AN: Sorry it's been a while you guys! Steph's been bust with QCS testing so have I but I've also been fighting mild pneumonia! SOOOOOO sorry!!
we hope you like it!
Love Tria
xxx

Chapter 3

"Ok, so it's step, kick, right turn, bum shake?" Leila was asking the woman who knew what she was doing so many questions about the dance so she wouldn't stuff up.

"What are you doing?" Jem asked – horrified.

"Well," Leila said simply as if Jem were a 4 year old, "since we're stuck here, doing this – I don't want to look like a freak who messes it up. Is my bra straight?" She asked Jem as she flicked her 'costume' strap. They were both pink laced bras, matching underwear and thigh-high fish net stockings that hooked into their underwear.

Jem raised her hand in the air out of frustration, "Yes! It's fine – Jesus! I so don't wanna be here!" She was almost convulsing she was shaking so hard.

Leila read Jem and smirked, "Dean's not going to care and you don't look like a hooker. I bet he won't even want to look! We're practically family – it'd be weird!"

Jem blushed, "That's not what I'm worried about!"

"Yeah, sure," Leila nodded unconvinced, "I'm in your head remember?"

As they were speaking, the other woman they were to dance with ushered them behind a red curtain and they heard a piano begin a seductive tune. Jem suddenly noticed something unnerving –

"Why am I in the middle?!" She hissed to Leila, who shrugged her shoulders.

The piano continued as the blood red curtain opened. The three girls sat on chairs for the beginning of the song and Jem almost froze when she saw Dean – behind the bar – frozen in the spot, watching her. As they began to dance, Jem felt less and less embarrassed. She loved dancing, even if it was in front of the guy she may have liked and half naked. Leila noticed and smiled to herself.

L: Well, haven't you cheered up?

J: How often are we gonna be in the 1800's and strippers? We may ass well have fun!

L: Ha! We're not strippers remember? We're dancers.

J: Oh, forgive me oh almost-naked one.

As the dance finished, all the men in the bar – which was basically the whole lot of them, erupted into applause. The curtain closed and Jem looked at Leila and beamed.

"That was awesome!" She hissed.

"I know! Oddly enough, I had fun!" Leila beamed back as Clara came up to them.

"Why, that was amazin'! Now, you gotta talk with some of our customers. Maybe you'll earn some extra money – if you catch my drift..." She once again, smiled coyly.

"Can I help Dean with the drinks?" Jem rushed before Leila had a chance.

"I don't see why not!" Clara smiled, "People will drink more if they got you to look at rather than that man of yours!"

Jem laughed awkwardly as she walked over to Dean and jumped the bar, holding one arm over her chest, just in case anything decided to shift as she jumped.

L: I hate you

J: Aw, just shake your butt – you'll get paid... hey! You might actually get LUCKY!

L: I still hate you!

"Hey there sexy," Dean smiled at Jem.

"Lookin in the mirror again Dean?" Jem smiled at him as she took an old man's order, ignoring the fact that he had looked at her chest instead of her eyes.

"You looked good up there," he said sincerely, "you move well."

There was a rather awkward pause, "Thanks...?" she replied questioningly and raised an eyebrow.

Dean sighed, "Just take a fucking compliment, will you?" He rolled his eyes in annoyance. He was frustrated that every time he tried to be nice, or even flirt a little, she sad some snarky sarcastic comment or witty remark to ruin the moment and shoot him down.

"Dean – I –" Jem was about to tell him something when Clara walked up to them both.

"Hey Clara, what's up?" Jem asked her, leaning on the bar with her elbows.

Clara looked confused, "Um... the roof?" She asked. Jem nodded slowly, figuring 'what's up' wasn't timely enough. "Anyway –" Clara continued, "You've been bought." she grinned.

Jem felt all the colour drain from her face, "Bought? As in... Bought?"

Clara nodded, "Mr Simon has bought you for an hour."

Jem was either about to say something or vomit, when Dean intervened.

"No WAY!" he said quietly but with menace.

"I'm sorry Dean, but it doesn't matter if one of my girls is in a relationship. She still needs to work for me." Clara explained.

Dean looked to Jem and saw tear welling in her eyes. She looked so scared and vulnerable.

"Well, how much does she cost?" he spat through gritted teeth.

As Clara explained what things Jem could do and how much they would cost, Dean had an idea. Jem was lost in horrible thoughts when Dean's words brought her back to earth.

"If I work for you for free, can I buy Jem when she's not dancing or serving drinks?" he asked her hopefully.

Clara thought for a moment, then shrugged, "I pay you nothing and all you get is one of my girls? That works for me. I'll let Mr Simon know I double booked her." Jem heard Clara click away on her heels and felt more tears spring to her eyes. Luckily, Dean's shift ended a few moments later and Jem led him into their room.

She pulled the red curtain closed and practically tackled him to the ground. Kissing him on the cheeks and forehead, she continuously said 'Thank you' between kisses.

"For...what?" he asked almost laughing.

"I – Clara – Simon –" She stopped and got off his chest and helped him to his feet, "Just thanks." she smiled softly at him.

Dean smiled back and pulled her into a hug and before either could break the hug, Dean lifted her head and kissed her the way they had both wanted to since they had met.

"You're welcome," he smiled back. Jem stood very close to him in the large room but suddenly walked away and sat on the bed. Dean looked confused but understood when Leila and Sam walked into their room moments later. Dean couldn't help but feel offended by her behavior.

J: Sorry Dean, I just...

An almost imperceptible nod from Dean made Jem think that he understood that she was still iffy about her and Dean being together.

"Finally, that freaking shift is over!" Leila sighed.

"I totally agree!" Jem said walking up to her and hugging her, "It's official, this place SUCKS!"

"Agreed! Do you know how many times I had to 'book' Leila so that no one else could? I only got like a tenth of my pay!" Sam said sitting on the bed next to Jem and stretching out, "And I carried soooo much wood I think I broke my back!" Leila frowned sympathetically at him and rubbed his back.

Dean scoffed, "Well, I'm working for free so princess over here is always booked."

"Mr Simon wanted me to do some freaky, freaky shit. Dean-o over here is my little knight in shining amour!" She smiled at him.

"Yeah," Dean said, "two things though – 1. Nothing 'little' about me and 2. I own you now!" he grinned and slapped her on the back. She kicked him in the shin like a four year old would have.

"Ok," Sam laughed, "Down to business. We need to figure out how to find her bones..."

"Well," Jem said, "when Dean and I were on our walk about town we found two cemeteries and a funeral dude. His name was James."

J: Totally cute.

Jem added to Leila.

"We should go and talk to him then!" Leila said, trying and failing to suppress a smile.

"Yeah," Sam said, "Let's go and do that." Leila and Jem stopped.

"Uh, Sam," Jem said, "Can we just go? Leila and I?" Sam looked hurt, "It's just we haven't really spent much girl time in the last three weeks." she lied in an attempt to sooth him.

He perked up, "Oh, yeah. Girl time. That's cool." he lent in and kissed Leila, "Have fun – stay safe."

As Leila and Sam hugged, Jem quietly blew Dean a kiss. She smiled at him as they left the room.

"And what was that?" Leila smiled coyly as they walked out of Clara's 'Parlour'.

"What was what?" Jem pretended to not understand her.

Leila smiled, "Don't even – don't play dumb! You and Dean, what happened?"

Jem swiftly walked past Leila and into a small dark structure, "Aw, we're already here!" She frowned at Leila, "Devastating!"

'Oh, we are so talking about this later!' Leila thought to herself.

"I heard that!" Jem called to Leila – who was just entering the structure behind her, "Hi James, I'm back!" She added to a man with his back to both of the girls.

When he turned around, Leila was shocked – in a good way. He was one of the most attractive people she'd ever seen. Aside, of course, from Sam she reminded herself. James' hair was light brown and quite short, his eyes a bright blue. As he straightened up, Leila had to crane her head as James was freakishly tall. Comparing Sam to James' height, he would have looked like Dean.

"Oh, hi," he greeted warmly, "You're back! Oh, you brought another friend? ... Either that or Dean looks way better in a dress than I would have guessed..." he smiled and extended his hand to Leila, "I'm James. Nice to meet you."

Leila smiled, "Hi... I'm... Leila..." She said weakly, 'Wow!' she added to Jem.

'Oh, I know!' Came the unspoken reply.

"So what are you two up to?" James said, as he carved into a piece of wood.

"Not much, just wondering... where are the cemeteries?" Jem said leaning on the work bench.

"Erm... Why?" James said uneasily.

"Leila's grandfather is buried there apparently...John... Smith..." She took a stab at the name.

"Oh, yeah. Good ol Smitty – good man. Shame about his death," James said telling them where to find them and he went back to sawing the wood, "Oh, by the way – that friend of yours... Sam? He's supposed to be my new assistant. Clara said she'd send him over tomorrow. Can you let him know that I need him early tomorrow morning?"

Leila nodded, "Yeah, I'll let him know. Thanks for your help!" She smiled warmly.

"Oh, Jem," James stopped them as they walked to the door, "Would you like to have dinner with me later tonight?"

Jem smiled at Leila, then swiveled around to face James, "I have to work tonight... but you should come and watch. You'll have fun!" Jem said winking to him and walking next to Leila.

"Let's get our cemetery on!" Leila cried, skipping merrily down the road and into the cemetery. Jem laughed and ran after her.