team...

A spike of sadness rammed through her as the thought came to Selena. Regan had barely spoken a word to her since Selena had turned down the initial offer of teaming up with her. It's for the best. she had told herself that every day since then, but now? She wasn't entirely sure anymore. She had figured Regan, ever the adapting professional, would go to the next person, finding them a better match than Selena – but that hadn't happened. No announcement had been made and-

“OKAY!”

The door swung open as the voice burst into the change room, causing Selena to jump a little in surprise. Undeterred by that, Regan marched right into the room, tossing her bag onto the nearby couch and running her hands through her hair. “I've been wracking my brain the last few days trying to make sense of this.”

“Please, Regan.” Selena teased. “Come on in. Make yourself at home.”
“Ah!” Regan's hand flew up to cover Selena's mouth, her other hand holding up a finger to further push her point. “You no talk now, kay? Big sis' time!” 

Selena's eyes widened but she slowly nodded her head, which was enough for Regan to remove her hand and continue pacing around the room. “Okay... so four days ago, I give up my chance to fight for the World title. I do this for many reasons, and I stand by my decision.”

“But if you want to change your mind-” Selena tried but a glare from Regan shut her up faster than a slap to the face.

“Now, at that time, I figured we were on the same page. We agreed you'd be the one going for the World title, Sienna obviously having something against you. All I asked for in return for this faith, this trust – was a dream that I thought we both agreed on. Winning the tag-team titles together.” she had walked around the room three times already in the short span of time and Selena was worried the Hellcat was going to wear a trail through the carpet.

“So... imagine my shock when my sister – supposed supporter of my dream of becoming tag champion and supreme champion like her – tells me she suddenly can't be my partner.”

“I know it seems strange-” Selena tried. “But I-”
“Strange?” Regan laughed. “Oh no no no. Strange is Giovanni Aries tie-dying Konrad Raab's mask and that being some form of 'hypnosis'. Strange is Shilo Valiant swinging from ladders and bringing alligators to the ring. STRANGE is ANYTHING Ace Marshall does. This...” she gestured towards herself and Selena. “This isn't strange, Selena. This makes no sense! Now, tell me what the hell is going on with you and why you said you can't be my partner.”

Biting her lower lip, Selena slowly nodded her head. “Can you sit down, please?” she gestured towards the couch, waiting until Regan was sitting on it before moving to stand in front of it and before her sister, pale fingers interlocking and unlocking as she stood there. “Believe it or not... I wanted more than anything to be picked as your tag-team partner. I wanted to be world tag-team champions with you. It was exciting and new and... all I wanted was for you to pick me, even when it seemed like there were SO many other better choices than me. Josh Hudson? Owen Cruze? Aaron Blackbourne? Asher Hayes?” she saw Regan stiffen a little at the mention of the last name. “Sorry – my point is. I wanted this. I wanted you.”

“So what changed?” Regan asked, crossing her arms over her chest. “Cold feet?”

“Xander.” Selena sighed, looking down at my hands. “What he said about me...about me being like him? A monster? Cursed?”
“Oh come on!” Regan puffed. “You can't take anything he says at face value!”
“Just...” Selena held up her hands. “Can I use the 'little sis' turn' line now?”
“Just go.” Regan huffed.

The platinum-blonde nodded. “Do you ever wonder why I never went for the tag-team titles after Dawn and I broke up?”
“You were becoming a singles star.”
“It's because it never worked out.” Selena admitted bluntly. “Dawn broke up with me because she felt that I was too intense. Too driven to protect her and succeed in this business. So 4Saken ended then and there. Then, when Kelcey and I teamed up, I accidentally kicked her in the damn face. Boom! SCW never saw us as a viable tag-team. Perfect Storm never went far because we were 'too big' as singles stars. And then... you know about Platinum...”

Regan nodded, prompting the Snow Queen to continue.

“It's the first deal-breaker about me, Regan. I've been cursed in the tag-team division. Tag-teams with me? They don't last no matter how hard I try. And if...if you teamed with me, we might not even GET a tag-title shot.”

Selena watched Regan's lower jaw move back and forth before it opened for her to speak. “So we'll start at the bottom and work our way up. What's deal-breaker number two?”

“What? We didn't even get through deal-breaker number one – it's not as simple as 'working our way up'.”
“Sure it is. We beat every other tag team – best way to become a champion.”
“It's not that simple.”
“Oh really? Then how are you planning on becoming World Champion in about two weeks? Hold hands and sing 'Silent Night'?”
“I...”

Selena was silent. How had Regan made it so easy? She was sure her cursed past with tag-teams and titles would have been enough for Regan to see that Selena was a poor choice now.

“What's deal-breaker two?” Regan asked. “This about the whole 'being a monster' thing?”
Selena nodded.
“Oh, good, this will be easy.” Regan took a deep breath. “You're not.”

“No!” Selena suddenly spat – frustrated at how calmly Regan was taking and dissecting her arguments. “It's NOT easy! What if I told you that I enjoyed what I did to Xander Valentine? What if I told you that I liked breaking his nose? Cracking his skull open? Smashing his face with a ring bell?”

“I piledrived the boss.”

The deadpan response stopped Selena dead in her tracks. “That's...” she tried.

“And I won't insult you by saying I didn't enjoy it at the time.” Regan added. “So don't insult me by saying it's different.”
“Dammit, Regan!” Selena irked. “I'm trying to give you your best shot at this!”
“Then team with me! Because right now, I'm not seeing one damn good reason-”

“Ah!” Selena groaned in frustration, her voice creating a slight echo in the room. Marching, Selena went over to one of the tables where her cellphone was. Unlocking it, she pulled out the memos app, clicked one particular file and tossed it to Regan. “Read it.” she ordered as Regan caught the phone.

Green eyes scanned down the screen as Regan read aloud.

“Ladder. Hangman. Table. Clockwork Orange. Beanbag? What is all this?” Regan asked as she perused the rather long list of one-word entries.

“Those...” Selena pointed at the phone in Regan's hand. “That... is the list of every kind of gimmick match that SCW has ever employed in its near twenty years of history.”
“So?”
Selena laughed. “You don't get it, do you, Regan? Who asked for a Roofed Cage match against Bree Lancaster? Who chose a Scaffold match against Giovanni Aries? Who signed away on an Empty Arena Match with Xander Valentine, only to follow it up by choosing a Last Person Standing match against the bastard?! And oh! Let's not forget that I ALSO was involved in Tactical Warfare from the start of the match to the finish this year too!”

“Again...so?” Regan shrugged.

“Regan... I can't help it, okay? These dangerous kinds of matches? I love them! And if you team with me, I am going to be campaigning for whatever the hell kind of match we can get! Ladders, scaffolding? I can't stop myself...”

Before waiting for a response, Selena grabbed her shirt and pulled it over her head and off her body, leaving her torso covered only by a black sports-bra. “See?”

“Yeah... I see.” Regan nodded. “You were right. Mine are bigger.”
“For the love of Odin.” Selena sighed. “See?” she pointed towards her sides, where her ribs were. On both sides, in different patterns, there were criss-cross streaks of scar tissue, as if Selena had been sliced open repeatedly with a knife and then sewed back together. Both sides had no fewer than four lines, some longer than others and some intersecting. It looked like a patch-job done on a doll.

“Did Xander give you those?” Regan asked, tilting her head to fully view the work.
“No. He didn't.” Selena sighed. “He gave me this...” she gestured to the scar that ran across her eyebrow before gesturing back to her sides. “These... are your handiwork.”

Regan's eyes widened and she gazed up at Selena. It had been Regan that had brought in that infamous weapon: The barbed-wire cat o'nine tails and used it on Selena. Still, to leave a mark like that – one that Selena would never be free of.

“And I still consider our fights one of the greatest things to happen in my life.” she admitted. “It brought you back into my life.” she shrugged. “But I... I get scarred, I get banged up...I get beaten up so badly that, a few days later, I can't even remember my own daughter's name... and I don't want that to happen to you because of me.”

Throwing back on her shirt, Selena flopped down on the couch beside Regan. “That's what I'm saying, Regan. You pair with me, you're getting a driven, adrenaline junky that will make you risk your health and career on insane matches – and you still might not get a title shot at the end of it.”

A silence dragged on between the two, neither really moving as they processed their thoughts. For Selena, she felt Regan deserved to know all this, especially with Infamous the tag-team champions. Hell, Selena hadn't even considered their mass numbers in the invitational – though she knew Syren would make an appearance at some point. The point was that Infamous was nothing like “Zero Frogs”. They were dangerous. Always had been and always would be – just like the Beauty Network. 

She'll see it at the Invitational. Selena thought. She'll see the stables use ambushes. She'll be reminded of how dangerous they all are and why she needs someone with better tag-experience than me. Someone that won't risk everything on insane matches or crazy moves... someone that won't cost her opportunities like I have...

“You know what I loved about our match? Aside from the whole ending of it?” the voice came from Regan, earning Selena's attention. “It wasn't so much burying your career or any crap like that... I just wanted to prove you and Mr. D wrong about me.”

“I think your apology the next show did that.” Selena replied.

“Point is? I've loved proving you wrong.” Regan smiled mischievously. “And...you know, I look forward to doing that and hearing you admit it when we win the tag-titles.”

Selena's opened her mouth to talk but, for the first second, no words came out. “Did...did you not hear anything I JUST said?!” She asked incredulously. “How could you hear all of that and still think I'm the best bet?!”

“Oh, I didn't say you were. Gods if I wanted to play it safe, I'd go with Sienna. She's use her resources and we'd be tag champs in no time. Or maybe Owen. Kid's got a hell of momentum going. Same with Alistaire.”

Regan shook her head. “But I'm not interested in playing this safe. Never have been. Where's the fun in that? That's not what I was looking for. When I apologized to O., I realized slowly how I wanted my career to go. I was done with the shortcuts and the handouts. But I knew that meant that I had to work my ass off to earn everything, even if it was the hard way. So, when I was looking for a tag-team partner, I wasn't looking for someone that could just 'get me there'. I was looking for someone that would go through hell and back for what they wanted to achieve here – refusing to be knocked down by obstacles or frustrations. I wanted someone that, if I got the hell beat out me, I could turn my head and see them as beaten and bloodied as me because they fought just as hard.”

Reaching out, Regan placed a hand over top of Selena's. “And let's face it. You're the only person that fits that bill. Someone as... crazy... as me but with the morals that I wanted my career defined by.”

Slowly, Selena brought her face up to gaze into Regan's eyes, the two sharing a quiet stare for a moment.

“So...” Regan removed her hand. “I don't care how long it takes us. I don't care if I have to wait four years for this chance too. I want you as my tag-team partner. That's it.”

The Snow Queen released a shaky breath, the sound of other people arriving for Breakdown could be heard from outside their change room. A choice needed to be made now.

“Even...” Selena whispered. “Even if I'm a monster?”

With a smile and a shrug, Regan replied, leaning in to Selena. “A bitch is always scarier than a monster, sister. And if there's one thing I've proven...  it's that I am a MUCH bigger bitch than you!”


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December 23rd, 2019
Frankfurt Prison III
8:20pm

They hadn't stopped dancing, merely slowed their movements to rocking back and forth as they held one another. The playlist of Christmas songs over the speaker above them was bound to end at some point, having played nearly every song at this point. For now, the Frost wives swayed to Bing Crosby's “White Christmas”.

Deanna rested her head in the crook of Selena's neck/shoulder, her leading hand gently placed over Selena's heart. “I'm glad she convinced you to be her tag-team partner.”
She felt, rather than saw, her wife smile. “Me too.” came the gentle voice. “She made it sound so exciting when she announced it in the ring later that night.”

“The fact that she's not scared of you and would willingly run out to help you – keep you safe?” Deanna added. “Gives me peace of mind, at least.” 

She felt her hand being lifted up for a moment so a feather-light kiss could be placed on her fingers before the hand was returned to its place over Selena's heart.

“I'm sorry...” the voice came out as a whisper, but Deanna recognized it as her wife's, causing her to lift her head and gaze into sapphire eyes as they danced in the moonlight. “I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner about everything. I think... I think part of me was ashamed that I've loved so much of this past year, even the dangerous matches. I thought if I told you, you'd think that I was...”

“Crazy?” Deanna finished the sentence with a tilt of her head. “I still think that.” she shrugged. “But what's life without a little crazy? And IF we're going to compare, I've got you beat by a country mile!”
“You do not!” laughed Selena. “I believed that I had a child made of snow.”
“I believed that I had conceived a baby through a magic amulet.”
“I enjoy the riskier matches and dangers.”
“I enjoy then you hurt me a little during foreplay.” Deanna countered.
“I...” Selena tried. “I... I've run out.” she admitted.

“That's okay. I've got another.” Deanna smiled. “I believe that I'm innocent when a jury of my peers condemned me to ten years in a correctional prison.”

Selena stopped, her body becoming rigid. “That's not crazy.” she stated sharply. “That's the truth. You are innocent.”
“And you're not a monster.” Deanna countered. “I know it, Regan knows it, and countless others do too. You're just willing to do whatever it takes to protect people and SCW. That's not monstrous. That's heroic.”

“But I couldn't save you.” Selena sighed before drawing Deanna back into her embrace.
“You will. One day, I know you will.” Deanna smiled. “I believe in you.”

Sapphire eyes met emerald eyes as the two continued to dance. “Because...that's who you really are. At the heart of it.” she pressed her hand a little more against the organ as Selena's heart beat strongly against the palm. “You're you. A hero, a queen, a weapon, a savior, an avenging woman... you're all those things.”

The beautiful redhead gave a smile before adding with a tilt of her head. “And you're mine. Just like I am yours.”

Biting her lower lip, Selena nodded her head. “Maybe I love you.” she whispered.
“Maybe I love you.” Deanna replied as the two shared a soft kiss as they continued to dance.

“Happy Yuletide... and happy birthday, my everything.” Deanna whispered.
“Merry Christmas.” Selena replied as she caressed her wife's face. “My heart”.

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