I have been getting in some good writing on this story and I am loving it! :D I think that you will too!

Thanks for reviewing to the following: dawnmarie1971, Queenofwheels, NaughtyAngelBrat, Loads of Randomness, Sarai, Troubled-Angel-26, JessicaRae95, DS2010, Rocketgirllily, A, Tamara, S, Fan, KrisShannon, Fashionista-girl (for both reviews), rhiakate (for three reviews), Ziva's twin LOL (I love the name!), Guest, helltowngirl61 (two reviews), and Guest (Wow! Your review was amazing! Thanks!).

Enjoy!

...

Ziva woke up early - 4:30. She was rather eager to avoid having to interact with Gibbs and Jenny and she dressed quickly in a dark outfit. She sneaked down the stairs. Her heart nearly stopped in her chest when she realized that Jenny was sleeping on the sofa. She walked slower and as softly as possible to the door. She reached out for the door knob, expecting at any second to hear Jenny's voice telling her to "stop right there" - but it did not happen. She slowly turned the doorknob. Freedom was right there.

She considered staying a little flash of guilt when through her mind as she dared a peek back at the sleeping Jenny. But then indignation took over. So they thought that they would watch her and make sure she stayed? Just let them try!

She closed the door carefully behind herself and began to jog down the street - not run, as it was not Ducky that she was trying to rebel against. There was a diner nearby. She would just go there and get some coffee and perhaps some breakfast. Pancakes sounded good. Then, when she was good and ready, perhaps she would return to Gibbs'. But only if she wanted to do so.

...

"Where is she?" Jenny repeated, having gone through the house twice in search of the missing Ziva.

"I heard the door opening early this morning but I thought it was you getting something from your car or needing to go into work," Gibbs said, taking another swig of his coffee. Frustration was clear across his face. "She's going to get it good when she gets back."

"Remember to stay patient," Jenny reminded absently but her own expression boded no good for the missing young lady.

"I'll be patient but she's still in more trouble than she will know what to do with."

Jenny smiled grimly. "That could not be more true!" She looked around in confusion. "She sneaked right past me and I did not hear a thing. Where do you think she went? And what if she doesn't come back, Jehtro? Did I push her too hard last night? Did I trigger her somehow? Is she going to be okay? Is ..."

Gibbs set down his coffee mug and gently placed his hands on Jenny's shoulders, cutting off her frantic worrying,.

"She's not gone far. She's just still in a temper. She doesn't want to leave. When she calms herself down a little then she'll be back. Until then, we just need to wait. And it wouldn't hurt to decide on what consequences would suit her actions before she arrives in a bad mood."

"Are you going to ground her again?" Jenny asked reluctantly.

"No!" Gibbs said emphatically. "Not going to do that again so soon - besides, like I said yesterday, she will be grounded just until she accepts all of the other consequences she has earned. If I change that on her she will never forgive me. I think this is going to require more than one spanking, so she'll be grounded until her discipline is finished. Then she'll be done.."

Jenny nodded in agreement. "I think that will go well. Grounding did not exactly accomplish a whole lot last time."

...

Ziva sat at the counter of the diner, eating her pancakes. This was a diner that Gibbs had taken her to previously and the food was delicious. The coffee was a little strong for her tastes but it was bearable with some cream and sugar. She needed the caffeine. She had left her phone at home but she figured that she would have been discovered missing by now.

As the pancakes and coffee disappeared her stomach felt like it was dropping farther and farther. The realization that she was going to have to go back to Gibbs' house was becoming more and more concerning.

I did not really think this through before acting, she considered gloomily.

"Would you like a refill?" the waitress asked.

"Yes," Ziva replied with conviction. She went through two more mugs in quick succession as she considered her options.

Go back?

I do not want to do that.

Go to my apartment?

They will look there immediately.

"Darlin', are you one of Mr. Gibbs' kids?" the waitress asked as she stopped by once again.

"What?" Ziva asked, jerked out of her internal struggles by hearing Gibbs' name. She looked around nervously. "Um, no, I just work with him."

The waitress smiled knowingly. "Oh, then you're one of his kids. Zelda ... no, no ... Zoe, right?"

"Ziva. Ziva David," she emphasized to clear up any misconception that she was related to Gibbs.

"I've heard that you are quite an accomplished fighter. He's pretty proud of you, ya know," the waitress said, smiling fondly.

Ziva, who did not know, blinked in surprise.

"I know what proud fathers look like, so I would know!"

Ziva was still shocked into silence.

"And that picture from Christmas was beautiful. You and all the others - Abby and Tony and Tim. They're in here every so often. I always like seeing him with any of you kids - it's not good for him to be alone so much, you know. He's been coming in here for years but it's only been the last few years where I've started to see him looking happy - real happy. You all are good for him." The waitress smiled wryly. "But don't tell him I told you all that - I think he likes to appear all stoic and such," she chuckled. "You tell him I said 'hello' when you see him later."

"I will," Ziva said absently. She reached for the bill and pulled some money out of her wallet which she had the presence of mind to grab on her sneaky way out the door. She left enough to pay for her breakfast and leave a decent tip. "Thank you," she told the talkative waitress.

"Oh, anytime, darling. Come again with Gibbs sometime."

Ziva smiled a little tensely, but once she got outside she let out a big sigh, then turned back toward Gibbs' house.

It was time to go home.