Disclaimer: I do not own Law and Order: SVU. It belongs to a genius named Dick Wolf. No profit is being made from this story.
Jesse began howling with laughter as soon as Elliot reached him. He got up in his face and began taunting him.
"P-pl-pleased to m-meet you," he stuttered dramatically. "My-my name's El-Elliot Stabler." He laughed again in mad delight. "Man… that was a 'Rainman' if I ever saw one!"
Elliot's face twisted angrily and he shoved him hard, beginning to skate ahead. Undaunted, Jesse kept right on laughing as he lost his balance and fell back against the wooden handrail of the boardwalk. He raced to catch up.
"Hey, man!" he laughed, grabbing Elliot's arm. "Chill…I'm kidding with you."
Elliot gave a disgusted sigh, shaking his arm loose. "Whatever," he mumbled, slowing to allow his friend to match his strides.
He knew that Jesse had been joking with him, that wasn't what made him mad. He wanted to dig a hole in the sand and stay there for the week. He couldn't believe the way he had acted back there. God, he was such an idiot.
"What was that about, anyway?" Jesse pressed, as he stopped.
Elliot sighed and flopped down on to a bench nearby. Jesse leaned on the rail in front of him and looked at him squarely, waiting for a response.
He dropped his head into his hands. "I don't know," he moaned. "Fuck…I don't know what the hell just happened."
Jesse smirked. "I do," he said matter-of-factly. "You were interested in her."
His head jerked up quickly and he looked at Jesse with fire in his eyes, trying to intimidate him. But the telltale blush on his face gave him away.
"I was not interested," he protested. "Jesus, Jesse…I crashed right into her. I was just seeing if she was alright. I am not interested in Ally."
The smirk on Jesse's face grew. "Al-l-yy," he crowed, stretching her name out dramatically. "You had to use her name, huh?" He nodded eagerly, his face positively devilish. "You liked her, Stabler. Admit it."
Elliot scoffed in annoyance and rolled his eyes. "I'm not admitting anything," he said in disgust, standing up. He grinned. "God, is your life that pathetic that you have to try and play matchmaker on the boardwalk?"
He started skating again. "Come on," he said to Jesse. "Race you to the end!"
Jesse shot off of the rail instantly. "Oh, hell no," he said. "I'm not letting you beat me again, you cheater!" He pumped hard, catching up with Elliot easily, and gave him a playful shove that almost sent him flying.
He laughed loudly at the look of shock on Elliot's face as he struggled to regain his balance
"Now who's the sucker?" he yelled over his shoulder, grinning.
They returned the rollerblades an hour later. Elliot had weaseled three more races out of Jesse, and had cheated his way through all three without shame. It felt like old times, the two of them conning and egging on each other shamelessly. Elliot's smile was so big that he thought his face would break.
It was nearing five when they began walking back to the hotel. Elliot threw his t-shirt on over his bathing suit and slipped on his flip-flops again. He thought wryly about the kind of reaction he would receive from his colleagues at work if they ever saw him in them…he'd never hear the end of it from any of them, especially Olivia.
"What?" Jesse asked, noticing his grin.
He shook his head. "I'm just thinking about how my partner would die if she saw me wearing these things," he said, gesturing to his feet. "I've never seen her bare feet once in eight years."
Jesse smirked. "I hear that," he agreed. "I still can't get over seeing Terri in a bathing suit...when we're at work I can't help but think of her as one of the guys. She'll kick my ass."
"Man, don't ever let her and Olivia get together," Elliot said. "We would get our asses handed to us on a platter."
They got to the hotel and headed up to their floor.
"I'm going to go check out the gym," Elliot said, as they neared his room. He took out his key. "You want to come?"
"Nah," Jesse declined. "I'm tired."
"Pussy," he cracked. He opened his door and grinned at Jesse. "Enjoy your porn videos."
Jesse flashed him a wicked grin before disappearing inside his own room.
Elliot slipped into a pair of sweats and hung up his bathing suit on top of the shower rod to dry. He realized with disdain that he had yet to unpack his damn duffle bag. Sighing, he decided to go ahead and tackle it now before heading for the gym.
He dumped everything out into a huge pile on the floor and began picking through it. Once he had sorted everything out, he folded his shorts and shirts, sticking them in two of the giant dresser drawers. The socks and underwear were shoved into a third, along with his pajama pants.
With that accomplished, he reached into the bag again and pulled out his Walkman. Sliding the headphones on, he slipped on his shirt and grabbed his keys before heading for the elevators.
He went to the second floor and walked inside the workout area. Wes hadn't been kidding. It was huge, and by the looks of it, top-of-the-line quality. At this hour, the machines were crowded with people. Continuing through, Elliot turned the corner and headed to check out the weight room.
It too was impressive. He wasn't in the mood for weights today, so he kept going and peeked into the pool area. The indoor pools were roped off into lanes for swimmers to use, and quite a few were occupied. He stepped outside toward the outdoor pool.
It was gigantic. Two huge slides were on both ends, and the shallow end was full of joyful children. The deep end was almost deserted.
Elliot bit his lip as he stared longingly at the crisp blue water. It seemed like the water was calling to him. He was starting to seriously consider jumping in with his sweats on, and had to force himself to leave. He would definitely be coming back here.
Instead of returning inside to the crowded gym, he decided to go for a run. He figured he could see what was around the hotel area and then circle back by the beach he had come from earlier. He got a bottle of water out of a vending machine near the entrance to the pool area and turned on the Walkman.
The early evening sun was still blazing. He shucked off his shirt as he ran, sweat already starting to drip down his back even though he was just starting out.
He ran for nearly half an hour before reaching the beach, slowing his pace as he neared the boardwalk. He jogged in the opposite direction than the one they had been on earlier, heading for the pier that Jesse and the others had gone to that morning.
He stopped upon reaching it and rested against the wooden railing, amazed at the sight. The sun looked like it was dropping right into the ocean, the clear blue water tinted pink from the reflection. He wished he had a camera. One would never see a sunset like this in New York.
Finishing off the water bottle, he continued to watch for a few minutes and then headed back. As he jogged toward the road that would take him back to the hotel, a building caught his eye as he past it. It was a public library.
"Watch it!"
His mind flashed back to an image of Ally scooping up a pile of books from the boardwalk. A wide smile stretched over his face before he could stop it.
Jesse's words rang in his head: "You liked her, Stabler. Admit it." He felt his face flush and he picked up the pace.
The idea was ludicrous. That's all there was to it. He had only been with one woman in his life, and she was the love of his dreams. Even though he tried his best to hide it, it was obvious to everyone that he was still very much attached to Kathy. They had been apart well over two years now, and he still couldn't look at another woman.
It was half past six when he jogged back up to the hotel. He slowed to a walk as he entered the lobby, catching his breath. Stabbing the button for the elevator, he slipped his shirt back on.
The doors opened, and he was startled to see Jesse and the others inside. They appeared equally surprised.
"There you are," Jesse said, as they stepped out. "I tried calling you. We're heading out to get some dinner. You want to join us?"
His stomach growled instantly, reminding him that lunch had been far off. "Sure," he agreed. "Give me ten minutes."
"We'll wait down here for you," Scott said.
"Thanks," Elliot said, going into the elevator.
"Hurry up," Jesse said, before the doors closed. "I'm starving."
Rushing into the room, he stripped and hurried into the shower. He soaped up quickly and rinsed off.
Wrapping a towel around his waist, he stepped out of the shower and quickly brushed his teeth. He put on deodorant and splashed on some cologne as he went into the bedroom. Thankful that he had enough sense to fold his clothes, he threw on a new shirt and slipped his shorts on again.
He made it back downstairs in eleven minutes.
Dinner was at a seafood restaurant on the other end of the island, a twenty minute drive. Elliot wasn't much of a seafood person usually, but this place was over the top. He had broiled flounder and shrimp, and it was probably the best thing he had ever tasted.
The waiter came around and inquired if anyone wanted dessert or coffee. Elliot declined, but the others were eager to take him up on the offer. Once the desserts arrived, he wished he had too.
The checks were split up and handed out as the waiter thanked them for coming. They all began reaching for their wallets. Elliot pulled out his credit card, and was surprised when Craig took the piece of paper from under his glass.
"I've got it," he offered.
"No, Craig," Elliot argued, reaching for it. "Don't be ridiculous. You're not paying for my dinner."
The man refused to let Elliot have the paper back. "I've got it," he insisted again.
Elliot tried unsuccessfully again to snatch the receipt. "Really, Craig," he protested. "I-"
"He's on ours," Craig said to the waiter, handing him the slips along with his credit card.
He started to argue again. Vanessa smiled at him. "It's no trouble," she said. Her voice was sympathetic and almost condescending. "We know how much police officers make."
Elliot was so shocked by her words that he was rendered speechless.
It was nearly nine when the group got back to the hotel. "Goodnight, you guys," Scott said, holding his wife's hand. "We'll see you tomorrow."
The others said goodbye and piled into the elevator. One by one (with the exception of Craig and Vanessa, of course), they got off and said goodbye. Craig and Vanessa stopped at the ninth floor.
"Goodnight, guys," Craig said. "Dinner was fun."
"Yes, it was," Jesse said. "See you tomorrow."
"Goodnight, Elliot," he continued.
Elliot smiled weakly, but said nothing.
The elevator was silent as it went up to the tenth floor. When the doors opened, Elliot got off without a word and began walking to the room. Jesse walked beside him, trying to figure out the best way to broach the sore subject that he knew was plaguing his friend.
"I'm sorry about what happened at dinner," he said finally, as they approached Elliot's room. He stopped and looked at him. "That was rude of Vanessa to say."
Elliot was clenching his teeth as he unlocked the door. Never in his life had he felt so ashamed, and he was furious that someone would have the nerve to make him feel that way. When he saw that Jesse wasn't moving, he stopped and turned to face him.
He clenched and unclenched his jaw. "How does she know how much I make?" he asked finally, his voice tight. He fixed Jesse with a glare. "Did you tell them?"
Surprise flashed on Jesse's face, followed quickly by anger. "Oh, yeah, Elliot," he said sarcastically. "I sure did…I make it a point to tell all my friend's about each other's salaries." He rolled his eyes. "No, jackass."
Shaking his head, Elliot sighed and opened the door. "You're my best friend, Jess," he said, looking at the other man. "But I have to tell you…you're friends can be real assholes."
He went inside and shut the door in Jesse's face. Jesse sighed and shook his head, walking to his own room. He was going to kill Vanessa in the morning.
Elliot slipped his shoes off and went into the bedroom. Opening the glass door, he stepped out on to the balcony and rested his arms on the railing as he looked out over the water.
The phone rang at 7:00 the next morning. Pushing the pillow off of his face, Elliot swung an arm lazily toward the table, grabbing it.
"Hello?" he croaked.
"We're meeting for breakfast again," Jesse said. "Come on down."
He paused a minute. "No, thanks," he said finally. "I'm not hungry."
Jesse was silent a minute. "You're not still mad about last night, are you?" he asked. "Listen, I'm going to talk to Vanessa. She just-"
"No, Jess….no," he said. He sighed tiredly. "Don't worry about it. I'm just tired. Really, I'm not in the mood for breakfast. Go on without me."
His friend sighed. "Alright," he said finally. The click told Elliot he had hung up.
Elliot sighed himself and dropped back on to the pillow. He tried to go back to sleep, but he couldn't. Huffing, he finally sat up.
It was bright outside, promising another sweltering day, but the sun hadn't fully exposed itself yet. As much as he wanted to lie in bed and be a slug, he couldn't. His internal restlessness was a curse…he never did know how to just do nothing.
He slid on his sweats again and padded out into the living room to get his tennis shoes.
The crash of the waves was the first thing he heard when he stepped outside, and he headed for the beach.
It was deserted at this hour of the morning. After glancing down the beach, he slipped off his shoes and set them beside the boardwalk. He really wasn't concerned about leaving them-if someone wanted his shoes that badly, he could have them.
His feet smacked the hard wet sand as he jogged through the breakers. A chilly wind was blowing off of the water, and he shivered. He wasn't expecting to need a sweatshirt.
The run was quite invigorating, and he wondered briefly about what the captain would do if he just decided not to ever go home. The thought of waking up and running on the beach every day was something that he could easily get used to.
A wry smile played on his lips. Cragen would come down here and drag his ass back to New York personally if that's what it took…and if not him, then Olivia. He shook his head. He loved his job, his boss, and his colleagues…but God, sometimes he wished he had become a school teacher so he could have summers off.
Elliot went as far as the pier before turning around. When he reached the boardwalk, he was shocked to find that his shoes were gone.
What in the… He looked around, stunned. "You've got to be kidding!" he exclaimed aloud.
"Looking for these?"
He whipped around at the voice behind him.
Allison Denny was standing behind him, smiling, dangling his shoes in her hand. Her brown hair hung to her collarbone, whipping in the wind. She wore a blue hooded sweatshirt and white Capri pants. Her feet were bare.
"Ally!" he said, unable to keep the huge grin from his face. "What are you doing here?"
"I saw you as you were coming back," she said. She gestured to his shoes. "I figured these were yours…if not, then some other guy is going to be pissed when he comes back for them."
Elliot laughed, the sound sounding melodic to her ears. She grinned and held them out to him.
"Thanks," he said. His voice drove her insane.
Those gorgeous hazel eyes were sparkling as he took the shoes from her hand. He had never in his life seen a woman as naturally beautiful as this one was.
He slipped them on and tied them. Before he even knew what he was doing, the words came shooting from his mouth.
"Have you had breakfast?"
Ally smiled. "No," she said, teasingly. She raised an eyebrow. "You offering?"
"Only if you know of a place," he laughed. "I don't know where anything is around here."
His blue eyes lit up when he laughed. God, she wanted to freeze frame his face. He had to be on the cover of GQ magazine somewhere.
The words caught up to her then. Holy shit…is he asking me to breakfast? He's asking me to breakfast?
Somehow, she managed to keep her voice cool. "Sure," she said, turning to get her stuff.
As she turned away, the hood of her sweatshirt blew in the wind, revealing the string to a halter bathing suit top. She reached down and turned toward him again, and he was shocked when he realized that she was carrying a surfboard. It must have been written all over his face, because she burst out laughing.
"Holy…" he stammered. He awkwardly tried to amend his tripping tongue. "You-you surf?"
She smiled. "Well, yes," she said teasingly. "Why else would I have a surfboard?"
He blushed immediately, to her shock and delight. "There's an IHOP a few miles up the road," she said.
Elliot nodded. "Is that okay with you?" he asked. She nodded. "Alright, then….lead the way."
They began walking up the boardwalk. There was an awkward silence as each one struggled to think of something that wouldn't sound lame.
Ally was the first to break it. "So, you're a cop?" she asked, curiously.
He looked at her, startled. How in the world could she know that? Is it obvious? Do I scream 'cop' every time someone sees me? That revelation made his stomach sink. Did he really come off as a stiff hard-ass?
The look on his face made her burst into giggles.
He couldn't help smiling back; her laughter was contagious. "I'm sorry," he apologized. "It's just….how did you know that I was a cop?"
She raised her eyebrows and pointed to his shirt. When he looked down at himself, he realized that he was wearing his softball t-shirt. The initials NYPD were on the front left breast. The back said "Special Victims Unit", along with STABLER and the number 13.
"Oh," he said sheepishly, embarrassed. He felt his face heat up again. "I forgot I was wearing that."
Ally bit her lip to contain the huge smile that wanted to break free. She just couldn't believe it…this man was nothing short of a male model, and yet she was making him nervous? Someone had to be playing a cruel joke on her.
They came to the parking lot beside the boardwalk. Her Toyota Four-Runner was the only car there.
"Let me just put this up," she said.
She began rooting for her keys in her pocket and was surprised when he took the surfboard from her, freeing up her arm.
"Thank you," she said, the shock evident in her voice.
He smiled and she unlocked the door, pulling out a bungee cord from the center console. Coming back around, she climbed up on to the trailer hitch and secured the cord to the luggage rack on top of the truck.
"Here," she said, slightly breathless. She reached for the surfboard.
Elliot almost laughed. He could almost touch the roof of the truck. "I'll do it," he offered. Before she could reply, he carefully placed the board into the luggage rack.
She reached up and pulled the cord taut around the board, securing it in place. Turning to hop down, she was startled to feel his arms reach around her middle, and stumbled.
He tightened his grip instantly to keep her from slipping and lifted her from the truck, setting her on the ground. Ally froze when her feet touched the pavement and he did, too, his arms still locked around her.
They both stared at each other with fear in each set of eyes. After a minute, she said softly, "Thank you."
Elliot took his arms away. "You're welcome," he said, just as softly.
The two stood still for a minute. He cleared his throat awkwardly. "So…you, um-you want to go?" He gestured down the road.
Shaking herself mentally, Ally quickly replied, "Yeah. Yeah, let's go."
As they walked, Elliot attempted to ask her about herself, trying to get rid of the awkwardness that he felt. It proved to be easier than he was expecting, and he found himself entranced by her the more she spoke. By the time they reached the restaurant, he had found out that she was 35, had lived in Hawaii her entire life, and worked at the local public library.
He quickly stepped ahead and held the door for her as they entered. They were seated in a booth and handed menus. Being a frequenter of IHOP anyway, Elliot already knew what he wanted. He always ordered the same thing when he came here.
Ally scanned the menu to be polite, but she already knew what she wanted. She came here at least twice a week, and always ordered the same thing. She was a creature of habit.
"Are you ready to order?" the waitress said, smiling.
Elliot looked at her, and she smiled to indicate that she was. At his nod, she turned toward the waitress. "I'll have a short stack," she said.
"Alright," the waitress said, scribbling on her notepad. "Your side?"
"Hash browns," she said. "And could I also get a small side of applesauce?"
He almost choked on his orange juice. Every time he had pancakes, he put applesauce on top. He had been doing it since he was a kid. Olivia always told him it was gross when they ate breakfast together.
"Sure," the waitress said. She turned to Elliot. "And for you, sir?"
He realized that his mouth was hanging open and quickly shut it. "Uh," he stammered. "I'll have the same."
"Applesauce too?" she asked.
He nodded.
Ally looked surprised. "You like applesauce with pancakes?" she asked, once the waitress left.
He looked at her, looking surprised himself. "Yeah," he said. "Been doing it for years."
She smiled. "Wow," she said. "That's crazy…most people think it's disgusting."
He grinned. "I know," he said. "I don't get it."
"Me, either!" she said, laughing. He laughed with her.
The waitress came with the check once they were finished. Ally picked it up and glanced at it, then reached for her pocket. Elliot saw her pull out her wallet, and quickly snatched the paper from her.
"What are you doing?" he asked. "Put your money away."
She looked at him in surprise, which quickly turned to a sly smirk. "I'm paying for my breakfast," she said. One eyebrow cocked in amusement. "You have to do that in Hawaii…around here, it's called stealing if you don't."
He shot her a mock glare. "Is it really?" he asked sarcastically. "Damn…I knew I missed something in the academy." Flashing her another gorgeous smile, he pulled out his credit card and handed it to the waitress.
She shook her head and put her wallet back, trying to hide a smile. She glanced at her watch. "I have to get going," she said. "I have to be at work in an hour."
Nodding, Elliot pulled a few bills from his wallet to cover the tip. "Okay," he said.
He slid out of the booth and offered her his hand, not missing the look of surprise on her face. His mind caught up a second later, and he made sure to drop his hand after she had stood.
The only person who he had done that for was Kathy. Her hand always fit perfectly in his.
Shaking the thought, he followed Ally through the restaurant, pulling ahead to get the door for her.
"Thank you for breakfast," Ally said when they reached the parking lot again.
He smiled, not sure what to say. He suddenly felt nauseated.
What if she asks to see me again?
The idea made him feel physically ill. He couldn't do it…he couldn't be with another woman that wasn't his wife. It was like a poison…the more he thought of her, the more it hurt…but it hurt worse when he thought of being without her for the rest of his life.
Ally stood still, biting her lip.
What if he asks to see me again?
She would have to explain if she turned him down…he'd obviously want to know why, since they'd seemed to have a nice time at breakfast. The thought made her sick.
As much as she found herself liking this man, she suddenly prayed that he wouldn't ask. He was so nice, and she knew that once he found out, he wouldn't come near her again…and she really wanted to get to know him, even if as just a friend.
The pair stood beside her truck in awkward silence. Ally's eyes darted around, and Elliot began to unconsciously twist his wedding band, a nervous habit. He jerked his hand away quickly once he realized he was doing it and prayed that she hadn't seen it.
"So, um…" he finally said.
She smiled nervously. "So…" she repeated.
Biting her lip again, she glanced at her watch and rocked awkwardly on her heels. "I really should go," she said, gesturing to her truck. She smiled apologetically.
He blushed. "Oh, yeah, yeah," he said quickly. "Sure…I um…thanks for coming." Looking at her awkwardly, he finally gave a weak smile and said, "I guess I'll….see you around?"
She nodded quickly, hoping he couldn't pick up on the relief in her eyes. "Definitely," she said. "Definitely." Backing up toward the truck, she kept her eyes on his face. "Well…bye, Elliot."
He swallowed. "Bye, Ally," he replied.
He stood for a minute before turning and walking back toward the boardwalk. His face was hot with nervousness and, he hated to admit, a small bit of relief.
She got into her truck and started the ignition, her hands trembling slightly. Tears began to blur her vision, but she took an angry breath and forced them away.
