Never Land
Summary: You can't be a kid forever.
Author Notes: This was a story that had to be told.
This was a mistake.
But it was practically unheard of for a DiNozzo to deliberately walk away from a dare.
Let alone one delivered by the Special Agent Todd.
It had been such a long time.
Four years.
Almost five.
He hadn't spoken to her since she returned the ring.
Since Wendy had told him that he was her soulmate.
That she simply wasn't ready to meet the One.
Tony strayed away from anything resembling a relationship after that.
Like a sad version of Peter Pan-he wasn't ready.
Ready to move on.
Wendy Miller was his everything.
And up until now: that was all that mattered.
His partner, Kate, had decided out of thin air it was time for him to settle down.
Find the right girl.
But little did the feisty brunette know: he had already found her.
And Tony lost her.
So he went on a second date.
Then a third.
Seven dates was the official agreement.
But that's when it became a bad idea.
"Tony?" Kate found her partner at his desk at 2:00 in the morning.
His face was clouded over by an odd look of pain.
His brows furrowed, green eyes glittering with a slight twitch in his jaw.
She approached, "Why aren't you with Amber?"
The Italian agent calmly spoke, evidently still typing up a report, "Amber and I broke up."
Kate took a breath of silence.
Well it wasn't strange.
She had actually seen this coming a mile a way.
"...There's always the next one, Tony."
That's when he stopped, and leaned forwards, the lamp on his desk lighting his face, "That's just it Kate. I don't want the next one. I didn't want Amber. I'm through."
He thought that was it.
But Kate remained standing, "...Wow."
Tony sighed irritant, "What?"
"You really are afraid of commitment, aren't you?"
The hurt in his eyes went red, "Well I'm not exactly wildly fond of women either, Kate."
She smirked, not realizing she was over stepping, "So you were into making out with Lieutenant Voss then?"
The man stood, clearly upset by her words, "You don't get it," a growl, "You never will."
He tried to walk away.
She followed, "It's okay. Don't be afraid. It's normal for almost every lonely guy to feel confused," A playful glitter in her eyes.
Tony shoved some files away and in a file compartment, "Look, I've never hit a woman and I don't plan to start."
Kate backed away, clearly startled, "Oh, I'm...I'm sorry Tony. I hadn't realized...I thought...I thought we were joking," she admitted.
"Do I really look like I'm in a joking mood?" He was serious.
Kate studied her partner when it finally dawned on her, "I'm sorry...I assumed you didn't date for another reason. Who was she?"
Tony's shoulders eased up on some of the tension, "Someone I met a long time ago."
"...She hurt you, didn't she?"
Tony DiNozzo's eyes searched hers.
Probably for a reason to give her an ounce of trust.
"...She wasn't the first."
The former secret service agent touched his arm and awkwardly tried to move in closer.
He let it happen, his frame a bit stiff.
Kate held him in a warm embrace for three seconds.
He kept counting.
His eyes closed.
Flash.
"Tony!"
He stood up from the park bench, his fiancee approaching.
She stopped short of giving him a kiss.
It felt pained and...salty.
Tony's eyes opened and gently wiped her tears away with a thumb.
"What happened?"
Their foreheads touched, but she pulled away.
"Tony I'm...I'm sorry."
Wendy let go of his hands.
She backed away.
His face was filled with confusion.
"I'm sorry Tony but...I'm not ready to...to the meet the One. I still have my entire life a head of me I can't..."
"Don't do this-" He took a step forwards.
"You can move on without me. I'll...I'll give you a call in a few years. Just...don't forget me Tony."
"Stop."
She kept crying as she slowly backed away.
"Goodbye."
Tony felt tears fall down onto his suit.
Kate still held on.
His fingers gripped onto her.
Black & White Poof