Just Outside New York City – The Madison Home
A Saturday Afternoon, A few weeks ago

The low hum of a dragon’s wings filled the living room, followed by a heroic trumpet blast that signaled the movie’s climactic battle. Six-year-old Aaron Madison was on his knees in front of the couch, sword-shaped plushie in hand, narrating the scene with absolute conviction.

“And then the knight jumps off the cliff and rides the dragon into the fire—but he’s fine because he has anti-flame armor that his grandma made!”

Laura “Phoenix” Madison chuckled as her son’s arms flailed dramatically.

Nick Madison raised an eyebrow. “Is this the deluxe edition of the movie, or is this an Aaron Original?”

“I’m enhancing the plot, Dad.”

“Of course you are,” Nick muttered, passing the popcorn bowl between them.

They were just settling back into the couch when the sound of the front door opening broke through the surround sound—not abrupt, just familiar. Quiet footsteps padded across the hardwood floor until a soft voice called out from the entryway:

“Um... forgive the intrusion, but the door was... unlatched. I took that as an invitation, though if I’ve misread the situation—”

“You’re fine, Spinelli,” Laura called back warmly, already smiling. “You know this home is always open to you.”

Damian Spinelli stepped into the living room a moment later, adjusting the strap of his messenger bag as he took in the cozy domestic scene. Dressed simply—dark hoodie, jeans, and worn-in sneakers—his hair was slightly tousled from the wind.

“I... hope I’m not interrupting,” he said, though he clearly knew he was. “I brought the weekly schedule printouts and, uh… bagels. There was a sale.”

Nick stood up to give him a quick pat on the back. “Always prepared.”

Spinelli gave a sheepish smile before his gaze drifted to Laura. “Is it true?”

Laura tilted her head. “That I’m entering Blast from the Past?” A small nod. “Yeah. It’s true.”

Spinelli exhaled sharply, adjusting his glasses. “I… must admit, I did not anticipate that turn of events. After all, your previous exit from in-ring activity was decisive, and frankly, logical given the demands of your schedule. Not to mention, you—pardon me—have responsibilities that most active competitors do not.”

“I’m aware,” Laura said gently. “But this isn't a mid-life crisis or some vanity comeback, Spinelli. I’ve been around long enough to know when something feels bigger than the surface. SCW’s shifting. Something’s coming, and I want to be ready for it—not just from a desk or headset.”

Spinelli adjusted his posture, his brow furrowed with concern. “Bella is... well, concerned. As is your husband. They both have informed me as such. You retired for a reason. To focus on family, on leadership, on shaping the future. Is this not a deviation from that trajectory?”

“It is about shaping the future,” Laura said firmly. “Not just mine. Not just Bella’s. All of it. The next generation. The locker room. The company.”

Aaron turned around mid-scene, sword still in hand. “Are you gonna fight dragons too, Mom?”

Laura grinned and ruffled his blonde hair. “Something like that.”

Spinelli let out a breath and slowly nodded. “Then… I will recalibrate my concerns. Though I reserve the right to worry.”

“You always worry,” Nick said, half-teasing.

“Because she’s my best friend,” Spinelli said simply. “And I’ve seen her come back from worse. But I’ve also seen what she gave up to stay whole.”

Laura smiled softly, touched by the honesty. “That’s why I’ll be careful. But I can’t sit back this time, Spin. Not when I still have something to prove—and something to offer.”

Spinelli gave a short nod. “Then I suppose... we begin again.”

------

Madison Home – Later That Night
The fireplace in Laura Madison’s home office crackled softly, casting flickering amber light across the room. The walls were a shrine to a career that had defied odds and rewritten expectations—title belts encased in glass, black-and-white photos of matches frozen in midair glory, and candid shots of locker room laughter with friends who had become family.

Laura sat on the edge of a cushioned bench beneath a window, the glow from the flames bouncing off the silver strands woven into her hair. Her hands moved on instinct, wrapping white athletic tape around her wrists with a precision that only came from years of repetition. She wasn’t heading to the ring just yet, but some habits clung to the soul like second skin.

The door creaked open behind her.

“I swear, you make this house feel like the setup to a documentary sometimes,” Bella’s voice broke the silence, dry with that trademark edge she’d inherited from both parents.

Laura didn’t turn. “You’ve got a flair for drama too, kid.”

Bella stepped inside, arms folded across her chest like a fortress. “Spinelli texted me. Said ‘Operation Denial has failed.’ I take it that means he lost the battle.”

Laura smirked faintly. “Means he finally remembered what team he’s on.”

“He’s worried. We all are.” Bella leaned against the doorway. “And not for nothing, but I’m kind of leading the charge on that front.”

“I know.”

Bella stepped further in, her expression softening just a touch. “Why now, Mom? Why Blast from the Past? You retired. You actually retired. Not like those guys who say it and show up two months later wearing elbow pads again. You did the work. You became the voice behind the curtain. The heartbeat behind the camera. You walked away in one piece. Most of us don’t get that.”

Laura stopped taping and glanced at her daughter. “That was then.”

“And this is now?” Bella challenged, arching a brow. “You do know the women who signed up aren’t gonna go easy on you. This isn’t a nostalgia act. Half of them are looking to make names off yours. The other half just want blood. You think they’ll care you’re a Hall of Famer? They’re gonna try to take your head off to get that next title shot.”

“That’s what they’re supposed to do.” Laura’s voice didn’t waver. “And I’m not asking for special treatment. I’m not asking for a spotlight. I’m stepping back in because it matters. Because something in the air is shifting, and I need to feel it from the canvas up, not just through a headset.”

Bella studied her mother. Her posture, always composed. Her eyes, still fierce beneath time-earned wisdom. “Is this about proving something?”

Laura hesitated, then nodded. “To myself.”

A beat of silence stretched between them. The only sound was the occasional pop of wood in the fireplace.

“I’ve spent the last few years making sure everyone else shines,” Laura continued quietly. “Helping Bella Phoenix become the star she was born to be. Helping rebuild divisions. Training rookies. Advising champions. And I don’t regret a second of it. But for once, I want to walk into that ring because I choose to—not because I’m forced back by crisis or by nostalgia. Because I’ve still got something in the tank. And because I want Aaron to see what it means to never walk away from who you are.”

Bella let out a long breath, finally lowering herself into the armchair across from her. Her expression was no longer confrontational—just conflicted. “So this is about legacy. Again.”

“No,” Laura corrected gently. “It’s about an example.”

Bella looked away for a second, her gaze sweeping over a framed photo on the wall: her mother standing on the top rope, flames etched behind her on the screen, arms wide as if daring the world to challenge her.

“I hate how much that makes sense,” Bella muttered.

Laura smiled faintly, returning to her tape.

“At least I know dad won’t do this to me. Just don’t waste it.”

Laura laughed—full and real. “Wouldn’t dream of it.”

----

Madison Home – Aaron’s Room
The Night Before Departure

The sound of rustling LEGO bricks filled the small room, the kind of quiet chaos that signaled a six-year-old in deep imaginative construction mode. Aaron Madison was crouched by his window, working intently on what appeared to be a hybrid fortress-slash-launch-pad-slash-dinosaur sanctuary. His tongue poked out slightly in concentration, the tip of it curled as he carefully clipped a blue wing onto the side of a red brick tower.

Laura stood in the doorway, arms crossed, watching him with a soft smile. The glow of the desk lamp cast golden light across the blonde tufts of his hair. Her suitcase was already packed by the door downstairs. She’d double-checked everything twice, from her boots to her entrance gear. But this—this moment—was the part she hadn’t prepared for.

“You gonna come in, or just stand there being sneaky?” Aaron asked without looking up.

Laura chuckled. “You caught me.”

She stepped inside, easing down onto the beanbag chair beside him, careful not to topple one of the plastic towers already leaning like Pisa on a sugar rush.

“This one’s new,” she said, nodding toward the latest creation.

“It’s the Sky Kingdom of Flame Shield,” Aaron said proudly. “You can only get to it with a dragon... or a portal key. Or if you’re my mom, who apparently can fly now.”

Laura smirked. “I’ll have to borrow that portal key. TSA’s probably not gonna love a dragon in my carry-on.”

Aaron giggled, then finally looked up at her. His face was still round with youth, but his eyes were all Madison—smart, aware, and just a little too observant for his age.

“You’re leaving tomorrow,” he said quietly. “To go wrestle.”

“I am,” Laura nodded, smoothing her hand over his hair. “Oslo, Norway. For the tournament.”

Aaron fidgeted with a LEGO piece for a beat. “I wanted to go.”

“I know, baby,” she said gently. “But you’ve got school, and it’s a long trip. Time zones, jet lag, math class—trust me, you’re doing the harder job.”

He didn’t smile at that like he normally would. Instead, he looked down. “What if I’m not there when you win?”

Laura’s heart tugged. She reached out and gently tilted his chin so he’d look at her. “Then I’ll know that the win still counts... because you helped get me there.”

Aaron frowned. “How?”

“You believe in me,” she said simply. “That matters more than any crowd. When I’m out there, I’m thinking about you. About your stories and your dragons and how brave you are. You remind me to be brave too.”

He studied her for a long moment. “Even if the other wrestlers are mean?”

Laura nodded. “Even then.”

Aaron picked up a gold-colored LEGO and handed it to her. “This is the Portal Key. Just in case.”

Laura took it with a reverence it didn’t quite deserve, but in that moment, it felt like a treasure. “I’ll guard it with my life.”

“I’m gonna build you an arena next,” Aaron announced. “With secret trap doors and lasers.”

“You know what? I think SCW could use that.”

He smiled then—really smiled—and Laura leaned forward, pressing a kiss to his forehead.

“I’ll be gone for just a few days,” she promised. “But when I get back, you and me? Saturday movie night. Pizza, popcorn, the works.”

Aaron raised his pinky. “Promise?”

She looped hers with his. “Promise.”

As she stood up to go, Aaron added softly, “You’re my favorite wrestler. Even more than Bella.”

Laura paused, her smile widening with pride and a little moisture stinging her eyes. “Don’t tell her that. She’ll challenge me to a rematch in the kitchen.”

Aaron giggled, then went back to his Sky Kingdom, already narrating a new storyline involving flame-resistant mechs and heroic parents.

Laura lingered in the doorway for just a second longer, watching her son live inside the kind of world she’d once dreamed up for herself. Then, with the golden Portal Key tucked into her palm, she turned and walked back downstairs.

----

--Oslo, Norway – The Night Before the Storm--

The hotel room was quiet, save for the rhythmic ticking of the old analog clock mounted on the wall. Laura Madison sat cross-legged on the edge of her bed, hands taped as if by habit, not necessity. The warm-up had ended hours ago, but her body refused to fully power down. Her duffel was already packed, gear laid out in the colors that once stood for fire and rebirth—now, they carried something older. Something earned.

She stared out the window, the city lights of Oslo flickering like distant stars. Northern Europe had its own kind of chill—brisk, sharp, but clean. It cut through the haze in her thoughts.

Kat Jones.

Of course it had to be Kat. There was a strange poetry to it.

A woman who had fought battles in every era of this division. A woman who walked into a room and didn’t have to demand respect because it was already waiting for her. They were cut from similar cloth—both had worn the crown, both had taken the hits that left invisible scars, and both had never asked for anyone to take it easy on them. Not once.

And that’s what Laura respected most.

She knew exactly what tomorrow would bring. It wouldn’t be a grudge match. It wouldn’t be personal. But it would be a war.

No room for rust. No leaning on reputation. Just precision, experience, and instinct. Just Laura. Just Kat.

She thought of the whispers backstage. Not malicious—just wary. Some young bombshells had doubts. Not about Kat. About her. Laura Phoenix, back in the game, long after she’d supposedly closed the book.

That’s fine, Laura thought, stretching out her fingers, letting her shoulders roll with ease.

She wasn’t here to coast on legacy. She was here to remind people why she ever had one in the first place.

A knock on the hotel door broke the quiet, followed by a low, familiar voice from the other side.

“Room service. Or is that code for ‘mind games’ these days?” came Nick’s voice, amusement softening his words.

She chuckled and stood. “Depends. Did you bring coffee or a steel chair?”

“Both. Thought I’d let you pick.”

----

Oslo in spring had a quiet magic to it. The last clinging remnants of winter had melted away, leaving behind cobblestone streets slick with the rain of early April. Tulips, just starting to bloom in public planters, offered pops of color against the muted palette of the city. The scent of wet earth, rain-soaked bark, and blooming green lingered in the breeze.

Laura Phoenixwalked along the banks of the Akerselva River, where mossy stone and iron bridges crossed above rushing water. She wore a light olive-green jacket and jeans, her long blonde hair pulled back beneath the hood of her sweatshirt. Her boots padded along the path, damp with fresh drizzle. The sky was bruised with dusk, just that kind of pale indigo that held on for longer now as the days stretched into springtime.

She stopped beneath a quiet street lamp at the edge of a narrow footbridge. Her phone was propped up on a small railing overlooking the river, the camera light blinking to life.

“Oslo. Funny how a place you’ve never been can feel oddly familiar before a fight.”

Laura’s voice was calm, grounded. She glanced toward the river before looking straight into the lens.

“Tomorrow, I step back into an SCW ring. And not just any match—Blast from the Past. This time, singles. This time, my own name is on the bracket. And across from me… is Kat Jones.”

She exhaled through her nose, not with apprehension—but recognition.

“You and I, Kat, we’re cut from similar cloth. We know what it’s like to be the ones people come to for wisdom, for perspective—sometimes even just for quiet presence in a chaotic locker room. We’re the ones who stuck around. Who kept finding ways to matter, even when people thought we should’ve stepped aside.”

“And that’s the funny thing about longevity. People admire it until it threatens their place in line.”

She leaned casually against the railing, the sounds of the city fading behind her, replaced by the soft rush of water below.

“Let me say this, plain and clear: I didn’t come to Oslo to prove I still can—I came because I never stopped believing that I should. I know I retired. I know I stepped back. But I never stopped training. Never stopped caring. And when this tournament opened up, when the door cracked open even a little… I knew I was walking through it.”

She tilted her head slightly, a flicker of a wry smile playing on her lips.

“Not out of pride. Not to chase ghosts. But because sometimes, if you want to set an example, you don’t do it from the sidelines. You do it in the trenches. With your fists. With your fire. With every damn ounce of who you are, laid bare in that ring.”

Laura took a step closer to the phone now, the intimacy of her voice sharpening.

“Kat, I respect the hell out of you. Always have. And maybe in another round, we’d be allies instead of opponents. But tomorrow night, we’re not just two veterans going through the motions. We’re setting the tone. For the whole damn tournament.”

“So come with everything. Come sharp, come dangerous, come ready. Because I didn’t travel across the Atlantic to warm a seat. I came to fight.”

Her hands curled at her sides—her knuckles white, her eyes unwavering.

“Let them say what they want about the past. Let them romanticize it. Let them doubt what’s left in us. Because come Climax Control, when the bell rings… you’ll see that what’s left in me? Still burns like fire.”

A pause. A beat. Then a soft but confident smirk.

“SCW, we’re just getting started.”

The screen faded out—not into darkness, but into the soft bloom of the city lights rising over the water.

In the soft glow of the living room, Laura Phoenix sat on the couch, a gentle smile playing on her lips as she watched her granddaughter, Máire, sleep peacefully in her crib. The room was bathed in a warm, amber light, the flickering of a nearby candle casting a tranquil ambiance. Beside her, Nick, her husband, sat with an arm draped over her shoulders, his eyes reflecting the same contentment as hers.

Across the room, Aaron, their young son, was sprawled on the floor, his toys scattered around him. He was deeply engrossed in building a colorful tower with his building blocks, his small face scrunched up in concentration. The occasional laughter and excited chatter filled the room, creating a symphony of familial warmth.

It was a rare night. Bella and Mal, Máire's parents, had decided to take a well-deserved break, enjoying a night out together. The responsibility of watching over the little one had fallen to Laura and Nick, a task they embraced with open hearts.

As they sat together, a sense of serenity settled over the room, the knowledge that they were all connected by something deeper than blood—a bond of love and shared experiences. Laura's gaze shifted from Máire to Aaron, her heart swelling with pride. In these moments, surrounded by her family, she found a profound sense of fulfillment.

"You know," Nick said, his voice a soft murmur, "We're truly blessed, aren't we? Look at them, babe. Our children, our grandchild... all of them are happy and healthy."

Laura nodded, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "We are, babe. Sometimes, it feels surreal, doesn't it? To think of the journey we've been on, the challenges we've faced together."

He squeezed her shoulder gently. "Life's been kind to us, but it's also been our shared strength that carried us through the storms."

At that moment, Aaron looked up, his eyes curious. "Mommy, Daddy, do you think I'll be as strong as you guys one day?"

Laura's heart melted at her son's innocence. She reached out, pulling him into a warm embrace. "Aaron, you're already strong. You have a heart of gold, and that's the strongest thing anyone can possess."

Nick ruffled Aaron's hair playfully. "And don't forget, you've got us by your side, supporting you every step of the way."

They settled back into their positions, the room filled with a comfortable silence, broken only by the soft sounds of Máire's peaceful slumber. In this moment, surrounded by love and the quiet assurance of family, Laura felt a profound sense of gratitude.

"Yes," she whispered, more to herself than anyone else, "We are blessed. And we'll keep being here for each other, no matter what life throws our way."

“Hey, mommy?” Aaron asks, breaking Laura from her solace.

“Wassup bud?”

“Are- Are you going to retire like daddy again? I know you’re not gone a lot but with Bella having Máire...” Aaron looked almost embarrassed to even ask.

“Aw, sweetie, I know. Sometimes mommy gets these wild ideas and suddenly I get lost in it. I do miss spending a lot of time with you guys but at the end of the day, I just need to keep going until I can’t anymore.” she pulls her son up onto her lap, “But, I do know that day is gonna come soon and then before you know it, you’ll be begging for your mom to go back to work.”

She tickles him a little bit to bring a laugh to her son’s face, “Maaaaaa, stop!”

Nick laughs, “Not so loud, you two or you’ll wake up Máire.”

“I’m sorry, I just couldn’t resist,” she said, giving her son a kiss on the head, “But I promise you both, when it’s time I’ll make sure to let you both know. Okay?”


A Legacy of Respect

In the quiet solitude of her home, Laura Phoenix sat surrounded by memorabilia from her storied wrestling career. The room was filled with framed photographs capturing moments frozen in time—victories, defeats, and the unbreakable spirit of a woman who had dedicated her life to the ring.

As she traced her fingers over a picture of herself and Alexandra Calaway, a soft smile played on her lips. "Ally," she murmured, the weight of the years they'd shared together evident in her voice. "What a journey it's been."

The respect between them was more than just professional courtesy; it was a deep understanding forged through countless battles. Laura's eyes sparkled with a mix of nostalgia and admiration as she remembered the first time they'd faced off, the electric energy in the air as their skills collided in a symphony of athleticism and strategy.

"Ally is more than another opponent; she's a kindred spirit," Laura said, her voice carrying the weight of decades of camaraderie. "In this business, where alliances can be fragile and rivalries bitter, Ally and I found something rare—a mutual respect that transcends the spotlight. We've seen each other at our best and our worst, and through it all, that respect has endured."

She picked up another photograph, this one capturing them both mid-match, sweat-slicked faces determined even in the heat of battle. "There's an unspoken bond between veterans," she continued, her tone reflective. "A shared history of triumphs and tribulations. When I step into the ring with Ally, I know I'm facing not just a competitor, but a woman who understands the sacrifices, the victories, and the sheer love for this sport."

Laura's gaze shifted to the window, where the last light of the evening cast a warm glow on the room. "Our legacy is not just in the championships we've won or the battles we've fought," she said, her voice steady with conviction. "It's in the respect we've shown each other, the way we've elevated women's wrestling together."

"We've both treaded the tumultuous waters of this industry for over two decades. Yet, the spotlight keeps painting you as the fresh face, the newcomer, while I'm hailed as the seasoned veteran. It's a narrative I want to rewrite, not just for me, but for you, Ally."

Laura stood, her eyes ablaze with determination. "You've earned every accolade, every cheer from the crowd, and every bit of respect that comes your way. But it irks me, Ally, because they don't see the battles you've fought, the nights you've spent honing your craft, and the countless sacrifices you've made."

With a resolute breath, Laura continued, her voice gaining strength. "So, when we step into that ring, it won't just be a clash of bodies and skills. It'll be a declaration—a testament to the fact that you, Ally, are not just a rising star. You are a radiant sun in your own right, shining brightly alongside me and every other veteran in this business."

"When we're in there, Ally, it won't be about proving ourselves. It'll be about cementing our rightful places, side by side, in the annals of wrestling history. The respect we share outside the ring will echo within it, drowning out any misconceptions about who we are and what we've achieved."

Embers of Change

The once bustling office of PWS:Apex was now eerily quiet as Laura Phoenix sat behind her desk, surrounded by boxes containing her personal belongings. The news of the promotion shutting down had hit her, just like everyone else, hard, leaving her with a mix of emotions. Uncertainty filled the air as she wondered what her next move should be.

Nick, who had been by her side throughout the majority of her wrestling career and her time as the general manager, stepped into the office, concern etched on his face. "How are you holding up, babe?"

Laura mustered a half-smile, trying to mask her disappointment. "I'll be alright, Nick. It's just... it's tough to see something you've put so much heart into come to an end."

He walked over to her and wrapped his arms around her, offering a comforting embrace. "You did a great job, Laura. Your dedication and hard work were evident in everything you did for PWS:Apex. But sometimes, change is an opportunity for something even greater."

She sighed, resting her head against his chest. "I know, but it's hard not to feel a sense of loss right now."

Nick gently lifted her chin, making her look into his eyes. "Remember, you're not defined by a single role or job. You're Laura “Phoenix” Madison, a strong and talented woman who has achieved so much in wrestling and beyond. This is just another chapter in your life, and you have the power to turn it into something amazing."

Laura nodded, feeling a glimmer of hope amidst the uncertainty. "I know, you're right. I can't let this setback hold me back. I've faced challenges in the ring, and I've always come out stronger. But...it just...I feel like I failed everyone here. You, Bella, the amount of talent that depended on me to keep this place alive. For the longest time, this was home for a lot of people that really felt like they didn’t belong or they weren’t sure where to really go. I prided myself on being a beacon  that I never had. And instead it just slipped through my hands and I couldn’t do anything about it."

“We all could have done something,” Nick said with a touch of sadness, “Sometimes though things just need to end.”

“Yeah, I guess. I gotta finish up. Bella and Mal are coming over to the house for dinner, and I’m debating between astronomical amounts of cheese or the colonel,” she said as she looked around the room.

“Knowing that girl, get both and we’ll buffet it.” Nick said with a smirk, “I’ll go grab you another box and we’ll get out of here.”

With a swift kiss he left her to continue packing the last of her belongings. As she did, she couldn't help but think about her passion for wrestling and her desire to make a positive impact on the industry, it was one of the reasons that she became a general manager after she had retired the first time.

She turned and saw a picture of her and Bella and Alanah, following the match that would give her daughter her very first singles title run with the United Title in PWS.

A few hours later...

“OH I remember this!” Bella said, pulling that very same picture out of the box that Laura brought home.

The aroma of a delicious meal filled the Madison household as Laura and Bella sat together at the dining table. Nick, ever the supportive husband, had taken a moment to pick up both the cheesy extravaganza of a good ole fashion New York style grease in a box pizza and a bucket of fried chicken, offering comfort in the form of indulgent food.

"I still can't believe it's all over," Bella said, a touch of sadness in her voice as she served herself some macaroni and cheese. "PWS:Apex was like a second home for so many of us."

Laura nodded, taking a bite of her fried chicken, her thoughts momentarily drifting back to her time as the general manager. "It was a place where dreams came true for many young talents, a platform to showcase their skills and chase their passion for wrestling."

Bella glanced at her mother, seeing the mixture of emotions on her face. "Mom, I hope you don't blame yourself for what happened. You were doing the best you could, juggling your responsibilities as a mother and a general manager."

Laura set down her fork, looking into Bella's eyes. "You know, sometimes I wonder if I made the right decision to focus on wrestling more. Maybe if I had put more effort into managing PWS:Apex, things would have turned out differently."

Bella reached out and held her mother's hand, offering a reassuring squeeze. "Mom, you can't blame yourself for everything. You were doing what you thought was best for you and your career. And let's not forget how much you've achieved in wrestling. You've inspired so many people, including me."

Laura's eyes glistened with tears, touched by her daughter's words. "Thank you, sweetie. Your support means everything to me. It's just hard not to feel like I let everyone down, especially those young talents who were counting on PWS:Apex to be their launching pad."

Bella smiled warmly, her love and understanding shining through. "You didn't let anyone down, Mom. Sometimes, things just don't work out the way we want them to. But that doesn't mean it's the end. You still have so much to offer in wrestling and beyond."

Laura took a deep breath, feeling a weight being lifted off her shoulders. "You're right. I shouldn't let this setback define me. I've faced challenges before, and I've always come out stronger. I need to take this as an opportunity to explore new paths and find new ways to make a positive impact."

Bella nodded, a sense of pride evident in her eyes. "That's the spirit, Mom! You've always been a fighter, and I know you'll overcome this too. PWS:Apex might be gone, but you still have so much to offer to the wrestling world."

Laura smiled gratefully at her daughter, feeling a renewed sense of purpose. "Thank you, Bella. Your belief in me means more than you know. And speaking of belief, you have your own match coming up, don't you?"

Bella's eyes lit up, the conversation shifting to her own wrestling career, which was put on hold for the obvious 37 weeks and counting that was soon to be Laura’s very first granddaughter, "Yes, I do! And I'm going to give it my all, just like you always have. You've been my inspiration since I was a little girl, and I want to make you proud."

"You've already made me incredibly proud, Bella," Laura said, her voice filled with love and admiration. "You're talented, passionate, and driven. I have no doubt you'll make your mark in the wrestling world, just like I know you'll be an amazing mother."

Bella blushed slightly while rubbing her still growing mid-section, feeling the love and support from her mother. "Thanks, Mom."

“Just do me a favor, and don’t pop when I’m on the other side of the world?”

“Hey, it's bad enough Mal is going to be gone a week before she’s due. Thankfully, it looks like I’m gonna be spending the weekend with Alanah so I’ll be in good hands.”

“Sure, you around your niece and nephews and Jack...that’s not gonna be stressful at all.” Laura laughed.

“Like being here, around my little brother and dad and Mal who are currently having another deep discussion about sports yet again??”

“HOW CAN YOU CALL IT FOOTBALL WHEN YOU BARELY EVER KICK THE BALL?!?”

Mother and daughter stare at each other.

“I’ll get the wine for ya.” Bella says pulling herself up and Laura just sighing.

“Maybe a trip to China is exactly what I need.”


Embers of Change - Embrace The Future

Laura Phoenix stood at the edge of the Great Wall of China, the vastness of the ancient structure mirroring the emotions swirling within her. This was no ordinary match; it was a moment of truth, a chance to prove herself once again. Julianna DiMaria, a rising star in SCW, had already shown her prowess in the ring, and Laura knew she couldn't underestimate her.

As the wind whispered through the historic stones, Laura took a deep breath, feeling the weight of the moment settling on her shoulders. She had faced countless opponents throughout her illustrious career, but there was something different about this encounter. It wasn't just about winning a match; it was about embracing change and embracing the future.

Julianna represented the next generation of talent, the future of wrestling. And as she looked at the Great Wall stretching into the distance, Laura realized that she, too, was a part of that future. Her journey in wrestling had been a rollercoaster of triumphs and setbacks, but she had always emerged stronger and more determined.

"I stand here, at the Great Wall of China, ready to face Julianna DiMaria, a force to be reckoned with in the wrestling world. And as I stand on this historic monument, I can't help but reflect on my own journey," Laura spoke, her voice strong and resolute.

"For all my accomplishments, there's one area where I've come up short recently—capturing singles gold. It's a goal that has eluded me, and it's a void I am eager to fill," she admitted, her eyes holding a touch of vulnerability.

"Throughout my career, I've encountered obstacles that seemed insurmountable, faced challenges that tested my limits. But every time, I rose above them. I embraced change, adapted, and became a better wrestler, a better person. And this weekend, I stand here, ready to face Julianna, not as an end but as a new beginning."

Laura's eyes gleamed with determination as she continued, "Julianna, you're talented, there's no denying that. But know this, I didn't come all the way to China just to be defeated. I came here to prove that the embers of change burn within me, that my passion for wrestling is as fierce as ever."

"The Great Wall stands tall, an enduring symbol of strength and resilience. And just like this ancient wonder, I will stand tall in that ring. I will show you, the fans, and the wrestling world that Laura Phoenix is not done yet. I have more to give, more to achieve, and more to inspire."

She closed her eyes for a moment, feeling the energy of the moment surrounding her. "So, Julianna, bring your best because I'm bringing mine. This isn't just a match; it's a clash of generations, a testament to the ever-changing landscape of wrestling. And when that bell rings, know that I will fight with all my heart and soul, leaving nothing behind."

Laura opened her eyes, her gaze unwavering. "I am ready for this challenge, ready to embrace change, and ready to create a legacy that will stand the test of time, just like the Great Wall. On Sunday, I step into the ring with you, Julianna, and together, we will create a moment that will be etched into the history of wrestling."

"China, it's an honor to stand here in the presence of such rich history and tradition," Laura spoke, her voice filled with appreciation for the moment. "The Great Wall is a testament to the strength and resilience of generations past, and it serves as an inspiration for what lies ahead."

She took a moment to collect her thoughts, the weight of her upcoming match with Julianna DiMaria evident in her gaze.

"In a few days, I'll be facing Julianna, a talented newcomer who's made a name for herself in SCW. I've watched her rise, and I have to give credit where it's due—she's proven herself to be a formidable competitor. But, in the ring, experience and passion can be the difference-makers."

Laura's eyes flickered with a glint of fire as she continued, "I won't deny that my recent journey has seen its challenges. I haven't captured singles gold, and that's something that has been gnawing at me. But you know what? It's also fueled a fire within me, a hunger to reclaim my spot at the top."

"This match isn't just about titles or rankings; it's about proving to myself that I still have what it takes to excel in this industry. I've faced setbacks before, and every time, I've come back stronger. This time will be no different."

She paused, looking out at the vastness of the Great Wall, drawing inspiration from the historical wonder.

"I stand here, ready to embrace the future, ready to take on the challenges that come my way. Julianna, I respect you, and I know you'll bring your best to the ring. But let me make one thing clear—I won't hold back, and I won't back down."

A determined smile tugged at the corner of her lips as she spoke, "This is my moment, and I intend to seize it. China, get ready for a match that will be a celebration of wrestling, a testament to the spirit of competition, and a showcase of the enduring legacy of the Phoenix."

Laura's eyes met the camera's lens with unwavering intensity, her message to the world crystal clear.

"To all the fans who have supported me throughout my career, I say this—I won't let you down. This match is for you, for everyone who believes in the power of change, in the strength of the human spirit."

With that, Laura Phoenix left the interview, her heart ablaze with determination and a newfound sense of purpose. As the sun dipped below the horizon, it marked the end of one chapter and the beginning of another—an epic clash awaited, and the world would bear witness to the phoenix's rise.

Nesting and Bonding

As the excitement from her recent victory began to settle, Laura, besides her usual routine with Nick and Aaron, found solace in the precious moments spent with her daughter, Bella. The anticipation of Bella's impending motherhood filled the air, and Laura wanted to make the most of their time together before she embarked on the Princess Cruise ship for the Summer Xxxtreme wrestling event.

Laura entered Bella and Mal's home, a place that she herself used to call home, her eyes immediately drawn to the partially decorated nursery. Despite the crib, changing table/dresser, and the vibrant rainbow rug, the room lacked the cohesive charm Bella had envisioned. Laura knew her daughter needed a helping hand in bringing the nursery to life for her soon-to-be-born daughter, Máire.

“It’s a mess right now.” Bella said, with her very prominent belly sticking out as she brought her mom a warm cup of coffee. An addiction that they share together. “Mal base painted it a week ago, but-”

Laura approached Bella with a smile, her heart filled with maternal love and determination to create the perfect sanctuary for her grandchild. "Bella, let's tackle this nursery together," she said, wrapping her arm around her daughter's shoulder. "We have a week before I set sail, and I want to make sure Máire's room is as magical as she is."

Bella's tired eyes lit up with gratitude. She had been feeling overwhelmed, trying to balance pregnancy symptoms, helping Malachi get through his injury, and the desire to create a nurturing environment for her unborn child. "Mom, that would be amazing," she replied, her voice laced with relief. "I want everything to be just right for Máire."

The mother and daughter spent the following hours diving into a whirlwind of creativity and imagination. Laura suggested painting some of the areas of the walls a soothing pastel shade, one that would bring a sense of calm and serenity to the space. They picked out soft, ethereal curtains that would gently filter sunlight into the room, creating a tranquil ambiance.

Together, they embarked on a shopping spree, searching for the perfect decorative elements to personalize the nursery. They discovered whimsical wall decals of fairies and woodland creatures that would go perfectly with what would be a dedicated reading area for Bella to read to her daughter, delicate mobiles that would capture Máire's attention, and shelves to showcase cherished mementos and children's books.

Laura and Bella's laughter echoed through the aisles of stores as they debated over color schemes and discussed the merits of different plush toys. They carefully selected a beautiful plush rocking chair for Bella and Malachi to rest in during late-night feedings, its gentle creaking lulling Máire into sweet dreams.

Without fail, the next day Laura would show up early with coffee in hand for the girls and of course Malachi. The trio hung framed photographs of family members, reminding Máire of the support and joy that awaited her in the world. Bella arranged clothes in the dresser, folding each tiny onesie and baby bootie with care and anticipation.

Finally, the room was complete...almost. Laura stood back, admiring the magical transformation they had achieved. The nursery was a testament to their love and dedication, a space where Máire would grow, dream, and be surrounded by the love of her family.

This was something that she missed out on with Bella, and while she had it with her son, it was something that she was never going to be able to get back with her oldest. Mind you Laura was 16 at the time, but she would have given anything to decorate a nursery just like this for her. She could have easily seen herself chasing her little girl around the room, watching her grow but it was robbed from her.

It was something that she, with time, was able to forgive her parents for. Before her mother’s death in 2017, they did just about everything possible to make up and build a true relationship with their granddaughter and Laura’s father has since continued to stay true to that. But watching Bella’s ever blooming pregnancy, she couldn’t help but think back to all the arguments that came from that time, her life was a complete 180 from what Bella’s was. In a perfect world, she would have raised Bella on her own but she wasn’t given that chance.

Laura felt those tears of what could have been stream down her face, it had always set in the back of the mind but now seeing it, it all came rushing to the forefront. She did her best to try and hold it all together but the sobs fought their way forward as she tried to stifle them with her hand.

Bela walked back into the room, hearing a small sniffle coming from her mom, “Mom? Are you okay?”

The sound of her voice startled her for a moment, quickly wiping away the tears but it was pointless cause they just flowed. At this point it was happy but sad tears. Laura gave up trying to even cover it up any more as she turned and quickly engulfed Bella tightly in a hug, she whispered, "You're going to be an incredible mom, Bella. And Máire is going to adore her nursery."

Bella's eyes shimmered with tears of joy and gratitude. "Thank you, Mom. I couldn't have done this without you. I'm so lucky to have you by my side."

The mother and daughter embraced, cherishing the bond that held them together through triumphs and challenges. Laura knew that as she embarked on her wrestling journey, Bella and Máire would remain in her heart, providing her with strength and inspiration to face whatever lay ahead.

That moment was quickly ended though when the sounds of Luka’s excited barking stirred the entire house, followed up by Malachi letting out, “OH CHRIST! What are you doing here?”

Followed up by them walking out to see Mal holding the door open and behind a variety of rather large stuffed animals we see Demetrius Spinelli standing there, hair as wild as always and a smile, “Gracious greetings to all!”


From Spectacular Heights

The time she didn’t spend with Bella and Mal preparing the nursery for her granddaughter was spent tucked away in the facility that became a home away from home for some people, built in a tall building that sat on the grounds of the Madison home.

Considering how hard both Laura and her husband Nick both worked through the years, you could tell it was built with love and determination from them both. Everything had a touch of them both from the place they called their home, to the land to the building that housed their entire gym all the way to the practice ring that they kept up at all times.

Her husband, Nick Madison, who had retired for the final time back in January was quite proud and impressed with his wife’s determination to make this run, whether it’d be her last or not, count in every form and fashion. So when Laura explained to him what was in her near future and it being the first for her to ever be involved in an Ultimate X style match, he wasted no time calling up favors from all around to make sure that his wife was indeed ready.

“Nick, what is this surprise?” you could hear the annoyance in Laura’s voice as he had her blindfolded and leading across the parking lot, “I swear, I’m not afraid of it anymore.”

“Very funny, babe,” Nick quipped, holding his wife’s hands in his while make sure he wasn’t about to bite it on one of Aaron’s outdoor toys, “You swear you can’t see anything?”

“It’s as dark as Kayla’s sense of humor,” she joked back. Laura took a deep breath, “The only thing I can tell is that we’re outside and that there is a storm not that far off.”

That slick little smirk could be felt from Nick’s face as he looked off to the horizon, “Yeah, it’s looking rather dark off to the west so I guess we need to make this quick before we get soaked. Then again, you are wearing white and I wouldn’t mind a show.”

“Even after all these years, you are a horrible flirt.” she said with a swipe of her hand but she completely missed, which caused her to stumble a bit, “Dammit.”

“Sorry beautiful, you brought that on yourself,” he said as they reached the door, he opened it up and led her just inside, “Ok, stay right there for a moment.”

He placed her one hand on the door hinge so she could keep her balance while he quickly runs to one side of the room and he flips some switches and then jogs back up to Laura, “Ok, you ready?”

“For?”

Silence for a moment before he carefully removes the blindfold, and whispers in his wife’s ear, “Open your eyes and see.”

Laura’s eyes blink open, as her eyes get used to going from dark to light and then her eyes widen in shock, “Oh my...Nick did you build me...”

Laura’s words catch in her throat, “Your own Ultimate training ground? Why, yes...yes I did. Not going to lie, it was Bella’s idea several weeks ago when you qualified. And I figured you have been working hard on building your upper body and what better way to test it then in your own makeshift Ultimate X setup?”

Laura’s eyes made her way up to where the cables crossed, as she walked across the room and when she got to the scaffolding that built up to those cables she just stopped, “It’s fantastic.”

Nick gave a genuine smile as he wrapped his arms around his wife’s torso and hugged her, while nuzzling her neck, “I know I haven’t been as vocal as I have been about my support for your return but seeing as you had my back before I retired, I had to give you just a little acknowledgement of what you are doing with SCW and proof as to how much I really believe in you.”

“Oh Nick...” Laura sniffed, “Hun, I know that you support me. I never doubt that for a second and having you on the cruise with me to show that, well that’s the best thing but this...this is above and beyond.”

“This is the least I could do,” Nick says as he gives her a quick kiss on the cheek, “The other is giving us a second honeymoon on that boat and then winning that Roulette Championship.”

“Well, the only way I can do that is if I start getting used to the idea that suddenly it’s like being back on the playground with other people trying to knock me off.”

“Training it is, then we’ll find a babysitter for Aaron,” Nick nodded.

“Actually, Aaron is going to be spending the week with his big sister, and if he gets to be too much my sister will take him and he can get spoiled by her and Jesse,” she said with a smirk, “I wasn’t about to take my first cruise and it not just be you and I.”

The smile that followed that statement could only be described as pure seduction, “I’m willing to bet you have some amazing bikinis already picked out too.”

“Now that, you’ll just have to wait to find out.”


Respect Among Vets, Never Among Thieves

There is an absolute fine line between respect given and respect received.

I’m a firm believer that without a shadow of doubt that Jessie Salco gives me true respect and honestly, respect is given right back. She has earned it beyond an absolute shadow of a doubt and I have honestly been excited for this opportunity to stand across from her in a match.

Mind you...ours is around a pool where we will be tested in more ways than one.

When it comes to Mercedes Vargas though? Well I cannot say the same. Sure, she’s won plenty in the past but when it comes to the facts, she only respects one person and that is herself. I kicked back and watched a while ago how she treated others, especially my own daughter. We watched how many people beat respect into her and yet in her arrogance, she still can’t buy into the fact that to get respect, you have to give it where it is absolutely due.

Ladies, the fact is absolutely simple, we’re going to go into this match aboard the Princess Cruise, in what is supposed to be the hottest show of the year in a match that I’m told is a placeholder always in this show.

And I’m facing a first, in all the years that I have been doing this, through all my matches and all my reigns, I cannot recall one time that I have ever been in a match quite like this. Ladder matches, sure. I’ve never had to play the ultimate game of chicken, hanging on for dear life over a pool.

Sure, I’m wet behind the ears when it comes to this match but the one thing thing I’m not is ignorant in the fact that I know that both Jessie and Mercedes will without a shadow of a doubt be out to knock me off of the pedestal that I am on. After all this time, having a chance to win gold and proving that I am on the proper track? That alone motivates me to the point of well practically feral.

Despite the fact that I’m going to be only days away from my 41st birthday, I am stronger, I am faster and for sure a whole lot smarter than I was when I started my journey all those years ago. I’m going to give myself the absolute biggest birthday present ever, and that is my first real championship in almost since 2016 when I snatch that Roulette Title from the center of that contraption and you both are left just wet.

A Very Busy Woman

There is absolutely no rest for the wicked around these parts. As soon as SCW’s Into the Void came and went, over in the world of PWS:Apex they were preparing for their biggest show of the year.

Needless to say Destiny has done nothing but keep Laura “Phoenix” Madison busy. So many things to do, so little time to do it between preparing with the cast and crew of PWS:Apex the whole show plus their Hall of Fame where she would play a rather huge role there as well but in the meantime, the week leading into it, there were a whole lot of hours being spent inside the office or inside an editing studio.

Thankfully, thanks to a support system she has at least been able to eat.

“HOLD THE DOOR!” a man with a full head of brown hair with a full beard, a messenger bag slung off to the side, a beaten up Boston Red Sox cap pulled down tight and his hands full of takeout boxes recently picked up from the DoorDash driver he met out in the front of the building. He catches as someone is leaving and they hold the door open, “Much appreciation!”

“Any time Spinelli! By the way...she’s in the editing room again.” said the good samaritan as he moved with the speed of the wind towards an awaiting elevator.

Ah, the ever faithful Demetrius Spinelli. “The Jackal” to some, only because there were days that when holding a conversation with this individual, he would refer to himself as such and usually in the third person. He’s a bit of an odd duck, if there was ever a way to describe this man, with his very vast vocabulary, his Spinelli-isms (Nicknames) for every person he’s ever gained as a friend and while he’s not the biggest dog in the fight and he may have had his ass kicked on several occasions, he never backed down from anyone that threatened his “family”.

But since he garnered up the courage to introduce himself to Laura and quickly offered his services as her very own personal assistant over 12 years ago, he has never wavered his loyalty to his Valkyrie (Spinelli-ism for Laura), her White Knight (Spinelli-ism for Nick) and the mini-Valkyrie (Bella). In that time he has married a woman that many would call WAY out of his league and they have bloomed his own little family of his own with his Beautiful Breeze.

Spinelli’s job was simple, be Laura’s third and fourth arm, another pair of eyes and a voice of reason when she was neck deep in something major. Whether it’d be professional or personal.

So when she would stretch herself thin, as she’s been known to do especially this time of year with her duties and obligations, The Jackal was there.

Even with Chinese Takeout.

Meanwhile, in the editing suites, in her full on general manager role Laura sat by their lead editor with a look of uncertainty on both of their faces.

“I don’t know, Dave. It just feels...”

The editor, Dave, looks back at her and just shakes his head, “Flat? Yeah, I know. We’ve been staring at this for almost 4 hours, maybe we need to...”

“No breaks, Dave. Not when we are this close to having it absolutely perfect.” Laura said with a sigh of frustration, “I know it’s painful, my eyes are killing me, too.”

“Then it’s all the more reason to step away for a moment, get some air and refuel. How about it? I’ll even pay for your coffee.”

A knock comes to the door and before either can answer it opens and Spinelli comes barreling in, “The Jackal comes with salvation for the starvation to assist in your preparational abilities.”

“Dammit, Spinelli.” Laura let’s out but Spinelli continues as he moves over to a desk to lay the bags out, “Dave, I have your egg foo yung in here somewhere.”

“You are a fuckin’ hero, Spinelli. What about coffee?”

“It’s running a bit behind, I’m afraid. Last I heard from the app, there had to be an order change...to my refreshment, not to any of yours.” Spinelli said with a smile, “Give it about 5-10 minutes, I’m sure we’ll hear they’re here.”

“Bless you, bro.” Dave said as he picked up his meal, “I’m going to take this back to the office, call my other and let them know that there may be a small chance of being home tonight.” Before Dave leaves the office, “For the love of whatever God you may believe in, get her to go home and get some sleep.”

“On it, Hawkeye.”

“Ooo, I like that. Appreciate the grub, Jackal.”

“DAVE!” Laura called out to now thin air as Dave was already out of the room and halfway down the hall, and well out of earshot...well mostly. “Dammit...Thanks Spinelli, I really needed this delay.”

“No, what the Valkyrie needed was a dinner break and a friend to talk her into going home to the youngest Madison, who I know is missing his mother because he stole the White Knight’s phone to call and beg his Uncle Jackal to tell mommy to ‘come home’.” Spinelli picks up a rather large container, “Sweet and sour chicken, with rice...and extra sauce. Not as good as driving you home, but I rather my boss eat and stay alive right now.”

Laura grabs the box and sits it down on her lap, followed by him handing her a silverware, “Thanks.”

A simple smile between friends and colleagues “So, tell me what is the the conundrum that is keeping you from joining your family and preparing yourself to head to Reno after we get through Destiny.”

“Well, it’s this video package we’ve been working on for one. It’s important and I feel like it’s just lacking that extra...punch. It’s bad enough that I’ve been shoved into the background for a bit so I feel like I need to get this part right.” Laura says turning to the computer and glaring at it, “I just can’t ignore my duties.”

“You also have a duty to yourself and your family. Valkyrie, you have been here every single day for the last 2 weeks...”

“Well it’s better than feeling absolutely fucking useless otherwise.”

“Valkyrie...”

“No, Spinelli, you don’t get it. I chose this whole life and I feel like I’ve been doing nothing but pissing it all away.” Laura hits a button on the keyboard and the video begins to play as she sees the face of her friend who passed away recently, “What the hell would he tell me if he saw me like this? Letting some bitch tell me that I’ve grown too damn old to be the absolute best like I was? Letting her get to me and letting her catch me off guard? I used to beat people up like that on a daily basis.”

Spinelli takes a seat and opens up his chicken chow mein and digs in, taking a few bites and taking in what his boss is telling him, “So, in your terms, the Valkyrie is putting herself into her tasks, letting her creative judgment block her from preparing herself to bounce back from her loss to Kayla at Into the Void.”

“Well, I’m still going to the gym and whatnot, that’s never stopped...but I don’t know..this whole thing with Destiny has me tied up. I feel like I’m partially responsible now for things he was but at the same time, I’ve been away for far too long.” Laura laughs hitting the button again to pause it, “When I pulled myself out of competing professionally the first time, it was when I lost my mom. I came back because...at the time it felt like the right thing to do. I had that tingle again.”

“Well, you always did your best work when you were motivated.”

Her eyebrows lifted, “Don’t we all?”

Spinelli sets his box up onto the desk and picks hers up off her lap and opens it up, sitting it in front of her before handing her back her fork, motioning her to eat, “Well, yes...but yours is exceptionally true. The loss to Kayla stung though, we all saw it though you put on your brave face.”

“How does one bounce back from that?”

“The same way you always do,” he says sitting back with his food once again, “You just do. Laura Phoenix may be a very strong willed woman, but Laura Madison is someone that up until a few years ago, before Aaron and before her mother passing away, had always taken certain things for granted. Now here you are, the mother of a young child, about to be a grandmother...having no choice but to accept the losses you have been given from almost all corners of your life. You don’t have to fight but you still do because it’s what you do.”

“It’s the only thing I know how to do,” Laura smirked back, “It was what fueled us.”

Laura suddenly sits up, “Valkyrie?”

“I know what’s missing...” Laura smirks and stands up, taking a couple of quick bites, “I need to go find Dave. You are brilliant as always Spinelli.”

She gives him a kiss on the cheek as she picks up the office phone and dials some numbers, “Well the Jackal doesn’t know what he has done but I’ll take that accomplishment if that means getting you out of the shame spiral”


You’ve Been At It For Too Long

So here we are, and once again a lot of people have had to find themselves hitting that ever elusive reset button following Into the Void.

Look, I’m not about to make excuses about what happened in that match with Kayla, she got me on that night but if she thinks for one fucking second that she showed me that my age has caught up with me? She has a whole other thing coming.

I’m going to work my way back up to her before you know it but first, we need to show up and show out against a young lady by the name of Georgie Robertson. A young up and comer that has in her own right turned some heads and has only begun her journey.

Georgie, if I were to give you ANY kind of wisdom leading into this match, it’s simple. Never underestimate your opponent. That seems to be a running theme and it was one that I have fallen victim to, a few different times in my career. I got too brash, too arrogant. And I paid for it, sometimes in more ways than one. It has cost me time, it has cost me the chances that I could have had. I don’t want those that follow the path that I laid out to make those same damn mistakes.

Enjoy the ride, but don’t get too cocky to the point where you turn into a hollowed shell like our Internet Champion that can’t enjoy anything, at all.

Georgie, I have nothing against you except that you are simply on the path that I need to get myself back on. You have something you can afford right now, and that is time.

I’m not going to let myself fall victim again.

Semi-Retired Kind of Life
JFK Airport
2 Weeks Ago

It had been a long while since she got to travel like this. Barbados to NYC for only a couple of days to a remote Scottish Isle.

The hardest was hearing her 4-year-old son cry about how he wanted to come with her but both her and Nick had agreed that he needed to stay back for now, go to school and she would check in on them every night.

She spent the majority of the last 5 years at home with Nick and Aaron, and there isn’t a day that went by that she lived with any sort of regret. Getting that time with them was something she didn’t have with Bella, especially at that age. But when the BFTP came around, she took a chance. While she and Mac didn’t make it past the second round, she had to admit that it was like wearing an old familiar hat that she loved so much and while a little dusty, with enough work it would be clean and crisp once again.

Following that show, she traveled with Bella and Malachi to pay a visit to Mal’s mother, Aileen for a quick 24 hours before hopping a flight back to New York. Her and Bella held on to a secret that would be revealed soon enough but there were two very important people that she had to tell.

She just hoped that they would both understand.

The moment she stepped off the plane, she was greeted by the happiest little voice, “MOMMY!!!!”

Her face lit up the moment she saw her 4-year-old son make a b-line right for her. At that point it was bags be damned because she just wanted to pick Aaron up and give him the many missed hugs between them as much as possible, “Hey baby!” she said, bending down and picking him up, “Oooo I missed you so much!”

“As you can tell, we missed you too,” she heard as her husband Nick Madison finally got up to them, giving his wife a peck on the side of her head, “No Bella and Mal?”

Laura sighed and gave a sad smile, “No, they decided to head back to Waterford to spend more time with Aileen. Honestly, after what happened on Sunday night, it’s not a horrible idea.”

“Yeah, I saw that.” he mumbled, as he wrapped his arm around her, grabbing her rolling bag with the other and leading them both to the car, “Sometimes being back in the hometown is the best thing after something like that. Speaking of...how are you doing after everything?”

“I’m doing just fine. It was a hell of a tournament, Bobbie and Jack were the better team that night and I’m not disappointed in any of it. It was fun, the first real fun that I had in this business since mom passed away.”

Nick looks a little insulted, “What? What about our match that we just had with the crew?”

“Oh, babe. That was business, and while I loved teaming up with you and Levi and the others...I did this strictly for me,” Laura looks guilty for a moment, “It’s not that I don’t love being a general manager and being a mentor and whatnot but my time in the Blast from the Past was a release that I didn’t even know I needed.”

“It sounds like you don’t want it to stop,” Nick said, stopping in his tracks, realizing what is going on in his wife’s head, “Something else happened, didn’t it?”

Laura took a deep breath and nodded, “Yeah, following the show Mark and Christian sought me out. Before you freak out, it’s not going to be a completely crazy schedule. They understand that I am a mother and wife, first and foremost and I have other obligations to take care of.”

“So you said yes?” Nick asked, stone faced for a moment.

Laura stayed silent for a moment and that’s all that it needed to be said.

Nick just shook his head with a smile forming on his face, “I had a feeling this was going to happen. When I first met you, you bleed buckets for the business, it’s one of the reasons I respected you before everything else.”

“So, you’re not upset?”

Nick sighs like he could blame her, “Laur! Not at all. You know I love you and I want you to be happy and I know how much you have missed it. I can’t anymore. My bump card is officially full and I went out the way I wanted, Aaron got to see me wrestle before that happened. You however, still have some more chapters to fill.”

Aaron, while young, still picks up on what his parents are saying, and pouts with his little lip out, “So mommy is going to go away again?”

Laura looks at her son and snuggles him, “Aww, baby...I’m going to be home for a whole week before I have to leave again for a few days. I’d take you guys with me to Romania but there is a whole thing where I’d rather not give you nightmares at such a young age.”

Laura tickles her boy and he laughs out, “Why’s that?”

She looks at her boys and with a look that she accepts as a challenge and a bit of a terror, “I get to camp with everyone in Hoia Forest.”

Nick coughs for a moment and looks at his darling wife and son, “You know, my Romanian folk-lore is a little rusty, but isn’t that considered one of the most haunted places in the world?”

“The Bermuda Triangle of Transylvania? Yeah, the same place.” Laura joked as she made a goofy face to make Aaron giggle, “Gonna have to make sure that I get that international plan extended because I will make sure that my GPS is on at all times.”

“I can’t even remember the last time we went camping, The last time I remember, Aaron was still small”

“Last time we went actual camping was just before we ended up pregnant with Aaron.” Laura smirks, “But I still need to be ready. At least I got a week plus to prepare.”

“So tent, air mattress, sleeping bag...” Nick said, loading her bags into the trunk while Laura opened the door for Aaron to climb into his seat.

“Incense, Sigils, salt...” the duo looks at one another, Nick laughing and shaking his head, “What?”

“These are the things that movies prepare us for.”


Nightmare Fuel
Hoia Forest
Present Day

The week and a half back home went by fast and there wasn’t a day that didn’t go by that she didn’t treasure her time with her husband and son but preparation was important.

There were indeed methods to the madness of the veteran and as if someone smiled down on her, she was that much closer to her true purpose.

The long game became a little shorter.

She just had to get there first.

There was work that needed to be done. Not so much psychically, but mentally.

By the time the wheels had touched down in Romania, she had everything she possibly could need when it came to camping. The ride to the site was quiet as her driver spoke very little english but the little that they did speak, she was informed that they thought they were all crazy for even agreeing to do this.

But for Laura, she looked at it as a chance to face fears that she hadn’t faced in years.

When they arrived, she quickly removed her gear from the car, barely got out a “Merci” before the car took off.

Some people rather run from their fears than face them, I guess.

Her first goal was to find everyone, make sure she would silently ask permission to whatever spirits may be there to set up, get it done and then her motherly instincts kicked in. She made Bella a promise to keep an eye out on Malachi and even Miles and Carter who went for the hell of it.

“Mom, promise me you will look after those guys. I know they are grown men, but they are also the kind that would go and manage to piss off even the gentlest of spirits.” she would hear Bella beg on the phone.

Honestly the look of the place in the day, it looked like any other normal forest but at night, the majority would stick together around one centralized spot. Feuds and general dislikes be damned.

Laura would join them the majority of the time but by the time Miles got around to drunkenly belting out the 3rd rendition of ‘Peaches’, she could feel something in the winds of even the spirits being annoyed.

She wouldn’t go far from them, but just far enough where their voices sounded like a mumble. Into a clearing, where the night sky above was full of stars but there was the beginning of a low level fog forming.

Laura would reach into her pocket of her coat, “I come in peace and intend no harm. Forgive my friends, and keep them safe. May I enter into this clearing, in love and peace?”

She would wait ever so patiently, when a sudden gentle breeze would blow a path, not too far out but just enough where she could step out into the clearing and get a better look at the sky.

“I thank you.”

Laura would sit on the ground and just look around. While some saw spooky, she saw beauty and misunderstanding.

“You really sometimes have to sit back and appreciate the chances that are presented in front of you. There are some that barely get a chance, there are even few that get the chances at multiple chances. I consider myself blessed.”

She shifts around, bringing her knee up and leaning on it.

“Back when I began, there weren’t many chances for women. I had walked into a place that had no women on the roster at all, practically begging for any kind of chance and by the time that I finally got going, they realized what I was telling them all along...I am worth it. I took that chance and I made a career out of proving so many people wrong. I loved every minute of it.”

Her eyes shifted off to the side as she relives her memories.

“After a while, I was seeked for after. I was also beaten up, bloodied and left for dead a few different times. I was put through hell the likes that would make this place seem like Disney World in comparison and not once did I shrink away because I wasn’t allowed to. Other people depended on me and if I didn’t, then no one else would.”

Laura shifts herself ever so gently and sits with her legs crossed in front of her. Lifting her eyebrow, she smirks.

“That was then. This is now. The game has changed a little, at its most basic is still absolutely the same. When it comes to my time in SCW though, this time...it’s all for me. I gladly step into the lion's den with my head up high, with absolutely nothing to prove and everything to gain. And I know there are more than a few bombshells on the roster that are frothing at the mouth at a chance to take on someone that blazed a path for them.”

A screech of some type of bird echos through the tree line that catches her attention for just a moment.

“Your record setting Internet Champion, for instance, has more than ONCE brought my name up when I wasn’t even with the company. I heard all of it, Kayla. I heard you calling out into the void trying to goad me in. Well...here I am, girlie. No longer hiding behind the fact that I was blissfully retired. I’m now knocking on the wall that has been put up between you and I.”

“Of course, standing on that wall, in my way is Gorgie Robertson and Selena Zdunich. These two particular bombshells seem to be always on the outside looking in when it comes to any kind of chance, just patiently waiting for their moment. That big breakout moment that is just on that precipice...only for them to get the chance of having to be in the ring with lil ole me.”

Leaning forward Laura smirks gently, placing her hands on her knees.

“You see ladies, while Blast from the Past didn’t exactly work out in my favor that doesn’t mean that I’m going to just roll over and accept that is the end. My story ends when I say it does and I’m going to make for absolute certainty that provided we make it out of this place that come Sunday, I’m going to be the one going to Into the Void.”

“You both, Georgie and Selena, are going to realize real quick, I'm a different kind of spirit. I'm the type that will turn your whole world upside down and inside out. I will make you feel only a small percentage of the pain that I have been put through to even get to this point."

She leans back and holds her hands up and out.

"And it’s nothing personal, at all. But I will not hold back on either of you. It's going to be a hard dose of reality that while the game may have changed on me, the true nightmare has decided to stick around and I'm going to show you two that despite how it's changed, I am more than capable to adapt. To continue to grow despite the ancient nature that some may think has me living in a strange reality that I can’t do this, only when I’ve proven for a fact that I can and I will."

"The hardest thing to grasp, the biggest dream killer... The worst nightmare anyone can have is staying absolutely stagnant. The stubborn refusal to grow. AND I have no desire to just coast by, I'm going to make sure that even though my legacy is secure that there's not one doubt left as to just how good I really am."

Laura stands up and dust herself off, tucking her coat around her a little tighter.

“I think I’m going to like it here.”

The Reasons I Have
Last Saturday

I cannot stress this enough.

It’s been the better part of 5 years since I have stepped away from full-time active competition in any ring.

When I left and hung up my boots, I felt then that I had absolutely nothing left to prove. I earned my titles, I earned my Hall of Fame rings but after everything I did, there was still one very important thing left for me to do.

“Mooooooooooooooooooommy! WE’RE HOME!!!!!!!”

I missed this with Bella. I’m sure you have all heard the tale by now, from her. The most important thing came into my life, after I gave everything I could to the business that allowed me and my husband to give the best life to her and to her little brother.

Personally, I never left wrestling. I became a teacher and a mentor, giving something back to the business that gave so much to me. I also stepped into the behind the scenes, trading spandex for a business suit and high heels.

And I didn’t miss it.

Well actually no, that’s a half-truth. I didn’t miss having my life threatened, or the constant pain I was in. What I missed was the roar of the crowd, that absolute thrill of stepping between the ropes. The adrenaline rush was also something that couldn’t be achieved anywhere else.

But when it comes to bringing my son into this world and spending all that time watching him grow and learn? ...that was the biggest rush of them all.

But there are times you have to say ‘What If..?”

“Mommy! Where are you?”

“Why don’t you go check the gym, buddy?”

“Okay, daddy.”

4-year old Aaron Madison had this house on lock since he learned how to walk. He knew all the best hiding spots when he and his dad played hide and seek, to the point Nick had to call on their golden lab, Hank, to find him.

Instead, inside the gym Laura ‘Phoenix’ Madison was on her second workout of the day, something that she had adopted since she went and personally went and spoke with Mark Ward and Christian Underwood and put her name down for the Blast From The Past Tournament. Hank laid at the end of mat watching as Laura finished off a set on the heavy ropes. You could see Hank’s ears lift up at the sound of his young human’s small feet running full force down the hall means he was about to get attention.

The door cracked open to see the big brown eyes that he got from his mom and the dirty blonde that he gained from his dad peer into the room, and his adorable little face lit up at the sight of not just Hank but his mom. He carefully bounded the 3 steps, jumping big off the bottom one, only stopping for a quick moment to pat the dog on the head before running over to his mother and wrapping his little arms around his mom’s leg, catching Laura by surprise.

“Well hey there, bug!” Laura said with a genuine smile as she pulled an earbud out and reached down to pull him up to give him a kiss on his cheek.

“Ew, mommy you’re all sweaty!” Aaron giggled as he wiped his cheek with his hand, but that only lead to mock insult on Laura’s face followed up by a rain of kisses on her faces adorable face, “MOMMY!”

“Ope! Hold on I missed a spot,” Laura said, crinkling her nose only to give one on Aaron’s nose, “There we go, I think we got it covered.”

Nick had slipped his way into the room and smiled at the two of them laughing before interrupting his wife and son, “Pardon this adorable Hallmark moment but...I thought you’d be ready by now. We gotta be over at Bella’s party in like an hour.”

“Yes, I’m aware.” Laura said setting her son down to let him go over to play a bit with Hank while Laura grabs a towel, “I just wanted to get in the workout in before we head over there and stuff ourselves silly with all that wonderful food as we celebrate Mal’s birthday and we find out about our grandbaby. Trust me, babe...I have it all worked out.”

All Nick could do was shake his head, Laura’s ability to plan things out to the final minute was well passed down to Bella but Nick knew all to well what it was going to be like, “Well then, I suggest you get a move on because you know that Bella is gonna be biting at the bit.”

“Oh she already texted me...she had to force herself to sleep in.” Laura said as she dried herself off, “Okay, I’m off to get ready. 10 minutes and we’re outta here.”

She gives him a sweet kiss, “Any longer and you’re walking there.” Nick quips with a smirk as she walks away.

“And then you will deal with our very pregnant daughter and the fury.” Laura gets out before, just getting out of swinging range from Nick slapping her ass.

Later on...

Laura would stand and watch with Nick and Aaron as she found out her grandbaby was a granddaughter. Her eyes filled up with tears with happiness as her oldest baby collected her feelings with the news.

Bella spun around and spotted her mother in the group of people that had gathered, “Oh my god! MOM!!”

“I know!” Laura only got out before she got engulfed with an emotional hug from her daughter, “You okay, sweetheart?”

Bella pulled away and just nodded, “I think...maybe..”

“Let’s go sit and get a drink.” Laura said, quickly grabbing a bottle of water and leading Bella over to a seat, and handing her a drink, “There we go.”

Bella takes some good sips, “I’m sorry. Just got a little overwhelmed there for a moment.”

“It’s quite alright.” Laura said laying a gentle kiss on her daughter’s head before taking a seat next to her, and holding her hand, “It can be quite overwhelming when your whole life changes like this. You and Mal are only beginning to find out about this, and that little girl is going to be so loved. I will never stop saying how proud I am of you. The both of you.”

Bella smiles and squeezes her mom’s hand before she leans back in the chair and places a hand on her ever growing midsection, “You know when this happened, part of me actually worried for a moment if I stepped back in the middle of my career to...”

“Sweetie, listen, you have always done things your own way. Look, I know I missed a lot with you in the beginning and we’re more than friends sometimes than mother and daughter but I could never be disappointed in you. You have always carved and paved your own path even while carrying on my whole legacy and this is just another chapter for you both.”

“I hope this isn’t the reason why you decided to dust off the gear and signed up for this whole thing with SCW?” Bella said with a smirk.

Laura leaned back with a laugh, “Well, not going to lie there was a void that I saw, but after Nick officially hung it up...I don’t know just something told me that if I were to ever make a return to anything...this would be it.”

“Well, if there is anyone that I absolutely trust with you and seeing you succeed with? ....Mac Bane is a freaking beast and hungry as hell after everything.”

“Ohhhhh I’m aware, and it’s why I have been working my ass off. Trust me, girlie...I’m not going out without a fight. Gonna show a lot of people that it was like I never left.”

The women smile at one another...”OH, did I tell you we already have a name picked out for the little one?”


Ah, ah ah...not yet.

“Ok, let's see if I have this right....mixed tag...men can’t touch the women...women can’t touch the men...well that’s a pity because well hell I made a career out of making a lot of men my bitch.”

Laura Phoenix steps into the shot with a smile.

“But that’s not what this is about, this is something completely different. You see, this to me is an opportunity to really see if my size 8’s can indeed still knock some teeth loose. And I have found myself sitting rather pretty for a moment and my GOD could you imagine what this could do?”

With a shake of her head she takes a deep breath.

“Look, Mac...in this I got your back. You will never have to question that. We are ride and die til the bitter end and I’m looking forward to every damn moment of it. I know you got your side of things”

Her brown eyes shine.

“As for Wilma, look, not going to lie...I know ZILCH about you and that right there tells me all I need to know. My whole career is an open book and I’m not going to hesitate. I learned from day one what happens if you do...that lesson was the hardest thing that one ever has to go through. You hesitate with me....I’m going to make sure this is the shortest time in any BFTP match in history.”

“DOUBT ME! I FUCKING DARE YOU!”