~*~*~Home Sweet Home~*~*~
1...2...3...
And that was it. Their time with the Mixed Tag Titles was over.
It stung, for a moment but considering that both of them had been just going practically non-stop since January, among the pandemic raging, being away from home even if they were among their friends things were getting too out of control. With the loss...there was relief.
In the back, in a dark corner, Malachi held his then fiancee tight and all she could say was, “I just wanna go home.”
“And home is where we will go.”
It was time. Back to New York, regroup, refocus. It turned into them living a somewhat normal life, still wrestling but not nearly as much. They took to making a whole building that was once her mother’s, their own. ...It was an early wedding present.
And that! After months of going back and forth, trying to find the perfect day, Mal with the enlisted help of his sister Alanah and her friend Mattie among many others surprised Bella with their wedding complete with their family and closest friends in the small wedding on New Year's Day. Mal’s reasoning “Well 2020 was such a shit show, might as well start 2021 off right.”
So Mr. and Mrs. O’Connell lived Happily Ever After, right?
....well...
“I just don’t understand why the hell you signed up for this again. After what happened last year and the draw you got, why in the seven blazes of hell would you try again?” Mal O’Connell, concerned husband. Currently sounding really irritated from the kitchen, finishing the preparations on their meal. Luka is directly at his side as ALWAYS but he is paying the husky zero mind because he’s rather annoyed with his wife at the moment.
Enter Bella Formerly-Madison-Except-In-The-Ring O’Connell, smirking from across the island snatching a piece of cheese quickly before he tries to swipe her hand away, “Because apparently in this life and the next I am a glutton for punishment. What’s that term again? Sadist or Masochist?”
“Didn’t Einstein say something about how insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results?”
“Actually Einstein never said that. They’re not even sure who did that. But either way, I am not insane, or that says a whole lot about you.” she says sticking her tongue out at her husband as she grabs the glasses and makes her way to the living room.
Mal just rolls his bright blue eyes before he glares at her finishing up his preparations, grumbling the whole way, “Okay, fine! I just, I don’t like it. Last year you got fed a really horrible partner that left you high and fuckin’ dry.”
She stops, moving some books and magazines around and looks back at him, “His name was Chris Crippler and then you went on to kick his ass and he was never heard from again. The end.”
Malachi just shrugs as he tosses a piece of cheese to the ever patient Luka, “As true as that may be, going back after what...”
She turns back to focusing on clearing off the table, her face showing frustration, “5 months. And in this day in age, 5 months is a fucking eterinity. I just wanted to try Blast from the Past again, I wanted to see if maybe I could make a difference again. Who knows, maybe I can get teamed up with your brother or Slappy. Or maybe you could join...”
She turns around and he’s standing there with plates in his hand and shaking his head, placing them down, “I already tried, the men’s side filled up before I could throw my name in the hat. I just don’t like that you have a chance to be thrown in with some rando that leaves you with the potential to be hurt.”
“Oh. My. Gawd! Mal, FULL STOP!” Bella just sighs in frustration, grabbing at Malachi’s shirt, “Look at what we do for a living! I have wrestled maybe a handful of times since we left Vegas, I got more fucked up in the match against Mack. I’m a big girl and I know exactly what I’m getting myself into. I highly doubt that they would put me into that situation all over again.”
He just leaves out a big breath of frustration and pulls her close, “Yeah, well...call me a pessimist.”
“And I’m the optimist. It’s why this relationship works so well like it has for the last almost 2 years, we round each other out and keep the other grounded.” and with that he groans in frustration cause he knows she’s right. Bella giggles a moment before her phone goes off, “I should check that out. Rumor was they were drawing the teams today.”
Reluctantly he gives her just enough to reach for her phone and as they both sit down and back on the couch, opening it up to twitter, “Yup, exactly what it is....annnnd I’m pick 2....”
Mal closes his eyes, tilting his head back and covering his face, “Oh hell, please be someone good....”
She nudges him with her shoulder, giving him a look, “Drama, drama, drama.” she says before her phone goes off again, “.....huh.” she says almost quietly, quirking her eyebrow upwards.
“What?” Mal says looking over at her, trying to get a read on it before actually reading the tweet itself. “....huh.”
“Lincoln Daniels” Bella smirks.
“Well at least I don’t have to worry about it being someone completely disgusting getting paired up with you.” grabbing his glass and taking a big drink like it was being held on to like a last resort. Bella is already looking things up on him.
“He’s hella talented and a vet to boot. This should be freaking awesome.”
Mal smiles at his wife as he grabs her glass and hands it to her and lifts his glass, “Well, here’s hoping he thinks the same about you and you mesh well. These thrown together teams are sometimes amazing and sometimes they...”
“I know! Please don’t remind me.” Bella sits back and turns off her phone, “I just really want this to work out.”
He smiles at her and brushes her hair back slightly, “As do I love. I know you’ve been wanting to go back.”
Bella leans into his hand a bit and takes a deep breath, “Feels like I left a lot undone and I completely understand if you just wanna stand off and play the support here. I just...I need to do this.”
He leans in and gives her a gentle kiss, “Then do it. I’ve got your back the whole way.”
“Thank you.”
Leaning back in his arms, Mal grabs the remote and presses play on the remote to the TV as Luka jumps up on Bella’s side and curls in. Just as Bella’s phone goes off again, she looks and it starts as a snort before she bursts out laughing, “You’re never gonna guess who your brother got...”
~*~*~Be It Ever So Humble~*~*~
Ah Vegas, 70 DEGREES Vegas no less. Bella is walking down the strip, mask on of course, taking it all in again, “I cannot stress enough how happy I am that I am back in Vegas, that I’m back in Sin City and that I’ve got another shot at a real redemption.”
She takes a seat, far away from everyone and just leans back and takes a deep refreshing breath because well, this is her time, “Last year’s Blast from the Past was absolutely ABYSMAL and not because of me. I was there the whole one match that I was involved in and Chris Crippler decided to just suck his thumb. Whatever, that shit is ancient history and only fuels the fire of the new year.”
A laugh comes across almost a little too loud but hey, if you want attention do it right, “2020 was something, we had a pandemic, we had to just adjust and adapt. Along with my now husband, we found our way to the Mixed Tag Titles and for a while 2020 shined bright. But that whole watching how fast your flame glows because you can burn out just as fast happened. We went home, we needed too because well...what this world does is different for everyone. I missed the six-sided ring though. I almost came back around Christmas but something told me to just wait.”
She stops for a moment, stands up and continues on her walk, “So I did. I saw a lot of shit talking. Nice to know I’m still in the forefront of a few people’s minds. Don’t worry girls, BFTP isn’t my only stop on the road to redemption. You see I’m not the same woman that left here back in September. I’m not talking about the fact that legally my last name is O’Connell now.“ she smirks for a moment and holds up her left hand for just a brief moment before continuing on, “I left here because I knew I needed to do more to be successful HERE. I have had to take my fair share of asswhoopings since then and it’s like...well I wouldn’t say I’ve leveled up but I’m a hell of a lot smarter than what I was 5 months ago.”
“I’m not gonna sit here and fill your heads full of bullshit, that's not me. What I am going to do is sit here and tell you that Ruby Steele doesn’t honestly know what she’s getting herself into here facing me in the ring because I’ll be slightly honest with you.” Bella leans in, motioning the camera to come closer, “I don’t know exactly either. See, it's sorta like a crapshoot. I have had to face people who are like family to me and show no remorse whatsoever til AFTER the fact. I’ve let shit like that have this odd effect on me.”
“I’m the type of person that I really want people to like me but now I’ve learned that that’s not always gonna happen. And guess what? I’m going to smile in the face of every single bitch that doesn’t like me because I can AND I’m also going to punch everyone in the face in the match, friend or foe that stands across from me. No gimmicks, I’m going to be out to win. I KNOW I have the potential to be the best in the Bombshell roster but I still have a long way to go to prove that. I’m not gonna come in with all kinds of swagger telling you I am the best. I. AM. GOING. TO. FUCKING. PROVE. IT!” she stops and looks around and sees some people have stopped for a moment to stare at her. She looks for a moment before sticking her tongue out at them, “I am not going to apologize for who I am anymore. You hate me because of that....Awesome. DIE MAD! I’m out to prove shit now. Starting with teaming up with Lincoln Daniels, watching him taking on London Underground’s DJ Morgan....and Ruby, you are going to learn that you were just my placeholder in the Bombshell Division. BLAST FROM THE PAST is the blast into the future of this Division and the future is with the sassiest little star to grace Sin City.“
She stops and places her hand under her chin, “Me.” She blows them a kiss and spins on her heels stepping away.
