Villain of the Year
”Strange Reflections…”
Eyrie Tower Castle
New York City, New York
January 11th, 2025
3:15pm
Selena hadn’t bothered to carry her duffle bag with her from her vehicle to the elevator. She would grab it and bring up with her another time. When she wasn’t so agitated. Besides, it wasn’t like she was at a loss for wrestling gear and clothes. And if history was any indication, she probably wouldn’t even need her gear next week, having competed last Breakdown.
Last Breakdown…
That night – less than two days ago – had been the sole cause of her pain, frustration and lack of sleep, leading to a drained, sore, and angry Selena. Even the NX hadn’t completely numbed the pain her back felt, the dull ache racing up and down her spine and back muscles with every moment.
I am going to kill that son of a bitch… she thought angrily.
It was bad enough that she had not been given her ‘main-event’ spot with her match with Brittany Lohan, although that was becoming more and more of a common occurrence and, she had to admit (easier to do privately) and SCW’s picks weren’t exactly “wrong” or “bad” choices 90% of the time. Matches like the Tag-Team Championship a few weeks ago, Evans vs. Amelia a few nights ago to push the Light in the Darkness vs. Fall of Man feud – at the very least the matches replacing her and her segments were serving a purpose and giving something to come back to for the SCW Universe so, while it wasn’t great for her, at least it was something. Still, bad enough she couldn’t enjoy that spot, but oh that goddamn Mason…
Smashing me with a chair…
Handcuffing me…
And then…
She felt her whole body go tense at the memory, further instilling those feelings of pain, exhaustion and frustration. Again, Blake Mason had sought to stick his head into Selena’s match, much like he had to start all this back at the Trios Finals. And fine – she had done the same to him countless times, costing him numerous matches and victories, not to mention the World Championship in his hometown. Had Mason simply beaten up Selena – even smashed her with a chair and microphone as he had and nothing else, she’d have chalked it up to ‘the business’. The ‘Wild West’ that she was living while it’s ‘promiser’, Josh Hudson was doing jack-shit about keeping it and maintaining it. Hell, Konrad Raab and Xander Valentine were doing a better job of it than he had – of course neither comparing to Selena being the leading example with her feuds and matches. And if Blake had stayed in that regard, shot for shot, she would have taken it. Would have recovered and just embarrass him at the Pay-Per-View.
But oh no… he had to go too far! He had to play the ‘family’ card!
She heard the elevator doors ding, causing her head to shoot up a little. Soon as they opened, the platinum-blonde was on the move, marching through the doors and into the halls of her “castle in the air”. She knew the space by heart at this point and where every hall, doorway, and path lead. Before her brain could catch up to her present self, she was already moving up the stairs onto the third floor, which only had one room – the master bedroom, which took up the majority of the floor with its large bedroom, walk-in closet and opulent bathroom. Of course, in her state, Selena ignored all of that and simply walked the last few steps into the bedroom area until she was close enough to suddenly drop, falling down face first into the waiting bed and pillow, which shifted to accommodate the ‘drop’. Soon as she felt the soft-yet-supporting pillow had hit her face (
So much better than a damn microphone…) and her body (still in her jeans and dark-green sweater) sank into the bed, she allowed herself to let out a muffled groan that was a mix of all three of the previously mentioned feelings/sensations – though she tried to ignore the stinging in her eyes as some of those feelings threatened to overwhelm her.
She thought she was truly past all of this shit! She was one of, if not the most, decorated superstars in SCW history! True, a case COULD be made for Syren given her history, but now? In 2025? Beating Syren was, by and far, a smaller accomplishment (given her absences and failures in reacquiring the world title over and over again – not to mention her inability to win ten matches in a row and needing Lexy to swindle her through that) - Selena had her there presently. Simply beating the Snow Queen in a match was enough to catapult even a Hall of Famer’s career – case, in point, Josh Hudson being the Male Wrestler of the year despite being absent for over half of it! Hell, everything with Blake Mason had simply been because she was the rocket-ship needed to get him to the world title – common logic that everyone could see and even Sharper and Knots had remarked on.
She had worked ten years, outlasting people like Hudson, Xander, Kandis, Allocco, and Marshall to have her name and status MEAN something in the ring. In the ring! Early on? Yeah, the ‘mind games’ that had been employed by the likes of Chris Cannon, Xander Valentine, Vixen Cain and many others – she had hated it but it had made sense. She wasn’t the woman she was now and her status not as high. These things, despicable and hated by her as they were, had brought more eyes on those challengers, had brought more eyes on the matches she waged with them. So, business-wise, it made sense.
This? This shit with Mason? Didn’t!
All he had to do was beat her. Beat her in the ring and he’d be set! Beat her clean and show he was better than her and he’d shoot so high up the rankings, people’s necks would hurt jerking their gaze up so fast and so high to see him! Why couldn’t he do that?! Why go this far?! Why go after Deanna? And Elsianna-
Another groan escaped her, this one with a bit of scream mixed in it, all muffled by the pillow as Selena roared her frustrations into the soft fabric.
“So… I’m guessing things didn’t go well…”
“Understatement of the fucking year!” Selena answered back through her pillow, though it sounded more like ‘Unnaa staama uvva mfukking year’, not the least bit thrown off by the voice coming from behind her.
Despite her ‘broken English’, there was no request for Selena to repeat herself from the voice. A rather, a long sigh came from it as Selena heard the sound of footsteps drawing closer to her bed. She did not move as the steps drew closer, not flinched when the bed shifted as someone sat at the foot of it.
“What happened?” came the patient voice.
Another groan came from Selena before the platinum-blonde pushed herself up from her collapsed position, wincing a little at the pain in her back. Shrugging out of her leather jacket and tossing it to the floor, she repositioned herself to sit against the headboard of her large bed, finally able to see the young redhead watching her patiently, emerald eyes simply observing her.
“A lot…” Selena answered slowly. “And it got much worse, Deanna.” She started, prompting no response from the younger woman. “Gods…” Selena sighed again, letting her head lean back to gaze up at the ceiling, taking in the dark colors above her. “Mason’s got more on us than I thought.”
THAT was enough to get a response from Deanna, the redhead’s eyes widening a little before leaning forward slightly. “What do you mean, Selena?” she asked. “I thought moving me here, while, let’s face, is awkward at best, was because this address WASN’T in the file.”
Again, the Snow Queen initially answered with a sigh. Not because her ex-partner was wrong, but because of Selena’s own arrogance. She had truly thought she had solved all the issues with Blake Mason. After the incident in Kentucky with Amelia and Lydia’s house, Selena had, eventually, suggested that Deanna stay with her in the Eyrie Tower. Yes, it was awkward as Deanna had just mentioned, but the information had never been submitted to SCW Headquarters – her address still belonging to their, or rather Deanna’s, ‘Forever Home’ in Manhattan. On paper, there was no way – at least in Selena’s mind – that Blake could get to Deanna again just to get to her, which she knew the damn coward would do if/when given the chance. So, Deanna was, promptly, moved back to New York. The same rules applied as before, but at least, Selena hoped, Deanna could feel safe again, which would only further encourage her mental healing so she could return to the job she missed so much. It was an ideal plan!
And in her smugness over her ‘plan’, Selena had, stupidly, made the biggest oversight…
“It…It was.” Selena sighed again slowly, feeling that familiar anger and frustration boiling through. “I wasn’t talking about you.” Finally, she lowered her head to gaze back at the redhead. “He went after Elsianna.”
“What?!” Emerald-eyes went wide and, for a moment, Deanna seemed shell-shocked by the name. “That…” the panic was instantaneous, the mind leaping to a dozen horrible scenarios, perhaps more, in the span of seconds. “Is she…what is… how could…” she stammered out, crawling across the bed, closer to Selena, on pure instinct, as if closeness would acquire her more answers faster. “Selena, I-“
“Deanna, please…” Selena tried, wincing as the redhead’s movements aggravated the platinum-blonde’s spine. “Easy…” she hissed through the aches racing through her. “She’s fine…” she managed to breath it. “A little shaken, but fine.”
“What did he do?” Deanna asked, the alarm still in her voice.
To answer, Selena took a deep breath, opting to start with the easier to explain parts. “He waited till after I was worn out from my match with Brittany Lohan.” Selena sighed. It hadn’t been the hardest match in her career, but ‘The War Machine’ was no slouch. True, Selena hadn’t had to bring out her big weapons like the Glass Shard or Defying Gravity or, even, The Devil’s Gate to win the match, but she had been manhandled quite a few times against the woman. Even so, she had refused to lose to ‘Mason’s lackey’, if only to drive the point home what it was like to actually win a match through skill and dominance.
“Mason got me from behind with a chair and then handcuffed me to the rope.” She continued. “He was mouthing off as he usually does, got a few shots in, but then…” this was the hard part to retell. “He took out his cellphone and called our house.”
A slight gasp came from the woman seated beside her, the sharp Deanna already putting the pieces together, despite Selena pushing herself through the story.
“He purposely asked for Elsianna and then put her on video screen so she could see me. So, the world could see her…” Selena’s eyes slammed shut, trying to drive out that image from her memory – the one of her daughter, looking so scared and powerless, as she watched her mother being handcuffed and bashed in the head. “There was nothing I could do…” Selena finished with a whisper, the most painful fact lingering with her from the moment it happened.
Handcuffed to the rope, unable to reach Mason or the damned phone. Unable to communicate to Elsianna to hang up. Simply at the mercy of whatever Mason wanted to do… she had not felt so powerless in… since…
No, not even when Xander was mercilessly attacking SCW fans due to his loss to her years ago… Not even then…
Since watching the tag-titles be taken from Deanna and given to Ace Marshall?
Since watching Giovanni Aries break the U.S. title into pieces and throw it around into the audience?
Since being kidnapped by Vixen Cain?
Since Dawn Lohan abandoning her?
Since Ryan Scythe tossed her aside?
Since her father disappearing?
Since her step-mother trying to drown her…
The images assailed Selena’s mind in a second, one right after the other, each one stinging her heart like the most recent actions. Feeling her jaw clench, Selena’s eyes closed as she breathed in deeply. “I am going to kill that son of a bitch…” she growled lowly.
“Not if I get there first…” the voice surprised Selena, the woman opening her eyes to see Deanna gazing away to the far wall, the growl in her words unmistakable. Noticing she was being observed, Deanna turned her gaze back over to Selena. “What?” she asked, clearly not understanding Selena’s perplexed look.
“What did you just say?”
“I said, ‘Not if I get there first’.” Deanna repeated. “Because I want his head too!” Selena the redhead’s jaw clench. “Who the hell does he think he is?! Elsianna is twelve! That’s just… just… SICK!”
It was actually, to the surprise of Selena, something that she found SCW agreeing with them on, if Sharper and Knots’ remarks were any indication, no one was ‘behind’ Mason’s actions. Come after, Selena? Sure! Beat her to the ground with a chair? You bet! Promise to make her life miserable! Absolutely, provided it was all just her. But involve an innocent child?
Least there’s a line… Selena thought, more confused by that from the SCW Universe than anything else. Still, she didn’t have time to dwell on that. “I’ve already dealt with it.” She opted to say, now trying to calm her wife down.
“You did?” Deanna asked, earning a nod from Selena.
“That’s why I wasn’t here yesterday. Second I was conscious enough to do anything, I called Elsianna to make sure she was okay, then rushed back to Manhattan, while Breakdown was still going on-“
“Did CHBK-“
“I don’t fucking care.” Selena laughed. “I didn’t even ask him. I just left. If he wants to fine me for that, so be it! Small pennies compared to this ever-mounting lawsuit I’ve got going on towards SCW and Mason.” She scoffed, adding the next part out of bitter amusement. “By the time, I’m done with them, they’re going to owe me so much, Alex is going to have to GIVE me the world title as a down payment!”
“Is that all you can think of?” Deanna asked, regaining Selena’s attention.
“No…” Selena sighed. “I was trying to be funny.” She replied honestly. “Sort of a defense mechanism.” She shook her head. “Anyway, yesterday, I was on the phone with my lawyer, then the cellphone companies-“
“What for?”
“To get the Manhattan phone numbers changed. That took a bit of time, but now the house phone, Elsianna’s cellphone and your phone are different.” She sighed. “I’ve already updated your phone with that and their numbers.”
“What about the-“
“Bank? Mail? Friends?” Selena asked. “Took care of it quietly.” She added. “I told you it took me all day to get it done, but… least now he can’t pull the same trick again.”
“Does SCW…” Deanna halted herself. “Does CHBK know?”
“Hell no!” Selena barked back, causing the younger woman to flinch back slightly. “I’m not telling him or SCW shit at this point. I can’t trust a single person on that board or in that staff room with anything personal!”
“What about…” Deanna seemed to hesitate for a moment. “What about Aaron?”
The name surprised Selena for a moment as she tried to associate the name. “Demitria?”
The nod from Deanna confirmed her guess, causing Selena to sit back a little against the headrest. She knew the answer, despite not liking it. And the truth was, there was a time she could have trusted the official to look out for her. Not in the way of rigging matches or being bias or unfair, but at least have her back when things spiralled into the unreasonable area. Hell, Demitria had helped lead the charge when Mason had started bashing her with that damn chair, trying to get him stop.
Still, Selena remembered… she couldn’t fully trust him. She had realized that back in July, scoffing at the memory. Hudson thought he was SOOOO slick… buttering up Aaron at that bar. Did he really think there wasn’t a fan there that spotted the two of them drinking together? That someone wouldn’t have recognized the two, taken a quick picture and posted it on X as a jab towards Selena? With a lovely little tagline of ‘Selena should be scared now!’.
She had found it moments after arriving at the arena for Rise to Greatness and had almost marched to Alex’s office to demand another official… but she had promised Aaron to bring him to the main-event of RTG… and she never broke a promise… even if she couldn’t trust Demitria fully from that moment onward.
“No…” Selena breathed. “He’s likely to let something slip without meaning to. And it’s not like he can do anything, himself, against Mason. He’d just get hurt, and I rather not have that weighing on my conscience.” She answered to Deanna’s question. “The important thing is that now, all correspondence of us – you, me, The House of Frost or whatever – goes through my phone. No one in SCW contacts our house, our children-“
“Me?”
“-Without my say so.” She did not hear Deanna’s words until she had finished the sentence, immediately gazing back to see the dejected look on her ex-wife’s face. “I mean…” she tried to explain. “At least until you’re cleared.” She added. “Once you’re back, you can give them your new number and all of that! I won’t get in the way of that. This is just-“
“I know what you meant, Selena.” Deanna sighed, reaching out to take one of Selena’s pale hands, holding it firmly but gently. “It’s just… it’s hard, okay?” she admitted. “You won’t let me watch SCW-“
“That’s…that’s the therapist’s orders!” Selena tried.
“Okay, but I can’t stay with the children – that’s on you.”
“Because it’s risky!” Selena tried.
“Is it?” Deanna asked, shaking her head. “Enigma has moved on. SCW moved on from what I tried to do. And yes, things with Mason escalated things, but now he’s after our children too! I don’t need to be there for him to go after them, he proved that. So… why can’t I just go home and protect them myself?”
“Because…” Selena tried, but her voice fell short. Mostly, because she didn’t have an answer. Originally, Deanna’s isolation had been to separate her from SCW and Enigma and allow her to recover. If she didn’t know what was happening in SCW, she wouldn’t be compelled to seek out Enigma again and, instead, focus on recovery, with Enigma being unable to find her. That had been the original argument. Now, her isolation had been to keep their children safe since Mason was targeting the Frost women to get to Selena. That argument had been kiboshed the other night.
The result? There was no reason to keep Deanna and the children separate. If Mason was desperate enough to go after Elsianna, and only Elsianna, then she was as much a target as Deanna was. And unlike Gerda, who was constantly looking after the children, Deanna was capable of protecting the children of Mason, or one of his associates, did show up.
“I don’t have an answer to that.” Selena finally replied. “I’ll have to think about it in Dusseldorf…”
“I actually wanted to talk to you about that…”
Immediately, Selena didn’t like the tone of the remark that came from Deanna – the slow intake of breath matched only by the slowness of her words. “And given everything you just told me with Mason… and Elsianna… AND you just said that it doesn’t matter anymore…” Selena watched as the younger woman bit her lower lip, temporarily distracting Selena with such a cute display, but that feeling was quickly dimmed due to the soreness in her spine, which shortened her patience.
“Out with it, Deanna, please.” She tried, reaching up to message the space between her eyes. “I’m literally on 4 hours of sleep the last few days.”
“I want to go with you to Germany, okay? With the kids-”
“No.”
The answer came out instantly, the speed shocking Deanna for only a second, but only for a second. “Selena…” Deanna tried.
“Deanna.” Selena shot back, eyes glued on the seated woman beside her. “He sent Brittany to set your sister’s house on fire! He came after our twelve-year-old daughter. Now you want me to put you even closer where he can get you? That’s insane!”
“I didn’t say go with you to Dusseldorf!” Deanna countered back, her voice raising a little. “I said ‘Go with you to Germany.”
The Snow Queen could only look at Deanna, her expression clearly read as if to say ‘What’s the bloody difference?’. In response, Deanna took a deep breath to calm herself.
“Okay…” she tried. “So… We both know Mason wants to beat you so he can shoot up the rankings and get the World title.”
“Right.” Selena sighed, the information she had already shared with Deanna over the past few months common knowledge to her, though doing nothing for her frustrations.
“And… as we’ve learned, he’ll do whatever it takes to make that happen.”
“Right.”
“So, what if we took the children and went someplace no one knows is associated with us? I mean… he must know you’re somewhere in New York because of me and the kids, but if we were to go with you to Germany, instead of searching a city, he’ll have to search a damn country. We’d be safe and-“
“What’s the real reason, Deanna?” Selena’s question cut the redhead off, the Snow Queen’s glare making it behind clear she could see through the fluff and BS.
With a sigh, Deanna shrugged her shoulders. “I miss our children, Selena.” She admitted. “Do you realize that the only time you let them visit me was Christmas and I had to beg you for that?” Selena remained silent, for while her reasoning on the subject had been sound, there was nothing she could say in that moment that would help. So she remained quiet, letting Deanna continue.
“I’m… I’m alright.” Deanna tried. “And I understood when me being near them put them in more danger with Enigma and then Mason, but now? Now it doesn’t matter one way or another. I want time with them again. I want to take care of them. I don’t have to get involved with SCW if that’s what you’d prefer – least till I’m cleared. But please… can I just…” she stopped, unable to finish her request.
The two were silent for a moment, Deanna suddenly fascinated with her hands in her lap and Selena merely watching Deanna. It took a moment, but a slow sigh eventually escaped the platinum-blonde. “And I suppose you have a magical place in mind where Mason and his ‘resources’ won’t find any of you?”
She watched Deanna’s head jerk up as her words left her lips and, as those words registered in the redhead’s mind, allowing her to give a quick few nods of her head and give a bright smile. “Schoenburg.” She answered.
The word, or rather name, was instantly recognizable to Selena, part of her even surprised she hadn’t thought of it in the initial planning.
“I… I looked it up.” She heard Deanna continue. “It’s a two to three hours away… so he can’t go himself.”
And he can’t send Brittany with her title shot against Colleen happening. Selena further reasoned mentally as Deanna continued to speak.
“So even if he found the location, there’s no way he can go or send someone like Brittany without having that person miss the Pay-Per-View. Which means they’re not in your way at the same time! And imagine if he tries to look for us in New York? A wild goose chase!”
Selena could only smirk at that. The reason was still beyond clear to her – regardless of how many ‘other reasons’ Deanna threw up. Still, there was some solid truth to Deanna’s argument. Selena had used the Schoenburg castle to keep her children near Deanna during the redhead’s incarceration at Frankfurt Prison III, not to mention their honeymoon. Despite these uses, she had never notified SCW of the castle’s relation to her, simply keeping the Manhattan address as the primary address.
I still have more cards to play…
The threat from Mason still rang in Selena’s ears and continued to unnerve her. There was no telling how much information Mason had on her, just as importantly, what other information Mason had learned on his own. The files he had acquired could very well have just been a ‘starting point’ for the desperate man. He could very well know about the Schoenburg Castle somehow! Still, he could also know about the Eyrie Tower at the same time…
For the few seconds of silence given to her by Deanna, Selena ran through more ‘what-ifs’ and concerns than she cared to admit. She could just as easily ship Deanna and the children off to Nome! No way Mason would go there – but he sure as hell would send someone there to do his dirty work. Then there was picking some random location but who was to say that Mason wasn’t keeping tabs on Selena’s credit cards? Or Deanna’s? It was the main way to acquire reservations for hotels and Air BnBs these days! These and dozen more options rampaged through the platinum-blonde’s mind as she sat on the bed, with the same ‘result’ coming through each and every time…
In the end, Deanna was (despite her condition) one of the best fighters in SCW and still recognized as the United States Champion, a title she had held for over a year! If someone did come after their children again, they would have a hell of a fight on their hands with Deanna guarding them...
And if there was anyone I could choose to protect them…
“I’ll think about it.” Selena slowly answered, shifting her weight and wincing at the ache in her back. “I’ve still got next Breakdown to worry about.” She added, pushing herself off the bed and to her full height, her back protesting every step of the way. “No way in hell am I letting him get away with this.”
“Good.” Deanna agreed with a nod of her head, though Selena could still feel the redhead’s eyes on her back as the former world champion moved around the room towards one of the cabinets. Opening it, she spotted what she was looking for in the small yellow, plastic container. Twisting the white cap open, she tapped the end of the bottle with one of her fingers until one of the clear-gel capsules tumbled into her hand.
“Do you have to take that?” she heard Deanna asked, a little bit awkwardly. “I mean… after all this time?”
A sigh came from Selena as she closed the container, turning around to face her ex. “It helps.” She admitted. “I try not to have too many, but…”
“You admitted to me you were an addict, Selena.” Deanna stated with a sad tilt of her head. “I’m just… long-term, you know?”
“I know.” Selena nodded. “But I don’t… I mean, I can try but…” she tried to explain. “He did a number on my back, Deanna. And you know of my history with that.”
“As well as your leg and foot.” Deanna nodded. “But do you ever feel…” she shrugged uncomfortably. “Like you’re cheating?”
“Cheating?” Selena asked.
“Cause you’re using a painkiller to compete?”
For a moment, Selena contemplated it. “It’s not that kind of painkiller.” Selena shook her head. “It’s helping me manage the pain so I can focus on healing. I don’t take it when I’m wrestling.”
“Really?”
“Of course not.” Selena laughed. “After? Sure. But before a match? No, I wouldn’t do that. I’ve built my entire reputation on what I can endure, Deanna. What would it say if I was taking painkillers before a match? That I need something in order to compete with the likes of Xander and Hudson? Hell no! I’d rather be in the midcard than say that!”
“Okay, I’m sorry!” Deanna tried, holding her hands up in quiet surrender and apology. “I just don’t want you to risk overdosing like I did, okay?”
Exhaling a breath, Selena slowly gave a nod. “I’m sorry too.” She replied. “It’s just this damn thing with Mason. It was supposed to be a simple match. Something between him and me. I was fine with that. Something to keep me busy until it was time to start chasing the world title again. Now… with all of these games… I thought I was past all of this. That my family was off-limits.”
She found herself sitting back on the bed as she swallowed the NX pill. “I’m just so tired of it.” She sighed. “So… so tired…”
When had the exhaustion caught up with her? She had been wired and full of energy when Deanna had entered the room. Now? It was like everything – the emotional damage from seeing her daughter’s face on that little screen and hearing her call for her mother, the pain from those chair shots and blows to the head from the microphone, the threats Mason continued to assail on her, and the lack of sleep from her having to deal with the backlash of it all – it all seemed to catch up to her. She was suddenly so tired. So worn out.
So… so…
Selena’s eyes fluttered open, suddenly seeing little but darkness when, just a second ago to her, there was the bright light of the afternoon sun! Now? There was no light except for the amber of the nightlight plugged into the nearby wall and the glowing green of the digital clock, telling her the time.
9:13pm…
Wait… PM? As in six hours later? her mind realized in shock!
She wanted to jerk her body upright from it, but couldn’t, and not because of the stiffness in her back as it still recovered from Breakdown’s damage, but from the arms wrapped around her, holding her tightly but so gently…
What the- Immediately, Selena’s thoughts/alerts went ballistic! Not because she didn’t recognize the warm, gentle embrace of those arms, but rather BECAUSE she recognized them based on touch alone! How could she not?! She had been held by those arms too many times to count in the last nine or so years to forget how they felt around her!
Slowly, terrified, Selena pulled herself back a little to see the sleeping redhead beside her, Deanna’s face resting on a pillow just above where Selena’s head had laid, nestled against Deanna’s collarbone and neck. Even in the dimly lit room, Selena could see how peaceful the redhead looked, wrapped around the former world champion as if trying to protect her-
Oh gods… Selena realized as she took in more of her surroundings, including a better understanding of her physical position.
I’m the little spoon!
Trying to ignore the way her heart leapt at this revelation, the platinum-blonde slowly… very slowly… moved herself off the bed and out of Deanna’s arms, careful not to disturb the sleeping beauty. She was still in her clothes which meant that she hadn’t moved from that spot for hours. But when did Deanna? And why?
As the former world champion distanced herself further from the bed, Selena allowed her eyes to gaze, once more, over at the sleeping redhead. The way Deanna lay there quietly. If she were honest with herself, part of Selena was thrilled with this, her hand flying up to place itself over her pounding heartbeat. The other part of her – most of her – was terrified. Truly and utterly terrified.
Because it was one thing for her to tell Deanna that she still loved her as she had back in Kentucky. It was one thing to be honest with her feelings. That was harmless. That was when Selena had been certain that she and the redhead’s ‘future together’ was now impossible. The divorce had made it so, hadn’t it? That’s what Deanna wanted – that’s why Selena had signed it…
But then what in Odin’s name does THIS mean?! her mind screamed in utter confusion. Had she invited this upon herself when she had come up with the idea of Deanna living with her to keep the redhead safe from Mason and his associates? Or was this some sort of ‘reaction’ to their family being in danger due to Blake’s more recent actions?
The truth was, it was because Selena didn’t understand that was causing her to feel so unnerved. Watching the younger woman sleep on the bed – and feeling the desire to return to where she had just
been next to her – none of this made sense to Selena. Because if she could understand it, she could then assess it. See it for what it was. She had done so in her dealings with Mason, taking time to study him, review her options, and enact a plan rather than go rushing in like some crazed fiend like Konrad or Hudson. And, till this point, her plan had worked well. She had messed with Mason’s title shot, helped get him out of the Elimination Chamber, beaten down his bodyguard, and kept him from winning a single match and thus, further dropping him down the rankings for the world title. Hell, at this rate, Religious Wright would have a better chance at becoming the number one contender over Blake Mason. And all because Selena had assessed and picked her moments, like she was with that rematch clause she still had.
But this? She couldn’t assess this because it made no sense! Deanna wasn’t supposed to be this close to her. She had turned her back on Selena because of that matter with Jessica Winters. The road Selena was on – the path of the villain – was one Deanna couldn’t follow and the Snow Queen had accepted this – THAT had made sense!
So how had Deanna been able to-
Turning her back to the sleeping girl, even hearing a bit of her snoring, Selena shut her brain down and walked out of the room, travelling down the stairs and onto the first floor of her abode, marching down the halls until she was standing in front of the vast window in the lounge section of the far back room. Though it was dark, the sight beyond the glass was alight with the buildings’ lights, streetcars, and some of the distant video-billboards showcasing the shows on Broadway, upcoming movies to theatres, and several different shops and businesses. It was still, even in the dark of the night, a gorgeous view and Selena focused on it to allow herself the chance to calm her racing mind.
She had been more thrown off by a mere ‘nap’ than when Mason had called Elsianna and THAT was unacceptable! And while she couldn’t pinpoint Deanna’s view on things with this latest development, she sure as hell could figure out why she, herself, despised this uncertainty.
Because it entertained hope. Despite her best efforts, she could not deny the little spark that lit up in her heart at the thought of her snuggled next to the redhead. The tiniest bit of light that surged every time Deanna touched her or said something or… this! Hope that maybe… just maybe…
Selena growled at the feeling, trying with all she had to shut it down and shunt it back into the dark corners of her mind. She didn’t have time for this! She had a family to protect! And besides, she would just end up disappointed if she entertained this notion!
“It’s just…” she breathed, whispering slowly to herself as she looked over the streets of New York City. “It’s a blimp in the system.” She told herself. “Something brought on by stress and… everything. It…” she breathed again, inhaling in and out to still her racing heart and quiet the warm tingles from where she had felt Deanna’s hands. “It doesn’t mean anything.” She added in her whisper to the streets below.
Blake Mason. He was the cause of all of this! He was putting the Frosts through all this stress with his mind games and his desperation, which was what was causing this odd behaviour!
I’m going to kill that son of a bitch…
That was what she needed to focus on! Blake Mason’s complete and utter humiliation for his sick and disrespectful acts to her. Not some stupid little ‘hope’ about getting her love back. No! Love wasn’t going to keep Elsianna safe. Nor would it keep Deanna safe! Fear and might would do that! Fear in Mason’s heart and the might that would punish him like no one else had before! And once Selena dealt with him, as she had with every other idiot that had messed with her family (making them regret getting her loved ones involved in the first place), then everything… she breathed… everything would go back to normal.
The fans would go back to hating her more than anyone else in SCW.
The board, staff, and commentary team would join in on that hate.
And Deanna would want nothing to do with her again as well.
She didn’t have time to entertain any other possible ‘outcome’ for herself. Because if she did… and she was wrong…
Once more, Selena felt her hand reach up to place itself over her beating heart. If she did and she was wrong… then she wouldn’t have to wait for someone like Mason or Xander to come along in SCW and ‘end her once and for all’.
The heartbreak will do it for them…
It was the one thing she was quite sure about…