"BRIDGES"

Episode Influences: "Bang Bang, Way to Go, ABRTI I-II"

Acknowledgement: David Ruis "True Love"

Rating: M

Disclaimer: All rights to CSI belong to Anthony Zuiker, CBS, Alliance Atlantis; no copyright infringement intended.

A/N: This is a prequel introduction of a new OC to the CSI team.

Chapter One

"Greater love has no man, than to lay down his life for a friend".

He would keep Jackie safe, die if necessary to keep her safe, as he said "Jim" loudly. She was young and had her life ahead of her. Brass suddenly felt tired, thoughts of Officer Bell weighing on him heavily, trying to reason artfully and get Jackie out unharmed. Willie Cutler was not going to let that be.

The thundering sound of two shots caught him off guard for a fraction of second. He felt as if kicked by a mule as he lost his balance and fell backwards to the floor. One bullet lodged in his Kevlar vest, as Jim felt a searing pain as the other bullet went into the right side of his chest. 'I'm hit', he thought detachedly, as the rest of the SWAT team burst through the door, opening fire on Cutler and sending him into oblivion. Jim was fighting to breathe, choking on the blood filling his throat, his right hand reaching out.

Brass was put on the stretcher and rushed to an ambulance in moments, Warrick staying alongside him. Brass tried to weakly raise two fingers as the oxygen mask prevented him from talking. He felt himself slipping away…

The hospital trauma team was on standby awaiting his arrival as he was hurried through the emergency room to be transferred to the trauma table. Monitor alarms were shrilling, his heartbeat erratic as he heard the doctor bark orders while seizing the defibrillator. Brass felt the lightning in his chest again as the shock paddles were applied repeatedly, his body arching in response to the electric current surging through him, the doctors and nurses frantically working over him to restore his heart rhythm.

A short time later at the hospital outside Jim's ICU room, Gil waited in the hallway…his mind returning to a different time in Brass' office as Brass spoke of Ellie, then being asked to accept the responsibility as Jim's power of attorney. The trust of their friendship never being more evident than at that moment as Gil accepted the paperwork.

Darkness enveloped Brass. Voices he could hear but not see echoed around him. He wanted to move, speak, simply open his eyes, but could make no sound, hearing the beeps or clicks or whooshing of the ventilator and other monitor equipment. Vaguely, he could hear Gil speaking with a doctor, discussing treatment options or complications or not doing surgery. Gil would take care of things, he trusted Gil with his life.

After discussing it with Jim's doctor, Grissom approved the surgery while at the same time calling Ellie to ask her to come see her father.

Brass remained unconscious as he was taken from his ICU room for emergency surgery. Jim found himself standing in a beautiful garden. He remembered it from his childhood back in Jersey. He would play hide and seek here as a boy with his brothers while visiting his grandmother. He heard a voice but couldn't make out what was being said. He walked toward it. The air was perfumed with the scent of flowers – roses, lilies, tulips, carnations, irises, daffodils. The voice continued but he saw no one.

"Where are you?" Brass finally asked irritably.

"You must wait for a time here…the veil remains in place. I stand guard over you," said the unseen Presence.

"Am I dead or something…where's the harps and angels?" Brass asked sarcastically.

He sensed amusement from the other Presence as the reply came. "You stand on the bridge between,Jim Brass, but in this place you may find the strength to return."

Brass could now hear another voice that was soft and melodic in the distance. He strained to make out the words but could not. Yet he felt peace flowing into him like fine wine that caused him to feel warm and safe with renewed strength. He did not want to leave this place of serenity for a while. He touched a single white iris that caught his eye, marveling at its softness and light fragrant scent.

Gil had finally gotten Ellie to come to the LVPD under protest to her father's office. She sat down insolently and put her feet up on his father's desk, as if daring Grissom to say something. Her attention was caught by the picture on Brass' desk. She saw a smiling little girl in a ponytail making a picture with crayons…a picture for her daddy she remembered. Her facial expression became wistful with a faint smile. Gil was attempting to see a crack in Ellie's façade and believed it had just occurred.