Disclaimers: I do not own anything familiar from the television series NCIS. I do own James, V, and the other characters.
A/N: I know that the last chapter was quite confusing, but it had to be there. This one is short as well, and I'm sorry for that, but school's back and I don't know if I will be able to write long chapters.
The plane ride back to D.C. was a ride filled with thoughts. The thoughts in Tony's head were of things he kept hidden from the rest of the world especially from James and Gibbs.
He thought of things that came natural to him.
He was great with the ladies, had the looks, the intellect, and had a good memory which helped with his knowledge of film.
He was good at his job.
He was good at finding things.
He killed and he was good at it.
Was he a natural in that?
No.
He was a natural liar and secret keeper.
Besides those two and of course the things listed earlier in his minds – nothing was natural.
He was trained. He worked to perfection that it almost seemed natural.
When he was nine he met a man. Even at nine he could feel power radiated off the man.
His name was Joseph.
Tony never got his last name, but it didn't matter. His nine year old self was stricken; stricken with adoration.
He liked Joseph instantly. How could he not? He wanted a father's love. His biological father was cold, judging, and so distant that a chance of having a relationship with someone that could act as a father to him was highly appealing.
Joseph became more than a father figure. He became Tony's mentor, councilor, friend, and leader.
The man let Tony into his life, and brought him a true family.
In doing so, Tony gained two sisters, three brothers, and a first love.
They were Amy Lynch, Jean Adler, Jasper O'Brien, Randall Miller, Brian Ashby, and Delilah Ricardo.
They all became a family under their father Joseph.
Tony grew up secretly with them. His parents had no clue, and he liked it that way.
Life under Joseph wasn't easy, but it was better than the one he had with his father and his not so stable mother.
He head to excel in all things from math to science to languages to art. Joseph the Father wanted his children to be strong and able to reach the highest of heights.
And Tony did become strong.
He was a master of languages. He was a master at killing. He was a master of fighting in general. He was a master of lying. He was a master of secrets.
He along with the other Children excelled.
Besides that, they all became really close. They hung out, joked, had fun, and talked whenever they could.
They went to high school together. In college, they separated but not far enough. They all were a five minute drive away from each other.
Before college Joseph gave them a choice. They could come and work for him with recruiting more children and do business with the world, or do their own thing.
Joseph had hoped that both Brian and Tony would accept, but Tony declined.
Tony loved Joseph dearly, but law enforcement drew him in from the get-go.
Joseph wasn't upset.
He just smiled.
Brain chose to follow in Joseph's footsteps. Delilah decided to become a teacher. Amy wanted to become a nurse while Jean wanted to be a competitive swimmer. Randall chose to start his own business. And Jasper – well he majored in psychology, but in the end became something entirely different.
Everything seemed so perfect. He and Delilah were dating. Randall and Amy were married. Jasper and Jean were also dating. And Brian…well, he preferred the single life.
Too perfect.
Then it all fell apart.
Delilah died in the cold after being diagnosed with a deadly disease. She fought hard, but she lost.
"You shouldn't cry, cousin."
"I can't stop…You came into my life so quick, but now you are go...nn...gonna go away just as quick."
"No one can stop death. Death is the cousin of Sleep as Sleep is the cousin of Dreams. I'm going to the eternal dream."
"Death is cruel. So is Sleep. Dreams go both ways too."
"You'll survive."
"But you won't! Why did you tell me?"
"You're not the only one who has secrets or how to lie to keep them."
If I had only known…
Tony took a sip of the bottle of Budweiser in his hand as one of the deep grieves he had inside washed over him.
It was the first heartbreak he had ever received and there were more to come.
Jasper and Jean broke up, and never spoke again.
I found out Jasper's secret.
Jasper was a killer.
He had snuck into his friend's dorm room; curious at Jasper's mysterious movements, and constant hiding and disappearing along with faraway looks into some other world.
Jasper wouldn't tell him anything. No Jasper liked to make things a challenge. And Tony didn't mind that.
He was in the dorm room, and to his horror finds Jasper there holding a dagger and wearing a very bloody sweater.
"Come out, DiNozzo," he said.
Nervously, Tony revealed himself. But he fought it off. This was shocking. What was his friend doing with a blade like the one he was holding? And why was his shirt so bloody?
"Tony." Jasper said heavily. His eyes were filled with regret, but they also bore undying love for Tony. He threw the knife on the bed, took off the sweater, and threw it there as well. "Tony, I've got something to tell you," he continued slowly.
But Tony had already figured it out. It all made sense now. The constant disappearing, the faraway looks, the hiding, and Brian's utter refusal to acknowledge it all.
A string of murders haunt this city….
And the knife and bloody gave him more evidence.
Jasper was a serial killer.
"I know – now." Tony replied with a slight nod.
Jasper looked relieved; the regret in his eyes was no longer there, but content.
As much as Tony wanted to hate Jasper he knew he couldn't. How could he hate him? He knew he should, but the feelings of hate, outrage, and anger at Jasper for keeping the secret and being a murder never crossed his mind.
He just said, "Ok. Good night."
And he left.
The next day, Jasper transferred out of state.
Do I now regret the decision of not turning him in?
Once again, Tony knew he should, but he didn't and he couldn't.
Have people died thanks to Jasper's skilled hands? Yes, but Tony didn't regret. He didn't hate Jasper. He just hated that Jasper chose the life of a wanted man; of a serial killer.
And that's why Jean broke up with him.
She knew his secret, and she hated him for it.
And the last and final heartbreak happened quicker than he thought it would.
Amy committed suicide. What made it all the more heart wrenching was that she did this irreversible action after getting raped.
Everyone's heart had broken after Amy's death, but none more than Randall. He felt so loss without his soul mate.
And when an illness struck him, Randall would not fight. He was ready to die. But his biological brother wasn't going to let Randall give up. He overrode Randall's decision to get no treatment, and declared his brother mentally unfit.
And that did it.
Brain was guarding the door while Tony and Randall were completely alone in the hospital room.
Tony had a needle in his hand. Randall wanted him to inject their patented "sleeping drought" into him through the IV.
Randall, Tony, and Brain knew that their creation the "sleeping drought" was untraceable, and no one would ever know that someone injected anything unless seen, but the part of being caught was highly unlikely.
Tony was hesitant. He wasn't sure if this was right, but one confident look from Randall he knew that he had to do it despite the fact he knew it would haunt him for the rest of his life.
He had already lost most of his friends and family. Delilah lost to her disease. Amy committed suicide. Jasper went off to somewhere to continue his killing spree. Jean was no where to be found since breaking up with Jasper. And now Randall wanted him to kill his friend even though he worded it as a mercy killing.
Brian and Joseph were the only ones left now.
But then again, a sort of distance was coming between him and Brian, and Joseph. They had different ideals, aspirations, dreams, and motives.
Tony realized that after he gives Randall the peace that he deserved - he would be entirely alone.
"I love ya, you know that brother…" Randall gasped; ready to leave the world of the living.
Tony smiled in a bittersweet way. "Love you too," he replied.
With that, he injected the "sleeping drought" and watched as Randall quickly faded away.
The final heartbreak was one I created.
He had lost so many people that he blamed himself if only for a little while. It was during that blaming at him period that he made his farewells to Brian and Joseph.
He then ran; trying to escape the memories as he got accepted to his first law enforcement job.
Those days have passed.
And he gained a new family; two of them in fact. Everything seemed perfect with them as well, but once again things started to go downhill.
And this time, Tony swore it wouldn't end like last time.
This time he knew the better outcome. This time he would make that outcome true.
In the end…
He would not be alone.
TBC
End-note: I hope you enjoyed this chapter. That was a little history of DiNozzo in my stories. Comment on what you thought about it. Reviews appreciated!