This is a songfic about Tony and his dad. All mistakes are mine and I'm apologizing in advance for any you may find. The song is Perfect by Simple Plan; it really helps if you listen to it while reading this.

I own, sniff, nothing. Not the song or characters, just this computer I'm writing this on.

"Hey Dad, look at me

Think back and talk to me

Did I grow up according to plan?"

His Dad always had such high expectations of him, try as he might little Tony Dinozzo could never live up to the standard his Dad expected him to reach.

And do you think I'm wasting my time

Doing things I want to do?

But it hurts when you disapprove all along

The only subject Tony ever excelled in was sport, and according to his father that was a waste of time. Whenever Tony announced that he was off to play basketball it was always met with disapproving frowns and tuts.

"And now I try hard to make it

I just want to make you proud

I'm never going to good for you

I can't pretend that

I'm alright

And you can't change me"

When Tony became an NCIS special agent he thought his dad would be proud, but his father just looked on in contempt. He expected his son to be director, or at least a senior agent.

"Cuz we lost it all

Nothing lasts forever

I'm sorry

I can't be perfect

Now it's just too late

And we can't go back

I'm sorry

I can't be perfect"

It seemed that the only thing Tony did when he was younger was apologize for not being smart enough, neat enough or obedient enough for his dad. Now it was too late to change that.

"I try not to think

About the pain I feel inside

Did you know you used to be my hero?

All the days you spent with me

Now seem so far away

And it feels like you don't care anymore"

Before he was ten, Tony and his dad used to spend all day together. That was when his dad thought he was an ideal son. They used to go fishing and play ball but then his father started to see him as a disappointment and just spent all of his time nagging Tony about his grades.

"And now I try hard to make it

I just want to make you proud

I'm never going to be good enough for you

I can't stand another fight

And nothing's alright"

When Tony was seventeen he and his dad had fought over something, nothing major, he had forgotten what it was ages ago. It had been the final straw; they'd fought before but nothing like this and Tony couldn't take it anymore.

"Cuz we lost it all

Nothing lasts forever

I'm sorry

I can't be perfect

Now it's just too late

And we can't go back

I'm sorry

I can't be perfect"

When Tony was accepted into Gibbs team he found a surrogate father. His real one was too busy complaining about his lack of so-called determination. What he should have been worrying about was Tony's self-esteem which was dwindling with every snide remark.

"Nothing's going to change the things that you said

Nothing's going to make this right again

Please don't turn your back

I can't believe

It's hard just to talk to you

But you don't understand"

As he got older Tony tried reaching out to his father but had no luck. He didn't mean to be a disappointment and he couldn't see what he'd done wrong, he could just never seem to do anything right.

"Cuz we lost it all

Nothing lasts forever

I'm sorry

I can't be perfect

Now it's just too late

And we can't go back

I'm sorry

I can't be perfect"

Tony had finally gotten over the disappointment when he joined NCIS. His team became the caring family his childhood had deprived him of. He found parents in Gibbs and the Director and brothers and sisters in Abby, Kate, McGee and Ziva.

Thanks for reading. Please review with any advice or constructive criticism but not just saying I'm rubbish, you have to tell me why I am as well. =P