AUTHOR'S NOTE: Although I often wish I did, I do not own NARUTO. But Kishimoto, you are a genius!

To Learn Forgiveness

By: Shirayuki-Sakura

CHAPTER ONE

Sasuke Uchiha was a traitor and a murderer.

Shamelessly, he turned his back on his village to avenge the loss of his brother.

He attacked his friends, his comrades and even his best friend.

He abandoned the girl he had almost loved.

He attacked the Kage at their summit and tried to kidnap the 8-tailed Jinchuuriki.

And because he helped Naruto kill Madara, he was forgiven.

But Sakura could not bring herself to look at the raven-haired boy and feel anything but the lonely ache of emptiness. The love and sadness that once would swell in her chest had numbed and died in her heart. Slowly, quietly, Sakura walked down the stone stairway to the underground prison cells, the sound of her breathing filling the silence.

Naruto had pled on his behalf, asking for forgiveness on behalf of his "brother". Bound and chained, the Uchiha kneeled before the Kage, his raven hair falling over his face and his shame as naked as his torso. Bandages were fastened over his eyes from being newly treated in surgery. He was nearly blind, his precious eyes nearly beyond repair, and he did not have the courage to ask what he knew he didn't deserve.

But Naruto stood boldly against all odds for his friend as he had always done.

"Sasuke helped save us all, even if he was on their side!" His deep blue eyes moved from each of the leaders' faces, determination written on his features. Sakura's eyes had trailed over his form as she stood in the background alongside Kakashi and Sai, the remaining members of Team Seven. She knew every bruise and cut and stitch that marred his body and she remembered all the blood that soaked into her uniform as she healed him, cursing the Uchiha under her breath and she cried over her best friend's wounds.

Unforgiveable, she had hissed. I will never forgive that man for this.

When the trial came to a close, Sasuke had been sentenced to indefinite confinement to the underground cells while he recovered. Kakashi sealed away Sasuke's chakra with a powerful jutsu. Tsunade reinforced it with another to prevent him from leaving the borders of the village without her approval. Even if he tried to escape, he would go blind without Tsunade's treatment.

Sakura had watched the sealing processes from the other side of the prison bars, her fingers woven into Naruto's as she listened to his screaming echoing through the halls. The other prisoners cried out in response but Sasuke's anguish seemed more potent and pained. He collapsed on the cold stone as the dark ink moved and condensed into a black pattern that formed over his eye. It would be his mark of a traitor, a lifelong reminder for all the villagers.

"It will stay there until he dies," Tsunade had said grimly as she closed the cell door behind her. Sakura felt Naruto's fingers tighten around hers and she knew he felt conflicted. He had saved Sasuke's life yet the punishment seemed so much worse. "Even if we took off the seals, that mark will be there forever."

No one would be able to look at Sasuke again without remembered his sin. Sakura felt Kakashi's comforting chakra as he passed her, his visible eye crinkling in reassurance. The pink-haired medic entered the chamber silently and unrolled the bandages to dress his eyes. As she wrapped the white fabric around his head, over his eyes, her fingers had ghosted over the mark.

It looked almost tribal as she looked at it, pitch black and smooth and running down the right side of his face, over his eye. Looking at it reminded Sakura of everything he had done. He had tried to kill her. If it hadn't been for the rest of Team Seven, he would have succeeded. Unforgivable, she thought as she finished wrapping his eyes. She did not bother to say goodbye and only slammed the door behind her before walking past Naruto and up the steps to the surface. She felt Naruto's confused gaze follow her as she disappeared behind the security doors. I will not forgive you, Uchiha Sasuke.

And now the pink-haired medic was making her way down the same corridor, Tsunade a few feet ahead of her and Naruto at her side. His fingers were laced with hers again, her only comfort as they made their way to Sasuke's cell. She felt his thumb slide over her skin and looked up to meet his grin, reluctantly smiling back at him as he tried to reassure her.

Sakura felt a tug at her heart as he squeezed her fingers. She would not forgive Sasuke for everything he had done but she would follow Naruto to the ends of the earth. I love you, I love you, I love you.

She could only feel the warmth of his hand like a beacon as they stopped in front of Sasuke's cell.

A/N: Ahhhhh, and so this concludes the first chapter of my first fanfiction. Review if you like!