Chapter 2 : "Lexa's story"

"Welcome ladies and thank you for coming" Xena, the president of the Dead TV Lesbian Characters support group said. "Today we're going to hear Lexa's story, how she died and what she thinks about it". Then, turning toward Lexa : "Start whenever you're ready kid". Lexa nodded and cleared her throat.

-"Hi, I'm Lexa".

-"Hi Lexa" the members of the support group answered in chorus.

-"Last time I didn't tell you how I died on my TV show" Lexa begun her story, her voice calm and her body perfectly relaxed as if she were still The Commander talking to her people. "I don't know if it happened to either one of you or if it's a common death on TV, anyway it isn't in my world because we don't use that kind of weapons. So, you could say I was a little surprised when I was hit by a stray bullet".

-"Oh sweetie, that's a classic around here" Sophie Anne said, chuckling lightly.

-"Tell me about it," Sylvia Castro León added wearily.

-"That, and the cancer storyline," Naomi added bitterly.

-"Guys, let the girl talk please" Xena intervened. "Go on Lexa. Tell us what you feel about your fictional death" she continued.

-"I'm not surprised nor sad about my fate" Lexa started again. "In our culture, death is not the end. In fact, me being there is proof that this statement has never been so true". She took a breath, her brow furrowing a little. "Something bother me though, about the way I died".

The room was perfectly silent. Every eyes were on Lexa, waiting for her to continue, to say why she came here, why they all formed the group in the first place.

"You don't know me very well but in my TV show, I was a leader. The commander of thirteen clans" Lexa said, her voice suddenly trembling with anger. "I always pictured my death as one of a warrior. In the middle of an epic battle, fighting for my people and at the hands of a nemesis worthy of my respect". Lexa was now clenching her hands so tight that her knuckles were starting to turn white. "I could have accepted a different demise if it means that I protected my love, Clarke". She relaxed her hands, her watering eyes now fixated on the ground. "That's not what happened" she continued, her voice barely louder than a whisper. "I opened the door, and she was there. Threatened by a man I could trust with my life. I didn't have time to do anything that it was already over". At that, she stood up abruptly. "I walked through a door and I just... died. My death was an accident" she finished with a watery laugh. How stupid is that ?" she all but shouted in the quiet room.

Suddenly, the loud noise of someone blowing their nose disturbed the heavy atmosphere.

-"You would think that after all these years it would hurt less" Tara Maclay said between two sobs.

-"Tara has almost the same story has yours" Xena explained, patting Tara's shoulder. "You could help each other out. "You can also turn to Delphine who died from an intended bullet and is not so old in the group either" Xena finished.

-"Hum, I don't think so" Delphine Cormier said, looking at her nails nonchalantly.

-"Oh and why not ? Xena asked amused.

-"Well, because my stay here is only temporary" Delphine replied matter-of-factly.

-"Girl, you have been shot in the stomach at close range" Leslie Shay intervened. "Your chance of survival are almost inexistent".

-"Almost" Delphine answered smirking. Leslie just rolled her eyes, giving up reasoning the arrogant French. "Plus," Delphine went on, " the season ended before my body was found so technically, there is no corpse yet. So, I could still be alive in the next season". She leaned back, her elbows on the back of the chair : "my death was just a cliff-hanger" she added with a shameless smile.

-"Watch out Blondie," Jenny Shecter suddenly spoke, her voice cold as steel. "You better start playing nice because what will likely happen is that you will stay here and your sick girlfriend, Cosima, I think ? Will join you soon enough".

-"Don't you dare !" Delphine shouted standing up and knocking back her chair in the process.

-"What are you going to do Blondie ? Kill me ?" Jenny replied cockily, standing up too. "Well, guess what ? I'm already dead ! We all are !" she then yelled in Delphine face.

-"Girls, calm down now !" Xena shouted.

-"Oh I think I get it" Delphine said, ignoring Xena. "You're jealous" she added smiling wickedly. "Because you know I still have a chance to get back on my show whereas your creator didn't bother to give you a proper death".

-"Shut up bitch !" Jenny screamed beside herself.

Delphine just laughed cruelly. "You just... disappear" she added mimicking a magical "pouf" with her hands. Jenny couldn't take it anymore. She launched herself at Delphine, ready to silence her. After a few minutes of struggle, Xena and Leslie managed to separate them.

-"Is that possible ?" Lexa asked, totally unfazed by the fight that take place just mere seconds ago.

-"What, ma chérie ?" inquired Sophie Anne.

"To come back" Lexa answered, curious. "I mean, did someone actually got back to their show ?".

Everybody was now looking anywhere beside Lexa, nobody wanting to crush the newbie's hope.

-"HG Wells came back," Cat MacKenzie whispered, eyes open wide as if she had said something she shouldn't have.

-"So what ?" Tara Thornton interrupted. "I came back too. Just to end up here anyway. Then, mocking her show's writers with a high pitched voice and ridiculous gesture : "If it's not the stray bullet, it's the virus ! Yeah !"

-"They always find a way to get rid of you" Tamsin added solemnly.

-"HG Wells ?" Lexa inquired. "How did she do it ?"

-"Time travel" Xena answered. "One of the main character came back in time before she died, so her death technically never happened".

-"She's the only one who managed to get out of here" Cat said, still in awe of HG Wells exit from the group.

-"Well, permanently at least" Tara Thornton added. "Her show is cancelled now, so she's not likely to die anytime soon" she finished bitterly, thinking of her lost opportunity to live.

-"Don't get your hopes up kid" Victoria Hand intervened, blasé. "What happened to HG Wells is so rare, one could think it's a legend we made up to feel better about our deaths".

-"Pfft, a legend" Naomi said laughing. "She may have succeeded to get away from here but her fate is not better than ours" she finished cynically.

-"What do you mean ?" Lexa asked, curious.

-"She's only two rooms away from here," Xena answered sighting. "In the character assassination group to be exact".

-"Listen carefully, newbie" Sophie Anne said swirling her drink in her hand. "That's the most important lesson you will learn here". She leaned forward in her seat and looked directly in Lexa's eyes. "We can't have it all" she whispered finally with an evil smile.

-"Don't listen to her!" Dana shouted suddenly, glaring at the queen. "Happy endings are still possible for lesbian on TV" she went on, a look full of hope in her eyes.

-"Yeah, but how many of us still needs to pay with their life for a few happily ever after? Naomi interrupted wearily. "We can't all be Santana and Brittany!" she finished exasperated.

Dana didn't have time to answer Naomi. The door flung open and a red leather tornado entered the room.

-"Someone mentioned happy endings ? That's kinda my thing..." Emma said, a little out of breath from her sudden entrance.

-"Swan, get out !" the girls all shouted in chorus.

After Emma Swan exited the room dragging her feet and mumbling to herself, Xena stood up.

-"On our last session, we ran out of time and had to part a little abruptly. Consequently, we forgot to teach Lexa our anthem" the president said. "So, girls" she went on, extending her hands. "Let's do it". Everybody got up and joined hands :

"We are dead and we are proud,

Canon will not take us out,

They killed us and we took the blow,

But to heteronormativity we won't bow !"