Ace Marshall vs. Selena Frost

[Konrad Raab]

SCW World Championship

3 RP Limit for singles

Deadline: 11:59:59 pm ET Saturday, July 24, 2021

[Ace]

----->87<-----

[SnowQueenSCW]

Project: Black Ice

”On A Train Out To Nowhere…”

Nome, Alaska
July 20th, 2021
9:38am

Nothing could stop the two women as they marched through the elevator doors as they opened, the morning sunlight streaming through the large windows and spilling onto the floor, creating a panel of glow along the stone slates that covered the ground of the office-waiting room. 

None of these details went noticed by either women as they marched into the space, the taller woman knowing every detail of this accursed space and her sapphire eyes laser-locked onto the set of doors in front of her.

“Excuse me…” the voice came from someone, perhaps out of concern over the sudden intrusion of the women – or perhaps it was the pair’s appearance: the wild eyes, slight redness in them and bagginess in both pairs of eyes (sapphire and emerald), indicating a lack of sleep. Whatever the reason, however, the ‘salutation’ from the secretary was ignored as both women marched past the desk, ever closer to those infernal doors. “Hey!” the voice called out again, demanding attention – a notion that only became incensed when the tallest one, with shoulder-length platinum-blonde hair, reached up and pulled both doors open with authority. “You can’t go in there!” ordered the secretary, rushing after the women.

She did not get far as the shorter of the two intruders, with hair like a dark red rose, turned her head, her eyes staring strongly into the secretary’s as she stood there, her mere presence blocking the employee from following the leading woman. 

“Sorry, but I have to insist.” The redhead stated calmly, turning her head to calmly glance at the back of the advancing platinum-blonde. “I’m sure he’ll see us after the night we’ve had.”

Without another word, the redhead turned on her left foot, marching faster to catch up to her partner, who’s voice could now be heard as it rang throughout the room.

“-Isn’t that a tad convenient?!” barked the older woman in the middle of her tirade as the second caught up with her. Standing next to her, the redhead could see the old man, his arm and hand raised as it held a steaming cup of coffee.

“I don’t know what to tell you.” The seated mayor replied calmly. “Other than, ‘please sit down and calm down’ or, as I told you yesterday… ‘get out of my office’.”

The redhead could see it in her wife’s posture. The way her shoulders rolled back, the way her fists clenched tighter – even the subtle bending of her knees, engaging the powerful leg muscles the younger woman knew that her beloved possessed. She had seen these signs so often in the older woman’s world, of which she had returned to only recently. Still, the red flag went up in the shorter woman’s mind. Her wife was going to attack… 

Quickly, small hands wrapped around the closest hand of the pale-skinned woman, gaining her attention almost instantly. “Selena… no.” Deanna pressed firmly, emerald eyes boring into sapphire ones. 

The Snow Queen’s jaw clenched, seeing no point in denying what her wife had recognized. Unable to act on the feelings she felt so strongly, Selena’s jaw clenched and she turned from both the mayor and Deanna, stepping around the desk towards, oddly enough, the coffee maker positioned on the table at the back wall.

“She’s going to make me coffee.” Deanna replied simply as she turned her gaze back to the composed gentleman, her tone booking no room for argument. In response, the mayor lifted his free hand in a simple gesture of ‘be my guest’ before taking a moment to sip his own hot beverage.

“You lied to us.” Deanna stated simply, moving to sit in the closest seat, a dark red faux leather piece. “You’ve been lying to us from the very beginning.”

“Hardly news.” Malcolm Scythe replied calmly with a shrug of his shoulders. “I would think you would come to expect that of me.”

“We did.” Deanna stated simply, speaking because she knew that if she allowed Selena to, the mayor would be missing a few incisors and Selena would be missing Rise to Greatness, with her now being the incarcerated Frost. “But I’m not talking about yesterday.”

Slowly, the redhead reached into the pocket of the jacket she wore – the one Selena had draped over her to keep her warm this morning – her fingers grazing against the leather as it pulled out the framed picture and handing it to Malcolm, watching as the man’s eyes widened by a fraction, but otherwise he gave no emotion. Selena, meanwhile, had appeared with a Styrofoam cup filled with coffee in her hands, in which she carefully handed it to her wife, who took it just as gently, sipping it to test its heat.

“You’ve been hiding something for years, Malcolm.” Deanna replied. “And now it’s trying to kill us.”

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

24 hours ago
Nome, Alaska
July 19th, 2021
9:12am

“What if we actually did incorporate mermaids and unicorns?” 

Deanna thought out-loud as she pressed the eraser end of her pencil into the slight bend of her chin below her lip, working the other end up and down as she stared at the notepad in her hands, taking in the words and drawings she had etched into the pages. She didn’t care if she looked ridiculous or inappropriate as she sat in her wife’s lap, the smaller Frost nestled snugly in Selena’s embrace, her legs hanging off one of the armrests comfortably.

“No.” came the firm voice of Selena as she sat in the seat in the office, keeping her arms wrapped firmly around her wife. True, she wasn’t quite sure what had possessed her pet to be so brazen with this PDA, but she wasn’t going to complain simply because of where they were. She refused to let Malcolm Scythe have any power over her. Even though the mere history with him was enough to bring you here in the first place. Her mind mocked.

In truth, it hadn’t – at least not for her. It had been her promise to Deanna weeks ago that had brought her here. For the Snow Queen, her mind was on little else except Rise to Greatness…

There was no use lying. She was nervous about the event. After firing insult after insult, overused and cliché as they were, Lexy and Ace had, inadvertently, landed upon something of actual truth last Breakdown. Of course, they had moved on in favour of more insults and cheap shots – trying to ‘say it all’ and ‘do it all’ to hedge their bet – but there was no point in Selena denying it to herself.

She was nervous, maybe even scared, of the weekend that awaited her. Has it really only been a year? she asked herself quietly as Deanna continued to doodle and etch away in her small notepad.

In truth, it was just six days shy of a year – technically – but it could have been yesterday for how Selena had been feeling since Taking Hold of the Flame. 

Standing in the ring at Rise to Greatness, embracing her sister, Regan.
Rushing down to the ring later on as David Helms, Regan’s husband, was crowned the NEW SCW World Champion.
Standing in the ring with Jordan, Mikaela, Jason, Deliliah and, of course, Regan and David as they celebrated.
Embracing the new champions as the fireworks continued to go off… the happy ending to her sister’s and David’s great story….

Quietly, Selena exhaled a breath through her nose. She had longed for such a moment of her own. Yes, she had shared in her sister’s delight and David’s triumph that night, to which she would always be grateful and would always cherish as one of the greatest moments in her career – in her life – but regardless of how hard she tried, she had not been able to completely dismiss or destroy that dark emotion: jealousy mixing with need.

Because, in truth, Selena’s family – her own family – couldn’t be there. Her children had been safe in Oberwessel and her wife was in jail…

She was the only Frost there. The only Frost to celebrate her own success: Becoming United States Champion, retaining said title with the disadvantage that had come with the rules of a tag-match, becoming tag champion…

Part of her, more than she wanted to admit that night, had longed to have what her sister, Regan, had. To be able to turn around, see her wife, and embrace her in the ring – to feel her lips on her own – as they revelled in the success of their victory…

Now, a year later, here she was – on the cusp of getting what she wanted and more than she had hoped for. What she had dreamed of…

Her sister would be there.
Her children would be there.
Her wife would be there…

And all she could think about was the look on their faces if she were pinned and lost the title in front of them all…

Their looks of disappointment.
Of sadness.
Of having their time wasted because they believed in her…

Was that way she had so eagerly agreed to Deanna’s wish to come here? To distract herself with personal tasks because her nerves were threatening to overwhelm her? Because time seemed to move slower whenever she was here – a symptom of her upbringing in the hell that was Nome, Alaska. Was she simply running away from facing that possibility? 

Her vision, still somewhat in a daze, was suddenly changed and she was seeing red… not out of anger, but because of the red mane that obstructed her vision! She immediately felt warmth against her face as Deanna nuzzled her forehead and cheek to the side of Selena’s face.

“Come on.” She purred quietly. “Stop overthinking.”

Unable to stop herself, Selena partially returned her wife’s affections, eyes fluttering closed as she savoured Deanna’s touch and gently nuzzled the redhead’s face. “What makes you think I’m overthinking?” she asked simply, only a hint of playfulness in her voice.

“Because I could literally see the gears in your brain working to the point where I was sure steam would come out of your ears.” Deanna whispered.
“I don’t think those two allegories are supposed to go together.” Selena shook her head, leaning further back a short ways to regard her beloved.

In response, Deanna gave a shrug. “You also thought we shouldn’t go together. Look at us now!”

With a flourish, Deanna sat up straight in Selena’s lap, lifting her arms to opposite diagonal directions like some grand display. “Taa-dah!” she added with a bright smile, the sunlight from the windows pouring on the floral pattern of her long-sleeved shirt and some of blue jeans. Selena could see the shadow of her own head against her wife’s chest as she sat in front of the window, the back of her neck feeling some of the warmth from the sun. 

“Six years.” Selena smiled gratefully up at her wife. “Nearly six years…” a pale-hand reached up to caress Deanna’s soft cheek. “Must I still suffer for that?”
“Of course!” Deanna cheekily replied with a bright smile and closing her eyes. “How else am I to keep my celebrity of a wife humble?”

There was certainly some truth to Deanna’s words, the platinum-blonde admitted. In the beginning, when she had first met the young girl, Selena had kept her distance as much as she could. How could she not? First of all, Selena had still very much been ‘in-the-closet’, her past relationship with Dawn Lohan being chalked up to a ‘one-time thing’. Second, Deanna was barely eighteen at the time, hardly an adult in the eyes of most western societies. Third, she was almost eight years younger than Selena! 

Looking back, Selena could only shake her head. How foolish of her. All of those reasons had been mere excuses, the Snow Queen making up reasons simply to fool herself from the reality. The reality that her attraction to women was not a one-time thing with Dawn. The reality that this young girl, somehow, had barged into her life, stolen her heart, and given her own without thinking twice. It was almost unreal… but was that so different from everything else that had happened in Selena’s life to this point?

Deanna watched her wife, gazing into her eyes as a certain expression flitted across the older woman’s face, one Deanna recognized all too well. Without a word, Deanna leaned in, pressing her lips against Selena’s, feeling her wife happily respond in kind, the two sharing a strong, deep kiss as Selena held Deanna and the redhead simply held on.

Slowly, the pair moved back at the same time, breaking the kiss. 

“I was overthinking.” Selena sighed in admittance.
“Knew it.” Deanna smiled contently before flipping open her notepad once more. “Okay, so that’s an ixnay on the mermaids and unicorns?”
“Yes.” Selena laughed. “Not all of Ace Marshall’s ideas are good ones, Deanna.”

“Yeah, well, I’m running out of ideas.” Laughed the redhead. “Nothing feels right.”

Selena tilted her head at her beloved, amused but also envying her wife. While Selena was wrestling with the nerves and fears of failing in front of her family – of being denied the moment she had wished for since last year, and even longer if she were honest – Deanna was simply… well, being Deanna.

It was almost insane the childish wonder Deanna had adopted as they moved closer and closer to the big pay-per-view. Not once had the redhead given thought to Selena failing or losing the title – even though, with Ace Marshall being in his ‘on’ mode, that was a very real possibility. Rather, the young girl had spent most of her free time (away from being a mother to their children, of course) trying to find the ‘perfect outfit’, the ‘perfect wrestling attire for Selena’ – on and on she had gone until she had started working on her current project: the perfect entrance for her and Selena.

“It’s gotta say ‘World Champion’ and ‘Face of SCW’ at the same time!” she stated as she shifted in her seat on Selena’s lap, moving her body so she could lean against the world champion’s chest, her head resting on the back of the chair and against Selena’s face. “But it’s also gotta say ‘Rise to Greatness Pay-per-view’! Once a year! Super Stanley Oscar Tony Bowl!”

“What?” Selena asked in confusion.
“Super Stanley Oscar Tony Bowl.” Deanna repeated as she wrote the letters on one of the pages. “S.S.O.T.B. Like the big nights of sports and entertainment-“

“Okay…” reaching out, Selena grasped the notepad and the hand holding it. “How about you S.T.O.P for a bit, pet. We’re here for a reason.”

With a huff of mild annoyance, Deanna crossed her arms as she continued to sit against Deanna. “Not my fault he’s taking forever to see us.” She turned her head back to Selena. “I mean… I made an appointment.”

Selena wasn’t sure why, but at that last statement, as soon as it reached her ears, her head jerked back as she released a full laugh, one that rang through the waited area, earning her the attention of the secretary that sat behind the large desk near the broad, tall, wooden doors that lead to the mayor’s office.

“That must have shocked him.” Selena stated in a chuckle, trying to calm herself from her spurt of amusement. “I never made an appointment with him. I just showed up and demanded to see him.”
“Oh…” Deanna remarked, casting a glance towards the door. “Should…should we try that?”

“Oh no!” laughed Selena. “After all the trouble you made to get us an appointment – I’m sure he’ll just be a minute-“ another fit of giggles left her as she reached up with a free hand to cover her mouth with her palm and her eyes with her thumb and fingertip.

“It’s not that funny…” grumbled the redhead. “There’s nothing wrong with being civil.”
“Oh, my love.” Selena sighed with so much affection. “I don’t mean to laugh at you. Normally, you would be more than right. But this is hardly normal.” She gestured to the door. “Knowing Malcolm, there’s probably no one in there but him – no meeting or anything – he’s probably just enjoying a large breakfast and watching tv or something.” The platinum-blonde shook her head. “He’s taking his time to annoy us. That’s how he works. So you can’t be civil with him. You have to be direct – maybe even a little immature as him.”

“I can be direct!” Deanna stated, her chest puffing up a little. “I can definitely be a little immature.”. Her eyes widened as she saw Selena bit her lower lip, trying to hold back a response. “What?!” Deanna asked. “I can! I can be direct.”

“Sweetheart… I love you… but no.” Selena shook her head. “You’re my everything – you’re sweet, you’re kind, gentle, and fiercely loyal – fighting for what you believe in and for our family and for me! Gods, how you fight for me…” she smiled, her mind flashing back to how Deanna had tackled Christy Matthews to keep Selena’s match with Syren fair back at Careful What You Wish For. Back to just last week with how Deanna had warned Selena of Ace’s sneak attack, allowing the Snow Queen to quickly formulate a counter which had sent the royale winner packing. “You are so amazing in so many ways… but direct? You have too much patience for that.”

“Unlike you?” Deanna asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Well…I’ve spent years learning when to fight, when to talk, when to be the aggressor and… well, so forth.” Selena tried to explain. It was her years in Nome that had made her into a fighter, refusing to quit or be broken by life or anyone. But it had been her years with SCW and her time with those like Kennedy Street, Kelcey Wallace, and, of course, her sister, Regan, that had taught her so much about the mental side of confrontations. “It’s like that Kenny Rogers song!” she quickly looked away to the floor to better focus on her memory of the words:

“You’ve got to know when to hold ‘em.” She sang softly, her voice barely loud enough to be heard by Deanna. “Know when to fold ‘em. Know when to walk away-“. Her hand was suddenly enclosed by Deanna’s, the other tracing Selena’s jawline to tilt her head back up to the redhead.

“Know when to run?” Deanna asked, her voice also singing in a low whisper.
“Exactly.” Selena smiled.

“Well…” Turning her head back to the receptionist, Deanna steeled her shoulders before, suddenly, she was out of Selena’s lap and stepping towards the large desk the employee hid behind.

Watching her wife move closer to her target, clearly spurned on by Selena’s assessment of her, the Snow Queen could not help but smile as her voice whisper-sung the song stuck in her head.

“You never count your money… when you’re sitting at the table. There’ll be time enough for counting… when the dealing’s done.”

“Hello!” she heard Deanna state briskly as she leaned over the desk, Selena not quite sure her redhead was doing so to look tough or serious or if the poor girl’s legs were asleep from sitting for so long. Still, amused, Selena kept in her chair as the scene unfolded.

“Yes?” the large woman behind the desk replied, giving the young manager her attention as she stared at Deanna through thick, round glasses. Her hair was up in a bun and she had lipstick on that was not only too thick, but a poor choice of color for her skin tome. Be that as it may, Deanna did not seem to notice – more focused on proving her beloved wrong and ‘keeping her celebrity wife humble’.

“Hi…” she read the name plate on the desk. “Hailey. My wife and I made an appointment with the mayor for 8 am and, as you can see… we’re still here.”
“Mayor Scythe is very busy. He will see you when he can.” Came the monotone reply. “Please sit down and you will be called when he’s ready.”

“Right…” Deanna tried, looking back at the chair, towards her wife, Selena throwing up a pair of ‘thumbs up’ and big, open grin in support, or was it a little mocking, Deanna wasn’t sure. “But that’s the thing, Hailey… the REASON we were here at 8 in the morning was because we were told he was free at that time.”

“Mayor Scythe is very busy.” Repeated Hailey in the same tone. “Please sit down and you will be called when he’s ready.”
“Yeah, you just said that.” Deanna nodded her head. “And I was saying that we’ve waited an hour. Can you please call him or something and see what the holdup is?”

“Sure.” Hailey replied, reaching over to pick up the phone that was near her. Without pushing a button, she held it to her ear. “Hello, Mayor Scythe, I’ve got your 8am here. Okay.” She immediately hung up the phone. “Mayor Scythe is very busy. Please sit down and you will be called when he’s ready.”

Deanna’s mouth hung open, her emerald eyes flying from Hailey to the phone and back and forth several times. “You…uh… you didn’t push a button.”
“That’s cause you’re already pushing enough buttons.” Hailey replied curtly.
“Rrrright…” Deanna nodded, her jaw moving left and right as she slowly processed her thoughts, before at least turning around to make her way back to Selena.

Oh poor dear… Selena sighed as she watched Deanna’s little walk of shame, the redhead’s head a little low. It was both amusing, based on their previous conversation, but also infuriating for the Snow Queen that someone had upset her beloved so.

“Wanna tag me in?” Selena offered, offering her hand to Deanna, and waited until the redhead, begrudgingly, with a huff-sigh, slapped her wife’s hand with her own. 

Smothly, Selena pushed herself out of her chair and adjusted the black pant suit she wore with a matching dress shirt. With a march that was far more deliberate than her wife’s had been, the young woman reached the desk. 

“Hi.” Selena smiled at Hailey as she approached...
“As I said-“ only for the wrestler to walk right past her and towards the door.
“Yeah, I heard you.” Selena smiled, gesturing to the door. “I’m just gonna get a word in.” she grinned before suddenly slamming her palm hard against the door, causing a loud BANG to ring throughout the room!

“HEY, MALCOLM!” shouted the Snow Queen. “It’s Selena. You’ve got ten seconds to unlock the door and let us in or I’m kicking it down and come what may!” she threatened, her words stunning Hailey into silence, the receptionist’s mouth hanging open. “10….9….8….” Selena counted. “7… you know I barely graduated high-school, Malcolm. I can’t promise I remember all the numbers – my job’s go-to count is only to three most of the time! 6-“

There was a beep on the intercom that came from Hailey’s desk. 

“Ms. Porter.” The familiar, slightly distorted by the machine. “Send them in.”
“Yes, sir.” Hailey answered before turning back to Selena. “Mayor Scythe will see you now.”
“Oh, he will?!” Selena smiled brightly. “Well isn’t that nice!” she turned back to Deanna. “Come on, De. Looks like he’s not so ‘busy’ anymore.”

Reaching to the doors, Selena pulled them open, the Snow Queen strolling into the room with her wife following her. The office space, large and immaculate, was the same as it always had been, and, as always, the mayor of Nome sat behind his desk as he greeted the women.

“You realize that if you had broken down my door.” Malcolm started, removing his reading glasses to regard the Frost wives. “I could have you detained and arrested for destruction of property. Which means you would miss this upcoming weekend.”

“Maybe.” Selena shrugged. “But let’s see: you do that, I get out on bail long enough to leave for the weekend, come back for the month or so off I have post-pay-per-view, pay the fines or settlement or whatever. Oh, and we still get what we want, so…”

Deanna wasn’t sure, but she could almost see a shadow of a smile cross the man’s features. “You sure? I could also say I thought you were here to harm me by breaking down the door – suppose I just defended myself and shot you?”

“An unarmed woman that’s the mother of your grandchildren?” Selena laughed. “Really, Malcolm? That’s what you’re going with?”
“Perhaps.” He replied. “Or perhaps that would be enough to incarcerate you. Deanna….” He turned his attention to the redhead. “You’ve spent some time in prison – anyone put in there for breaking into a mayoral office?”

“N-no…” Deanna replied, shaking her head.
“Really? You’d think in Germany…” Malcolm started before waving his hand. “No matter. I’d leave that for my lawyer.”
“Well, if we’re calling lawyers, then I’ve got dibs on Talia.” Selena stated.
“Conflict of interest much.”
“Coming from the man that just said he could shoot me? Pretty sure you’re the king of ‘conflicts of interest’.” The Snow Queen countered.

For Deanna, she was more than stunned. She was barely able to keep up with this back and forth, both Selena and Malcolm throwing retorts one after the other in rapid succession.

“Um…” she tried to speak. “We didn’t break the door, though.”

Both Selena and Malcolm stopped, turning their attention to the woman that stood beside Selena, the wrestler and mayor’s expression quite similar in their surprise.

“I mean…” Deanna tried shyly, looking down at her hands. “Why are you arguing about something that didn’t happen?”

With a click of his tongue inside his mouth, Malcolm returned his attention to Selena. “She doesn’t quite get it.” He stated.
“No, she gets it. She just doesn’t want to waste time on what-ifs.” Selena defended.

“Well, so much for small-talk then.” Malcolm playfully huffed before sitting back in his chair. “So, then, let’s get this taken care of. Why are you here, Selena?”

Deanna opened her mouth, ready to explain that coming here was her request and the blame lay solely with her. However, the sound of her wife’s voice caused her jaw to clench shut.

“Someone…” the wrestler spoke slowly, allowing each word to properly sink in. “…is stalking Deanna and myself.”

Malcolm did not say a word, assuming correctly that there was more to this than that.

“It started after Deanna was released. Someone called me, claiming to be behind everything.”
“Everything?” Malcolm asked, his curiosity evident.

“Yes.” Selena answered, her eyes studying every expression and gesture the mayor gave off. “Deanna meeting Castle and…” the platinum-blonde’s body stiffened, causing her to grow silent for a moment before she powered through – Deanna understanding why as she wrapped her arms around herself, refusing to remember that particular event. “Her incarceration, the attacks on the castle, Talia’s car accident, everything. And-“

“You want to know if I am behind it.” Malcolm replied simply, pushing himself out of his chair.

“Or if you know anything!” Deanna blurted out, unable to stop the words from leaving her mouth. As she realized who had spoken, she saw her wife turn her head to her sharply, her eyes telling the redhead to be careful what she said in front of the mayor.

“Well…” came the slow response from Malcom as he paced around the room – for Deanna, it almost reminded her of how her wife would methodically pace around the ring during her “Frozen Central” segments. Was that where she learned it from?

“I must admit that I am somewhat surprised by this news.” Malcolm answered honestly. “The events of the last two or so years seemed rather haphazard and unrelated. You’ll recall that Deanna’s running to Germany was because of our little spat.” He gestured between Selena and himself with his hand, earning a scoff from Selena over the oversimplification of their war that had cost the Snow Queen her step-mother. “The idea that someone had manipulated things from that point onward and now all of this? It’s… well it’s an intriguing notion.”

“And right up your alley.” Selena stated, earning a smirk from Malcolm.
“Is that what you really think, Selena?” He asked. “Or are you projecting someone’s insecurities onto me?” 

He turned his head, dark eyes meeting Deanna with a scrutinizing glare, causing the redhead to look away at her hands. She heard steps drawing towards her as Selena stepped in front of her, effectively guarding the younger Frost from the mayor.

“Just say it.” She ordered Malcolm. “Say it and we can get the hell out of here.”

“But must I?” Malcolm teased, strumming his fingers on a nearby table. “I mean, you already know the answer, don’t you, child? After all we’ve been through. Yet, you’re just entertaining your wife’s fears with this. I almost…” he chuckled. “Almost feel sorry for you. Wasting so many hours of travel and study for something that you already know.”

“You’re not saying, ‘no’.” Selena’s eyes narrowed.
“You’re right.” Malcolm replied. “Because you’ve come all this way already knowing what I will say… I might as well give you what you want.”

“What I want is an answer.” Selena replied.
“You already have it.” Malcolm countered sharply. “You’ve always had it. But what she wants-“ he pointed a hand to Deanna. “- is confirmation. Security. Something to diminish the probabilities of the unknown. And I’m not going to give that to you.” He returned his eyes to Selena. “I’m not the one that’s married to her.”

The trio stood there in silence, the residents of Nome (former and current) staring down one another. 

“I’m sorry.” The voice came from Deanna, and it was barely a whisper. One only Selena could hear. It was enough for the Snow Queen to turn her head and regard her wife, her gaze gentling before reaching up to caress her wife’s face with a pale hand. 

“Let’s just go.” She whispered. “It’s not him.”
“You’re sure?” Malcolm’s voice came in mockingly from, once again, behind his desk.
“Yes.” Selena replied. “But I’d be worried if I were you. Whoever this person is, they know you as well.”

It was Malcolm’s turn to be somewhat surprised, the mayor tilting his head up just a little.

“Do they?” he asked.
“Yeah.” Selena stated. “What part of ‘stalker’ was too complex? Apparently, they know all about you, me, Deanna… and are obsessed with ‘making everything right’… and it’s funny…” Selena regarded the mayor. “It seemed like they weren’t just talking about me.”

Let THAT sit in your head for awhile.

“Well…not that this hasn’t been fun, child.” Malcolm smiled sternly. “But I do have other matters to handle today – so, if you please… get out of my office.”

With a small nod, Selena turned and was making her way out of Malcolm’s office, leaving the mayor alone with his thoughts, Deanna quietly following behind her. The two Frost women said nothing as they made their way over to the elevator, rode it down and out of the building. Didn’t say a word when both got into their rent a car and were driving along the roads.

It wasn’t until Selena, who was driving, made a turn onto an exit road heading away from Nome and towards the vast country expanse that surrounded the small town.

“Where are we…” Deanna stopped herself before turning her head. “You lied to him.”
“Yes, I did.” Selena admitted with a slow breath.
“The caller never gave any indication that they were after Malcolm.”
“Nope.”
“So why?”

“Because you were right. I needed to get Malcolm off the board.” Selena admitted. “And I had to see his reaction when I told him that the person smart enough to cost us two years of our lives was after him.”

Sitting back in her seat, Deanna fidgeted with her hands. She tried to recall Malcolm’s expressions. The tilt of the head, the tone – but she had rarely ever seen the Nome mayor.

“What did you see?” she finally asked.

Turning her head for a moment as she drove the black corvette, Selena thought about her answer for a moment before slowly singing. “You got to know when to hold ‘em…”

Deanna nodded her head. “And he didn’t?”
“Not in that moment.” Selena shook her head. “He’s now worried. Meaning it isn’t him.”

“Was….” Deanna spoke softly, her eyes regarding her hands as she sat in the passenger seat. “Was he right? About me?”

Looking up, the redhead saw her wife’s closest hand strumming a little on the steering wheel. 

“You don’t know how to deal with him.” Selena answered. “You’ve never had to face to face. Someone of his… manipulations takes time to learn how to play his game. That’s the only reason I could back there. I’ve had most of my life to watch him. He saw you as the weak link and fixated on you when it suited him.”

“But that’s my point, Selena.” The redhead tried. “Am I the weak link? I mean, I drag you to Nome when you knew better.”
“I-“
“No.” Deanna held up a hand to stop her wife. “You KNEW that this would be a waste of time and I didn’t listen. We’re a few days away from the weekend – THAT should have been my focus! But I wanted…”

A sigh escaped Deanna for a moment, the redhead casting her eyes out of the car window, taking in the landscape as it changed from the city of Nome to the trees and mountains of the Alaskan wild, with a farm or a house being seen once in a while.

“What is it, Deanna?” Selena tried gently. “What is it you wanted?”

There was no answer right away, the redhead’s body tense – it was now Selena’s turn to see the gears working in her wife’s mind. Still, she waited while she drove the vehicle, letting the minutes tick by along with the miles as they travelled down the road. Every so often, her eyes would glance at the clock, reading the time as it passed as well. It wasn’t until 38 minutes had gone by that she heard Deanna’s voice.

“I wanted it to be him.”

The declaration was little more than a whisper, yet in the enclosed space of the car, it felt like a loud confession to both women. 

“I wanted it to be him so badly.” Deanna added. “I thought if it was, then we could handle it then and there. You would put him in his place like you did earlier before I opened my mouth. And all of this would have been nothing more than a stupid little prank by a bitter, old man. Or at the least…” she took a minute to swipe at her eyes with her hand. “At the least, if it was him, so much fear would be gone.”

Selena heard a sniffle come from her wife, the sound tempting the older Frost to pull over the vehicle right now to comfort her wife. She turned her head to view any oncoming traffic, intending to do just that, but her wife continued speaking, breaking Selena’s action.

“I keep seeing you question yourself.” The redhead spoke.
“Me?” Selena asked, mildly surprised by the remark.
“Every night at the castle since you won the title?” Deanna reminded the platinum-blonde. “You’re still torn after everything. Whether you can win… whether you should win…”

Selena said nothing to this, keeping her eyes locked on the road. The conversation had gone in a direction that she had no desire to be part of but what could she do? Tell her wife to stop when the redhead was suffering so much? 

Conceal… her mind whispered her mantra. Don’t feel…

“And I was so certain that it was Malcolm.” Deanna continued.
“Why?” Selena managed to squeak out.

“Two years, Selena.” Deanna answered. “I spent close to two years in Frankfurt prison. Lot of free time. I can’t tell you how many times I kept asking ‘Why? Why me and why us? Why would someone do this to us?’.” She looked away for a moment to swipe a hand against her eyes. “Eventually, my mind stopped asking why Fredric Castle had accused me and started coming up with bigger and bigger theories. A conspiracy from the Frostmere family. A member of the DeCarlo family out for revenge. Some elaborate plan by some enemies in SCW – that lasted me a few months because of all the enemies you have…” that last remark caused a sigh to escape Selena – truthful as it was.

“And when I reached a point where I was contemplating some sick stalker fan wanting to take my place as your wife – I sort of knew that I had hit a brick wall.”
“THAT was your ‘aha’ moment?” Selena asked in disbelief. “I would have stopped with the whole ‘enemies in SCW’ thing. I mean, the most deranged person that we have is Giovanni, and he’s beating up an old man. Accused pedophilia doesn’t really fit his, or anyone’s, MO.”

“I know…” sighed the redhead. “I never said I was smart.”
“You are.” Selena immediately pressed. “You are amazing in your own way, Deanna. Stop comparing yourself to me or to others in our lives.”

The command took Deanna’s words away for a moment, forcing the redhead to take a few breaths before continuing. “Well, eventually, I ended up back on Malcolm and for months, I contemplated how perfect this fit him. The whole Snow Queen pageant thing with Talia, banishing her to Germany, having you cut your hair for me… I was certain it was all part of his plan. So… when you told me about that call you received, I returned to that mode of thinking and it… it just made so much sense. It STILL does.”

“Except it doesn’t.” Selena spoke softly. “Deanna, you can’t force a square block into a circular hole-“
“I know that.” Deanna sighed. “But I wanted so badly to get this out of your head so you could focus on the pay-per-view and enjoy it.”

“I’m…I am enjoying it-“

“Come on, Selena.” Deanna scoffed. “If you’re not scared of letting me or Regan down, you’re terrified that this person is going to do something either now or after the show. All you’re doing is worrying and trying to predict everyone else’s moves. And it’s killing you. You only sleep when pushed to the brink of exhaustion. You barely eat because the stress forces you to throw up if you’re not careful.”

Selena was about to ask how her wife knew all these things – but the answer came to her before she could voice it. Because she’s my wife.

“I’m sorry.” Was all the platinum-blonde could utter.

Deanna shook her head. “No, I’m sorry. I know how much this means to you and I’ve been piling on trying to solve it. And I’ve made it worse by doing so.”

“Maybe…maybe we just need to restart.” Offered Selena. “That’s kind of why we’re going this way.”

Deanna’s eyes widened. “I was wondering that!” she declared. “We’re way outside of Nome now-“ reaching into her pocket, she checked on her phone. “Holy cats… there’s not even a signal out here.”

“Yeah.” Selena smiled. “Okay, don’t be mad…because I already feel bad about this… but I knew this would happen.”
“Knew what would happen?”
“That Malcolm wouldn’t be much help, and you’d get upset, and I’d get upset – speaking from experience here – so… I kinda made reservations for us.”
“Reservations?” Deanna asked. “For what?”

“Pilgrim Springs.” Selena shrugged. “So… the orphanage that raised Elsianna? In that area is a popular spa and bathing treatment…”

Deanna’s eyes widened, her mouth hanging open. “Selena Michelle Frost… are you looking to get us pampered?!”

Turning her head to gaze at her wife, the Snow Queen offered the redhead a smile. “I prefer the term ‘destressed’. Clear our heads and get back on track and-“

The loud popping sounds that filled their ears was instantly recognized as Selena’s head jerked back to the road, her brain taking only a second to recognize the sound of punctured tires. However, her reaction was a second too late, the sudden change and speed in traction twisting the vehicle to the side. She gripped the wheel and slammed back and away from the gas to try and let it coast but the car seemed to have a mind of its own, transforming into some kind of wild animal that Selena couldn’t control-

All she could do was watch and, in futility, twist the wheel left and right as she saw the road veer from them… and the nearby ditch rush up to meet them, with darkness following with one last “popping” sound. 
_______________________________________________________________

The Royal Letter

The camera opens up to reveal the interior of a living room of what appears to be a log cabin. The walls are sturdy wood and the curtains are drawn just enough to allow only a little light to spill into the room, which more than enough for the audience to see the young woman sitting on a blue and pink plaid couch. She wears blue jeans and a black lace top that reveals the top of her neck and shoulders, the black of her snowflake tattoo just peeking out on her left shoulder. Despite the homely setting, the expression of Selena Frost is quite serious and reflective as she seems to be looking just off camera, her thoughts gathering.

A couple of years ago, I had a rather unique opportunity. 

In 2018, I won the Trios Tournament. And at the time, I was ready to do what I am about to do this weekend. Headline Rise to Greatness for the first time in my career. She smiles at the memory before her smile slowly transforms into a slightly amused one.

It wasn’t a secret back then. I told the world early on that that was my intention. I wasn’t going to pull a ‘surprise!’ moment like so many have done. I wanted the world to know what I was doing so there would be no surprises. For a moment, the Snow Queen before a scoff escapes her

But isn’t that life? You try and remove the element of surprise with an open declaration, and a surprise happens anyway? Cause a few weeks before Rise, I get a phone call from the boss, Mr. D.. And it’s not horrid. It’s not a warning. D. simply asked me to do one thing regarding the choice I had made:

He asked me to really think about it. quietly, Selena strums her fingers together before turning her attention towards the camera.

Let me make this clear here. Being here? At the main-event of Rise to Greatness? Fighting for the greatest title in all of wrestling? There’s nothing bigger than that. Countless people have that on their bucket list, including my sister, Regan. It’s the accolade of accolades, the accomplishment of all accomplishments here in SCW. To headline the biggest pay-per-view of the year.

And three years ago, I wanted it, almost as much as I have wanted it this year. And back then, I didn’t want to think about it. I just wanted to do it! there is a tension in her body for a moment, which the Snow Queen breathes out before continuing.

But I did think about it. I thought about it over and over again until my head hurt. And as I did, I realized what Mr. D. was asking me to really consider. He was asking me to consider not just the others in that match, but also consider myself. a pale hand rests over her chest.

I’ve been saying it for weeks, guys. There are two people that are usually part of this match. One is the person that earned the right to call themselves the World Champion. That isn’t something you just ‘get’. You fight like hell, you beat the best that come before you and you earn your right to say “I am the best there is in SCW”. The second person is the winner of the Taking Hold of the Flame royale – a person that outlasts, outwrestles, outsmarts, whatever you want to call it, 39 other wrestlers, fighting in a warzone and standing tall to proclaim “I survived. I deserve a shot for the world title”.

I was neither of those things in 2018. I was the person that was ready to cash in a shot I earned that I could have used at any other time. And I realized not only would I be disrespecting the main-event and two people that fought like hell to get there, I would also be tainting the main-event of Rise to Greatness for me. For a moment, the Face of SCW seems taken aback by her own words.

I know! I’m talking about myself. Can’t wait to hear Ace whine about that! But it’s true and it’s what D. really wanted me to think about. Because how did I want my first, and perhaps only, main-event at Rise to Greatness in my career to be? Did I want to be one of the two that earned their way to this spot? Or did I want to be the person that just cashed in and was handed entry into this match?

So, while it terrified me to… let it go… she rolls her eyes a little at her inadvertent choice of words. I relinquished my hold on the main-event that year. And since that day, I made a promise to myself that I was going to be there as one of the two possible people that earned that spot.

Selena gives a shrug. And it took three years to do it, a hell of a detour, but here I am, ready to defend the SCW World Championship in what can only be called “The Unbelievable Main Event”!

Again, as if hearing her own words, Selena holds up a hand as if to still her audience. Now, I say that and, apparently, it’s gotten quite a reaction from the man that’s challenging me. 

Ace Marshall, you scoff at those words. That I call this main-event “unbelievable”. What was it you said on Breakdown? That if you’re damn good, it’s not unbelievable? Now, I’ve got some things to say about that, but first, let me just check something with you for a second. her pale hands move as she continues to speak.

First, we have you. A man that came out of nowhere, who, by your own admission at the royale, has been ‘just skating by’, right? You come in and you do the supposed impossible. Almost twenty years and no one, not a soul, before you has won the SCW Taking Hold of the Flame Battle Royale twice. Not once has that happened in nearly twenty years. So, by that logic – by those odds – you shouldn’t even be here in this match…

Yet here we are. she gives a knowing shrug.

And then you have me. The… what did you and Lexy say over the last few weeks? The platinum-blonde stops to think for a moment. The phony? The liar? “The Queen of Spin”? before shaking her head. Yeah, I know, I think Lexy’s been listening to too many of her dad’s work with Infamous cause she sounded more like Syren and Christy and practically every other person that’s fought me – thinking those words were the ‘magic bullet’ that will put me down or ‘get to me’. A smile breaks across her face.

But the funny thing is, Ace. For all of that? For all the ‘phoniness’, all the ‘lies’ you and Lexy think I’m spewing and the narrative I’m apparently ‘spinning’, there are so many people that refused to believe that I could get past Syren and all of Infamous and then just as many people that thought I couldn’t get past Cid. That the “Year of Selena Frost”, which, by the way, was in 2016, not 2017 when we fought – maybe check your facts before you or Lexy mouth off – was behind me, the heights of which I would never achieve or surpass again. she gives another shrug.

Yet here we are.

And for me, Ace, I spent four years being told to ‘wait’ for my chance to become world champion. Regardless of who I beat, the things I accomplished, I was never chosen. And that isn’t sour grapes at management. That was just how things were. And I’ll admit that after four years? I started to doubt that I could be World Champion again, let alone headline Rise to Greatness.

Yet here we are.

Slowly, the young woman leans forward. I’m not going to sugar-coat this for you, Ace. I’m going to talk straight. This match is the culmination of all of that hardship, that doubt, and those dreams. This match, to me, IS unbelievable because, by all accounts, neither of us should be here. On paper, neither of us should be standing in the ring facing one another on the biggest night of the year.

Not a slant against either of our abilities, Ace. It’s because we have defied odds. We have gone against the ‘expectations’ of so many to stand here – so YES! This match is unbelievable whether you want to see it that way or not. her point made clear, Selena relaxes back on the couch a little.

And you made it adamantly clear last week that you don’t see it that way, Ace. You came into the ring, looked me in the eyes and said that you were so damn good that this match wasn’t unbelievable. That “when you’re this damn good, things like this aren’t unbelievable”.

And now that I got the logistics of that statement out of the way, I can get a bit more personal. And personally, Ace? That pissed me off far more than anything Lexy has ever said on your behalf.

Before the camera, Selena’s expression seems to grow colder, along with her tone. Because who the hell are you, Ace Marshall?! 

Let me ask you. Was Regan Street not ‘damn good’ enough just because it didn’t happen for her? Were guys like Dillusion or Christian Savior or Rachel Foxx or Amy Chastaine not ‘good enough’ because it didn’t happen for them? Were guys like Tommy Valentine, Alistaire Allocco, Kennedy Street, and Glory Braddock not ‘good enough’ because they only did it once? 

She shakes her head, her tone still cold. You did something incredible, Ace. No one can deny that of you. Congratulations. Like I’ve said before, and like you’ve pointed out that I’ve said in the past, you proved that “Ace Marshall can occasionally go”. That’s true. When you want something. When you want to win something, you’re one of the toughest guys to beat and one of the hardest people to stop from getting it. You wanted to be here – to headline Rise to Greatness for a third time – you did it. But if you think, for one single second, that that means you’re above and beyond and everyone else is beneath you because of how good you are, then you’re the one who isn’t being a realist.

Selena slowly tilts her head. Those were your words, right? A few weeks ago, you went on a diatribe about being a ‘realist’, about how you’re ‘sick of the stories’ and how you were going to bring ‘sanity’ back to SCW by picking up the mantle and representing it, right? at the mention of such ‘promises’ from the challenger, Selena cannot help but scoff.

But then you actually win the royale, and you tell me – you tell the world – that you’re so damn good that it was inevitable. You bring your manager, Lexy, and you have her try and ‘buy me’. You come at me not once but twice with cheap shots and, most recently, you sat in your house or where ever you are and instead of speaking your mind, which you’re amazing at, you have your manager do your promo for you.

Slowly, Selena claps her hands, clearly not amused by the antics Ace has employed over the last few weeks. You think I’m gonna call you lazy? You think I’m going to call you a phony? I know I will, Ace, but, realistically? I don’t have to. Because there’s millions of people – people you “think” are part of the Lexy Nation or Lexy Mania or how many different ways Lexy can put it – they are the reality that neither you or Lexy can accept. 

They are the ones that cheered when I floored you last week when you tried to cheap shot me again. They are the people that are screaming and excited about how ‘unbelievable’ Sunday night, our match, will be. They are the ones that deserve our absolute best and more – everything we have to give. They are the ones you and Lexy claim ‘deserve better’, yet this is how you treat them? By having your ‘hype-girl’ do the work for you?

And don’t get me wrong! I know, at some point, you’re gonna roll out of bed, maybe take a quick drink to dull that burning hangover and then ATTEMPT to get some words out just to spite me, because let’s face it, Ace, that’s what you really live for: to spite people and to create chaos… a slight smile forms across Selena’s lips as she shakes her hand and extended finger at the camera.

But that’s the difference between you and me, isn’t it, Ace? You come to work looking for someone to piss off. I come to work to make it better. You come to work to entertain yourself and appease whoever is giving you handouts and payoffs like Lexy and Shilo Valiant. I come to work to make SCW worth watching. You come to work and let Lexy or Autumn or Cassidy or whoever else do your job for you. I come to work because I LOVE my job! she stresses the last set of words.

So you can treat this like a ‘normal night’ or something you deserve because you’re so damn good, Ace. You go ahead and do that, and I swear to you, I am going beat you faster than I did Xander Valentine two years ago. Because if you’re not going to be ‘unbelievable’, Ace – if you’re not going to rise to the occasion like those people truly deserve and make this match ‘unbelievable’ – you can damn well believe that I will!

Because I have fought like hell against the best to get to this point – to get to this night, this match, this moment! And I will be damned if I let it just become something for you to scoff at and treat like something that’s ‘part of the norml’. I will be damned if I let this moment slip through my fingers – if I let the SCW world title slip through my fingers – by some entitled jackass who can’t even get off his ass to do his own damn promo for his matches half the time!

Taking a few slow breaths to claim herself, Selena once more regards the audience. I’ll tell you one more thing that makes this match unbelievable, Ace. Since 2006, there have been 15 world championship matches at Rise to Greatness. Out of those 15 matches, only 4 people have successfully retained the world championship. 

Which means, given those numbers, the odds of me retaining are about 27%. Not even a passing grade for a realist… practically, in the eyes of a realist, I imagine it’s… unbelievable? The Snow Queen smiles knowingly at that.

I want you to keep that in mind, Ace. Because at the rate we’re headed to Los Angeles, there’s not going to be a single moment in our match that makes any sense to you and your ‘realist’ mind. There’s not going to be a second that you or Lexy will understand, regardless of how ‘damn good’ you are.

Because, when it comes to being ‘unbelievable’, especially at Rise to Greatness, very few can do it as well as I can.

And, in the end, no matter how ‘Lexy Chapel Presents’ it, or how much she tries to steal credit for it, or how much you try and ignore it, you will NOT be the SCW World Champion. You will NOT be leaving with the SCW World Championship. she leans forward as she finishes that last statement.

And whether you believe that or not, Ace, you’ll, at least, be able to brag that you were ‘damn good enough’ to be PART of the “Unbelievable Main Event”. But good enough to win it?

Slowly, Selena shakes her head. That’s something that I don’t quite believe even you’re that damn good enough to do…

The camera slowly fades on the smiling World Champion before going entirely to black.

[SnowQueenSCW]

Project: Black Ice

”The Way They Held Their Eyes…”

About 21 hours ago
Nome, Alaska
July 19th, 2021
12:03pm

The first thing she saw as she opened her eyes was white. Stark white that reminded her of when her windows at home in Nome were covered in snow during a big blizzard. Snowstorms where the snow would grow so high, you could get snowed into your own house. The first thing she felt was a dull ache across her chest and face – oddly enough, it reminded her of being slammed into the ring, like with a flapjack move or something. Like her whole body had just been slammed into a surface with only a little give.

The first thing she thought was to close her eyes and listen to the sound of the snow falling – to savour the few things about Nome she actually loved. Things like the snow and the cold. Things that couldn’t possibly be the same in her home in Manhattan, especially during the spring season-

Spring Season… Manhattan… Deanna… The reality of Selena’s present and the last memory she possessed took hold and, like waking from a dream, Selena’s body jerked up, sapphire eyes wildly searching her surroundings. She could see the interior if the small car, she could see one of the windows, hers, was broken and her lap was covered with pieces of broken glass that looked more like shards of ice on her lap. Just beyond her, fully deflated, she spied the airbag that had cushioned her, but also packed the punch she felt in the front of her body. 

Still, with all this processed, the wrestler quickly turned to her right to see the redhead slumped forward, held in place only by the seatbelt wrapped diagonally across her torso. Like Selena, Deanna also had a deflated airbag in front of her but, unlike the older Frost, thank Odin, no broken class or anything.

Quickly, and with great care, Selena unbuckled her seatbelt and shifted herself over enough to the passenger side of the car to reach her wife. “Deanna…” she cried out, gently, but briskly, shaking her wife. “Wake up, De. Come on.” She tried, her eyes roaming over her beloved to check for any cuts or clear injuries. She breathed a sigh of relief when she heard a groan come from the smaller woman.

“Ouch…” the manager groaned in a daze. “Did I fall out of bed or something?” she opened her eyes and blinked a few times, her eyes focusing on whatever was in front of her. “Oh, did I fall asleep in the car-“ much like with Selena, realization quickly came, flashing before emerald eyes. “Oh crap-“ the redhead’s head jerked to the right. “Selen-“ her words died as Selena’s hands gently caught her as she turned.

“Easy.” Selena spoke as gently as she possibly could. “Easy, love. I’m alright.” She gratefully smiled. “Are you okay?”

For an answer, the redhead simply, and with understandable gusto, wrapped her arms around Selena, holding her tight. “What happened?” she asked, pulling away to look around the interior of the car as Selena did. “Did we crash?”

“Yeah.” Selena nodded her head. “Hold on…” 

Carefully, the Snow Queen opened her door to pull herself out of the vehicle, balancing herself as her running shoes found purchase in the grassy down hill of the ditch. Carefully, to avoid slipping, Selena moved around the vehicle to check the front of the vehicle as it dipped into the ditch. Kneeling down, she could see the front smashed into the ground, the metal warped and folded in some areas, shattered colored glass littering the ground around the sides. It reminded Selena of the glass she had found on her lap – casting a glance down to ‘dust off’ the few pieces that had ‘dug in’ to her shirt. 

Hearing the sound of a door opening and closing, Selena turned her head to see Deanna moving around the vehicle on the other side to reach her. “You okay? How long we’re we out?” she asked.

Seeing her wife fully now, Selena was quick to do a visual scan, grateful that there were no cuts or bruises on her body. They hadn’t flipped or flown in the air or anything. They had simply lost control and drove into a ditch, meaning minimal injuries. With a sigh of relief, Selena pulled herself to her feet.

“I’m fine.” She slowly checked the watch on her wrist. “I can’t be certain, but I think maybe fifteen minutes? Maybe less.”
“Wow...” Deanna nodded in understanding. “But what happened?”

“I think one of the tires blew.” The older Frost rationalized, moving back over to the front to check the front tire. “I heard a loud ‘popping’ sound before I started losing control.” 
“Okay, I’ll check the other side.” Deanna declared, jogging back to ‘her side’ of the car to investigate.

Selena, meanwhile, carefully inspected the front wheel. Sure enough, her eyes soon spotted the flatness of the wheel. “Okay, I found the-“

“Found the flat!” Deanna called out, surprising the Snow Queen. 
“Your side has a flat?” Selena asked, moving around quickly to Deanna’s side to investigate the tire the redhead was kneeling near to. Sure enough, like Selena’s, the tire was certainly flat. 

“What?” Deanna asked, but Selena’s thoughts were too loud in her mind to respond. Instead, she shuffled back on the balls of her feet, kneeling down to inspect the back wheel on Deanna’s side, followed by the back wheel on her side of the car. 

Both back tires were also flat…

That means… Selena could almost hear the red flags of warning that rose up in her mind as conclusions were drawn from what she had just observed. Quickly moving to the front of the car, she threw open her door and pulled out her purse from beneath her seat, which hadn’t moved much in the crash. She heard, rather than saw, Deanna do the same thing for her bag, while the Snow Queen quickly checked inside her own purse, pulling out the CZ 9mm Luger handgun. 

“Selena…” she heard her wife call out. “Why are you checking your gun?”

Selena’s immediate answer was the click of loading and setting the gun, ensuring the safety was still on before sliding the weapon into the pocket of her black pants – if things weren’t so strange, Deanna would have made a joke about the Snow Queen looking like a spy with that gun and the black pant suit she wore. Blonde… James Blonde… the redhead couldn’t help but giggle to herself, unable to stop herself from thinking of the pun.

Selena, meanwhile, finished digging out her wallet from her purse, throwing the purse and all unimportant contents back into the car. “Let’s move.” She stated.

“Wait…” Deanna called out as she saw her wife beginning to walk down the road they had been driving on. “What about our stuff?”

“Leave it except your wallet and ID.” Selena stated. “We have to move.”

Despite herself, Deanna did as she was told, retrieving her own wallet before rushing after her now armed wife.

“Selena…” Deanna tried, reaching out to take the Snow Queen’s free hand. “What happened?”

Taking a deep breath, the older woman squeezed Deanna’s hand protectively. “Deanna… all four tires of the car were punctured.”

The revelation seemed to surprise the redhead. Admittedly, Deanna was not a master of vehicles – she and Selena only possessing a slight amount of maintenance skill and know-how, as it were – still if what Selena said was true.

“So…you’re saying…”
The Snow Queen merely nodded, her concern now shared with Deanna.

It would have been one thing if only one tire had blown – maybe two, that was possible – but all four at the exact same time?! Not even Deanna believed that was possible. 

Quickly, Deanna cast her gaze back the few yards they had walked, taking in the wreck of the car in the ditch. “Did you find anything on the ground?” she asked.

“No.” Selena shook her head. “But we were out long enough for them to remove anything. Especially if it was something like a spike strip.”

Deanna had seen one of those in her time in Frankfurt – out of reach, of course. It was a long slab of foldable metal with spikes on it. Laid on the road, it could easily puncture tires as soon as they were driven over.

“So…” Deanna breathed, inadvertently drawing closer to her wife. “Someone spiked the road to cause us to crash…” she turned her head back to Selena. “Do you think it was Malcolm?”

Slowly, Selena shook her head. “He could have gotten us in Nome when we were in his office. Or have someone mess with our car while we were parked. I think…” she hated to say the next set of words. “I think it was ‘them’.”
“Them?” Deanna asked before her eyes widened a little in realization. “You mean that caller?”
“Yeah.” Selena sighed.

Again, Deanna cast her gaze back towards the ditch, then ahead of the pair to the long road that they were travelling. “What if they come back when they realize we’re alive?”

“That’s what the gun is for.” Selena admitted. “But…I think they know we’re alive.”
“What?”
“I don’t know.” Selena sighed. “But it’s just…I mean… again, I don’t think they want to kill us yet.”

“Selena…” Deanna tried to remain calm.

“I’ll explain.” Selena assured her beloved, understanding her growing anxiety. “This won’t sound good, but we both know that this person- he/she or they or whatever-“
“Okay, hold up.” Deanna held up a hand, though they continued walking down the dirt side of the road. “We need to give this person a name or something to stop this confusion.”

“A name?” Selena asked, somewhat perplexed.
“Yeah, so we can stop with the guess work.”
“Fine.” Selena shrugged. “You pick.”

“I don’t know? Buzzkill? Second-wedding crasher? Fun-smasher? Meanie? Killjoy?”

“Fine.” Selena laughed a little at a few of the ideas. “So ‘Killjoy’…” she playfully stressed the last name, trying to lighten her wife’s mood. “Wants to draw out some kind of suffering out of me. Killing me outright seems rather counter-productive to that end. I hate to say this but…” she sighed. “I think we’re just being messed with.”

“Messed with? Like Killjoy’s pranking us?” Deanna asked. 
“Well…kind of. I mean – middle of nowhere, no cell surface, we’re gonna have to walk for a while until we find a house – I’m sure. Rise to Greatness just a few days away.”

“Maybe ‘taking RTG’ from you before you could even be part of it is the-“ Deanna started before quickly shaking her head. “No, again, if that was the case, KJ could have made sure of that while we were unconscious.”

“KJ?” Selena asked.
“Killjoy. KJ’s my way of making them even less scary.”
“There’s nothing to be afraid of, Deanna.” Selena assured, pulling up Deanna’s hand to kiss the knuckled gently. “I won’t let anything happen to you.”
“It’s you that I’m worried about.” Deanna sighed.

“The important thing is that we’re okay. No injuries or anything. We just need to talk till we find a place with a phone. I’ll call Jean and Zoe and they can come pick us up.”

“Guess this means we’re gonna miss our spa day at Pilgrim Springs.” Deanna sighed. “So long ‘pampering’.”
“I’ll pamper you all you want as soon as we get to L.A., okay? That’s a promise.” Selena smiled, leaning down to kiss the top of her wife’s head.

The two Frost wives continues walking down the road, keeping their eyes open for anything out of place or any sign of their ‘day-ruiner’. Occasionally, they would strike up a conversation, and Selena even ran through all the ideas for her first promo for Rise to Greatness with Deanna.

The hours passed as the pair walked, stopping only to rest once in awhile to rest their feet or walk to the country side of the road amidst the trees to awkwardly deal with ‘washroom woes’. Soon, the sun began to draw closer and closer to the horizon, turning into darker colors of pink and orange.

“Alright. Did you ever do an entrance with a maybe some armor?” Deanna asked, having, at some point, fished out her notepad and pencil and return to her ‘entrance ideas’. “Cause of the whole ‘Winter’s Knight’ thing?”

“Two years ago.” Selena smiled.
“Really?” the redhead pouted. “Damn. That was such a good idea, too! We could have rode a big white dragon!”
“Where would we even get that?” Selena laughed.
“Animatronics?” Deanna offered. “I mean, it’s the main-event, I’m sure management can splurge a little.”

Selena shook her head at her wife good-naturedly. It had been Deanna’s up-beat attitude, slowly replacing her anxiety over Killjoy as the hours passed, that had kept Selena from losing her mind. Even with Pilgrim Springs being closer to them than Nome based on the distance they had travelled by car, Selena still had no idea how much further was left, which wasn’t exactly pleasing considering that it was getting dark.

“What about you’re a queen and you’re riding a white horse instead of a white dragon?!” Deanna asked, a new idea hitting her.
“Pretty sure Kennedy would kill me if that happened. She kinda did it first.”
“Seriously?” Deanna huffed.
“Yeah, and apparently, it wasn’t really fun or easy to get that to work – not what you would call ‘worth the investment’.”

With another huff, Deanna scribbled out the sentence she had just written on her current page of paper before lifting her head and casting her eyes to their surroundings – almost as if she was finally seeing the time of day for the first time. “How long have we been walking?”

Quickly, Selena checked her watch. “You don’t want to know.” She replied. “How long have your legs been sore?”
“About the time we started talking about ‘vacation spots’ for post-RTG, I think.” Deanna shrugged.
“That was four hours ago!” Selena blurted out.
“It’s been four hours?!” Deanna’s eyes widened.

Two stopped walking, the frustration finally sinking in for a moment, causing both of them to grunt and groan in their own way.

“I swear if I ever see this Killjoy.” Deanna replied. “I am going to make HIM SLASH HER walk until their legs want to fall off!”
“And what?” Selena asked. “You follow them in a car?”
“Oh! There’s an idea!” Deanna brightened back up. “I drive and you keep that gun on them to keep them walking.” She gestured to the pocket that held Selena’s weapon.
“What if it’s someone in a wheelchair?” Selena teased, sticking her tongue out at her wife.
“Oh…” Deanna’s face fell a little. “Now I feel bad… maybe we just have them arrested then.”

Selena shook her head once more at the strange conversation that had begun between the two wives.

“Have you ever thought about why Killjoy is after you?” the redhead suddenly asked, drawing a few more words and ideas into her notepad.

“More often then I can say.” Selena shrugged. “I’ve run through every element of my past and I can’t figure it out.”
“No real possibility?” the younger Frost turned her head to regard her wife, who only shook her head in the negative.

“No. Too many possibilities.” Selena corrected. “I mean, maybe it’s one of the Dragon Slayers blaming me for Nicodemus’ death, or one of the Frostmere clan in the same way except in regards to Brachiss and DeWinter. Maybe it’s Castle’s wife or an associate of his? The DeCarlo family, the Scythe family-“

“I thought you thought-“
“That was Malcolm. But I have no idea who else could be involved in that inner circle. And then there’s my father – Donovan – I know nothing of his past. Maybe it’s someone tied there. Like I said, Deanna…” she shrugged. “Too many to guess.”

The shorter Frost nodded, only to stop as her eyes caught sight of something. “SELENA!” she called up, reaching up to stop the Snow Queen with one hand and point with her pencil and notepad. “Look! A house! With lights on!”

Following the woman’s direction, Selena spied the log cabin off to the side of the road, a long, dirt road linking it. Selena could see the wood of the walls, the red of the roof, even as the sun continued to set, and the windows that light from inside streamed from.

“Come on.” Deanna encouraged, retaking her wife’s hand and pulling her firmly off their current path and down the dirt road as it took a deep descent before rising back up to become a hill. 

“Shovelling snow here must be a pain.” Selena remarked, casting her glance across the dirt. “Same with lawnmowing.” 

“Least someone might have a landline phone if they live here.” Deanna encouraged as they reached the top of the hill. As they did, able to take in the sight of the house again, the smell of cooked meats of some kind wafted through the open windows and into their noses, causing Deanna’s stomach to growl.

“You better do the talking.” She remarked to Selena. “I might think too much with my stomach.”
Looking at the door, Selena slowly shrugged her shoulders. “That might be better than ‘hey! Let us use your phone please!’.”

Still, the Snow Queen stepped up onto the porch, her hand reaching up to rap her knuckles against the hard surface.

A few moments passed and the sound of movement could be heard, of a chair moving and steps being taken, growing closer and closer to the door until the doorknob shifted and moved and the door opened slightly.

In the dimness of the setting sun and the lights coming in from the house, Selena could see the white, thin hair of the woman that greeted them. She wore thick, white sweat pants and a gray shirt – Older mother, maybe…Grandma-ish. Selena thought. She looks ‘early grandma-ish’.

“Can I help you?” the woman asked, her voice gentle but held a strength that surprised both women – a contrast to the rather thin, almost frail, appearance of the woman’s frame.

“Yes.” Selena tried, smiling apologetically at the woman. “Our car broke down several miles back and we’ve been trying to find a place with a phone so we could contact someone.”

“Broke down, you say?” the woman asked, slowly closing the door for a moment. For that second, Selena feared the woman had just shunned them, but she then heard the sound of a chain being dragged against metal against the door, allowing the door to be open to its full range. “Come in.” the lady offered with a smile, allowing the Frost women to shuffle into the house.

“Thank you so much.” Deanna offered the young lady with a kind, sweet smile of her own. The house was simple yet, for lack of a better word, homely, the smell that had only been growing stronger the closer the Frost women drew adding to the homeliness. The floors were carpeted with a grayish blue, the roof was just tall enough so neither woman standing near the door could reach it, there was a small television off to the corner, and a blue-pink plaid couch near the television in front of one of the windows. Further in, Selena could just make out a kitchen around the corner, which the older woman had disappeared to.

“Oh, don’t thank me just yet, dear.” The old woman replied quietly from her location. “You may not like the situation.”

“Situation?” Selena asked as she moved further inside, her hand subtly grazing the pocket, allowing her to feel the hard metal of her gun tucked inside it.

“Yes.” The woman reappeared, holding a pair of damp cloths, which she handed to both women. Taking one, the light blue one (Deanna had a pink one), Selena felt the warmth from the washcloth and, without thinking, reaching up to wipe her face.

“First, how far have you travelled?” asked the woman as she stood there patiently. 
“Several hours.” Deanna answered. “A tire popped and left us stranded. We were coming from Nome.”

“I was afraid of that.” Sighed the woman. “Nome, by foot, is a good day’s journey. The closest place is Pilgrim Springs but that’s another few hours walk and you probably won’t be allowed in so late at night. I would offer to take you there myself, but…” it was at this point that the woman points a wrinkled to the large, thickly-rimmed glassed that hung by a ball-chain around her neck. “I’m afraid I can’t see very well in the dark.”

“That’s okay!” Deanna smiled. “We appreciate your kindness, but if we could just borrow your phone…”

It was at this point that Selena, having scanned the room, realized something peculiar. She had seen a television, a kitchen, and a hallway that she assumed lead to a bath and bedroom, but…

“I’m afraid there are no phones or landlines this far out. I don’t have much use for them anyway.” The woman confessed as Selena’s thoughts made the same conclusion. 

“I see.” Deanna sighed, her smile growing a little sadder before turning to Selena. “Should we risk just going to Pilgrim Springs? I’m sure they have a phone there-“

“I wouldn’t.” the elder lady tried protectively. “Wolves and coyotes take up quite a bit of this territory off the back. They can get quite frisky at night.”

The redhead searched her wife’s face, the Snow Queen merely nodding her head in agreement with the cabin-owner. Travelling anywhere in Alaska, especially in heavily unpopulated areas was just asking for trouble – a ‘camp at your own risk’ notion that Selena had to come to terms with throughout her life.

“So… what do we do?” Deanna whispered, perhaps in hope that she was not overheard by the wrinkled woman.
“You dears must stay the night.” She declared, immediately moving around the small house space, grabbing some plates and utensils from cupboards and drawers to set on the table. “I just made some dinner, and I’m always making too much! It be nice to not have so many leftovers.”

“Ah…we…” Deanna tried, only for a quiet hand to place itself on her shoulder, Deanna feeling the warmth of her wife’s touch through her shirt.

“I insist, dear!” called the woman from the kitchen as she continued to set up dinner. “And in the morning, I will drive you back to Nome!”

Quietly, the Frost wives gazed at one another, nonverbally communicating the situation before them, which really had no other choices available. The odds were high that, even if they managed to walk to Pilgrim Springs, that they would not be allowed in – assuming there were even staff there. And gods knew even if they did manage to get to a phone that Jean would be awoke by it and able to get them. And if anything went wrong, they’d be locked outside, in Nome. Compared to a night’s rest in a warm house, with food and a guaranteed ride back to keep them safe?

Selena merely shrugged her shoulders at Deanna, who sighed before smiling a rather tired smile. Turning around, she spoke loud enough for the woman to hear. “We thank you very much for your hospitality. Please, let us help you with anything you need.”

“Oh… well…” the elderly woman stuck her head around the corner, eyeing the woman standing behind Deanna. “You. The tallest one...”

“Hello.” Selena smiled.
“Can you reach up and help me get this bowl? That way I don’t have to use the step-ladder.”
“Certainly.” 

Carefully taking off her shoes and placing them near the door, Selena briskly moved into the kitchen area to assist the woman as required, Deanna following her. Together, the three women set up dinner, allowing Deanna to finally identify the smell that had been making her stomach growl – slowly roasted pork stew. 

“You seem to have quite the appetite, my dear.” The old woman, who had introduced herself as Rebecca, smiled in good nature.
“Yes, she does.” Selena smiled in agreement as she gazed at the redhead. “I find it rather unfair.” She added, watching as Deanna, not really paying attention to the discussion, helped herself to her third bowl of stew. “She can eat so much more than me and doesn’t gain a pound.”

By this point, Deanna had returned, her bowl full of stew, taking her seat beside Selena. “Sorry, what were you guys talking about?”
“The unfairness of high metabolism.” Selena teased.
“Oh, THIS again?” Deanna rolled her eyes. “Look, I didn’t sign for it, it just came with the rest of this package.” She gestured up and down along her body.

With a roll of her eyes, Selena turned her attention back to Rebecca. “Some people have all the luck in the genetics department.” She whispered.

“Speaking of which, my dear.” The kind woman smiled, taking a sip from her own. “I must say that your hair is one of the most unique shades I’ve ever seen – especially on one so young. It’s whiter than mine, and that is saying something.” She gestured to her free hand towards the white hair, only a tint of brown remained.

A tired smile came to Selena’s lips as she dipped a bit of toasted bread into her stew. “I get that a lot.” She replied. “Especially in Nome.”

“Oh, are you from there? I thought you were tourists.” Rebecca remarked.
Selena shook her head. “Spend most of my life there, could twenty plus years.”

“I see.” The host seemed to dwell on this for a moment before taking the sight of Selena’s hair again. “I’m sorry, child, but what was your family name again?”

In mid-chew of her bread, Selena slowly finished her mouthful, debating whether she should relay such information to a stranger. After all, it wasn’t like her family were popular in Nome… with a shift of her weight, she felt the weight of the gun press into her leg, granting a modicum of comfort to her. “My family name is Frost.” She replied slowly.

“Oh!” Rebecca smiled. “The mining family! Yes! Your father was a gold-digger, wasn’t he?”

A slight sputtering sound came from Deanna, who quickly dabbed her mouth with a napkin before turning to Selena. “Sorry. I have to keep reminding myself when people call your dad that – they mean a literal gold-digger.”

“Yes.” Selena replied to both women. “My father, for many years, sought gold in the caves of Nome.”

“Yes, I had heard of a family in Nome – woman of white hair like yours, I just couldn’t remember. I only go to Nome to collect groceries very week or two, so I only catch the wisps of news.”

“Why don’t you go down there more often?” Deanna asked curiously. “Visit friends or something?”
“I’m afraid I’m not quite welcome in that town. I visit when I must, but otherwise, I am not someone certain people wish to associate with.”

“Why not?” Deanna asked without thinking. “You’ve been nothing but pleasant to us.”
“Oh, you’re sweet, my dear.” Rebecca offered a grateful smile. “But it’s better for me to be here. On my own.”

Hearing those words, it was Selena’s turn to turn reflective, her eyes dwelling on the woman as she enjoyed her stew. Hated? Despised? Exiled, perhaps? This older woman was not welcome in Nome anymore than Selena had been years ago. For how many years did the supposed ‘Snow Queen’ retreat to her cave or her home near that cave, coming out only when utterly necessary? How many years did she only wish for the company of one or two people, only to be hated and abandoned by one and lose the other? 

Now, strange as it was, all Selena could see in that moment, looking at Rebecca, was a fate that very nearly was hers. A fate that could have been Selena’s own if she had not worked that night shift at Liam’s that night and seen the advertisement for the SCW End of the Year Event. If she had not scraped every last bit of savings she had for a plane ticket to the event…

Slowly, wishing to take as little attention as possible, Selena spied a glance at her beloved Deanna as the redhead delighted herself in her bowl of hot stew. It was SCW – being in SCW – that had allowed her to be seen by Deanna, a young girl as scared and alone as she had been, what would her fate have been if Selena had not been around? If Selena had not gone to SCW and, thus, gone to Kentucky and met her? Would she be alone too? Would she have found someone else? Someone that treated her like she deserved to be treated? Someone that would give her the life she deserved?

The young Frost wasn’t sure. She had done all she could to give Deanna that, but life was far from perfect – far from fair. Wasn’t that why they had ended up here in the first place? Because someone from Selena’s world – a world she still could not fathom the depths, the nooks and crannies, of… 

Perhaps Deanna may not have found love without Selena, it is possible, but neither, Selena rationed, would she have suffered because of those after Selena…. To suffer nearly two years in prison in a far away country, driven away from her children.

And what about Regan? Her sister? What if Selena had become this woman – like Rebecca? What would happen to her sister? Would Regan have turned? Would she have nearly killed herself just to beat Selena? Would she have become injured trying to do what Selena tried to do? The right thing? Perhaps she wouldn’t have turned, that was a possibility as well, but how much was it Selena’s ongoing ‘pragmatic nobility’? How much of it was Selena’s own example? So many people had called it brainwashing and Selena hadn’t believed it – she refused to believe it. She didn’t want to brainwash. She didn’t want to deceive. She wanted to inspire. She wanted to teach. But what if that inspiring… what if those inspired followed her advice, her example, only to be lead to ruin?

Could they have been spared such aches and pains, as Deanna could have been spared the aches and pains and terrors of Frankfurt, if Selena had just been as Rebecca was now? A recluse. Locked away from the world for the majority of her life? Kept hidden and away from anyone?

Her eyes refocused their sight as Selena drifted out of her mental ramblings. Her head had lowered a little in her thoughts, and she could spy her reflection in the liquid of her stew, slightly morphed and twisted by the slices of carrots and pieces of meat. Quietly, she stirred the contents with her silver spoon, watching them mix and float and sink and come back up.

“Is it not to your liking?” 

The question came from Rebecca, earning Selena’s attention, the younger woman lifting her head and offering her a smile at the resident’s concerned expression. “No, it is. Thank you.” Selena replied apologetically. “I just…sometimes… get lost in my thoughts.” 

The answer, compounded with the young wrestler taking a spoonful of stew, seemed to placate the older lady. It did not, however, stop Deanna from subtly reaching out to take Selena’s free hand into her own, giving a gentle squeeze of support. Stealing a glance towards her beloved, Selena offered the redhead a more meaningful smile, her eyes trying to convey the message of ‘I’m okay’. With a slight nod, Deanna joined her wife in eating in silence.

As the night wore on, Rebecca showed the guests to a spare bedroom. The size was much smaller than their home in Manhattan or even one of rooms in the Schonburg castle, but both Selena and Deanna were grateful for a place to sleep that wasn’t the floor.

“This was my granddaughter’s room.” Rebecca had remarked, beginning a bit of small talk that, ultimately, ended with her wishing the Frost wives good night before departing to bed with a cup of camisole tea. The shower they were shown was too small for two people, so Selena had gone first and now sat on the bed, her back against the headrest as she waited for Deanna to finish her shower.

Alone in the room, the Snow Queen took in the little details she could see with the lamp on beside her. The walls were wooden, the same stain-color as the rest of the house and the carpets flowed from the front door to every aspect of the house except the bathroom – for obvious reasons. Across the room, away from the bed, Selena could see a white, wooden cupboard with dozens of small books with colorful writing – various sizes and fonts playing across her vision and prompting her to push herself off the bed and quietly investigate, enchanted by the sight of the child’s belongings.

The cupboard door was not hard to open as it was not locked. It was like opening a little toy chest to the Snow Queen, which is what her eyes took in along with the books. There was a stuffed teddy-bear, one that looked like Winnie the Pooh, sitting in a corner on one of the shelves, a few letter building blocks, a spinning top. 

“Wow…not one Gameboy or anything.” Selena quietly, remarking on the age of the toys and books before her. Reaching out, she gently took the little Pooh bear into her hands, gazing down at the black, plastic eyes that gaze up at her. Once more, Selena’s mind wandered to the ‘what-if’ and the similarities she had seen between herself and Rebecca. 

Elsianna would have stayed in a room like this. she thought. With toys and books like these…

Except the platinum-blonde wasn’t sure which Elsianna she was referring to in that thought. Was it the daughter she had been reunited with, who had a favourite nutcracker named Sir Crackshell… or the Snow Child her shattered mind had created in the lowest depths of her life? 

In reality, it had only been her time in SCW that Selena had gained the resources needed to fight back against the DeCarlos and the Scythes, which had lead her to finding her real daughter – 

And what about Amiliah and David… Selena’s mind balked. It was a frightening realization, but one Selena could not deny. If she had become like Rebecca – an outcast to the end, Locked away as “The Crazy Miner’s Daughter” – then there was no chance David or Amiliah would have been born. Elsianna would probably have been thrown out of the orphanage at the age of 5 and lost to the system of unwanted children in Anchorage…. And all Selena, herself, would have would be her demons and her Snow Child.

Closing her eyes, Selena took a slow, staggering breath before opening them again, once more staring into the ‘eyes’ of the stuffed bear. 

“You have that same look you had at dinner.” Calming voice came from behind her, like warm water over a cold hand. Selena didn’t turn around immediately, but stood in place as she heard steps approaching her, warm arms wrapping around her from behind, and a head, with damp hair, resting against her shoulder blades. “I couldn’t tell if it was reflective or you were scared – I honestly thought it was both.” Deanna whispered, gently turning her wife around to gaze into her eyes. For a moment, emerald eyes fluttered down to observe the stuffed animal in Selena’s hands. Much like Selena, Deanna had been offered some sleeping clothes, track pants and a t-shirt, by Rebecca, which was more than enough for the pair. 

“It’s surreal, I guess.” Selena whispered, her eyes also on the bear. “Rebecca and I… I mean, this- all of this…” she gestured to the room and towards the door with her free hand. “This could have been me. If I hadn’t gone to SCW. If I hadn’t met you. If I never found Elsianna…” Careful, Selena removed herself from her wife’s embrace, allowing her to move slowly around the room. “I look back at all the things we’ve been through. And every one I think about, every hurdle in the road, I could have easy swerved off the path and ended up here – alone.”

Reaching the wall, the Snow Queen rested a pale hand against the wood, feeling the coarseness as she gazed out the bedroom window, her eyes taking in the hills and the road that seemed so far away from here – a different path entirely, she thought as she placed the teddy bear on the top of a nearby drawer.

“Eight years ago… I was alright with that. I was alone and I preferred it that way. I was drinking myself into oblivion with a fake family just to keep some semblance any sanity left in my life. I was fooling myself. But how easily could I have stayed that way?”

“You can’t let yourself be lost to ‘what-ifs’.” She heard Deanna say.
“But they’re so integral.” Selena countered. “Because I wouldn’t have bettered myself without you or SCW, conquering my addictions. I never would have been strong enough to truly free myself from my step-mother or Malcolm. I would never have been strong enough to stand up against my own family clan-“

Slowly, she turned back to face her wife, who had not moved from her spot in the middle of the room.

“Ignorance is bliss, I guess…” the wrestler quietly chuckled. “Because I never expected how much better my life could be with you and with SCW. And when I realized the similarities between Rebecca and me…and where I could have easily ended up, now knowing what we have – what we have gone through together.” Unable to stop herself, Selena shook her head, casting her eyes to the floor and slamming them shut to stop any tears that threatened to fall. Immediately, she felt her wife’s arms around her again, Deanna cradling Selena’s head into the crook of her neck.

“No one is going to take me from you, Selena.” She whispered, running a hand against the back of the woman’s head.
“But that’s what Killjoy wants…” Selena whispered, lifting her head to hold Deanna’s gaze. “You in prison? Today with our car – what if he wanted me to see this? What if he wanted me to see what I could have been without you? He wants to take all that away, and… he’ll do it by taking you away, I know it.”

“Why-“ Deanna tried to ask.
“Because he knows without you? I don’t… I can barely function.”
“That isn’t true.” Deanna shook her head. “You managed the last two years-“
“Because I was working to free you. I was working to getting you out, and I could visit you. That’s why he wants me at my happiest. Why he wanted me to reach a certain point, because with all of it gone…and only memories left of what I once had… like today, I’ll be knocked off our path and….” Sapphire eyes took in the room. “He wants me to end up here… like this – and I don’t know why.” Her head fell back into her wife’s neck, her body trembling.  

The couple stayed like that for what felt like hours, Selena’s frame trembling from quiet sobs. Why did it have to be so difficult now? Why couldn’t it have been easy like before? An enemy was coming to take something from Selena – one thing. A gold mine/fortune, loyalty, custody of her children. One thing! That was all! 

Like Rise to Greatness! her mind thought. It was supposed to be a battle with a winner or loser and something on the line. Something like her hair when she had fought Dawn or a title when she had fought with her sister against Valentine and Kandis – or when she had fought her sister! In the most basic form: Selena and Regan had all but killed themselves fighting one another merely because of their views of SCW and of one another. That was how it should be. Fighting for one thing – that’s how it was supposed to be this weekend!

But Killjoy had broken the rules. Or were there no rules to begin with?

Killjoy wanted Selena to have nothing – to take everything that mattered to her. And even that, Selena wasn’t sure what was meant, but it had made her question her role in fighting Ace Marshall as soon as she had become the World Champion! And it wasn’t fair! Why couldn’t she enjoy this?! Why couldn’t she savour this dream-fulfillment?! Why couldn’t she just show that she was one of the best in SCW? Why couldn’t she just focus on winning so she could have her moment in the ring with Deanna, holding the World title high, on the grandest stage? 

Because if she reached that level of happiness – Killjoy would act… and Selena had no idea how.

“What-ifs…” came the whisper into her ear, Deanna’s breath warm against the Snow Queen’s skin. “You have to stop thinking of what-ifs, Selena.” She spoke more firmly.

“I can’t help it.” Selena confessed, the shame lacing her words. “What if he takes you away from me?”
“What if he doesn’t?” Deanna countered.
“What if he hurts you?”
“What if he can’t?”
“What if I fail you and everyone else?”
“What if you don’t-“

“Please stop that.” Selena begged, shaking her head as she pulled away a little from Deanna. “I know what you’re doing. But I’m serious, De.”
“So am I.” Deanna replied, her hands tightening their grip on Selena’s forearms. “For every worse case scenario you can come up with, I can throw hundreds at you where that doesn’t happen! You think Killjoy is worried about what-ifs?”

Selena clenched her jaw and looked away, unable to keep the strong gaze in her wife’s eyes.

“You think Ace Marshall is worried about ‘what-if’s? Or Lexy?” Deanna pressed. “I get what you think about stuff like that. I do. I had a damn panic attack when I was in that car today. For the longest second of my life, I thought I had lost you like I had my parents.”

The Snow Queen closed her eyes at that. She knew, all too well, how the death of Deanna’s parents still haunted the redhead, Deanna only being a young girl when they had passed.

“I spent two years thinking about ‘what-ifs’ while I waited in Frankfurt, remember? What we would be doing if I wasn’t there. Would I be your manager like this? What about the children? I missed so much of their lives….” The younger Frost shook her head. “I can’t think too far in that direction, Selena. Neither can you. Because if you do, then you can’t be grateful for what we have. Look…”

Gently, Deanna held Selena’s arms out, allowing the two wives to inspect the other with their gaze.

“We’re not hurt.” Deanna started. “We came out of a car crash unscathed. We have three amazing children who can’t wait to see their mom wrestle for the first time in years – this will be Amiliah’s first time watching you!” she remarked, causing Selena’s heart to flutter inside her chest. “Most importantly, we’re together. Yes, there are risks. Yes, we’ve derailed each other’s lives more often than I can count, but has it not been worth it? To get here? To be at this point? Would you do it all over again if you knew that you’d end up here…” carefully, she raised one of Selena’s hands, pressing it over the left side of her chest, where her heartbeat. “With me?”

Eyes fixated on the end, Selena felt the strong beating of her wife’s heart before slowly nodding her head. “I would.” She whispered. “I’d do it all again and much worse if I could keep you with me, Deanna.” A sniffle-sob escaped her as she reached up to caress her wife’s face. “I love you so damn much.”

Reaching, Deanna pressed her hand against the pale hand against her cheek, turning into the touch of her beloved. “And I love you more than I can ever say.” She whispered. “So are you going to panic over these what-ifs? Or are you going to join me and enjoy every moment we have together – every moment this happiness lasts?”

Selena didn’t give an answer, but she allowed her wife to pull her gently towards the bed against the wall. The redhead shuffled back as far against the wall as she could to allow her wife room to snuggle close to her on the small bed (clearly meant for only one person). 

As for Selena, Deanna’s words drifted in and out of her thoughts as she felt her beloved fall asleep. She was certain, beyond certain, that she had more than enough reason to be worried about Killjoy – 

But one thing that Deanna had said that she could not deny. If she remained fixated on the what-ifs – things she could not control, then all she would be left with would be regrets if those what-ifs happened. Regret that she didn’t savour every moment, every second… 

Maybe that’s what Killjoy truly wants… She thought as her eyes grew heavy, the wrestler cuddling closer to her wife as she felt sleep take her. Her dreams will fleeting, images and faces she would not be able to recall…

But when she heard the sound of a gun cocking, her eyes flew open on instinct, wildly taking in the room that still was only illuminated by the moonlight coming from the window…

It wasn’t much light, but it was enough for her to see the snowglobe on the nightstand near her, the red curtains at the sides of the window… 

And the creature that was sitting in the rocking chair…. With the Snow Queen’s own gun pointed right at her…
__________________________________________

The Royal Letter

The camera opens up to a small office space. A desk is to the right, only slightly off camera. In the center is a black, faux-leather chair, to which the SCW World Champion sits. She wears a maroon t-shirt with pinkish-white snowflakes lying the left side of the shirt, and blue jeans with black loafers. The SCW World title rests in her hands on her lap.
 
What if… her voice whispers in the small room. It’s an interesting question that’s been running about in my head for most of my career. And during this time of year, I know it’s been ringing through the minds of every single SCW superstar. I mean, how many people were asking themselves: ‘What if I win the Taking Hold of the Flame battle royale?’. ‘What if I can headline Rise to Greatness?’ Selena’s fingers drum a little against the plates of the world title.

Recently, my wife gave me a little lesson in that line of thinking when it comes to looking back. She said that ‘if all you do is worry about what may happen, you’ll never appreciate what you have.’ her eyes lower down to regard the championship she holds.

And I’ll be honest with all of you, I haven’t fully appreciated being SCW World Champion. Of how I got here, of finally holding this title for the first time in four years. Truthfully, my mind’s been in a whirlwind regarding Rise to Greatness.

And that’s understandable, right? I mean, this is the time of year where you try even heard to go above and beyond your limitations, right? Where the bar is raised higher than ever before. Where the expectations are higher than ever before? It’s a night that comes by only once a year, like Christmas or Yuletide. It needs to be special, right?!

And I’m not Ace Marshall. I’m not going to simply pass off that responsibility to someone else. That’s not what you’re paying for. That’s not what you deserve, right? You didn’t pay to see Lexy Chapel say her name in a hundred and one different ways. You’re paying to see Selena Frost vs. Ace Marshall for the World title at Rise to Greatness, right?! Selena grins in excitement for the match.

And for me, I haven’t been able to fully appreciate that yet or maybe it hasn’t fully sunk in for me. Or maybe I’m worried that this dream of mine could all end in L.A., and I want to be ready to keep that from happening. To keep from having my third reign as World Champion be ‘just another short stint’ like Ace promised me would happen.

Taking a moment to gather her thoughts, Selena holds up a finger, shaking the entire hand a little. But the thing is, I’m not here to talk about ‘what-ifs’ for this weekend just yet. My wife was right, those kind of what-ifs can mess with you as much as they can motivate you, and it is not something I’m ready to talk about just yet…

She licks her lips a little before continuing. But Ace and Lexy have been talking throughout this whole build to Rise that I don’t ‘respect Ace Marshall’. That I don’t revere him or praise him or hold him in the kind of ‘high esteem’ that he ‘deserves’. And you don’t know why that is, right Ace? she takes a moment to pause to let the question settle.

Well, Ace, I talked about the present we are in at this point in my last promo, so let me take a step back with you and look into the past. Lexy breezed a little bit on the supposed “YEAR OF ACE MARSHALL” that was 2017, but let me just give some details that she failed to mention...

2017, you won Taking Hold of the Flame. You eliminated me to do it. Remember? Funny thing is, though, you didn’t do it alone, did you, Ace? You were down on the mat and Cassidy Carter ran down to the ring, threw me off the turnbuckle, allowing you to throw me and eliminate me. 

That Rise to Greatness comes along, and you can check if you don’t believe me, you beat Kelcey Wallace – a hell of an accomplishment – except that, as Sharper made it clear, you, once again, had “a huge assist from Cassidy Carter to do it”. her free hand scratches her chin with her thumb.

Now, I’ll be honest with you, Ace?  I wasn’t thrilled that I was facing you four years ago. Just like I wasn’t thrilled that you had screwed me out of my chance to headline Rise to Greatness. I mean, if I could say that my first Rise to Greatness main-event was against Kelcey Wallace at that time? Damn wouldn’t that have been a hell of a first main-event for me? Or even a hell of a way to start the SCW season – and I wasn’t the only person who thought so, just ask Sharper and Knots. See, Kelcey wouldn’t need anyone to talk for her. Kelcey wouldn’t have needed to try and cheap shot me this entire time. That’s the level of greatness she brings. Someone like you needs to tell everyone how great they are. Someone like Kelcey gets TOLD how great she is… see the difference?

But that’s a ‘what-if’. And as you made so clear earlier last month, what-ifs are pointless, right?

The Snow Queen shrugs. But let me get back to you winning the world championship and, maybe, just maybe, you’ll start to understand my lack of respect for you, Ace. Because you did it! You became world champion that night, just like I became number one contender by defeating Vixen Cain.

And during that ‘break’, Ace, between Rise to Greatness and the new SCW season? Ohhh… Selena shakes her head with a knowing smile. All I was doing with my free time was going over those matches. I was digging through videos and notes and practicing in the ring… because I knew what was headed my way. I knew that I needed to be better than I ever had been in the past. I needed to be ready for anything! If you could beat Kelcey Wallace – then I needed to be at a level I had previously never thought possible! That’s how much being World Champion, being the best of SCW, meant to me. 

What did you do, Ace? 

Selena is silent for a moment, but her expression grows more and more rigid, the frustration and anger growing in her voice.

You went to the World Hazard Festival, the first wrestling show after Rise to Greatness, drunk off your ass. You, the new world champion, were supposed to wrestle and represent our company and you showed up drunk, not caring that you were, telling the wrestling world and fans to “go eff themselves” because you weren’t being allowed to wrestle your then-wife, Cassidy Carter. You, the World Champion, ended up thrown out of the arena on your ass.

A slow inhale and exhale of breath is heard from the current World Champion. I hold grudges, Ace. And I absolutely took that moment personally. That the company I loved was being represented, championed, and disrespected by someone like you. And ever since that moment I stood in that ring and watched you stumble and trip your way to it that night four years ago, I’ve had a bad taste in my mouth whenever I see or hear your name. Because I could have fought Kelcey Wallace the next Breakdown for the World title! I could have fought someone that gave a damn about how they appeared as the SCW World Champion. I could have fought someone that gave a damn about what being the World Champion meant! she scoffs.

You want to talk about a ‘lack of respect’, Ace? Take a long look in the mirror. Because nobody has disrespected me or SCW as many times or has horribly as you have – and that includes Asher walking around with a fake world title. Least we could ignore him. But if you can’t look in the mirror and see the reality without Lexy there to lie to you and hype you up… if that history isn’t enough reason for me to not respect you, let me ask you a simple question.

Where has your respect for me been all this time?

The Snow Queen tilts her head. You said it yourself, Ace. You and I have been in a number of fights together in your “YEAR OF ACE MARSHALL”. Can you tell me one time – one match between you and me - in which you didn’t rely on someone running down to the ring to save your ass? Hell, name ONE singles match where you pinned me.

Selena seems to wait for a moment, as if expecting an answer, before giving a shrug.

Cassidy Carter tossing me off the turnbuckle or choking me with her underwear, Vixen Cain kidnapping my friends, Alistaire Allocco distracting me so you could escape a cage – I could go on. For years, every time you and I have fought one on one, you have, every time, relied on someone to come out and get involved. Hell, you tried that whenever I fought Cassidy Carter, without fail.

But not once, Ace. Not one time, have you given me a fair match. Not once have you pinned me or made me submit to your ‘superior talents’. Not once have you given me ANY respect in this ring. Because if you did, it be just you and me. No one jumping in, no one running interference. No cheap tricks. You and me, beating the living hell out of each other for this title! she holds the title up before sitting back in her chair, a her free hand out to the side. 

Yet, you are slighted about my apparent disrespect? I find that laughable. Because here we are, four years later, and nothing about you has changed, has it? I mean, you paid off Gavin Taylor just last week to save you from Glory Braddock. You hit me from behind two weeks ago, tried to hit me with your tag-title belt last Breakdown, and I still can’t deal with you without someone like Lexy coming in and getting involved, can I? the frustration is clear in Selena’s voice.

And the reason that I bring all of this is up – well there’s a couple of reasons. The first is that it’s so damn hilarious in the saddest of ways. Because you come out and claim that you’ve ‘made the world title picture your bitch this year’. And why? Because you cashed in your Trios and made a gauntlet match? 

Ace, you can’t even wrestle me or Glory Braddock in a clean fight. You can’t even look at a table without getting nervous these days, but the SCW Universe is supposed to believe you ‘controlled’ the World title picture with one match? Selena shakes her head.

No, Ace. What you did was show that you, as I’ve said before, looked for the easy way out, like you always have. Because what happened in that gauntlet match of yours? You were the last person to fight in that match against the weary individual that’s left, Chris Cannon, Lexy strolls out on the your entry – Oh my god! Is she with Ace Marshall?! - And you hop in and attack Chris Cannon from behind, hoping for a quick finish. 

What was the plan, Ace? You couldn’t get a four on one or something for yourself approved by the Board of Directors so you made that match up? Or was the plan that you steal a win and then claim that you ‘beat all the best’ off the sweat and toil of the rest of us? Did Lexy know Syren would bail because she’s been in talks with her dad, leaving you prime and ready to fight whoever was left? A sad smile breaks across Selena’s face.

You wanna know how I know all that, Ace? Because I spent months dealing with the guy that taught Lexy everything she knows: The Canadian Heartbreak Kid. I recognize a Desbourais plan when I see one. The reason why it’s funny is because, even with that, you failed to capture the world title. What’s funny is that, your ‘claim’ is all you have left from a failed plan to try and get you the world title without much work. 

You didn’t ‘make the world title your bitch’, Ace. The world champion before your gauntlet match was a whiny brat that couldn’t do a damn thing without her manager helping her out half the time and, three weeks after your gauntlet match, the world champion was STILL a whiny brat that couldn’t do a damn thing without their manager helping them out half the time.

And just like with that, four years ago, you were a selfish, egotistical jackass that felt like he could get away with anything – take any shortcut or easy path. That you were “The King of the World”, like you said, right? Who could curse at the fans and do all he could to spite them and his fellow wrestlers. Four years later? You’re still that arrogant jackass looking for shortcuts. Still that guy that thinks he’s better than he actually is. Still that guy, talented still, but still needs someone holding his hand and saving his ass. Still that guy that doesn’t give a damn about SCW or the people or this match.

The Snow Queen gives another shrug. But you gloss over all of that with decrees of superiority. You think you’re ‘that damn good’ – heads and shoulders above us all. And you are a damn good wrestler, but I’m going to level with you, Ace.

You won one match. You did a hell of a job, regardless of the methods. And as I said last time, you earned the right to fight for the world title at Rise to Greatness. But, bottom line, Ace – realistically] speaking? You won one match.

I mean, that’s what you said about the royale, right, Ace? That it doesn’t matter ‘what you’ve been doing all year long. It doesn’t matter how you narrate your own sob story, it doesn’t matter what your brand is. It doesn’t matter what you want. You can tell the world whatever you want to tell them. It only matters if you win’. Your words, Ace…

So a guy who’s been ‘coasting through the year’ by his own admission and who manipulates a gauntlet match just to try and steal the world title can suddenly get the biggest payoff and spot on the biggest night of the year… all he’s gotta do is win one, single match…

A knowing smile breaks across Selena’s features. And doesn’t that just define Ace Marshall? The ‘get out of jail free card’. The ‘go directly to go and collect 200 dollars’. The shortcut, the easy way out. her serious expression returns.

Let me tell you why you’re wrong, Ace, and the biggest reason I don’t respect you. You think that, as long as you win these ‘big matches’, you’re all set. Long as you produce when it ‘counts’ for you, you can say you’re the best thing in SCW. That you’re ‘that damn good’.

Long as you get to these moments, you don’t care about the rest of the year, do you, Ace? You make it to the RTG main-event or win a Trios tournament here and there, you can say you’ve ‘already made it’! You’ve made ‘history’!

Reality: the second you believe that you’re so good you can be like that? That you don’t have to work for anything? That you can coast the rest of the year? That is the beginning of the end. Selena’s eyes narrow a little.

Lexy asked the question why, after all your accomplishments, why would I want to break this ‘passive Ace’, this arrogant ‘entitled Ace’ who half-asses it most of the year? Why would I want to push him further and face someone that could be way more than Selena Frost can possibly handle…

The Face of SCW smiles. Why, Ace? Because it’s also as Lexy said. Because the people deserve it. Because Rise to Greatness deserves it.

Because I deserve it.

The world deserves to see you become World Champion by actually being better than me OR… The world deserves to see me prove, once again, that I am better than you even when you’re ‘at your best’. Rise to Greatness deserves that level of skill, ability, and good, old fashioned giving a damn! her voice echoes a little at that last word.

And for weeks since Taking Hold of the Flame, Ace, I have tried to get that to sink into your head. I saved your ass from an Infamous beat down, I confronted you face to face. I stood toe to toe with you in the ring with no tricks. And each and every week, you have FAILED to deliver. You have failed to show me that things are different. That this is different. That YOU are different.

Because your bragging? Downplaying the unbelievability of this match? Cheating Glory out of a fair match? Cheap-shotting me? Coasting through the year until now? Trying to use the gauntlet match to steal the world title from a battle-weary Cannon by attacking him from behind? That isn’t what the World Champion does. she holds up the world title with her right hand towards the camera.

The world champion stays sharp year round.
The world champion steps up to EVERY challenge EVERY day. 
The world champion delivers not just one match but every single damn match and every damn show of the year!

Sitting back in her chair, Selena lowers the belt back onto her lap. You and Lexy. You think that you’re just going to roll right over me at Rise to Greatness, right? You’re already making the t-shirts and the catchphrases about ‘melting the Snow Queen’ – real original. You’ve got all the plans and people you need for ‘LexyMania’. 

But I’m telling you, Ace, that four years is a long time.

And while you haven’t changed in those four years, I certainly have.

Because, for those four years, and every year of my near eight-year career, I have been here, working day after day, show after show – you say I’m the “Queen of Spin” – that isn’t it, Ace. It’s not that I can ‘spin anything’. It’s that I’ve been here every day and every show without fail and I have tried everything to become better – to challenge myself – to see beyond people that were better than me. That talk better than me. That know how to get in my head – I’ve put in the years to turn my weaknesses into strengths and my strengths into greater strengths. It’s because for the last four years, I have never once ‘slacked off’ to get back to this point! This LEVEL! So when I see somebody using the same old lines that everybody else has used over and over again – I know how to deal with it.

Selena leans forward. And after four years, Ace, I know how to be a World Champion. I know how to beat a guy like you. I know what it will take to retain this championship at Rise to Greatness. And I KNOW that I can do it!

She points a finger at the camera. You? You THINK you’re that damn good because of one match. You THINK you don’t have work hard year round because of one match. You THINK that you’ll become World Champion because of one match.

This Sunday, you’re not going to have time to think. You’re not going to have time to plan. Until the bell rings to end the match, the only thing that will be going through your head, besides my boot? Will be you wondering who this unstoppable force is that’s demolishing you. Because you are expecting 2017 Selena Frost… 

But you’re gonna get the “Face of SCW” and The SCW World Champion. And THAT is someone that you can’t just slack off on, Ace Marshall. Believe it!

The camera fades to black on the world champion.

[Ace]

----->88<------

[SnowQueenSCW]

OOC: And here is roleplay 3. In terms of time-reference, they are all done in reference to the time of the first scene of roleplay 1. Enjoy and best of luck, Doug!

Project: Black Ice

”Broke Even…”

6 hours ago
Rebecca’s Log Cabin Home
20 km from Pilgrim Springs
3:49am

The figure sat in the rocking chair, the moonlight bouncing off the metal of the gun it held – Selena’s gun – pointed right at the Snow Queen. She opened her mouth to scream, but as her voice tried to find purchase in her throat, the figure lifted up the gun ever so slightly, an indication of what would happen if a sound came from Selena’s lips. With a force she didn’t know she possessed, the pale woman swallowed the scream, keeping it from creation.

Her eyes took in the figure as her heart raced. It wore a blackshirt, black pants – all like a biker – but on its head did not see a human head, at least to her eyes, but rather a pitch-black human skull. It reminded Selena of a mask or some kind of helmet… and it was beyond terrifying.

“Wake up your wife.” The creature quietly demanded, its voice distorted low and somewhat robotic. “If she screams. She dies.”

Selena’s entire body went rigid at the command and clear threat. Slowly, turning her head, she gently placed her hands on either side of Deanna’s face, the redhead lying on her back. 

“Deanna.” Whispered the frightened Snow Queen, shaking her wife. “I need you to wake up.” She tried to remain calm, but there was no chance of fully removing the shaking of her voice. Slowly, Deanna groaned, her emerald eyes fluttering open.

“Can’t I have five more min-“
“Deanna.” Selena pressed, keeping Deanna’s face between her hands and preventing the redhead from looking around, causing the younger Frost’s eyes to go wide. “I need you to listen to me, okay?”

“Okay- what is-“ Selena felt Deanna’s head try and turn, the muscle pushing the head against her left hand.
“No.” she ordered in a whisper. “Look at me. Look right at me, okay?”
“What is it?” Deanna asked, her voice rising a little in alarm.
“I need you to keep completely calm and not scream, okay?”
“Not scream- why-“
“Deanna.” Selena tried, her voice pleading. “Please, I beg you. Do. Not. Scream.”

Slowly, confusion laced within her green orbs, Deanna nodded her head, causing a long sigh to escape Selena.

“When you turn your head.” Selena warned. “You will see someone sitting in the chair with a gun pointed at us-“
“Wha-“ Deanna tried, only for a pale hand to shoot out and cover her mouth.
“Do not scream!” Selena hissed in a whisper. “You have to keep calm or you’ll be shot. Don’t speak, okay?!”

Slowly, clearly fully awake now, Deanna nodded her head. With deliberately slow movements, Selena brought her wife up to a sitting position, the redhead refusing to look towards the creature in the chair. With her eyes close, the redhead took a deep breath before turning her head at a snail’s pace to the right, allowing herself to see what Selena had warned her about.

“Very good.” Came the low voice. “You can still follow instructions rather well.”

Neither woman said a word as they sat on the bed, Selena subtly inching Deanna behind her as she shifted a little on the bed.

“Please…” Selena slowly spoke, keeping her voice to a whisper. “Don’t hurt Deanna or Rebecca… whatever you’re here for – I can get you much more…”

“I’m sure you can.” The skulled creature mocked. “After all, you are the reason I came here in the first place.” 
Selena inhaled a shuddering breath. 
“Don’t worry about the owner.” Continued the creature. “She will be out for some time. Her camisole tea was a bit… stronger… this particular time. I doubt even a gunshot will wake her up. I don’t suggest you make me test it.”

“No.” Selena whispered, holding a hand up, quickly sliding further to the side of the bed and in front of Deanna. “No…” she tried, more calmly. “You said you came here for me… why? How did you know I was here?”

A laugh – dark and ominous – came from the distorted voice of the skull. “Because I am the reason YOU came here in the first place, Selena Frost.”

Sapphire eyes widened in the dark, realization breaking through her consciousness. “K…Killjoy…”

“Killjoy?” the creature asked, tilting its ‘head’ this way and that, as if trying the word on for size – as if it was letting the word roll around in its skull. “I like it.”

“You’re him.” Selena pointed a shaky finger. “The one that called me the day Deanna was released…”

“Become World Champion...” echoed the voice, sending shivers to race up and down Selena’s spine without mercy. “Go and headline Rise to Greatness… Go and move back to your ‘forever house’… Have genuine happiness with Deanna… Then…” Killjoy pointed the gun straight at Selena.

“You’ll be there to take it all away.” Selena recalled, feeling her heart drop. “So…now?”

A moment of silence passed between the three, Selena feeling her wife’s hands clutching the back of the platinum-blonde’s shirt. 

“No.” Killjoy replied. “Not yet.”
“So, why the gun?” Deanna cried out in a whisper.
“Because we all know what Selena would have done if I had was unarmed.”

Though the creature had no ‘eyes’, Selena felt that it was narrowing its gaze at her. And it was right. If not for that gun, holding the Frost women hostage, Selena would have leapt across the room and planted onto Killjoy, like jumping off a turnbuckle or springing off one of the ring ropes.

“So…you just want to talk?” she tried, her feet planted firmly on the floor.
“In a matter of speaking.” Killjoy replied, the gun still pointed at the Frost wives. “Despite my threats, you achieved what you knew was what I wanted. Consider this your… ‘reward’.”

“Held at gunpoint is my reward for defying your threats?” Selena could almost laugh at that nonsense, were it not for the situation she and Deanna were in.

“For following my instructions.” Corrected Killjoy. “You became World Champion, will soon headline Rise to Greatness, and moved back into your ‘forever home’.” It almost sounded like a laugh coming from the skulled intruder. “That tells me you either refused to be intimidated by me… or you weren’t taking me seriously. So… here I am – which solves a few purposes along with those two.”

The three sat in silence, the only sound in the room the creaking sound of the rocking chair that Killjoy sat on.

“You… how did you crash our car?” Deanna asked from behind Selena. 
“Your wife’s credit card isn’t too hard to track.” Came Killjoy. “And with there being only one road to Pilgrim Springs, it was not hard to determine your route. From there, a simple spike strip at the right place that would force you to come here.”

“Why?” Selena asked. “If your whole plan was to get us here – what for?”

For a moment, Killjoy tilted its head at the Snow Queen. “It never struck you, Selena? The similarities between you and Rebecca? How alone she is… how alone you were?”

Selena’s eyes widened a little, but she did all she could to remain quiet.

“I wanted you to be reminded of what could have been for you. What could have very easily been your fate…”
“Okay… so you did.” Selena admitted. “Am I supposed to feel sorry that it didn’t?”
“Do you deny how unfair it is that you were spared while others have suffered?”

“How is that reasonable? You want to blame the suffering of the world on me?”

“No.” Killjoy replied, shaking his head. “Merely the suffering of one.”
“You?” Selena asked gesturing towards Killjoy. “What did I do to you? Have we met? Are you related to Scythe? Or the Frostmeres?”

“Trust me when I say…” glowered Killjoy darkly. “Malcolm Scythe will pay – and suffer – as you shall.”

The remark caught Selena off-guard. Even distorted in voice, Selena could still hear – hell, she could feel – the rage and hatred this being had for the Nome mayor… it was so close to her own when it had been raw and hurt during her way with Malcolm.

“Then who?” Selena asked. “Why can’t you tell me? How do I know you?”
“You don’t know me.” Killjoy grunted. “I am merely a shadow. Your shadow.”
“My shadow?” Selena asked. “What does that mean?”

“It means I know you better than you know yourself.” Mocked the skull. “I know your fears, I know your weaknesses. I know you better than you know yourself.” It quieted for a moment before adding one last declaration. “I know your destiny.”

“And what is my destiny?” Selena started to ask, but her voice hitched a little as she felt Deanna’s finger press against her back. Slowly, almost imperceptibly, the finger began tracing along Selena’s shoulders and back… forming something… a number.

5…

“As I have told you.” Killjoy replied. “I will wait for you to achieve your greatest happiness… and then I will take it away… as I took your wife away and locked her up in Frankfurt.”

“You bastard…” hissed the Snow Queen. “You have no right.”
“I HAVE EVERY RIGHT!” came the hiss of a roar that echoed in the small room. “I could have your wife locked back in Frankfurt, your children shipped off to Anchorage, and you locked away in a cave and I’d have EVERY RIGHT to do it!”

“And for what?” Selena asked, as she felt Deanna’s fingers move. 4. “You want my house? My money? My job in SCW? What is it about me you want?”

“Everything!” for the third time, Selena heard a glint of rage come from the black skull. “Everything you have will belong to me – it will be returned BACK to me.”

“You say that but nothing I have in my life was gained from stealing from another person.” Selena replied. “My father’s mine. My job. My wife. My children.” 3. “I earned it…”

“You were given it. And deserve NONE of it!” Retorted Killjoy.
“No.” Selena shook her head. “I earned my father’s love and respect to become his heir. I earned my job by believing in it and continuing to fight. And I earned my wife-“ she felt the hand press against her back, where her heart was for a moment, giving her strength. 2. “I earned her love and the love of my children. You just want all of that handed to you because you’re jealous or something…” she tilted her head, giving it a slow shake back and forth. “None of that is yours.”

“And none of it SHOULD be yours!” countered Killjoy coldly. “You had a choice! You had a choice to change your life. I didn’t. I NEVER asked for any of this. I am only this way because of you.” 1. “And in time, I will make this right. I will move the earth. At las-!” 0.

Killjoy was unable to finish its sentence as everything seemed to slow in slow motion for the Snow Queen. As Deanna’s hand traced the final number, it raced to Selena’s side, pushing her away just enough for Deanna to act – launching the snowglobe she had snatched off the nightstand while Killjoy had been arguing with Selena – a beeline throw at Killjoy’s head!

If it hit.

Reacting faster than either Frost woman thought possible, the skulled being raised his hand up and fired a shot, the bullet intercepting the projectile in the air, causing it to burst into pieces. But if Killjoy was fast in movement… so was Selena.

In the split second between the gun being pointed away from her and Deanna in order to intercept the snowglobe, Selena was off the bed and across the room grabbing the gun-hand as she tacked Killjoy out of the chair. The creature let out a gasp of shock and Selena could hear the gun clattering out of its hand. Desperately, she tried to keep Killjoy pinned, her eyes scanning frantically for her gun. “Deanna! Find the gun!” she called out before turning her attention to Killjoy. Raising an arm, she slammed her fist into the skull head, hearing the “pang” before her hand registered the slight pain of punching a helmet/protective gear.

Seemingly unfazed from the blow, Killjoy was suddenly shifting and moving its legs, spinning and rolling itself out of Selena’s pin and flipping her onto the ground and away. Lifting its head, the creature spied Deanna on the floor, looking for the gun. But as it took a few steps to intercept the redhead, throwing a kick towards her, Killjoy felt it blocked by pale arms as Selena appeared beside it. Faster than a blink, she spun on the spot to connect with a spinning side-kick that sent Killjoy tumbling to the door, where the skulled fighter crashed against the wall, sending several pictures to ground as they were knocked from their perch. Immediately, Selena was there, grabbing the being by the collar of its leather jacket.

“You’re not taking anything from me.” Selena barked. “Not now or ever!”
“You underestimate me.” Laughed Killjoy. “Just because you managed a few lousy kicks-“

Grabbing the Snow Queen by the shoulders, Killjoy tossed the light woman down the hall towards the front door. Taking a few steps towards her, Killjoy flexed its arms, almost taunting her. “Let me show you how it’s done!” he challenged.

With a yell of anger, Selena was back on her feet, throwing punched and kicks at the bastard that had threatened her and her wife – who was responsible for Deanna’s incarceration and who had stolen two years of their lives!

Killjoy blocked every blow with an ease that stunned the platinum-blonde, swatting each leg and punch with a perfectly times hand or leg counter! When Selena spun with a back fist, she was suddenly grabbed and thrown against the wall, hearing items from the shelves dropping on her, forcing her to cover herself as she felt them fall. 

“Pathetic.” Stated Killjoy. “You are merely a child throwing a tantrum when you fight.”

Selena pushed herself against the wall, reaching up for a shelf to pull herself back to her feet. What the hell was with this guy? She had never felt so powerless fighting another person since Xander Valentine almost a year ago. Springing off the wall, Selena tried for a bicycle kick, but met nothing but air as Killjoy spun out of the way, lifting an arm to grab Selena from the back of her shirt and slam her down to the floor with a harsh thud, driving the air out of her lungs.

“I want so badly to kill you!” echoed Killjoy. “And I will… but you need to suffer more! See your world fall apart and be driven to the-“

BANG!

The gunshot rang through the air and Killjoy was suddenly off Selena yelling in distorted voice and pain as he clutched the shoulder. Looking to the side, Selena saw Deanna standing there, the platinum-blonde’s handgun smoking and pointed right at Killjoy. And she wasn’t alone.

“I don’t recall inviting your ugly ass into my house!” shouted Rebecca, a damn shotgun in her hands and pointed right at Killjoy, who had struggled to its feet. Selena forgotten, Killjoy’s head jerked between the two standing women and the weapons in their hands. For a moment, the creature stood still, as if trying to analyze the situation in-between the blinding pain its shoulder was probably feeling. With a bitter yell, he sprung back, leaping out of the front door he left open in his initial entrance, dashing outside. 

Immediately, Deanna was down by Selena’s side, checking her with her free hand. “Are you alright?” she asked in worry, her free hand running across Selena’s cheek.

“Yes.” Selena groaned a little, pulling herself to her feet and rushing out the door after Killjoy. Reaching the porch, she was there in time to see the skulled-being start up a black motorcycle and speed off down the hill, leaving the house and women behind – out of sight mere seconds later as it rejoined the main road. Clenching her jaw, Selena whispered a quiet curse under her breath.

“Is he gone?” came the voice from inside, Deanna turning her head to the woman that had not moved from where she had stood and aimed the shotgun. 
“Yes.” Deanna nodded, reaching up to gently guide Rebecca’s shotgun down. “I’m so sorry, Rebecca. That thing just appeared-“

“I’m sorry I couldn’t do more except point where you guided my gun.” The older woman sighed. “Still can’t see much.”
“Right.” Deanna exclaimed, moving around the room until she found a light switch, flicking it on to illuminate the room as Selena quietly walked back inside.

It was only when she had done so that the Snow Queen was able to see the distraction that Killjoy’s appearance had created. Around the small entrance room/family room, several object, from picture frames that use to hang on the walls, to odds and ends like small capsules, books and pens were strew across the floor, any contents held were now emptied across the way, adding to the mess of the small room.

“Must have been one of them lush scumbags from Pilgrim Springs.” Rebecca observed off-handed. “Fellows get drunk, stumble drive their way over here to play a prank on the ‘crazy lady in the log cabin’.” 

A tired sigh escaped her as the older woman knelt down, placing her shotgun on the floor to begin gathering the fallen/discarded objects, some still in one piece while others were in pieces. Immediately, Deanna was joining her, offering her help and continued apologies. Casting one last glance back out the open door and down the dirt road she could see, Selena quietly turned back inside, moving to the corner of the room where Killjoy had tossed her into the wall to gather up the items that had fallen off the shelves. 

Together, the women had the room, more or less, cleared up in little time. As Deanna had watched Rebecca, ensuring the woman was alright from the cleaning, Selena had moved around the rooms and into the hall just outside the room she and Deanna had stayed in, where she had shoved Killjoy up against thanks to Deanna’s distraction. Slowly, quietly, Selena’s hand reached up to press into the wooden wall, the only sign that anything had occurred, were the knocked down pictures on the floor. Carefully, the platinum-blonde gathered them up one at a time and adjusted them back onto the nails that jutted out of the wall, acting as hangers. 

“We’ll happily cover any damages.” She called out down the hall before hearing a series of small footsteps pattering closer towards her until Rebecca stood at one side. “What was that, dear?” she asked.

“Oh-“ Selena turned her head, giving the woman a genuine smile. “I said that Deanna and I will happily cover any thing you need fixed or repaired-“ she held up one of the pictures she held, a slight crack in the glass of the frame. “It’s the least we can-“ her voice escaped her as she turned her head, her eyes taking in the photo she had just shown to Rebecca.

It was an older photo, if the youthfulness in Rebecca’s face was any indication. In it, she was standing just outside the log-cabin home, wearing a simple white gown with red flowers decorating it. She was beautiful – Selena mentally noticed – her features softened by youth where they were ‘refined’ in the present. But it wasn’t the sight of Rebecca in her younger years that had driven the breath out of Selena’s voice.

It was the man beside her.

“Oh…” Rebecca had taken a few steps to observe the photo before sighing, a sad hand reaching up to caress the glass with her fingertips. “That’s my ex-husband.”

“Deanna…” Selena called out, quickly hearing the sound of footsteps once more as Deanna rushed towards the pair of women, the three of them rather crammed in the narrow hallway. Slowly, Selena turned the photo over to Deanna, letting the redhead take it into her hands and see her eyes widen in shock as she, too, recognized the man in the photo.

“I know why Killjoy send us here.” Selena whispered. “I know what he wanted us to see.”

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

Present Time
Nome, Alaska
July 20th, 2021
9:51am

”You’ve been hiding something for years. And now it’s trying to kill us.”

Deanna sat in the chair, her weary eyes locked on the mayor of Nome as he gazed down at the photo Deanna had slid across his desk, Selena standing right behind her, body tense and simply waiting for any reason to launch across the room as she had last night at Killjoy.

Lifting the small picture frame up, Malcolm examined it, his eyes widening only minutely, though both Frost women saw it.

“How did you get this?” He asked, holding up the photo up with his hand.

“That’s your question?” Selena laughed. “Well, how about this? Our ‘stalker friend’, whom we’ve decided to call ‘Killjoy’, got us to crash our car so that we’d have to walk for an entire day until we got to the only house nearby, a nice little log cabin just some miles away from Pilgrim Springs – oh but wait! It gets better!” the Snow Queen laughs bitterly. “Turns out Killjoy did this so that he could show up in the middle of the night with a gun pointed at us-“

“You saw him?” Malcolm asked. “He actually made himself known.” Was that amusement in his voice? Was he finding this funny?!

“Oh yes…” growled Selena. “And after a merry little scuffle through the house – imagine my surprise to see a photo of Rebecca and you, the mayor of Nome… and wait, this gets better – she says you are her ex-husband!”

Selena’s expressions, animated as they were, did little to hide the seething anger she held towards the old man standing before her.

“Malcolm.” Deanna’s voice came in, calm as misty rainfall. “We warned you that Killjoy would be after you as well. Last night, he said that you would pay as dearly as Selena would. Whoever he is, you are clearly in as much danger as we are. It wasn’t a coincidence we ended up at that cabin. Killjoy wanted us there. So… are you going to help us? Or are you going to wait till he comes after you?”

Slowly, Malcolm turned a withered look from the Frost wives to the photo on his desk, and, for a moment, he appeared to be somewhere else in his mind. As if he was living through some memory – like Selena had with all her ‘what-if’ fears… Deanna thought. It lasted only for a few moments before Malcolm blinked, his dark eyes going from hazy to clear in that millisecond.

“There isn’t much to tell.” Malcolm replied. “Rebecca was my wife. We were married for twenty years and then… one day… we weren’t.”

“And how is that related to Killjoy?” Selena asked, her arms crossed across her chest.
“I have no idea.” Malcolm shook his head. “Rebecca was…” he sighed.

“Why was Rebecca exiled?” Deanna asked. “She said she wasn’t welcome in the town. That she only came here once every week or two for necessities.”

“Our divorce… was a messy affair.” Malcolm replied. “There were rumors of an affair.”
“Of her?!” Deanna choked, disbelief etched in her voice.
“Oh, I doubt that.” Huffed Selena. “Not like she can see very well in the dark – you’re the one that loves to operate there, right, Malcolm?”

For a moment, the mayor glared daggers into the eyes of the Snow Queen, a tired but no less sharp glare greeting him in return. 

“I had a choice to make.” Malcolm explained. “In my youthful naivety, I had confided many political secrets to my wife. To protect my position, I struck a deal with her. She would never have to worry about money or supporting herself provided she stayed away from Nome.”

“Cause that’s what people like you do, right?” Selena balked. “You either buy them off or make sure they disappear. That’s probably what Rebecca realized. She could either be alive or dead.”

Malcolm didn’t bother to deny the wrestler’s words. What was the point? He had spent years doing that to the Frost family until they had bested them. And it wasn’t like he was in front of a camera or anything. Instead, he merely shrugged his shoulders before sitting back in his large, black chair.

“You know… I always knew you were a bastard.” Selena started. “But the fact that you could do that to your wife…” Instinctively, a defensive hand rested on Deanna’s shoulders.

“Be married for twenty years.” Malcolm countered. “Then feel free to give me notes.”

“Malcolm – why are you still refusing to help?” Deanna asked, her voice holding a note of disbelief. “You know what Killjoy is capable of! And know you know that you’re on his list! Why can’t you work with us? Elsianna, David, Amiliah, Gavin, Ryan, Talia – Killjoy will go for them just as he went for me to get to you and Selena!”

“I don’t consider your third-born any concern of mine.” Malcolm replied dismissively. “She is the bastard child of you and a German criminal.”

It was Deanna’s turn to feel a stab of rage over the mayor’s cruel assessment of her beloved ‘fireball’. Her jaw clenched, her hands tightened around the table – and she felt the hand on her shoulder squeeze it gently, trying to support and calm her.

“Your opinion on our children is moot.” Selena stated firmly. “Our assessment of this situation is not. Killjoy will come for you and your family just like he has come for ours. You can either wait for him to act and watch your world burn, or you can help us.”

The mayor stayed in his chair, fingers drumming together in a pyramid shape. His only response, after a moment was a smile and a raise of eyebrows.

“Fine.” Selena huffed. “But now – whatever happens to your family… it’s on you.” She turned on the balls of her foot. “Come on, Deanna.” She advised, taking a few steps towards the door. She did not see Deanna start to get up before casting her eyes back at Malcolm, who’s gaze had shifted to her.

“Just one last thing, Malcolm.” Deanna started, getting to her full height. “Are Gavin and Ryan your only sons?” hearing her voice, Selena slowly turned around, her eyes on the two beyond her.

“Yes.” Malcolm answered. “I believe Selena knows that.”
“Uh-huh. And I assume Ryan is still bitter at Selena because the only child he had was with her? What about Gavin?”
“Where are you going with this?” Malcolm asked, clearly not in the mood for theatrics.

“Just something that came to me just now…” Deanna replied, reaching out to take the photo of Malcolm and Rebecca off the table. “If Elsianna and David are your only grandchildren… why would Rebecca say she had a room that belonged to her ‘granddaughter’?”

The question seemed to surprise the mayor, his head tilting to the side.

“Does she know about Elsianna or David?” Deanna asked. 
“Not that I know of. She certainly never met them.” Answered Malcolm.
“So, why would she have a room that was her ‘granddaughter’s’?” Deanna repeated.

“I…” it was Malcolm’s turn to shrug his shoulders. “I have no idea. Exile can do terrible things to a person – warp the mind, twist the notions of reality.” He cast a glance beyond Deanna. “You can relate, I am sure, Selena. Or do you still carry around a cooler filled with snow?”

The Snow Queen’s whole body stiffened before Deanna’s eyes, but Selena, otherwise, gave no reaction Malcolm’s jab. However, despite this, Deanna could see the wound in her wife, beneath the skin.

“You…” slowly, the wrestler found her voice. “You did a good job with my step-mother and Paracelsus.” She admitted. “You fragmented and almost shattered me. I did what I had to to stay alive – stay as sane as I could.”

“I’m sure Rebecca is the same way.” Stated Malcolm with a shrug. “As I said, exile can be a horrid prison.” His eyes returned to Deanna. “But you have impressed me, Ms. Springs.”
“Frost.” Deanna’s eyes narrowed. “My name is Deanna Frost.”

“Of course it is.” Malcolm rolled his eyes. “Far be it for me to have any kind of religious values in this world.” He muttered back, pushing himself out of his chair and moving to get himself another cup of coffee. “Answer me one last thing.” He ordered, stirring the cream and sugar into his own cup. “Aside from ‘promising my ultimate destruction’…” He laughed a little at that. “Was there anything else this ‘Killjoy’ said?”

“Nothing you haven’t heard from me.” Selena replied simply. “He wants what I have. He wants me dead and he wants you dead.”
“Nothing else?” Malcolm asked with a shrug, seemingly unfazed from Selena’s words.
“Nothing.”

“No… that isn’t true.” Deanna replied, her eyes changing from Selena to looking at Malcolm. “Killjoy said-“

I am merely a shadow. Your shadow.

“He said that he was Selena’s shadow.”

Everything you have will belong to me – it will be returned BACK to me.

“That everything Selena’s has will be returned ‘back’ to him.”

“And in time, I will make this right. I will move the earth. At las-!”

“And he said that he would make this right – that he would move the earth at last.”

“What?” the question came from Malcolm, but his expression had morphed – transformed into one of genuine shock. “What did you just say?”

Deanna blinked only for a moment before repeating herself. “In time, he would make this right. That he would move the earth at last.”

Dark eyes narrowed at Deanna, making the redhead feel scrutinized. “Are you certain?”
“Well, yes…” Deanna nodded her head. “He didn’t get the chance to finish his sentence because I threw a snowglobe at him to distract him.”

Without a word, Malcolm was out of his seat, moving towards a section of the room.

“What is it?” Selena asked, taking a steps to follow him, when-

“DO NOT MOVE!” Malcolm’s voice yelled, shocking the Frost wives into complying. “One step and I WILL have you arrested and damn your logical plans!” Gone was the calm, collected, strategic man that they had seen time and time again. This man was madly flipping open a painting of himself on the wall to reveal a vault, where he entered a code that neither woman could see. That accomplished, he opened the safe and pulled out a stack of papers, flipping through them quickly.

“No…No…No…” he muttered under his breath until he stopped, his eyes scanning and taking in the page that neither woman could see. “No…” he whispered. “It’s not possible.”

Slamming the folder shut, he tossed the papers back into the safe, slamming the large metal door and covering it with the portrait.

“What is it?” Deanna asked. “What was it I said that-“
“Nothing.” Malcolm chomped back. “Get out.”

“Oh bullcrap it was nothing!” Selena barked, marching back to where Malcolm stood. “What was it about ‘moving the earth’?”

The mayor turned his head to regard the two women, specifically Selena. “Selena…” he took in a long breath. “Go home. Leave this to me.”
“You’re going to help us?”
“No.” Malcolm replied. “I am going to help myself. If you happen to benefit from that, then so be it.”
“I can’t just walk away from this-“
“You can and you will!” Malcolm declared. “Go home, forget him. Forget all that’s happened.”
“I-“
“Selena!” ordered Malcolm. “If you desire to die, then please, continue on your way. If you want this to be over, do as I say.”

“Why?” Selena asked, leering at the mayor. “Why are you suddenly helping us? Why are you suddenly trying to save us? What is it you know?!”

Again, Malcolm took a deep breath. “More than you want to know.” He simply said. “And it’s better that you never know. And if you see Killjoy again… don’t hesitate. Kill him.” Slowly, the Scythe head of the family returned to his desk. “I’ll give you a minute before I call security to escort you out.”

There was a dead calm in his voice that unnerved Deanna. Quickly, she was on her feet. “Come on, Selena.”
“But-“
“It’s useless if we get arrested.” Deanna declared. “SCW – Ace and Lexy – they’d have a field day…”

It was the only thing Deanna could think of to get through to the Snow Queen, but it was enough, as Selena turned to march out of the room. Within minutes, the two were back down on the streets of Nome, both pairs of eyes settling on the blue pickup truck and the thick-rimmed glassed that saw them over top the large paper bag filled with groceries she held.

“He still a big pain?” Rebecca asked with a smile.
“You married him.” Selena stated with a sigh.
“We all make mistakes, right?” the older woman laughed as she put the bag of groceries in the passenger seat. “So… can I take you girls anywhere else? The old clunker-“ she smacked the hood of her truck with her hand. “Can still go if you don’t mind hoping in the back of the bed again.”

Turning her head towards Selena, a knowing smile and a raised eyebrow was Deanna’s expression.

“Really?!” Selena shook her head at the expression of her wife. “You’re gonna let your mind go there?”
“What?” Deanna shrugged her shoulders. “It’s good that we have experience in ‘hopping in bed’.”

With a dismissive shake of her head, Selena moved towards the back, leaping into the bed of the pickup truck with ease, while Deanna approached Rebecca.

“Could you just get us to the City Field Airport?” Deanna asked. “We can get where we need from there.”
“Of course!” laughed Rebecca. “Hope in the back and just knock on the window when you’re ready to go!”

Deanna gave nod, turning to go before stopping herself. “Uh…Rebecca…can I ask you a silly question?”

The old woman turned to smile at Deanna. “No such thing as a silly question. There’s silly answers, but no silly questions.”
“The room we stayed in – you said it was your granddaughter. Where is she now?”
“Oh.” Rebecca nodded. “She disappeared about seven or so years ago. I looked for her best I could but the police didn’t seem to care and…well… you know, Malcolm.”

“I do…” Deanna nodded his head.
“Bastard kept thinking I didn’t have a granddaughter.” Rebecca sighed. “Guess that’s how politicians work to keep their ‘reputation’. Lie even when the truth is right in front of you.” 

Her eyes flitted over to Selena, who sat against one of the corners of the back of the pickup-truck. “Your wife reminds me a little bit like her. Spunky and tough.”

“Yeah…” Deanna regarded her wife with a smile. “I don’t know what I do without her.”

With one last smile and nod to one another, Deanna scampered to the back, joining Selena in the corner where the Snow Queen rested. Crawling into Selena’s waiting arms, Deanna snuggled close, her back to Selena’s chest as the Snow Queen knocked on the back window of the truck, the vehicle soon starting and sputtering across the roads of Nome. 

Comfortable in her wife’s embrace, Deanna’s mind returned to Malcolm’s last words. She knew, just as she knew Selena knew, that the problem of Killjoy was not something that was going to be swept under the rug so easy. She had heard the desperation, the hate, the rage in Killjoy’s voice last night. She had felt the terror grip her, just as she knew it had gripped Selena.

And if you see Killjoy again… don’t hesitate. Kill him.

Feeling her wife’s warmth wrapped around her as the two bounced a little as the truck drove, Deanna wondered if that was something that she or Selena could do. Could either of them kill? Could either of them take that step…

She didn’t want to think about that. She didn’t want to see her beloved wife take that path… Two years in Frankfurt and she had seen where even one kill could change someone forever…

Trying to distract herself, the redhead dug out her notepad, flipping it open to the current page she was on.

“Okay…where was I?” she thought aloud, scanning her drawings and words – a mess of imagery both verbal and symbolic. “Fireworks, ropes… flashes…Selena, what about-“

As she turned her head, she saw her wife had fallen asleep, the Snow Queen’s head resting against the back frame of the truck. With a soft smile, Deanna turned back to her drawings, keeping close to her beloved.

Angel wings…no… ice castle – too Elsa… Come on, Deanna – you can throw a damn snowglobe in the head of the moment at a gun-touting psychopath but you can’t come up with a… her brain stopped as the idea hit her, the redhead flipping to a new page to write one word at the top, underlining it for emphasis.

Snowglobe…

It was the first idea that didn’t sound so bad…

_____________________________________

The camera opens up to the interior of the Sofi Stadium in Los Angeles, California… the home for this year’s RISE TO GREATNESS!

There can be no doubt about that as the first thing the camera picks up is the glowing graphic that hangs high above, glowing like a star in the sky, a remainder to, not only the fans, but the wrestlers that will be in this ring – reminding them where they are and what they are fighting for. But for now? The arena is empty save for ramp, the screens, the graphic, the ring… and a lone woman standing in the middle of the ring. 

The shot changes to one closer to the ring, where the audience can see inside, stands the SCW World Champion, herself, Selena Frost. She is looking up at the ceiling, the lights of blue and white shining down on her, some reflecting off the world title that hangs on her shoulder over her leather jacket and maroon t-shirt. Along with her black pants and runners, she stands out amongst the white of the ring canvas.

Slowly, the Snow Queen takes a deep inhale and exhale of breath. It’s… amazing… There is a shake in her voice, almost a humbling sound at the majesty that surrounds the girl from Nome.

To be here… in this ring. To know that the day has come. To understand what’s waiting for me when the show starts. The final match – the main-event – everything is on the line. The stakes beyond high. The world title… my wife, my sister, my children… here to watch me… Biting her lower lip, Selena reaches up to wipe the back of her free hand against her eyes, the smile clear on her face.

Eight years, I’ve dreamed of this moment. This chance. The chance that not many people can get. And even if it’s for one night… I’m part of that history – I’ll be part of something beyond special… her eyes move to the Rise to Greatness graphic hanging high before her gaze slowly hardens, her head lowering to turn back to the camera.

But you see – as much as I think it’s special – no matter what I try. No matter what I say, I can’t seem to get my opponent to feel the same way. Because for the second time, rather than my opponent showing himself and making an effort… we had to deal with a nice little diatribe from the apparent ‘mouth of Ace Marshall’ in the form of Lexy Chapel…

Disappointed, the Snow Queen shakes her head. Should I be surprised at this point? Should I be offended? Pissed off? Slighted? Lot emotions I’m feeling, but I’m also having a bit of a laugh.

Because it’s funny, Lexy, it is! – you say that this match is supposed to be Selena Frost vs. Ace Marshall. That’s what it says on the card, that’s what these people are expecting. That’s what these people WANT and DESERVE!

So why are you trying to force your way into it? she gives a shrug of her shoulders.

Why do I have to deal with you every time I try and give these people what you keep ‘promising’ and failing to deliver? Because every week, without fail, I come to work, looking for Ace, and you show up. I get in the ring to talk about the match? You show up. I’m backstage, answering questions about Rise to Greatness, and you show up.

Amazing how you seem to have all this time in the world to watch me and jump on every thing I say… but Ace Marshall can’t spare five minutes to give these fans the attention they deserve? Ace Marshall has ALL this ‘respect’ for me, but he needs you to throw an insult to me like ‘Selena Frost is stupid’ rather than say it to my face? Selena tilts her head left and right a little, seemingly in thought.

And how do you try and explain that away, Lexy? You say Ace is SO busy training that he can’t cut a damn promo? Selena shakes her head before reaching into her pocket to reveal her phone, her fingers pushing a few spots on the screen. Funny, he’s got time to retweet Kandis ‘thirst traps’. He’s got time to mock a pregnant Rachael Foxx on Twitter… but no time for supposedly ‘the biggest match of his career’? 

No, Lexy. The reason why Ace won’t show his face is because the last time he tried the same shit he’s pulled every time he’s done so with me? I dropped him on his ass.

Ace Marshall is afraid of Selena Frost because, for four years, the only way Ace Marshall has been able to deal with Selena Frost is exactly what he’s doing now. He hides, he lets someone else do all the work for him, and then he tries to come in at the end with a sneak attack or to pick the bones. That the plan for now, Lexy? Is Ace gonna show up to get the last word in or are you gonna go for the trifecta just so he can piss me off? 

I doubt it. Ace’ll come in at the end because “a moment”, “a fraction of time” is ALL Ace Marshall can bring. Like the old saying goes, Lexy – and you probably haven’t learned it at this point because you spent most of your time in SCW chasing dancing bears – you got two options in this business. “Step up or step aside” and Ace is certainly the latter of the two options.

Keeping her eye on the camera, Selena slowly begins pacing the ring. You fail to realize that you’ve pitched Lexymania to a horse, Lexy, that can ran faster than anyone… but can only run one lap. And when that lap is over? When your horse starts to get tired? While everyone else is digging deep and finding that second wind, that limit-breaking drive to defy expectations? Your horse has already trotted off the race track.

I’ll give you an example or two. 2009, your client, Ace Marshall, was going up and down SCW, declaring that he was “the Uncrowned Tag Champion” with Calvin Greene because he lost a gauntlet tag title match to a little team called Karnivale. He cried and whined to anyone that would listen until he got a shot at the tag-titles on an episode of Breakdown a week or so later…

Selena shakes her head. Your boy had the chance to step up or step aside, Lexy, and that horse lost again. And you know what happened when Ace Marshall lost again? He threw a bigger tantrum and quit SCW. 

Fast forward to 2017, Ace Marshall loses the world championship when I pin him the Breakdown after Rise to Greatness, and then again when I pin him inside the Elimination Chamber with Alistaire Allocco becoming the champion. What happens? I continue on in SCW and continue to claw my way through divisions, tournaments, and rivalries, culminating in a still-going eight year career. 

Does your talent come back? Does he pull himself up from his losses? Does he actually live up to the hype and the faith that the SCW Universe placed on him after they elevated him to Male Wrestler of the Year twice over? No. He spends 2018 to 2020 as a glorified cheerleader for Cassidy Carter.

Lifting a hand, Selena lets it drop. That’s your ‘supposed’ ‘superior superstar’, Lexy. A guy that can go when it’s easy. A guy that goes when everything is handed to him on a silver platter, but when push comes to shove? When the going gets tough? He’s the first one out of the building. He’s the one that guys like Shawn Winters make fun when he ‘actually shows up to every show this year’ while the rest of us are doing it year after year. And yet you… you wonder why I question you when you say that he’s just away cause he’s ‘preparing’.

A dry laugh escapes the Snow Queen. Ace Marshall isn’t here talking to me cause Ace Marshall doesn’t want to talk to me. Ace Marshall isn’t putting in the time for this match like I am because THAT is Ace Marshall. I said it before and I’ll say it again, I know what I am in for. I know I’m not just fighting Ace Marshall… 

Ace Marshall is going to look for whatever cheap ploy and short cut that he can take to become World Champion. Whether that comes from you, or Autumn, or someone else you hire… I know I am in for the fight of my life here tonight. Because, like you said, he’s gonna look for any way to ‘hedge his bet’.  Because Ace Marshall is too afraid to take a risk. Too afraid to have a battle of words with me. Too afraid to have a clean match that this night deserves!

She shakes her head. That’s your ‘horse’, Lexy. And you can gussy up that horse! You can paint him with new colors! Shine his mane up really nice, give him a cool name and attach your name to it and promote it to the moon like he’s a damn unicorn – he’s still the same damn ass he’s always been.

And when that gas tank of his runs out, and I promise you, it will, you’re gonna watch as he does what Ace Marshall does better than anyone else. Ace Marshall gives up. On Rise to Greatness, on the world title… on you and ‘LexyMania’.

Pointing up, Selena gestures to one of the posters of superstars hanging from the wall, one of her challenger. Because that man – that Ace Marshall? He’s been to five Rise to Greatness pay-per-view since 2009. Only five. Know how many of those matches he’s won with his “damn good talent”? Selena holds up one finger.

Yeah, Ace Marshall can get to the main-event probably better than anyone in SCW right now but when it comes to meeting the expectations this night demands? Of going above and beyond the standard? That’s where he falters and where I shine like a damn diamond! Reaching up, Selena slams her hand against the world title. 

Because since my debut in 2013, I’ve been in SEVEN out of seven Rise to Greatness matches. And out of those seven? Three were considered high-enough calibreby management to be the second last match of the night. Out those seven at least four were considered “award worthy”.

Of those seven, I have won five! Selena holds her hand up, indicating the number spoken.

Because every time I have come here, to this place, to this night, I know what is at stake. And now, more so than ever, I know what is at stake here – and you, Lexy, you tried so hard to make me forget that, didn’t you?

You came out the first Breakdown I had as the new World Champion last month and you told me ‘let’s just focus on the match. Let’s think about nothing else’. You wanted me to see that you weren’t Holly Adams or your father or anything of the sort.

And it wasn’t because you were telling the truth, because, let’s face it, your ‘version’ of the truth, is nothing more than controlled PR to try and spin anything I say or do with the same old tired rhetoric of ‘sainthood and martyrdom’ that everyone else has used trying to define me.

The reason why you wanted me to focus on the present is because it takes away what I am fighting for.

The Snow Queen runs a hand through her medium-length platinum-blonde hair. Because how the hell did the “Disney ripoff” beat the supposed ‘standard-bearer’ Syren?
How the hell did the “Snow-Bitch” beat the unbeatable Cid Turner?
How the hell did Selena Frost get to the main-event of Rise to Greatness?

It was because I was fighting for the same thing that I’ve always believed in: I was fighting for everything that SCW is. The past, present and future. she moves her hand from left to right.

See, you wanted me to ignore the past and you wanted me to see you as nothing like Holly – to the point where you’re now backtracking and saying that ‘it doesn’t matter if I think you’re like Holly and Ace is like Cid’ or whatever.

Lexy… it does matter. And Ace knows it, too. Selena smiles knowingly.

Because from day one, since I made a choice that I was going to become world champion with my wife by my side, we have worked together for one purpose. To change the way the world title is seen in SCW.

Because champion after champion, person after person, fighter after fighter has said the same excuse over and over again. “I’m just doing what every other person is doing” to justify the con-jobs, the screwjobs, the ambushes, and every underhanded tactic that people have used to get and keep this world title in their possession. she stares down at the world championship in her hand.

What I wanted? Ace called it a myth. she shakes her head.

It wasn’t a myth, Ace. It was a goal. A dream. A dream that this could be decided by skill, by passion, by hard work and by supreme wrestling – what the words S-C-W stand for! A dream that I have pursued with all my heart, my soul, and my passion, putting everything on the line each and every night while you coast through. 

Because I have lived my career by that old slogan, Ace: “Step up or step aside”. And I was not ready to step aside, Ace. I was not ready to step aside just because things got tough for me:

Just because I got my head smashed with a monitor.
Just because my ribs were fractured.
Just because a crate was dropped on my foot.
Just because I was whipped with barbed wire. 
Just because I had a bad year.
Just because I lost.

And in eight years, after all of that? I’m still not tired, Ace. I’m still not giving up. I’m still stepping up. And in those eight years, I’ve fought against some of the absolute best. From Infamous to the Wonderland, from Xander to Vixen Cain, from Matt Auclair to Dawn Lohan. And over the years, there’s been a number of superstars that have been able to step up and beat me like you said, but not a single one has been able to keep up with me! She glares at the camera.

And then I get told that you’re different, Ace. Lexy tells me that you’re different this time – that SHE’S different from everyone else I’ve faced or dealt with! That this match is going to be something special – something different than me having to fight for the SCW world title to be represented properly.

Licking her lips, a sigh escapes Selena. But now here we are. And you, Ace? You hide while your manager talks.
You take the world tag-team titles, as soon as you won the world title, and passed them off to someone else.
You, Lexy, handed those titles over to someone else like Cid did to Asher with the world title. Like Infamous also did with Zero Fucks to Give.
And you, Lexy, are claiming the success of “Lexymania” as if you’re holding the titles... just like Holly.

The Snow Queen knowingly shakes her head slowly. You’re not different, Lexy. You and Ace are just part of the problem. You’re the problem that has infested the world title picture to the point that you call it ‘reality’. And it sickens me.

Because let’s say you’re right. Let’s say you do all that you say and Ace takes the world title from me. I’ve talked about the present, the past… what if Ace Marshall becomes the NEW World Champion?

What then, Ace? What then, Lexy?

For a moment, Selena appears genuinely curious in this question. 

Does Ace continue to hide whenever it’s time to do his job while Lexy talks for him? Does Lexy pretend she’s won the world title and get herself a ‘version of it’ to hold? Do you hire another superstar to save Ace when he can’t hold his own in the ring? Does every match you have as the world champion remain tainted and controversial while you try and find a way to run, hide, and spin it like you’re the greatest wrestler alive – all while proving nothing?

Another shake of the head. You’re not a realist, Ace. You’re just a lazy, desperate fool – just a part of the glaring problem that exists with the mindset regarding this championship! she holds the world title out towards the camera.

For so long, it’s been about how many ‘friends can help you’ and how many ‘rules can you break’ to get this title – to keep this title. And I’m done seeing the place I love, the business I love be represented by someone like that. I am done being told to ‘aspire’ to that level of unprofessional, desperate, cheapskates just because one of you holds this title! I am done being ashamed of what this title has been made to represent! Because I’ve finally been able to pull it out of that mud. Finally begun to undo some of that damage and give this belt the right to have the letters S-C-W etched into it. And there is no way in hell that I am going to let the world title fall back into your ‘standard’, Ace.

Taking a deep breath, Selena turns her attention back to the camera. LexyMania isn’t going to make history tonight, Lexy. LexyMania is going to go the way of Monarchy, of A/C Blondtourage Unit, of Blood Grove, of the Wonderland. A flash in the pan that got knocked down by the REAL standard of SCW. And as for you, Ace?

The Snow Queen slowly shakes her head. You’re not going to be World Champion, Ace. You’re going to be a footnote. You are going to be the answer to a trivia question! “Who did Selena Frost beat at the Rise to Greatness main event to retain the world championship in 2021?”.

Carefully, Selena moves the world title back onto her shoulder. So thank you, Ace. Thank you, Lexy. Thank you for reminding me just how much more I need to fight for my and my Deanna’s dream. Thank you for showing me that my work is far from done. That my work doesn’t end at Rise to Greatness tonight. Thank you for showing me how this night isn’t going to be the end of me as the World Champion. No, it’s going to be the beginning. 

The beginning of a better standard for this title.
The beginning of a better standard for SCW.
The beginning of a better Selena Frost than EVER before.
And the beginning of an SCW… that every single person can be proud of… and truly believe in.

With pride, Selena holds the world title over her head. Believe it! And welcome to my standard of S-C-W!

The camera fades on that image – a confident World Champion on the cusp of changing the world of SCW as we know it….

[Ace]

It's been a pleasure, Sir.

----->89<-----