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.
Author's Note: Please forgive the wait for updates…I am attending summer school right now and have absolutely zero time and energy. Patience is appreciated. Also, please review! I promise you, the juicy stuff is coming soon!
Elliot took his time walking back to the hotel. Absently scratching the area on his chest that had turned slightly pink from too much sun, he tried to make heads of tails out of what had just happened. He soon gave up, shaking his head.
He had no idea...but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't stop the smile that stretched over his face.
Ally pulled off of the road as soon as Elliot was out of her rearview mirror and stopped the truck. She began to cry, folding her arms on top of the steering wheel and burying her face into them.
He could hear the phone ringing from inside as he approached his room. Quickly fumbling for his key, he hurriedly slid it through and dashed inside. Throwing the door shut behind him, he ran into the bedroom and snatched the phone up on the fifth ring.
"Hello?" he said, slightly breathless. He sat down on the mattress.
"Hey." It was Jesse. "Where've you been? I stopped by your room twice."
Startled, he looked down at his watch and saw that it was almost 10 am. Damn…I really must have taken my time!
"Oh," he stammered. "I….I went for a run."
"Whatever," Jesse said, obviously not interested. "You want to come to the beach with us?"
He considered it, and shrugged. "Why not?" he said reasonably. "That's what we're here for, right?" He heard his friend chuckle. "Give me five."
"Meet you in the lobby," Jesse said, and hung up.
Elliot replaced the receiver and got up, walking into the bathroom. While he brushed his teeth, he tilted his face up, examining it in the mirror and debating on whether or not to shave.
"Screw it," he said aloud, around a mouthful of toothpaste.
He wiped his mouth and reached for his bathing suit, discovering with dismay that it was still damp from the day before. Holding it out in front of him like it was a bomb, he looked at it warily and sighed.
He slipped off his sweats and removed his underwear before stepping into the orange trunks. Gingerly, he began pulling them up.
He gave a startled yelp when the cold, wet fabric of the suit came up over his manhood. Sucking in air through his teeth, he continued wriggling the shorts up. Settling them on his hips, he tied the drawstring and began shaking his legs out to try to rid them of the clammy feeling.
Going back into the bedroom, he threw the softball t-shirt on again and slipped on his flip-flops. He removed his sunglasses from the table and slipped them on his head, grabbing his phone and keys.
When he got down to the lobby, Jesse wasn't there yet. He ducked into the small gift shop and bought a bottle of sunscreen, tucking it into his pocket as he walked back out.
A minute later, Jesse, Wes, Ken, and Trent all arrived in the elevator.
"Hey, look who it is… Rip Van Winkle," Ken joked with a friendly wink.
Elliot grinned. "Hey," he retorted. "I'm on vacation…you losers can wake up at the crack of dawn if you want to, but count me out."
"Don't worry about it, you guys," Jesse said to the others, grinning impishly. "He needs the beauty sleep more than we do…ten years would do wonders for you, buddy." He smirked at Elliot.
"Look who's talking," he fired back. "You'd need more like fifty to fix that ugly mug."
They kept busting on each other as the group walked toward the beach. "Where are Craig and Scott?" he asked suddenly.
Wes chuckled. "Theresa and Vanessa wanted to do 'couple things' today," he said, emphasizing the words with quotation gestures and rolling his eyes. "I'll bet money that they'll be stuck in some pottery store for four hours before the day is over."
Trent scoffed. "Makes me glad I'm single," he said.
"Amen, brother!" Jesse said wholeheartedly.
Elliot's curiosity was peaked. "You've never married?" he asked Trent.
He shrugged. "Eh, a few times," he said. "Apparently, I'm not the kind of guy that a woman wants to spend the rest of her life with…I'm not much for settling down. The job takes up everything I have."
Elliot raised his eyebrows, turning to Ken. "How about you?" he asked. "You married?"
He shook his head. "Nah," he said. "I'm in no hurry." At Elliot's surprised look, he hurried to explain, "I wouldn't mind finding a wife and settling down with a family. I just haven't found the right one yet." He shrugged good-naturedly. "There's no rush…when the time is right, I'll find her."
Elliot found himself smiling at the man's good nature and upbeat tone. He really liked Ken, he was an alright guy.
Jesse suddenly began laughing. "Old Wes over here has sung that tune a few times," he said, elbowing the other man's ribs. "Enough to fill a book of hymns, huh, man?"
Wes curled his lips in disgust. "Fuck off, Fox," he said, cracking a grin. He saw Elliot looking at him in curiosity and shook his head. "I'm not into commitment, okay? It's a lot harder than people make it out to be." He continued indignantly, "I'm a 'no strings attached' kind of guy."
The look on his face was too much. Elliot laughed, seeing right past the man's pathetic excuse. "Ah," he said, grinning. "You're a player, huh?"
Jesse burst out laughing. Elliot grinned at the death glare Wes pretended to throw at him.
"He's got you, there," Trent said, also laughing. "Told you, man…you ain't fooling nobody with that shit."
"Hey, wait a minute," Wes said, stabbing a finger at Jesse. "What the hell are you smirking at, Fox? I don't see a wedding band on your finger."
The opportunity was golden, and Elliot jumped on it with relish. He turned toward Jesse, putting a fake-surprised expression on his face. "So, you told them, then?"
His friend looked at him, startled. "Huh?" he asked.
Nodding, Elliot put on a serious face and faced the other men. "No, that's cool," he said, enthusiastically. "I had a feeling you guys would be alright with it."
Tent looked at him in confusion, as well as everyone else. "What are you talking about?"
Elliot put on the most serious face he could muster and said, "When Jesse told you he was gay. I told him that it was okay to come out of the closet."
The three men's faces instantly turned shocked and horrified. Jesse's mouth dropped open, and Elliot couldn't keep it up. He howled with laughter and had to stop, resting his hands on his knees and gasping in air.
Jesse shoved him so hard that he stumbled, nearly tipping over. His face was beet red, tears rolling down his cheeks as he continued to laugh.
"You dick!" he said. "God….fuck you!"
Wes had stopped in his tracks. He looked disgusted. "How in the-?"
That sent Elliot into another fit. Jesse slugged him hard, scowling. "Good god," he said, throwing an exasperated look at the three of them. "He's lying….Jesus, I am not gay!"
The three of them had fallen silent. Jesse stopped walking and looked at them, his face panicked now.
"Hey-You guys!" Elliot heard from behind them, as they neared the boardwalk. "I'm serious…I am not gay!"
He grinned again. The three looked at him worriedly, and he discreetly shook his head, chuckling. They relaxed and cracked grins of their own.
The sun was bright and the temperature sizzling. The beach was crawling with locals and tourists alike, all taking advantage. The four managed to find a slightly less crowded spot and plopped down in true male fashion.
Jesse kicked sand at Elliot's leg. "You're going to pay for that," he vowed threateningly. "Just you wait."
Elliot rolled his eyes. "Yeah, whatever," he said, laughing.
"Ooh….hey, hey!" Trent said, suddenly sitting up straight. He elbowed Wes and Jesse, who were closest to him. "Look at that."
Five male heads all swiveled around to see three gorgeous, bikini-clad women walking along the breakers. They were laughing and tossing their hair, obviously knowing what they were doing...male heads were turning left and right, ogling shamelessly.
Smiling and shaking his head, Elliot turned back around to see the four of them still glued to the women.
"Mmm-mm!" Wes said appreciatively, shaking his head. He looked at the other men and shook his head enthusiastically. "You see that?" he continued, pointing. "That right there is the reason I stay single."
"So, what about you, Elliot?" Ken asked suddenly.
"Huh?" he asked. "What about me?"
He nodded toward Elliot's wedding ring. "Obviously, you don't need to look." He smiled genuinely.
Elliot could feel his breakfast starting to rise. "Uh-" he choked, clearing his throat. Forcing a small smile he said weakly, "Yeah…yeah, I'm good."
Jesse suddenly broke in, saying something about the latest NFL game. The others immediately became drawn into a debate over teams, forgetting about the conversation.
Elliot met Jesse's eyes and nodded slightly in thanks, appreciating the aversion away from the subject. He nodded back, obviously having forgiven him for the earlier teasing, and smiled slightly.
He pretended to be listening to the conversation, but his mind was a million miles away. He let his gaze drop to his left hand, draped casually in the sand beside his chair, and stared at the gold band on his finger.
He wasn't an idiot. He knew that all of his friends wondered why he still wore his wedding ring…it had been two years since Kathy had left him and almost a year since they had officially divorced.
It still hurt, so bad…he still found himself rolling over in bed at night seeking her embrace…having to stop himself from calling the house when a case got too much to bear.
He loved her and he hated her….she was still his mind, body, and soul.
"Elliot?"
He startled when he realized that Ken was snapping his fingers in front of his face, grinning at him. Shaking himself, he came back to focus.
"Still with us?" Ken teased.
"Yeah, yeah…" he mumbled. "I, uh…I just hate the Redskins."
"Oh, I know!" Wes said quickly. "Did you see that play that…."
He sighed in relief when they began talking animatedly again and quickly scrubbed a hand over his eyes.
The sound of waves crashing found its way into Elliot's brain, rousing him from his relaxed state. Blinking blearily, he looked around in confusion.
After eating lunch at the snack bar beside the lifeguard stand, they had clowned around in the water for almost two hours. When they had come back, he had stretched out on a towel on his stomach to soak up the warm sunshine. It had apparently worked too well, because he had dozed off.
Stretching, he rolled over and sat up. He had rolled his cell phone up into his t-shirt before going into the water, to protect it from the sand and water. Reaching for it, he checked the time.
It was almost three. Stretching, he got to his feet.
Jesse noticed him shaking out his t-shirt. "Hey, are you leaving?" he asked, as he put it over his head.
"Yeah," he answered. "I've got some things to take care of."
He turned away quickly so that they couldn't see the smile on his face. He bid them goodbye and began walking back toward the hotel, but he turned left instead of going straight this time.
Walking with purpose, his flip-flops smacking the ground, he approached the building and stopped in front of the sign: Oahu Public Library
Ally sucked in a breath as she broke the surface of the water, paddling through with smooth strides. She steered the surfboard up over the crest of another wave and felt her body rise with it.
Going further, she sat atop the board and scanned the water in the distance. It was incredibly flat today; she had gotten maybe two good waves in the four hours she had been out here.
The sun was angled toward the left, signifying that it would soon be evening. She sighed and lay on the board on her back, trailing her feet lazily in circles in the water. Another two hours or so and she'd call it a day.
She didn't usually go out in the evenings….she preferred the early morning surf because the waves were much better. But today, she had been restless after work and hadn't been able to relax. She knew that the only thing that would calm her was the water.
Suddenly, she sat up straight and stared in awe. A perfect set of waves was rolling right toward her. Her eyes gleamed in anticipation when she saw the tips beginning to curl slightly. These were perfect.
Quickly turning the board around, she began paddling hard, feeling the water rising beneath her. She stealthily jumped to her feet as the wall of water began spiraling around her, using her arms for balance.
Her adrenaline was pumping full-force and she concentrated on keeping her body centered as the board swiftly sliced through the wave. She bent, tucking herself into a crouching position to gain more speed, and held her breath, praying that she would make it out before the whole thing crashed in on her.
She made it with a second to spare and breathed a sigh of relief when she heard the crash behind her of the wave hitting the sand. Standing again, she allowed the board to slow on it's own as it traveled toward the beach.
The board thumped on the sand and she hopped off, smiling. That was her best ride all day. With new determination, she picked up the board again and got ready to dive back in.
"Wow," said an awed voice from behind her suddenly.
Whipping around fast, she almost dropped the board when she saw Elliot standing a little ways away from her. He smiled when she located him with her eyes, and her heart began to pound.
He began walking toward her. "That was awesome," he said, shaking his head in amazement. He meant it. When he had stepped on to the beach and realized it was her out there, he had been stopped in his tracks. "How long have you surfed?"
Turning around fully, she picked up the board and began carrying it with her as she walked back toward the dry sand. "20 years," she said, dropping the board on the ground. She bent down and unfastened the ankle strap.
His eyebrows were raised in curiosity. "You ever surf competitively?" he asked.
She straightened and ran a hand over her soaking wet ponytail. "I used to," she replied. "When I was a kid." Standing almost face-to-face with him now, she began fidgeting nervously, adjusting her bathing suit string and toying with her hair.
Elliot watched her in amusement. When she lifted his head to meet his eyes, he ducked his head away. "The-uh," he stammered. Now it was his turn to fidget. "I asked the lady at the library where to find you." He avoided her eyes, looking around at the beach and the water and everywhere but at her.
She watched him shove his hands in his pockets and bit back a wide smile. He looked adorable when he blushed.
"You came all the way out here just to watch me surf?" she asked in amusement, cocking an eyebrow playfully. She picked up the board again under one arm.
He lifted his head. "No-" he stammered, as she walked past him. He clenched his fists angrily, annoyed with himself, and turned around.
She picked up her towel from where it rested in the sand and dropped her board. Wrapping it around herself, she tucked it under her arms and reached down to grab the clothes that were balled up next to the board, turning her back to him.
He froze when he saw that she was untying the string of her top and stopped in his tracks. His face flushed.
"So what brings you out to the boonies?" Ally continued teasingly, slipping her tank top on before pulling the bathing suit top out from underneath. Hardly anyone came to this patch of the island anymore. It was a little run-down, and out of the way of society. Just how she liked it.
She slipped her shorts on over her bathing suit bottoms and turned back to face him, smiling.
He didn't even realize he was staring at her until she chuckled. "Oh," he said, quickly turning his gaze away. "Noth-well…"
She had to suppress the laugh that was building. He looked so flustered, like a high-schooler trying to work up the nerve to ask a girl to the prom. It was endearing.
Nervously scratching the side of his neck, Elliot averted his gaze. What the hell was the matter with him? What was it about this woman that turned him into a stuttering idiot every time he saw her?
"I, um…I just…" He took a deep breath. "I just wanted to tell you that….that I really enjoyed having breakfast with you this morning."
The smile broke free before she could attempt a professional response. She couldn't help it. "Well…" she said. "I'm glad.
The smile she received made her heart skip a beat, and she ducked to pick up her board so that he wouldn't see the flush starting to creep up her own cheeks.
"So, um….." Elliot cleared his throat, attempting to work up the nerve to ask her the question that had been on his mind since the previous day. "Have you ever, uh…taught anybody?"
That made her head come up, and he saw confusion on her face. "Taught anybody?" she repeated, frowning.
He quickly gestured to her board. "To surf," he elaborated. He shrugged. "Is it hard to learn?"
She stared at him silently, her head cocked to the side. He could see amusement shining in her eyes, and worried that she might laugh at him.
To her credit, Ally kept herself in check. She had to admit more than a little surprise, but could see by his face that he was bracing himself for her to start laughing at him. When she spoke, she kept her words slow and deliberate, trying to understand without poking fun.
"Are you….asking me to…..teach you how to surf?" she asked carefully.
The blush returned in an instant, confirming her question. She smiled sympathetically and placed her hand on his arm. He started, obviously surprised, and she took her hand away quickly. She took her time formulating an answer.
"Well, Elliot…." She trailed off, biting her lip. "It's….it's not easy. It takes a lot of physical strength."
"Could you teach me?" he asked. "It looks like fun….and I like a challenge."
Bad idea, her mind instantly shouted. Bad. She made it look easy, but only because she had been doing it her entire life. It wasn't fun and games out there….those waves packed the force of a speeding car going sixty miles per hour. They can snap a board in half like a toothpick.
But he looked so earnest…..one look at his blue eyes and she was melting.
"It's really dangerous," she said hesitantly. "I'm not kidding you, Elliot…people have died out there." He kept staring, and she gave up. "Alright….alright. I'll set you up with some baby waves, to see if you can handle it."
His eyes lit up. "Hey, great!" he said excitedly. "You busy now?"
She laughed out loud. "It's almost four o'clock," she said desperately.
He looked at her incredulously. "So?" he pleaded. "Are you going to turn into a pumpkin or something?" He grinned teasingly. "Or are you…afraid of the challenge?"
Ally saw a devilish gleam in his eyes. "Oh…" she breathed. "What did you just say to me?" She mock-glared at him. "No one says that to Allison Denny."
Elliot's smile widened. "Looks like I just did," he said smartly. He cocked an eyebrow playfully. "You want to do something about it?"
Glaring at him, she began moving toward him, forcing him to retreat backwards.
"You bet I do," she said, continuing to stalk him. She saw him stepping into the water and grinned. "Oh, yeah…I most definitely do."
Without warning, she suddenly lunged forward and flew at his chest. Caught off guard, he was knocked backward and landed on his butt in the water. She was laughing like crazy as she planted her hands on his chest and used it as leverage to lift herself to her feet. The shocked look on his face was hilarious.
"Hey-!" he cried in astonishment. His words were cut off when a wave crashed around him, soaking his back. Scrambling indignantly to his feet, Elliot shook himself off and glared at her.
She was on the dry sand, doubled over laughing. Lowering his head, he charged at her full speed. She almost had a heart attack from the shock when he lifted her up by her waist and slung her over his shoulder, running back toward the ocean.
"HEY!" she screamed. "Stop it!"
Ignoring her, he waded up to his knees and dipped her down, holding her petite frame inches from the water. "Say you're sorry," he said matter-of-factly.
She burst out laughing. "No way!" she cried gleefully.
A second later, she was under the water. She was shocked as she broke the surface….she didn't expect him to actually do it. He was now retreating back toward the beach, laughing loudly.
"Damn you…" she swore, grinning. "I'm going to kill you!"
She trudged back to the beach. Elliot laughed again as she came back toward him. She was absolutely drenched from head to toe.
"So," he said, smugly. "Are you ready to apologize now, or would you like another trip?"
Ally was glaring at him as hatefully as she could, trying to cover up the laughter in her eyes. She wasn't succeeding. Shaking her head, she stalked past him, laughing, and smacked his arm.
"I can't believe you did that," she said hotly. She picked up her towel and wrapped it around herself. "See if I teach you how to surf now."
"Aw, come on!" he said. "I was just playing with you, Ally."
She froze when he said her name. God….it was like honey.
Walking up to her, he put his arms around her toweled frame and began rubbing vigorously to warm her. It took a minute for him to notice that she had tensed in his arms, and then he realized what he was doing.
Mother of God…
She turned to face him and saw that he looked mortified. She stared up at him, their bodies so close that they were almost touching.
"Uh…" he stammered. "I…I um…."
When he felt her lips on his, he flinched instinctively, and she pulled away. His face was flushed. The hurt on her face was easily recognizable.
What…what the hell am I doing? Why the hell did I just kiss him?
Her face was flaming as she quickly turned away and bent to retrieve her surfboard. Elliot gently gripped her arm, surprising her, and turned her back to face him.
He leaned down and gently kissed her. It was so soft, and yet so sweet that she melted into it.
He broke the kiss after a minute. When she looked up at him, she couldn't speak. Her heart pounded frantically. She was surprised, though, to see his eyes…the fear in them was obvious.
A tense, awkward silence fell between them. They looked everywhere but at each other. She cleared her throat, making his eyes dart to hers.
His hands trembled as he let go of her and backed away. He felt like he would puke at a moment's notice….his stomach was doing gymnastics.
He could see her fighting emotions as she looked at him. The nausea started to rise again.
"You…you better wrap up," he finally said quietly. His voice shook slightly. "It's starting to get cold out here."
He felt like someone had just hit him with a two-by-four. He was an idiot….lord God almighty…he was such an idiot.
She wanted desperately to speak…to say something. But she couldn't. Her throat was closed.
Elliot ducked his head, feeling the shame burning his cheeks. "I'm sorry, Ally," he mumbled. "I'm…I'm really sorry."
He stumbled in his haste to rush past her, and she watched him go in shocked silence. Tears rolled down her cheeks and she tried desperately to call out to him. But she couldn't. All she could do was stare at his retreating form as he walked back toward the road.
