"Does It Almost Feel Like Nothing Changed At All?"

December 31
Orlando, Florida

It was still early afternoon, New Years a few hours away, but the Williams/Kane household was already in full party mode. It had only been a few days ago that Sierra had successfully defended her PWS World championship in an intense, bloody match against former champion Mack McKane, and the whole family was in a celebratory mood. It was especially welcome after all the hardships they had just endured in the latter part of the year, so they were going to hold on to every shred of joy that came their way and cherish every moment they spent together.

Currently, his two daughters were bouncing around the house on a sugar high from all the leftover Christmas candy and cookies that had been sent home with them from their Nana O’Connell, and they were both bound and determined that they were going to stay up until midnight. Lachlan and Sierra traded amused looks, because they both knew very well that both girls would crash right around 10:00. Sierra’s mother Amelie was busy in the kitchen making lots of snacks and finger foods for the night, and Sierra’s siblings were all milling around various parts of the home.

Upstairs, Lachlan was taking a moment to himself. He loved having a house full of people, but his upcoming match for PWE had him too much in his own head. He just wanted a moment to try and clear his mind, so that he could be in the moment for his family that night. Nothing was more precious to him than his family, and they deserved his undivided attention. He was standing at one of the floor to ceiling windows in the bedroom he shared with Sierra, forearm pressed against the glass above his head as he stared out absently. He wasn’t really seeing the scenery before him, but rather trying to work through the thoughts in his mind.

A gentle hand on his shoulder startled him slightly, and he turned to see Sierra giving him a curious look. There were still a few fading bruises and cuts on her face, but she had never looked more beautiful to him. He gave her a reassuring smile and gathered her into his arms, resting his chin on the top of her head while she snuggled into his chest.

“...OK, what’s up?” He heard her slightly muffled voice and he let out a chuckle. He knew that she’d be onto him in an instant, and that there was also no use in lying to her. It was hard to believe to him that they had only really been together for three years, because the way they could both read each other felt like they had been together for a lifetime already.

“Just…contemplating the new year,” he said. “Here we are, entering a new year, both holding gold…you a hell of a lot longer than I have…”

She playfully swatted at his chest. “You’ve got time to catch up. This whole year is going to be yours.”

He put a finger under her chin and tilted her face up to his, before placing a long, sweet kiss on her lips. When they parted, he pressed his forehead to hers. “You mean ours.”

—------

“New year, new me.”

A sip from a champagne glass, a flash of a smirk. Lachlan Kane brought his blue-eyed gaze up to the camera, dressed in an impeccable black tuxedo complete with bowtie and sapphire cufflinks. Seated in a plush armchair in his living room, he brought one leg up to rest his ankle across his knee, his body relaxed and at ease despite the telltale competitive glint in his eyes.

“That’s the saying, isn’t it? Every year, we all resolve to become better versions of ourselves. Giving up vices, exercising, taking the risks we never took in the past 365 days. But me? I’m already at the top of my game. Ending the year a husband, father…and champion.”

Reaching down beside him, he pulled the PWE Victory championship up and draped it across his shoulder. The gold plating glinted in the low light cast by the lamp on the other side of him, and he spared a fond look at it as he ran a finger across his nameplate. His eyes flashed back up to the camera, the determination back in their blue depths.

“I’m going out on top in 2021, and I plan on starting 2022 the same way. I know I’ve got one hell of a tall order in front of me with Betsy Granger, but I’m more than ready to step up my game. I’m ready to take the new year by storm and make the Victory division…MY division. It doesn’t matter who I have to go through, or how many times I have to defend this belt. Hell, even when I’m not defending the belt, I’m going to make sure that you all know just who I am.”

Taking another sip from the champagne flute, he studied the glass for a second before putting it back down. “Like I said before, I know that I’ve got one hell of an Everest to climb going up against an incredible athlete like Betsy Granger. I’ve been keeping my eye on her ever since she teamed up with my good friend Kasey over in Fight, and even here in PWE. She’s done some incredible things this past year, and I genuinely believe that she is destined for great things in the new year.”

A slight chuckle drops from his lips. “But of course, you probably already know that, don’t you Betsy? After all, they don’t call you ‘The Impossible Traveler’ for nothing. I know there are those that scoff and roll their eyes at your moniker, and the image that you present to the world. Me, on the other hand? I quite enjoy it. It’s a breath of fresh air in a business where most everyone takes themselves far too seriously. It’s nice to see that someone has a sense of wonder and imagination.” He leaned forward in the chair, narrowing his eyes ever so slightly. “But that’s not going to save you at Victory.”

He sat back again, relaxing his body back into the easy position it had been in, though the determined stare in his eyes had now hardened the rest of his facial features. Gone was the boyishly charming smile, replaced with a thin line that wasn’t quite a frown. “Look, I like you a lot Betsy. You’re a hell of an athlete, and an incredible show woman to boot. I know that when you and I step into the ring at the first Victory show of 2022, we are going to be the match of the night, there’s no doubt in my mind of that. But I’m going into this with every intention of starting my new year off with a win. I’ve racked up quite a number of them in 2021, and I think I’ve become addicted to winning. Not only that, but I know that I’ve got eyes on my every move, just waiting for the moment for me to make the smallest slip. I’ve kept the vultures at bay so far, and I don’t plan on letting them hover for very much longer. I’m going to kick off 2022 with an unfaltering display of my dominance, to show the watchers and anyone else out there that may still have any doubts about me that I am more than ready to not only lead this division…but own it.”

“So, new year, new me?”

He finished off the last of the champagne in his glass just as the clock struck midnight. Outside, the booming of fireworks could be heard and the flashes of light from their explosions danced across Lachlan’s face, a red tint coming across his face as he smirked towards the camera lens.

“More like maintaining the status quo.”

With a cheeky wink to the camera, he rose up from the chair and exited the screen stage right, as the fireworks continued to pop off in the distance and the scene faded out on the empty chair.