A Chance Encounter

Chapter 5

Sakura, Sarada, and Mikoto went to get the spare room prepared so they could have a place to sleep for the night. Fugaku took this opportunity to talk to his son about something he witnessed earlier.

"Sasuke, I need to say something to you." He had been sitting outside enjoying the cool breeze. He motioned for Fugaku to sit next to him and he gave his father his full attention, anxious about what his question could be.

"Earlier your mother made a comment about Sarada not recognizing us. Your mother suggested it was because we are younger now than in your time. But Sarada doesn't know us at all, does she?"

This is what he was scared of. He dropped his head, he couldn't look his father in the eyes as he said, "She's never met you." Fugaku nodded, he knew his hunch was correct. Sasuke continued, "But it's not because I didn't want her to. A lot has happened in the last 15 years..."

He didn't press further, he had only wanted to confirm his suspicions. The future was none of his business.

"I need to stop by the station. Tell your mother I'll be back by dinner" and he stood then left around the side of the house. He was confused and surprised that Fugaku did not want to know more about his confession but thought it best to just let it go and to help finish getting the room prepared. He put that conversation in the back of his mind for now.

Mikoto had just finished preparing dinner when they heard the front door open and shut followed by the sounds of hurried footsteps.

"Mother guess what I-" young Sasuke paused in the doorway of the kitchen when he realized there were guests in his home.

His clothes were dirty and singed and he had small cuts on his cheeks and arms, he had definitely been training. At that age, that's all he did.

"What is it Sasuke?" She coaxed.

He ran over to where she was standing by the counter and wrapped his arms around her waist, "I did the Fireball Jutsu! Father saw me too!"

Sasuke remembered that day clearly. He had been training hard to learn the Fireball Jutsu to impress his father. He wanted to prove that even he would surpass Itachi. When he was finally able to do it he was praised by Fugaku, something he was seeking for a long time.

Mikoto kissed him on the top of the head, "that's great Sasuke! I'm so proud of you!" She understood him better than anyone, that's why he was always closer to her than his father.

She looked over to where Sakura and Sarada were seated with the older version of her son. "Sasuke come sit down, I need to talk to you" she told him.

He moved slowly to sit at the table across from his older self, though he didn't know it. Mikoto sat down beside him and wrapped her arm around his shoulder, "Sasuke, this is Sasuke."

He looked up at his mother in bewilderment, "He has the same name as me?"

She gave him a comforting smile, "He does and that's because he is you, from the future."

He looked wide eyed at the older Sasuke, unsure of what to do with this new information. He then looked at Sakura and Sarada then back to his mother, silently asking who they were.

She laughed nervously, "Well Sasuke, this is who you grow up and marry. Her name is Sakura. And this is your daughter, Sarada."

He scrunched up his nose, "Sakura? Like Sakura Haruno?" 

This made Sakura burst out laughing. "I'm sorry," she apologized between laughs, "he always called me annoying growing up. I'm not surprised by this response from him."

"I still do sometimes" Sasuke muttered but he had a smirk on his face. He only teased when he said it now but back when he was a kid he truly meant it.

Young Sasuke looked to his older self, "So I grow up to be you?"

He nodded his head. This caused his younger self to eye him suspiciously, " Do I unlock the Sharingan?" He figured he would seize this opportunity and see if all his training pays off.

Sasuke wasn't about to show him his EMS but he did indulge him and activated his 3 Tomoe Sharingan. He had already deactivated his Rinnegan for the time being so there was no chance of young Sasuke seeing it.

Sasuke's jaw dropped, "Wow!" He looked to his mother, "You see? My training does pay off!"

"I see that, I would also like to see you get cleaned up before dinner." He hurriedly ran from the room to do as his mother told him.

Sakura chuckled, "I have never seen you that excited about anything before. So you weren't always a stick in the mud" she teased. Sasuke didn't respond, he just narrowed his eyes at his wife's attempt at a joke.

"Do you know when Itachi will be back?" He asked Mikoto. He was anxious to know.

"He's set to be back tomorrow afternoon" she replied over her shoulder.

Tomorrow. He would get to see his brother tomorrow. He couldn't help it but a small smile spread across his lips. Sakura held his hand tightly under the table, she knew how much this meant to him.

Fugaku arrived home later to eat dinner. He had some things he had to do at the station and also watched Sasuke show him his fireball jutsu, they all discovered.

"Sasuke, your brother will be returning tomorrow from his mission. I want you to be home right after you're done at the Academy."

Young Sasuke was just as excited to see Itachi as the older one was. He adored his brother but it made him sad to know that this younger version of himself would soon go through the same heart break he did.

• • • • •

Fugaku thought it would be a good idea for Sasuke to accompany him to the station the next morning, maybe see if they can dig up some information on the man who was after them.

"I don't know if we will find anything." Sasuke wasn't holding out much hope that anything would come from this but he was willing to try.

Fugaku had led him through the station into a large room. Desks were scattered throughout, many of them occupied by officers sorting through scrolls or writing reports and book cases lined one wall while the other had floor to ceiling windows.

"Through here" and he nodded to an office in the back, his office. This area was a little more organized, one desk and one shelf, scrolls stacked neatly on one side of the desk.

They were about to start their search when they were interrupted by an officer knocking on the door frame. "Sir, your son is here."

"Ah, send him in." Sasuke honestly expected to see his younger self walk in but to his surprise it was Itachi, wearing his Anbu gear. And beside him, Hiroto.