She stared down at the picture she held in her hands. The smiling faces of the X-Men. It had been a long time since she'd last seen their faces.

She thought she'd done the right thing -- leave and find out who she was. Not as an X-Man, or as some tagalong to Wolverine; just as herself, Katherine Pryde. But it had been the wrong move.

The first week had been a blast. She had become fast friends with her dorm roommate, but other than that? She was alone. School work was easy and she had no one to gossip with or trade fashion tips with (not that she'd admit to doing that, oh no). No one to share embarrassing stories about accidents with their 'gift' (Was it her fault she accidentally phased through the door to the men's locker room? She'd never live that one down).

She traced the picture with a gloved finger, a lingering habit from living near Rogue for so long. The picture had come anonymously in the mail that day, but Kitty knew it was from Kurt. She'd left him a letter, too, saying she didn't want to lose total contact with him. He *had* been one of her closest friends, even if they hadn't been as close the past few months.

Scott was back, she mused, studying the picture. His arms were at his sides, alone. Jean was standing between him and Wolvie (something she'd never stop calling him), leaning against his shoulder. She briefly wondered about that, but dismissed it.

She'd left and had no right to wonder about what was going on.

Warren was kneeling in front of them, his eyes far away. The short letter that Kurt had sent along said that Betsy had died recently. Another death in the X-Men family, in such a short time. She hadn't known Betsy very well, but she was a very nice person, too young and vibrant for the darkness of death. No wonder Warren wasn't high in spirits. Beast was next to him and she wondered what he was up to, but didn't dwell on it for long. Her eyes were drawn to Bobby, who was next to him.

Bobby was in leather.

Kurt was missing from the picture, but she knew that was because he had snapped it. It wasn't the whole group, by far, but it was enough for Kitty.

Kitty wondered what she had missed lately.

Staring at the picture, and then glancing up as her roommate returned, she wondered if she would ever get to know.

She couldn't go home.
 

Kitty Pryde. Lost. Picture.