LoveandLogic
Refugee
[FONT="]Summary:[FONT="] Bono and Raven had the ideal marriage. But after the Joshua Tree tour, things start to go downhill. With Edge's own marriage hanging on a string and the tension within everyone involved, the band flees to Berlin to find artistic inspiration. Edge and Raven team together to escape the loneliness in their lives. How far will they go to feel complete again?
A/N: Again, thank you to the most awesome, wonderful, totally incredible beta WithoutSpeaking. You are da bomb diggidy! Giggidy. [/FONT][FONT="]
Enjoy and as always, please leave feedback. We live off of it.[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT="]Disclaimer: I only wish I owned the beauty that is The Edge and Bono.
Latest Chapters:
A Tender Trap--Chapter One--
A Tender Trap--Chapter Two--
A Tender Trap--Chapter Three--
A Tender Trap--Chapter Four
A Tender Trap--Chapter Five--
A Tender Trap--Chapter Six--
A Tender Trap--Chapter Seven--
A Tender Trap--Chapter Eight--[/FONT]
[FONT="]A Tender Trap--Chapter Nine--
[/FONT]
[FONT="]* * * *
[/FONT]
[FONT="]She sighed, resting her head on the back of the wall She inhaled deeply and exhaled even deeper. From the right of her she heard a distant sound of running water. [/FONT]
[FONT="]Disappointed that there was not a drop of alcohol in the room, she settled on coffee. It would have to do for now. She tore open the single serving bag of grinds and, while waiting for the beverage to brew, listened to the sound of running water as her thoughts raced back to Edge’s well being. [/FONT]
[FONT="]So badly did she want to know what was going on inside his head. If only she could take his thoughts and carry them as her own…She didn’t want him to hurt any longer. It wasn’t fair. One man shouldn’t have to bear all that weight by himself.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Raven snapped out of her inner turmoil as Edge emerged from the restroom, refreshed and dressed only in his pajama bottoms, his hair loose and chest exposed. They smiled at each other and Raven poured them a cup of coffee.[/FONT]
[FONT="]“Thank you,” he took the mug, blowing on the steam before taking a sip. “Not just for the coffee. For everything. Again, I’m really sorry about what I said earlier.”[/FONT]
[FONT="]“Edge, how many times do I have to tell you. Stop a-”[/FONT]
[FONT="]“Apologizing, yes. It’s just…I call you here in the middle of the night because I need someone and you actually show up. Then I tell you to get the fuck out of my sight. What kind of friend does that?”[/FONT]
[FONT="]“You’re not you right now. It’s normal. Sit down, I’ll brush your hair.”[/FONT]
[FONT="]Edge did as was told and joined Raven on the bed. He liked that she was doing this again for him. Aislinn wasn’t at all too crazy about his hair and, therefore, never took part in brushing it. Raven, on the other hand, whistled a tune as she combed through the locks slowly and brought it into another smooth braid. [/FONT]
[FONT="]“You look like a pirate,” she joked, draping her arms about his shoulders. “You had me worried sick, Edge,” Raven seriously said, choking over her words. “You sounded so…faraway when you rang. And on the drive here, I couldn’t get to you quick enough.”[/FONT]
[FONT="]He turned in her arms. “I’m sorry that I put you through that.”[/FONT]
[FONT="]“You didn’t put me through anything,” she glanced at the clock on the side of the bed and groaned. “It’s one a.m. I bet your beat.”[/FONT]
[FONT="]“Mmm, aye.”[/FONT]
[FONT="]Raven went to the window to check on the weather. Surprisingly, it had taken a sudden turn of events, the snow easing up instead of growing heavy. Wrapping her arms around herself, a sudden realization hit her. [/FONT]
[FONT="]Fuck! I forgot to call Bono![/FONT]
[FONT="]Edge was curling onto the bed on his side, burying his face in the pillow, blowing out an exhausted gust. Raven decided that Bono could wait a while longer. It wouldn’t be too long now until Edge fell asleep.[/FONT]
[FONT="],[/FONT]
[FONT="]Raven went to the bed and covered the duvet over Edge’s wasted body. [/FONT]
[FONT="]“You’re not leaving are you?” He asked lowly, his eyes pitiful and yet full of hope. [/FONT]
[FONT="]Raven answered, “only if you would like me to.”[/FONT]
[FONT="]“No. Don’t go. Not yet. It’s…it’s weird not having anyone on the other side of the bed, ya know?”[/FONT]
[FONT="]Raven comprehend completely, visiting again to all the nights when Bono was on tour and how she would sleep on his side of the bed to feel a little less lonely. [/FONT]
[FONT="]The difference was, however, that Raven was pledged Bono’s return.[/FONT]
[FONT="]The corners of her lips twitched and, cautiously, she pulled the corner of the sheet back and slipped under the covers, laying on her side so that they were face to face. [/FONT]
[FONT="]“Is it…is it bad that I miss her?” Edge asked, fingering a loose thread on the blanket. “Should I miss her?” [/FONT]
[FONT="]“It’s not bad that you miss her. She’s your wife, the mother of your children. How could you not miss her?”[/FONT]
[FONT="]“Mmm…I suppose you’re right. She’s not holding the girls from me. Jesus. I can’t imagine what kind of state I’d be in right now if she threatened to keep me away from my daughters. But do you know what the worst part is about all this?”[/FONT]
[FONT="]Hazel eyes met brown and Raven shook her head.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Edge laughed dryly. “The worst part is the fucked up divorce laws of Ireland. Feck…couples should be allowed to divorce if they want. . So, you see, I’m…I’m stuck, Ray. I can’t go back and I can’t really move forward. How can I move on when I don’t have the right?”[/FONT]
[FONT="]Raven wiped the tears that had fallen onto his cheekbones and spoke directly to him. “Edge, she left you. There is not one reason why you can’t move on with your life. She doesn’t have a hold on you or the choices that you make from this day on. She’s the thick one for letting you go.”[/FONT]
[FONT="]“No, she’s not thick. I could have been a better husband…a better father.”[/FONT]
[FONT="]“Now you stop that right now, David Evans!” [/FONT]
[FONT="]Startled by Raven’s tone, Edge pursed his lips inwards. His body shook along with his sobs as Raven rubbed his back. She placed her forehead on his.[/FONT]
[FONT="]“Listen to me, love. You’re a terrific man and the best father I’ve ever seen. You’re there for your girls. You work hard for them. You worked hard for your whole family and yourself. This isn’t your fault and it’s not hers. Sometimes things just don’t work like they’re supposed to.”[/FONT]
[FONT="]“If this is how it’s suppose to be—if this is what’s right—then why can’t I feel…fucking normal? I don’t want to hurt anymore!”[/FONT]
[FONT="]“Oh Edge, baby,” Raven cried, bringing the shattered man closer to her, his chest smooth and temperate against her body. [/FONT]
[FONT="]That chest…her fingertips tingled just at the mere thought. So badly did she want to feel him again…[/FONT]
[FONT="]Her thoughts separated when Edge buried his face in her neck. Raven rested the side of her face on the top of his head and began to rock him to and fro gently. [/FONT]
[FONT="]“What do you want me to do, Edge? What can I do to take away the pain? I’ll do anything.”[/FONT]
[FONT="]“Just stay with me,” he pleaded. “I don’t want to be alone. You can leave as soon as I pass out but…until that happens just please don’t leave me. I can’t stand to be alone.”[/FONT]
[FONT="]“I’ll stay for as long as you need me to.”[/FONT]
[FONT="]Edge moved in closer to the curves of Raven’s body and inhaled the scent of her skin. She gave off an aroma of her perfume and Bono’s cologne, sweat and coffee. [/FONT]
[FONT="]Suddenly, Edge felt worse than before. [/FONT]
[FONT="]Bono was at home, more than likely lying wide awake, wondering whether or not his wife was safe. And here was Edge, wrapped tightly in the arms of his best mates wife. Raven should be home with Bono, in her own bed. Not in a hotel and in Edge’s rented bed. She should be caressing her husband’s arms, not his. It shouldn’t be their legs that are tangled. [/FONT]
[FONT="]He should tell her to go home to Bono. It was the respectful thing to do. Yet he couldn’t. He needed her, needed her arms and her kind words. She took care of him. [/FONT]
[FONT="]And as he ran his fingers though her hair and stared into the depths of her eyes, he couldn’t deny that she was just as lost as he was. It was what brought them together. The loneliness. The sleepless nights consisting of tossing, turning and praying and wondering…thinking. Always thinking…[/FONT]
[FONT="]Raven switched the lamp off and they room when blank. Edge closed his eyes, the weight of the day closing in. His head felt heavy and, aside from the shower and shaved face, and Raven, the hours had been nothing but stressful. [/FONT]
[FONT="]“Edge,” Raven whispered in the dark. “Edge?”[/FONT]
[FONT="]His ears perked. The vibration of his name on her lips sent a jolt of electricity down his spine. He reached out, blindly, searching for her face. Once he found it, he felt her push into his palm and he dragged the pad of his thumb along her eyebrow. [/FONT]
[FONT="]“What is it?” He asked.[/FONT]
[FONT="]“You can move closer…if you’d like.”[/FONT]
[FONT="]Edge hesitated, frightened that if he were any closer to her, he might just do something that was not ordinarily in his nature. If it were anyone but Raven, he would have made a move. Desperate for affection, the need to feel wanted was stirring inside him. He respected Raven, and Bono, too much to cling to her, to use her for his own lack of sexual fulfillment. Now wasn’t a time to be sexual, really. Actually, if anything, all he really wanted was a sense of protection. His world was caving in and he needed shelter from the debris. [/FONT]
[FONT="]“Let me hold you,” suggested Raven, her breath hot on his ear. [/FONT]
[FONT="]Yes, he thought, this was what he needed, and he found himself scooting closer to her, her own weight shifting on the bed. She propped on one elbow as Edge nuzzled his face in the opening between her neck and collarbone. Dissolving, he bit his lip as her fingers drew lazy circles on the small of his back. Gooseflesh raised wherever she grazed with her other hand; first on the top of his shoulder, then his neck and ending at his jaw. It was there that she lingered the longest.[/FONT]
[FONT="]For a fleeting second, Edge wondered what type of lover Raven was. Was she as gentle as her caress? As affectionate as her words of wisdom? Or perhaps she was deeply passionate like her art. Or as deviant as her occupation. [/FONT]
[FONT="]Edge cautiously landed his hand on her waist, testing at first if she would back away or stay. When she didn’t move, he then enveloped his arm around her and drew her closer still. The fabric of her sweater was soft against his exposed chest and, once more, he questioned how her skin would feel against him.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Perfect[FONT="]. Complete. Flawless…[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT="]Adjusting to the ebony, Edge peaked through his lashes and saw that Raven was observing him. So badly did he want to hear her hushed contemplations. What did she see when she looked at him? Did she see a man who was weak? A foolish man? [/FONT]
[FONT="]He noticed the distance—or lack of—between their mouths. Her hand moved from his jaw line and, hesitantly, he felt her nails outline his lower lip. Edge, abruptly sober, felt drunk once more, this time off the salty taste that her fingertips left behind.[/FONT]
[FONT="]“Are you feeling any better?” She breathed.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Edge replied a very drawn out ‘yes’, exhausted and wanting to dispose of every pang of heartache, loneliness and doubt. He wanted to rid of every single feeling…aside from this one. There was no possible way to ignore the way Raven responded to him; like she wasn’t disgusted or angry at him. [/FONT]
[FONT="]“Raven?”[/FONT]
[FONT="]“Hm?”[/FONT]
[FONT="]“Is there…is there something wrong with me? Am I not capable of being loved or giving it?”[/FONT]
[FONT="]She closed her eyes to trap the tears. “No, sweetheart. There’s nothing wrong with you. And…if things we’re different—if life was different, or fate—I think that…”[/FONT]
[FONT="]Waiting for her to finish, Edge’s heart pounded in his lungs. “What?”[/FONT]
[FONT="]“Nothing, love. I lost my train of thought.”[/FONT]
[FONT="]She was lying and Edge knew it. Yet, there wasn’t use in pushing her to admit something that was more than likely inappropriate or regrettable. After all, she didn’t have to prove to him vocally that she cared for him. In his bones, on his skin, he felt her love cover him, keeping him safe and sane, like a blanket of pure devotion. [/FONT]
[FONT="]And her love, her care, was all that was important. And it was that protection that lulled him to into a peaceful and mild slumber. [/FONT]
A/N: Again, thank you to the most awesome, wonderful, totally incredible beta WithoutSpeaking. You are da bomb diggidy! Giggidy. [/FONT][FONT="]
Enjoy and as always, please leave feedback. We live off of it.[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT="]Disclaimer: I only wish I owned the beauty that is The Edge and Bono.
Latest Chapters:
A Tender Trap--Chapter One--
A Tender Trap--Chapter Two--
A Tender Trap--Chapter Three--
A Tender Trap--Chapter Four
A Tender Trap--Chapter Five--
A Tender Trap--Chapter Six--
A Tender Trap--Chapter Seven--
A Tender Trap--Chapter Eight--[/FONT]
[FONT="]A Tender Trap--Chapter Nine--
[/FONT]
[FONT="]* * * *
[/FONT]
[FONT="]She sighed, resting her head on the back of the wall She inhaled deeply and exhaled even deeper. From the right of her she heard a distant sound of running water. [/FONT]
[FONT="]Disappointed that there was not a drop of alcohol in the room, she settled on coffee. It would have to do for now. She tore open the single serving bag of grinds and, while waiting for the beverage to brew, listened to the sound of running water as her thoughts raced back to Edge’s well being. [/FONT]
[FONT="]So badly did she want to know what was going on inside his head. If only she could take his thoughts and carry them as her own…She didn’t want him to hurt any longer. It wasn’t fair. One man shouldn’t have to bear all that weight by himself.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Raven snapped out of her inner turmoil as Edge emerged from the restroom, refreshed and dressed only in his pajama bottoms, his hair loose and chest exposed. They smiled at each other and Raven poured them a cup of coffee.[/FONT]
[FONT="]“Thank you,” he took the mug, blowing on the steam before taking a sip. “Not just for the coffee. For everything. Again, I’m really sorry about what I said earlier.”[/FONT]
[FONT="]“Edge, how many times do I have to tell you. Stop a-”[/FONT]
[FONT="]“Apologizing, yes. It’s just…I call you here in the middle of the night because I need someone and you actually show up. Then I tell you to get the fuck out of my sight. What kind of friend does that?”[/FONT]
[FONT="]“You’re not you right now. It’s normal. Sit down, I’ll brush your hair.”[/FONT]
[FONT="]Edge did as was told and joined Raven on the bed. He liked that she was doing this again for him. Aislinn wasn’t at all too crazy about his hair and, therefore, never took part in brushing it. Raven, on the other hand, whistled a tune as she combed through the locks slowly and brought it into another smooth braid. [/FONT]
[FONT="]“You look like a pirate,” she joked, draping her arms about his shoulders. “You had me worried sick, Edge,” Raven seriously said, choking over her words. “You sounded so…faraway when you rang. And on the drive here, I couldn’t get to you quick enough.”[/FONT]
[FONT="]He turned in her arms. “I’m sorry that I put you through that.”[/FONT]
[FONT="]“You didn’t put me through anything,” she glanced at the clock on the side of the bed and groaned. “It’s one a.m. I bet your beat.”[/FONT]
[FONT="]“Mmm, aye.”[/FONT]
[FONT="]Raven went to the window to check on the weather. Surprisingly, it had taken a sudden turn of events, the snow easing up instead of growing heavy. Wrapping her arms around herself, a sudden realization hit her. [/FONT]
[FONT="]Fuck! I forgot to call Bono![/FONT]
[FONT="]Edge was curling onto the bed on his side, burying his face in the pillow, blowing out an exhausted gust. Raven decided that Bono could wait a while longer. It wouldn’t be too long now until Edge fell asleep.[/FONT]
[FONT="],[/FONT]
[FONT="]Raven went to the bed and covered the duvet over Edge’s wasted body. [/FONT]
[FONT="]“You’re not leaving are you?” He asked lowly, his eyes pitiful and yet full of hope. [/FONT]
[FONT="]Raven answered, “only if you would like me to.”[/FONT]
[FONT="]“No. Don’t go. Not yet. It’s…it’s weird not having anyone on the other side of the bed, ya know?”[/FONT]
[FONT="]Raven comprehend completely, visiting again to all the nights when Bono was on tour and how she would sleep on his side of the bed to feel a little less lonely. [/FONT]
[FONT="]The difference was, however, that Raven was pledged Bono’s return.[/FONT]
[FONT="]The corners of her lips twitched and, cautiously, she pulled the corner of the sheet back and slipped under the covers, laying on her side so that they were face to face. [/FONT]
[FONT="]“Is it…is it bad that I miss her?” Edge asked, fingering a loose thread on the blanket. “Should I miss her?” [/FONT]
[FONT="]“It’s not bad that you miss her. She’s your wife, the mother of your children. How could you not miss her?”[/FONT]
[FONT="]“Mmm…I suppose you’re right. She’s not holding the girls from me. Jesus. I can’t imagine what kind of state I’d be in right now if she threatened to keep me away from my daughters. But do you know what the worst part is about all this?”[/FONT]
[FONT="]Hazel eyes met brown and Raven shook her head.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Edge laughed dryly. “The worst part is the fucked up divorce laws of Ireland. Feck…couples should be allowed to divorce if they want. . So, you see, I’m…I’m stuck, Ray. I can’t go back and I can’t really move forward. How can I move on when I don’t have the right?”[/FONT]
[FONT="]Raven wiped the tears that had fallen onto his cheekbones and spoke directly to him. “Edge, she left you. There is not one reason why you can’t move on with your life. She doesn’t have a hold on you or the choices that you make from this day on. She’s the thick one for letting you go.”[/FONT]
[FONT="]“No, she’s not thick. I could have been a better husband…a better father.”[/FONT]
[FONT="]“Now you stop that right now, David Evans!” [/FONT]
[FONT="]Startled by Raven’s tone, Edge pursed his lips inwards. His body shook along with his sobs as Raven rubbed his back. She placed her forehead on his.[/FONT]
[FONT="]“Listen to me, love. You’re a terrific man and the best father I’ve ever seen. You’re there for your girls. You work hard for them. You worked hard for your whole family and yourself. This isn’t your fault and it’s not hers. Sometimes things just don’t work like they’re supposed to.”[/FONT]
[FONT="]“If this is how it’s suppose to be—if this is what’s right—then why can’t I feel…fucking normal? I don’t want to hurt anymore!”[/FONT]
[FONT="]“Oh Edge, baby,” Raven cried, bringing the shattered man closer to her, his chest smooth and temperate against her body. [/FONT]
[FONT="]That chest…her fingertips tingled just at the mere thought. So badly did she want to feel him again…[/FONT]
[FONT="]Her thoughts separated when Edge buried his face in her neck. Raven rested the side of her face on the top of his head and began to rock him to and fro gently. [/FONT]
[FONT="]“What do you want me to do, Edge? What can I do to take away the pain? I’ll do anything.”[/FONT]
[FONT="]“Just stay with me,” he pleaded. “I don’t want to be alone. You can leave as soon as I pass out but…until that happens just please don’t leave me. I can’t stand to be alone.”[/FONT]
[FONT="]“I’ll stay for as long as you need me to.”[/FONT]
[FONT="]Edge moved in closer to the curves of Raven’s body and inhaled the scent of her skin. She gave off an aroma of her perfume and Bono’s cologne, sweat and coffee. [/FONT]
[FONT="]Suddenly, Edge felt worse than before. [/FONT]
[FONT="]Bono was at home, more than likely lying wide awake, wondering whether or not his wife was safe. And here was Edge, wrapped tightly in the arms of his best mates wife. Raven should be home with Bono, in her own bed. Not in a hotel and in Edge’s rented bed. She should be caressing her husband’s arms, not his. It shouldn’t be their legs that are tangled. [/FONT]
[FONT="]He should tell her to go home to Bono. It was the respectful thing to do. Yet he couldn’t. He needed her, needed her arms and her kind words. She took care of him. [/FONT]
[FONT="]And as he ran his fingers though her hair and stared into the depths of her eyes, he couldn’t deny that she was just as lost as he was. It was what brought them together. The loneliness. The sleepless nights consisting of tossing, turning and praying and wondering…thinking. Always thinking…[/FONT]
[FONT="]Raven switched the lamp off and they room when blank. Edge closed his eyes, the weight of the day closing in. His head felt heavy and, aside from the shower and shaved face, and Raven, the hours had been nothing but stressful. [/FONT]
[FONT="]“Edge,” Raven whispered in the dark. “Edge?”[/FONT]
[FONT="]His ears perked. The vibration of his name on her lips sent a jolt of electricity down his spine. He reached out, blindly, searching for her face. Once he found it, he felt her push into his palm and he dragged the pad of his thumb along her eyebrow. [/FONT]
[FONT="]“What is it?” He asked.[/FONT]
[FONT="]“You can move closer…if you’d like.”[/FONT]
[FONT="]Edge hesitated, frightened that if he were any closer to her, he might just do something that was not ordinarily in his nature. If it were anyone but Raven, he would have made a move. Desperate for affection, the need to feel wanted was stirring inside him. He respected Raven, and Bono, too much to cling to her, to use her for his own lack of sexual fulfillment. Now wasn’t a time to be sexual, really. Actually, if anything, all he really wanted was a sense of protection. His world was caving in and he needed shelter from the debris. [/FONT]
[FONT="]“Let me hold you,” suggested Raven, her breath hot on his ear. [/FONT]
[FONT="]Yes, he thought, this was what he needed, and he found himself scooting closer to her, her own weight shifting on the bed. She propped on one elbow as Edge nuzzled his face in the opening between her neck and collarbone. Dissolving, he bit his lip as her fingers drew lazy circles on the small of his back. Gooseflesh raised wherever she grazed with her other hand; first on the top of his shoulder, then his neck and ending at his jaw. It was there that she lingered the longest.[/FONT]
[FONT="]For a fleeting second, Edge wondered what type of lover Raven was. Was she as gentle as her caress? As affectionate as her words of wisdom? Or perhaps she was deeply passionate like her art. Or as deviant as her occupation. [/FONT]
[FONT="]Edge cautiously landed his hand on her waist, testing at first if she would back away or stay. When she didn’t move, he then enveloped his arm around her and drew her closer still. The fabric of her sweater was soft against his exposed chest and, once more, he questioned how her skin would feel against him.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Perfect[FONT="]. Complete. Flawless…[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT="]Adjusting to the ebony, Edge peaked through his lashes and saw that Raven was observing him. So badly did he want to hear her hushed contemplations. What did she see when she looked at him? Did she see a man who was weak? A foolish man? [/FONT]
[FONT="]He noticed the distance—or lack of—between their mouths. Her hand moved from his jaw line and, hesitantly, he felt her nails outline his lower lip. Edge, abruptly sober, felt drunk once more, this time off the salty taste that her fingertips left behind.[/FONT]
[FONT="]“Are you feeling any better?” She breathed.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Edge replied a very drawn out ‘yes’, exhausted and wanting to dispose of every pang of heartache, loneliness and doubt. He wanted to rid of every single feeling…aside from this one. There was no possible way to ignore the way Raven responded to him; like she wasn’t disgusted or angry at him. [/FONT]
[FONT="]“Raven?”[/FONT]
[FONT="]“Hm?”[/FONT]
[FONT="]“Is there…is there something wrong with me? Am I not capable of being loved or giving it?”[/FONT]
[FONT="]She closed her eyes to trap the tears. “No, sweetheart. There’s nothing wrong with you. And…if things we’re different—if life was different, or fate—I think that…”[/FONT]
[FONT="]Waiting for her to finish, Edge’s heart pounded in his lungs. “What?”[/FONT]
[FONT="]“Nothing, love. I lost my train of thought.”[/FONT]
[FONT="]She was lying and Edge knew it. Yet, there wasn’t use in pushing her to admit something that was more than likely inappropriate or regrettable. After all, she didn’t have to prove to him vocally that she cared for him. In his bones, on his skin, he felt her love cover him, keeping him safe and sane, like a blanket of pure devotion. [/FONT]
[FONT="]And her love, her care, was all that was important. And it was that protection that lulled him to into a peaceful and mild slumber. [/FONT]
I'm done. I'm sorry. Hehehe.
