Yay! I'm back! It has been a week and now you get a long chapter. Do you like this set-up or would two smaller chapters a week be easier?

Thanks to the reviewers! Troubled-Angel-26, sherryola, NCISJunkie79, Fashionista-girl, LT, Guest, Hippiechic81, Mindless Creation, KrisShannon, and Tamara - thanks! This has been an encouraging response to a first teaser chapter! I hope that you all like this chapter as much! I think that it will include a few surprises for everyone!

Thanks to fiftyshadeswritergal who proofread!

Have a wonderful weekend!

...

If Ziva had chosen to wear her burgundy top that morning perhaps nothing would have happened. But that sunny morning she decided to wear her white blouse. That one choice set in motion the sequence of events that would dramatically change how she interacted with her team at work.

Over the next few weeks Ziva would look back at that ordinary Wednesday morning and mutter and mumble about her choice of a shirt.

But the next few weeks after that? Despite small bursts of her temper that caused some self-protective anger at those who had taken away her control and independence, Ziva would come to be, for the most part, grateful for her wardrobe selection.

After choosing her shirt and heading to work, the next main part of her story was the arrest that she and Tony carried out right around noon. It was then that crazy William Potter took off running, hotly pursued on foot by Ziva while Tony ran to the car to tag team her by cutting off William's escape. Ziva tackled the man and it was then that she discovered that he had a knife. Her blouse had ridden up a bit during the chase and she felt the sharp nipping bit of the blade against her bare skin.

How dare he try to hurt me!

A surge of strength assisted her in removing the knife and deftly incapacitating him.

Her anger bordered on uncontrollable but she managed not to kill William, instead handing off the arrest to Tony once he arrived on scene. Tony asked the typical "You okay?" and Ziva responded with an affirmative and the three were off to NCIS. Tony's focus was on what he wanted for lunch once he got a chance to go buy it after delivering William to custody. With her partner so distracted it was not too difficult for Ziva to stuff some spare napkins against the cut. It helped slow the bleeding a little. She grabbed another napkin and wet it with a discarded bottle of water on the floor. She used it to remove the few specks of blood that had touched the hem of her top before she was able to grab it away from her side once Tony arrived.

Once they arrived at NCIS, Ziva excused herself and rushed to the bathroom. She locked the door behind her and lifted her shirt to assess the damage.

Not too bad. Deeper than I thought but not the worst I have had by long.

Grabbing a first aid kit conveniently stashed in the bathroom Ziva tied a sloppy bandage around her stomach. It was no doctor's job but perhaps it could stop the slow bleed. Ideally, yes, a doctor should have treated it immediately. There was no reason that she could not go to Ducky.

Except ...

It was a big "except".

There were too many stories that Ziva did not want to share from her past life. Too many hurts. In sharing those hurts with those who knew her now she would have to become vulnerable. And Ziva hated being vulnerable far more than she hated bleeding.

Thus no Ducky, no help of any kind. Miss Independent Ziva would do just fine on her own.

Like always.

She could not stay long, so she hurriedly inspected her work, then pulled down her top and rushed to her desk. She knew that Gibbs would be expecting her report immediately.

"Where have you been?" Tony asked her. Ziva simply frowned and ignored him. She gave Gibbs what she hoped was an apologetic look as she settled on her desk to listen to his briefing.

It was a little hard to listen.

The knife cut was now beginning to really hurt as her adrenaline drained out of her body. A steady, stinging pulsing began. It was far from the most pain that she had suffered but it was hard to handle while standing in front of her teammates, unable to pant with the pulses of pain. Holding all her suffering inside seemed to intensify the pain.

I hope that Gibbs does not talk more than he normally does. I need to find a quiet spot to rest away from people.

Gibbs did not talk for long - it was Tony who held them up by sharing a few not-so-humourous stories. Ziva's pain was holding her attention so much that she was not aware of what was happening.

"Ziva!" Gibbs broke off Tony's storytelling. "What happened?"

"What do you mean?" Ziva asked. She followed his gaze to her side where a growing crimson stain was marring the white fabric.

Why could Tony not have told that story tomorrow instead of today?!

"Oh, I am fine. It is only a small cut," she tried to assure him but Gibbs was having none of it.

"How bad?"

"It is barely a scrape."

For some reason the situation was making her uncomfortable. Not just a Gibbs-will-not-be-happy-that-I-hid-this-from-him uncomfortable but a why-is-my-chest-tightening? uncomfortable.

Tony frowned. "It doesn't look like 'barely a scrape'. It looks like Williams got you with that old knife he had."

Gibbs silenced Tony, stepping toward Ziva in concern. "Have you seen Ducky?"

Ignore the feelings. Ignore all weakness. Stand up for yourself, David, stand up.

"No, for there was no need."

Gibbs did not agree.

"Ziva, you are hurt. You would not be bleeding if you were okay. Let me see."

My chest is tightening. Why? What is happening to me? I cannot tell what is happening to my body. My heart is racing.

Ignore this weakness. Do not let it dominate you. You are strong. You must be strong. You are not allowed to be weak. Stand up!

"No!"

Gibbs' eyes narrowed at being told "no" by his subordinate. Tim slightly gasped and Tony's eyes expanded to what seemed like twice the normal size. Both felt the phantom pain of the head slap Gibbs would deliver if they had responded in such a way. Even Abby would be rubbing some portion of her anatomy if she had dared to speak in that tone to Gibbs. But there stood Ziva - pale and bloody, yet defiant. The young men slowly backed away. This had nothing to do with them and they had no desire to be anything other than bystanders - and if there had been a nearby exit they would not have even been there for that.

Ziva could tell that Gibbs was seriously annoyed but she could not think of the words to apologize, to soften her declaration, to explain herself. She tried to back away, but only managed half a centimeter before bumping into her desk. A semicircle of concerned people - Gibbs, Tony, and Tim - were in front of her, blocking her escape.

Gibbs was deadly serious - "Ziva, let me see."

I can barely move.

No, do not come near me. No, no, no...

Gibbs, concerned, stepped forward. There was concern in his eyes, compassion in his voice, and love in his heart.

But that was not what Ziva saw.

All she saw was danger.

Perhaps it was the pain mixed with adrenaline from the earlier fight. Perhaps it was earlier traumas, long past, reasserting themselves. Perhaps it was the fault of an over-stressed body carrying far too many locked emotions for one heart to hold. Or perhaps her guardian angels - for surely she had more than one! - influenced the moment, knowing that the momentary issues for those in the situation would be far outweighed by the eventual good that could be achieved.

But for some reason, Ziva's body panicked and she did what she always did when she panicked - she fought.

Namely, she punched Gibbs in the face.

There was one second of pure shock.

Then there was one second of pure terror. The realization of what she had just done flashed through her overwhelmed body like a zap of electricity.

I struck Gibbs!

Gibbs was apparently also shocked. He had stumbled backward, disbelief showing on his usually guarded face. Tim and Tony had grabbed hold of him, supporting him as they looked at Ziva with a mixture of amazement and consternation in their faces.

Ziva took the third second Gibbs was off balance to react on her instincts once again - she ran for her life.

...

Please review! What do you think is going to happen next? I love hearing your guesses!