This is a new one shot but regular readers may notice just a little 'recycling' from a previous one.


A Navy Cop.

How has my life come to this? Tony DiNozzo thinks as he strips off his jacket, tie and shirt in the NCIS men's locker room. Another day. Another case. Another petty officer dead in Rock Creek Park. Another suspect upending a trash can in a foolish attempt to delay their chasing him. Of course the Boss had anticipated that move and been waiting when the guy turned the corner. Unfortunately, in a move that was more Keystone cop than very special agent he'd skidded on a banana peel and ended up with something that he really, really hoped was Chinese takeway and a few other unidentifiable but extremely smelly items smeared from his head to his toes. It must have looked bad because neither McGee or Bishop laughed although he could tell they both wanted to and they'd hurried back to MCRT van suspiciously quickly.

"They don't pay me nearly enough for this" he mutters. He carefully hangs the shirt and jacket on a hanger and places it inside the dry cleaner's bag he keeps in his locker for times like this. He picks up the tie and sniffs at it. "Phew!" He scrunches up his nose. Even with the world's best cleaner or one of Abby's special cleaning solutions there was simply no way that could be saved. He tosses the tie back over his shoulder and then turns to find it's landed in the bin across the room. Tony grins.

Next he quickly removes shoes, socks, belt, trousers and boxers; grabs a towel from a nearby rack and wraps it around his waist. He stows his remaining clothes in the locker and takes his Ohio State sweats and basic shampoo from within it. After placing the clothes on the bench he heads to the shower. He pulls back the curtain, places the shampoo inside and turns on the taps waiting for the water to warm before dropping the towel and stepping inside.

"Ahhh." The impact of the water hitting his exhausted body is sheer bliss. The pressure easing the kinks of far too many days and often nights spent at his desk. As the water begins to wash away the grime of the crime scene DiNozzo sighs and his thoughts begin to wander.

How did my life come to this? Standing here taking my second shower of the day to remove garbage...actual garbage from my body while wishing at the same time that it was that easy to remove the images of battered bodies and broken victims from my thougts. I never even wanted to be cop navy or otherwise! I wanted to be cowboy...ride horses and shoot guns...or maybe an actor. Watching all those movies with Mom that looked like a pretty cool job. Wearing sexy suits and spending time with beautiful women.

Then I became a cop and I loved that job. The closeness with a partner, being part of a team with a common goal. The difference between right and wrong seemed much clearer back then. Until the day it suddenly wasn't and the only viable option available was to leave Baltimore, smile and join NCIS.

Here he'd found not only a mission and patners he could depend on but also a place where his skills are recognised and vauled and far more importantly some true friends. As he'd once said...was it to E.J.? "It's all about the people." Which of course was why when offered a chance to leave, to have his own team he'd declined. At that moment he'd chosen to stay but was that still the right choice? Maybe it was time to be looking again at his options.

Taking the soap from its niche in the wall he begins to run it over his body. Slowly working his way up and down each arm, across his chest and then up and down each leg working up quite a lather. Replacing the soap he reaches for the shampoo and vigoursly works some through his hair. He replaces the shampoo and turns under the shower head letting the water cascade through his hair and down his torso allowing it to take with it the shampoo, the suds and his doubts for the moment.