Z is very defensive with the shrink. And I highly doubt G is letting her leave anytime soon despite what she thinks. Why does she want to blame herself for everything? And it's hard to tell which little girl she's talking about - Sara or the one inside of her that is still terrified of monsters in the dark.

Yay for Sara's walking progress, that's huge! But is stucks that she has no faith in herself, no pride in her accomplishments and still doesn't believe that she's safe and staying with Gibbs forever. I don't blame S for wanting to be independent. Between being called stupid for months and only now just learning to do stuff she probably did as a baby, it's no wonder she's frustrated with the limitations.

Why's she so sure other kids wouldn't want to play with her? It's not like she's ever been in school. Where did she feel that rejection from? Oh Sara...tired and cranky and defiant, it's gotta be hard to process all that. The trantrum surprised me but I think Gibbs handled it well. He didn't get made he just told her what's what. Glad Z brought her down so G could reassure her. Somehow they have to get the concept of unconditional love through to that little girl.

lol...I love Tim with Sara and Bunny that is so cute! He clearly has practice being a big brother. I love Sara turning away too, reminds me of A Little Princess or Toy Story, of course magic won't happen if you're watching. lol...Tim, sometimes you sound like an encyclopedia. I did figure Z wouldn't take being out of commission very well. I bet she's the most stubborn patient ever, except maybe Gibbs.

haha...Sara is making me laugh a lot in this chapter. I love her little scold about not wanting needles and a little-little bite. Even the ninja can't stand strong against a five year old :P haha...ever-dance, nice. It's not often that stories make me laugh, I like it : )

Aww...that part about brothers and sisters was adorable! I'm glad she loves them the same way they love her. And 'making good choices' - my best friend used to say that when someone left her house. Cute. But 'Daddy be good'? Is S worried G will do something that will make it not possible for her to stay with him? And where is Tony? I miss Tony.

That frank but disturbing convo with Z&S...wow. Btw...I love how Sara says Z's name, kind of adorable :) A flashback, really? Not that I'm surprised, the topic of convo wasn't exactly sunshine and rainbows. I'm glad she seemed to come out of it so quick. It's sweet that she's so concerned about others.

Wow, Gibbs is done drinking? That's interesting. But I guess he always wants to be ready if S needs him. Abby's so sweet. If I had to take drugs for something serious, I'd vote for T3s too. lol...I agree, Z is definitely needing Tony. lol...I think Tony makes a very good nurse. Aww...how sweet are S&A making her such a nice place to relax! Adorable.

Aww...Gibbs is buying Tim computer stuff? No better way to tell a geek you care ;) Tim always seems like the selfless type, he's the sweet one :) Oh dear...I feel bad for Sarah but I'm more concerned about Gibbs. Did he just jeapordize his chance at adopting Sara by going to see and subsequently threaten her former foster father? Please no...they need each other.

So the sedatives made things worse? Shoot. I'm sure G just panicked but I guess he should've listened to Tony on this one. Hope the couple hours away helps, but T needs some sleep and something to soothe his frayed nerves. Coffee is probably not going to help.

I'm not surprised by Z's reactions to the drugs. I've never had heavy duty ones, but I had T3's when I got my wisdom teeth out and I had to take Gravol every time because they made me nauseous. So between the drugs and Gravol I pretty much slept for a week straight. Don't think ibuprofen is going to help the level of pain she is in tho.

I don't blame T for being jealous. Gibbs gets all the acclaim for being the one to comfort his girls, but T is pretty good at his own version. lol...Sara's so cute. It seems that she understands quite a bit of Hebrew actually, interesting. And she wants Tony to shave, nice :)

That's nice that Tony got her after a nightmare and I'm sure it makes S feel better to be near Z. Is Gibbs worried that TZ&S would feel like a family all sleeping together in bed? He's her daddy, that part's pretty clear. I love that S is working on standing, that's go to take a lot of effort. And it's cute/sad that G worries about her getting more independent and not needing him. Doesn't he know little girls always need their daddies?

Whew! So sounds like S is going to be his, free and clear :) That's happy news. I like how smoothly this process is going so far. Aww...but I didn't expect Gibbs to cry! I hate it when guys cry, makes me want to join in. I'm glad he's letting some of the emotions out, it's a lot to deal with. Well, I like that this chapter has a happy ending, well done! :)

Poor Z, can't be fun to be hurt and sick. Nice that she apologized to S for not listening. It's cute that Tony wouldn't leave her at the hospital. Especially when she's drugged and hurt I can't see any reason being good enough for him to go home. And them napping together is sweet too :)

lol...if he uses sweets everytime he feels guilty, S is going to get those cavities. I would feel better if T&Z weren't left alone tho... Wait, Gibbs has a doorbell? Who knew! lol. Aww...nice that the detective was a reference for Gibbs. I agree, no one better.

Oops...got so into this one I forgot I was supposed to be reviewing too :P It's sad that Sara hate the brace so much even though it's helping, and that she thinks Gibbs trying to get her involved somehow means he doesn't want to be. Yay for sitting up by herself! Good girl! That is definitely something to celebrate :) Hmm...sounds like she's developing a Gibbs' gut with those bad feelings. I think she's trying to tell Z that its dangerous outside, premonition perhaps?

It makes me sad that S understand violence enough to know that someone hurt Z, and she has a good idea how. I like how Gibbs explained it, honest but very toned down. It's nice that S wanted to be held, even cuter she wanted Gibbs to go hold Z too. Z's reaction to Gibbs' sharing was kind of intense, but I understand because she so wants to protect any innocence S has left. If there is any.

As much as I love Tony, I wish Gibbs had gotten the change to hold Z, she probably needs it. lol...G making sure she's safe is impinging on her human right? Whatever ninja. And even if some of the nasties are in prison, that doesn't make her safe. Anyone care to remind her that her self defense skills meant zilch in Somalia? No one's saying these guys would come after her one at a time.

Yeah, S definitely has a sixth sense or something. I wish Z wasn't being so bullheadedly stubborn. I'm glad Gibbs listened to her concern and it's funny how Abby showed up too. A bad man banged her with a stick? That sounds all too familiar and not very welcome. Z too? They only need one hurt little girl at a time...

You are fine? Z, you suck at lying. Whew! I'm really glad G&T got there before something worse happened. Thank God for Z's fighting skills. Wow, Z sounds like Sara in one of her vacant moods, that can't be good. A broken wrist? I guess technically she's lucky to be alive but she's not going to appreciate being a victim again or having to take more time off work, if that's the case.

haha...the lecture from S at the end was cute. Oh man, 2 damaged girls in that house, huh? Why do I think Z won't be going home or jogging unaccompanied for quite some time. Well done, this chapter was enthralling :)

I wonder what Sara's on about with the bad men all of a sudden? I wonder if she heard them talking about Ziva and

the threat. Apparently Z isn't allowed to be out of line of sight at the moment. The doctor's weren't kidding about S

picking up on their feelings. Liked the morning jog, that was cute, and Tony threatening Godwin. Hope something turns

up soon.

I too, am wondering what Sara's limit is. I don't blame Gibbs for being frustrated that she keeps going on about the bad men, but there's obviously still a huge insecurity there for her. I like that Z is sharing little bits with Gibbs, even if it isn't very nice stuff. Maybe some Tony comfort later, yes?

Oh Sar, another nightmare? That sucks. At least she's letting G hold her. I don't even want to know what she dreams about. Poor little kid.

lol...the first line made me laugh, nice :) Those insights into Z and S are helpful, I could see then healing together, that's probably a good idea. And I also agree with all the observations about how S senses people's emotions. It sucks that on some level S is still afraid of Gibbs. There's no quick fixes in this line of work.

Z really doesn't like the idea of talking to anyone, but that's not unexpected. I think she'd be willing to do anything for Sara tho...hard to tell at the moment. Well, at least she opened up to G, that's something. Not that I want to think about what happened to her, but it's better to get it out. Hopefully the family will make her feel better.

PS. I waited all day at work to come home and read this. I nearly missed supper because I didn't want to stop. Now I'm late for bed again and I wouldn't change a thing. 11 chapters left...oh boy. Did I mention well done? Very much so. And compelling. And addicting. And I really have to go to sleep now. 0530 wake up call. Thanks for sharing your story :)

And now somehow Ziva's in trouble/danger? This doesn't sound good... Oh Z, trying so hard to be in control, to act like nothing bothers you. I don't think G was actually mad at her, but he certainly made his point. Those vacant moments are kind of scary, it's like losing her all over again. He would never throw her away and I'd dare anyone to try and take her from him now. lol...it's kind of sad how much they have to read into what Gibbs really means, but also nice that they know he cares.

I'm glad someone's around to remind G to take care of himself, that doctor is good at being blunt and honest. But it's got to be incredibly frustrating to watch (both) his daughters struggle and be helpless to do much of anything to make them better. I hope this phase doesn't last long, it sucks how much progress she's lost.

It's nice that T&A can have the sibling banter thing to keep them a little grounded in the midst of this muddy mess, everyone needs an outlet. Oh Tony, gonna get in trouble defying orders in front of Sara's dad, tsk tsk. I like the G&A's signing comes in handy when they're trying to keep things away from little ears.

Sara's doing good with the questions, I'm glad she won't have to testify, that's would be asking too much. At least the new brace should make things a little easier on them. I hope she heals okay. It seems so far before things get to better. Thanks :)

Oh Sara, more to go through? At least he got her to the hospital right away. But I don't like those survival rates any better than G does. So it was the doctor's fault? Whoa! That last thing that little girl needed was one more thing to fight. I'd probably be reacting like Abby too. I love how they all consider her part of the team. Even if she is Gibbs' daughter, she belongs to all of them in different little ways.

Wow, Ziva, way to make a point. A month off is not necessarily going to be good for her current state of mind. But hopefully it helped relieve a little of the pressure that's been boiling inside. MCRT is losing members like flies, not good. Probies are a pain. I'm glad they took the fixator off as far as comfort is concerned, but I hope it doesn't cause setbacks in S's recovery to not have that stability. Flat on her back for 2 weeks? Not sure how well she'll take that. Can't someone give this kid a break?

Okay, I had to laugh at that. Ziva's been grounded! I wonder how Tony will feel losing his sometimes-roommate to his former boss for a few weeks. Oh boy, that little girl is more observant/insightful than I gave her credit for. She totally threw Ziva off her game. Odd that Z didn't answer her truthfully, Sara already knows someone hurt her.

Oh Z...I think you definitely need a caretaker. Or a hug. Or both. Tears are not normal even if they're probably helpful, a release whether she wants them or not. I believe she is very vulnerable right now. I'm not sure why Gibbs didn't want T to try and comfort her unless it was just because she needed to get that out, but hopefully he can offer some measure of comfort when they're alone. Z&S have both seen way too much violence. It's a good thing their guardian angels come with guns, I think. Wow...and I continue to be amazed.

Reading this makes me want to be a foster care so I can scoop up all the kids handled so badly by the system and other people and hug them until the hurt goes away. But it would never be that easy and I still cannot believe everything this little girl has had to endure. I appreciate that Gibbs has stated that he'll never hit her, I just wonder how long until she's sure. And to be told at such a young age that you're stupid all the time, to be hit and left in dark closets, to feel dirty and ashamed. She's only five! This is so incredibly not fair.

What happened to Z's tooth? They normally just don't break...I don't think. You weren't kidding about tough stuff, altho I do think T picked not the greatest time to have that conversation. I'm glad she didn't actually want him to leave. It's nice that Tony stays even when she tries to push him away. I'm glad Z is talking to the shrink and I like Tony encouraging her to let someone else carry her burdens, that she doesn't have to be alone in this. I think Gibbs would want to support her, he loves her just like he loves Sara. This is T&Z different than I've seen before. And I like it.

Aww...so nice of Jackson to make her something. I love how attached she is to it. And all the questions were cute. I think Thanksgiving sounds like a great idea. Gibbs always knows when something is going on between his agents. But I heard that it wasn't technically against NCIS policy for agents in the same unit to date. Could be wrong, not even sure where I heard that from. I hope they can keep it on the DL, would not want to see them split up. Home to his girl...that has a nice ring to it :) Thanks!

I feel bad for Tony, would've been nice if his first case went right. Seems like Z is in deeper than I thought. I don't think T will handle that file well. Of course she wouldn't go to a hospital. That woman has the cornerstone on stubborn.

lol...I'm glad Gibbs stood up to Sara on something little, she needs to learn good discipline vs. bad. But I agree with Z - I think the appropriate term is 'mush'. Daddies and little girls, what a phenomenon. Poor Sara! I wonder what caused the reaction? Oh, question answered. Shellfish, that's probably an allergy worth knowing about. Good thing it wasn't a serious reaction.

Ooh...Daddy Gibbs getting tough. I wonder how long before she believes them that no one is going to hit her? They seem so much like a family already, I can't believe it's only been a week or two. It's sad that S still needs to reassurance that G won't ever get rid of her, but it's so sweet to hear her say ILY Daddy :)

Oh Ziva. Unfortunately there are some things that all the hugs in the world will not fix. And that's all I know how to do.

I wonder how long Jackson's staying? It's cute, calling S 'the baby', seems like something a grandpa would do. And

now she's going to have more to deal with? Question also answered about how long she was laying there with the

garbage, it's a miracle she's even alive. Sweet that she's trying to comfort him. But at least it seems like the damage is

reversible, so I'm thankful for that. Still not easy to hear tho.

Isn't Tony sweet? I'm not surprised by what Z wants to happen to Keyman, so I find it interesting that Tony is. I like

how he gently encourages and pushes and prods. I'm glad Z can be happy with him and I think his patience will be

rewarded. They're a pair those 2, not sure what they'd do without each other.

awww...what a nice gift idea from Tim! I agree, wheelchairs are poorly designed for anything other than flat surfaces. I never realized how inaccessible my town was until I started working with a girl in a wheelchair. Hiking trip to the mountains, just the 2 of them? That sounds...challenging (I would love to, but I'm just not much into campting). McG is awfully thoughtful, knowing what they need. Nice that he suggested bonding time. And the baby monitor is cute :)

Sara did really good in this interview, I'm proud of her. But the more she talks the more we learn and I just can't wrap my mind around the fact that a 5 year old has seen more of the worst of life than I'll probably see in my entire life. To have made it this far after all she's been through, she's a fighter, that's for sure.

She calls Jackson 'papa'? Now that's adorable. How does she go on the swings with all that hardware? Or is it an accessibility park? We have one here, they have some nice equipment for kids in wheelchairs. Well done :) I think Gibbs will spend a long time afraid of losing this little girl.

I like the chapters from Sarah's POV. Wonder what Gibbs is up to in the basement? Probably a surprise. If S can't even handle him being that far away, how's she going to do when she spends all day in PT etc.? I like Abby, she's very sweet with Sara. It's too bad she's so worried about Z, there's so much they need to explain to her because she's just a little girl and she doesn't understand. I also like when Gibbs was cuddling her and it made her feel better.

Oh geez, that was a terrible panic attack thing that Sara had. I'm sure Gibbs would be honoured to be called Daddy. I like how S feels like a regular kid when she's with Gibbs and the team. Poor thing, trying to get away and not realizing that Gibbs isn't mad he's probably scared and concerned. Oh princess...they just want to love you.

Jackson? Did not expect him to show up. But I suspect he'll be a good support for Gibbs, maybe even some wisdom to pass along too. I'm glad Sara feels better seeing Z, but I wish Z was actually feeling better. I love how gentle she is with Sara, all the kind words and reassurances, convincing her that all the lies she's been told aren't true. I wonder if she understands the Hebrew then. Daddy, I like the sound of that for Gibbs.

It's nice to see the team relaxing together. I expected Abby not to be happy about Gibbs' decision, but I'm glad he'll still be able to work from home and go back to NCIS on occasion. And good for Tony, he deserves his own team. I think he'll be really good at it. lol...well, maybe the new probie should call Tony 'boss', but the others have known him too long. Really sweet ending :)

I've always known Z is a good cook, nice that T can get in on it now :) I'm with Tony wondering how Z is so sure about S talking to a male cop. Is there some abuse in her background too? Oh right...I didn't realize Somalia was a part of this story. I'm not surprised she never said the word. It's supposed to help if you can admit it out loud, but I don't think I'd want to use it either. Tony is patient and brave to push like that, and admit he can't help her.

Oh geez...the way Tony describe's Z's behind-the-scenes behaviour is so heartbreakingly believable. So are they sort of...living together? It's hard to tell what their relationship looks like, but I'm glad she lets him comfort her and be her strength.

Hmm...I'd wondered if G would be able to go back to work and leave S. So does that make Tony the new team leader for good? Oh...I'm so bad with change...

lol...Abby's a little jealous of McGee? I kind of like that even tho McG was being all negative about what could happen, Abby did her glass half-full routine to show what they can and are already doing to make things better. Gibbs' time with Sara was sweet, but sad. I'm glad she's learning to trust, that she can ask for things, I just wish she wasn't so wounded. Abby's right, he's a very good daddy. Thanks! :)