Inspired by the scene where Sakura attempts to kill Sasuke in the anime/manga, this fiction explores the alternative universe if Sasuke was to be secretly in love with Sakura. All characters belong to Naruto (c) Kishimoto.

FALLEN

CHAPTER ONE: FORGIVENESS

The room was filled with silence like death, and Sakura felt like she was in the Konoha morgue, operating on one of those dead nins. Only this time, they were standing in the tiny one-bedroom apartment of Naruto's house, staring at the floor, not knowing where to begin.

It has been exactly 18 hours since they had their last show down with Sasuke, with the latter declaring war and vengeance on the Leaf village, and then disappearing with Uchiha Madara. It was by a twist of fate that Naruto should show up at the bridge, when Sakura had attempted to assassinate Sasuke, her first love, and the sole reason that she had been waking up every morning in the hopes that she would be reunited with him one day. If Naruto had not shown up, she would have been dead, by Sasuke's hands no less.

She could not decide which was better. To die by his hands, or to be alive and witness the total darkness consuming him and turning him into someone she would eventually hate.

The calming voice of their Sensei broke the icy silence in the room. "Get some rest, Naruto. And you too, Sakura. " Hatake Kakashi began moving towards the door, but paused as he shot a glance at the blond teen. "You know, it's too late for him now. He's our enemy from today onwards." With that, he left the apartment, leaving the two of them alone. As Sakura watched Kakashi 's shadows slowly disappearing across the streets, her heavy heart returned to Naruto, knowing how much hurt and pain was cursing through him.

"Naruto…" she muttered, a feeble arm reaching out for him. She would try any attempt to comfort him, to make him feel better. Anything that could make her forget her own agony. The anguish that Sasuke had tried to kill her.

"I can forgive him." He suddenly said. The weight of his words hung heavily upon them. Before Sakura could add in, Naruto turned to her with those fierce stubborn blue eyes. "I can forgive him for hating us, for wanting to destroy Konoha because of what happened to Itachi and his clan…"

"Naruto…"

"But." He interrupted, firmly. "I cannot forgive him for hurting you. To actually attempt to kill you…I cannot forgive that."

Sakura lowered her head, feeling unshed tears welling up her pale green eyes. Relieving the moment when Sasuke had tried to kill her twice. First time, with Chidori, which was thwarted by the arrival of Kakashi, and the second time, with the poisonous kunai, which was deflected by Naruto.

"I tried to kill him too, Naruto." She finally whispered after what seemed like a long silent pause between them. "If I can feel so pained and hurt by his actions, perhaps that is how he felt too…"

Minutes passed, with none of them speaking another word. As if the sheer memory of their fallen friend would destroy that fragile and sacred friendship that they held so close to their hearts.

First chapter and it's pretty short! Pls R/R. Oh and if you're not a SasuSaku fan, pls DO NOT read this or bother flaming it. o.0