Over 5 years ago
Late Morning
Early April 2019
London, UK
Bella’s time in London was coming to a fast end as much as she didn’t want it to.
On the school’s dime, she and several other graduate students had made their way from Paris to London for a whole week for different reasons strictly for educational purposes.
But with the hard work also comes the fun.
She was invited to a wrestling show by Malachi with the promise of dinner later. She couldn’t even begin to explain to herself why she was so attracted to this man but she wasn’t about to turn down a chance to watch him at work. Enthralled is a wonderful way to put it with how Bella looked at Malachi and when Mal looked at her, she had felt that wall that she had put up around her heart before she left for Paris coming down piece by piece.
But when the show hit intermission, she stood back and watched as he stepped out from the back, toweling himself off and quickly switched out to just a pair of shorts and she had to laugh a bit a the pair of slide-on sandals with the socks and had made a mental note to poke at him later. She was just about to step up when she saw a tiny little brunette step up with a look on her face that she was ready to sink her claws into him and immediately could tell that Mal was already extremely uncomfortable. But what she saw next, it shocked her and it made her realize that he wasn’t at all what everyone else had said.
He turned the brunette down flat and as soon as she stormed away Bella took her place rightfully at his side, and with a little flirtatious power instead of going out to eat, they ended up ordering room service.
And let it grow cold.
The next morning, while Bella was finishing up in the bathroom, Mal had ordered them room service and while he waited, he decided to check his phone. As he went to pick it up, he accidentally had tipped over Bella’s purse, “Shit.”
He quickly had put the phone down and had grabbed at it and managed to sit it right again with everything in it but one thing, a pink stone that was smooth all around and even in its corners. And it caught Mal’s attention and picked it up and was staring at it.
“It’s a rose quartz,” Bella said when she came out of the bathroom and found him staring at it in his hands. Mal turned around on his heels, looking like he had been caught. “I got it a while ago to help with my creativity and whatnot.”
“I didn’t mean to umm...I went to grab my phone and the purse just tumbled.” Mal fumbled to explain.
“Mal, it’s fine.” Bella reached out and touched his arm, “I know you sat your phone over here and well there is so much in that bag, it constantly tips over and besides it’s not like I have anything to hide, especially from you. You like the stone?”
“Yeah, it’s pretty.” Mal hands it back to her, “And definitely you.”
She rolls the stone over in her fingers and looks up at him, “You could have it, if you’d like.”
“No, love. It’s yours.” Mal said with a smile, “So how long until your train?”
“Umm...about 4 hours. What about you?”
Mal does the math in his head, “Shortly after yours, I think. I ordered breakfast but we could just cancel and have a late morning brunch before I see you off.”
“I think that’s a wonderful idea.”
So that’s exactly what they did. And before too long they were standing at the train station with all their bags.
Bella stood there looking a little sad but not sure how much she wanted to really say, “Ok, so I promise that I will message you as soon as I get back to Paris. And...we will talk and hopefully it won’t be too long until we can see each other again.”
Mal just grabs her face, “Bells, you don’t need to worry about anything. I promise that we will see each other again and it’s probably not going to be as long as we even think.”
Bella’s eyes light up, “Really?”
Mal smirks, “Really. If I could throw a repeat on a weekend like this, I so would.”
It was Bella’s turn to smirk as she wrapped her arms around Mal’s neck, “As would I. Maybe with a little more food but I did have a lot of fun.”
“Yeaaah that was such a waste of food.” Mal quipped back before placing a gentle kiss on her lips.
“Attention passengers, the 2:20 train for Paris is now boarding...”
And that caused her to sigh and only wrap Mal up a little tighter. After a few he leans her forehead against his lips and simply mutters, “It’ll be okay, Bells.”
“Still sucks.”
“ALL ABOARD!”
Bella finally peels herself away and walks over to the train with Mal’s hand in hers. He helps her with one big bag up the steps before giving her one more kiss and then helping her up into the train. He watches her enter the car and takes a few steps down as she finds her seat, sitting next to the window. He gives a quick wave as does she before he goes to turn. But is stopped when she knocks on the window and puts up a piece of paper that simply says “Check Your Pocket”.
Mal looks confused but searches through his pockets of his coat, and then to his pants where he stops when he feels something and pulls it out as the train whistle blows. It’s the rose quartz. And he just looks up with shock as Bella gives him a simple wave as the train begins to depart and he just stands there. And watches as it leaves.
Closer to the present day
5 years later
O’Connell Home
Bella stood in their spacious Manhattan apartment, meticulously organizing every detail for their trip. Bags were lined up by the door, neatly packed for their upcoming flights. Mal had been bustling around, ensuring their daughter, Máire, had everything she needed, while Bella, being the perfectionist she was, decided to pack Mal's bag herself.
“Make sure Máire’s ready, Mal!” Bella called from the bedroom as she pulled out his travel bag from the closet. As she placed the clothes she had laid out inside, something small and familiar tumbled out of one of the side compartments. The soft thud caught her attention, and her heart skipped a beat when she saw what it was.
The rose quartz.
The same stone she had given Mal all those years ago in London. Time seemed to stand still for a moment as she stared at it, the memories flooding back—their whirlwind weekend, the promise that they would see each other again, and all the love that had grown between them since. Alongside the stone was a small, slightly worn photo of her and Máire, back when she was just a couple of months old, taken just a few months after their daughter was born. Her heart swelled as she realized he still carried these tokens with him, through all the travels and matches.
She sat down on the floor, clutching the rose quartz in her hand, tears welling up in her eyes. Despite everything that had changed—the moves, the careers, the victories, and the losses—Mal had remained her constant. Her rock. And right now, with her own uncertainties looming large, it felt like this little stone was the only thing grounding her.
She hadn’t felt herself since her match at Violent Conduct. The sting of her loss still lingered, as did the scars, and the frustration of not knowing what came next was eating away at her. She wasn’t sure what her future in the ring looked like, or if she even had a place anymore. She was supposed to be packing, preparing for her upcoming match against Diamond Steele, a former multi-time champion. But instead, she found herself sitting on the floor, overwhelmed by a flood of emotions.
As if sensing her unease, Mal walked into the room. He paused when he saw her sitting there, the rose quartz clutched tightly in her hand, tears threatening to spill down her cheeks.
“Bells...” His voice was soft, filled with concern. He knelt down beside her, his hand resting gently on her back. “What’s going on?”
Bella looked up at him, her voice breaking slightly. “You still kept it... after all this time.”
Mal glanced at the stone in her hand and smiled softly. “Of course I did. It’s part of us.” He reached over, brushing a tear from her cheek with his thumb. “Well of course, you and this stone... you keep me grounded, even when we aren’t in the same company, so having a reminder of my favorite girl and now girls...well I consider it almost like my good luck charm now.”
She sniffed, trying to compose herself. “You’ve always been my rock, Mal. And I don’t know what I’d do without you. I’m just—” She paused, struggling to find the words. “I’ve been feeling so lost since Violent Conduct. I don’t know what’s next for me. And here you are, getting ready to go back, to team with Lach... I just—”
Mal shifted so he was sitting beside her on the floor, pulling her into his arms. “Bells, you’re not lost. You’ve just hit a rough patch. It happens. But you’re Bella Madison... you don’t quit. You don’t give up. And whatever happens next, we’ll figure it out together.”
Bella leaned into him, her head resting against his chest as his words sank in. “I just... I don’t know if I’m good enough anymore.”
Mal tightened his hold on her. “You’re more than good enough. You’re one of the strongest people I know, and I’ve seen you bounce back from worse. This is just another chapter. And you’ve got this match against Diamond Steele, right? You’re gonna show her, and everyone else, that Bella Madison is still here. Still fighting.”
She smiled weakly, her fingers tracing the edges of the rose quartz. “You always know what to say.”
“Because I know you,” Mal replied, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. “And I know you’re going to go out there and remind the world who you are. But first... we need to get packed.”
Bella let out a small laugh, wiping her tears. “Right. We have a flight to catch.”
“Exactly. And don’t worry about the rest, okay? Just focus on being you. I’ve got your back, always.”
Bella stood up, her hand still gripping the rose quartz, feeling its familiar weight in her palm. She gave Mal a grateful smile as they finished packing his bag together. Whatever came next, she knew she wouldn’t be facing it alone.
~*~Nothing Left to Lose~*~
Rules of Engagement: Fuck the Rules
The scene opens with Bella Madison sitting in the locker room, a single light casting shadows over her face. She looks calm, but there’s a glint in her eyes that speaks of something much darker—like someone who’s gone beyond caring about what anyone thinks of her anymore. She leans forward, elbows resting on her knees, as she begins to speak.
"Let’s get something straight… I’ve spent weeks—months—tearing myself apart to prove a point. And what do I have to show for it? At Violent Conduct, I went out there and poured everything I had into that match against Victoria Lyons. I pushed myself to the limit—hell, I damn near broke myself—because I believed that was my moment. I believed if I just gave everything, it would be enough.
Turns out, I was wrong."
Bella pauses, a bitter chuckle escaping her lips.
"But that’s the funny thing about hitting rock bottom, isn’t it? Once you’ve already given everything, once you’ve already felt the pain of losing it all, what’s left to lose? Nothing. And that’s where I’m at now.
I walked away from Violent Conduct with nothing. No title, no victory, just the reminder that in this business, nothing is guaranteed. It doesn’t matter how hard you work, how much blood you spill, how far you’re willing to go—sometimes, the universe just doesn’t give a damn.
So yeah, I’m lost. I’ve been feeling lost ever since that night. I don’t know what’s next for me, and I don’t know what the future holds. But in that loss, in that uncertainty, I’ve found something terrifying within myself. Something I didn’t know was there until everything else was stripped away…"
She leans forward even more, her tone sharpening.
"I don’t care anymore."
"You hear me? I. Don’t. FUCKING. Care. I don’t care what people think of me. I don’t care about being liked, or about playing nice. I don’t care about the rules or the expectations you people try to place on me. What I care about now? It’s simple.
Winning. And making sure that no one ever forgets what happens when you cross me."
She holds her hand up, staring at it as if visualizing the violence she’s prepared to unleash.
"I’ve hurt myself before. I’ve thrown my body into the fire, and it wasn’t enough. But this time? This time, I’ll burn everything down if I have to. I’ve got nothing left to lose, and that makes me more dangerous than I’ve ever been. Do I care if I hurt myself again? Not even a little bit. Because I’m willing to go further than anyone else, and that’s what it’s going to take to get what I want.
That starts with you, Diamond Steele."
Bella smirks, though there’s no humor behind it—only cold determination.
"You think you know what you’re walking into? You think you’ve faced tough opponents before? You haven’t faced me. Not like this. I’m not the Bella Madison everyone knew. I’m not here to play by the old rules. I’m here to tear down anyone in my way, and unfortunately for you, Diamond, you’re first on my list.
This match with you? It’s more than just a win or a loss. It’s a statement. A statement that I don’t care anymore, that I’ll do whatever it takes. So yeah, bring everything you’ve got, because I’m not walking into that ring to just beat you—I’m walking in there to remind everyone that Bella Madison isn’t some nice girl waiting for her moment. I am the moment. And I’ll make damn sure you know that when I walk right over you."
She stands up now, pacing slightly as her intensity builds.
"I promised myself that by High Stakes, I’d have my first singles title in SCW. I’ve waited long enough. I’ve played the game long enough. And now, the game is done. I’m coming for what’s mine. I’m coming for that title, and I don’t care who’s in the way. You, Diamond Steele? You’re just the first step. After you, I’ll keep going. One by one, I’ll take down anyone in front of me, and I won’t stop until that gold is around my waist.
This isn’t about getting respect anymore. This isn’t about proving a point to anyone but myself. I’m doing this because I said I would. Because I will keep my word. I’m going to take that title, and I don’t care if I have to burn down SCW to do it.
So to everyone watching? Take a good, long look. What’s coming next? It’s not the Bella you think you know. It’s something far, far worse."
Bella stops pacing, locking eyes with the camera, her voice cold and final.
"I’m done playing nice. I’m done caring. The only thing that matters now is winning, and making sure everyone who ever doubted me regrets it. Diamond Steele, you’re the first... but you won’t be the last. High Stakes is coming, and I will claim what’s mine—by any means necessary."
She lets the silence hang in the air for a moment before walking off screen, leaving nothing but her dangerous words behind.
"I've thrown my body into the fire, and I’ve walked through hell and back for this. But now? Now, I’m ready to hurt others. I’m ready to make the pain I feel something tangible—something you can see, something you can taste, something you’ll never forget. Because when you’ve got nothing left to lose, you’re dangerous. You become something more than just a competitor. You become a force of nature. And trust me when I say… you don’t want to be on the wrong side of a storm like that."
Bella's expression darkens as she straightens up, her eyes locking with the camera, full of intensity.
"So here we are, Diamond Steele. I hope you’re ready for this match, because I’m coming in with nothing holding me back. No restraints. No chains. No more second-guessing. I’m coming into this match like my life depends on it because, honestly? It feels like it does. You’re standing in my way, and that’s the worst possible place to be.
You see, Diamond, I respect what you've done in this business, but right now? I don’t care about respect. I don’t care about accolades, or how many times you’ve held a title. The only thing I care about is making sure you leave that ring knowing you’ve been in a fight—a real fight. I’ve been at the bottom, and I’m clawing my way back up. You? You’re just the next obstacle in my way. And if I have to break you to remind everyone what I’m capable of, then so be it."
She stands up, rolling her shoulders as if getting ready for battle, the determination on her face now undeniable.
"I’m done playing nice. I’m done being the underdog. I’m done questioning myself. It’s time I stop looking for validation from anyone else and start taking what’s mine. Diamond Steele, you’re about to find out firsthand what happens when someone has absolutely nothing left to lose.
I’ll see you in that ring, and when it’s all said and done, you’ll remember the name Bella Madison. Because this? This is just the beginning of my next chapter. And trust me... it’s going to be written in blood."
Bella’s final words hang in the air as she walks out of the locker room, the camera lingering on the empty space she leaves behind. A storm is brewing, and it's clear Bella is ready to unleash it.
