It’s like they always say, when one door closes – Another one opens.

But maybe that’s not the best way to put it, considering an unclosable door is what’s brought things to where they sit at the moment.

Things aren’t bad. Not by a long shot. Rogan and Lucy spent the holidays much differently than the rest of the world believes they did. But then again, the rest of the world didn’t bear witness to what happened after Maggie and Ichabod nearly ended reality as everyone knows it. Nor did they bear witness to the look in Rogan’s eyes when he’d returned from wherever it was that he went when he closed that door.

There’s a lot that the world doesn’t know.

But Rogan and Lucy preferred it that way.

Much less pleasant, however, is the prospect of Rogan remaining in the gulf while Lucy ventures to Chicago for the new year’s first Synergy, and the beginning of this year’s Global Challenge.

Since he’d come back, Lucy’s noticed small, seemingly insignificant moments when Rogan would lose that calm, cool demeanor that’s become synonymous with his personality – when she can see the sadness and the fear in those beautiful green eyes of his. Whatever he’d gone through, Lucy knew that it had changed him.

And when Rogan wanted to talk about it, Lucy would be ready.

But for now, Lucy found herself seated in the living room of Rogan’s condo, her eyes plastered to the sliding glass door across the room – and the back of the Dark Man himself as he stood, leaned against the railing – staring out at the gulf.

Today had found itself to be one of the not-so-good days.

Lucy awoke in the early morning hours, only to find Rogan seated in the shadows of the living room – looking like he hadn’t slept a wink. So she sat up and pulled him onto the couch with her, and held his hand until he finally drifted off with his head in her lap. And when she’d woke up later this morning, he was already up and that’s where Lucy currently found herself, watching him and trying to contain her worry.

While she was lost in her thoughts, the Dark Man turned around and his eyes softened at the sight of Lucy. Their eyes met and immediately Rogan moved for the door and came back inside.

“Good morning.” Rogan said quietly, closing the door behind him.

Lucy smiled softly. “How are you feeling?”

Rogan shrugged his shoulders, approaching the couch and taking a seat next to Lucy. Without a moment’s thought, Lucy reached out and took his hand in hers – Something she’d been doing each time the Dark Man was close enough for her to.

“Well, you know you don’t have to go full on creeper mode in the middle of the night, you can just wake me up if you need anything.”

To that Rogan shook his head, a subtle shade of pink rising to his cheeks. “Absolutely not.”

Lucy chuckled and rolled her eyes. “You’re cute when you’re trying to be considerate.”

“I’m not going to wake you up just because I can’t sleep.”

“Rogan, I don’t mind.”

He gave her hand a squeeze, sighing. “Really?”

“Duh.”

It was Rogan’s turn to chuckle, a look of relief washing over his face. Silence settled between them as they sat for a while, content to just enjoy each other’s presence. As Rogan looked around the room, something caught his eye.

“I suppose you’ll be leaving soon.”

Lucy followed his gaze to the bag sitting on the ground at the end of the couch and she nodded her head. “Yeah.”

She didn’t like the look that crossed Rogan’s face. He looked uncomfortable. Lucy ran her thumb over his hand, wanting to reassure the Dark Man. She wasn’t sure how much it helped, but seeing even a small amount of discomfort in his body language made her want to fix everything.

“How are you feeling about your match?” Rogan broke the silence, trying to change the subject.

Lucy shook her head. “Well, it’s Mac so…”

“You two are friends, right?”

“Yeah, yeah. Mac’s a good guy and he’s tried to lift me up in some of my worst times. But even then, that ain’t gonna stop him from trying to put me in a hole to start off this tournament.”

Rogan scratched his chin in silent contemplation before he glanced over at Lucy, a devilish grin on his lips.

“Won’t stop you either, Ms. Wylde.”

Returning his smirk, Lucy shrugged her shoulders. “And that’s why it’s going to be fun.”

Feeling a sudden burst of motivation and energy, she holds tight to Rogan’s hand and gets up, pulling the Dark Man to his feet. “Let’s do something today, huh? Let’s get outta here for a little while.”

“What did you have in mind?”

“Well, that’s the thing. I don’t entirely know.”

Her response made Rogan laugh out loud, which brought an even bigger smile to Lucy’s face. The Dark Man had a lot to process, but it was nice to see him smile, every single time it happened.

“I say we just figure it out as we go.” Lucy added, wrapping her arms around Rogan’s midsection as she looked up at him. “That’s seemed to work out for us this far.”

Rogan rested his arms on her shoulders as he absent-mindedly ran his fingers through her wavy blonde hair. He nodded. “I like the way you think.”

 

The day slowly turned into evening as Lucy and Rogan found themselves once again inside the Pink Pony Pub, a place they frequented so often that most times their drinks of choice would already be waiting for them before their asses touched their seats.

Tonight, however, they found themselves in an intimate corner of the pub, seated side by side in a rugged, worn out booth, nursing their drinks. The staff and the other regulars took notice of them, and much like their peers in the UGWC, Lucy and Rogan were on the receiving end of many approving looks.

They couldn’t help but laugh.

“I give you one good story, and you start expecting that the rest of em are gonna be just as good.” Lucy said, taking a small sip of her beverage. After they’d settled in, Rogan began asking questions about Mac Bane. Lucy assumed it was because even though they hadn’t spoken about it much, they both knew that Lucy would be heading to Chicago in a days time and Rogan would remain in Alabama, to take care of himself.

The inevitability of it all loomed over both of them like a storm cloud, threatening to rain on their parade. It wasn’t going to be forever. But Lucy knew that whatever Rogan was holding onto, that was the true storm cloud.

Rogan sat back and shot Lucy a glance. “Maybe I just like to hear you talk.”

Lucy grinned.

“You’ll get sick of it eventually.”

“Never.” Rogan replied with complete certainty, continuing to stare at Lucy until she finally sighed and shook her head.

“Fine. You win, Dark Man. But it’s really not that interesting.”

Rogan didn’t even bother to answer, he simply motioned for her to continue on with the story. Lucy rolled her eyes and took another drink.

“It wasn’t very long after Kyra and I… After I had the surgery on my throat. Jack Michaels and… You know who were at each other’s throats week in and week out. I don’t fully remember what the entire thing was about, but it was ridiculous. Anyway, it wasn’t very long before that when I found out that he wasn’t taking his medication.. And suffice it to say, that wasn’t a good thing.”

Rogan shook his head.

“But anyway, I was in no shape to be doing anything except healing, but well, you know me… I couldn’t just sit around and watch someone I cared about do something they’d end up regretting. And I could tell that the entire thing wasn’t going to end well. So I forced myself onto his Wargames team, and I ended up getting put into a match to determine who’d end up with the numbers advantage in the big match.”

“I’m confused. Where does Mac figure into all this?”

Lucy chuckled. “I’m getting there. So, our esteemed boss put me, the weakest member of the Override against the strongest member of Paragon – Amber Ryan.”

Rogan’s eyebrows raised in surprise. “Isn’t she–”

“Yes…” Lucy replied, holding her hand up to stop him from saying anything. “…But not at the time. Mac was on Joe’s team, along with myself and a couple of other people. I went out there, and got my ass handed to me by Amber, which isn’t a surprise. But it didn’t do me any favors with my team, or the healing process.”

“I probably don’t want to know.”

Lucy shook her head. “Probably not. But there I was, backstage, feeling like a pin cushion and thanking my lucky stars that Amber decided against slamming a chair down on my throat and ending me right there.. And there Mac was.”

Rogan nodded his head as Lucy continued.

“For all intents and purposes, he should have been upset that I fucked over the team, and lost the numbers advantage – But I don’t know. He just sat there with me and made sure I was okay. My own boyfriend didn’t do that at the time, so it just cemented in my head what kind of person Mac Bane really is. He gave me some advice, and he urged me to take care of myself – Even though I think deep down he knew that I wasn’t going to do that. Mac’s been a big supporter of mine for as long as we’ve known each other and I guess I’ll always be grateful for that.”

Lucy finished and shrugged her shoulders as Rogan watched her run her fingertips along the rim of her glass.

“I told you it wasn’t that interesting.”

“I disagree.” Rogan says, leaning his elbows on the table in front of him. “But I get the feeling there’s more that you’re not saying.”

Lucy finishes off her glass. “No, I mean maybe. It’s just, he’s my friend. I respect him, but I don’t want that to get in the way of what I want to do, you know? He’s in my way.”

Rogan smirked.

“If he’s really your friend, he’ll understand.”

Lucy looked down at the table in front of her, and sighed as another drink was placed in front of her. The sounds of the pub around them filled the silence between them until Lucy finally looked up and locked eyes with Rogan.

“So, tell me Dark Man.. Why the sudden interest in my opponent this week? Couldn’t be because you’re on the sidelines yourself, hmmm?”

Rogan sighed and averted his gaze from Lucy’s. “I don’t like it.”

“I know.”

“But I know I’m no good to you unless…”

He finally looked back up into her eyes, and she could see that same look she saw in his eyes that night at San Jose – Those bright green hues slowly filling with wild, anxious energy. Lucy placed a hand on his and shook her head.

“Don’t even think like that. You’re gonna get through this. We’re gonna get through this… together.” She turned her hand and laced her fingers through his, and smiled. “Because that’s what partners do.”

 

“I didn’t imagine that I’d be starting 2022 off by taking part in the Global Challenge, but here we are.”

The soft thudding of a pair of shoes against hardwood can be heard as The Dark Lady steps into frame, the diminishing rays of sunlight faintly highlighting the golden hues in Lucy’s long, blonde hair as the sun sets on another day on the gulf. Perched upon her head, a black cowboy hat that matches the frayed leather jacket resting over her shoulders. Her equally worn boots stop as she stands, staring out at the beauty before her.

“Normally I’d stop and reminisce a bit about how the year ended, and get all up in my feels about it before I’d get into the task at hand.

A short pause ensues, after which, she turns her head and a pair of crimson painted lips turn upwards into a grin.

“Not this time. You see, I’ve got a tournament to win and unlike ‘Block B’ – There’s some real competition on my side of the equation.”

Finally, Lucy raises her head – but only just enough for a pair of striking blue eyes to peek out from beneath the dark brim of the hat.

“And the journey begins with the Cowboy himself, Mac Bane. An old friend. Someone who’s shown me the utmost respect since we’ve known each other. Someone who I, myself, respect a great deal. Mac and I, we have a bit of history, don’t we?”

Lucy chuckles and shakes her head.

“Don’t worry, I won’t bore everyone else with the details – But suffice it to say, I have all the reason in the world to step into the ring on Monday night and do right by you, Mac. We both know that I won’t cheat you. We both know I won’t disrespect you the way so many others have. But when I look at some of the company you’ve been keeping as of late… I can’t help but to think that you’ve got a bit of that disrespect comin to you.”

She shrugs her shoulders.

“All things being fair though, I know you could say the exact same thing about me and the people I call my ‘friends’. So why don’t we just focus on us for the time being, seeing that in the grand scheme of the Global Challenge, none of them matter. It’s just you and me, cowboy, and we both wanna start this thing off on the right foot.”

Lucy nods her head.

“Now, I like you Mac. But liking you ain’t got a damn thing to do with wanting to whoop your ass and leave you with zero points heading into next week. Forgive me, but I’m going to steal a quote from you… Something you said to Konrad Raab leading into your UGWC debut. You told him, ‘We are not the same’. Those words couldn’t ring any truer when comparing yourself to the ‘Iceman’. But Mac? Just so we’re clear… You and I? We are not the same.”

Her eyes narrow as the grin falls from her lips.

“You’ve got the strength, you’ve got knowledge, and against me? You’ve got the size advantage. I’m all about giving credit where it’s due, and you’ve had a hell of a career. But this isn’t SCW. This isn’t Carnage. This isn’t like anything, or anywhere that you’ve ever hung your hat. And I’m not the myriad of people that have fallen to you in any of those other places. This is UGWC, and whether the people around here like it or not, I’ve become one of the pillars of this place and until you prove your worth in my home? I’m sorry, friend… But I’m gonna have to put you in your place.”

The smirk returns, but only slightly as she tips her hat to her opponent.

“You beat Konrad, and you beat Phrixus. Good on you. You started off strong. Earned yourself a Chaos title shot in the process. But that my friend, didn’t exactly go as planned, huh? So you threw your hat into the ring for the Global Challenge. Why not, right? Why not, indeed. I guess the best reason I can give you is that I’m here, and I’m competing for the same prize you are. And try as you might, you’re not gonna get in my way.”

She takes a step forward, putting her hands in the pockets of her jacket as the breeze picks up and the sun dips below the horizon.

“I know you understand this as well as I do, Mac, but I think it bears repeating. You’re not the top dog here. You’re not the world champ. You’re not anything in the landscape of the UGWC – That is until you start putting down big time players… Like myself. I know you’re probably thinking that Lucy’s getting a little full of herself and that maybe you’ll be able to use that to your advantage come show time, but what this really is? It’s Lucy Wylde finally leaving the doubt behind. I see it all so much clearer now. I’ve always let that glass ceiling hang above my head like a God damned road block. I’ve heard it so many times, from so many of my peers.”

She rolls her eyes.

“Lucy’s got so much potential, but she gets in her own way. Lucy lets her emotions and her personal life get in the way of the greatness that she could achieve. Lucy’s never going to be everything that she could be unless… Unless, unless, unless.”

Her voice fades out as she rolls her arms in a continuing motion, as if she were still repeating herself. She clears her throat as she lets her arms fall to her sides.

“Fuck that glass ceiling. There are no bounds to what I can do. You might have the size and strength advantage, Mac – But I can run circles around you, old man. I’ve made a living out of getting up when everyone and their brother thinks they’ve kept me down. But I think you know better than to underestimate me. And if you don’t? Then you’re in for a rude awakening, partner. You can try and keep me down with brute strength, but just one… one perfectly placed kick to the temple… Well, you get the picture. The bigger they are, Mac…”

Lucy winks.

“It’s okay if you’re a little scared heading into Monday, Mac. It’s perfectly natural when you’re walking into a hornets nest. You’re my friend, Mac. And hopefully you’ll still see me as such after Monday, but when we step into that ring together, let’s just forget that fact until the fight is over. It’s nothing personal, unless you decide to make it that way.”

She shrugs once more.

“But we’ll burn that bridge when we get to it, friend. But just know this… The Dark Lady bows to no one. So do like you always do, Mac. Do the right thing, and don’t venture out into this hornets nest unless you’re prepared… really prepared for the hell that awaits you if you push the wrong buttons.”

Lucy takes the hat off of her head and takes a passing glance at it before she lets it drop to the ground at her feet.

“I don’t wanna send you back to Amber with your tail between your legs. I just wanna take what’s mine and move on. So, take my words and do with them what you will. They’re only words, after all. I’m all about letting my actions speak for me.”

She places one of her boots on top of the hat and grinds the sole of her shoe into it.

“Bring your best. You’re gonna need it in order to stumble through the rest of the Global Challenge… That is if I leave anything for the rest of your opponents.”

She smiles. A genuine, Lucy Wylde smile.

“See you Monday.”

《frm》