Disclaimer: Rock & slash aside, they're owned by the Mouse.

Chapter 10

Sparrow left for Tortuga soon after, while Norrington stayed behind to call in with his boss. Swann was attending a press junket somewhere in Europe, but had asked for a regular update as to how his daughter was. Sure, Lizzy spoke to him frequently, but Swann knew better than to leave things at that and asked for Norrington's side as well.

He'd just gotten off his mobile when it rang again.

"Norrington."

"Sir, I think you should come over here right now."

"What's the matter, Groves?" He asked in exasperation.

Not even an hour had passed and it seemed his charges had found trouble again.

"We wound up in an after-party for the audition, and Turner..."

"Turner what?" Norrington prodded the man, not the least amused.

"He got into a poker game with Barbossa."

"Let me guess, he's losing."

"Yes, sir...and well..."

"What did he bet, Groves?"

"Well, he'd been winning at first - "

Of course, he'd been, Norrington thought sardonically.

"So, he bet that he wouldn't perform."

"Bloody wonderful. And let me guess, they're still playing."

"Yes, sir."

"And Turner's still losing."

"Yes, sir."

"Has he thrown in Lizzy yet?"

"Uh..."

Norrington blinked. He'd been joking.

"Groves," he grated out, warningly.

"Well, he got her necklace. The one Turner had given her. Apparently, it belonged to his father. Some band memento."

"What's the address?" Norrington finally asked.

He quickly put it to memory and hung up. Grabbing his jacket, he headed for Tortuga. If anyone would know how to deal with Barbossa it would be Sparrow. He took a taxi and paid the cabbie enough to get him there in less time than usual. Coming up to the bar, he frowned to find Sparrow nowhere in sight.

"Was a Jack Sparrow here?" He shouted at the bartender over the noise.

"You mean the Captain?" The man had the daring to leer at Norrington.

"Yes," he gritted out in reply. "The Captain."

"He's in the back - "

Norrington didn't even wait for the man to finish. He expected Sparrow to be indulging his more promiscuous habits, so he was not surprise to find him in a dark corner. But, he was taken aback at seeing the guitarist the one backed up against the wall, and his companion not being one of the fairer sex. Of course, 'fair' was up to debate considering the fine features of the young man Sparrow was urging on. And he really should have known better, a small voice told Norrington, what with Sparrow's fey looks and rockstar lifestyle. Not all groupies were underaged girls.

Something twisted in Norrington's gut, and surprisingly, he didn't think it was disgust. It was more like... He had no qualms in roughly pulling the youth off Sparrow. Looking anywhere but at the guitarist, he heard himself speak in a tone flat and deliberate.

"We're leaving."

"Is this your boyfriend?" The youth asked, swiftly attending to his state of half-undress."I didn't know, man." This to Norrington, touched with a tad of nervousness.

He must have seen the holstered gun underneath the jacket. Norrington just smiled thinly. From the corner of his eye, he could see Sparrow dressing at a more leisurely pace, apparently not the least disturbed at having his tryst interrupted. But, after the youth had backed away, leaving them alone, Sparrow spoke, voice dangerously soft.

"What the hell was that about? The next time - "

"Barbossa's playing poker with Turner," he snapped.

Sparrow beat him to the door.

Chapter 11

The poker party was found in a small room, little more than a supermodel's closet. It seemed to have come down between Turner and Barbossa, and despite the youth's brave front, he was clearly losing. Either side was literally backed by their entourages. Upon entering the room, Sparrow made his grand entrance with a door bang, catching everyone's attention the way he wanted.

He smirked and waved Turner out of his seat to take it. This was only with some reluctance from the suddenly petulant boy. Underneath that facade, Norrington knew the boy felt guilty as hell for betting what he had. He took a stand behind Sparrow, Lizzy having yanked Turner to sit with her in a corner.

"Well, well, come to take the boy's place?"

"It's my right as his Captain," said Sparrow.

"Indeed." Barbossa smirked. "But, are you out to win what he lost? ...Or what you did? Too bad Bootstrap's not here to talk some sense into either of you. He was always the more level-headed one."

Sparrow remarkably didn't rise to the bait.

"Deal."

"What are we betting then?"

"The medallion and his performance."

"That's high stakes...and in turn?"

"Mine."

Barbossa's laugh was edged with something ugly, but he said nothing, just started to deal the cards.

"I think I'll do that," Norrington intervened.

Both musicians looked up at him in surprise.

"What? Don't trust me?" His smile nonchalant.

Another laugh from Barbossa.

"Fine with me, Detective. Let's make it all nice and legal."

Sparrow just nodded curtly.

The first round of cards were dealt. Despite the casual posture of either cardplayer, the tension from their companions was enough to suffice. It was almost distracting, but the three at the table seemed unaffected. Norrington came to deal the last round. This time it was all or nothing. Sparrow had been caught bluffing more than once, and things didn't look too good. Those dark, kohl-edged eyes looked at him that moment.

Trust me.

He dealt.

"Straight flush," Barbossa's smile was wolfish.

The high cards reached ten, sparkling diamonds.

Sparrow's face visibly fell. The other guitarist started to reach for the medallion at the center of the table, but Norrington caught his hand.

"Show your cards, Sparrow," he said quietly.

"Disappointed you think so li'l of ol' Jack. Don't want him around, do you?" Said Sparrow. "Well, I'm rather fond of myself - royal all decked out in pirate booty."

His grin was literally blinding gold.

Barbossa's hands clenched at the table edge, knuckles turning white. But, his face remained expressionless, eyes cold and dead.

"I'll see you at the competition, Sparrow. Me and the Pearl."

His sudden smile was pure malice. Norrington saw beneath Sparrow's mask, and knew how it affected him. So, he took a gamble for the man.

"The Pearl for his playing."

"Excuse me, Detective?" Barbossa eyed him warily.

"If you win the contest, he stops playing for good."

"And if he does, he gets the Pearl back?"

"Exactly. ...Are you good enough?" Norrington taunted.

"Never let it be said that Captain Barbossa would turn down a dare. I'm game, Sparrow. You?"

The other guitarist just nodded. He said nothing even after Barbossa and his party had left the room.

"What the hell was that about?"

Deja vu. Norrington smiled.

"Motivation."

When they'd returned to the hotel, everyone headed for bed. The sky was already tinged a rosy orange pink outside. But, Sparrow headed for the drinks pantry and started to poke through its contents. Norrington calmly pulled away the protesting guitarist and steered the man towards his bedroom.

"I just want a shot or two!"

"Bed, Sparrow."

"That an invitation?" A leer.

Norrington stiffened but didn't stop his momentum in prodding the man along.

"What about a deciding game of cards. You and me?"

"For what?" The man asked with reason to be wary.

"My sleep, your drinking with me."

Norrington sighed, rolling his eyes.

"Fine. But, I'll deal."

"Deal." Sparrow beamed.

After Norrington had done so, the guitarist sputtered in protest.

"That's all wrong."

"Never said what game we'd play. High card. Pick yours up, Sparrow."

"Jack!"

"Ace."

"You cheated!"

"Are you accusing a man of the law - "

"Former man of the law!"

"Man of the law of cheating, Sparrow?"

"Hell, yeah!"

"Off to bed."

Sparrow actually pouted.

"Yes, Mother."

Then, he kissed Norrington.

"Night." He called out cheekily as he waltzed out of the room.

Norrington just looked after him in shock.

Chapter 12

Norrington moved away from the wings as Barbossa and the Buccaneers finished their set. He didn't want to stick around for them to come off-stage, so he retreated to the backrooms. Ocean-Thief was already on the move towards him. Sparrow's lips were twisted in parody of a smile, and eyes not quite there.

"You ready?" He asked, a tad concerned.

He couldn't explain the sudden rush as those dark orbs focused on him.

"Kiss for luck, luv?" A real smile now.

An arched brow from him, composure returned, Sparrow's laugh in reply.

Then, Barbossa was there, and laughing eyes turned jagged-sharp, lips curled, ready to say something taunting. But, Norrington was there, grabbing him by the wrist and pushing him towards the stage, the others following his lead.

"Got himself a keeper, hn?"

Norrington just gave the other man a withering smile.

"Is this the guitar, sir?"

"That would be correct."

"This is mine," Barbossa snapped, pulling the instrument away from the newcomer.

"Not if you lose," the contest representative said, not the least bit intimidated.

"What do you mean?"

"The deal," Norrington said coolly. "The sponsors got wind of it and thought it would be great promotion."

Lizzy smirked from behind him, fingering her returned medallion, a grin to match the skull on its surface.

Barbossa's bodyguard started to move forward, but Norrington raised a warning hand.

"I wouldn't if I were you."

The representative chose that moment to slip off.

"You're a careful man, Detective."

"I like to be sure."

"And you're sure about him?"

"It's all strictly business."

Barbossa's laugh was edged with something akin to regret.

"With Sparrow, it's never just business. Trust me on that."

Before Norrington could reply, the man was gone.

"What was that about?" Lizzy asked at his elbow.

The crowd roared at that moment, but he had no answer anyway.

He was still thinking on it long after - everyone partying, Pearl's strings singing, and Sparrow's eyes burning into his back while the night wind blew in his face.