Matters of the Heart

Epilogue Part 2

January 2076

Just a few days prior the whole family had gathered as Jesse and Abbey celebrated another anniversary together, 55 years of wedded bliss. Jesse and Abbey were showered with love from their children and grandchildren. It was a day of love and happiness but none of them knew it would be the last time they would all be able to gather together.

The next day, Lily had stopped by to check on her parents before heading into her office and that's when Levi got the call. When he pulled up to his parent's home in his unmarked car, the only home Levi ever knew, there were already squad cars in front of his home. He quickly got out running up the walk in his tailored suit, an officer went to stop him until he flashed his badge on his hip and quickly made it up the stairs to his parent's home.

Levi immediately noticed the district's commander standing there. He would only be there for one reason. The commander patted his shoulder. "I'm so very sorry, Detective Soffer."

And that's when he saw her. His sister Lily, standing there, her tanned face streaked with tears. She ran to her baby brother and hugged him tightly. Looking over her shoulder, he spotted Jamie his nephew, 23 now and had graduated from the Academy just last year, He was on Patrol but this wasn't his assigned beat. But surely once the call came through, Jamie rushed over to check on his grandparents. He gave his uncle a sad smile.

Levi knew this day would eventually come, he knew how blessed he was that he had his parents as long as he did. They were 53 and 52 when they adopted him so by the time Levi was in his twenties, each year they celebrated another birthday, Levi knew it could be their last.

He broke away from the hug from his sister. "Noah and Emme are on their way. They were going to call Ethan and Addi. We're still trying to get in touch with Jaylee," she said.

Levi finally made his way to Jamie. With as many cars and police presence here, his mind went in one direction thanks to the detective in him.

"Were they - " was all he could get out but Jamie knew where his mind was.

"No, no, no," he assured him. "It was natural causes. Aunt Lily found them in their bed together, they just went during their sleep, both of them, they were holding hands."

Levi and Jamie couldn't help but smile. Leave it to their parents and grandparents to go out holding hands with one another, the day after their 55th wedding anniversary just another symbolism of their undying love for each other.

And neither they nor Lily were suprised that they went together, they all knew that neither their Mom or Dad could live without the other one.

-----------------------------------------------------------

" They both lived long, good lives with both creating many many accomplishments during their lives and careers, but their greatest accomplishment was each other," Levi sat in the front pew of the church holding his sister Lily's hand as he listened to his oldest sister Addison give the eulogy at their parents funeral.

"They saved each other, and then they saved me, just as they did my brothers and sister." She continued.

Noah and Ethan both looked up at their sister and smiled. She had been so right. Lily and Levi looked at each other, and squeezed the other's hand, knowing how true their sister was. Lily had been in unbelievable circumstances her first 18 months, who knew the life she would have had if not for her parents bringing her into their family, and Levi, was orphaned the day he was born, the woman who gave birth to him tossing him in a dumpster, thank God he arrived at his mother's hospital that day and she went home crying to his father that night. The next night he slept soundly in his new forever home. And then Jaylee and Emme leaned forward, smiling at each other,  so thankful their parents brought their 5 siblings into their home. They couldn't imagine their lives without them.

Now they all stood at the cemetery their mother and fathers casket on either side of their brother Jamesons grave, just as it should be.

One day, Levi had wrapped up a serial murder case, involving young children. It had been a hard couple of weeks but he got the outcome he wanted. But instead of driving home that morning after working nonstop for days, he made a u turn and drove to his parent's home. It was April and the sun was barely up. His mother would still be sleeping, but his father would be up, he was sure of it. Just as he suspected, his father was in the living room, watching the early coverage of the Masters, and not meaning to, Levi brought it up anyway.

"Dad how do you do it?" He asked him.

"What are you talking about, son?"

"Jameson?"

No other words were needed. The simple name was enough to tug at Jesse's heart strings. He looked at his youngest son, his bright blue eyes filled with moisture and shook his head.

"You just do. You have to get up every morning and go to bed every night thinking about him. But as you do, you tell yourself you're one day closer. One day closer to seeing him again. It's never easy but some days are harder than others but you just have to know that you're one day closer."

Levi stood there with his family staring at his parents caskets and his brothers grave, his father's words echoing in his head.

You're one day closer.

As his family began walking away to their cars to head back to the house, his unit supervisor stopped him.

"Levi, I'm so sorry. I know how incredibly close you were to both your parents, especially your Dad. Losing one parent is hard, I can't imagine having to lose both at the same time.," his Captain offered.

Levi just smiled and nodded, "you know what, I couldn't imagine it any other way." He said walking off, before taking one last glimpse at the cemetery behind him.

-----------------------------------------------------------

Oh my gosh!! These last two to write were so emotional for me! I was really struggling, then all of a sudden the words just flowed out. So this is it, the end of Jesse and Abbeys love story, thank you for taking this journey with me!!