Chapter 14
The snide remarks and comments began almost immediately after the news spread. Most at NCIS could not see Senior Field Agent Anthony DiNozzo as anything but a goof-off. And, in all honesty, many thought someone has gotten hold of some bad gossip and was spreading it around. Anthony DiNozzo just, simply, was not doctor material.
Beginning almost the next day there were snickers when Tony walked by the other teams desks when he got off the elevator to go to the bullpen. Some of the ladies in the accounting department had been a little mean making spiteful jokes about Doctor Love. There were 'memos' and emails that had made their way around the building. Gibbs, Kate and Tim had intercepted just a few of them. And Gibbs had gone about making examples of the authors of the hateful, hurtful propaganda.
Tony had expected some disbelief. He did, after all, know of his reputation at NCIS. But he had not expected the volume of hateful, hurtful comments. He had not expected the insults to his intelligence, asking what caliber of med school would let him be a graduate. He had not expected the overall character assassination.
"Tony, you can do something about this." Gibbs said. "You can file a complaint. You can let me take care of them."
Tony shook his head. "I don't need to prove anything to anybody, Gibbs. I know how good a doctor I am. I know how good a field agent I am." Tony replied. "You could say whatever you wanted to say to them, Gibbs. Their opinions of me are not going to change. People here gossip about me all the time. I know that. I…they just have new, more wood to throw on the fire, more to fan-the-flames."
Gibbs opened his mouth to speak, but shut it quickly. Tony was right. He was the center of gossip around NCIS, usually through no fault of his own.
"I'm an easy target, Gibbs. People have NO idea why you still keep me around. Why you put up with my…antics. People wonder how we have the highest solve rate. They have no idea how you put up with me." Tony continued. "They are absolutely mystified as to how I got to be your second-in-command."
Tony paused for a moment. He probably would never have brought it up, but given the situation. "Even Tim and Kate wonder that, and they work with me every day." Tony paused again. "How can you expect others NOT to wonder about it?"
Both Tim and Kate were surprised by Tony's comment, not that it wasn't true, it was. It was just that he had picked up on it. They had no idea Tony knew they had those questions.
"Tony, I…." Tim started.
Tony continued. "How could somebody so…inferior be given such a superior position? A position that is so important, and with probably the best MCRT here, how could that happen?" Tony looked from Tim to Kate and back. "I know you never said those things to me, Tim. Kate. But you do tell other people things. You talk in the halls. You email and I.M."
This time Kate opened her mouth to speak, but Tony ignored her.
"I will tell you both the same thing I'm telling the rest of them." Tony paused. "I don't owe you an explanation. But I would 'suggest' you read the requirements for my position, since you, obviously, have not. That may 'answer' some questions for you."
It was after that that Tony fell silent. He left the bullpen and nobody tried to follow him.
"Well," Gibbs said. "…you heard him…read the requirements, find out a few things."
Tim sat down and started typing. Moments later a list of requirements appeared on the screen.
"A master's degree?" Kate asked.
"Or equivalent." Gibbs said.
"But the medical school…." Tim started.
Gibbs shook his head. "No, not med school, it didn't count. He didn't put it on his application for this job."
"Then how...?" Kate asked.
"Tony started taking classes online when he started here. He wanted to get a degree in Criminology. He liked it so much he's working on a Master's." Gibbs explained.
"Working?" Tim asked, surprised.
Gibbs nodded. "Yes, McGee. He takes classes online." Gibbs stood up to get some coffee. "You take people ONLY at face-value. You get what you ask for." Gibbs started to leave the bullpen. "I expected more from you, both of you."
TBC
Author's Chapter Notes:
AN: I am not quite sure where this chapter came from. I had wanted this to be a happy, feel-good story. But I think this type of reaction would occur at NCIS and, I, of course, love addressing the disrespect shown Tony. It's one of my pet peeves with these beloved characters. So I guess it really does fit. Though when I started writing this story, I had not planned on a great deal of angst of any sort. I also, which I love doing, gave Tony some more, made-up, education. I am not sure the reqs for SFA. But with what I made up I knew with just his Ohio State bachelor he didn't have enough. And since he didn't include his med school, pre-med, etc. he definitely didn't have enough education. Enjoy!