Reverse Psychology - NCIS Story

I Don't Believe in Coincidences!

Chapter 8 – I Don't Believe in Coincidences.

Sitting on the grass cross legged, Jenny watched as Tony and Ziva played chasey around the playground equipment. Having recovered from the tickling torture, Tony had initiated a game of tag, by sneaking up on Ziva who had been lying face down on the grass after being released from Jenny's stronghold, and swatting her on the bottom yelling, "You're it!"

"Hey!" she yelled indignantly as Tony quickly ran off in the direction of the playground.

She looked up at Jenny.

"What am I?" she asked confused.

"You're 'it' Ziva. As in, you're the one who has to chase Tony and catch him. Once you do that, he becomes 'it' and chases you." Jenny explained.

"Oh, tofeset," Ziva said.

Now it was Jenny's turn to look confused.

"The Hebrew word for the game of catch." Ziva elaborated. "Well, we shall see who is the better player at this game."

Brushing her hands as she stood up, Ziva took off after Tony who immediately shrieked and hid behind the covered slide.

"Jen," began Gibbs, who had joined her on the grass after grabbing a couple of coffees from the nearby stand. "How long did you and Ziva work together after 9/11?"

Still watching the playing children, Jenny replied, "On and off for four years. We were working anti-terrorism ops until I was offered the role here. Why?"

"Did she ever talk much about her childhood?"

Taking a sip of coffee, Jenny thought for a minute,

"No, not really," she said slowly. "Maybe a couple of references here and there. Why? What's this about, Jethro?"

"Yesterday, after the car park incident," began Gibbs. "I sat them both down and talked about rules and consequences. Ziva's response was to ask me if I was going to 'beat' her for disobedience."

Jenny turned to face Gibbs directly and frowned.

"Beat her?" she repeated.

"Yeah," confirmed Gibbs. "When I asked her how she was punished as a child, she said her father would 'beat her with a rod'."

Jenny considered this then shrugged and said, "Different culture, different rules I guess."

"What, you're condoning Eli's actions?" Gibbs asked incredulously.

"No, of course not Jethro," Jenny replied sharply. "I'm just saying, Israel is a whole different culture. Ziva was forced to grow up very quickly."

"Yeah, you're not wrong there," Gibbs responded bitterly. "First time he 'forced her to grow up quickly', " he sneered using her words back at her, "she was four years old!"

This time he was pleased to see the horrified look on Jenny's face.

"Exactly," replied Gibbs, raising his eyebrows. "He then had the audacity to call it a 'training exercise'. See how much pain she could take before she broke."

"Oh my God," Jenny blanched.

She held her hand over her mouth as she felt the bile rise in her stomach.

"That's just..." But no words came to mind. Nothing, she thought, could excuse that kind of abuse.

As Gibbs saw her eyes fill with tears of compassion, he gently laid his hand on her shoulder and they sat in silence, each trying to comprehend this abhorrent act.