Author's note: Is it just me, or are there a lot more updates lately? Oh, well. Guess I'll just have to keep posting if I want to keep it on the first page.

Disclaimer: Nope, they still aren't mine.

"So how come you guys are so awake this morning?" Curry asked, tripping over his own feet as the four of them walked towards the Quantico high ropes course.

Elliot caught him and answered, "We just had a good night's sleep."

"I was so sore last night," Reynolds said. "Kept tossing and turning."

"You'd be amazed what a good backrub will do," Olivia stated dismissively before she realized she'd opened her mouth.

"Uh-huh…" Curry said, shooting a knowing glance at Reynolds.

"Calm down, boys, it's not like that," Elliot cut in, rolling his eyes.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Reynolds declared innocently.

Elliot opened his mouth to object, but Olivia slipped her hand up the back of his shirt and said, "El, honey, just let it go."

Elliot caught on. "No problem, baby," he answered, sliding his hand into her back pocket.

"Oh, now they're just teasing us!" Curry said, laughing. "Alright, alright, we get it."

The detectives broke apart, having made their point.

"Remind me why we're tethered together again. Once in a week was one time too many," Curry complained.

"I agree," Reynolds said. "Hey Stabler, wanna trade?"

Elliot looked up from trying to fasten his harness. "Sorry, Reynolds," he answered. "She's the only one who can keep me in check."

As if to prove it, she tugged on his buckle, pulling him closer so that she could adjust it correctly for him.

"Are you sure that goes there?" he asked, grasping the clip and getting in the way of her work. He craned his neck in order to get a better view, and they bumped heads.

"Whoa!" Elliot said, rubbing the spot. "Noggin!"

Olivia rubbed her own head where it had made contact, and looked at her partner strangely.

"Finding Nemo," he stated in explanation.

She shook her head and turned her attention back to the buckle. He started to reach for it again and she slapped his hands away. "Let me do it," she admonished.

Some of the agents and detectives nearby looked on curiously at the awkward position the pair were in. Olivia, for her part, had taken no heed of the looks they were getting. Elliot merely tried not to notice.

"Alright, people, the rules today are simple," Smith announced in his trademark bellow. "You and your partner are gonna have to work together to climb to the top of the tower."

Everyone looked up. The topmost platform was four stories high.

"You've got two ropes with carabiner clips on the end. Those are for safety. You must always have both of them attached while you are crossing a void, and at least one of them attached at all times when you're transferring to another safety line."

He continued, "Tell your partner when you're unclipping a carabiner. We don't want any mistakes out there. These helmets you're wearing will not protect you from a thirty-foot drop."

"That's comforting," Elliot murmured.

"Yeah," Olivia mumbled back, craning her neck to peer up again. She let out a nervous sigh.

Elliot rubbed her back reassuringly, trying to hide his own apprehension.

"Elliot, I've decided that the 'ladies first' rule does not apply to the high ropes course," Olivia said, clinging to the vertical net tunnel.

He looked up to reply, but forgot what he was going to say. His trepidation at climbing the high ropes wasn't the only reason he suggested she go first. He had a great view from where he was.

"Elliot, quit staring at my ass."

"I'm just makin' sure your footing is sound. Don't want you falling," he answered cheekily.

"Keep talking, Spidey. If I fall, you're the first in line on the way down."

Elliot refrained from further comment until they were both safely on the level platform.

"Elliot, just unclip from there and transfer in front of my clip," Olivia instructed.

"Well, you're gonna have to stand on the outside of the platform."

"Fine, put your back against the pole, then."

The two danced awkwardly around each other to switch places. Elliot moved to the pole in the middle of the platform. Olivia shifted tensely to the edge. She peered over and immediately regretted it. She reached blindly for her partner, finding his harness.

He likewise grabbed onto her harness to keep her steady. "Liv, isn't it the first rule of climbing to not look down?"

Without opening her eyes, she said, "No, the first rule is to have all the necessary equipment. Not looking down is the third or fourth rule."

He smiled at her brave attempt at humor and patted her side before reaching up and unhooking one of his clips and transferring it to the next cable.

"Elliot, I'm pretty sure you're not supposed to be clinging to your harness while you cross the balance beam," Olivia said.

"That's easy for you to say," he answered. "You've got better balance than I do."

Her arms were spread gracefully out from her body.

"Just, whatever you do, don't jump too far," Olivia warned. "Our connection is only long enough to allow a certain distance."

"Liv, you're making me nervous."

"I'm sorry, I just…I don't want to be yanked off the platform." Her hands gripped Elliot's waist as she peered across the void between two hanging platforms. They were about three stories up, and the space they had to jump was six feet across.

"Our connection tether is supposed to stretch out," Elliot said reassuringly.

She backed up to give him room for the jump. He made it, and their tether stretched to allow it, only causing a slight tug between the two.

He turned cautiously and then called out, "Okay, Liv, your turn."

The six feet seemed to stretch sixty. She looked down again before realizing.

"Olivia, eyes on me!" Elliot called out to his partner. She took a few deep breaths to psych herself up, but all it did was psych herself out.

"C'mon, Liv. I promise I'll catch you," Elliot said earnestly. He could see Smith watching them. "Trust me, Olivia!" he urged.

She nodded, drew in one big breath, held it…

…and leapt.

The ball of her foot just barely made contact with the platform, and Elliot flung his arms around her to pull her on the platform all the way.

"See? That wasn't so bad," he said, patting her on the back.

"Yeah, but if you hadn't been there to catch me, I'd have fallen."

"But I was there," he said. "I'll always be there."

She met his eyes and said solemnly, "Elliot…."

"Yeah?"

"Don't take this the wrong way, but cut out the sentimental crap."

He laughed and said, "Oh, thank God. The pep talk I had planned would've given us cavities."

She shook her head in amusement. "Just stick to the bad cop routine, Stabler."

"Well, that worked well," Olivia sneered.

"Hey, how was I supposed to know it would shake that much?" Elliot answered defensively.

The two were currently dangling by their safety lines, a tangle of arms, legs, and tethers. Olivia's arms were tightly wrapped around Elliot's neck, and her legs were clamped around his waist. He had lost his footing crossing a plank bridge, pulling them both off.

He ran his fingers over her jawbone, where it had made contact with a renegade plank. "Seriously, Liv, are you okay?" he asked with concern, swiping at the blood dripping from the cut.

"I'll be fine when we get back to the ground," she said irritably. He rubbed his hands up and down her back while they waited for assistance.

"Tell me again why we're free-falling instead of climbing back down," Olivia said apprehensively.

"It's faster," Elliot stated.

"Gee, ya think?" she said sarcastically.

"I'm going first. I'll be there when you reach the ground," he said reassuringly.

Elliot was hooked up to the harness, and once the ground was clear, he pushed himself off the edge of the four-story high platform and swung like a pendulum.

He reached the ground and gave his partner a thumbs-up.

When it was time, she closed her eyes and let gravity do its job.

To be continued…

I didn't mean this to seem like a cliffhanger, but I really wanted to get it posted before I went to work. Read and review. In consideration of the ending, rants are welcome.