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.
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"You ready to take this into the water?" Ally asked, raising an eyebrow.
Elliot's head snapped up to look at her from the board on the sand. His eyes sparkled in delight. "Seriously?"
She sighed in defeat, folding her arms. "I don't like it," she said begrudgingly. "But you have to learn sometime."
He leaped up excitedly. "Sweet!" he said, bending to pick up the board. He grabbed her hand and began pulling her down the beach. "Let's go."
"Whoa, whoa!" she said in surprise, pulling at him to stop. "Elliot, I need to get my board and this one needs wax." She laughed at the impatient look on his face. "We've got plenty of time. The beach isn't going to go anywhere."
He smiled sheepishly. "Sorry," he said. "Just got a little excited."
"I noticed," she chuckled. She couldn't stop the wide smile from breaking free. He was so adorable. "Come on."
He slipped his hand into hers and linked their fingers together, hefting the board under his other arm. Her hands were so much smaller than his…he loved the way his swallowed hers.
It felt so perfect to Ally, the two of them walking hand-in-hand down the beach like it was as natural as breathing. Since they had cleared the air, she was happier than she had ever been. He was absolutely….perfect.
They went out to the parking lot and she let go of his hand to fish her keys out of the pocket of her shorts. "Hold that," she said, handing Elliot the bar of wax. She stepped onto the trailer hitch and got her board down from the top, throwing the bungee cord into the front seat.
"Alright," she said, locking the truck back up. "Let's get down there. We'll get these waxed up and we'll be all set." She took the wax from him and slipped it into her bag.
She smiled when she saw that he was holding his hand out expectantly and placed hers into it. They walked back the way they had come.
"This good?" Elliot asked, for what seemed like the tenth time.
Ally had dragged him past every available spot that he had suggested, insisting they needed a better place. He breathed a sigh of relief when she paused, nodding finally. "This looks good," she confirmed, setting her board down.
Elliot set his down next to hers as she plopped down into the sand and began rooting through the bag. "I still don't see how this is far," he groused good-naturedly. "How come I still have to use that thing?" He indicated the long board with a raised eyebrow.
"Because," she said patiently, not looking up from her intent search through the bag. "I'm not ready to have one of my boards snapped in half when you wipe out."
She looked up at him, her eyes sparkling with laughter. He glared at her. "It's safer for you," she said. The worry she was trying hard to mask was clear in her voice. "Elliot, it's a lot different in the water than in the sand...it's not fun and games out there."
Seeing that she was genuinely worried, he let her off the hook. "Are you ready yet?" he grumbled playfully. "I'm not getting any younger here." He grinned to take any sting out of his words.
Rolling her eyes, she dug through the bag again. "Quit whining," she said. Seeing what she was searching for, she pulled it out. "Finally!"
She held a bottle of sunscreen in her hand. Dropping the bag, she stood up. "Put this on while I wax up the boards," she said, holding it out to him. "Surfing with sunburn hurts."
He obeyed, pulling off his t-shirt. The sight of his bare torso made her cheeks flush, and she quickly turned her attention to the boards.
Elliot watched her wax down the boards with care, paying special attention to each one like it was a part of her. It made him smile to see her obvious passion.
Once she finished, she checked his board to make sure the leash was secure and tugged on it to check the durability. Satisfied that it was working properly, she turned around and slipped off her sandals.
His breath caught when she slipped her t-shirt off, revealing her turquoise halter bathing suit top. His eyes traveled down to her muscled abdomen as she removed her jean shorts, taking in the lovely tan of her skin.
Ally looked up to see him staring at her. "What?" she asked uncomfortably.
His eyes shot to her face and he blushed. "Nothing," he mumbled. He cleared his throat, toying anxiously with the drawstring of his swimsuit. His gaze dropped to study the sand. "Sorry."
She smiled softly, holding out her hand for the sunscreen. He handed it to her and she made quick work of slathering herself with it, taking extra care to rub a lot into her shoulders because she tended to burn there easily.
"Turn around." Her words made his head snap up again. She smiled at the panicked look in his eyes.
"Huh?" he stammered.
Walking up to him, she repeated the statement with amused patience. "Turn around." At the look on his face, she explained, "Your back is already burned. Turn around."
He did as she asked. Ally squeezed more lotion into her hand and put the bottle between her knees as she rubbed them together. She placed her hands onto his broad shoulders and began to gently massage the sunscreen into his flesh.
Her hands felt wonderful, and he couldn't stop a moan of pleasure when she began to rub his lower back. She smiled and kept going, tenderly rubbing over every inch of exposed skin. Stepping around him, she squeezed a little more lotion out and began rubbing over the front of his shoulders as well.
She glanced up to see him staring at her intently. She flushed, dropping her hands. "I burn there really easy," she murmured. The look in his eyes stopped her short, and she stood still, her heart racing.
Elliot's breath was heavy as he leaned down and kissed her, kneading his hands through her hair. She allowed it for a minute before pulling away.
The look of longing on his face made her laugh. "Come on," she said coyly, reaching for his hand. "The water is waiting."
"Whoa-wait," Elliot suddenly said in a rush, stopping short at the water's edge.
The pair had grabbed the boards and headed for the ocean. Ally had instructed him to follow her lead and gotten ready to rush into the waves when he had suddenly stopped dead. Looking at him, she saw nervousness painted clearly on his face.
Swallowing hard, he glanced out at the huge waves crashing with brutal force just inches from where they stood. He could feel her looking at him and turned to face her.
"I can't," he said in a rush, panic overtaking his features. "Ally, I can't do this."
Ally looked at him, her face softening in sympathy. He looked like he was going to throw up. Stepping back, she moved to his side. He was trying his best to put on a brave front to save face, but the terrified expression was easy to recognize.
She made sure to keep her tone light and easy, so she wouldn't make him feel worse by embarrassing him. In truth, she wasn't at all surprised. This was a common reaction for all beginners.
He shook his head and ducked his eyes, humiliated and terrified at the same time. "I'm sorry," he said weakly.
She held up one hand to stop him and shook her head in understanding. "Elliot, it's ok," she said nonchalantly. His face screwed up and she was quick to continue. "No, really." Reaching out, she grasped his hand, making him look at her in surprise.
"Don't feel bad," she went on calmly. "Trust me, I understand…the ocean can be extremely scary."
He sighed miserably, shaking his head in disgust with himself.
"Tell you what," she said, rubbing her fingers over the back of his hand. She made sure to keep her tone soothing and light so he would see that she really did understand. "You watch me first. If you still feel uncomfortable when I'm done, we'll go in." She looked at him carefully. "That ok?"
Looking out at the ocean again, he sighed shakily. He nodded wordlessly, biting his lip, and shook his head in disgust again. She smiled warmly and let go of his hand. He backed away from the water's edge to the safety of the dry sand and sat down on the long board, his heart slowing.
He watched Ally slice expertly through the breakers and make her way further out, paddling with strong, easy strokes. She made it look simple. After a minute, she turned the board back toward the sand and paddled hard as the water rose beneath her. Whipping to her feet, she balanced on the board and let the wave carry her all the way back in.
He shook his head in amazement. She made it look as natural as walking.
She repeated the procedure once more and then came back to the sand. Picking up her board, she walked to where he sat. Her face glowed with the leftover adrenaline as she dropped to sit next to him on the board.
There was silence. She didn't want to push him, so she didn't speak. Finally, when he didn't say anything, she ventured softly, "What do you want to do, Elliot?"
He looked glum and ashamed as he met her eyes. "I'm sorry," he repeated once again, softly. "Ally, I want to…I do. But….I just…" He looked out at the water again with fear in his eyes.
She smiled kindly. "Ok….that's fine," she assured. She thought a minute. "How about if we just go past the breakers a little ways?" His eyes immediately filled with panic. "I promise, no waves…you can just get a feel for the water a little bit."
He sighed deeply, shaking his head in indecision. She tilted her head to meet his gaze. "Elliot," she said gently. "If you tell me the problem, we might be able to fix it." She raised her eyebrows and smiled softly to put him at ease. "What is it that you're afraid of?"
Swallowing hard, he looked at her rather reluctantly. "I don't like having the waves crash on me," he mumbled, his gaze darting from hers quickly. "They're really big…I don't want them to crash on me."
She knew how much it must have embarrassed him to openly admit that he was afraid, and was touched that he had felt comfortable enough to confide in her. She had to admit a little surprise at his words; she had been expecting something along the lines of not knowing how to swim.
She smiled warmly and took his hand again. "Elliot, I understand. Really, I do. Having a wave crash on you is the worst feeling in the world, isn't it?" She had to fight the urge to give him a big hug. "You can trust me. I'll get you through the breakers. If worst comes to worst, just go under as far as you can and let it pass over you." She squeezed his hand. "It'll be alright. I promise, you can trust me."
He looked at her with uncertainty still in his eyes, and she nodded with conviction. Taking a huge breath, he said weakly, "Alright."
She smiled widely. "Alright," she repeated. "Come on." Tugging his hand, she pulled him to his feet.
Sighing hugely, he turned to pick up the board. She almost melted when she saw his hands trembling slightly, but didn't comment.
They walked down to the water's edge again, and he jumped at the huge crash of a wave assaulting the sand. "Ally…." he said uncertainly.
She gripped his hand tightly. "You can do this," she said, tugging. "I know you can." She began gently but firmly pulling him toward the water.
He stepped gingerly into the foam of the previous breaker, his heart in his throat. As they continued to wade in, he began to relax. So far, the waves had rolled right through them, not even breaking. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all.
As soon as he had that thought, a huge wave rolled toward them. He could see the top curling about ten feet off of the ground, looking ready to break any second. He stopped in his tracks, his mouth as dry as cotton.
Ally saw it as well and gripped her board in preparation. She looked at Elliot and saw him standing frozen, a look of terror on his face. Roughly shoving him, she shouted, "Go under. Go under now!"
She wasn't trying to be harsh, but out here one couldn't stand around. It would spell disaster. Pushing him hard, she grabbed her board and dove as well, barely escaping the wave.
He jumped when he felt her pushing him and dropped the board, going under as far as he could and praying fervently. He heard the faint echo of the huge crash on top of him and felt the water swirling around him.
His lungs began to burn, and he made his way back up. Breaking the surface, he took a huge breath and looked around for Ally.
"Here," she said calmly, coming up next to him. She had the leash of his board wrapped around her wrist, pulling it behind hers. "Here you go." She handed it to him. "See? That wasn't so bad, was it?"
Swallowing hard, Elliot could feel his heart pounding in his ears. But he realized that she was right….the wave had crashed, and he was fine.
She smiled. "Come on," she urged. "Just a little further….go on, get back up there."
He pulled himself up onto the board again and followed after her as she paddled out again. Another wave approached.
She immediately whipped her head around. "Go over it, Elliot," she said urgently. "Just relax and go over it."
His hands were gripping the side of the board so tightly that his knuckles were white, but he obeyed. His stomach plummeted when he flew through the air momentarily as the wave rolled under him, but he managed to stay on the board.
He couldn't suppress the huge sigh of relief when they finally made it to calmer water. Ally paddled over and got next to him.
"Well," she said with a lopsided grin. "I'd say that was your crash course."
He scoffed wryly, but ended up chuckling. "I'd say so," he said, still in shock.
"You did great, Elliot," she said warmly, her tone serious now. Her eyes sparkled as she looked at him. "Really. I know how hard that was for you, and I want you know…you did great."
He smiled in embarrassment, ducking his head. The blush rose, making her giggle.
"Ally?" he said after a minute. He raised his head and looked at her straight in the face, the seriousness in his expression startling her. "Thank you." The intensity of his gaze was almost spellbinding. "Thank you for not giving me a hard time back there."
She blushed slightly as well, dipping her head for a brief moment. Composing herself, she smiled. "I've been there," she said. Her eyebrows suddenly rose playfully. "When I got out here my first time, I was so nervous that I couldn't even stay on the board. There was a whole class of us out here, and the instructor ended up having to sit on my board with me before I could balance myself."
He chuckled softly, relaxing his grip on the board. His lower body was trailed in the water, lazily treading water. Ally hopped up onto her board and straddled it comfortably, tucking her legs Indian-style in front of her as she easily balanced herself. Looking over at him, she got a teasing glint in her eye.
"Better watch those toes," she said, raising an eyebrow. She glanced down. "Sharks like small fish, you know."
There was a humongous splash as he gasped and quickly tried to jerk himself up out of the water. He flopped onto his stomach and kicked frantically, hastily pulling his legs up onto the board.
Ally burst out laughing and almost fell over. She whooped and gasped, cradling her belly as tears sprang to her eyes. Elliot looked at her in alarm. After a minute, he relaxed and realized what she had done.
He shot her a mutinous glare. "That is not funny," he growled, disgusted that he had fallen for it.
She kept laughing without shame, ignoring the smoldering glare he was pinning on her.
"Whew," she panted, wiping at her eyes. Her wide smile made her face glow. "Wow, Elliot…you are too funny."
Rolling his eyes, he smirked at her. "I'm glad you find me so amusing," he said dryly. He smiled, not really upset with her at all, and knowing that she knew it.
Getting his balance, Elliot positioned himself so that he could straddle the board like she had and plopped backwards, lying flat on his back on top of the long board. He trailed his feet into the water again and began swirling lazy circles with his toes.
"It's so peaceful out here," he murmured, gazing around them.
The vast ocean was surrounding them as their boards bobbed in the water, like two specks on a canvas the size of the solar system. The crash of the waves behind them was faint now, and he was surprised at how tranquil the environment was around them.
Ally smiled. "Yeah," she agreed, sighing softly. "I love it." Her tone became almost dreamy. "This is where I always go when I need to think. It's just you and the ocean, together and at peace."
He snorted. "You sound like a hippy," he cracked, grinning as he turned his head to look at her. His eyes sparkled with laughter.
She rolled her eyes and glared at him. Scooping up a handful of water, she shoved it toward him, splashing his face.
His expression turned defensive and smile tugged the corners of his mouth. He scooped up his own handful and threw it back, effectively drenching her. She laughed loudly, throwing more water at him.
She saw a mischievous twinkle in his eyes as he sat up, bringing his board closer to her. She realized what he was going to do a minute too late and tried to jerk away from him, but he was quicker. Swooping down, he grabbed her foot and pulled her off of the board. She hit the water with a cry of indignation and a loud splash.
"Oohhh!" she screamed angrily, coming up for air. The look on her face was murderous. "Stabler, you're dead meat!"
Elliot awkwardly turned his board and frantically began trying to paddle away with his feet, laughing so hard that he had trouble catching his breath. He made it about two feet before he felt a weight on the board behind him.
Ally hoisted herself up onto his board and grabbed his shoulders, wrenching him backwards into the water. The look of surprise on his face as he went under busted her insides.
He heard her wild giggling before he even broke the surface. She was sitting atop his board, looking down at him, and laughing so hard her face was red. Scowling, he swam over to her and rested his arms on the board, grinning when she yanked her feet up quickly from his reach.
They both gasped for breath. Ally's sides hurt from laughing so much. Elliot had tears in his eyes, still chuckling as he wiped at his face.
"You're mean," she said, grinning.
He smiled up at her. "Sticks and stones," he teased, moving his arms as they began to get tired and repositioning himself.
Grinning, she moved back and sat on the edge of the board, offering him her hand. She laughed at the suspicious look her gave her.
"Truce," she said, holding her hands up in surrender.
He took her hand and pulled himself up onto the board. She balanced it so he could straddle it again, and they sat facing each other.
Ally plopped her feet down into the water, splashing lightly with her toes. She glanced down at the tiny ripples her feet made in the water. The board shifted suddenly, and she glanced back up, startled.
Elliot scooted up so that he was almost touching her. She froze when he reached his hand out and cupped her face, smoothing gently over her cheek. His fingers trailed down to her lips, lightly tickling over them.
A sultry look passed over her face. "Elliot," she murmured, reaching up to touch his face.
Scooting closer, he leaned on one hand for balance and pressed himself against her, kissing her deeply. She whimpered longingly and eagerly leaned forward to meet him, her body flooding with a sudden, overwhelming desire.
Elliot kissed her hungrily, his tongue probing and tasting every inch of her mouth. She whimpered again, running her fingers through his hair, and felt him shiver at the pleasant sensation.
Unfortunately, her lungs were about to explode. After another minute, she pulled away, stroking his face as she sucked in air. She smiled, running her hand over his cheek. His eyes were half-closed, the brilliant blue sparkling as he too filled his lungs.
His heart racing with sudden adrenaline, Elliot swallowed. Her hands caressed his face as he gazed into her eyes, darkened with desire. Her smile lit up her face and she leaned forward, kissing him sweetly on the lips quickly, her chest heaving.
Still catching his breath, he wrapped her arms around her and brought her against him. She collapsed into him and rested her head on his chest, her eyes closing. Her arms came around his middle and began absently massaging his shoulder blades. He played with her hair, trailing soft kisses on the top of her head, as they let the board bob beneath them.
The quiet breathing mixed with the tranquil softness of the ocean as it turned and flowed around them. Ally was so content that she wanted to fall asleep right there, safe and secure in his arms. Neither of them spoke.
She was suddenly made aware of the passing of time, though, when a sudden, violent chill passed through Elliot. She felt it ripple down his back, and instinctively rubbed his shoulders, lifting her head from his chest.
He tried to downplay like nothing had happened, but another one assaulted him before he could stop it. Ally smiled at him.
"Cold?" she asked, continuing to rub his back.
He smiled sheepishly. "Maybe a little," he admitted. Smirking, he pulled her tighter against him. "Care to warm me up?"
She raised her eyebrows playfully, but scooted away from him. "It's getting late," she commented, beginning to swing her body around. "We should probably head in."
He pouted. "Aw," he complained. He gave her a sad face. "Do we have to?"
Giggling, she leaned back and captured his lips for another kiss. She pulled away as he was starting to get into it, making him moan unhappily. She giggled again and hopped into the water.
"Whoo!" she cried in surprise. Sitting out of the water for that long had made her body warm up, and getting back into the frigid water was a rude awakening. She sucked in air through her teeth. "That's a little chilly."
Refastening the leash of her board to her ankle, Ally hoisted her upper body up onto it. "Come on," she said, looking back at him. She smiled when she saw the pout still on his face. "The sooner we get back to dry land, the sooner we can…get warm."
She smiled suggestively. He smirked and reluctantly slid into the water, too.
"Okay," he said, with an exaggerated sigh. He had to admit that she was right. The sun was almost halfway set. "Ladies first."
Turning back around, she began paddling back toward the beach. He followed behind.
After a few minutes, they began approaching the breakers again. Ally slowed, waiting for Elliot to catch up, and stopped him with a hand on his arm. He was surprised to see worry in her eyes.
She held his gaze intensely. "Make sure your leash is secure," she said with a serious tone. "It's rougher now because the tide is starting to come in."
He began to feel nervous at the tone she was using. Reaching behind him, he tugged at the strap attached to his right ankle and tightened it. He looked at her again in askance.
Ally bit her lip, trying not to show how nervous she was. "Stay close," she said. "Follow my exact path. If I tell you to go under, go under…got it?"
Elliot was surprised at how anxious she was. "Alright," he said.
Sucking in a breath, she began paddling again. He followed right behind her and followed her trail. She cut to the left and rose over a huge wave, her stomach dropping momentarily. When she cleared it, she looked anxiously behind her to see him do the same.
The sharp drop scared him. The waves hadn't been that big when they had gone out earlier, had they? His heart automatically began to pump faster as he struggled to keep her in his sight. The waves rising around them made her disappear repeatedly from view.
This is bad. This is very bad. Ally felt her heart in her throat as she rose over another wave. There hadn't been a break yet. She prayed that they made it in before the tide rose…that was when the tallest waves began rolling in. Once they started, they didn't stop. The surf advisory forbade all swimming and activity then, because the water became extremely dangerous.
She was kicking herself for not paying more attention to the sun. The tide began coming in at half past four, as it did every day. She knew that. It had been her fault for letting herself become too comfortable.
Letting out a nervous breath, she clutched the board tighter. It was up to her to get them out of there safely.
When she looked behind her to check on Elliot again, her heart jumped right through her mouth. A monstrous wave was beginning to curl right behind him. It was going to break any second.
Elliot huffed, his arms and legs beginning to get sore from paddling nonstop. He paused and pulled himself up higher on the board, trying to ease the strain a little to get some relief. The sound of her shout made him whip his head up.
"Elliot!" she screamed. He jerked his head toward her instantly, his face showing surprise at her alarmed tone. She whipped her board around fast and began paddling back toward him. "Go under now!"
Why was she going the other way? He immediately became stiff with tension when he saw the scared look on her face. She seemed to be looking past him.
Turning his head, he saw the wave beginning to foam as it curled dangerously toward them. Oh, Jesus! Terror shot through him.
"Elliot!" she screamed again in panic, paddling harder. What the hell was he waiting for?
Her words suddenly registered then. In a split-second, instinctive reaction, he shoved the board away from him and dove.
Once she saw him hit the water, Ally took a deep breath and did the same, a moment before the wave crashed.
He waited as long as he could stand and pushed back toward the surface. He gulped in a huge breath and coughed, breathing hard. He grabbed the board again.
She erupted to the surface, immediately looking around for Elliot. "You alright?" she yelled, paddling toward him again.
"Yeah," he said shakily, gulping. "Yeah, I'm fine."
She made it beside him. "We have to hurry," she said urgently. "Whatever happens, do what I tell you, okay?"
He nodded wordlessly, feeling like his tongue had suddenly grown two sizes.
Ally continued on frantically. Please get us out of this, she prayed. Please God…please get us out of this.
Elliot was puffing audibly now. His arms felt like jelly. I can't do this anymore, he thought in a panic. God, I can't do this anymore!
A smaller wave rose up and smacked him in the face. He turned his head to the side and coughed wildly, the salty sting momentarily blinding him.
He had to stop. His arms were going to give out.
"Ally," he panted. "Ally, hold up!" Hearing his shout, she turned around. "I gotta rest…please, I have to stop for a second."
She was startled to see how much further behind her he was. A wave rose under her again, and she braced herself.
"Elliot, you can't stop," she urged. "Look, we've only got a little ways to go." She tried to keep her panic under control. "You have to keep going….you can't stop!"
At that moment, the biggest wave she had seen all day began to form behind him. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw that it was part of a triple set. Two more were forming right behind it.
He dropped his head onto the board in agitation, but forced himself to keep paddling. All of the sudden, he felt the water rise up beneath him. Remembering the last time, he quickly shot his head around to see a wall of water bearing down on him.
Her mind raced. If he went under the first one, the second one would crash on him as soon as he came up for air….if he went over it, he would inevitably end up doing a monster belly flop. The second option would be painful, but she realized there was no other choice. The size of the waves spelled disaster.
Seeing him getting ready to dive, she screamed out as loud as she possibly could.
"Don't dive!" she yelled, paddling frantically toward him. "Elliot, don't dive! Stay where you are!"
He stopped short, looking at her in shock. The fear on his face was plainly evident, as he wasn't even bothering to hide it by this point. Her heart thumped wildly against her chest and she struggled to quicken her pace, trying to get to him.
Elliot felt the wave begin to swell, and he was suddenly lifted into the air. His stomach dropped, but it was too late to bail. He had no choice but to hang on as tight as he could as the wave grew in size.
As he was lifted high into the air, she suddenly saw that the wave wasn't curling. Her heart stopped. It was at that precise second that she realized with horror that she had made the wrong decision.
He felt his stomach drop again as he hurtled back downward and he gripped the board to keep himself from flying off. Hearing a slight whoosh, he looked up. The wall of water crashed over him before he had time to react.
Ally's hand flew to her mouth in horror. She got a glimpse of his terrified expression a split second before he was bombarded by two-hundred tons of saltwater.
