Disclaimer: Dick Wolf and NBC own SVU and all its characters. I only own this story idea.
AU. Mature. This story takes places after Olivia comes back from Oregon while Elliot is still newly divorced.
Happy Trails
Chapter 2
Olivia fell into a comfortable pace with Elliot as they trailed behind the group. The trail was now winding upward and narrowing, the trees lining the sides of the trail became fewer and fewer as they climbed giving them a glimpse of the beautiful mountain side. Olivia admired the vista of green below until Casey's squeal broke her reverie.
"Oh my god," Casey exclaimed. "It is so beautiful."
Olivia and Elliot caught up to the others who had stopped on the dirt pathway to stare over the side of the mountain where water tumbled from the rock crevices in various spots creating a cascade of multiple waterfalls. The sun glinted off the water creating shimmers of light darting through the trees parallel to the mountain. Olivia stared in amazement at the beauty of the scenery; she was not an outdoorsy person by any means. She had been born and raised in New York City. She had never gone to camp or joined the girl scouts but that did not mean she couldn't be absolutely enthralled by the natural beauty in front of her.
"Okay, so maybe this ridiculous hike was worth it," Munch said wiping the sweat dripping from his brow.
"It is pretty cool," Fin acknowledged.
"It is beautiful," Elliot seconded Casey's earlier statement.
Monique nodded. "It is but we are only a couple of miles from a clearing where we can set up camp and there will be a beautiful lake there." Monique walked backward as she spoke to the group. "I don't know about you guys but a nice cool lake sounds pretty awesomely beautiful to me. I am pretty much ready to strip and dive right in."
Fin grinned. "I am all for that. Time to move, guys."
Munch moved quickly to join them.
Chester exchanged a look with Olivia, Casey, and Elliot. "I don't think I ever saw those boys move that fast before."
They all laughed. Olivia and Elliot exchanged a look as they walked behind Casey and Chester. "I hope Munch and Fin don't have a problem sharing Jeffries attention." Olivia said with a deep throaty laugh.
Elliot grinned at her. "That would be something, huh?"
"Well at least it would be someone other than us fighting," Olivia grinned back at him.
"Yeah, that would be nice," Elliot replied bumping her hip again lightly with his.
Olivia bumped his hip back. "But we are going to work on us, right?"
Elliot nodded.
Olivia looked over at Elliot. "El?"
"Yeah," Elliot said looking over at Olivia. He smiled raising his hand over in one quick motion he tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear.
The gesture was so unexpected and more intimate than they had been in the past that Olivia stumbled slightly catching herself.
"You okay?" Elliot asked.
"Rock," Olivia mumbled inwardly cursing herself wandering why she had reacted like that. Elliot just tucked her hair back; it was an innocent gesture, wasn't it? Olivia looked over at her partner feeling his gaze on her. "What did you think of those guys from earlier?"
Elliot's eyes darkened slightly. "I don't trust them, didn't like them."
Olivia nodded. "I had a bad feeling. I couldn't pinpoint it but there was definitely something off."
Elliot nodded. "I agree."
Olivia caught her upper lip between her teeth not really feeling better that Elliot shared her opinion.
"Liv, Jeffries isn't the only one who brought back up." Elliot said.
Olivia's eyes widened. "You brought your gun?"
Elliot nodded. "My guess is that Fin has his, too."
Olivia sighed. "I guess that should make me feel better."
"As long as I am here, Liv, I will always have your back." Elliot said softly.
Olivia smiled. "Same here,"
A mile further into the trail, they diverged off their path to a wide clearing and a lake. Everyone dropped their gear onto the grass. The lake beckoned in front of them shimmering in shades of blue, turquoise, and green.
Monique grinned and raced toward the lake tugging her tee shirt off and then her pants before running down the hill onto a wooden rickety dock. She dove straight into the water in nothing but her bra and underwear.
"I really love that girl," Munch said solemnly.
Fin nodded. "I can see why,"
Casey shot Olivia a look. "I am not skinny dipping,"
Olivia gave her look. "Hey, I didn't say anything."
Elliot felt a slight tightening in his groin and his chest as the thought of his nearly naked partner danced in his head. "You're not skinny dipping," Elliot said the words flying out before he could think of how they sounded, possessive and territorial.
Casey smirked at Elliot's tone and words which were quite obviously directed at Olivia. She and Chester exchanged a knowing look.
Olivia eyes averted everyone's gaze; she was accustomed to Elliot's possessiveness as her partner. This was different though. It was personal; his tone was so avaricious it shocked her. "I wasn't planning on it. I brought a bathing suit."
Elliot felt the color creeping up his neck.
"Let's all change," Chester suggested. "Cause that water looks pretty damn terrific to me."
Casey grinned pointing to one rock. "Girls over here," she nodded to Olivia.
Olivia and Casey quickly changed, meeting the men on the docks. Casey adjusted her one piece red bathing suit straps as Chester playfully wrapped his arms around her threatening to toss her off the dock. Munch and Fin had both already hit the water. Elliot's eyes made a slow steady descent down the long luscious length of his partner.
Olivia shivered slightly she felt Elliot's hot gaze roaming relentless down her body. Olivia could feel the rising color in her cheeks. This was Elliot, her partner, not a boyfriend. Why was she suddenly so flushed with her heart pounding inside her chest?
Elliot always knew his partner was beautiful. It was not a fact that could be escaped unless someone was blind. Elliot had never seen this much of her exposed. He chalked that up to the reason he was feeling so, what was the right word, aroused. God, she was absolutely stunning standing there in that tiny two piece white bikini. Every little curve exposed and highlighted so much so that Elliot almost groaned out loud. Her skin was a startling caramel coffee color creating a striking contrast to the white of her bathing suit. The top tied around her back and neck covering her breast in the front but leaving a glimpse of soft slightly lighter breast skin spilling out the sides. Underneath her ribs, her stomach dipped in slightly muscled and flat. Her hipbones protruded just a little at the sides were the bottom strings of her suit tied seductively leaving lots of open thigh. Shit, Elliot thought, I am already getting hard just looking at her.
Olivia's eyes trailed to Elliot's and she swallowed hard when his eyes finally met hers. She shivered once again at the darkened expression in them.
"Race you to that dock," Elliot said finally pointing to the middle of the lake where a small wooden dock floated aimlessly.
Olivia nodded glad for the challenge, the distraction from this rapidly growing thing rising between them.
They both dove into the water racing to the dock. Elliot reached there first, grabbing a hold of the dock as he waited for Olivia to surface.
Olivia's head broke the surface of the water as she slicked her hair back. "I think you started a little sooner, Stabler." Olivia teased.
Elliot rolled his eyes. "I think you were just a little slower, Benson. Or maybe it is all material on that suit," he teased.
Olivia's eyes widened in pretend shock before she splashed him in the face.
"Oh, you want to fight?" Elliot said splashing her back.
Olivia laughed. "Is that all you got, Stabler? Because that was pretty weak," she taunted.
Elliot lunged at her dunking her completely underwater.
Olivia swam under the dock trying to escape Elliot. She felt his arms wrap around her drawing her backwards. Their bodies slid slick and wet against one another as they wrestled under the water. The wrestling soon stopped as Elliot's arms tightened around her abdomen his fingers slaying out on her skin. Olivia could feel his legs rubbing against hers in the water as they tangled together. The light sprinkling of hair on his chest brushing against her back as the broke to the surface together under the dock. Olivia's hand reached up grabbing a stray piece of wood hanging underneath. She could feel Elliot's rapid breath against her neck. She waited for him to pull back but instead his cheek rubbed against her hair and his finger softly began to move on the skin of her abdomen. Olivia felt warm and tingly as her body pressed back against Elliot's. "El…" Olivia whispered.
A scream pierced the air followed by a gun shot. Olivia startled trying to turn around in Elliot's arms even as his hands tightened their grip on her. She felt one of Elliot's hands quickly move up to clamp around her mouth the other tight against her middle.
"Don't move," Elliot whispered against her ear.
Olivia could not see what was going on at the shore but she could hear it, every word, every decibel. Hot tears coursed down her face as Elliot kept them quiet and still beneath the dock.
A/N: So what is happening on shore? Just what have they stumbled into? Can Elliot keep Olivia safe? Will their relationship progress? Questions, questions, and questions. Let me know if you want some answers. I am going to try to post a couple of one shot stories this week. I have one in mind already but if anyone has any suggestions let me know. School starts for me soon so I will have to update a little slower.