Selena Frost vs. Bree Lancaster

[SnowQueenSCW]

Villain of the Year

”We’re All A Little Mad Here…”

Johns Hopkins Hospital
Baltimore, Maryland
May 12th, 2024
1:14pm

Selena tried to force down the contents of her stomach as she walked the halls, her eyes taking in the almost disgustingly-simple design. It was so plain – with white walls that seemed to travel forward forever, an optical illusion that Selena had to turn her head this way and that a little to avoid getting too unnerved. Doors littered the blank walls, all the same color – a dark green – all closed. Lastly, the floor was a dark brown of tiled wood that looked… well, cheap, if the Snow Queen were honest with herself – at least compared to the floors she had back at Eyrie Tower.

This is what decades of loyalty gets you… The thought was an unfair one but Selena accepted it none the less. Had the SCW management simply dumped poor Jessica here the first chance they got? They sure as hell hadn’t waited more than a few minutes to find her replacement in Jaina Lancaster. Selena felt her jaw clench at that. It had taken so much of her willpower not to cold-clock the young girl in the face with a slap or a fist last Breakdown while she had been ‘interviewing’ (for lack of a better word) the world champion, the foolish child thinking she could do the job that Jessica could do better than anyone else! And Selena was sure she saw some smugness in Jaina that the ‘opportunity’ Winters’ ‘disposition’ had granted her. Maybe I should have smacked her… she mused dryly. Would have gotten Bree’s attention, I’ll bet…

She smiled at that before refocusing her thoughts. Still… what is there to expect from SCW?/i] she thought to herself. This was the same company that had turned on her and then prodded and begged her in ‘not so subtle ways’ to come back and save their company with her ‘star-power’. Of course they would ‘throw out’ anyone that made the company look bad on a whim. Again, they were unfair thoughts against SCW, but Selena didn’t care. This place – this psych-ward – was haunting! It wasn’t decorated or filled with comforts, no! It looked mid! Only a few steps up from the padded rooms and cells that she saw in movies! THIS was for her friend? THIS was for the greatest interviewer in SCW?!

Was she on edge? Of course she was – the fact that she couldn’t stop fidgeting with her hands, tugging and twisting the hem of her dark-maroon t-shirt or twisting her braid with her hands if that didn’t work at times, was proof of that. She didn’t want to be here. She was beyond uncomfortable here. She could hear people screaming from behind the doors. What they were screaming, she had no idea. It was all just muffled sounds with various pitches, but it was enough to cause her to jump a little every few steps.

[i]Get a hold of yourself… her ‘devil-voice’ commanded in her mind. You’re the goddamn world champion!

What load of good did holding a title do in this case? Wasn’t like anyone from SCW was here besides her and her wife! Wasn’t like there were cameras here or something! And what the hell did she care if Xander or Bree Lancaster saw her like this?! Xander couldn’t do shit to her until their match at Taking Hold of the Flame, and she would deal with him soon enough. And as for Bree…

Selena welcomed the temporary distraction her past rival invoked. The current Adrenaline champion had dug her own grave in this latest stance, mouthing off on X with Josh Hudson about Selena’s opinion on the main-event at Taking the Leap. Running her mouth up and down about being the only ‘honorable champion’ in SCW or whatever just for some cheap attention from the SCW Universe. Couldn’t just mind her own business… Selena sighed a little. Couldn’t just stay in her lane and leave the main-event to me…

In truth, Selena almost felt sorry for Bree. It was beyond clear where all this stemmed from. While Selena had remarked on the main-event-issue for the good of the world title and prestige of it and SCW – basically what she had come back here to fix! – Bree was just letting her bruised ego get in the way. There had been nothing wrong with what Selena had said. The world champion was meant to close the show or start it on Breakdowns and definitely close it as they defended the world title on pay-per-views. That was the draw. That was the main-event. It was her face on the posters, her world title being the big ‘advertisement’. Not doing so was detrimental to the world title to SCW! That’s why Selena had spoke out to CHBK.

Bree was just… She sighed. Bree was just bitter. Clearly, her career had not had the same ‘elevations’ that Selena’s had. True, the woman had headlined Rise to Greatness and had a world title reign or two, but that had been four years ago for the first and three years ago since the latter. And she had done well settling – like she always did – in the mid-card but, compared to Selena or even Deanna? Clearly, the former world champion was just jealous of the success of the Frosts while the Lancasters… well, when Selena had left, SCW had fallen into disrepair. Bree’s absences? Hardly felt. It was just a matter of facts, one that Bree couldn’t seem to accept, hence all the snippy remarks and disrespect while Selena had simply let the woman rant.

Now? The two were set to meet on Breakdown in the main-event. And while Selena was looking forward to another former world champion to fight with, there was no true delight in the aspect of facing Bree. There would have been if Bree hadn’t opened her mouth about the main-event, but now? Selena had to ensure she walked out of this match the winner, otherwise her entire discourse on the main-event and her place in it would be ridiculed and disrespected. Bree did NOT belong in the main-event as the world champion. Challenging Selena? Yes, that was fine, the woman was more than deserving of that. But the main-event, as long as Selena held the world title, belonged to her and only her! That needed to be made clear. That needed to be made beyond crystal-clear…

Another scream burst out from behind one of the doors as Selena passed, causing the platinum-blonde to jump a little and forcing her eyes shut to try and recompose herself as she mentally cursed herself and everyone in the vicinity! She hadn’t even realized she had stopped her walking to do so until she felt her hands suddenly warm as they were held. Opening her eyes, the world champion saw her wife, Deanna, gazing at her gently.

“You okay?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. Her own red mane of hair was flowing down her back with a few, small braids tied into them. She wore a light-blue shirt that did nothing for her but she ‘liked the color’ and dark-blue jeans (Selena had chosen black pants). To answer her question, Selena gave a quick shake of her head, trying to force a smile to her face.

“I’m…I’m fine.” She answered. “Psych wards just…” her voice trailed off as she looked away, just in time for more screams to be heard from the other side of doors and a few doctors/nurses could be seen coming and going out of certain rooms. “Just…” she still couldn’t finish the thought, but she heard her wife’s voice so close to her ear.

“I get it.” Deanna answered. “You almost ended up here…”

It was enough of a remark that caused Selena to draw in a shaky breath, her eyes taking in the space once more. It still wasn’t overly glamourous, a few pictures on the walls they had passed before entering this hall, and she was sure the rooms were nothing extravagant, but still… it would have been better than Nome.

Deanna was right. She had almost ended up in a place like this. But Nome wasn’t Baltimore. Nome’s ‘psych ward’ would have been called the ‘mental asylum’ or something like that. Because no one would have paid for her to go to Anchorage’s care. No… they would have simply locked up the ‘Crazy Miner’s Daughter’ if they had had even the slightest inclination and forgotten about her. Gods knew Anastasia and Malcolm Scythe had tried… The train of thought caused Selena to slam her eyes shut. The manipulation, the drugs, losing her Elsianna… how they had pushed her to the brink of insanity – her belief in the existence of a snow child… they had almost driven her into the madhouse, which was their plan in order to acquire the gold mine of her father. It was why places like this made Selena so nervous. Seeing people not in control of their own minds… how close she had been to being someone like that…

“We won’t stay long.” Deanna’s voice rang through, full of promise and assurance. “I just want to see her. I know you do too.”

“I…” Selena exhaled slowly. “I do.” She nodded. It had been a hell of an experience that fateful Breakdown two weeks ago. She had been in her bus, prepping herself for her match with Polly Pingotti when a tech hand had come running, informing her of something that, at first, had just seemed stupid and impossible. ‘Deanna was attacked by Jessica’. There had to be some kind of mistake. Some kind of miscommunication! But it was enough to send Selena rushing out of the bus and into the arena, when she should have been focusing on her match. Still, she had quickly discovered the truth about her friend’s actions against her wife. The use of the shoelaces, the attack… all of it. Poor Deanna – Selena cast a glance at her then, the redhead appearing so strong now – she had insisted, as soon as they had gotten through with the Breakdowns in Japan and then Australia, on coming here, getting the information from Hiro Tanaka-

“Keep up.” Came the passive-aggressive voice of the staff in front of them, breaking whatever tender moment the wives were having. “I have other jobs to do.”

The two women exchanged similar looks at the remark, both taken aback a little. No wonder this place has only a 2.2 on google reviews… Selena thought as the pair caught up, the attendant in front of them muttering on about ‘time spent’ and ‘rules’ or whatever. They had already been asked to leave their purses and any items viewed as ‘weapons’ with the front desk, and, for a moment, Selena wondered if she would even see those items again. Again… 2.2 stars and all…

Still, her thoughts ceased as the trio soon stopped in front of one of the many identical doors, the staff-member boredly digging out his keys before stuffing one into the lock and twisting it. Immediately, the door was unlocked.

“There is a red button by the bed and on the wall for emergencies.” He seemed to snap to attention as he glared at the two women. “ONLY press the button if there is an emergency!” he warned. “I don’t want to have to come running here just because someone breaks a nail.”

Before either woman could respond at such a disrespectful remark, the man was gone, marching back down the hall to… whatever was more important than this to him. For Selena, she merely shook her head. “Lot of things make sense right now.” She whispered, more so to herself.

“I can’t believe Jessica is in a place like this…” Deanna remarked, her eyes locked on the retreating staff member before lighting up. “Can we…”

“Absolutely not.” Selena stated, knowing exactly where her wife’s kind mind was going. “If it was just us, I might be lenient.” She stated firmly, turning her head to stare into Deanna’s emerald eyes. “But not with our children there.”

“Oh…” the lightbulb going off in Deanna’s head – a realization and guilt mixture – caused her to retreat a little, nodding her head in understanding. “You’re right.” She sighed. “And I wouldn’t want them to see ‘Aunt Jess’ like that.”

Selena nodded in agreement – her reasoning, thankfully, well-received. There were only a few non-Frost members that they considered family: Jean and Zoe, Greta and Kai, Regan and David, and Jessica. She was always the ‘cool aunt’ whenever the wives brought their children to the arenas… Quietly, Selena was grateful that they had chosen not to take their kids to Japan or Australia (‘you’d miss too much school work’ had been the excuse), given certain events.  

The sound of the door opening returned Selena’s attention to the present, just in time to see Deanna opening the door and step inside. “Hey…” she called out weakly, moving her head around the door to peer fully inside. “Hey Jess…” she added before stepping in slowly, so as not to spook the occupant. Selena followed behind her wife, though her eyes, unlike Deanna’s, first scanned the room.

The place was… not primitive. Like the halls, it served a purpose but it was far from ‘the best possible service’ - that much was certain. The walls were the same colors as those in the hall, there was a single window overlooking the outside buildings and parking lot, a couch by the window with a sitting chair nearby. Aside from that and the bed at one side of the room, there was nothing. No television, no pictures, not even a clock on the wall. For a moment, Selena recalled the ‘caretaker’s’ words – a security measure to ‘prevent further incidents’ he had said.

“Oh gods…” she heard Deanna’s voice, turning her attention to the bed where the redhead was gathered. There, lying on the mattress, was Jessica Winters… except it wasn’t. As Selena drew close, she saw Deanna standing over the SCW interviewer, running a hand along the woman’s soft features.

“Be careful!” she warned without thinking. “She might hurt-“
“She can’t.” Deanna replied sadly, turning a little to give Selena a better look. “Look at her, Selena.”

Again, Selena stepped forward to get a better view, gasping when she did. The woman – one of her oldest friends in SCW, the first person to give her a real chance in the federation when people only saw her as ‘a fake Frost’ because of some other family getting there first or as a ‘fake hero’ or whatever – looked nothing like the woman Selena knew.

Her brown hair was a mess and her face was pale. She wore a typical hospital gown, but none of that was what got to Selena. Rather, it was her eyes. They were distant, as if they were looking somewhere other than here. Occasionally, they would blink but they lacked focus, attentiveness, the spark of life that belonged to… well… to Jessica Winters.

“Look…” Deanna urged again, holding up Jessica’s closest hand to the Snow Queen, revealing the bindings there, preventing anything but the barest of movement beyond the bed as they tied Jessica’s arms to the bed’s railings.

For a moment, Selena simply studied the state of her dear friend. Sadly, it made sense. Clearly, Jessica had had more violent episodes while here. The restraining, hell even her current look (probably medically induced, Selena reasoned) was meant to keep her in check, curb those violent tendencies, and prevent her from being a danger to herself. Again, it made sense… didn’t mean she couldn’t hate it and the feeling of disgust it created within her for it and for SCW for putting her here in the first place!

“Darkness…”

The word came from neither of them, but from Jessica, herself, as she continued to gaze up towards the ceiling. “Darkness…” the word was barely a whisper every time it was spoken but the Frost wives still heard it. What it meant, Selena wasn’t as sure as Deanna was, the redhead adopting a look of determination while the Snow Queen simply watched on.

“Can we untie her?” Deanna asked, earning a shake of Selena’s head.

“They told us not to.” she stated. “On the way here… we can talk to her, share things with her, but we are not to free her or leave anything here that she can use as a weapon. That’s probably why everything is so bare here.” She looked around the room as she repeated the instructions they had been given by the caretaker. “Still…” her eyes returned to Jessica’s distant ones. “How can they possibly know she’s better if they keep her like this?”

There was a moment of silence, Deanna biting her lower lip. “Should we try talking to her?”

Selena was quiet before giving a sharp nod of her head. “Yeah.” She answered, moving to the window where the chair was. She attempted to slide it forward but it would not budge, the platinum-blonde realizing, very quickly, that it was very heavy (probably weighed down or something to keep from it being swung around). With a bit of grunt work, the world champion managed to drag-slide the chair up to the bed. “Sit.” She gestured towards Deanna, grateful when the redhead simply obeyed and sat in the large chair next to Jessica. “You go ahead.” She added, choosing to simply pace the room as she watched her wife.

“Okay…” settling herself in, Deanna offered a kind smile to Jessica. “Hey, hun.” She called out, her voice a bit louder. “It’s me, Jessica… it’s Deanna. With Selena. I, uh…”

“Darkness…” Jessica repeated, effectively throwing off the redhead. For a moment, she seemed at a loss for words, stammering a little.

“Why is this so hard?” Deanna finally asked in frustration.

“Just speak your mind.” Selena advised as she continued to pace around the room. “Not like she’s going to have a ‘witty retort’ other than ‘darkness’. Although…” Selena felt guilty doing this but… Deanna needed this. “Hey, Jess!” she called out to the patient from where she stood across the room. “Finish the lyric! ‘Hello BLANK, my old friend!”

“Darkness…” came the inevitable reply.
“Ding ding!” Selena chirped, ringing a non-existent bell. “Circle gets the square!”

“Selena!” Deanna reprimanded, though there was no mistaking the quirk of a smile that came to her. “Gods, I’m going to hell for that.” The redhead whispered in addition.

“If it were up to certain religions and people…” Selena remarked without thinking, merely shrugging. “We would have crossed that line years ago.”

“Not helping.” Deanna stated. “But I…” she sighed. “I appreciate you trying.”
“Just talk to her.” Selena pressed, crossing her arms over her chest as she leaned against the wall. Or I’ll come up with more ‘darkness’ quotes for Jessica to guess. So far, she’s 1-0.”

An irritated groan came from Deanna before the younger Frost focused her attention on Jessica. “Speak my mind… okay…” she breathed. “Umm… Hey Jess. I… Gods, I hate that you’re here. Because I want to tell you…” she kept pausing to find the right words, hoping they would be heard. Or maybe to clear her conscience, Selena wasn’t sure which path her wife was taking. “I don’t blame you and I’m not mad at what you did. I know that wasn’t you. That’s not who you are. Besides… you’d have done a much better job than shoelaces, right?!” she offered a weak chuckle to the unresponsive Winters. “I mean, I spent two years in prison and let me tell you… sheeves are so much more effective! One woman fashioned one out of a toothbrush handle! Yeah, whittled it down to a sharp point!” Deanna even made a stabbing motion with her hand.

“Please don’t give Jessica pointers on how to assault you better next time.” Selena asked sharply, allowing Deanna to release a small laugh at her own humor. It quickly faded, however, the young redhead lowering her hand to take one of Jessica’s.

“I’m going to fix this, Jessica. I promise.” Deanna whispered.
“Darkness…” came the distant reply to no one from Winters.

For her part, Selena merely watched the exchange as Deanna gently held Jessica’s hand in hers, watching for any threat or danger that could present itself. As much as she wanted to do something about this, the Snow Queen knew that this…whatever this was… was not her fight. Deanna had been the target, which meant that her redhead needed to figure this out.

Besides… Selena thought as she gazed out the large window, to the world beyond. I’ve got much bigger fish in SCW to fry than a habitual ‘smoker’…[/i]