The place was aptly named Through the Looking Glass. To Sam, it felt more like being in a spaceship than a night club. It was wall-to-wall mirrors. Every surface that wasn't reflective was made of metal or translucent glass.

At the moment, he was peering down through the bar into an aquarium teeming with brightly colored fish. His reflection stared back from the walls and ceilings. Even when he had tried to retreat to the bathroom for a moment's peace from the mind-numbing, incessant bass and unabashed stares from other patrons, he was surrounded by mirrors and ogling eyes.

He had quickly abandoned the restroom again, as eyes had raked over him even more so in there than at the bar. Sam was comfortable in most company, but this place was a little intense. He was never at ease as the center of attention and had never been the object of so much hungry leering in his life. If someone was trying to psychologically torture him, this would be a good way to begin.

Somehow, Dean managed to look like he was in the driver's seat of the Impala, totally calm and in control despite the fact that he was apparently even higher up on the menu. The words, "No, thanks." had fallen from his brother's mouth more than a dozen times since they had arrived less than an hour ago. Dean didn't even bother to make eye contact with the guys who approached him. A few of them had whispered something in his ear. What, Sam could only imagine, considering the lewd suggestions he'd received.

Cassie was one of two women in the place. She was wearing severe, dark makeup that accentuated her sensuous features. Her hair was straightened and pulled up out of her face. Her lithe frame appeared to have been poured into the shiny, black tube dress. There may not have been many men in the bar who could appreciate just how amazing she looked. Sam, for one, noticed. He made a point not to look directly at her when he shouted over the techno music that was so loud he could feel it pounding in his teeth. "This is peace?"

Cassie leaned in close enough that she could speak normally. "It's Bryce's version of peace."

A shiver coursed down Sam's spine at the sensation of her warm breath on his ear. Two men next to him at the bar leaned into a sultry kiss, their tongues wrangling in the open air between them. Sam promptly turned away to keep himself from staring. It wasn't safe to let his eyes land anywhere, so he looked back down at the fish.

"You should have a drink." Cassie stifled a laugh at Sam's adorable nervousness and flagged the bartender. "Inviting you two here was a pretty huge olive branch, considering the start those two got off to."

On Cassie's other side, Bryce spoke close to Dean's ear. "Let's dance."

"Yeah, I'm gonna pass on that." Dean downed the last of his drink and subdued his urge to break the guy's irritatingly pretty face. It looked like he was wearing eye makeup, but from this close, Dean could tell that he just had crazy thick eyelashes. Not like Dean gave a shit.

"Come on. Guys might stop hitting on you if they think you're taken." Bryce nudged him.

Dean glared at Cassie who smiled and waved him off to the dance floor. The only reason Dean had gone along with this was that he knew that it was important to her that he get along with her friend.

Bryce reached for his hand, but Dean quickly yanked it away. There was only so far he was going with this. Holding Bryce's hand was way the fuck too far. Dean steered clear of him and stared, wide-eyed at Sam who only shrugged and yelled, "Go with it."

Yeah. Easy for him to say. Little prick.

"You're next, Stretch." Bryce swerved backwards and gestured to Sam with both pointer fingers.

Sam swiveled on his glass stool and gripped his drink. "Okay. I am officially terrified."

"Just relax." Cassie laughed and cupped her hands to her mouth to hoot as Bryce twirled gracefully around a stiffly moving Dean. The older Winchester cursed between his teeth. Another guy eased up and started grinding his ass. Dean spun with his fists bared.

Sam laughed so hard, he spat his drink back into his glass.

Bryce's movements were fluid and flawless: Latin and burlesque inspired, intended to be entrancing to anyone who might be interested. He could sense how very uneasy Dean was, despite his controlled demeanor. Bryce leaned forward and spoke loudly. "She really likes you."

"She has good taste." Dean did a tight two step and tried not to gawk at the gyrating male bodies around him, especially not at Bryce's.

Bryce flowed his hands from the air above his head, down his own body and continued to dance. He turned his back so that Cassie and Sam could not see as his expression darkened. He glared coldly into Dean's eyes. "She likes you. I don't."

Someone tapped on Sam's shoulder. He turned to meet inviting eyes and smiled bashfully, "Um. No, thank you."

The other guy glanced at Cassie. She shrugged an apology and nudged Sam, "You should dance."

Sam had been itching to touch her. He couldn't remember ever feeling so compelled to do something he knew he shouldn't. His face in the mirror behind the bar was serene and cool; his face was a lie. His blood was boiling as he combatted with a desire to just stroke this woman's face or run his fingers over her exposed shoulder. When her elbow playfully prodded his arm, he stopped fighting it and took her hand. "You're right."

Cassie resisted, "Oh no."

"Come on, Fearless." Sam smiled and pulled her to the dance floor with both hands.

The crowd went wild as The Weather Girls' "It's Raining Men" started to play. Sam and Cassie danced freestyle, facing each other, laughing and most importantly to Cassie, maintaining a respectable distance between them.

Sam had been telling the truth. He wasn't a bad dancer at all. As big as he was, there was a natural grace and effortlessness about the way he moved. It was difficult not to try to watch his whole body. In fact, all of the guys around them who were doing just that.

When the song ended, Cassie applauded and started to make her way back to the bar. Spanish guitar quickly led into a salsa number. Sam reached low to wrap his arm around her waist and pulled her close against his body.

"Okay," she caught her breath and relented.

By the time the song was over, Cassie's hand rested on Sam's chest. Her knees were a little weak. She still swayed, a bit dizzy from all the spinning and dipping. Her pulse pounded in her ears. Beneath her palm, she could feel Sam's heart hammering, as well. She forced herself to ignore the smell of his sweat and cologne, the light pressure of his hand on the small of her back, the firm outline of his shaft against her stomach. She reminded herself that it was part of the male anatomy. And normal for it to feel huge; Sam was a big boy.

She stepped away from him and tried not to appear too frantic as she searched the club for Dean and Bryce. "I think we should probably…"

"Wait. Cassie…" Sam held her hand, inexplicably unable to let her go just yet.

Bryce saw Sam pull her close again in the mirror and set his glass back on the bar, "You and I. We need to come to an understanding about Cassie."

Dean lifted his chin, "What is that supposed to mean?"

"You two are playing a dangerous game."

Dean scoffed and started to walk away.

Bryce held a firm hand against his chest and bodily blocked his path. "Your relationship is toxic. It can't be allowed to go on."

Dean narrowed his eyes, "Is that a threat?"

"It's a fact. And I think you already know it."

Sam leaned down so he could speak into Cassie's ear without yelling. "I wanted to tell you about Jessica."

"Your girlfriend?"

He nodded and instinctively began to sway them, although much too gently considering the raucous music. "She … was murdered by the same thing that killed my mother. The kind of thing Dean and I hunt."

She looked up at him, but didn't speak. How was she supposed to respond to that? She could only barely understand it. 'The kind of thing.' That meant a ghost or something. Cassie had hoped her life would go back to normal after they had gotten rid of the spirit that had killed her father. It should have been obvious that with Dean and his family there was no chance at normal.

Cassie stopped dancing. "Why are you telling me this, Sam? Why now?"

"Because, it makes me wonder…" Someone bumped into him and apologized. He didn't notice and it wouldn't have mattered, except that it forced their bodies even closer together. His eyes never wavered from hers. "It makes me wonder if anybody we get close to is ever safe."

She considered what he said and slowly, a smile spread across her face, "What? Like Spiderman?"

Sam couldn't help but match her smile and her growing laughter. "Exactly like that."

"Thanks for the warning, Sam." Cassie was still smiling.

Sam quickly sobered, realizing that she wasn't taking him seriously, "I think my brother is trying to protect you from something." It was the only explanation that made sense. Why else would Dean spend the night in the car, watching the building when he could be warm in bed with Cassie?

Finally, she registered the fear in Sam's voice and asked, gravely. "What is it, then?"

"I don't know. But you can believe that I …" He huffed awkwardly before correcting himself. "Dean … we both are not going to let anything happen to you." He would be damned if another person they loved would be harmed by on his watch. He would die before he let that happen.

"How about this?" Bryce countered, "You leave now or I'll break you."

Dean scoffed, "I'd love to see you try." He casually helped himself to another drink.

Bryce moved close, invading Dean's space. "I know exactly what you are, Dean Winchester. Can you say the same about me?" When he kissed Dean firmly on the lips, it wasn't seductive. It was predatory. A show of dominance.

Dean roared and shoved him away. Bryce tapped the tip of one finger on the bar. In that instant, the club went dark and the music ground to a halt. Everyone groaned. Instinctively, Sam tightened his arm protectively arm tight around Cassie. He reached for the hilt of his gun and began to barrel through the crowd toward the exit.

The power came back up: music screeched on, the strobe lights flickered as garish as ever. People started dancing again like it had never happened. Cassie gently slipped away from Sam. He was still on guard, searching the club for any blatant source of danger. Cassie found Dean at the bar and made her way towards him.

Bryce winked at his bewildered prey, smiled and sucked suggestively at the end of his straw.