Gavin Taylor vs. Selena Frost

[SnowQueenSCW]

The Dark Side of the Sun

"Deliberation"

Frankfurt Prison III
Frankfurt, Germany
June 27th, 2020
4:30pm

Both women were quiet for a moment, their conversation having taken a natural pause it seemed.

"I hate when I can't read you." Came the voice of the redhead, her tone one of only mild irritation.
"Sorry." Selena replied, running a hand through her platinum locks as she paced around the room she occupied. "Just a lot on my mind."
"What else is new?"

The reply held a teasing tone and Selena could just see her wife sticking her tongue out between her lips as she had said that. "What is it today?" Deanna continued. "Saving the world of SCW? Vengeance on those that wronged you or your family? Oh, I know! Fulfilling the dream and expectations of those you love?"

"Try all of the above." Grumbled the Snow Queen as she slumped back down in her seat, her head raised to take in the ceiling and lights above her. She looked down at herself, knowing the contrast of clothes between her and her wife right now. She, in blue jeans and a black t-shirt, and Deanna in that blue outfit that screamed 'jailbird'. She deserves to be in dresses and comfort clothes. the platinum-blonde thought bitterly. "But you make it sound like my life is one big drama soap opera."

"Oh, I'd watch that!" Deanna continued in her teasing way. "'Faithfuls' starring Selena Frost! You'd be my favourite performer! My 'celebrity crush'!"
"I thought I already was." Selena teased as she raised an eyebrow. "As I seem to recall, you knew me quite well before we first met. Enough to bet a lot of money to win a date with me."

She heard Deanna sigh dreamily at that memory, the memory of how they had met. It had been in the earlier years of Selena's SCW career. She had been abandoned by her tag-team partner, Dawn Lohan, for failing her at Rise to Greatness in retaining the tag-team titles - or rather, dumped, by her girlfriend of several months, Dawn Lohan, as well. Dawn had cited that her reason was because Selena, who had pushed Dawn out of the way of a vicious attack by the tag-team of Requiem, taking the attack herself, cared too much about Dawn and that it was too much for Dawn to take - some answer like that, Selena recalled. This effectively left the Snow Queen with zero friends in SCW, and making her contemplate just leaving SCW all together and returning back to her home in Nome, Alaska. Yes, she was hated there as "the crazy miner's daughter" and "The Snow Queen", but it was a hell she, at least, knew.

Being with Dawn had changed her, made her drop her guard, Selena had thought at the time. Made her believe that she could be loved and could accomplish great things. It was Dawn that had encouraged Selena to become a double-champion, allowing Selena to capture her first singles title, the Adrenaline title, against Thomas Watson a few months prior. Dancing with Dawn at Kelcey's wedding had made her believe that her past with Adrian Scythe was just the past. Hell, Dawn had even accepted Selena's 'snow-child' Elsianna's. Only for it all to come crumbling down in that damn hospital room, a letter telling Selena it was over.

Nome had seemed the better option. She had a few friends there: Jean, Barbara, Gavin, her 'uncle' Liam, and even her friend-wolf Titania. That was at least five more friends than she had in SCW. Five people that cared about her as opposed to the zero that existed in her SCW-world at that point.

But then a phone call from Kentucky had changed all that. The local sheriff had wanted to do a bit of a fundraiser event and wanted Selena to play 'Elsa' (of course he did) while she was travelling through in-between SCW shows. The officiers would 'arrest' Selena for "all this never ending snow" before placing her on auction with the other eligible 'bachelorettes', with all proceeds going to the local charity. It had seemed like a fun way to get over her loneliness, or at least distract her from it, so she had agreed, participated...

And been won by a young, gorogeous redhead named Deanna Springs.

"Can I ask you a dumb question?" Selena asked.
"I love those kind of questions." Teased the redhead, settling back in her seat as she listened intently.
"Let's say present you could go back in time." Selena started. "Back to the morning of the day where we would first meet. Past you is about to see past me walk up on that stage, but you have the chance to tell her everything that's going to happen to her if she wins this auction. You have the chance to tell her that she'd be hated by her sister, attacked by wrestlers, deal with not only her 'crush's' demons but her own. That she'd be hunted by the crush's insane family and clan, and ultimately end up in jail for a crime she didn't commit. Would you-"

"No."

The question was so sharp and certain that Selena almost missed it, her jaw stammering to try and keep her train of thought. "You didn't let me finish." She tried.
"Doesn't matter." Deanna stated, her tone flat and unflinching.
"Just let me finish, please, Deanna." Selena sighed, reaching up with her free hand to massage her temples with her thumb and index fingers, some strands of platinum-blonde hair getting caught in her fingers. "You have the chance to warn yourself about all the bad stuff that's going to happen. Would you-"
"No."
"De!" Why was her wife being so difficult? It was a simple question. "Maybe I just need to get this out for my sake, okay?"
"Fine." Huffed the now irritated redhead, becoming silent as she waited for Selena to speak again.

"If..." Selena breathed, inhaling through her nose and exhaling out her mouth. "If you could go back and warn your younger self about all of that, what would you tell your younger self?"

She had altered her question, knowing that Deanna would have just said 'no' again. There was a moment of silence and, now, Selena was the one that couldn't read her wife.

"I'd tell myself to make sure she won." Came the answer.
"Really?" Selena asked. "You wouldn't have warned her?"
"No." Deanna stated.
"Why not?"

"You want to know why not?" Deanna asked. "Because that little girl spent that last night gathering up her courage to go to that auction and bid on you." She started. "She was beyond scared. Scared that she'd lose her chance to meet you. Scared that if she did win, her sister would kill her. But most of all, she was terrified of meeting you."
"Meeting me? Why?" Selena asked. "I wasn't a superstar or anything - certainly wasn't the Face of SCW-"

"You really don't get how much I idolized you." Deanna sighed. "You were a woman discovering her path, having just come out, and you weren't a snob or brat like those others on television..." Deanna paused, her voice catching. "And you were so brave. You were fighting people like Red Rayne. What if I got to meet you and was a blabbering mess? What if I met you and you were different? The whole 'don't meet your heroes' thing?"

There was a pause between the two, only for Deanna to take a few calming breaths. "Nothing in my life has been scarier than that moment except when I have thought that I lost you - which is more often than I care to admit, thank you very much. If I met younger me, Selena, I'd do all I can not to change a thing."
"But you're in prison!"
"And you'll get me out." Deanna replied. "I know it. No matter what happens or what people say or how long it takes, I know this will work out. But would I risk the chance of maybe not meeting you? Falling in love with the real you? Having children with you? All so that I could avoid a few near-death situations?" Selena could 'see' her wife smiling and the shake in her voice belied the tears in the redhead's eyes. "Not in a million years."

Lowering her head, Selena bit her lower lip. Deanna was so much more than her. So much better. Stronger. Smarter. Much in the same way Regan Street was. They both knew what they wanted and believed in the things that gave their lives meaning. Family - their loved ones.

It was something Selena envied. Deanna wouldn't have changed anything if she could back to a time and fix her mistakes. She was so certain of that.

But Selena? She was certain that she would if she could - she'd fix so many times that had gone wrong in her life.

Times she had failed - and a loved one had paid the price.


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

DoubleTree/Hilton Hotel
Little Rock, Arizona
June 25th, 2020
3:13am

She stood outside the door, the burgundy shawl wrapped around her bare shoulders. The purple, sleeved nightgown shimmered as the lights on the ceiling bounced off it with her movement, the platinum-blonde shifting her weight from foot to foot as her free hand, the one not clutching the ends of the shawl together against her chest, remained frozen in place, a few inches from the pale door with the room number on it. She sighed, lowering her head to stare at the matching purple slippers with white trim at the top that she wore on her bare feet.

She couldn't imagine how she had looked to the onlookers and hotel staff, coming out of her luxury bus in the parking garage across the street, crossing the street in her sleepwear, entering the lobby, taking the elevator up the few floors and walking across carpeted floors to stand in front of this door.

They probably thought I was drunk or having a late night smoke...or buying drugs. the Snow Queen mused as she tried to distract her mind for a moment from the reason she was there instead of resting in her bed on the bus. Or at least trying to sleep.

She had been restless since earlier that night. Well, technically it was yesterday. Again, another episode had come and gone and, again, Selena had been left feeling hopeless and failing. No, it wasn't about the United States Tournament. She had, actually, felt rather happy with how that turned out. She had expected the Beauty Network to get involved and cost her the match with Glory Braddock, using their typical 'pack mentality and methods', but they hadn't, and now, Glory "The Best in the World" couldn't brag that Selena had 'never beaten her'.

It had been a wonderful match, one Selena was proud of. Glory had, certainly, proven her skill and it had started and ended without true incident, which actually unnerved Selena more than she was willing to admit. Did the Beauty Network just not see her as a 'threat' to their plan to 'own and win' this United States Title Tournament? Were they overconfident in Glory's ability? Or did they just think that, against someone like Chris Cannon, Selena would have no chance, even if she made it to the finals to fight him?

The Snow Queen had contemplated that while she had showered after her match- Why the hell had I taken that damn shower?! her thoughts angrily interjected, the familiar sensation of blame and guilt filling her. She had been so excited to not only beat Glory Braddock, at long last, but also to be one step closer to possibly winning back the United States Title and furthering her sister, Regan's, plan in dealing with Giovanni and The Wonderland - that she had completely FORGOTTEN about the Wonderland in the first place!

She had barely come out of the shower, dressed in a pleasant dark-blue summer-dress, when she had heard people yelling and screaming outside her changeroom, one she shared with Regan, her Frozen Hell partner. What had followed effectively swallowed any excitement and pride she had felt that night. She saw so many people rushing towards the medic room further down the hall. She saw faces like Jay Gold and Owen Cruze and... She wasn't sure, but she thought she saw someone from the Beauty Network - was it Cannon?

It took waiting till Regan had returned to the changeroom for the platinum-blonde to be informed. That the Wonderland - possibly added by Shilo Valiant - had struck again, this time after another non-wrestler.

Kelcey.

Selena had barely been able to keep it together after hearing that and had marched after the mob of superstars. She only managed to travel halfway down the hall, unable to get past the large group of other superstars, effectively being blocked out of the medic room so the staff could have the space to tend to Kelcey.

Selena had been shut out and she hadn't seen one of her oldest and best friends since then. She had tried to be understanding. Tried to leave Kelcey be. She has so many other friends... She doesn't need me. she had reasoned. Peyton, Owen, Alistaire, Jay, there were so many people looking out for her... Yet still, sleep had eluded the young woman. Still, she couldn't stop thinking about what Giovanni had done, smashing that picture frame over Kelcey's head. Still, she couldn't just stay still.

So, she was here, trying - desperately trying - to have the courage to knock on the door.

KNOCK! KNOCK! She froze... When had she... She checked her knuckles. There was nothing wrong with them, but she distinctly felt the slight tingling after-effects of having knocked on the wood of the door. With a light gulp, swallowing her spit, she knocked again, cursing herself for not waiting after the initial knocks. She was too nervous to listen to any sounds coming from the inside, but her ears were more than able to pickup the sound of a latch being moved and a lock being turned before the door was opened.

Before Selena's eyes stood the focus of her anxiety and worries for the night. Last week, it had been Mr. D.. Now, it was the woman in front of her, wearing black sleep-shorts and blue and white t-shirt. She had no makeup on her face, which allowed the small patch of stitches on her forehead to be noticed. Her dark hair was tosselled from trying to sleep and she certainly didn't look thrilled at being-

"Selena?"
"Yeah..." The Snow Queen replied shyly. "Hi." She shrugged.
"It's after three in the morning." Groaned Kelcey.
"Yeah..." Selena bit her lower lip. "I know. I just. I mean." She stammered.

The Perfect Ten - the ONLY Perfect Ten in SCW as far as Selena was concerned (Cannon and that fraud he was with could go to hell in that regard) - sighed, reaching up to run a tired hand through her hair to scratch her scalp.

"Please tell me you did not come here to tell me how stupid I was to be out there tonight- because I've already heard it a dozen or so times."

"N-no." Selena's voice trailed off. "I just...wanted to..." Her mind searched. She wasn't 100% sure why she had come here. She had felt useless in that hallway, unable to see or check on Kelcey right after Giovanni and the Wonderland's latest attack. Did she want to chastise Kelcey? Was this just a check-up out of concern that had been delayed by the masses? Whatever it was, Selena realized she couldn't just ask 'why' to her dear friend. "Needed to check up on you..." She stammered before suddenly acting on instinct as she saw Kelcey's small patch of stitched. "And show you!"

Without thinking, Selena pulled back the front of her hair, revealing her forehead and the still recovering patch-work that had been done on her a week and a half ago due to the attack from Tommy Valentine and Kandis. "Look!" She exclaimed. "We're twinsies!" She tried. Hers was a bit more recovered, obviously, but Kelcey's were nowhere near the size of Selena's. Still, it was almost laughable to see - The Snow Queen, Face of SCW, and semi-finalist in the United States Championship tournament, standing there in her nightwear, holding her hair up to show off her stitches at three in the morning.

Laughable enough that Kelcey managed a quiet snort before shaking her head. "Come in." She sighed. "I won't be able to sleep much now anyway."
"Sorry." Selena repeated, dropping her hand and scurrying into the hotel room as Kelcey turned on the lights as she re-entered the room. Selena been there earlier that day (technically the day before) just to say hello to Kelcey before they had made their way to Breakdown. The room space was small but comfortable, a large bed in the center section, television on the other side, balcony to the far end - it was your typical hotel room.

"So." Kelcey started, reaching down to open up the mini-fridge to pull out two bottles of water, handing one to Selena. "Where are you staying?"

Taking the bottle of water from the patient manager, Selena stepped towards the end of the room where the balcony was. Looking out the window/glass door, she realized that she was on the wrong side of the building to adequately point out the location of her bus. "Umm..." She turned back to face Kelcey. "In my bus across the street. There's that big parking garage?"

For a moment, Kelcey, still appearing rather tired, held a look of confusion. "Wait a minute." She held her free hand up, the other holding the bottle of water. "You went out of a parking garage, cross the street... In that?" She gestured towards Selena's attire, causing the sapphire-eyed beauty to look down, observing her appearance, before shrugging her shoulders.

"Kinda." She settled on answering before looking up at her friend. "It was just crossing the street..."

With a roll of her eyes, Kelcey turned make her way back to the bed to sit upon the mattress, unscrewing her bottle of water to sip it slowly. "Least now I have something to throw back when we inevitably get to you telling me I was stupid tonight."

"I'm not going to say you were stupid." Selena countered, mirroring Kelcey's moves to unscrew her bottle and drink the cold water, filling it refresh and energize her. "It's just..." She turned away a bit, walking away from the window/glass door to walk to path between one end of the room to the other. "Hey!" She suddenly said, trying to change the topic. "There's a chance I'll be facing Chris next week! I mean, if I make it to the finals. I owe him a few good whacks and kicks for all those times he jumped me with Bree and the others. Want me to re-arrange his face a little with a few strong wha-bams?" She threw her leg forward a little, simulating a kick for Kelcey. "Maybe a black eye here or a broken jaw there? Be doing the world a favour, eh?"

Another roll of her eyes, but this time a tired smile graced Kelcey's face as well. "I appreciate it." She replied. "But just focus on winning if you face him, okay? Twitter's bad enough. Last thing they need is more things to post about."

"Yeah..." Selena sighed. "Did he... Did he say anything - or do anything? After the attack, I mean..."

She knew she was treading on sensitive ground with this question, but it was bothering - had been bothering her all night. First, Sienna had fully endorsed Giovanni, as had the rest of Beauty Factory, and his actions against Mr. D., even going as far as to tell him to go after Sasha, D.'s daughter and current handler of SCW, next. Of course, Giovanni had responded to that by flat out revealing that he was going to target Kelcey next. This in itself brought out Chris Cannon, advising the Mad Hatter not to do so only because he didn't want to get blamed for it, with his custody battle with Kelcey over their son still going on.

Giovanni had done it anyway, leaving Selena to wonder what had happened.

"Did Chris or any of them do anything to you?" She asked, her voice shaking a little.
"No - it's not important." Kelcey sighed as she answered before turning her head. "Everything's okay."
"Okay?" Selena asked in disbelief. "Kelcey, you got cracked in the head with a picture frame!"
"Selena-"
"No, I need to say this, okay?" Selena stated. "I've been up all night, unable to sleep thinking about this. Why didn't Sasha do anything?! She was out there at the beginning of the show! Nothing happened! How did he get into the arena?! Why is he still here?! Why wasn't he fucking arrested?!"

There it was - the first set of questions that had plagued the Snow Queen. Sasha had declared that she was not going to be like her father. That, unlike Mr. D., she wasn't going to let such people like Giovanni, Infamous, and Beauty Network, run roughshod in SCW... But that's exactly what was happening! "He's broken into SCW headquarters, attacked you, and as for Infamous and Beauty Factory, half the time we can't have them in a match without some kind of controversy! I mean, it was a miracle to me that none of their matches in the tournament had an interference or something!"

Kelcey was silent for a moment, her eyes watching Selena. "What do you want me to say?" She settled on asking.

"I..." Selena slowed, casting her eyes on Kelcey. "It was me, Regan, Owen, and Kennedy that secured Sasha's position in SCW - we were on her team that won Tacitical Warfare..." She bit let lower lip as she stood before her friend, eyes cast down to the water bottle in her hands. "Now I'm wondering if we made the right decision in doing so."

"Would you rather have had Giovanni, Katya, or someone like Sienna calling the shots?" Kelcey asked. "All three hate you."
"Yeah...and I get that... But at least the non-wrestlers would have been safe, right?" Selena sighed. "I mean, why would Giovanni attack anyone if he was running the place? Why would Katya endanger non-wrestlers with Infamous if she had the power?"

"You can't think along those lines, Selena." Kelcey stated, her more years of experience showing.
"But that's all I have been doing." The Snow Queen replied. "I keep... I keep going back to every moment that something bad happened and so many of them... I'm there, in the thick of it."
"What do you mean?" Kelcey asked.

"Why did Xander Valentine attack those fans last year? Because I beat him at Rise to Greatness. Why didn't I just let him beat the hell out of me? They would have been safe. Yes, my ego would have been hurt, but that's happened so many times! Least the fans would have been safe."

"Selena, I just said-"

"I know, but I can't help it!" Selena interjected, her voice raising a little in anxiety. "Giovanni! He took the US title from me and began breaking it off into pieces! He was after me, but I just happened to have the title. Why? Because I used my Trios to take it from Bree! What if I had just let her keep it?"

"That's-"

"And Sasha - she let Xander stay in SCW after all he did! She's done nothing to Giovanni and his Wonderland beyond a light suspension that did nothing - and I helped put her in power! I just... I just..." Selena wasn't even sure she meant or entirely believed everything she was saying but she was sick of it. She was sick and tired of watching people she cared for be threatened and hurt: Mr. D., Kelcey, Regan, Sasha... Deanna. Deanna in that damn prison for a crime she didn't commit - Selena was certain, on some level, it was her own fault that Deanna was there as well, though she wasn't sure how.

She felt a soft hand take her free one, causing the platinum-blonde to lift her head and gaze into Kelcey's eyes. "You can say it." She whispered, giving the hand a light squeeze. "I won't judge you."

"I..." Selena took a deep breath, trying to steady her nerves. It was hard for her to speak again, but she struggled through. "I feel like the world is burning around me... And while we've been trying to just put out the fires here and there, I'm inadvertently pouring gasoline all the time!... Dammit." Selena spat, reaching up to rub her eye angrily with the palm of her hand. "I'm sorry." She whispered. "It's late and I'm bitching to you - see? I came here because I was worried about you and I end up just making things worse for you."

Through the one eye she wasn't rubbing, the young Frost woman saw Kelcey shake her head. "It's actually a relief." Kelcey sighed. "Everyone's been asking me 'what I was thinking' going down to the ring when we all knew I was the next target... They're seeing me as a victim when I want to be managing and helping people." She patted a spot on the bed mattress beside her. "Sit down, Hun." She politely ordered, which Selena quietly obeyed. "How long as this been on your mind?"

"Couple weeks now." Selena sighed. "Basically when they attacked Mr. D. in his office. They literally broke the law and nothing was done. And... And it made me look back on that stuff with Xander and how she's actually done so much for the Beauty Factory and what she's given Infamous despite them slandering her - please stop me. I don't want to start that tangent again." she quietly begged.

"Okay - listen, I can't say that you won't ever have more moments where you doubt your past self and the choices you made. I think we all have that. We all have regrets and moments were 'Oh! If only I knew then what I knew now'. But the thing is, it's unfair to do that to ourselves. I watched you - you know that."
"Yeah." Selena nodded. "After my unsanctioned match with Xander, you were one of the first people to call and check up on me."
Kelcey snorted. "I texted 'You dead?'."
"It was one of the sweetest texts I've ever received." Selena smiled sadly, tears still rimming her eyes.

"What I'm getting at is this: every decision you made was because you were trying to do something good. Protecting someone, defending SCW, proving your abilities through hard work and skill. You've never done something malicious like Giovanni or Chris or Sienna or any of Infamous. I mean - how many years have we known each other?"
"Since I've been in SCW." Selena answered. "So close to seven."
"And not once have I seen you do anything that they do. You've always done what you felt was the right thing."
"That's what I'm saying." Selena sighed, feeling her exhaustion fill her. "What if I was wrong? What if I made the wrong decisions?"

"Just because you make the wrong decisions doesn't mean you made them for the wrong reasons." Kelcey countered. "That's the difference. Your intentions. They've always been good and unselfish."

A sigh escaped Selena as she looked towards the wall with the television screen. She didn't see Kelcey tilt her head.

"Why do you want to win this tournament?" She asked. "I'm sure you'd be fine if you faced Christy or Chris, but you're set to try and win the Tag-Team titles with Regan. I know that's what you really want, because you promised Regan. So, why do you want to win this tournament?"

Another sigh came from the platinum-blonde. "Honestly?" She asked. "It's partly because of ego." She was too tired and emotionally fried to be anything but blunt. "This is the first time in over a year that the SCW board has given me a chance to win a title and I have to win a damn tournament to do it. I don't know when I'll get another chance, if I even GET another chance. And also... It's Bree."
"Lancaster?" Kelcey confirmed.
"Yeah. I know I'm the last person in the world that she wants to see win that title... And I so badly want to see her face if I do." Selena chuckled tiredly. "I loved being the United States Champion and I never had a chance to end it on my terms. No rematch or anything. I want to fix that too. And..." Her voice trailed off.

"And?" Kelcey asked.

"And Regan has a plan." Selena stated. "She thinks that if she and I win the tag titles and I win the United States Title too, it'll get Giovanni and the Wonderland off you guys - the non-wrestlers - and back on us. He won't be able to resist trying to repeat history."
"You think he's that stupid to try and take both you and Regan on?"
"No." Selena shook her head. "He's that arrogant. He's like Chris and Christy - with their pack, they think they're untouchable. And even if they are, at least they won't be hurting you or the Drachewychs anymore."

"Selena..." Kelcey warned. "Last time you tried this... Giovanni could have killed you."

The bold statement - true as it was - caused Selena to close her eyes and breath deeply. For a moment, she felt that familiar sensation, a memory in her mind, of free-falling. Being tossed of the scaffold and falling down, past the ramps and into the abyss, her wife, Deanna, endangered, slipping further and further away from her before oblivion took the platinum-blonde. Sapphire eyes flew open as the memory receded.

"I know." Selena admitted. "But at least you and the others would be safe."
"That's your plan?" Kelcey asked. "Become martyrs?"
"See, when you say it like that, it sounds so bad."
"That's because it IS a bad plan." Kelcey huffed. "You're so desperate to save everyone when...when..." The hall of Famer huffed before turning her head back to her friend. "You can't, Selena. You just can't save everyone. No one can."

She knew it was true, the logical part of her brain told her so, but Selena's heart - she could feel - hammered and fought it with every beat. She needed to save everyone. She needed to stop the bad people. Needed to save her wife. If she couldn't do any of that - if all she could do was watch while her wife, the Drachewychs, Regan and Kelcey got hurt...

"What good am I?" She whispered unintentionally, and a silence followed between the two women for several moments, only to broken if one of them took a sip of water from their bottles, Selena fingernails picking at the paper label that wrapped around hers.

"You know..." Kelcey's voice suddenly broke through the silence. "This whole custody battle thing..." She paused for a moment. "It's made me rethink about a lot of things the last few years. And, yeah, some things I wish I did differently." For a moment, her eyes were distant, Selena could see her friend almost trying to look through time itself, trying to recapture those memories. It was only for a moment until Kelcey's focus returned to the present. "But you can't change the past." She stated. "And I know I'm doing the right thing for my son."

Selena was about to say the name she knew the boy as, thanks to Chris Cannon, but clenched her jaw. She knew that 'Nathaniel' was not the name Kelcey wanted for her son. It was just one more thing in a long line of things that that bastard, Cannon, had stolen from her - a fact that caused Selena's blood to boil and her hands clench the water bottle tightly. Gods how she wanted to be in that ring with him in the finals next week... Just so she could kick him so hard in the face...

"I don't want him with... With Chris and Sienna." Kelcey shook her head. "I don't want to lose my child."
"I don't blame you." Selena whispered. "Being a mother, right?" She shrugged. Kelcey knew what hells Selena had gone through for her children, so when the Snow Queen said she understood, Kelcey believed her. "You'll win." Selena whispered. "And your son will thank you."

"I hope so." Kelcey sighed.

Biting her lower lip, Selena leaned forward, her voice becoming high-pitched. "Mommy." She pretended. "Is it true that I was once named 'Nathaniel'?"
"Stop it." Kelcey rolled her eyes, a smile forming.
"I mean, what kind of name is 'Nathaniel'?" Whined Selena, still in that voice. "It sounds so pompous! I'm so glad you gave me the name Thor!"
"Thor?!" Laughed Kelcey.
"No?" Selena asked in the 'kid-voice'. "How bout Hugh? Dominic?"
"No." Kelcey shook her head, appreciating the distraction.
"Oh!" 'Kid Selena' teased. "I got it! Augustus Mercantile Wallace!"
"Augustus Mercan... AMW?"
"America's most wanted baby!" Selena spat. "The perfect, most wanted baby!"
"That he is." Kelcey laughed and then sighed. "You're too much sometime."
"Well, it's late and I get crazy when I'm tired." Selena smiled. "Terribly emotional. I might be crying again in another fifteen minutes."

The two friends smiled at one another before Kelcey returned her gaze to her hands. "All we can do, dear, is what we've been doing all along. What we think is right and for the best for ourselves and those we love. That's the best we can do."

"Even if it's not enough?" Selena asked, back to her normal voice.
"Even if it's not enough." Kelcey smiled sadly. "It's all we can do."

It would be another hour before the two could settle down to get some sleep, Kelcey convincing Selena to stay and share the bed with her, the manager not trusting the idea of Selena having to walk alone by herself in her nightwear again, even if it was just crossing the street. Before she nodded out, however, she heard Selena's voice as the Snow Queen lay next to her.

"Kels?"
"Yeah?" She kept her eyes closed.
"I'm sorry. I did come here because I wanted to ask you..." Selena whispered. "Not that you were stupid, but, I just wanted to know why. You knew Gio was after you... So why did you go to the ring?"

There was a moment where no answer was given, and Selena thought her friend had fallen asleep, until she heard Kelcey's voice.

"Same reason you won't back down from trying to win the tournament and be there for Regan." Kelcey whispered. "It's the right thing to do. You can either live in fear... Or fight."
"The right thing..." Selena whispered with a sigh.
"You'll figure it out." Kelcey promised with a yawn as the two drifted off to sleep. "When it's time... You'll figure it out."



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

Frankfurt Prison III
Frankfurt, Germany
June 27th, 2020
4:45pm

"You slept with another woman?!" Deanna gasped, though her tone showed that she was clearly mocking Selena.
"It was a kings size bed." Selena stated dryly. "She had a rough day, I didn't want her to worry about me."
"Uh-huh." Deanna replied. "Sure it wasn't because you missed having someone to cuddle?"
"Irrelevant." Selena huffed. "Besides, she's too tall for me."
"Too tall, huh? You calling me short?"
"More like 'Selena's perfect size'." The Snow Queen replied with a smile.

She heard a light laugh escaped her wife's beautiful mouth. "Are you okay?" Deanna asked.
"Yeah." Selena sighed. "I'm sorry about having to go."
"Don't." Deanna warned. "This is important. You need to focus on this. And I know there's only one way you can really do that."
"But you know I'll make it up to you." Selena promised. "Anything you want me to bring next time, I'll bring it."
"I know." Smiled Deanna. "Just bring yourself." She stated. "You really don't know how often that's all I need."

Selena sighed at the same time her wife did, lifting her hand up to touch the receiver. "Maybe I love you."
"Maybe I love you." Replied her wife in earnest. "Is your hand on the receiver too?"
"Yes." Laughed Selena.
"I knew it." Replied Deanna.

Again, Selena sighed, casting her eyes to check on the clock on the wall. "Is it time?"
"Pretty much." Replied Deanna sadly. "When will I see you again?"
"If I can get there with no trouble?" Selena thought. "Friday if they don't need me for the house shows. Sunday if they do. I'll call either way, okay?"
"Yeah." Deanna replied. "I won't hear from till after it's over, will I?"

She wanted to say no to her wife - wanted to assure her that she would hear from her sooner, but Kelcey's words had rang in her head over and over again. Because she wasn't her wife. She wasn't Deanna. She had regrets. She wanted to go back and change so much. And because she couldn't, because she didn't have a time machine, Selena knew that left only one option of Kelcey's advice: do the right thing and fight for it.

And I can't do that being 'the wife of Deanna Frost'. Selena thought darkly as she held the phone to her ear. "No." She slowly answered. "I'm sorry, Deanna."
"It's okay." Deanna replied, though Selena could hear the sadness in her voice. "But as soon as it's over? Like the moment you have a moment after Breakdown - win or lose?"
"Absolutely." Promised Selena. "Early in your morning. Like seven or eight a.m maybe."
"Okay." The redhead nodded. "I'll...I'll let you go."
"Okay..." Selena replied but neither woman moved to hang up. "I don't want to."
"Me neither." Deanna stated back. "We're like lovesick teenagers."
"Yeah." Giggled Selena. "Okay, how do we do this?"
"Umm... Okay." Deanna huffed, as if to prepare herself. "First, I'll say 'I love you, Selena, with all my heart and soul. That I'm yours always.'."
"Is this a goodbye or a love-speech?" Selena asked.
"I'm trying to give an epic farewell so we can say goodbye and hang up." Deanna explained. "Mood-killer."
"Okay, okay. Sorry. Go on." Selena apologized.
"Like I was saying, then I would give you a kiss." Selena heard a smooching/smacking sound in her ear. "Now you."
"Okay." Smiled Selena, biting her lower lip before following Deanna. "I love you, Deanna, with all my heart and soul. I'm yours always."
"And the kiss..." Prompted Deanna.

Rolling her eyes, Selena blew her wife a kiss into the receiver.

"I feel better now." Deanna replied happily. "Give 'em hell!" She laughed.
"Alright." Selena smiled. "Talk to you soon, pet."
"Can't wait, minx - now wait! Can't wait... Future United States Champion!"

With a roll of her eyes, Selena hung up the phone that hung on the wall of her private plane. With a quiet sigh from her nostrils, she spied the time on the clock beside the phone.

Nome Airport
Nome, Alaska
June 27th, 2020
6:50am

"I'm home." Selena whispered as she gazed out at the still dark sky of the cold world that she belonged to. She heard the strong winds howling outside against her docked plane. She had landed over an hour ago, but had wanted to call Jean and tell him she was here for a pickup in an hour and then call Deanna one last time before departing, because she knew it would be the last time for a while until she would talk to her wife again.

Quietly, the Snow Queen grabbed her large suitcase, rolling it on its hind wheels through the plane. A few minutes passed and she was standing on the docking area of the Tarmac for private planes. It was a small airport but it was enough for a few commercial flights and private planes, not many people travelling to Nome, Alaska, especially now.

Still, Selena closed her eyes and inhaled the cold air deeply, loving it despite the painful memories she had in this place. The cold, it was part of her, part of the very blood in her veins. She needed to be back her for what was to come her way next week. The wind blew her braid back strongly but not enough to move her. Opening her eyes, she could see the first beginnings of the sun rising for the morning, but she also saw the headlights of a car parked, waiting for her.

To her surprise, however, it wasn't Jean Black, whom she had called for the pickup, that got out of the car. No, the man that approached her was shorter, larger and balder, his round face breaking into a shy smile.

"Hey, kid." He said, shoving his hands into his big pant pockets. "Get here alright?"
"Uncle Liam?" Selena asked as her eyes were able to see him despite the headlights. "What are you doing here?"
"Jean said you had arrived. I asked him to let me pick ya up. There's... There's something I gotta tell you."
"What?" Selena asked, her head tilting. The way her 'uncle's' voice was... Was unnerving.

"I...I don't really don't know how to tell you this, kid."
"Just tell me." Selena ordered quietly. "Whatever it is."
"It's..." Liam sighed. "It's Titania. She...uh...she was found dead last week."

__________________________________________

The Royal Letter

The camera slowly fades in, but the only after the sounds of a howling wind is heard. As the picture becomes clear, what is seen is a crackling fire, the light from the embers dancing around the ground and off part of the walls. The sound of fire burning is almost peaceful, calming, which explains the young woman staring into the flames deeply, her sapphire eyes capturing a bit of the fire's glow within them. She wears a simple leather jacket and her hair, platinum-blonde, is tied in its iconic braid as it rests against her chest. She rests against the wall made of stone, uneven in appearance, as the edges and crevices are further detailed by the glow of the fire. Slowly, the woman lifts her head to gaze into the camera, to the audience she knows will be watching.

Hello, Bree. Selena smiles as she settles more against the wall, her hands wrapped around her knee. I know this is where I should be speaking directly to Gavin Taylor, my semi-finalist - and next - opponent in the tournament, or maybe even Chris Cannon or Christy Matthews, who I might face if I can make it to the finals. But, the truth is, after last week, I kept coming to the same conclusion. The conclusion that I needed to speak to you. See, Glory Braddock, she gave me an amazing fight. Definitely deserving of all her accolades - those fourteen world championships she'll talk about in every promo - but she said something that kind of sat with me afterwards.

She said that I didn't deserve to be in this tournament. That I was only there because of Sasha D.. Yeah... And as much as I wanted to believe that I was added to this tournament because of my abilities and solid record so far this year, I have to admit that there was some truth to it. I mean, let's face it, Bree, we both know that little 'list' you had when you announced that you were 'dropping the title'? That list of people you thought were 'deserving' of having the title, I'll wager I wasn't on it. In fact... an amused smile breaks across Selena's lips. I'll wager that I am the last person you would put on such a list - a list of people that 'deserve' a chance to be the United States Champion.

Selena shrugs. And that's kind of the reason why I wanted to speak to you first. You know, before I go too deep into talking about next Breakdown. Because I want to ask you, now that the first round of the tournament is done - is this 'everything' you dreamed of when you tossed the title aside? I mean, I will probably guess that Sienna, Chris, and Glory were the three names on that list of yours, and you were probably so certain in Chris and Glory that you were still happy to drop the title. Now, here we are, and there's a chance, however large or small, that the United States Title could go to either Infamous... Selena licks her lips. Or to me.

How about that? she smirks, somewhat amused. It's both amusing and sad at the same time, Bree. Sad that it's had to come to this. Slowly, Selena's sapphire eyes scan the area she is in. Do you recognize this place, Bree? I haven't really been here in over a year... Since before our last match. This is my father's mining cave, where I filmed my first promo against you for our match at Making Things Right in 2019. A match that I spent my Trios contract on - a roofed cage match...

Let me just go back a bit and tell you about that match, Bree. You want to know why I chose it back then? It wasn't to 'punish you'. It wasn't to 'get revenge'. No. I chose that match because I wanted to see, when push came to shove, if everything you said was true. You said that you would do anything to remain the United States Champion. That you would endure anything for that title. Do you remember that? You said that your passion was far greater than mine. That your talent was far greater than mine. You also said that you and I were a lot alike in that we care about being on the top, but where you succeed in SCW and I fail is that you "don't try to hide by acting like a hero or playing to popularity'.

Selena takes a deep breath. I wanted to test all of that. I wanted to see if 'anything' would include actually fighting me on your own merit and beating me clean. If you really would go the distance and be better than me, Bree. Because I wanted to be the United States Champion. That's all I wanted. Not so I could be Supreme Champion, but because it had been a dream I wanted for years, ever since I won the Best of the Best Tournament in 2016.

And while you sat away in your comfortable penthouse rooms, sipping wine and placing the U.S title over a fireplace, I was here, in this cave, pushing myself to a place that I needed to be in order to be ready. Putting myself through the elements and enduring it so I could take you on. That's how much I not only respected the United States Title, Bree, but how much I respected your ability in the ring. That's how far I knew I had to push myself in order to have a chance to beat you! So, now that I'm here again, you can imagine how much I know that I'll have to push myself to become United States Champion again, be it against Gavin or Chris or Christy - it's going to take everything I can do and everything I have to win.

And yet... Being here, and remembering your words, I have to say that I can't believe that I believed them for a second. That you 'care' about the United States title. That you "would do anything for it". And no, let's just ignore that whole crap about you "letting me win", that joke has been dead for over a year, no matter how many times you repeat it. Selena sneers. I'm talking about you dumping the United States Title now that you have the World title.

You think I don't know the burden of holding two titles at once, Bree? Hello! I held the Adrenaline and the Tag-Team titles at the same time in my first year of SCW! Actual titles in SCW, not the dozens or so Gavin Taylor keeps in his closet. And yes, having two titles was the hardest thing I ever did at the time, trying to be a good singles champion and a good tag-team champion at the same time. But not once, Bree - not once! - did I think about quitting because it was 'too tough'. I kept fighting and fighting until I couldn't be champion anymore. Not for spotlight, not for money, but because of it was a privilege to reach those heights - to be a champion - and that status came with a responsibility. But you? The woman that 'would do anything for the U.S title'? You threw it away.

It's funny... My last promo, against Glory Braddock - your 'messenger of the Beauty Factory'? I remarked that if I knew I'd have to wait over four-hundred days for another chance at the United States Title, perhaps I would have savoured my reign more... I mean, compared to your three reigns of months and months, mine doesn't even come close in terms of length. But you know what? I would rather have had my shorter reign, where I defended it every match I was in, losing it while fighting with all I had, then to have what you had. You said that we were a lot alike, Bree, but never - NEVER - would I believe that now. Because never would I willingly throw away a title. I would defend it with everything I had until I was beaten for it! So that THAT person can say they EARNED it! That's what every title in SCW deserves! Not to be tossed away when you get 'a higher tier one'. Selena shakes her head.

You cheapened that title, Bree. You slapped SCW in the face, slapped what that title means, slapped the faces of everyone that's ever held it and thought it meant something to their careers and even now, you're slapping the faces of every person that has fought tooth and nail to survive this tournament! Even the people I don't like, you're slapping them in the face! And it makes me sick, Bree. To think that you've reached a point where you feel you're "too good" for the United States Title.

The United States title, where Hall of Famers like Shilo Valiant, Ravyn Taylor, Dillusion, Shawn Winters, where future Hall of Famers like Lucas Knight, Regan Street, Amy Chastaine and James Evans - I could go on! - fought wars for it... is 'not good enough' for Bree Lancaster...

You know what? Selena shakes her head. I am wishing that this works out the way I want it to... Because if I'm right and I can get to the finals, I'm gonna have the opportunity to kick you in the face so hard, it will make 2019 look like a slap on the cheek!
Selena takes a deep breath to calm herself.

What am I talking about, Bree? To be honest, I'm talking about what I'm hoping will happen on Breakdown. See, to me, every possible opponent in my way, well... They are the ones that have more in common with you. Not me. You've got a talented young man in Gavin Taylor - the All-Star - a man so secure in his abilities... That he wears replicas of old SCW titles and calls himself 'the champion' of whatever belt he brings in each week.

Biting her lip, Selena shakes her head. A man that pulls on tights and grabs ropes on people he can't beat like Jay Gold... Just like you did against me, remember? So much like you, Bree, calling yourself "the greatest champion" and 'caring' about the titles you hold. Both talented - and both a couple of liars and pretenders. Selena runs a hand through her platinum locks, grasping her braid with that hand. He pretends he's this be all and end all talent with every title in his possession to the point where I think, even if he wins this tournament, he'll show up one week with the actual United States Title and then cast it aside for another of his replicas, just like you cast the title aside that led to this tournament.

And do you honestly think I am going to let that happen to the U.S title again?! Another champion that treats it like a prop or a stepping stone rather than defending it till they can't anymore? And pay attention, Bree. I said 'can't', not 'won't'.

Which brings me to Chris Cannon, the biggest 'I won't' whiner with his contract negotiations and your last hope for the Beauty Factory, and Christy Matthews, who is no stranger to me in the ring. I said that I would explain how alike they are to you, Bree, but really? All you have to do is tune into last week's Breakdown. Chris Cannon, Sienna Swann, Xiomara, three on one - attacking en masse on Jordan Majors. Christy Matthews? She brought the whole damn Infamous stable to the ring against Jake Starr!

Hell, shall we go back to you interfering in that six person tag match between the Beauty Factory and Asher, myself and Ace Marshall? Costing my team the match? No? How about where you, Glory, and the rest of Beauty Factory, including Chris Cannon, ganged up on me backstage and after my match with Madison Steward?

You want me to spell it out plainer, Bree? You, Chris, Christy? Infamous and Beauty Factory? You may hate each other but you're all the cut from the same cloth - cowards. You hide in your packs and you quit when the going gets tough. You quit when you faced me over a year ago, you quit when things got tough for you as a dual-champion, just like Christy and Chris have quit over and over again in their careers, only to come back after X amount of time when they're feeling frisky.

Selena shakes her head. Not one of you four - that includes Gavin as well - not one of you, have fought through the bad times. Not one of you have taken loss and accepted it - accepted failure - and gotten back up. You've either lied about it, run away from it, blamed someone else or pretended you were something else or that it never happened. And the idea of someone like you, Bree, be it Gavin or your 'pick' or Christy Matthews of Infamous - the idea of any of them holding that United States Title, like I said, makes me sick.

Because SCW is tired of the pretenders. SCW is tired of the liars and the cheaters. SCW is tired of the tainted wins and the ambushes and the pack-attacks that seem to ooze out of those like you, Bree. That is not what the SCW United States Championship should be about! Let me say that again: That is not what the S-C-W United States Championship should be about. That's not what this tournament should be about. This tournament is about doing what you couldn't do, Bree. It's about finding a champion that won't abandon the division when things get tough. This tournament is about showing the true SCW standard of what that title means, not what you made it into. This tournament is meant to represent SCW and set the standard for what comes next: a literal Rise to Greatness!

Turning her head, Selena stares back into the fire. I may be the only person left in this thing that actually wants that and believes in it. And to survive one match at Breakdown, I'll need to be smart and observant, ready for whatever 'your kind of desperate ploys' that I know Gavin will use to try and sneak past me like he did with Jay Gold. But in the finals, Bree? I am hoping...praying... That I get to face Chris Cannon. Selena is quiet for a moment, letting that revelation settle.

It's not that I have an issue with facing Christy Matthews. Far from it. But, to be honest, it's my ego again. Because, knowing that I'm the last person you want to see with that title, I want to be the person that eliminates both of your Beauty Factory picks - Glory and Chris. And I want to be in the ring, facing Chris, for when the Beauty Factory, inevitably does what it always does when things get tough and doubtful. When Chris realizes that he can't just 'take me down'... When he gets desperate and Sienna starts panicking, and you start panicking that I might just get that title you abandoned...

That will be when you all come running to the ring. Picking up a stick, Selena pokes the burning logs with it. That's when I'll have my chance. she whispers. To kick your damn head off, Bree. For SCW, for me... For the United States Title... Right before I fight like hell to win it.

Taking a deep breath, Selena throws the stick into the fire before casting her eyes back at the camera. Another 'you' is not going to hold that title again, Bree.

I won't let it happen. Believe it.

The camera fades on the sight of Selena, the fire burning before her before it all goes to black.