Rekindling the Flame

Adding the Kindling

He pulled her forward so they were looking eye to eye.

"Now I want you to go up to your room, change into something that's dry, and I'll come and see you when I've cleaned up this mess. Ok?" Gibbs said.

"No Daddy, I'm sorry," she said pulling away from him and bouncing on her feet.

"I know you're sorry, but you still need to go up to your room," he repeated. Standing up he turned her and pushed her gently forward. "Go on. I'll be up in a minute."

She began crying again as she ran out the room and up the stairs. He knew she was worried about getting a spanking. She had not only put herself in danger but also disobeyed both him and Jenny. He bent down and picked up the pot, returning it to the stove.

As he turned around to get the mop, Jenny said, "Tony, can you go into the living room for a minute please? I need to talk to your Dad." Tony nodded and left the kitchen to watch TV again.

Looking at Gibbs, Jenny said, "She was only trying to help Jethro. I don't think she was deliberately disobeying us."

"Yeah I know, but what if that pot had been filled with boiling water? What if she'd thought to fill it on the stove with a jug and only attempted to move it once the pasta had cooked?"

"But she didn't," argued Jenny. "I think dropping the pot gave her as much a scare as it did us. She realises what could have happened as well. I don't think she'll try that again."

"Maybe not, but what about the next time?" replied Gibbs. "Jen, she has to realise that when we tell her not to do something, it's for a reason."

"Ok," said Jenny. "But don't let your recent frustrations at her behaviour cloud your judgement."

Gibbs looked at her, eyebrows raised.

Jenny rolled her eyes and said, "Look I just don't think you should spank her for this. Something is bothering her and spanking her now will only add to the frustration of whatever is bugging her. I truly believe she was trying to help out and surprise us. Just talk to her, please," she added looking pleadingly into his face.

"Agh," he groaned. "You're as bad as she is with the puppy dog eyes. You know I'm a sucker for them."

"Yeah I know," she grinned up at him. Without her heels, the top of Jenny's head barely grazed his chin. He'd forgotten how tiny she was. He was so used to seeing her with the added three inches these days.

"Look, I won't promise anything, but I will go and talk to her. It will depend on her attitude as to how things go. Satisfied?" he added, looking into her eyes.

"I guess I'll have to be," she replied. "Ok then, I'll clean this up and make a start on the pasta. You go and chat to Miss Muffet up there." She turned and headed to the broom closet and Gibbs made his way upstairs.

As he entered Ziva's bedroom, he found her face down on the bed, crying. She looked up as he walked towards her and scrambled up into a sitting position.

"I'm sorry Daddy," she said again, scooting herself against the wall, knees drawn up and her bottom firmly planted on the bed.

He sat down on the bed and looked at her. Crooking his finger he said, "Come here Ziva,"

"No Daddy, I'm sorry," she said again, firmly wrapping her arms around her knees.

"Ziva," he said more firmly. "We need to talk and I'm not going to do that with you scrunched up against the wall. Now come over here please."

She reluctantly crawled to the edge of the bed and slid off, standing in front of Gibbs and looking very sorry for herself. He decided to put her out of her misery.