As the door of the car opened Eyal watched as a young boy ran towards him. This is how I'm going to meet my son? After I have failed him and the woman I love. No this cannot be, Eyal turned away.
He heard Annie yell for Avi to stop, but Avi did not heed the command and Annie decided to chase him.
Eyal turned just in time to catch Avi as he tripped. He fell right into his arms. Annie skidded to stop just in front of them.
"Father you can't leave us." Avi protested.
Eyal looked down into the face of his son for the first time. He couldn't believe that this was how his first conversation with his son was going to go.
"I must. You cannot be safe with me near." Eyal replied knowing now that it would be futile as he was his father's son.
"No you can't leave either of us" he said glancing at Annie. "Annie is your Neshama. How can you leave your soul mate?" Avi questioned of Eyal, still in his arms.
At that Eyal dropped to his knees. This boy, his son, had come to the very conclusion he had discovered several years ago but never wanted to admit. She was his everything and Avi had put it so simply. How could he leave that? Especially when that was what they both wanted?
"Avi…"
"Father, you can't do it. You love her. She loves you. Love is something that is fleeting. You must grab onto it and hold on for dear life. I love you. I love Annie. She loves you. You love her. What is so hard about that?" Avi replied getting up off the ground from in front of Eyal where he had been dropped when Eyal had fallen to his knees.
Eyal looked at Avi and then at Annie. How could he be so lucky? How could both of these people love him? He was broken and mangled. They couldn't because he could never be whole. Yet they did, there was hope. As he looked at Annie he saw a longing in her eyes.
Annie had stopped short as Avi had embraced his father for the first time in his entire life. Then she had heard what Avi said. She knew that Neshama has meant soul but not that it meant soul mate when used as a term of endearment.
Did Eyal really believe her to be his soul mate? As she looked at him she knew right then that he was hers. There was no question in her mind that she would never love another. She loved him with her whole heart and no matter what he said aloud she knew he felt the same.
Annie knelt down and embraced him. She stroked his hair. She was crying.
Eyal felt Annie embrace him and realized in that moment that there was nothing that he could say to her that would make her think he didn't love her. After hearing the truth of Avi's words he wouldn't be able to get a lie out, let alone past her. He hugged her back and started crying himself.
Eyal sat down right there and pulled her into his lap. He kissed her long and hard. "I'm so sorry. I can't believe I had to do that. It was honestly the hardest thing I have ever had to do it my life."
As both Annie and Eyal rememorized each other's faces, Avi cleared his throat. "Father, not that this isn't nice, but shouldn't we take this out of the police station parking lot?" Avi asked grinning.
Annie and Eyal both looked around startled before getting to their feet. "You're very right my son. We can finish this conversation on the plane, since I'm assuming that you forgive me?" Eyal looked at Annie, hopefully but not quite sure of himself.
"Of course", Annie smiled and took a hand from each of them of leading them to her car. "So who knows Israel better?" She asked challenging the two men who were bound to be competitive.
Annie smiled as they got into a mild argument as they slide into the back of her car. She waved at Auggie leaning against the slide of the SVU before calling out to the blind man, "Thanks, I'll check in soon."
"No problem Walker, tickets are in the passports. Stay out of trouble. I got you covered. Vacation for the next two weeks." He smiled and got back in the car which promptly sped away.
Still squabbling in the back seat Annie looked at Eyal and Avi in rear view mirror.
"To the airport gentlemen?" Annie questioned in Hebrew as all of their conversations had been around Avi.
"Of course, where else would we go?" said Eyal knowingly.
Annie just laughed as she drove to the airport, passports and one way tickets to Israel in hand.