'Drive Me Crazy' as a mini-series in this collection. Enjoy!

Drive Me Crazy
-
Give Chase

The "high-speed chase" as popularized by Hollywood gave the every-day civilian a woefully inaccurate and overblown depiction of police work that, had Neji been anyone other than a Hyūga, would have made him roll his eyes.

The sensationalized chases, complete with cliched dare-devil antics like screeching tires and on-the-dime turns did not translate well from the silver screen to practical police work; there was simply no call for such things.

At least, that had always been Neji's conviction.

Even as Tenten cornered into a narrow alley and screeched to a halt - where the red dot of the GPS had last stopped - he had trouble believing such a thing was real. Surely there was another explanation for his racing heart, and the unseemly tension in his muscles and mild nausea. He moved quickly when the car stopped, pausing only long enough to firmly instruct the driver to stay put and not interfere before jumping out on legs he refused to let quake if only out of gratitude for a return to terra firma.

But when he yanked open the driver's door of the targeted car, there was no one there. Neji swore as he checked the vehicle, only to find it devoid of any passengers.

He scanned the area and hurried to all of the logical escape points, checking doors, windows, and the streets in both directions, but the sirens of approaching squad cars drew near, he had to acknowledge the unacceptable.

The perpetrator had gotten away.

To say Neji was severely displeased would be an egregious understatement.

He returned to the abandoned car, and began barking orders to the officers that arrived on the scene. There was already a crowd lured out by the commotion, and three or four cruisers worth of back-up managing the onlookers while also securing the area.

"I want forensics to go over this thing with something finer than a fine-toothed comb," he snapped at the young officer, whose badge read 'Sarutobi.'

"Yes sir," he nodded, scribbling down his orders.

"Why am I talking to you?" he growled. "Where's Uzumaki?"

"On his way, Sir. He and Detective Uchiha were following another lead."

"Of course, they were," he muttered.

"I sent them," A third officer appeared, yawning. "Got your stuff in my cruiser. We towed your car; need to make sure nothing else was done to it."

"That's fine," he said dismissively. "Be careful with that!" he snapped at the young officer, who was gingerly removing something from under the front seat. "I don't need two years of work compromised by your incompetence."

The young man flushed brightly, but gave a polite. "Yes, Sir."

Neji turned back to Officer Shikamaru Nara. "What do we know?"

Ten more minutes passed, and another young officer trotted over to Shikamaru, handing over a few things before being dismissed. She nodded and returned to work, but not before her glance skittered nervously over Neji.

"I've got it from here," Shikamaru said, surprising Neji by handing him his briefcase and duffel bag – obviously retrieved from his car. "You've got tomorrow off; I'll see to it that your car is dropped off at your place as soon as the boys are done with it."

Neji's face remained unemotional even as the air about him cooled by several degrees, and he did not take his things.

"Are you dismissing me, Nara?"

"I am," he said with a wry smile. "For the good of all involved. Oi!" he turned and waved – to Neji's growing trepidation – to the Lyft driver, who was calmly leaning against her car, arms crossed, taking in the world around her.

"Nice work tonight," he said conversationally.

"Thanks," she grinned. "Definitely one of my more interesting fares."

"I bet," he smirked. "You okay to bring him home?" he jerked his chin toward Neji, who might have felt his stomach protest.

"Depends," her eyes danced. "Is he going to pay his fare?"

Neji glowered at her as Detective Nara gave a snort of amusement.

"Sarutobi."

"Sir?" the rookie came over, eyes darting nervously between him and Neji.

"Put these in the car for the Detective, would you?" he handed off Neji's things. "And you," he sighed, digging into his pocket and counting out a few bills before handing them over. "Try not to enlist any more civilians, will you? It's troublesome."

"At least my enlisted help was competent," he muttered, shooting a dark look to where Konohamaru and the driver were putting his things in the trunk of her car.

"Give him a break," Shikamaru sighed. "He's come a long way."

"Sorry, Nara," Neji's smile was small, tight, and frankly unapologetic. "I'm fresh out of miracles."

Neji strode toward his ride, but paused at the passenger side door.

"Oh, go on," the driver slid into her seat. "Might as well ride up front. So," she attached her phone to a cradle near the dash. "Where am I taking you?"

Neji gave an address on the other side of town.

She didn't bother to set the address, but let the GPS run and track the fare.

Neji watched the display in silence for several minutes before offering:

"You seem to know where you are going."

"I've got a good memory for maps," she allowed. "That is why I was able to navigate that tricky bit of downtown as quickly as I did. Although," she slid him a glance, "I do not think you were very comfortable with the last several detours."

"I was particularly concerned when we got to that area with the one-way streets."

"Thought I'd lose him?"

"I believe that concern was secondary to us barreling down the wrong way and being killed, but yes."

"Huh," she considered him. "That's a lot of snark for someone that probably has never run a red light in his life."

"And have you ever stopped at one?"

They were, in fact, approaching a red light, so she made a grand show of slowing to stop, and looking both ways even after the light turned green.

Neji arched an eyebrow at her, but said nothing more on the subject.

"So, what was going on tonight?"

"Police work."

"I meant beyond the obvious, Detective."

"Are you always this nosy?"

"I prefer the word inquisitive," she said, loftily. "And you've gotten grumpier since we started this little adventure. Was the guy that got away that important?"

"Probably not," Neji pinched the bridge of his nose, "but the fact that he got away is."

"Should we drive around the area? See if we can spot him?"

"Wouldn't do any good," Neji said more to himself than to her. "We didn't have a strong visual or a good description. The investigation was relying heavily on capturing and identifying whoever carried off tonight's burglary."

"Mm," she hummed, skimming a look over him. "When was your last meal?"

The non-sequitur remark took him off guard, and gave him pause. The realization that his last form of any substance had been hours ago, must have registered in his expression.

"Right," she tapped the screen of her phone, disabling the fare calculator. "Let's get you some food."

"That won't be necessary."

"I know the address you gave me," she effortlessly merged onto a busy thoroughfare. "It's a book store. I don't blame you for not wanting a complete stranger to know where you live, so whatever cab you were going to call from there, you can call from where I'm taking you. Or I can drop you off," she shrugged. "Whatever."

"Are you kidnapping an officer of the law?"

"Nah," she waved his concerns aside. "I'm feeding a friend that's had a crazy day. Big difference."

"I hardly qualify as a friend."

"Hi," she held out a hand, the other still on the wheel, her eyes on the road. "My name is Tenten. I'm a Pisces, I have a wicked arm, I am a dart champion, I love kung-fu movies and spaghetti westerns, I read a whole bunch, and I have a best friend that pretty much only dresses in green, who, judging from the logo on the gym bag I loaded into the car, you already know."

Neji eyed the hand warily, but finally shook it.

"Detective Neji Hyūga," he confirmed. "I have no idea what my zodiac sign is, I occasionally throw darts, I abhor all movies but enjoy reading, and I can only assume that you are acquainted with either Might Gai or his protegee Lee, as they are the only two people I know that chronically wear green and train at that dojo."

"So you're Lee's 'Eternal Rival,'" her grin bloomed into a smile. "I've heard all about you."

"That sounds ominous," he crossed his arms.

"Well, if you know Gai and Lee, then we are already friends by extension. And they would be furious with me if I let you do something as unyouthful as skip a key meal of the day."

"I suppose there is no stopping you now?"

"Pretty much, no," she shrugged, taking the off-ramp to a quiet, middle-class part of town with relatively low crime, and plenty of small businesses that worked together to keep their area low in crime. "But considering the way you were busting that rookie's chops, I got a feeling if you had seriously strong objections, I'd know about them by now."

"Hn," he hummed, but didn't bother to correct her.

The knowing twist of her lips assured him she understood, and they rode in companionable silence to the small mom-and-pop establishment. She tucked her phone in her pocket and got out of the car. "Coming?"

Neji hesitated, but the traitorous growl of his stomach belied his attempts at nonchalance.

Perhaps he looked more mortified than he realized, because she just shrugged, and said "I didn't hear that."

Officially cornered, Neji grimaced and exited the car, waiting while she locked it. She stuffed her hands in her coat pockets, and nodded to the restaurant, never breaking stride as they walked side-by-side. "I know of your family," she offered. "You'd be an idiot to just let anyone know where you probably live. I'll still be an Lyft driver at the end of our meal, and if you need a ride home, I've got your back. If not, I'll stick around long enough to make sure you've got a ride. After that, I return to my regularly scheduled civilian life, and you can keep up with the chasing after bad guys thing. That sound fair?"

They were just outside of the restaurant, and she paused to look up at him expectantly.

There was an open honesty in her face and a frankness in her voice that was oddly comforting to Neji. He gave a single nod, and she smiled at him.

"Alright, then," she pulled open the door for them both. "Let's get some grub!"

Neji caught himself almost smiling in return, and blamed it on a combination of novelty and fatigue, and the carry-over allowances he made when dealing with Gai and Lee, rather than amusement at his newfound companion.

But by the end of the evening, he didn't need to be a detective to know that the rest of his smiles were solely for her. Perhaps that is what motivated him to call for a ride – something to which she took no offense. They stepped out of the restaurant together, and were standing by her car when the familiar vehicle pulled into the lot.

Neij waved the car over, and the driver parked next to them before getting out to get his things.

"Guess that's it," Tenten closed her trunk.

"So, it seems."

"Well, it was nice to meet you, Neji," she smiled. "Even given the circumstances."

"Likewise, Tenten," he extended a hand to her. "Thank you for your help today."

"You're welcome," she shook his hand with a warm smile. "And don't worry," her grin was sure, "I know you'll catch whoever was responsible."

"Thank you."

"See you around, Detective,' she gave a small wave as she got into her car, and drove away.

Neji slipped into the backseat of the black car, and settled into the roomy back seat. "Thank you for coming, Kō."

"Certainly," the older man smiled, watching him in the rearview as he pulled out of the lot. "Home, sir?"

"Yes, please – thank you."

"I have to admit I was nervous," Kō chuckled lightly. "Never a good sign for a chauffeur to find their young charge with a Lyft driver."

"I think it has been quite some time since I counted as a young charge," Neji's lips tipped up in tired amusement, "And many years since I left my Uncle's home, but we both know you are irreplaceable, Kō. Lady Hinata would never hear of it."

"Just a friend, then?"

Neji thought about the business card in his breast pocket, and gave a quiet smile.

"Just a friend."

Ah, Neji - they always start out as 'just friends.' Thank you for reading, friends!