Disclaimer: I own nothing from CSI: Miami. I do retain all rights to the story itself.

A/N: I make no claims to any special religious knowledge. I believe what I believe, and respect the beliefs of others. All I ask is that if you don't believe, or believe differently, please don't flame me for mine.

"I can't…feel anything…"

"I know, Speed. It's gonna be alright."

Spasms wracked the young man's body; a cough erupted blood from his bullet damaged lungs, spattering the front of the elder man's face and shirt.

"Speed…keep breathing."

A final spasm; a final breath.

"Speed?"

All movement stops; the light of life flees from his eyes.

"Speed?!"

The body goes limp; his head lolls lifelessly in the elder man's hands.

He stares into the now vacant eyes, desperately searching for any spark of life; finding none, he places his ear to the gaping wound in the young man's chest. Silently his soul prays for a heartbeat, though his mind already knows he won't find one.

Slowly he raises his head. Blood smears the side of his face. His friend is gone.

"Speed." he says quietly, a last weak call to his friend.

Then he just sits there, silently keeping watch over his friend until the others come.

He would let nothing else harm him now.

Speed watched as Horatio sat guarding his body, wondering what thoughts were going through his mind

He had tried to speak to him when he had first found himself standing here, but Horatio could neither see nor hear him it seemed. So he just stood still, watching his boss watch over him.

He saw his friends arrive; saw the shocked disbelief in Calliegh's eyes; heard the small gasp Alexx made when she saw his body lying in a pool of his own blood; watched as she slowly crossed the floor to kneel at H's side, gently placing her hand on his shoulder.

"Give him to me, Horatio. He needs to go with me."

He watched as Horatio nodded, then picked up his gun and rose to his feet. He watched as H and Calliegh spoke about his weapon; watched as Rick entered; watched as H's anger rose; watched as he stormed out of the door.

He was about to follow when a quiet voice spoke to him from behind.

"Timothy Speedle."

He turned, the world around him dissolved into a white light, and he found himself staring at…himself.

After a moment, Speed found his voice. "Well, the afterlife is certainly stranger than I thought it would be."

The other 'him' chuckled. "You're not the first to say that."

"Who are you? I mean, you look like me, but…I'm still me, right?"

Another chuckle. "Yes, Timothy. You are still you. As to my identity…who do you believe I am?"

Speed hesitated a moment before answering.

"Are you…God?"

His double nodded. "Some call me by that name. I have had many."

"Ok, if you're God, then why do you look like me?"

"I have only one voice, but many faces. When a man looks upon me, he sees the reflection of the good within himself."

Speed thought about it for a few seconds. "You mean that everyone who sees you, sees themselves?"

The figure nodded. "I created man in my image, and every man receives a portion of my spirit when he is born. For without it, there is no life."

"Sorry. All this religious stuff is a little above my head." He glanced about. "So is this Heaven?"

Now the figure laughed openly. "No, Timothy. This is the nexus between the planes. This is the place of choosing."

"Choosing? I don't understand. Choosing what?"

"Direction. This is where you choose your path from now on."

Speed shook his head. "Sorry, I still don't get it. What paths do I get to choose from?"

"Forward or backward."

"Backward? You mean I can go back? Be alive again?"

"Yes."

"Wait a minute. That seems to easy. What's the catch?"

"If you choose to go back, it will be painful. The bullet pierced your heart and lung, and nicked your spinal cord on it's way out. You will live…but with a weak heart, one lung, and you will never walk again."

Speed thought about it for a moment. "Why me? I mean, you can't give everyone this choice, or there would be countless cases of people coming back to life."

"True. The choice is rarely given. But it is always given to those who give their lives attempting to save another's. You were killed while trying to find Joey Williams. You gave your life for an innocent."

"So I can exist here in perfect health, or I can go back and be a pain wracked, useless invalid for the rest of my life? Some choice."

His double smiled. "One of the great lessons of life, Timothy, is that man must learn to accept the consequences of his actions. Had you been, shall we say, a bit more diligent in your gun maintenance, we would not be speaking just now. However, simply because you won't be able to do some of the things you used to, does not mean that you will be a 'pain wracked, useless invalid'. You will still have your intellect, your skills. You will only be 'useless' if you choose to be."

His double laid his hand on Speed's shoulder. "Do not doubt your own worth, Timothy Speedle. Your family and friends do not, nor do I."

The span of a dozen heartbeats passed before Speed could reply. "How will I…recover? On the mortuary slab?"

The figure turned and walked a few steps before speaking again.

"No. You will awaken while on route. Alexx will hear you and rush you to the nearest emergency room where the doctors will save you. It will be called a miracle by some. Others will say you were simply to stubborn to die."

Speed smiled at the thought of seeing his friends again, but another question nagged at his brain.

"What happens if I decide not to go back?"

"Then you will go to your final reward. You will become one of my 'guardian angels' as many call them, keeping watch over those whom you loved most."

"My family, or my friends at the department?"

"Both if you wish."

"Will I ever be able to speak to them?"

He shrugged. "Perhaps, if he circumstances warrant it. Anything is possible."

Speed nodded. "Yeah. I think I'd like that. Ok, I choose forward."

His double nodded, smiling. "As do most to whom the choice is given. Very few choose to go back. Follow me."

He turned and they began walking; the whiteness around them giving way to the Gates of Paradise, and a huge shining city on a hill before them.

Speed gazed around himself in wonder. "Wow, this is one big place." he said to his traveling companion. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Of course. What do you wish to know?"

"Are there any motorcycles in Heaven?"

His double's laughter floated along on the gentle breeze.