"Um, Mio? Could you come down?"

   Mio slowly, hesitantly, her eyes filled with loathing and fright, walked down the stairs. They were waiting for her, fidgeting nervously, their hearts beating double time.

   She walked into the living room.

   "Sit." Onew said. "Please," he quickly added, so it wouldn't be an order.

   Mio slowly sat down, her eyes flicking suspiciously to each dark angel in turn.

   "M-Mio...." Minho said shakily. "Um....we....we have decided...." he took a deep, ragged breath. "We decided that......that......if you want to leave.....to go back home.......we will let you. And we won't bother you ever again."

   Mio's eyes popped open. What? They would do that?

   "Because.....we were confusing love....with obsession." Key continued. "We....really love you, Mio. And....we want to.....prove it to you. If you really aren't happy here, because we love you....we....we'll.....we'll let you go."

   "And you won't bother me ever again?" Mio whispered hoarsely.

   "We promise." Jonghyun said firmly, but Mio could see the sacrifice and pain behind that promise.

   "I've already undid the Blood Tie." Taemin said quietly. "You can do whatever you want now. It's up to you."

   Mio stood up, feeling a sudden sense of freedom in her, like a huge weight had been lifted off her heart. She turned around and walked out.

   She was going to walk straight out the door without another look back, but she hesitated. She peeked behind her.

   They were all in pain. Taemin was burying his face in Onew's shoulder. Onew was staring resolutely at the stained glass window, but there was moisture in his eyes. Key had his hand over his eyes. Minho was clutching his head as though it might break, and Jonghyun was facing the wall, his hands clenched into shaking fists.

   It was the single most depressing, saddening, heartbreaking thing Mio had ever seen. It was worse than Sins trying to kill her. It was worse than her visions and nightmares. It was like watching a child get , or a baby brutally murdered. It was like watching puppies and kittens getting burned alive.

   Mio couldn't move. They didn't notice her, they thought she had already left them.

   She didn't know what to do. She was torn between her two decisions....to go back to the human world, deal with Sins and nightmares, be normal, be where she belonged......but did she belong there? Did she belong in the human world?

   No. She suddenly realized that, with a shock. No, she didn't. She never belonged. With the dark angels, she smiled and laughed for the first time. For the first time, she could walk around without worrying about seeing a Sin. For the first time, she slept in dreamless, painless, comforting sleep. For the first time, she felt happy. She felt loved.

   "I'll stay."

  They looked up in shock. Mio stood at the doorway, her eyes b with tears that fell down her cheeks, but she didn't wipe them away. "I'll stay. So please.....please don't cry. I'll stay here. Where I belong. Where I'm home."

   "Mio, do you really mean it?" Key whispered, his voice cracking.

   Mio took a deep breath, and when she spoke, her voice was powerful and certain. "I mean it."

   "Mio...." Onew whispered, walking over. Very hesitantly, so light it was like the soft brushing of a butterfly's wings, he her cheek. When Mio didn't move away, he hugged her tightly, breathing in her scent deeply.

   "Mio....Mio...." She didn't know if he was crying or not, but she hugged him back. Soon, she was surrounded by all the dark angels.

   "Do you forgive us, Mio?" Jonghyun asked. "For being so pigheaded and acting like jerks?"

   Mio laughed. "I'll forgive you one day."

   Taemin held on to Mio's hand tightly, as if he never wanted to let go. "We're really really sorry, Mio." He said seriously, gazing at her sweetly. "We will do anything you want."

   "Well," Mio began. "When you put it that way......."