Disclaimer: "NCIS" and its characters don't belong to me they belong to CBS and are being used without permission. Please don't sue because I have no money.
Author's Note: The team go back to the place where Tony first started working as a cop. They also find out how it was for him as a Rookie (Probie). Set after Dead Air.
Peoria
Tony walked into the bullpen and sat down at his desk after putting his backpack by his desk. Putting his gun and credentials into the desk he started up the computer. He watched as Ziva and McGee walk into the room and say their good mornings and he said them back. The phone rang and they watched as Gibbs picked it up.
"Go home and pack your bags. We are going to Peoria. There's a dead Marine there and Peoria PD is going to be helping."
Tony stared at Gibbs as he said this. He didn't know what to think of going back to Peoria after leaving there to go to Philly. He stayed as long as he could, but he couldn't take it anymore. With luck some of the guys that had been there would be gone. He turned off the computer and gathered his things making his way out of the bullpen.
When they arrived at the Police Department he stood there for a minute looking at the building. It hadn't changed since he had last been there.
"DiNozzo." Gibbs yelled as he saw Tony staring at the building wondering what was going on.
They all walked inside of the building wanting to talk to the officer who had found their Marine. Walking into the part of the building where the officers were Tony found out that he was not so lucky.
"Look who came back. It's Anthony DiNozzo."
Tony glared at them not at all happy that the same people who he had worked with were still there. They already had a room for their investigation and Ducky came with them to see the body.
A few days later Tony was outside when they showed up. He looked at them and then around, but there was nobody there. He couldn't believe that this had happened.
"We missed our punching bag, Anthony."
One of the guys quickly grabbed his arms and Tony tried to get away, but he couldn't.
"You remember how we treated the Rookies because you were one when we got you. You are still the worthless guy you once were and we will once teach you a lesson. The lesson to never lower your guard. We could be anywhere we could be nowhere. We could have your back, or we could leave you alone without back up. You have to rely on you and only you. You are still worthless and you are the gum that I scrape off my shoe." The guy said as he made his point by shoving his fist into his stomach.
"As you remember we didn't have your back when they shot you is because you are worthless and don't deserve back up." Another voice was heard and he too buried his fist into his stomach.
Tony was bent over trying to catch his breath after the two hard hits to his stomach when he heard Gibbs's voice
"Step away from Agent DiNozzo."
They let go of Tony and turned to the voice seeing the three Federal Agents.
"You are under arrest for assaulting a Federal Agent."
"No." Said Tony who had straightened up.
"Tony they were beating you up."
"They're not worth it."
They watched as the men walked away after Gibbs dismissed them. "Are you okay, Tony?"
"I'm fine, Gibbs. Just like old times." Tony smiled at Gibbs.
"Tony is this why you left?"
"Yes. I was tired of the beatings because I was a Rookie. When I went to Philly it was better and I vowed when I had my own Rookie, or later Probie" He looked at McGee as he said this. "That I wouldn't treat him like a punching bag. I would however prank and tease him which was better than the abuse I took up when I was a Rookie."
Gibbs nodded. "To keep him on his toes, but to make sure he was safe?"
"Yes."
Gibbs nodded and went back into the building leaving McGee and Ziva behind with Tony.
"I'm sorry for leaving you without back up. That's why you were angry at us when you found out we turned the radio off?"
"Yes, because I had been like that before. I didn't have back up and because of that I was shot. I never thought that it would happen again and it did. It made me mad that nobody cared about what would happen to me if something happened."
"We are sorry we will never do that again."
Tony nodded and then he too when inside the building that he had worked for a very long time ago. He couldn't wait until this case was done, so he could get out of here.
They had finally found the guy who had killed their Marine. The man Gary had killed him because he wouldn't give him his wallet and so he had shot him.
Tony sighed as he got into the car ready to leave Peoria and he hoped that he never would go back again. He stared at the window as they drove away from the Police Department finally leaving to go home.