A/N Several people want to know how life would be with Gibbs taking care of an injured Ziva. This chapter sprang from that idea. I hope everyone likes it. And, thanks for all of the wonderful reviews.

Disclaimer I don't own them and I'm not making any money from them.

Jethro unlocked and opened Ziva's front door. He stood to the side as she swung through the entry way and into her living room. In the four days since her accident, the young agent had become more adept at maneuvering on crutches.

It had been a long four days for the senior field agent. He had alternated between being the paternal figure who took care of her and being the hard-assed boss who had to deal with an injured, grumpy employee. And, Special Agent Ziva David confined to desk work was not a pretty sight. Jethro just thanked God it was Friday and the team had the weekend off.

Trying to shake off his foul mood, Jethro asked, "Do you have any plans for tonight?"

Ziva was aware she had been bitchy at work. The forced inactivity was driving her crazy. And, she knew it had been unfair of her to take out her frustrations on Gibbs. He had taken wonderful care of her and had only lost his patience with her once. Ziva knew he needed time to himself.

She tossed her back pack on the sofa and balanced on her crutches. "I am going out to dinner and a movie tonight."

Jethro was surprised by the news. "Really? Are you sure you're up for a date?"

She had to be honest, "Probably not. But, I said I would go." She moved closer to him, "And, you need a night alone."

"Ziva, you know I haven't minded taking care of you," Jethro protested. The look of resignation in her eyes made him feel like a complete bastard. Okay, so he had snapped at her and smacked her on the back of the head that afternoon. But, in his defense, she had been acting like a whiny brat.

Ziva looked up at him and could see the guilt in his blue eyes. She hated that she was about to add to that guilt but she had to tell him the truth.

"I watched one of your American movies about cowboys. One cowboy had to shoot his horse when it broke its leg." She smiled faintly at him, "This afternoon, I knew how the horse felt."

Jethro ran his fingers through his silver hair, "Dam, Ziver…"

She cut him off, "Gibbs, I know it was my fault. I just kept pushing and you finally had enough. I am sorry. I should have taken some time off like you said."

She laid a hand on his arm, "You have taken such good care of me this week. But, you should not have to be stuck with me for twenty-four hours a day. I will go out and try to have a pleasant evening. You can work in the basement or just relax. We will both be in a better mood tomorrow."

Jethro felt like smacking himself on the head. "Ziver, I haven't felt like I was stuck with you." He pushed a wayward lock of hair behind her ear. "Taking care of your kids when they're sick or hurt is just part of being a dad." He saw the sheen of tears in her huge brown eyes. "You know that's how I feel about you, don't you?"

Ziva nodded. Jethro had never said the words, but he had shown her by his action. She had to swallow before she could answer, "I know, Gibbs. For the first time in my life I know how it feels to have a dad who loves me unconditionally. You have given me so much; I know I will never be able to repay you.

Ziva took a deep breath. "I try to be the best agent I can be. I try to make you proud of me. And, I never want you to regret that you fought to get me back on your team. This afternoon I wasn't acting like the federal agent you trained me to be. I was acting like a spoiled child who needed a good spanking."

Jethro had to laugh, "The thought of grounding you has crossed my mind this week."

Ziva laughed, too. "Then let me go out tonight. You need a break from my attitude."

Jethro pretended to consider her request, "I don't know, Ziva. How do I know this young man will take good care of you? And, how well do you know him? What if he tries something? You won't be able to defend yourself."

Ziva smiled and patted his arm, "I have known him for a while now. He is very nice. You do not need be concerned."

As he helped her up the stairs, Gibbs continued to question her. Now that he really thought about her going out alone in her present condition, he was truly worried. "How much do you know about him? What does he do for a living? How can you be sure you can trust him?"

Ziva stopped at the door to her bedroom. "Gibbs, he is very trustworthy. He is very sweet and kind. I am not worried about going out with him. He will take very good care of me and then return me to your house."

She patted him on the shoulder, "He actually reminds me a lot of you. Now, go downstairs and let him in when he gets here. You will see that it will be okay."

Jethro saw little point in arguing with the bedroom door that closed in his face. He returned to the living room and sat on the sofa to wait. He would make sure this joker knew what kind of Hell would rain down on him if Ziva was not treated with the utmost respect and care.

By the time he heard a car pull into the drive, Jethro had worked himself into a state of paternal angst. He crossed to the door and yanked it open the moment the bell rang. And, then he stood frozen in surprise.

"Hey, Boss. Is Ziva ready?" It took a few seconds for the words to connect in the lead agent's brain. He still wasn't sure he understood what was happening.

"DiNozzo, what are you doing here?" Jethro asked as he stood aside to let his senior agent enter.

"Didn't she tell you? We're meeting McGee and Abby for dinner. Then we're going to a movie." Tony looked up the stairs and then lowered his voice to a whisper, "We all figured you could use a night off from babysitting the cranky Ninja. Abby was afraid if we didn't give you a break, the two of you would kill each other this weekend."

"DiNozzo, you have no idea." Jethro felt the most of the tension from the week drain from him. He kept his voice low, too. "Thank you. And, tell McGee and Abby thanks for me. Just don't let her find out you three plotted this."

When Ziva reached the top of the stairs, Jethro headed up to carry her crutches. With one hand on Gibbs' arm and the other on the banister, Ziva slowly made her way down to the living room and her waiting partner.

Tony greeted her with, "Come on, Sweet Cheeks. Let's get this show on the road."

Ziva placed the crutches under her arms and faced the smiling Italian with mock sternness, "DiNozzo, if you call me Sweet Cheeks again, so help me, I will shoot you."

Tony opened the door with a flourish, "Special Agent David, would you care to accompany your starving partner to dinner?"

Jethro smiled at the pair, "You two have fun. DiNozzo, don't keep her out too late."

Jethro locked the front door and followed them to Tony's car. He watched as Tony helped Ziva maneuver her way into the sports car. As Tony backed out of the drive and sped off down the street, Jethro felt a twinge of guilt. Ziva would be seriously pissed if she found out her friends had conspired against her.

He moved his car to his own drive. Gibbs figured he could count on four, maybe five, hours of peace and quiet. He intended to spend them in the basement working on his newest project. And, despite Ducky's latest warnings about his cholesterol levels and Ziva's attempts to make sure he ate healthy, Leroy Jethro Gibbs intended to eat a well-earned pizza.