Warning: spanking in this chapter.
I know ... I took forever. *shuffles feet* Sorry! It's been wild here. But good news! Somehow my writer's block seems to finally be being reduced. And I am trying to write more as stress release.
Thank you so much to everyone who has been reading and waiting patiently. Special thanks to quintawrites, who has been especially patient even though I have been horrible at keeping in touch with her. *sends her a hug*
And my wonderful reviewers!
Jolie71 - I don't remember if you have reviewed before. If not, welcome! I think your guess is right. Ziva is slowly feeling more at home ... eventually!
Rocketgirllily - Thank you for your sweet encouragement!
Sarai - thank you for your regular reviews! :)
Loads of Randomness - I am so glad to hear that you enjoyed!
rhiakate - I love writing Jenny and Ziva. :) You'll get to see more of them in this chapter while Abby has her "time" with Gibbs. :P
Troubled-Angel-26 - Abby's always in trouble, isn't she? ;) She's gotten a bit of a break in this story, but that's about to end!
Ludy - you'll find out!
S - thank you! Jenny and Ziva and Abby are all such rich characters and I love writing them. :)
Fan - I keep saying this, but I do hope to do some stories with Tony and Tim in trouble at some point soon. We'll see how that works! I'm wanting to do the first time Tim gets in trouble soon, although I'll have to do it with Tony too since I have done it with Ziva and Abby now. :D And you are right - Abby does richly deserve what's coming to her!
quintawrites - Awww! My friend! ;) Count these chapters as a gift to you since you wanted them so much! :D
DS2010 - Are you psychic?! ;) Or maybe it's just since you've been reading and reviewing my stories since ... the start? It feels like it. Thank you! I always appreciate seeing your reviews. :D
Guest - Thank you! I love having new readers and I appreciate you letting me know that you read it. I hope that you'll keep going on this story with us. :)
JessicaRae95 - I don't think Abby's laughing with you!
KrisShannon - We'll find out! ;) And yes, Ziva's eveeeeeentuuuualllly getting closer to accepting Gibbs as family. It's still several chapters past what I've written (quintawrites, you have those ones!), but there will some nice bonding in the future. :D (I'm excited! But there's a few lot of spanks that are coming first. :(
Tamara - Thank you for the recent review! It really helped motivate me to finish getting this up.
Jane - Thank you. And you would be ... correct!
I rarely respond to all my reviews in this way, but that felt right this time, especially after the long wait. I truly do appreciate you all and the delays in posting are not meant to torture you. I'm not even going to try to guess when I will next upload as I don't seem to be able to be in any kind of a schedule at the moment, but I'll be trying. :)
Virtual hugs!
Now enjoy!
...
Ziva and Abby giggled as they sat next to each other on the bed. A tap on the door disturbed their conversation.
"Yeah?" Abby called lazily. The door creaked a little as Gibbs entered the room.
"What do you want, Gibbs?" Ziva asked politely, looking up at him with a smile. Being around Abby always made her feel better about life. She knew there was no reason that Gibbs would be annoyed at her. She had a clear conscience and a smile on her face
But Gibbs was missing one of the two.
Well ... perhaps he was missing both. But the missing smile was evident.
"Ziver, could you give Abby and me a chance to talk?" he asked with the tone that was not really asking.
Ziva shifted a little at the familiar tone.
"But ..." she began to protest from habit before realizing that she was only being asked to leave.
I'm not the one in trouble!
Abby's white face beside her confirmed it.
"Ziver."
Gibbs' tone was gentle but directing.
Ziva slowly made her way off the bed, sending a sympathetic look back at Abby who was blushing and looking very uncomfortable already.
"Downstairs. Go help Jen," Gibbs said, giving her a light pat on the shoulder as she passed him. Ziva gave a final worried look at Abby and then sadly headed for the stairs.
She did not have a good feeling about what was going to happen to Abby.
...
"So... Gibbs ..." Abby hesitated, nervously trying to shine charm up at him.
"I talked to Tony. Come here," Gibbs said shortly, sitting down on a chair and holding out his hand toward her.
"Giiiibbs!" Abby whined.
Gibbs fixed her with a look and she slowly climbed to the end of the bed and began to shuffle toward him.
"It wasn't on purpose, Gibbs."
Gibbs reached out, took her wrist, and gently sped up the process by firmly pulling her over to him and positioning her over his knee without an unnecessary word. He held her firmly, despite the light wiggling from an unhappy Abby. From a lot of practice he had learned that sometimes answers were clearer from Abby when she was in this position rather than allowed to stand during their discussions.
"We've talked about this before," Gibbs said firmly.
"I know. But I'll never let it happen again!" Abby wailed.
"When I'm gone, Tony is me at the office. If he says to do something, you'd better be doing it."
"I know. And I promise that I won't let it happen again, Gibbs. I don't need a spanking. Just one more chance ... please?!"
Gibbs rested his hand heavily on Abby's back.
"Abby, you've been given chance after chance. Yet every time you end up pushing Tony well past what you are permitted. You disrespect him and the position. And you did it again. You've used up all your chances, Abigail. You are getting a spanking. Now, anything you want to tell me before we start?"
"I didn't mean to!"
"Anything having to do with this particular event?"
Abby hesitated.
"Anything about the screaming fit?" Gibbs asked, leadingly. Abby flushed.
I should have just called and told him about it once it happened. Now he had to learn from Tony ... which is probably the reason instead of a scolding I'm getting spanks as a consequence. Although I've been a little ... opinionated ... and Gibbs might not like all the opinions I've had this week so I'm sure that's part of it too and I think that might be part of the problem and I think my backside's going to have a problem if I don't find a way to put this in a positive light but that might be a teensy bit hard and ...
"It was a mistake?" she offered helplessly.
"Is that a question or a statement?"
"Um..."
"Tony told me that you weren't listening and ended up screaming in his face when he reminded you to refocus after a full day of being contrary, refusing to work with him like you would with me, and carrying on like a toddler. Is that true?"
"Yes but ..."
"Do you have a valid excuse, Abby, or are you just delaying?"
"Maybe delaying," Abby whined as confession, giving an unhappy wriggle when Gibbs flipped her skirt up and began tugging her leggings down to her knees. "Gibbs, please! You don't need to start my spanking that way!"
"We've had to deal with this before, haven't we?" he confirmed, steadily tugging until the leggings were crumpled loosely around her knees that seemed to be shaking a tiny bit in anxiety over the coming correction.
"Yes," she whispered sadly.
"Then you know what that means this time," he said, setting a small paddle - Abby's paddle - on the floor in her line of sight.
"Gibbs!"
"Do you somehow think that you do not deserve a paddling?" Gibbs asked incredulously.
Just as Abby had told Ziva, Gibbs did not give up on spankings. If he thought you had not learned your lesson from a lesser spanking for the same offense he would only up the intensity. Unfortunately for her, arguing against Tony's authority when he was left in charge was not a first-time offense. And as much as she wished she could, Abby knew that she could not lie.
"No, but ..." Abby hedged desperately. The truth was inconveniently true but she needed to escape!
"Yes, butt," Gibbs replied, bringing his hand down on its target with a stinging accuracy. "We need to get your bottom warmed up before your paddling."
"Oww!" Abby yelped.
...
Ziva squeezed the cushion in a crushing grip as she sat curled up on the end of the sofa. Jenny set her coffee cup to the side in the kitchen and walked over, taking a seat silently and pulling Ziva into her arms. Ziva rested her head lightly against Jenny's chest.
"Why will he not just stop?!" Ziva whimpered lightly against Jenny. The steady spanks and sobs from upstairs were distinct, even in the living room. It sounded like Gibbs had switched to something harder and Abby's squeals were making her sadness very clear.
"He will, once Abby's learned her lesson," Jenny said softly, stroking Ziva's unruly curls.
"I think she already learned," Ziva whined, looking up at Jenny with her eyes big and pitiful.
"Gibbs will know when she's had enough," Jenny said reassuringly, placing a kiss on Ziva's furrowed forehead. Ziva's frown did not disappear and Jenny repeated the kiss and then hugged her tightly. "Relax, honey. It will all be done soon. I know it probably feels much longer but spankings - at least from Gibbs and me - almost never last more than a few minutes."
"They do not?" Ziva asked, looking up at Jenny with confusion. "That cannot be! They ... they must last half an hour at least!"
Jenny smiled softly at Ziva's surprise.
"No, they are not that long, darling. I know it feels like that because it is so uncomfortable, but I promise you that most spankings are over in less than five minutes. It depends how fast we give the spanks or how much you fight or how long we need to discuss things with you, but it really is rather fast."
Ziva looked at Jenny incredulously, then up at the ceiling above them.
"Gibbs must have spanked Abby for longer than that by now," Ziva grumbled.
"I think more around three minutes," Jenny replied calmly. "He's been up there longer, but I think he had to tell you to come down and then get Abby ready. That can take a minute or two. And it sounds like they are nearly done."
"It sounds like they should have been done long ago!" Ziva snapped nervously. She shifted a little and began to uncurl, planning to get up off of the sofa. "I am going to go stop Gibbs. He is hurting Abby."
A gentle pat on her bottom stopped her short and she glared at Jenny.
"I did nothing wrong!"
"You are not going up there, Zizi. You wouldn't want Abby to walk in on you being spanked, would you? And all that running up there would do is embarrass Abby and earn you a spanking for being disrespectful and not letting Gibbs handle it."
"That is not a rule on the list!" Ziva argued, scrambling to stand while scowling at Jenny defiantly.
"I think it is a natural consequence and I will add it to the list if need be," Jenny clarified. She reached out, caught Ziva's hand, and pulled her in front of her knees. "And I do not like that attitude - not one little bit, Ziva Jennifer Leigh."
"What you like does not matter," Ziva growled, ending in a squeak as Jenny pulled her forward, ending up with Ziva over her knee.
"Does it matter now?" Jenny asked coolly.
"Yes," Ziva whimpered reflexively.
"Good," Jenny said, landing a firm SWAT! across Ziva's bottom. "No more disrespect, please, Ziva."
And then, just as quickly as she had ended up over Jenny's knee, Ziva was pulled back up and placed on the couch. She was in so much shock over the quick corrective action that she did not resist.
"See? I told you it would be over soon," Jenny said softly, cuddling Ziva to her side and kissing her forehead.
Ziva tried to pull away but then realized that Jenny had told the truth - there were some muted crying sounds from upstairs, but no more rhythmic smacks were resounding. Her happiness over that fact cancelled out her frustration at the swat she had received and she did not pull away, instead meekly resting her head against Jenny's shoulder.
"I should have trusted you," she admitted softly.
"It's okay. You're still learning," Jenny whispered back with another light kiss to the top of her head.
...
Upstairs was a sadder scene. Abby was lying draped over Gibbs' lap, her bare bottom and thighs bright pink from the spanking. She was shaking with tears. Normally Gibbs would have already gently started putting her clothing back in place but with how hard she was crying he was giving her a chance to catch her breath before increasing the sting by pulling the panties back up over the stinging section. Gibbs gently rubbed her back. He had set out to make an impression on the stubborn scientist and he had no doubt that he had done just that. Twenty spanks with his hand - ten over her panties and ten bare - had been the "warm up". He had followed it with ten searing spanks from the paddle, with a strong focus on her sit spots and upper thighs. Some wild kicking had earned her thighs two extra spanks with the paddle then he had intended. Gibbs had no doubt that his little girl was hurting and so was his heart.
The sobbing transitioned into heavy crying and he took that as a cue. He pulled the underwear back up over the stinging bottom and flipped her skirt back in place although he left the leggings down, not wanting to add pressure - no matter how light or soft - against the sensitive skin. Abby could take them off or pull them up when she was ready but he was not going to rush it.
"I had to do that, Abs," he said softly, pulling her up so she could stand. As was normal for this situation - and nearly every situation pertaining to her - she dove into his arms immediately for a hug.
"I ... I know," she wailed. "I was ho...horriiiiible! Was Tony ma...ma...mad?"
Gibbs smiled a little at her sincerity.
"No, he wasn't. But I got him to tell me the truth..."
"You always do," Abby sniffled, settling down a little now that she was in a more comfortable position.
"And we've had to deal with this before," Gibbs commented succinctly.
"I know," Abby sniffed. She rubbed big tears out of her eyes, then looked up at him sincerely. "I promise I won't ... I promise I'll try not to do it again, Gibbs. And I'll say sorry to Tony. I will!"
"Good girl," Gibbs assured her, kissing her cheek consolingly.
"I'll do better next time!"
"I know."
"You do?"
"I do. Love you, Abs."
"Love you too, Gibbs."
...
When Gibbs walked the clingy and rather embarrassed Abby back down the stairs, he smiled a little to see Ziva and Jenny cuddled up together on the sofa. Once one of Abby's particularly loud sniffles alerted the two women to their presence Ziva pulled away, looking just as embarrassed about being caught in that position as Abby was about having to face them after being thoroughly spanked and paddled within earshot.
"Hey," Abby sniffled.
Ziva scrambled to her feet and walked over, giving Gibbs one unhappy glance to indicate the displeasure she did not dare express verbally while still feeling so emotional, knowing that Jenny would be quite capable of taking her upstairs for a turn being spanked. And the thought of that happening while Abby was there?! Hearing Abby's spanking had been horrifying. She did not want Abby to have to experience that as well. And ... she did not want to experience it either!
"Are you okay?" Ziva asked Abby directly.
"Yes," Abby answered, smiling a little at the care shown by her friend. "But I want a mocha. As long as Gibbs doesn't have any Caf-Pow! in the fridge?" she asked with comical hopefulness.
"No, I don't," Gibbs said with an amused smile. "But maybe I can go get one for you later when I go pick up dinner. Chinese sound good to everyone? Abs, you're staying the night."
"Sounds good," Abby replied easily, bumping around the kitchen a little stiffly but still quickly in her search for caffeine and sugar.
"You are really okay?" Ziva whispered softly, following her friend.
"I am," Abby said gently with a rather teary smile. "It hurt, but I'm okay. And I deserved it, Ziva - trust me." She paused, and looked over at Gibbs who was putting on his coat and grabbing his keys to go get dinner and a Caf-Pow! for her. "Don't blame Gibbs for this."
Ziva smiled and nodded, but internally she was withholding judgment.
She was not pleased with Gibbs.
...
Oh, dear! Ziva is not exactly a fast learner, at least not when it comes to matters of the heart. Be ready for some more trouble after the next chapter.
I hope that you enjoyed. Hopefully, I will see you soon.
And happy Thanksgiving to all my American neighbours out there!