She was here.

Bobby Drake glanced across the Danger Room to the brunette whom he still couldn't keep his eyes off of for very long. Not for the first time, he wondered if this was just an illusion, if his eyes were playing a joke on him. Maybe he was just really tired and is seeing things.

Kitty Pryde was here.

He looked away and then back.

Still there.

For the past month Kitty Pryde hadn't showed up to a single one of the Danger Room sessions, yet today she had shown up without any explanation. She had been training with Wolverine when the rest of them walked in, and she spared a nod towards them before imitating whatever move Wolverine was showing her. Bobby had nearly tripped when he had saw her, Scott had raised his eyebrow, Jean had a huge smile on, and Beast started spouting some line from a poem, Shakespeare or Hamlet or something.

Storm had just smiled and called them over, starting the session. Kitty was a bit rusty, that was true, but she was also laughing and smiling and overall, just being the ball of sunshine she was. Even though most of the X men looked relieved, Bobby couldn't help but notice most of it was fake. After all they were best friends. He knew when her laugh was real, and when it was fake.

The biggest surprise though, came when the session was over, and he had exited the locker room. She was there, leaning against the wall, waiting for him. Or maybe she was just leaning there thinking. But it was probably for him because she kicked off the wall and started walking towards Bobby when she saw him.

"Uh, hey." Bobby said, awkwardly. He had dreamed of this chance for ages, but now that the opportunity was actually here, he wasn't quite sure how seize it. Did he tell her about his growing feelings? Did he ask about how she was? Did he tell her everything he's been thinking over the month she had locked herself away? Did he tell how upset and hurt he was after she shut herself away?

"Hey." She simply said, looking at him. They stood there, just staring, tension thickening between them. He didn't know what to do, there had never been an awkward silence between them before, only lighthearted laughter and chatter.

"So, um." He started and nearly cursed himself out. What the heck? "So, um?"Could he not have at least said 'Oh hey, I really missed you, everyone did. It was nice to see you again.' God he was so stupid.

"I'm sorry." His head snapped up, and he stared at her in shock. She took a deep breath, and forged on. "I'm sorry for taking my frustrations onto you and the others. You were only trying to help, and I reacted badly. They're just images, things that have never happened, they shouldn't- they don't change anything. I had no right to react in such a way, and I am so, so, so, so sorry." She said, taking a deep breath after that. Bobby wonders what finally brought this on after so long of the solitude and isolation she had immersed herself in. He decides to just enjoy this moment and not push his luck. Think about it later.

Bobby does nothing, says nothing except reach out and lightly touch her arm. He watches as Kitty closes her eyes and physically relaxes into the touch. Has she even had any physical contact over the past few months?

It was still nice to see he can get that kind of reaction out of her.

Her arm is smooth, and he watches in awe as he slides his arm down until it finally reaches her hand and he quickly grasps it. She looks at up him, shocked but not stopping him, and doesn't react as his other hand reaches up and cups her face.

Maybe it was because both of them were caught up in the moment, or maybe it was desires sparked to life after finally touching, finally standing next to each other and his hand trailing up and down her arm that is doing things to her that she doesn't want to think about, but they kiss.

And it's nice, so very nice, and Bobby can't help but think it was better than the kisses he and Marie have while Kitty goes out on a limb and admits that the actual thing is so much better then what she experiences in the stupid visions.

At the end of the hallway, a girlfriend who had come to apologize to her boyfriend watched the interaction with tears glittering in her eyes.