What could have been...(Completed)

Itachi's return

Itachi sat on a grassy hill, thinking of how peaceful his life was. He had continued his life in the quiet little village despite the nagging feeling that buzzed in his head. Izumi was happy, they were well off and had a healthy son together, he reminded Itachi alot of his kid brother at that age being happy and friendly but he assumed Karasu got the traits from Izumi. Itachi coughed and sighed when he saw blood. He stood and went home for the day, Itachi tried to avoid showing he had grown sick but Izumi knew, though she wasn't sure how sick he was. "You know you need to see a doctor... I don't want to nag you but I don't want to risk Karasu getting sick..." Izumi voiced as she feed the bright eyed baby boy. Itachi stared at his wife. He sat next to her but said nothing until he heard Karasu giggle, the baby reached for him making his heart melt. "I will... tomorrow." Izumi smiled and leaned on him as she held their child.

Karasu was growing fast, being advanced for his age in many ways and Itachi enjoyed watching him move. The next morning Itachi went to the small hospital for a check up as promised. The doctor ran many test but Itachi sat quietly and allowed it. The doctor adjusted his glasses as he looked at the files in his hand then glanced at the Uchiha. "Well the good news is we caught this early, you'll need to begin antibiotics right away. You have mild hemoptysis. If processed it could have been serious but no need to worry. We will heal your lungs in no time. Itachi gave a nod despite being slightly surprised by the news of his illness. He spent most of his day at the hospital but knew the tea shop would be alright without him for a day. He returned home to find Izumi cooking and Karasu napping. He watched his son sleep, part of him was glad he did as his wife suggested. If he didn't he knew his future would be uncertain and he could leave Karasu without a father. He walked into the kitchen and Izumi smiled before he hugged her. She was surprised but returned the embrace. "What is this all about? Is everything alright?" She asked. "Yes, everything is fine now." Izumi smiled at him again but didn't pry despite wanting to know how the doctor visit went. She trusted him and if he told her everything was fine, she believed him.

The small Uchiha family moved forward in the quiet little village. Itachi soon hoped another tea shop on the opposite side of town as his already owned tea shop but Izumi stayed home with Karasu, teaching him. He seemed to grow in a blink of an eye and was almost five before Itachi knew it. "Father." Karasu ran up to him as he sat on the grassy hit. Itachi looked at him, he favored him still but had his mother's sweet smile and more of his mother's personality traits but Itachi was glad of that. "Why do we live here?" "This is our home." Itachi answered making Karasu sit next to him. "But our name... Uchiha. It is famous from famous ninja but we are tea people. Does that mean we shame our name? We do not live up to it..." Itachi looked from his son to the sky, he was only five but wasn't an average five year old. He got his father's maturity and Itachi knew that fact all to well by now. He gave a sigh. "Karasu... ninja runs in our blood. I was a ninja once but your mother and I choice a different path. You will choice a path one day as well." Karasu stared at his father with innocent eyes and a stoic face then smiled. "Okay!" Itachi glanced at him before he stood and picked him up. "Come, your mother is waiting." The child gave a slight giggle despite feeling he was too old to be carried around and willingly allowed his father to put him on his shoulders. He liked the viewed he received, his dark eyes studying all the people that they passed.

Izumi sat knitting in the living room, she smiled when her two favorite boys entered the house. "I see you found him." "Father likes the hill by the biggest shade tree, its not fair." Karasu claimed as he took a seat next to her. She put her knitting needles down played with his hair a moment. "Go to your room and play please, I need to talk to your father." "Yes mother." He left obediently with a smile. Itachi took his seat and touched her hand but said nothing. She stared at his hand for a moment then looked him in the eye. "I want Karasu to start school but... I want him to have a choice... I love it here I really do, I love everything we have made for ourselves here but... I want to return to Konoha..." he let go of her hand and she sighed. "I know its alot to ask... especially all that has happened. You are doing great business here, its selfish for me to ask. We have everything we could want..." "we have everything yet something is missing right?" He asked as if he felt the same. She gave a nod yes and he sighed. "I've ignored it for awhile but I wonder what has become of our clan... our home... our family. Is everything destroyed? Is everyone died? Is Konoha still standing? I think of it alot..." Izumi leaned on him, "oh Itachi..." "I think it is time we return home... if we our the only ones so be it if nothing is left of the leaf we can always come back here." She hugged him happily at his words then kissed his cheek. "I'm going to start on dinner." He gave a nod and went to Karasu's room to find him building a tower of blocks.

He watched him play contently until Karasu met his eye. He smiled at his father before Itachi sat on the floor across from him. "Karasu. Do you like it here?" The young boy looked round his room and nodded yes. "Would you like to see where your mother and I grew up?" The childs smile grew, "yeah! That'd be cool!" "We are going on a trip then." Itachi claimed making Karasu begin to clean his toys up. "Okay I'll pack!" Itachi gave a nod and stood to leave Karasu to pack. It took Itachi time but he sold both the tea shops and put the house up for rent. The small Uchiha family then packed and left for Konoha, he didn't wanna admit it but part of him was nervous about returning after all this time. It took longer for them to return to Konoha with having Karasu. He stared at the moon while his son slept. Izumi sat next to him and leaned on his shoulder, "it will be alright..." he glanced at her face and the look in her eyes gave him hope.

They continued their journey when Karasu woke the next morning. He was enjoying the adventure being able to see things outside the village he was born and camp outside for the for the first time in his life. His eyes grew wide with excitement when he saw the gates of leaf. "Welcome to Konoha Karasu..." Itachi voiced as he stared at the entrance as a mixture of uncertain feelings swelled inside him.