Summary: Ziva's in trouble and Gibbs has to decide what to do about it. Warning: contains disciplinary spanking.
WARNING: Contains disciplinary spanking. If this isn't your thing, hit the back button know.
Author's note: We've seen a lot of fan fiction written in which Gibbs spanks a member of his team. But I thought it would be interesting to explore an idea in which he normally wouldn't do that, but needs to be persuaded to do it – like the title indicates, for the first time. I hope I haven't gotten Gibbs too out of character in this and that you enjoy my work.
THERE'S A FIRST TIME FOR EVERYTHING
Gibbs stalked off the elevator into the squad room. The members of his team filed off behind him. Their characteristic chatter was notably absent. Instead, a tense silence filled the air, mainly due to the anger radiating off their boss.
"Everybody go home. We'll start fresh on this tomorrow," Gibbs ordered as he tossed his ball cap onto his desk. He turned to pin one particular agent with a hard look. "Ziva, we'll talk about this tomorrow."
Ziva stiffened. She knew that Gibbs's anger was directed at her, but she could help herself. "I don't see what there is to talk about. I saw the opportunity and I took it."
Gibbs quickly crossed the distance between himself and Ziva. She forced herself not to take a step back as he invaded her personal space to tower over her. He was having a hard time not giving into the urge to shake her or give her a smack to the back of the head. As angry as he was, she'd end up with a concussion. "You don't want to push me on this, Ziva. I told you we will talk about it tomorrow."
Ziva started to speak, but a slight shake of his head warned her to remain silent.
"That is unless you want me to fire you right now." Gibbs didn't want to tell her that he wanted to calm down and not make a decision about what to do in anger.
"No, that will not be necessary."
"Then follow orders for once and go home."
Ziva nodded and stepped back. She turned to leave, only to spot Tony and McGee. They stood frozen at their desks, surprised at the interaction between their boss and their co-worker. Nobody in their right mind would poke at Gibbs when he was angry, and Ziva had done just that.
XxxxxxX
A few hours later, Gibbs was in the basement of his house, working on the boat he was currently building there. He did some of his best thinking there, and that was exactly what he was doing – trying to come to a decision about how to deal with Ziva. It hadn't been the first time she'd disobeyed an order, but this time, she was nearly killed as a result. He wasn't a stranger to having to discipline the members of his team, but this warranted more than a slap to the back of the head.
Gibbs had just taken a sip of bourbon when a noise on the stairs drew his attention. "Ziva," he stated as soon as she moved into view.
Ziva descended the staircase. She wasn't quite sure she really wanted to be there or if she was ready to face the end result of what she was about to do. After going home as Gibbs had directed, she began stewing over what might happen the next day. Ziva knew that there were only a few options open to Gibbs, and she wasn't sure she could stand being suspended or restricted to her desk, much less if he decided to fire her. She still thought she was in the right, but that wasn't going to make any difference to Gibbs. From what she'd learned of her boss, that would only make the situation worse.
As she had brooded, she'd remembered a historic romance novel she'd read recently. In the book, the heroine had done something to put herself in danger, and the hero had reacted by spanking her. Maybe, if she couldn't talk Gibbs out of his temper, that would be an alternative to what he might have in mind.
"What do you want?" Gibbs demanded as she came to stand near him.
"I wanted to talk about what happened today."
"What about it?" Gibbs resumed sanding the wooden rib of the boat.
"We obviously have a different opinion about it."
"Obviously," he responded dryly.
Ziva paced to the other side of the large room and back before continuing. "I still believe I did nothing wrong. I saw an opportunity and took it. As a result, we apprehended a wanted terrorist."
Gibbs tossed the sand paper onto the work table and turned to look at her. "You disobeyed a direct order. You put yourself and everyone around you in danger." He moved to stand over her, just like he had earlier. "You nearly got yourself killed. Again." He emphasized the last word. "I'm not going to let this go."
Ziva nodded and took a step back. "And?"
"And what?"
"What are you planning on doing?"
"I don't know, Ziva. I've got to get it through to you that you can't go off half-cocked and disobey orders when you don't like them." He reached for the bourbon and took a drink before setting it back down. "I would have thought your father would have taught you better than that."
"My father expected me to do whatever was necessary to get the job done, regardless of the danger to myself or those around me." Ziva paused and considered her next words carefully. "I told you once that you are more of a father to me than he ever was."
Gibbs nodded in response. "I do think of you as a daughter, Ziva. That's what makes this all that much harder. I will let you know tomorrow whether you'll be taking a vacation or riding a desk for a week."
Ziva swallowed. It was now or never. "There's another option. What would have done with Kelly if she had placed herself in danger."
"I would have blistered her backside."
"If I'm like a daughter to you, what would be the difference between spanking her and doing the same to me." She moved to stand in front of him, meeting his eyes with her own, so that Gibbs could see how serious she was. "I don't think I could stand it if you suspend me or restrict me to my desk," she said so quietly he almost didn't hear her.
"You are an adult, Ziva, not a child."
"Does that really make a difference? I mean, you have no qualms about smacking us on the back of the head."
Gibbs considered Ziva carefully. Taking a deep breath, he moved to the nearby work table. He picked up a wooden ruler he occasionally used in his woodworking. Turning back to Ziva, he ordered, "You can keep your underwear on, but drop your jeans."
"Gibbs?" Ziva questioned. Now that this was actually going to happen, she was nervous.
"If we're gonna do this, we're gonna do it right. You can still change your mind." When Ziva didn't move, he continued, "drop your jeans and bend over. Brace your hands on the stool." He pointed to the stool that had been placed in the corner of the room.
Ziva moved to comply with Gibbs's orders. She unfastened her jeans and pushed them down to pool around her ankles. With one last look at Gibbs, she bent over and braced her hands on the stool.
Gibbs moved to stand at her side. He couldn't believe he was about to do this. Still, it made sense in a way. While it was true that Ziva would learn a lesson if he went by the book and suspended her or restricted her to her desk, it would be to the detriment of his team. Ziva had become a valued member. On the other hand, a spanking would definitely give her incentive to follow orders in the future.
"Tell me why you are getting this spanking," he ordered.
"I disobeyed a direct order and put myself and my team mates in danger."
Gibbs brought the ruler down hard on Ziva's panty-clad backside. She jerked upright and gasped at the sudden stripe of pain. Gibbs merely pointed at the stool. When Ziva resumed her position, he placed a hand on the small of her back, effectively holding her in place. The wooden ruler fell again and again, until finally Ziva sobbed openly.
"I'm sorry, Gibbs. I won't disobey you again."
Gibbs stepped back and tossed the ruler onto the work table. "Good. Then you've learned your lesson."
Ziva started to stand. Gibbs helped her straight up and pulled her into his arms for a hug. He held her in a comforting embrace until her sobs quieted. "It's over. You're forgiven." Gibbs stepped back and turned away, giving Ziva the opportunity to pull her jeans back up into place.
"About tomorrow, Gibbs?" she asked.
"What happened here stays between us. I'll inform the director that today's incident has been dealt with. No further action will be necessary."
Ziva nodded. The last thing she wanted was for Tony to find out what had happened between her and Gibbs. She had a feeling he would never let her live it down.
"Ziva," Gibbs's use of her name interrupted her train of thought. When she turned back to him he continued, "I hope you really did learn your lesson. Because if you ever do anything like that again, I won't give you a choice. The spanking I'll give you will make this one feel like child's play. Is that understood?"
"Yes, sir," Ziva responded.