"What? Are you serious Buck?" Vanessa’s eyes widened in shock as Buck told her about what had happened with Elena and Luke at the brothel.

Buck nodded his head. "And Meg walked in just in time to see them with their lips locked, Luke not being all too happy about it."

Vanessa wrinkled her mouth in disgust. "I can’t believe the nerve of her!"

"She’s determined to get Luke, isn’t she?" Buck asked.

Vanessa nodded. "You don’t even know. Ever since we arrived in Dreamville she’s had her eyes set on him. All she ever talks about it how much she wants him, and how she doesn’t care if he’s married." She shook her head. "And poor Meg is stuck in the middle of all this, pregnant and emotional."

"Isn’t there anything that you can do?" Buck asked.

Vanessa grinned. "Besides buyin’ her a chastity belt?"

Buck’s eyes danced with laughter. "You’re too much."

"No, I believe that’s Elena’s department." Vanessa sobered up as she thought about the severity of the situation. "You know, I think I’m going to go over there and have a talk with her after all."

"Are you sure that’s a good idea?" Buck asked.

Vanessa shrugged. "Can’t hurt."

**********

"So then, without any warning, the bookshelf comes crashing down and almost lands right on top of her!"

Corey exploded with laughter as Dean finished telling her the story. "Oh that must have been hysterical!"

"We all thought so...except for Elena who ended up with a fern on her head, soil and all!" Dean laughed.

Corey chuckled as she sank back into the deep cushions of the couch and rested her head on Dean’s shoulder, sighing happily. Since switching jobs with Vanessa and working at the bordello, she and Dean had formed an immediate friendship and had become inseparable ever since. He had become extremely protective of her and practically ripped apart any man that thought he’d be able to "buy her services." Tonight he was telling her stories about him and the girls from when they lived in Missouri. She snuggled deeper as the warmth of Dean’s body erased the last of the evening’s chills from her body and felt Dean’s tight body relax beside her. She looked up and found him staring down intently at her. She could be wrong, but she was positive she saw sparks of more than just friendship in his eyes.

"My, my, my, don’t we look awfully cozy." Elena purred from the doorway.

"Hello Elena," Corey replied curtly. Ever since catching her lip-locked with her best friend’s husband, Corey had disliked her more and more.

"So what’s going on in here that I’m missing out on?" Elena pouted. She hated to be left out of anything, and Dean and Corey seemed to be having too good of a time without her. Impossible, she thought to herself. No party is complete without my presence!

"I was just telling Corey about your...um...affection for potted plants!" Dean said trying to hide a grin. Corey looked up at Dean again, and he lost it as the two of them exploded into another fit of uncontrollable giggles.

Elena’s face turned beet-red as her ears burned with embarrassment. "Sure Dean...you become smitten with some local girl and all of a sudden you forget who your real, true friends are!"

Elena’s reaction only caused more laughter from Corey and Dean, and Elena spun on her heels to storm out of the room.

"Elena!" Vanessa exclaimed as her friend almost collided with her.

"What is this, a conspiracy?" Elena hissed as she pushed past Vanessa and stomped up the stairs to her room.

Vanessa shook her head in confusion and walked into the parlor, where Dean and Corey were still sitting on the sofa in front of the fire. "What was that all about?"

Dean laughed. "Nothing new. Typical Elena."

Corey looked at Vanessa and suddenly wondered why she was back at the bordello. "Vanessa, are you back here for good? Did someone switch us back?" She asked, a trace of worry in her voice.

Vanessa smiled as she shook her head. "No, I actually came by to have a talk with Elena about her obsession with Luke."

Corey was surprised at the feeling of relief that passed through her body. She wasn’t ready to leave the bordello yet. She wasn’t ready to leave Dean yet. She shook her head to shake the crazy thoughts away.

"Something wrong?" Dean asked.

"No, I was just thinking about Elena and Luke." Corey lied. She looked up at Vanessa. "Is there any way of stopping Elena?"

Vanessa laughed. "Buck asked me the same thing, and I told him nothing short of buying her a chastity belt."

Dean roared with laughter at the thought of Elena wearing a chastity belt. "Somehow I doubt even that would help!"

Vanessa shrugged. "Something has to be done. I have a feeling Meg isn’t going to sit back for much longer and let this continue."

Corey sat up straight. "Is something wrong with Meg?"

Vanessa shook her head. "No, but I know this isn’t an easy thing to deal with, and Elena isn’t an easy person to deal with." She looked towards the stairs and sighed. "Oh well, I guess now is as good a time as ever to talk to her."

"You want some garlic for protection?" Corey asked as all three erupted in laughter.

"Nah, I think I can handle her." Vanessa grinned as she walked out of the room, smiling at the two of them. She had never seen Dean like this before. Something was definitely going on with him and Corey. She trotted up the stairs and stopped outside of Elena’s door where she knocked.

"Go away!"

"Elena, it’s me."

"I don’t care who it is. I said go away. Leave me to my miserable, lonely existence!" Elena whined.

Vanessa rolled her eyes. Lord help her, Elena was pulling the melodramatics. "Come on, let me in. Last chance." She heard shuffling on the other side of the door which was finally flung open.

"What do you want?" Elena asked angrily.

Vanessa’s face turned serious. "I want to talk to you about Luke."

Elena smirked. "Oh, you mean my soon-to-be lover."

Vanessa shook her head. "You have to stop this Elena. Don’t you realize that he wants nothing to do with you? You’re making a fool out of yourself! Luke loves his wife!"

Elena’s eyes flashed. "I don’t need his love. His body will do just fine."

"Elena—"

"No Nessa, I don’t need you here lecturin’ me. I get enough of that from Dean and Anjanette. ‘Sides, whose side are you on now?" Elena stood with her hands on her hips.

Vanessa knew it was a hopeless battle and sighed. "Forget I said anything."

Elena smiled. "Good, then you admit I’m right!"

"Look, it’s getting late and I still have some cleaning up to do at the shop," Vanessa said as she turned to walk out of the room.

"Mhmm, that Indian that you work with is certainly a treat for the eyes!" Elena licked her lips.

"Elena," Vanessa warned.

Elena widened her eyes in mock innocence. "What? You told me to move on from Luke, didn’t you?"

Vanessa rolled her eyes. "Yes, but not onto someone else’s man!"

"Oh puh-leaze! You mean little miss sunshine downstairs?" Elena cackled. "Seems like our Dean is doing a fine job of takin’ her mind off of Buck."

Vanessa sighed again. Elena would never change. "Goodnight Elena."

"Night Nessie." Elena smiled sweetly as she closed her door.

Vanessa walked back downstairs and peeked into the parlor quietly. Elena was right; Dean and Corey seemed to be positively lost in each other. She was happy for Dean. He had always been there for the girls, the overprotective big brother always watching out for them. But he had never loved a girl for as long as Vanessa knew him and it warmed her heart to see him happy. She just hoped that he wasn’t in over his head and that Corey wouldn’t hurt him. It was no secret that Corey was in love with Buck and had been for years. But Vanessa also knew that Buck was torn between Corey and Caly. He had talked to her about it for hours.