The Fool by Tal

The Fool

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or "The Fool" by LeeAnn Womack.

The Fool

Kagome looked at her target, and gathered her courage. She knew this was going to hurt, but it needed to be done. She took a moment to smooth her skirt and a deep breath, and then moved forward.

It took a minute or so to navigate the crowd. Kagome used her thin frame to her advantage, and squeezed through to a small table near the bar, where a solitary woman was sitting.

The woman looked up at Kagome's tap. "Hello. I'm sorry, have we met before? I don't think I know you…" She looked cautious, but not overly so.

Kagome forced a small smile on her face. "No, you don't know me, but I know who you are. Mind if I sit down?"

Kagome was motioned to a seat opposite, and she gingerly took it. This was going easier than she thought, but then again, she hadn't said anything.

"Do I look familiar to you?" Kagome questioned.

Her eyebrows went up. "I don't think so, sorry."

Kagome sighed. "Well I should. I thought you might have seen me around. You've probably heard my name, but we haven't been properly introduced. I'm Kagome."

"Kikyo, but you said you already knew that. Now if you don't mind, will you tell me what in the world you want?" She looked like she was getting annoyed.

"I have something I want to talk to you about. If you've got a minute, I'll buy you a drink." At Kikyo's nod, Kagome motioned for a waitress.

Minutes later, both were nursing drinks, although Kagome made sure the bartender added some more alcohol to hers. She was going to need all the help she could get.

"So what is this big thing you want to talk about?" Kikyo's brown eyes narrowed as she took a sip.

"Inuyasha"

Kikyo froze, and Kagome took it as a cue to take another sip of her drink. All around them, people partied on, and didn't stop to look at the table with two silent women.

After a minute, brown eyes looked into Kagome's blue eyes. "Who are you?" Kagome sighed, and set her drink down.

"I'm the fool in love with the fool, who just happens to still love you." Kagome did her best to stare at her drink, and not into Kikyo's eyes. She had done so well up until this point, Kagome mused. Gulping, she told herself she wouldn't burst into tears.

"I knew about you, of course. We met while the two of you were dating, and became good friends. It took me a while to figure out that I loved him, but at that point and time, he was still dating you, and was desperately in love."

Kikyo opened her mouth, but Kagome shook her head. It went unspoken that if she didn't get this out now, she never would. So, Kikyo remained silent, waiting.

"When you broke up with him," Kagome paused and took a sip of her drink, then continued. "I was happy for myself, but it hurt me to see Inuyasha so depressed. It took almost six months for Inuyasha to get over you, and then another two for him to ask me out. I thought that maybe, just maybe he could get over you and learn to love me."

The second awkward silence of the night settled over their table, as Kagome took a longer sip of her drink. A single tear rolled down her cheek, as her eyes closed as if to block the pain away. Instead, all the action did was to take away Kagome's distraction and envision what happened just a few short days ago.

They had met up at his apartment to watch a movie, as was their custom on Wednesday nights. A brief argument ensued as to what type of movie to watch. Inuyasha wanted to watch and action movie and Kagome wanted a chick flick. After a pillow fight, one tickle fight, and three timeouts to cleanup spilled popcorn and soda, they compromised on an old classic, Casablanca.

He had fallen asleep long before the movie ended, but Kagome let him be. As the credits rolled, she snuggled up to him, her own eyes drifting closed. She smiled as his arms came around her, and felt content.

Just as she was about to fall asleep, she heard his mumblings. "Kikyo… don't leave me… Kikyo" Her eyes shot open as Inuyasha tightened his hold on her. Kagome didn't other to try and break free; that would mean waking him up. Besides, she didn't have to move to cry her eyes out.

"It wasn't the first time I heard your name come through his lips in his sleep. It wasn't even the first time Inuyasha had unconsciously mistaken me for you. Never before, though, had he held me while he did both." Kagome's tears were running unchecked down her face now, as she gripped her glass tightly.

"Kagome, I…"

Furious, tear-streaked blue eyes shot up from their previous resting place on Kagome's glass, and halted whatever Kikyo was about to say. "Don't." The word slipped from Kagome's lips.

Kikyo looked mystified, and Kagome continued. "Don't pity me, and don't you dare say you're sorry. You're not, and you know it."

Kagome crossed her arms, and glared at the other woman in front of her. "You don't love him, and that's a fact. I've seen you around, and you sure as hell don't act like a woman pining away."

Then, Kagome sighed, and her arms uncrossed and rested on the table. "I'm sorry; I didn't come here to put you down. It's just… You hold his heart in the palm of your hand, and my own heart is torn in two."

"Why are you telling me all this?" Kikyo asked, not sure what to think of all the information Kagome had dumped on her.

Teary blue eyes stared into Kikyo's. "Honestly, I don't know. What I do know, however, is that I'm leaving Inuyasha."

Kikyo almost sputtered her drink across the table. "But I thought you loved him!"

Kagome sighed, and downed the last of her drink. "I'm leaving now, to get the rest of my stuff out of my apartment. I love Inuyasha, but he still loves you, and I can't take it anymore. Maybe you'll go back to him, or maybe you won't. I hope you do, for his sake, and I hope you learn to love him back again."

She stood, and looked at the woman who had, inadvertently, kept Inuyasha's heart in the palm of her hand. "Good bye, Kikyo, and good luck"

With that, Kagome walked away, feeling strangely free. It would take some time for her heart to fully heal, but hopefully, away from Inuyasha, it could.

"Are you okay, Kagome?"

Kagome smiled as an arm wrapped around her shoulder, pulling her closer to his warmth. "I'm fine now, Sesshoumaru. Thanks for being my back-up."

The dog demon shook his head. "I couldn't leave a friend to face the wicked witch alone, could I? Think nothing of it. Now, you ready to go get your stuff?"

She nodded. "Thanks Sess. Whatever would I do without you?" Kagome wiped at her face with her sleeve, and felt grateful towards the friend that had helped her when she first found out about Inuyasha's true feelings.

As they moved towards his car, the full-blooded demon smiled, his eyes fixed on the prize before him. 'You'll never have to find out, not if I have anything to say about it' He thought, and resigned himself to waiting for the girl he had just figured out he had fallen for.

AN: Originally posted on ff.net.  Based on Lee Ann Womack's "The Fool"  I highly suggest listening to the original song.  Hope you enjoyed, and if you have, drop me a review!  ^_^