I was just re-reading some of the recent manga again (recent when I started writing this =P) with a friend and this just popped into my head during one of our many sasusaku conversations =P. Hope you like it, please review! I really REALLY appreciate and welcome critique if you have any!

Takes place during manga 484

Italics are thoughts

Bolds are memories

Even Now

"Now is my chance!" Sakura thought to herself. She finished healing Sasuke's red-headed teammate and had propped her against the stone wall of the bridge. She stole a glance at her once more. She was taking slow, deliberate breaths, one hand braced against her chest. Her red hair stood vibrantly out against the darkness that had enveloped them.

"What had she been to Sasuke?" she wondered. "Was she just a teammate? Just a subordinate? A friend? Lover?" she shook her head at her last thought. She couldn't bear to think of that for multiple reasons.

"If he loved her, why would he try to kill her?" and "What would he do to the people he twice pushed away from him?" She swallowed before turning back to the scene below her. "I have to do this." And before she could talk herself out of it, she lept over the side of the bridge.

"What are you going to do!" Sakura heard from behind her as she stuck herself to the wall underneath the bridge. Her face hardened. She knew what she needed to do.

She surveyed the scene below her from her upside-down view. Sasuke's eyes were bleeding heavily, more than before. She watched him cringe as what seemed to be another wave of pain wash through his body. He clutched at his eye, he didn't notice Sakura poised above him. Kakashi did.

She noticed Kakashi's eyes pop. She could only imagine what was going through his mind; probably something along the lines of "What are you doing?" and "Stay out of this!".

But Sakura was as stubborn as her shishou. She would not be swayed and she would complete her mission. Sasuke was taking deep breaths recovering from the last spasm, watching Kakashi with his other eye intently. Sakura saw her chance and she took it.

"I can't let you bear this burden, Kakashi Sensei!"

Sakura expelled the building chakra from her feet, propelling herself toward Sasuke. Memories flashed by on the wind and she flew forward.

Ten feet.

"Let me… be the one to tell Naruto about Sasuke-kun." Sakura told her team glumly. "So please don't say anything to Naruto first."

She had already made up her mind; she already knew what she had to do.

Eight feet.

"I… can't tell Naruto about this!" Her duty was clear. "…I… have to do it myself…!"

Five feet.

"I have to be prepared…!"

Three feet.

She saw her first day at the academy. Timid, little Haruno Sakura walking up to the too-cool for words Uchiha Sasuke, stuttering to get barely a word out. He just coolly glanced her way.

Two feet.

"I..I will kill Sasuke-kun…!" Blood was rushing to her head, pounding in her eyes, drowning out all other sound.

One foot.

A deep voice from her dreams, and nightmares, whispered in her ear.

"Thank you…"

Her hand shook and halted mere inches from the Uchiha crest. Tears poured from her face as she hung her head despondently in utter and complete defeat.

"…I thought …I could do it…!"

Sasuke had noticed her by now. His bloodied eyes stared at her in shock as he spun first his head then his body around, grabbing her by the throat in the process. She vaguely heard her name being called but she didn't care anymore.

"I've failed." she thought dully.

Sasuke slammed her against the bricks, she could have sworn she heard some crack. She stared at her once love, once good friend, once teammate. Tears still cascaded down her cheeks and she scolded herself for her weak state. She remembered when she cried over Sasukes presumed-to-be-dead body during their first real mission on the Great Naruto Bridge. Remembered during their first chunin exams in the forest of death, when she held him while the curse mark ravaged his body and he cried out in agony. When he finally awoke after that terrifying night and saved her; the look in his eyes when he asked her who had beaten her. Sakura saw that same look mirrored in those very different eyes, only magnified ten-fold.

Even now, after all this time, after all that he had done to the village, to Naruto…

Sasuke easily wrenched the kunai from her hand. She saw Kakashi stumbling trying to get to her through her blurry, tear-filled vision.

..to her.

Those eyes, so changed yet so reminiscent and beautiful, betrayed no privy into his thoughts, red as the blood gliding down his face. Sakura couldn't look anymore, she closed her eyes and left her tears fall as she saw his hand plunge the kunai toward her.

Even now, after all this time…

"I'm sorry Kakashi, Naruto; I tried…"

…she still loved him.

I really do think she still loves him, but Sasuke has lost every last one of his marbles and Madara is that big bully on the playground that is stealing them all! *sigh* We can only hope and dream of a pleasant outcome and, when that fails, turn to fanfiction! =) Please review!