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Fail to plan, plan to fail.
That was a phrase Tony had heard many many many times growing up. He had been reckless, especially throughout college, but eventually he had mellowed out somewhat. He still acted like an overgrown child but he knew when to reel it in. Gibbs had helped mainly with that, but the impact of the work he did at NCIS was also a contributing factor.
He worked his way in the ranks, gaining his title of Very Special Agent Anthony Dinozzo. If anyone had asked why he joined the police department, then NCIS, or even stayed with the agency for as long as he had, he would say something along the lines of 'the badge helps pull the ladies' or even 'the adrenaline rush, there is nothing like it.' Both were lies
Sure, he hadnt lied when he mentions the ladies, but one lady in particular was the cause for his career choice. (Y/N) (L/N). She like many others had failed to plan and it had been her downfall.
She and Tony had been close growing up, and even closer during college. They never official got together, but it was a matter of when not if. Everyone who met the pair knew that they were destined to be together; deep down the both of them knew it too.
Maybe it was fear of losing their friendship, or the worry of commiting to something new, but neither one ever took the step beyond friends.
Tony had always told her to be safe, especially in a city Columbus. Usually she listened, that night was the exception. She had gone to the cinema but hadn't judged the run time of the film, missing the last local bus back to campus. She had called from a payphone Tony to come pick her up. She was dead by the time he had made it to her.
The police had said it was a random mugging gone wrong, but as he watched her lifeless body where it was pulled from a morgue drawer, he couldn't help but disagree. The way he skin was ripped and limbs were mangled told another story. The mortician said that she put up a good fight, but her self defence wasn't enough. She had clearly had a lot of fight in her, but she still lost.
Tony swore two things to her in that morgue. He promised to find who had hurt her and get his revenge. He also swore that he would not allow this in future, that he would be there for the people who experienced the same thing but be there to save them. In the end he only made right on one of those promises.