Goodness! I posted this without thanking my readers and reviewers from the last chapter. I'll have to update. Thanks to Hunter of Artemis15, Troubled-Angel-26, AmyV24, Queenofwheels (I loved that comment!), Guest, second Guest, Tamara, Fashionista-gril, Hippiechic81 (who has some interesting stories for those looking for some good Abby stories), fiftyshadeswritergal, Mindless Creations, A (I will try to use that idea in the next chapter, as she doesn't quite get there yet in this chapter), xstargirlx123, DS2010, Fan, HappyGuest, KirsShannon, TobyCat, and the third Guest. I appreciate hearing from each of you!

For anyone who likes the show "Bull" (Michael Weatherly's project after NCIS), I have started a new story called "The Finding of Cable". It's an experiment in writing for that show. There were barely any stories with Cable McCrory, my favourite character, so I had to fix that! Anyway, if you are interested in something new, check that out. A second chapter should be up later this week.

For now, ENJOY!

...

Ziva huffed loudly enough for Gibbs - who was having coffee with Ducky in the next room - to hear her. He sent her a stern look through the open door, clearing communicating his displeasure at her difficult attitude.

Only one and half minutes left! she mouthed from where she was seated with Jackie.

Gibbs ignored her clock-watching, mouthing back, Be good!

She crossed her arms and rolled her eyes.

"I hope that Jackie is truly up to managing her. Ziva is a handful when she gets in these moods of hers," Gibbs grumbled to Ducky.

"I can imagine," Ducky sympathized. "But Jackie is the best. She has worked with every scenario, from PTSD survivors to child trauma intervention."

"Really?"

Ducky's eyes twinkled. "See? No matter what mood Ziva decides to pull, Jackie will be able to work with her."

Gibbs smiled, looking at the discontent Ziva who's eyes were firmly glued to the clock on the mantle.

"You know Ziva, Duck. She loves being a surprise."

...

Once the second hand reached twelve, signalling her fifteen minutes were finished, Ziva stood and began walking away. She was so tired of listening to Jackie. All she needed from a therapist was for someone to say, "Nice to meet you. You are fine. Good bye." Was that what Jackie was doing? Oh, no! She was trying to "get to know" Ziva, asking so many personal questions - everything from if she was having a good day to what kind of relationship she had with her family to if she enjoyed working at NCIS.

I know the plans and tricks of someone like her!

Ziva had been as unpleasant as she could be without having Gibbs rush in to intervene. He was stationed about six yards away, chatting with Ducky. She knew he was there to make her behave - she hated that. She hated talking to Jackie. She hated not being allowed to deal with things that way that she had always done before ... before these people worked their ways into her heart.

Not that I have a heart.

...

"Ziva?" Jackie's voice was questioning. Gibbs turned to see the young agent hurrying out of the room as quickly as possible without actually running.

She waited until she had been in there for exactly fifteen minutes on the second!

The thought filled him with more amusement than was helpful.

"Ziva!" he said sternly. "Go back and finish with Jackie!"

"I was there for fifteen minutes," she said firmly, jutting out her chin in the slightest. "I did it. Now I want to go for a walk. You promised!"

"Ziva, stop being rude to Jackie, who took time out of her day to ..."

"It's fine," the older African American woman with a gentle face said, stepping out of the room to join the others. She only smiled at Ziva's blatant turning of her back. The action that was irritating Gibbs seemed to be amusing to her.

I work with "children" all the time, she mouthed behind Ziva's conveniently turned back. Gibbs could not help it. He chuckled. Ziva snapped around, knowing that she was missing something.

"What?" she demanded.

"Oh, nothing," Jackie said with a sweet smile. "I'll see you on Thursday, Ziva - two days from now."

"Wait! No! I will not ...!"

"...make a scene," Gibbs finished sternly, leaning in as he administered the whispered, yet stern, warning. "I will not be going for a walk with someone throwing a tantrum."

"I am not ...!" Ziva began haughtily, then noticing the smirk on Gibbs' face she adjusted her tone, switching to hissing between her teeth. "I am NOT throwing a tantrum. And I do not need to go for a walk with you."

"Then you can stay here with Ducky."

It was a clear ultimatum and Gibbs knew Ziva could take it either way. Thankfully, she seemed to realize that Jackie was still in the room and, not wanting any witnesses to being "grounded" from her promised and much-anticipated walk, she gritted her teeth and turned to Ducky.

"I feel fine!"

Gibbs sighed. Ducky could deal with her now for the next few minutes - already the ME was convincing Ziva that he would need to check over her wound before sanctioning any walks. Gibbs motioned toward the door and Jackie nodded. He would see her out.

"Sorry for that," he muttered, holding her bag for her as she slipped on a shawl.

"As I said, nothing that I cannot handle or am not used to on a daily basis!"

"So how is she really?" he asked as they stepped outside and he closed the door behind them.

"I'm sure that you understand doctor/patient confidentiality," Jackie said firmly, "but I did talk to Ziva about it and she gave permission for me to talk to Donald, you, and also a Miss Jenny Shepard, about her condition. She said that this is concern in her work environment and she is not allowed to return to the field until she gets cleared by a psychiatrist."

Gibbs nodded. "And Jenny, the director of the agency and also a sort of mother-figure to Ziva, knows that she can trick any psychiatrist's testing. Part of her training. That's why Jenny's insisting she actually get help before being tested."

Jackie smiled.

"Thankfully, I have also had training - in how to trick those trying to trick me into talking."

"I'll talk to Ziva about how it, but I just need you one question - can she get better?"

"Even today, with her lack of participation, along with what my friend Donald told me while convincing me to take her on as a client, I have been able to learn a lot about how to help her." Jackie paused and turned to him, lifting her hand to pat his cheek. "Do not look so sad, Agent Gibbs. There is hope - abundant hope - for dear, hurting Ziva."

"I'm counting on it," Gibbs said with a weary sigh. Raised voices from inside the house drew his attention. "I've ..."

"Go on," Jackie said with a smile. "And for what it's worth, with people such as whom Donald assures me are now involved in this girl's life, I believe that her healing process should go even better than to be initially expected. Trust me when I say that her allowing me to talk to you and Donald and Jenny - that was not really about work. She may act tough, but she wants you and your help and most importantly, your love."

"She said that?" Gibbs asked in surprise.

"I'm sure that you already know that she didn't. I could just sense it - strongly. Now go on, give her some of that love and get her to calm down."

Gibbs graced her with a rare smile, then headed back into the house to convince the loudly protesting Ziva that letting Ducky examine her truly WAS part of their agreement.

...

So, I would love to hear your ideas? Do you think that Ziva will let Ducky check her? I have an idea of what is going to happen next, but if any spectacularly great ideas come in, I might just change my mind!