Taking Hold of the Flame 2023
{{ Friday, May 5
Kenner, LA
Bree's Home }}
It's a weird Friday. Normally I am just getting home from a show, but today I am preparing to go to one. SCW is running Breakdown on a special Saturday show this week. I have a tough night ahead of me too, I am facing Alexis Quinne in the first round of a tournament to crown a new United States Champion. Obviously, I'm excited to be in this and really want to win out. Alexis is tough though, I have to be at my absolute best.
It's afternoon and I am in the kitchen cleaning up after lunch. Dom has Heath in the den and Jaina, who is here helping me get ready for traveling, is upstairs getting Heath's bag ready. We always do his first to make sure we don't forget anything. Just as I close the dishwasher and start it, there's a knock at the door. I spin around, staring at the door. This is a gated community, and no one called me to allow someone in. So whoever that is either lives here, or has a gate code. But Jaina is here... and Amy was too busy today to be coming over. No one else had a code. Unless....
I go to the door and fling it open. I gasp.
“Jordan!” She steps in and I pull her into a big hug. “Oh my God what are you doing here?”
“Can't a girl visit a bestie?”
“Always. Anytime! Come in, get your.... are all those your bags?” I look at the pile of luggage near the door. There's at least four bags I can see. And no rental car outside. She must have been dropped off.
“Yeah... kinda need a lot to carry the three title belts I have.”
“That's right! Did I tell you congrats? Congrats!”
Jordan laughs. “You did, but thanks.” She grabs all the bags at once, expertly, as if she's been lugging it all around for a while. It looks like three of them are light. They must be the titles. Jordan drags it all inside and I shut the door. She piles it up behind the den couch, the back of it faces the kitchen, so the bags are out of the way.
“Not that I'm not super happy to see you, but what's the occasion? You didn't tell me you were coming!”
“That would have ruined the surprise. I figure since I was out of the country for your baby's birthday, I'd come by a few days late and make up for it.”
“Amazing. I love you.” I laugh. Jordan does too.
“Obviously I love you too, or I wouldn't be here. Where's the birthday boy?”
“Dom has him in the den. It's almost naptime, cause we just had lunch. But lemme go get him!”
“No, no. Don't mess up his schedule for me. There's plenty of time.”
“Is there? How long are you visiting for?”
“I hoped at least the weekend.”
I start to say that Breakdown is tomorrow, but Dom comes in from the den, carrying Heath.
“Hey you! I thought I heard your voice. Good to see you.”
Dom gives Jordan a one-armed hug, then presents Heath to her.
“Oh wow, you're so big!” Heath laughs.
“Oh yeah? Watch this.” Dom sets him down on his feet facing me, then lets go. Heath smiles at me, and walks over to me, wobbly, but he makes it.
“Oh my gosh! And so soon after he was so sick!”
I pick Heath up and settle him on my hip. “See, this is what you missed when you couldn't come to the party.”
“He did it there?” I nod, assuming Jordan missed the tweet I made about it. “I bet that was a sight, in front of everyone.”
“I really think he waited til everyone was watching, cause he's such a ham.” I look at him smiling. “Yes, you. You're a ham. Hamhock!” I jiggle him a little. He laughs, then yawns. “Oh, see. You're missing your nap.”
Dom comes over and takes him from me. “Alright Nugget, you said hello. Nap. Now.” Heath clings to Dom. “I'll be back, gotta go be Dad.”
Jordan just smiles as Dom walks off, then turns back to me. “I never pictured him as the dad type, but it seems to suit him.”
“He's so great.” We walk over to the breakfast table as we talk. “I never had a doubt he would be though. He was always good around Loki, and his nephew. Anyway, about this weekend...”
Jordan looks away, at something behind me. Or rather, someone. The back stairs come down into the kitchen. Only one thing could have pulled her attention like that. I turn, and Jaina is coming down the stairs. She's smiling.
“Jay... Jaina. I didn't know you were here. I didn't see your Jeep.”
“I traded it in. The red Malibu outside is mine.”
“Oh... nice choice.”
“Thanks.” Jaina comes all the way down and into the kitchen. “So, um... hi?” Jaina smiles.
“Hi.” Jordan smiles back. Jaina walks through the kitchen towards us as Jordan gets to her feet. They meet a few steps away from the table, right behind me, and hug. I can't see Jordan's face, but I can see Jaina's and she's very happy. I can't stop myself from smiling. It's like time jumped back a few years. I know things had got a little rough back then, but I think it's honestly the last time Jaina was truly happy. They part, and Jaina sees Jordan's bags.
“Staying a while?”
“I planned for the weekend.”
Jaina starts to say something, but I jump in. “That's what I've been trying to say. Breakdown is tomorrow night this week. We're flying to Omaha in the morning.”
Jordan spins to face me. “Nebraska?”
“Yeah, what's the.... Oh. Right.” I remembered that Jordan grew up in Nebraska. Jaina walks around Jordan and leans on the half wall that separates the kitchen from the breakfast room.
“You can come with if you want. I mean... she can, right Aunt Bree?”
“Of course! Plenty of room on the plane.”
“Oh. I hadn't checked the SCW schedule, I didn't know. I wasn't trying to interfere with your work.”
“Nonsense! It'll be like old times! Well... somewhat.” Shut up Bree. Get your foot out of your mouth. Jordan grins.
“Yeah, maybe. Not sure I want to be around the whole SCW group.”
“You wouldn't have to be.”
“You could stay with Marie and Heath at my room. I'm sure they'd enjoy the company.”
“Who's Marie?”
Jaina sits next to me at the table, and Jordan takes her seat across from me again, as I explain.
“Marie Caedes. Not sure if you remember her on TV last year.” Jordan shakes her head. “Her family are old friends, and since she took a break from wrestling, I asked her to travel with us to watch Heath, since Nora is gone.” Thank every god.
“Oh right... the one who... did that.”
“Yeah. Her. Obviously I fired her. So, Marie travels with us now. I feel much better with her than I ever did with Nora.”
Jaina leans on the table. “I know I told you about Marie. We were supposed to be a team until she got that concussion.” Jaina and Marie had known each other since they were little, and now were best friends.
“Yeah, you did. I guess I just forgot. I should come visit more, then I'd know these things.”
I wave my hand at her dismissively “Stop. You're super busy, traveling with wrestling, picking up championships, other personal things...” I regret saying that as soon as it's out of my mouth. Jordan doesn't mind though.
“Yeah. Splitting with Serena. You can say it, it's not a sensitive subject. Not a bad situation. We were just going in different directions. We wish each other the best.”
I sigh. “That's good to hear. Nasty breakups are the worst.” And didn't I know it. “Kinda reminds me of Amy and Jason.”
“What?”
“Yeah. Jason broke up with Mom and they moved back to Los Angeles.” Jaina rolls her eyes. I think she knows more about it than I do.
“Oh. I didn't know, sorry to hear that.”
“Yeah, she hasn't announced it or anything.”
“Anyway, what I meant was that that wasn't nasty, either.” As far as I know, anyway. I probably shouldn't have said anything about it.
“Oh. That's good at least. For us – I mean me – it's really for the best. She's a great person but I admit I'm a lot happier now.” Jordan glances towards Jaina, and I catch Jaina grinning. Oh.
“So, gonna come with us to Breakdown?” Jaina grins expectantly.
“In Nebraska?”
“Hey, we didn't book the schedule. How about we talk about it for dinner? Like at my place or out or something.”
Jordan smirks. “You asking me out for dinner?”
“Whatever you want to call it.”
“Okay. We can do that.”
“Alright then.” I smile somewhat awkwardly. I feel like I shouldn't have heard that. “Jordan, tell us all about your title matches. I only saw the one.”
We spent the afternoon with Jordan telling us about her travels, and feuds, and matches. As early evening came, Jordan left with Jaina. I wasn't expecting to see her til the morning.
{{ Monday, May 8
Kenner, LA
Bree's Home }}
Breakdown was... eventful. I pulled out a win against Alexis Quinne. That is one tough woman and I'm a little surprised at myself that I did it. Also, unfortunately Liz got herself a minor injury and will be out for a few weeks. This means that the Tag Team Championship match we were meant to have has to be postponed. She had said to me a few weeks ago that it seems like the universe doesn't want us to team up, and at the time I told her that was silly. But maybe she's on to something. I told her to focus on healing up, and I would focus on the tournament.
Jordan had decided to come with us after all, and stayed with Jaina at the hotel. She claimed she wasn't necessarily hiding from people, she just had no reason to go anywhere else and felt like she'd be in the way if she came to the show. I have no idea what exactly this weekend means for them, and I'm not asking. Whatever it is... I hope for the best.
We got home this morning, and I saw I had a missed call from Mara, Nora's sister. After getting my bags unpacked and clothes into the laundry, I give her a call back.
“H Bree.”
“Hey, sorry I missed your call. I was traveling.”
“I figured. I didn't mean to bother you. I just wanted to tell you what's going on with Nora.”
“Oh? Is she okay?” I will never forgive her for what she did, but I didn't wish her any harm.
“She is, actually. That's kinda what I'm calling for. The mental hospital released her into Mom's care. She can't go home yet, they want her supervised for a while still. But she's out of the hospital.”
My heart starts to pound. “Oh. Thank you for warning- um, telling me.” If Mara caught my slip up, she didn't say anything about it.
“I did say I'd let you know, so I'm just keeping my word.”
“Of course. So she's okay, you say?”
“Relatively. She's still a little off. But she knows she did something wrong and she seems really remorseful.”
“As she should. Listen, you should know that my lawyer has been in contact with the DA. They want me to press charges for purposely making Heath sick. It's essentially poisoning.”
“Oh. Are you going through with that?”
“We haven't decided. Dom and I are still discussing it. I feel bad for her, but she could have killed him, you know?”
“Yeah. I really wish that you wouldn't, I don't think she would the help she needs in jail. But I understand if you do.”
“Like I said, we're discussing. I will let you know. I promise.”
“Thank you. I should go, I didn't mean to keep you on the phone.”
“I'm glad I spoke to you. Take care.”
I end the call and sit back on my couch in the library. So, Nora is free. Not like she was in jail, but at least in the mental hospital she was under constant supervision. I don't like it, but I have to trust that the doctors know what they're doing.
{{ Tuesday, May 30
New Orleans
Starlight Studios }}
Guess who's going to Taking Hold of the Flame to fight for the United States Championship? That's right, I am! I faced and beat Polly Playtime in the semi-finals. I'll be facing Amelia Blythe for the title. I could have entered the battle royal too, but I decided not to. Not that I didn't want to work twice, I've done that before. I just want to focus on one thing, and the US Championship is just more important to me right now.
When I got home, Dom had news for me. The studio in charge of the TV show he'd been waiting to start work on had finally greenlit production. They wanted to start right after Memorial Day. I thought that was short notice, but Dom said not really, since he knew it was coming, just not exactly when. He'd been working hard to get himself in what he calls 'camera shape.' That meant visible muscle lines and abs, which meant extra gym time and a healthier diet. He's been 'camera ready' for a few weeks now, so he was glad to be going to work.
So, here we are at Starlight Studios, the same studio where Dom filmed Deep Cover a few years ago, but in a different building. The door plaque says Agent SEAL, but Dom says that's a placeholder name for the show, it will likely change. Good, cause I think it's kinda dumb. It's supposed to be a closed set, which means no visitors, but I was invited today because the director is apparently a fan of mine and wanted to meet me.
Dom and I walk into the building, me pushing Heath in his stroller. A man turns to the door, and immediately starts walking towards us. The lady he was talking to follows.
“That's Amanda Verot, she plays the FBI agent that handles my character.” The woman is a tall brunette, her hair long and straight. She's conventionally pretty, but I wouldn't call her hot. Then again, I'm not attracted to women so maybe she is. “And he's the director, Chris Safford.” He looks young for a director, but what do I know? He walks up first.
“Good morning! Good to see you Dominic.” Ugh. I would have to remember that most people in the business use his full name.
“You too, Chris. Glad to be getting started. But first... meet my wife, Bree Lancaster, and our son Heath.”
Chris extends his hand to me. I shake it. “Pleasure. I'm Chris Safford.”
“Nice to meet you.”
The woman catches up. “Hey Dom, you made it.” Oh. She calls him Dom. Stop it Bree, you don't even know the lady.
“Bree, this is Amanda Verot. I'll be working mostly with her, if I read the script right.”
I smile at her and offer my hand. “Hi.”
“Good to meet you, Bree. This handsome young man must be your son.” Amanda smiles down at Heath. He wiggles, wanting to get out of the stroller. I unstrap him and pick him up.
“Yes, this is Heath.” She wiggles her fingers at him.
“Hi Heath! Aren't you just the sweetest thing?” Heath laughs and tries to grab her hand. “Oh, he is too sweet. Would you mind if I hold him?”
I hesitate, normally I wouldn't just hand him over to a stranger. But Dom knows her, this is a closed set. So I smile. “Go ahead. He loves meeting people.” I lean him towards her a little. “Do you want to go with Miss Amanda for a minute?” Heath leans over some more, and Amanda takes him.
“Ooh, big boy, too. How old is he?”
“He made a year last month.”
She smiles towards him. “Too handsome. Do you want to see some of the set? I can walk you around a little so you're not bored.” She turns to me. “If that's okay.”
I glance at Dom, he doesn't seem concerned. “Sure.”
Amanda smiles and walks off, pointing to things and telling Heath what they are. I turn to Dom.
“Is she good with kids?”
“She has two, so I assume yes.”
“Oh, okay.”
“So Bree, have you ever been to one of Dominic's sets before?”
I turn my attention back to the director. “Yes, actually. I even had a brief appearance in one of them.”
“Oh really, what was that? I must have missed it.”
“Rope Break. It was like ten seconds.”
Chris appears to think about that for a moment. “I'll have to rewatch that to see.”
“Blink and you miss me.” I laugh.
“Don't mislead him, Bree, you had a line!”
“Oh! I did! I forgot.” Legit, I had forgotten that. “I went to the Deep Cover set a time or two, also. But that was all.”
“Well, I'm happy to have you here. It's closed set for secrecy reasons, the studio doesn't want much about the show getting out before they're ready. But I'll put you on the list, you can come by any time.”
“Thank you.” I wasn't going to mention that I normally don't really like to watch Dom work. Not that he isn't great at it, its just that the retakes get boring and the lights are hot. I much prefer seeing the finished product.
“So Chris... that series name on the door. That's changing, right?”
“Lord, I hope so.” The men laugh.
“My name hasn't changed last minute, has it?”
“No sir, Mr. Connor Cross, sir.” He smirks.
“Good. I like it.”
“It's better than the original, from what I hear.” It was supposed to be Connor Mason. Dom had immediately shot that down.
Chris laughs. “I remember that! Had no problem changing that.”
“I do appreciate it.”
“Dom! Bree!”
I hear Amanda's voice from behind me. We both turn, and she's walking quickly towards me. The first thing I notice is that her hands are empty. “I'm so sorry... Heath wandered off. I didn't know he was walking, and set him down to grab my phone, and....” She shakes her head. I look at Dom, starting to panic. He grabs my shoulder.
“Don't worry, cakes, he can't get far. There's only three doors in or out of here. He's probably wandering around one of the room sets. We'll find him.”
“Okay. You're right, he can't be far.”
“Let's split up, we'll find him faster that way,” Amanda suggested.
“Good idea.”
We split up, with Chris helping. It's a pretty large building, with 6 different room sets. We took half an hour walking every room set. But Heath was nowhere.
“Dom. Where is he?!”
“We had to have just missed him. Maybe he's hiding in a corner. He has to be here.”
“Check with security.”
“There's no way he got out of the building, Bree.”
“Please. Just humor me.” I could feel the panic coming back.
“Alright.” Dom pulls his phone out, but Chris walks up.
“I already called the head guard. He's scanning film. If anything it'll just show us where the kid decided to stick himself for hide and seek.”
I make myself take deep, slow, breaths. Dom stands in front of me, rubbing my upper arms, trying to keep me calm. It's not helping in the slightest.
“He's here. We'll find him.”
I just nod, and close my eyes, trying to believe him.
A minute or so later, I hear footsteps. I look up and two security guards are here.
“Mr. Teller... we found something.” The man's face tells me everything I need to know.
“No....” It came out as a whisper.
“What is it?”
“On the footage. An unknown figure in a gray hoodie exiting the rear fire door, carrying the child.”
“The child? The child? That is my son! I thought this was a closed set!” I screamed to anyone. Dom pulled me close to him, not to calm me, that was impossible now, but I assume to get me to stop screaming at least.
“It is, ma'am. But we had a tour group of film students come through. This person must have come in with them.”
“Film students.” My voice is flat. I am incredulous.
“Yes. Maybe the person thought the ch- your son, was lost and brought him to the main security office.”
The other guard, a phone to his ear, shakes his head no. “Not there, sir. I just called.”
I turn to Dom. “It has to be her. I don't know how but its her!”
“Yeah... yeah I agree. Can we see the video?” He sounds devastated and almost defeated. Just how I feel.
“Her?”
“Our former caretaker. We probably don't have time for me to fully explain, just know that she's a danger to our son. The video?”
“Oh, right. I have a screenshot.” The guard produces his phone. Security apps these days are pretty advanced. The screenshot is in color. Only the back of the person's head can be seen, covered by the light gray hoodie. But I can see my son's face clearly. He's smiling at whoever is holding him.
“I knew it! He wouldn't smile like that at someone he doesn't know.”
“I'll contact police right away.”
Good. He can do that. I pull out my phone and call Mara.
“Bree!”
“Mara, tell me right now if you know where your sister is!”
“No. I don't. I was about to call you. She's supposed to be in her room at Mom's and she's gone.”
“Goddammit! She took him. Mara, she took my son!”
“What? Where are you?”
“The studios downtown. Dom was supposed to start filming TV today.”
A few seconds of silence. “Oh my God... that's why she was following entertainment news so closely lately.”
“We're calling the police. I'm sorry Mara but she-”
“No, you're right. Call them. But give them this address.” She rattles off numbers and a street name. I recognize it, it's in Mid-city. “That's Nora's apartment. I bet she took him there.”
“That would kinda dumb, don't you think? It's literally the first place the police would go!”
“Yes, but she's not thinking straight. I think she thinks your son is hers, and she's gonna take him home.”
“Jesus fucking Christ.”
“She won't hurt him, Bree”
“I know.” She hadn't meant to make him as sick as he got. She just thought the honey would give him a stomach ache.
“I'm going there now, meet me. With the police.”
“Okay, Thank you.”
After ending the call, I go over to the gathered group of TV people, security, and now two police officers. One man and one woman.
“I know who has him. I just talked to her sister, she gave me an address. She'll met us there.”
The lady cop speaks to me. “Ma'am, we're told you know the suspect and she's unstable?”
“Yes. Can I ride with you and explain in the car?”
“Sure. Let's move out.”
I rode with the police and explained. Dom followed in his car. We arrive near the address and see another police car already parked, diagonally across the street from the address Mara gave me, in a convenience store parking lot. We park next to it, and Dom parks behind us. As I exit the car, I see another car on the other side of the lot. Mara. I see her coming towards us.
“Thank God, you're here. I saw her.”
“Nora?”
“Yes. That's her place. The right side.” Mara points at a duplex shotgun house across the street. “The other side is vacant. I saw her walk past the side window.”
“Did you see him?”
“No. Just her.”
I sighed. That didn't mean anything. She could have him on the floor. Or in a bed. She won't hurt him. She won't hurt him. I keep telling myself.
I feel a tap on my shoulder. I turn, and its the police and Dom. The lady cop is apparently lead on this.
“Okay, we have a plan. Miss Simms, we'll need your help.”
“Sure. You want me to go in first, talk to her?”
“That, and confirm that she has the boy. You can signal yes by scratching the back of your head. Then stand aside and we'll move in to secure him.”
“What about me? He'll be scared to death of all the uniforms, he should see me.”
“We don't want the suspect to see you. She may bolt if she does.”
“Oh. That's a good point.”
Instead, I follow the cops and Mara to the porch. The cops stand to the left side of the door on the shared porch, out of sight. I am right behind them. They tried to talk me out of it but I insisted. Mara goes up to the door and knocks. Nothing. Then I hear steps. The door opens, but I can't see inside, a cop is in my way.
“Hey Mara... what are you doing here?” I cringe at the sound of Nora's voice.
“Looking for you. You're supposed to be at Mom's.”
“I know. But I had something to take care of here. I was planning on going back this afternoon.”
And what, leave my son alone?! Mara scratches the back of her head. She sees Heath! She steps forward, and it looks like Nora is letting her inside. The cop in front of me crouches a little, and I can see in the door. Just to the side of the door, near the window, I see him. Heath, in a high chair. It takes all of my self control not to cry out to him. I hear Mara and Nora talking, but I can't tell what they're saying. Then suddenly, the two cops in front of me surge in through the door.
“Stop! Step away from the child!”
“Hands behind your head!”
I go to the doorway, it doesn't matter now if Nora sees me. Mara is behind her, looking very upset, sad. Nora has followed directions and has her hands on her head. I go inside and before the cop can stop me, I run in and grab Heath. He clings to me as I run out of the house, holding him tight. Once we're outside and off the porch, I realize he's crying. He must be scared from all the commotion, and me snatching him up like that, and I was probably holding him too tight. I sink in the grass to my knees, holding him close.
“It's okay, baby, I'm sorry. Momma's sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. It's okay now.” He starts to calm down as Dom meets me there and practically slides in the grass to sit next to us. I sit too, to save my knees.
“Hey there kiddo. You're okay.” Dom rubs the hair on his head, and Heath's cries diminish into little sobs and sniffles. “You're okay. I promise.”
I hear noise towards the house, and look up. The police are leading Nora out of the door, her hands zip-tied behind her back. She looks defeated, her head hanging, hair falling over her face. I watch them walk past on the sidewalk. Nora then sees me. She stops mid-step. I turn my body to hide Heath from her sight. She doesn't deserve to look at him. The cop holding her by the arm nudges her.
“Let's go.”
They continue leading her to the police car. Mara follows. I wanted to speak to her, but the police have her attention, and I don't know what I would say anyway. The three of us stay in the grass until we see Nora get in the car and the cop shut the door. Then Dom gets up. I want to, but my legs won't work. Heath is sitting on my lap, facing me, his legs around my middle. He's leaning into me and I can feel him clutching at my shirt. Poor baby must have been so scared. Dom meets up with the female cop.
“She's in custody now. We'll need you and your wife to come to the station to file a report.” She looks over at me, then back to Dom. “Is she able to do that?” I can hear her just fine but I let Dom answer for me anyway. He knows me well enough to do so.
“Yeah, she'll be fine.”
I will be. I can go to the station. I can talk all night for that report if I have to. I have my son. And the woman that's been a danger to him since the day I hired her isn't a threat anymore.
ON CAMERA
The familiar fireplace mantle comes into view. On the left side, the SCW Television Championship belt, standing on a display stand. On the right? An empty stand. Bree steps into the frame, and stands in front of the mantle, between the two. We can only see her from the waist up. She's wearing a dark gray t-shirt, with the words 'Lux Veritatis' centered, in a warm yellow, surrounded by a fading yellow meant to look like a glow. Her name features across the bottom in smaller black script, it looks like her signature.
Doesn't it look like something is missing?
I have a vacant spot on my mantle that needs filling. The United States Championship is currently vacant, as well. At Taking Hold of the Flame, I can do something about both.
I've made it no secret how much I love this championship. I've made it very clear how much it would mean to me to be able to hold it high over my head again. But I have a confession to make. Every day I spend time meditating, making sure that I am doing my best to practice what I preach, in a manner of speaking. And just yesterday I realized that when it comes to things I've said about the United States Championship, I've been lying to myself, and therefore lying to all of you.
Bree lowers her head for a moment, almost in shame. She looks back up, and shakes her head a little.
Everyone knows that I never intend to lie. I despise a liar, and when I realized what I was doing, I felt terrible. I am sorry. I'm here to shine light on the truth, my truth, because you all deserve to know what's really in my head and in my heart concerning the United States Championship.
It's well known now that should I win, I will become a four time United States Championship, a feat that no one in SCW has ever done. I told you that breaking a record wasn't my goal, that it wasn't even on my radar, because I'm not in this to complete checkmarks. I'm in this to be the best. That part is true. I've always had one main goal in wrestling, and that's to be the best I can be. To keep getting better every time I get in the ring, because everyone around me is always getting better, and there's always someone fresher and younger waiting for their shot.
The lie? That I don't care about the record, for the sake of having the record.
Bree takes a deep breath, and shrugs.
That's not true. I do care about the record. And I want to break it.
I know that sounds like it goes against everything I've said before about aiming for certain milestones, but I can't help it. Most people in this company make it a goal to become a Supreme Champion. That was never important to me. It always seemed like trying to collect them all diminished the value of each one. In this case though, the record for most reigns with a single championship? That's about that specific championship. Look at how hard Syren has been trying and working to become World Champion again, so she can break that record. A lot of people give her heat over it, myself included, from back when she was making demands rather than trying to earn it. But I understand it. That championship is important to her.
The United States Championship is important to me.
And to be known as the one person in SCW history to have carried it proudly more times than anyone else? That... would mean a lot to me, and be an accomplishment worth being proud of.
I have the chance to do exactly that in Milwaukee. I was given a chance to earn my place at Taking Hold of the Flame. I went through Alexis Quinne and Polly Playtime. All that's standing in my way now? A young and talented woman named Amelia Blythe.
Bree smiles at the woman's name.
Amelia. You and I had some words at Breakdown, and I heard what you said. I've been thinking about it, how you consider yourself to be the underdog. I told you that I didn't see it that way. But I understand you now. You need to think that way as motivation. That's fine. You do what you need to do to prepare yourself for this match. There's a lot on the line here. I'm looking to hold that championship one more time. You're looking to cement yourself as a singles competitor by claiming a championship second only to the World Championship. That was part of my motivation the first time I held it. Rise to Greatness, five years ago. I was in a very heated feud with Jason Helms. At the time... I wasn't very well liked around here, and Jason went out of his way to make that known as often and as... annoyingly petty as he could. He didn't like the fact I was seeing his half-brother. So not only was it about the championship, it was also personal. Rise to Greatness, I made him tap, and that was the start of my first reign. In case anyone is wondering how those personal issues played out.. well, he's my brother in law now and we didn't try to kill each other the last time we were in the same room.
Bree smirks at herself, but it fades, as if she remembered something. She shakes her head so slightly that one might think they imagined it.
Anyway. My point... was that at the time, I didn't think the championship was being held by someone worthy of it, who took it seriously enough, who had respect for it. That was my motivation, to claim the championship and bring respect back to it. That specific championship, for a specific reason.
I don't have that same motivation now. No one currently holds it, and Amelia... I have all the respect in the world for you. You came here with your partner and took the Tag Team division by storm. The two of you recently defeated two of the most decorated and, yeah I'll say it but it's not just family bias, legendary fighters in SCW history, that being Simon Lyman and Amy Chastaine. You didn't get the pinfall, that's true, but you still were part of winning that match. You put yourself and Luz' names in lights. You earned your way to this match just the same as I did. You believe in doing things the right way... and your Team name is literally everything I try to be – a light in the dark. I know in my heart that no matter who becomes United States Champion tomorrow night... it will be cared for in good hands, and carried with pride.
Bree looks back over her shoulder at the empty belt stand. She sighs before turning back to the camera.
I just want you to understand how much I need that person to be me. Not because I don't you are worthy, or that you don't take this sport seriously. But because you do. If you are just as worthy as I am, and treat this as importantly as I do... then when I win, it'll mean that much more, on top of breaking that record. Yes, I want to break it, I want to be known as the best United States Champion in SCW history, but I can't do that or be that... if I don't beat the best to get there. That's the truth, and I know I'm not lying to myself or anyone else when I say that Amelia... you are one of the best.
Let's go out there and steal the show, babe. After the bell rings on the winner, I will shake your hand and raise it high out of respect.
I'm just also planning on raising the United States Championship belt high overhead with the other.
Bree smiles, then turns back to the mantle. We see her gazing at the vacant space as the shot fades out.