Whatever had been on Molly's mind could wait. She and Harmonia already knew that great things were in the cards for them when Jonathan began to lay the plans for bringing them over to USPW. But it seemed as though their big break was coming sooner than they expected. When she heard Jonathan's announcement, she jumped up in her seat with a gasp.
"He's WHAT!?" Looking back over at her girlfriend with a grin, she all but grabbed Harmonia to pull her into a hug, before she stopped as soon as she realized how ridiculous she probably looked.
"Ah, heh, sorry, Moni...just got a little excited, is all," she said with a nervous chuckle.
"But...this is a lot of big news so quickly!"
Still, she listened to what he had to say, and she nodded her head.
"Alright. I'll do whatever I need," she explained. After all, she wanted this to work out. Not just so that the Superstars could go on to chasing their rising star in front of a new crowd, but to know that all the tension and the worries were behind them and that they could all move forward as one. If she could help that happen, she wasn't about to hesitate.
She rose from her seat, following Harmonia and Chris to the back. She'd stay back for now; she didn't want Chris to feel ganged up on, and she would stay ready to step in if she needed to. Still, she eyed the white-haired girl with some concern when she heard how much she was slurring her speech. Hopefully, that wouldn't make her do anything she'd regret...
---
At last, everyone had begun to file out of the hospital room, leaving Chelsea once again by herself. She let out a sigh and sank against the bed; at least now, she thought, she wouldn't have to listen to infernal simian screeches when she was trying to rest - not to mention nursing a headache as much as she was. But just before they were about to leave, she looked over to see that Ryan couldn't get Bear to move - and that Bear was staying so close to her.
For a moment, she sighed. She was about to launch into a tirade about how she just needed sleep, and that she didn't want dog hair getting all over the blankets and how that would make it
horribly annoying to get comfortable in...but when she glanced back over at the Great Pyrenees, seeing that look in his eye, she couldn't help but feel the stern look on her face soften just a little. Chelsea had heard the news about Marzia, and she knew Bear had already had one of his people turn her back on everyone. He didn't want to do that to him again.
"Let 'im stay," she said.
"He'll be sound as a pound by me, like." Even as Ryan left the room, Chelsea looked back at Bear with a growing smile on her face, reaching over and ruffling his fur with her hand. It was good to know she'd have someone for company. And as she felt the softness of his fur beneath her fingers, her smile grew just a little bit wider.
And, indeed, she would still be lying in bed, her hand idly brushing through Bear's coat, come the next morning. But even after he left, and the days passed, she kept that smile on her face, up until that last day before they were ready to leave. It was that day, lying in bed and staring up at the ceiling, that Chelsea heard Finella's voice from just beside her, and with curosity, she turned to look back at her.
She reflected over all those things that had been on her mind, ever since the first time their paths crossed. How she had found Finella's entire personality so unbearable - and consequently, how it frustrated her so much more when someone so obnoxious wouldn't learn her place. How Finella, somehow, had managed to show her up at everything she did, no matter how hard she tried; how it seemed her entire life had become a sideshow in Finella's story, and one she couldn't break free from. She remembered all the long hours she sat alone and cried where she knew people wouldn't see her, wishing she could have the self-confidence Finella did, how she could be so fearless and so bold, and to not let any of this bother her. She remembered everything about Finella that gnawed at her - her stupid smile even in the face of danger, her recklessness, her loud and proud showy style - and how much she just wanted to take it in her hand and crush it, to give her
something she'd feel sorry for.
And now, it seemed all of that was gone. The Finella that looked back at her wasn't the Finella she knew. She couldn't see that spark of energy and life in her eyes, the same one that haunted her, that just for a few fleeting seconds made her know what fear was. All she saw in the eyes of the woman sitting across from her was...emptiness. She felt cold, dead, and uncaring. No matter how many issues Chelsea might have had with Finella, no matter how much she got on her nerves...she knew that something was very wrong if Finella was acting like this. And when she heard what the Hellraiser had to say, something dropped in the pit of her stomach. After everything...was she doomed to commit Finella to being a footnote to her victory? Was she going to condemn her to the same fate that Chelsea had suffered through in
her shadow?
After a moment, Chelsea spoke.
"You know...you really did inspire me to be my best, there. Everything I did in that last match, I'd been training for just to beat you, and I don't think I could've done it if I didn't put in all that work. And that entrance...I wouldn't have done that without you making me that much more determined to put on the best show I could, all because of that little promo of yours. I wouldn't have gotten so close to Karl or George if I didn't commit so much to making an impact, and the Mad Tea Party wouldn't be anything if you didn't motivate me. Out of spite, sure. But it made me try harder than ever to be something. And...I think it worked. Whatever happens...ya gave me a match I'll never forget, Fin. I think everyone else would agree..."
