A/N: I always envision Neji and Hanabi becoming unwilling partners in crime for no reason other than they are just unlucky like that. Plus, they probably have more in common than they would ever acknowledge or even admit out loud. Reviews are appreciated. Enjoy!

ELEVEN: Talk slowly but think quickly.

"I cannot believe this is happening," Neji muttered quietly under his breath. "This is entirely your fault."

"I beg to differ," Hanabi retorted defensively, "I'm just as much a victim in this as you are."

They were sitting outside Hiashi's office, waiting while the clan leader read the incident report.

It was a lengthy and extraordinary report.

ANBU only got bits and pieces of what happened, given they arrived shortly after the sink hole formed. The rest would have to come from Neji and Hanabi who were the alleged key players in the episode.

Hanabi was absolutely convinced that her father will never let her set foot outside the clan gates again and Neji felt pretty sure that he will be assigned to latrine duty for the rest of his life.

"I think we should tell him we were drugged," Hanabi suggested quietly.

"Please!" Neji scoffed at the idea. He was a jounin after all. The idea that he would be drugged was…humiliating. If Hanabi wanted to debase herself with such an obvious lie, then that was on her. He would not stoop to such a juvenile level. "We will tell your father the truth. He is a sensible man."

"Neji, the truth will not set us free in this situation," Hanabi deadpanned. "I was there and I don't believe it. We'll be lucky if Father doesn't commit us both to the asylum."

"You're being a child. We cannot be held responsible for events that were beyond our control."

Hanabi shook her head, already seeing her rights and privileges disappearing. "We shouldn't have even been in that neighborhood. What is it with you and old houses?"

"It is my responsibility as a jounin to investigate strange occu-hey, don't try to put this all on me. If you weren't trying to impress that boy with the lisp, things would not have gone this far."

"He did not have a lisp."

Neji rolled his eyes. "Oh, I beg to differ."

They sat quietly for a moment, trying not to think too much on the immediate future. Behind the closed door, they could hear objects being slammed to the table and pages of the report turning rapidly as though the person with the report could not believe what he was reading and had to go back a few paragraphs.

"I think he got to the part about the dog." Hanabi brought her head down between her knees and started to hyperventilate. "Oh, god! Oh, god, this is bad!"

Neji, the picture of calm and serenity, took a deep breath. "Hanabi, you need to pull it together. I'm telling you all we have to do is tell the truth."

"Are you sure? Because I think we should just say—"

"I am sure, Hanabi," Neji said shortly, not even wanting to bring that idea up again. "Just play it cool."

'Playing it cool,' however, paled in comparison to the wrath that was Hyuga Hiashi after reading that report (twice!) and receiving the bill from the village for the damages.

After Hanabi told the truth, Hiashi proceeded to yell at them for a solid fifteen minutes, which was quite a shock for all in the household but especially so for the cousins who took the brunt of it. It was a moment neither wanted to experience ever again.

"Do you honestly expect me to believe such a ridiculous and cockamamie story? I don't know who or what gave you the impression that you can reason your way out of this but you are grossly mistaken, young lady! Neji, are you seriously going to sit there and support these preposterous claims?"

Both Hanabi and Neji sat wide eyed in silent uncertainty before a waiting and very cross clan leader. They shared a tentative glance before Neji offered his reply.

"I…was drugged."