Redefining The Future

Aftermath

Chapter 44 - Aftermath

Gibbs laid a sleeping Ziva on the bed before making his way to the door. Careful to ensure it was left open, indicating she was free to leave at any time, Gibbs headed downstairs. Checking his watch he noted it was nearly 5.30.

As he entered the kitchen a gritty laugh filled the air. Mike and Jack were seated at the table, sharing a beer and obviously regaling each other with tales of Gibbs' past.

"By the time he figured out which way was up, the M.E. arrived demanding Jethro get the damn fool camera out of his face," wheezed Mike.

Acknowledging Gibbs with a nod, Mike took a swig of beer and said, "OK Probie?"

"Yeah," said Gibbs with a sigh.

He looked around the kitchen.

"Where's Jen?" he asked.

"Outside with Tony, Son," replied Jack. "I think our boy's getting reacquainted with the back yard."

Without responding, Gibbs stepped through the double doors and onto the patio. Jenny was seated on the edge of the wooden decking, her feet on the grass and staring into the distance. Following her gaze, Gibbs could see Tony sitting on the floor of the tree house, DS in hand and listening to his iPod.

Jenny looked up as Gibbs approached and squatted painfully to take a seat next to her.

"There are chairs Jen," he quipped, wincing as his knees protested the awkward movement.

Ignoring the remark, Jenny placed her hand on his thigh and rubbed it gently.

"How'd it go?" she asked sympathetically.

"It's done," replied Gibbs. "Hopefully she'll never do anything like that again."

"Can I ask how you attempted to convince her?" questioned Jenny, staring towards Tony again.

Gibbs took a deep breath.

"I doubled the number and spanked her bare bottom."

The hand that had been massaging his leg, suddenly stilled.

"You what?" asked Jenny, disbelief written all over her face.

Gibbs looked at her.

"Jen," he said deliberately. "You know what she did. You know how recklessly stupid it was. I needed to make an impression."

"Well I'm sure you did," she snapped wryly.

Glaring at her, Gibbs waited for the disapproving rant he was sure was about to follow. He didn't have to wait long.

"Why did you spank her bare?" asked Jenny angrily "You told her you would never do that."

"No, I told her I wouldn't remove her clothing," argued Gibbs.

She looked at him incredulously.

"Same difference Jethro," she retorted.

"No, it isn't actually," replied Gibbs. "But that's not the point right now. When I initially made that promise to Ziva and Tony it was not long after they had regressed. They still had their adult memories. Spanking either of them bare would have been a humiliation. That was the reasoning I gave then, and it still applies."

Raising her eyebrows in utter disbelief, Jenny continued to stare at him as if he'd gone mad.

"Removing her underwear was not an act of humiliation for Ziva," Gibbs explained. "For god's sake Jen, she happily runs around the house naked all the time. Her protests at me spanking her bare had nothing to do with humiliation. She objected because she knew it would hurt. If I thought for one minute it would embarrass or humiliate her, I wouldn't have done it. Heck, it wasn't that long ago she was streaking through the hotel in Albury and I said then she was in line for her first bare bottom spanking."