Title: Touring the East Coast
Subtitle: A look in the years NCIS never showed Warnings: None.
Spoilers: Mention of knowledge acquired in "High Seas" and confirmed by the CBS page on Tony.
Summary: Tony Dinozzo did a real tour of the east coast as a cop. Peoria, Philadelphia and Baltimore.
***
First stop was Peoria, right out of Police Academy. McGee would probably find it amusing that Tony had once been a rookie too. And that as every rookie, probie and newbie out there, he took the crap that came with it. He didn't even mind the hazing and the humiliation, as long as it didn't go too far (he wasn't about to let himself be bullied either). And he did all the mandatory things a rookie does: he screwed up, he trusted the wrong suspects, he fainted when he saw a particularly nasty body (or rather, became unconscious for a small period of time - Dinozzos don't faint), he puked right outside a scene when he saw his first dead kid.
Still, he learned a lot. He had to grant Peoria and its police officers that. He learned the trade and learned it well, that being coped with good instincts contributed for him to become a "damn good rookie" as Detective Peter Clayton said once. Not all of the older cops were happy about that though, not everyone liked being outshined by a "kid" who just got out Police Academy.
But Tony was like that dog that keeps coming back after being kicked, so he beared it all with a grin, even though he knew what was being said inside the locker rooms (and outside too, for that matter).
It was almost two years into his "Peoria Period" (like he would later call it, just because it sounded funny), when Peter Clayton died while chasing a suspect. After that, it didn't make sense staying. The only other people who liked him were a few other rookies and a couple of lab techs. So Tony packed up, said goodbye and moved on to the next city in the list.
His entire life, Tony lived either on the East Coast or in the Midwest. The West Coast, despite having Hollywood, didn't have much of an appeal to him. California was fun (really fun), but it would never feel quite like home (he liked the Atlantic Ocean better - simple as that). So he threw a dart in a map and got Philly. Though Philly was worse than Peoria. Instead of good-natured hazing over being a rookie, he got mean-spirited comments and actions from his fellow officers. It was in Philadelphia that he took the detective test, most of the older guys thought it was unfair that he even got to do the test and were even less pleased when he was the only one who passed it (actually, he aced it - take that everyone who diagnosed him with learning disabilities).
The general opinion was that he was "too young to be a detective without buying his way in" and it seemed to infuriate them even further that he was good at it. He had good instincts and stood by them and most often than not, he was right. So when he started to be "right" more times than the other detectives were, it became a serious issue. When he got the highest solving rate of the month, the captain pulled him aside, congratulated him and warned him that he should trade departments while he was ahead. No one was looking out for him in the field and the captain didn't want his body in his conscience.
So Tony left Philly, 18 months after he got in. On the bright side, he left on his own legs and not in a coffin. Later, he would describe his reasons for leaving as "there were extenuating circumstances". Later, he would also learn the meaning of knowing someone really had your back.
As "P" just wasn't cutting it, he tried his luck in Baltimore. And Baltimore was okay. He was older now, if you can call 28 old. Also, he started learning how to pitch in his ideas and theories without making it seem as he was the one pitching the theory. He goofed 90% of the time and made sure no one took him too serious. That being done, it never seemed like he was the one responsible for the busts, so there was no reason for anyone to be jealous.
His main problem in Baltimore was a partner he couldn't win over. He didn't want the guy to love him, but it would certainly be better if the guy could stand him. Detective Mark Wilson was an arrogant man who thought that coming from a long line of law enforcement agents entitled him to act like anyone else was inferior to him. He would shoot down everything Tony had to say, never admitted to being wrong and had been known to leave Tony's back unattended more than once.
In law enforcement, partners are supposed to trust each other completely. Otherwise, it never ends well. But before Tony could try another request for a change in partner or department, the entire department was caught up with a serial killer case. And when the latest victim turned out to be a petty officer, half of the officers groaned at having to work with NCIS again. Having gone to a military school during his teenager years, Tony knew what the acronym meant and that was when Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs rolled into town.
One of the older guys whispered to him that the second "B" was for bastard. But Tony had experience with bastards so he stepped up and proposed that they share jurisdiction. Gibbs didn't seem keen on the idea but Tony argued that it wasn't solely a military case. Out of 5 victims, only one was serving. Besides, their knowledge of the town would be helpful, they might make connections he couldn't. In the end, it was a comment about having learned how to share in kindergarten that convinced Gibbs. If anything, the "kid" had guts.
Later, Gibbs would learn that the "kid" was also extremely competent (even if he tried not to show).
The case got solved, but not before another body showed up and not before Tony managed to alienate most of the department. Some of them started scuttlebutt that he was ass kissing for a "cushy fed job", that they overheard Tony telling Gibbs he was too good to be "just a cop" and other comments of the sort. Unfortunately for Tony the rumors caught on like fire in a haystack.
"Dinozzo! How do you like Washington?" Gibbs asked after their suspect admitted to killing the 6 people. And though Tony had a feeling of where this was going, he decided to be a little hard to get.
"Well, Gibbs, I've only been once. Once of those visits you make in school. Meet the White House kind of stuff. My teacher was this really pretty woman, very Mrs. Robinson. Too bad I was only 8."
"Don't make me ask it. You'll be expected in two weeks, otherwise don't bother showing up." Realizing that was as far as an job proposal as he was going to get, Tony smiled and for the first time said the three words that would stick with him for many years to come.
"On it, boss."
(It was only after he passed the two year mark at NCIS that Tony stopped getting 6-months leases on his apartment, and started getting longer contracts. - Just to make sure.)
A/N: This is the first fanfic I completed and posted in almost a year and a half so I think I might be a little rusty. But I like Tony, and I wanted to read something about his time as a cop. And this came out. Not much of an action fic, just character study stuff. But I hope you guys like. And even if you don't, try to review and tell me what I can do to improve myself. Also, please be aware of typos and grammar errors, I haven't done any kind of beta'ing on it yet.
A/N 2: Some very nice people just reviewed the story with their very constructive comments, so I changed a few things! I made a mistake the first time putting Ohio and Peoria as part of the East Coast. Thanks to dalai, I now know that they're not (I'm Brazilian, and Geography is not exactly my strong suit). Still, makes one wonder why Tony never chose the East Coast. TheNaggingCube also mentioned that my verbe tenses were a little rough (thanks for the tip!), so I tried to solve that a bit. Not sure I managed, but it was worth a try!
To the other people who reviewed my deepest thanks:
mafiaprincess_a.k.a. alisa
Cirien5
TechnoMistress