"Karen.. if you can hear me I want to apologise for my behaviour downstairs... it was totally uncalled for"

He paused.. but there was no reply, his heart sank "Please Karen talk to me, I know I probably deserve the silent treatment, but I can't let things lie like this.. we have to sort this out"

"There is nothing to sort out" Karens muffled voice replied from behind the door she still sounded upset which didnt make him feel any better.

"Yes there is" he insisted "Can I come in and talk with you?"

Once more silence

"Karen please" he pleaded tomorrow night I will have to get back to France, and I don't want to go with us falling out and bad feeling between us, I couldn't bear it"

After a few moments, the door opened and Karen stood there, her eyes red from crying she was hurriedly wiping them and sniffing, Bono hated himself for putting her in this state, it was the last thing he wanted.

"I'm sorry" he found himself saying again his blue eyes filled with genuine regret that any hurt or animosity she felt melted a little she could not stay angry at him "I guess it was just a case of lousy timing all around" she replied and stood back to let him enter "Yeah.. but it was no excuse for the way I behaved.. I don't know what got into me to talk to you like that" Bono told her "I am not very proud of myself at the moment"

"I am not feeling so great with myself either" Karen sniffed going over and sitting on the edge of her bed. "Tonight was one of the worse nights of my life"

"You said you broke up with Brian.. were things not working out between you?" he enquired gently

"No, wish it had.. but you don't always get what you wish for" she stated not looking him in the eye

"Then I come along and give you a hard time.. which was totally uncalled for.. I just panicked when no one was here and I couldn't get in touch with you" he tried to explain

Karen frowned.. the battery on my cell phone went dead because I was in such a mess about seeing Brian tonight I forgot to charge it up.. I am sorry"

"And I guess I should have phoned up and let you know I was coming.." Bono then said, "but I was so looking forward to seeing the surprise on you and Katies face when I arrived.. I never thought.. just acted on impulse.. it hasn't turned out exactly the way I planned.

Karen glanced at her watch "If it wasn't so late I would phone Liv up and get her to bring Katie home.. but she has probably settled her for the night by now" she finished in frustration

"It doesnt matter" Bono told her "There will be other times"

"But it means you have made the trip over here for nothing now" Karen sighed feeling bad

Bono stared at her thoughtfully "maybe not" he murmered. He then came over and sat beside her "I have a friend who is in need of some comfort, and a lot of making up to do for being an ass to her, it could occupy my time well enough"

"Oh Bono, please don't start being nice to me or I will probably start crying again" she warned with a shaky voice

He just laughed and put his arms around her and give her a hug.. "ok I will try not to be too nice" he told her and despite herself she giggled

. He always knew what to say or do to make her feel better, even when she didnt want to feel better. at the moment there was a struggle going on inside her.. she wanted to pull away from him because his nearness was driving her crazy, but it felt so good in his arms, so right, she couldnt bear to move"

"I must look a real sight with my red puffy eyes from crying" she tried to distract her racing heart by wiping at her eyes

Bono looked down at her smiling "You look fine" he told her, he stroked a stray strand of her blonde hair from her face "Actually you look beautiful to me" he then added huskily, there was an intensity in his blue eyes now, and Karen was completey swallowed up in it

The last time this opportunity arose they had walked away from it, but not tonight, all caution was thrown to the wind as both of them were caught up in the emotion of the moment, willing to go that step farther, not letting this chance slip away so easily, Bono bent down and kissed her very lightly at first.. when she didnt pull away he kissed her harder and more urgently like he had wanted to do for a long time.

Karen responded with the same longing.. she didnt want to think of the consquences just enjoy the sweetness of the moment to belong to him and he belonging to her.. and as Bono pulled her back on the bed there was no turning back ....