Hi, everyone! Finally back with a new chapter!

Thanks to fiftyshadeswritergal for her wonderful help in editing! Thanks to Queenofwheels, DS2010, Dalm, fiftyshadeswritergal, Gibbs4Eva, Troubled-Angel-26, xstargirlx123, Fashionista-girl, S, HappyGuest, Fan, Ludy, Guestxx, KrisShannon, Dawn248, and Rhi. All your comments were so wonderful and encouraging. Sorry that I did not have time to respond to them all. I'm still adjusting back to school.

I hope that you are all having a wonderful first part of 2020. To anyone who does not know, fiftyshadeswritergal and I have been co-writing a Christmas story (on my account this time). It is called "The Christmas Challenge." We had wanted to have it put up at Christmas but we were a little to busy to be able to post at that time. Anyway, if you still could use a little Christmas spirit, please stop by that story. We are having lots of fun!

Anyway, let's see how Ziva is doing!

...

That night Ziva slept on her unhurt side rather than on her back, but she seemed to sleep a lot better than she had in a while. She told herself that it was just because the medicine that Ducky had given her made her sleepy, but she strongly suspected that getting rid of all that guilt was the real reason. Maybe the tired yet peaceful feeling after being spanked had helped as well.

But being guilt-free did not necessarily make her grounding more bearable.

Now that she was not allowed to have her phone, Ziva found that she missed it. Now that she was not allowed to go outside to play darts, it seemed like the sun was so much brighter and more inviting. Now that her weapons were all locked away she wondered if they were as clean as they should be. The pile of dvds that Tony had left for her seemed to taunt her, while the books that Tim had left seemed insufferably boring. The walls seemed to be closing in around her. There was nothing to do! She flopped onto the couch and sighed dramatically, hoping that doing so might annoy Gibbs into giving her back her freedom.

No such luck.

She offered to wash dishes, splashing more water on the floor and cabinets than on the dishes themselves.

Gibbs told her where the rags were.

Ziva sloppily wiped up some of the water - then she felt guilty and went back to thoroughly dry each wet area.

She found a hammer and nails in the closet and decided that she would hang up some of the pictures that Abby had left on her dresser in their room.

Gibbs came up to check on her when he heard the banging but then thanked her for taking care of the task, certain that Abby would appreciate it.

Ziva wanted to pound a hole right through the wall, but settled for hanging up the photos for Abby. She was unexpectedly delighted to find a beautifully framed picture of the two of them at a party making silly faces together. It was nice to know that Abby treasured memories of them together so much that she would frame the photos. Ziva hung that picture in the most prominent place.

She found an old vacuum cleaner and whirred it back and forth upstairs, stomping the entire time.

"Thanks for cleaning. I'm sure the house could use it," Gibbs hollered up the stairs.

Ziva immediately yanked the cord out of the electrical socket and jammed the rickety machine back into the cleaning closet.

She opened every window in the house despite the breeze being quite chilly. She boiled tea kettle after tea kettle of water on the stove without drinking a single cup of tea, just to let the shrill whistle bother Gibbs. She swept the floor and left the pile of dirt right in front of the basement door. She bumped and banged and smashed around the little house.

Gibbs did not react to anything that she did!

When Jenny stopped by for lunch - a long Saturday morning for her being forced to work at the office but an even longer one for Gibbs with the provoking young lady rushing around the house - Ziva gave up trying to annoy Gibbs for a bit to visit with Jenny.

"What did you do so far today, Ziva?" Jenny asked, washing her hands in the kitchen.

"Go ahead and tell her, Ziva," Gibbs coaxed from the kitchen where he was taking some trout from the freezer to fry for lunch.

Ziva blushed a little.

"Nothing," she murmured.

"Why not tell her about how many chores you did?" Gibbs prompted.

"Oh, so you've been helping a lot?" Jenny asked

"Yes," Ziva said uncertainly.

Jenny caught the note of hesitancy.

"What exactly did you help Gibbs do?" she asked.

"I ... I swept the floor and ... and put nails in the wall for Abby's photos and I ... washed dishes and ..."

"Why are you stammering?" Jenny asked, reaching over and lifting Ziva's chin with her finger. "What are you not telling me?"

"Nothing," Ziva said, turning away.

"Are you sure that 'nothing' happened?" Jenny asked. She was biting her lip to keep from laughing at how guilty Ziva was looking.

"Oh, she took care of nearly every messy or loud chore possible - or at least the first half," Gibbs said, setting a frying pan on the stove and turning around. He smiled at the blushing Ziva. "Being grounded is harder than you thought it would be, isn't it?"

Ziva wanted to sink through the floor. Her behaviour through the first half of the day really was not stellar or mature and she hated for Jenny to be learning about it. But Jenny did not seem to be too upset about the news.

"I always hated being grounded too," Jenny whispered conspiratorially. Her voice became a little more stern as she added, "Although that is not an excuse for acting out, is it, Zi?"

"No, ma'am," she admitted.

"Good," Jenny said briskly. "I brought you a brain teaser book that I thought that you might enjoy." She handed the book over. Ziva opened it and noticed some writing on the first page.

Dear Ziva,

This is not a reward for misbehaviour, but Jethro said that you needed something besides vacuuming to keep you entertained. I thought this might be quieter.

I love you and want the best for you, as does Jethro.

Love forever,

Jenny

Ziva smiled and put the book down on the coffee table.

"Thank you," she said softly. She was not going to admit it, but she was very thankful for the book. Perhaps it would help the rest of her "imprisonment" go a little faster.

"You're welcome, darling," Jenny said, kissing her cheek before standing and heading to the kitchen. "Jethro, don't cook the fish right away. I brought those little potatoes and they take longer to cook."

Ziva leaned back in the sofa and listened to the chatter in the kitchen. She considered starting on the book, but she would probably need to save the amusement for later. Although...

"Gibbs, when is Ducky coming next?"

"Probably tomorrow. Why? Are you in pain?"

"No," Ziva answered, cheerfully honest.

Gibbs suddenly caught what she was trying to do.

"We can check with Ducky, but I'm pretty sure that you'll be grounded for at least the rest of this week," Gibbs warned. Ziva's face dropped a little.

"I already got in trouble. Why do I have to be grounded too?" she muttered unhappily under her breath, flopping back onto the sofa.

"Because what you did was dangerous and wrong," Gibbs answered.

Ziva frowned at the reminder that Gibbs' incredible hearing could pick up her quietest grumbling.

"Work on your book. It might help you avoid getting in more trouble," Jenny advised with amusement in her voice.

Ziva rolled her eyes. At least Gibbs could not see through her head.

"And don't roll your eyes."

But apparently Jenny could.

Ziva grabbed the book and headed up to her room where she could be alone. She needed a break from the annoying adults that kept treating her like their child.

Although not all of it was that annoying if she was honest.

...

Alone in her room, Ziva began to work on one of the word search. She had left the bedroom door open so she could here Jenny and Gibbs working. She liked hearing the rattle and clink of dishes and the calming murmur of their voices. She curled up on the bed and began to circle, clarifying words from the jumble of letters.

"The next word is ... family," she muttered. A loud smash in the kitchen made her freeze.

"It's just a pot," she heard Jenny call out for her benefit, but Ziva remained frozen.

CRASH!

So stupid.

SMACK!

Stop ruining everything, you foolish girl!

SMACK!

Why can you not do anything right? Why are you such a disappointment?

..

The words pounded through Ziva's head again and again. It was like a nightmare while she was still awake, and it was just an inescapable.

At least it was until Jenny walked into the room.

"Zi, why aren't you coming? I've been calling for you to come down for lunch. I know that you are upset, but pouting is going to get you nowhere. And I have to go back to work in forty-five minutes and I would like to be able to eat with you. Wait ... honey? Are you upset? What's bothering you?"

"Nothing," Ziva muttered. But there was.

And Jenny knew. She took a seat on the edge of the bed and pulled Ziva into a big hug.

"I love you, sweetie. You are safe here, Ziva, always and forever."

Ziva stayed still in Jenny's arms, but she slowly began to relax.

"Something scared you?" Jenny asked, recognizing the shut down that often followed when Ziva had been triggered.

Ziva managed a tiny jerk of a nod.

"Want to tell me about it?"

"No," Ziva squeaked.

"It's okay. It's okay," Jenny said gently, rocking her back and forth. "I love you. Gibbs loves you. Ducky loves you. We all you so much, darling. So, so much. We wish we could take away all the bad memories. All we can do right now is try to help you now. How can I do that for you?"

"Do not ... let ... go."

"I won't. I promise. We'll stay here until you are ready."

And they did.

...

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