Tony had gone home to freshen up like he promised.

"I want to go home!" Ziva demanded. She had been stuck in the hospital for the next three days. Slowly she was recovering. Even though her health was not one hundred percent she insisted she was fine. She won't eat much for some reason. The doctors grew a little bit concerned. She would only eat if she was starving. If not the doctors if not Gibbs, Tony, Duck or Abby would have to force food down her throat. Afterwards, her face would say she hated them for making her eat.

"Not now Ziver. Not now. You're not fit for home at the moment." Gibbs was getting tired of Ziva's constant demanding to leave. But he understood. He would be doing the same thing too. Insisting to leave. Ziva was sick but with the constant façades and complaining, demanding and whining she didn't look so sick. She more so looked pissed and determined but with a bad headache.

"Why? Tony can go home and can now do deskwork and he was shot in the chest. I only have a cold. I am not feeling as bad as you think you know?" Ziva persuaded. She really couldn't stand laying in the uncomfortable hospital bed all day long. She wanted to do something. SOMETHING other than laying around doing nothing all day.

"Tony got shot four weeks ago. You got pneumonia and once on the verge of recovery you get the flu. You just need to lay and rest and I might just let you go to work sooner than it took Tony to get back to deskwork." Gibbs winked. He knew that that would make her cooperate. He was sure when she rolled her eyes and lay back down in bed.

"You better not be lying Gibbs or I will hurt you later when I get the chance." Ziva warned with her eyelids shut. Gibbs smiled. The old Ziva is still there.

Ziva just lay there with her eyes closed. She wasn't asleep. Gibbs was watching her. She felt weird sleeping with someone staring her down. Gibbs was making sure she didn't escape or disappear without a trace. Even with the heavily armed marines outside her door he still didn't feel safe leaving her alone. He waited for someone to come replace him before he went for coffee.

Later that day, Abby burst into Ziva's room excited.

"Yaaaaaayyyeee!" She squealed not knowing Ziva had just fallen asleep seconds ago. Ziva was startled awake. Two of her heartbeats spiked on her monitor.

Gibbs frowned. "Abby!"

Abby grit her teeth. "Oops. Sorry Gibbs. Sorry Ziva."

Ziva smiled when she realized who woke her up. "Abby can you take me home? Gibbs will not let me go." Ziva complained. She hoped Abby would back her.

Abby looked at Gibbs and smiled. "Well Ziva. I'm not so sure you're fit to go home just yet. Sorry but I can't let you go home either. " Abby felt bad for not letting Ziva go home but she knew Ziva couldn't go yet. She also knew this was for Ziva's own good and she wasn't doing her any harm but more so just annoying her so that put her mind at peace.

"Why does no one let me go home!" Ziva whined. That loud question made her cough and the machines go insane.

I thought the pneumonia was over. Gibbs thought.

Abby watched. She was worried for her friend.

The doctors came in. Doctor Lewis put an oxygen mask over her face. She was alarmed by how wet her coughs sounded. She hoped it was just because she was annoyed.

Tears sprang in Ziva's eyes. Her coughing was not stopping.

"Come on Ziva. Breathe. You need to calm down and the coughing should stop ok?" Doctor Lewis encouraged. Ziva obeyed and slowly she was able to breathe normally. again. She left Ziva alone when she felt it was safe. She needed to talk to Gibbs and Abby.

"Could I talk to you two please?" The doctor inquired.

"Sorry Doc I don't feel safe leaving her alone." Gibbs said indefinitely.

"Nor do I doctor." Abby chimed in smiling at Ziva.

Ziva smiled back.

"It's ok guys. I am fine. You guys have got to stop being so over protective over me because I am ok." Ziva tried to give them peace of mind and tell them that she's ok.

"Never." Gibbs whispered in her ear and smiled. Ziva smiled back.

"Ok then. Over here then." Doctor Lewis compromised. She led them to the corner of Ziva's room.

"Ok. So. When you stay here with her, you need to try to keep her calm. When she panics her lungs can spasm. I am thinking that throughout all of her illnesses I'd say she had lost her appetite BIG time. She Hasn't been able to eat and keep her food down much hasn't she?"

Gibbs nodded.

"So it would make sense that her appetite had gone down." She sighed. "We have got to try get her to eat the littlest bit at least."

"I really don't know what else to do doc. She never listens to me." Gibbs sighed in frustration.

"I do." Abby chimed in.

Gibbs and Doctor Lewis looked at her.

"Bring her a meal." Abby winked at the doctor.

"I'll have a nurse bring her something." Doctor Lewis left.

A nurse came back with lunch and she placed it on the small table in front of Ziva. Ziva gave the food a disgusted look. She pushed it away with her finger hoping Abby and Gibbs didn't see. She plainly and simply didn't want to eat.

"Ziver. Eat." Gibbs started.

"I am not hungry." Ziva argued.

"Didn't ask if you were hungry Ziva. Eat." Gibbs in a way ordered.

"But- I." Ziva stuttered.

"Zeevaa. If you don't eat, No one will let you leave. The longer you stall at eating, the longer it will take for you to go home. Then, after you eat, you will sleep. If you don't sleep, when you do get home Gibbs will strap you to your bed for a week and will tie you to desk work for two months." Abby threatened looking all innocent.

"Ugh." Ziva pondered the threat and thought about it for a minute. I want to leave but I do not want to eat. But I want to leave this place more than I do not want to eat. I would rather sleep here than be strapped to my bed for a week and tied to desk work for two months soooooo.

"Fine." Ziva sighed and rolled her eyes and slowly but surely began to eat. She poked at her food with a fork and ate. Little at a time. Two 'short' hours later her plate was empty but it was not clean. But it was good enough for Gibbs and Abby that she ate something.

"Now sleep." Abby ordered.

Ziva frowned. She didn't want to sleep. But she remembered Abby's threat when she raised an eyebrow at her.

"Ohhhwwwwwhhh finne." Ziva gave in.

A/N: Poor Ziva never being able to have freedom no matter what... :)