A/N: Okay, this is totally AU.

Bay and Ty have been dating for 3 months at this point. Daphne is dating Liam still. First 3 episodes are canon. Emmett dated a deaf girl from Carlton for a month and she helped him get over his crush on Daphne. But she and Emmett parted because she was moving and they agreed long distance didn't work. They remained friends. (This may be completely childish of me, but I just don't want to deal with Emmett's 'Daphne shrine' thing- it's my story so he has some pics of her, but not to that extent. Mmmmk? Also I had this idea before 'Pandora's Box') Daphne and Emmett are teaching Bay sign language for all three are now fairly good friends. Ty has not decided to go in the army yet and is still working.

Also, I know this first chapter may not show it much, but it WILL be Bemmett, I'm just using Ty for back story. I promise it'll be Bemmett, just be patient with me.

And: Bold=sign language only
"Bold in quotation marks"=sign and spoken
"Just quotes"=only speaking

I know that's a super long explanation, but it has to be pretty AU for my idea to work. I hope you enjoy it! Hopefully the characters aren't TOO out of character, either!

The Voice Within

Prologue

How do geese know when to fly to the sun?
Who tells them the seasons?
How do we, humans know when it is time to move on?
As with the migrant birds, so surely with us,
there is a voice within if only we would listen to it,
that tells us certainly when to go forth into the unknown.
- Elisabeth Kubler-Ross

Bay was pacing back and forth in front of Ty's house, waiting (and dreading) for him to come home. She couldn't do this- she just couldn't. She had been pacing like this for the past half hour and just couldn't make herself stand still.

Her body was so set to keeping its path and her mind so intent on her internal struggles that she didn't see or hear Ty pedaling his bike up his drive until he was nearly upon her. She practically jumped out of her skin when she saw him.

"Oh, hey, Bay!" Ty greeted happily, albeit confused. "What's up?" catching sight of her face he asked worriedly "Did we have plans, because-"

"No," Bay interrupted softly, "but I- wanted to see you, and had to- to talk to you," looking at his forehead, over his shoulder, and anywhere but in his eyes.

Ty noticed this, but said nothing. To be honest, he had seen this coming. Bay and him had seemed to be growing apart this past month. He had this feeling that their relationship had been a fling- a passing 'what if' scenario that's seemed to have run its course. He was just glad that these feelings were definitely mutual and that he wasn't the one who had to end it. He was sad to see the relationship go, but neither of their hearts was really invested in it.

He ushered Bay inside and followed her in, carrying his bike for safety's sake. He leaned the bike against his living room's wall securely before turning to face Bay- whose hands were fidgeting against her jacket's seam.

"Sooo... What did you want to talk about?" Ty asked Bay, awkwardly; honestly he just wanted her to get it over with.

Bay took a deep breath and kept her eyes downcast before slowly raising her eyes to meet his for the first time that night, and to his surprise there were tears standing in her eyes.

"I'm pregnant." the worst two words a man could possibly hear his girlfriend say. Or the best, he supposed, but not in his situation.

"Wha- you- I- I can't be the father we-"

"Look, I know this may come as a shock to you, but you're the only guy I've had sex with!" Bay bit out angrily. "And no, I can't believe it either, but I've taken 11 tests. We must be a part of that .01% that gets pregnant while using birth control, or the condom broke or something. Just my luck! First the minority of being switched at birth and now I get pregnant while having protected sex. While the thousands of unprotected idiots out there get away scott free-"

"Wait, so- you're sure?" Ty cut off Bay's ramblings with a choked voice- she immediately went silent again.

"Yes, I told you," she stated softly, her tirade forgotten, "11 tests."

"And wha-" he cleared his throat uncomfortably, "are you- keeping it."

She knew her options. Like she had told her mom, she'd been there when they explained it all in Health class. And it was impossible to escape in their teenage pregnancy obsessed society. Maybe it was her Kinnish semi-religious upbringing, or maybe it was her own love for her flesh and blood that didn't even know she existed yet, but she knew that she couldn't have an abortion. And as for adoption... Well part of that rested on Ty's shoulders. She ran her left hand lightly over her flat stomach, absentmindedly at the thought of her child- their child, she supposed, in there growing...

"Bay," she jerked back to the boy in front of her- the dreamy and unfocused look leaving her face. "Well, are you?"

"I'm not having an abortion, if that's what you mean." Ty nodded, looking far from relieved. An awkward silence filled the room.

"I understand that you may not be ready to be a father, but-"

"No, no, that's not it," Ty protested lamely.

"-but we could go with the adoption option and we have a bit of time before we have any serious decisions to make." Bay ignored Ty's statement because she could hear the insincerity in his voice. She kept her tears in check- she wasn't going to cry. She was going to be strong. She could see the desire to flee in his eyes. Who'd have thought that 16-almost-17 year old Bay would be the stronger and more mature one in her relationship with a 19-year-old?

Before either could say anything else, there was a frantic honking outside. Bay went to the window and saw her dad's car idling in the driveway. Toby, that weasel, had told Dad where he had dropped her off! Well, she figured, they both needed some time to think.

"That's my dad," Bay stated unnecessarily as she walked to the door. Ty nodded absentmindedly- his mind still racing with the bombshell Bay had dropped on him.

"We'll talk again soon, alright?" Bay asked, partially fearing the he wouldn't do that, but Bay saw Ty nod and with that she left.

Once he heard the door shut, Ty blindly walked to his bedroom and sat on the end of his bed.

Of course Bay would not do the easy thing and get rid of it. He didn't wan- he couldn't be a father right now. His job barely covered him- how was he supposed to support his girlfriend and a kid? He couldn't just abandon her, and he couldn't force Bay to do anything she didn't want to do (i.e. an abortion, or adoption).

It was so fucking unfair! It's not as if he had been irresponsible, and yet here he is, a stereotype from his neighborhood, involved in a teen pregnancy with a rich girl on the right side of the tracks. Wait, people in his neighborhood... Ty immediately stood up. Could this be the answer!He wondered as he nearly sprinted to the living room of his small house.

It was late, but Ty grabbed his bike, hoping that they were still open.

Bay acted completely put out that her parents suddenly refused to go another week without meeting Ty. But, it was inevitable since he was now the father of her child, reluctantly or no.

They haven't really talked in the week since Bay told Ty. She called him up to ask him to dinner per her mom's request. After he had agreed, he had hung up before she could get another word out. This was not a good sign.

Dinner was beyond awkward, even with Daphne there, though she was the only Vasquez there since Regina had a date and Adriana had retired after about twenty minutes of tension-filled air. Daphne could read her friend's edgy features despite Bay's attempts at hiding the emotion, as well as seeing the tension in Ty's shoulders and tried to keep Kathryn and John occupied with anecdotes and jokes, but eventually John came around to the main event: Ty-grilling.

Bay was shocked to learn via a conversation between her boyfriend was having with her parents, that Ty had been laid off, and was joining the army. He shipped off to basic in two days. Ty kept his eyes on Kathryn and John Kinnish, keeping them away from a stunned Bay.

"Bay, you didn't tell us that Ty was joining the army," Katheryn said, confused that her daughter had not shared this tidbit.

"Uh-I didn't? Must have slipped my mind," Bay murmured, mostly to herself. So, what she had suspected was true: Ty was ditching her and the baby- their baby. Bay felt angry and betrayed- what was he going to do, call her on the way to boot camp? And since when had the army ever even been on his mind? After she had told him she was pregnant, she guessed. She had been bracing herself for him leaving her, but it still brought tears to eyes that he was leaving them- for now it'd be just them, her and her baby.

Bay felt a light kick to her shins and looked across the table to Daphne. You didn't know, did you? Bay shook her head negatively Are you okay? Daphne signed quickly so that Kathryn and John wouldn't catch it. They had been trying to learn sign language, but Bay was a much faster study in languages, including ASL, than her parents. The aforementioned duo seemed to be in deep conversation with Ty, anyways.

No. Bay couldn't lie to this girl, her kind-of-almost sister, who had become her friend.

Do you want to go somewhere else to talk? Daphne asked reading the tears in Bay's eyes, worriedly.

It's fine. Daphne continued to watch over her friend's expressions throughout the rest of the extremely awkward dinner. Once Daphne dismissed herself, shooting a knowing 'we need to talk' look at Bay before leaving, only then did Kathryn and John finally say their goodbyes to Ty. Bay walked Ty to his truck, neither speaking until they were a safe distance from the house and shrouded in shadows.

"So, you're leaving," Bay stated flatly.

"Yeah," stated Ty quietly, rubbing his hand on the back of his neck.

"That's good to know," Bay said in the same emotionless voice, he quelled under her burning eyes.

"Look, Bay, I was going to tell you- I just- look I don't make enough to take care of- our future and I wanted to- to be able to support us all and I-"

"You're scared, Ty, look I get it," Bay interrupted his not-so-well-rehearsed explanation. "You don't want to be a part of our lives than walk out of it. But I'm done, Ty. I will not sit around pining for you. I have my baby to think of and I'm putting his or her needs above my own." She looked pointedly at him, making him squirm. "Just be safe, and-" she paused her voice suddenly unwilling to work right.

"Bay, I-" he seemed at a loss for what to say.

"Goodbye, Ty," Bay managed to choke out before she fled into the house.

Ty looked after her regretfully. He hadn't wanted it to be this way, but what kind of father would he be to his kid. He didn't have his life together, he didn't seem to have a purpose, but now he did. If he would have stayed, then he would have resented the kid, and that was worse than him leaving now. He was sure of it.

The next two days, Bay went through the motions- acting as if everything was normal. Daphne seemed to be the only one watching her like a hawk and seeing her distress. The day came for Ty to leave. And no matter how much she told herself otherwise, there was still a part of her that wished Ty would change his mind and stay. But he didn't.

He left. Daphne had texted her after she had seen Ty off. Her phone beeped with another text Come over when you're ready.

When Bay didn't reply, Daphne pulled out her homework, sighing. She knew that Bay would come over when she felt like it.

Daphne had only two problems in math left when she looked up at the flashing light of the doorbell. She closed her book and opened the door.

She was surprised to see Emmett in the doorway holding a sobbing Bay. Daphne looked at the scene before her in shock for a moment, before she could move to sign.

What happened? she asked Emmett before ushering Emmett and Bay into the house. Daphne was glad Regina and Adriana were both out at the moment so they wouldn't hear Bay's sobs.

Emmett couldn't sign because one arm was wrapped around Bay's back as she sobbed into the shirt under his leather jacket and the other hand was still holding his helmet.

"She came out of the house as I was driving up and I asked her what was wrong and-" he shrugged after mouthing the words to tell Daphne what happened, and nodded his head towards Bay.

"Bay, what happened? What's been going on between you and Ty lately?" Daphne asked aloud and signed (for Emmett to see) to the brunette whose crying was abating.

Bay lifted her head from Emmett's soaked shoulder to look at them. Daphne and Emmett looked at her with similar expressions of concern.

Bay took a few deep breaths before saying and signing, "Could we go to your room, Daph? And I'll tell you what's been happening."

Emmett didn't remove his arm from around Bay's back, though she pulled away a bit so they could walk comfortably. Daphne wrapped an arm around her shoulder and led the other two to her room. All three sat on Daphne's bed. Bay faced the other two as she related the events of the past week and a half speaking, and signing (as best as she could- which was pretty darn good by now).

"And I left. I haven't heard from him since, but Daphne said he left today," she looked at Daphne, who nodded and was looking dumbstruck at her hearing friend's tale.

"He enlisted for 5 years," she added, cautiously, looking to Bay, who bit her lip but didn't burst into tears again. She had cried herself out. And she promised herself that this was the last time she'd cry over Ty or this whole situation as well.

Bay turned to Emmett, "Sorry I cried all over you," she signed, to the red headed boy who hadn't signed a word this whole time. "Emmett?" Bay signed, touching his arm. She was startled by the stormy expression on his face.

That- that Emmett's hands were shaking with anger. How could he just leave you and his own child!

Daphne looked worriedly at Emmett but she looked angry as well. "I can't believe Ty did this! I looked up to him like a brother!" She exclaimed angrily with her voice as well as her hands.

"Not that I don't appreciate you two being angry for me, but forget him. I have to figure out what I'm going to do, how can I tell my parents and Regina that this happened?" Bay exclaimed- she had a lot to figure out and she was only sixteen! She'd always had a certain amount of ridicule for teenagers who got themselves pregnant, yet here she was; one of the number.

"I'll be there for you, okay?" Daphne assured her, her anger pushed aside to help her friend whom she pulled into a hug.

No, we'll be there for you, Emmett corrected when the two girls parted.

Bay wouldn't have believed 3 months ago that her two closest friends (she never really was that close to any of the stuck up preps that went to Bukner) were deaf and that she was learning sign, she would have laughed in your face. But now she was grateful these two cared so much about her. She knew she could get through this with their help.

A/n: I hope you enjoyed! Please drop me a review- I'd love to hear thoughts and constructive criticism on this story. I know teen pregnancy is sooooo DONE, but this story isn't about teen pregnancy itself, but a possible aftermath. Hopefully it won't be super clichéd. As I've said, I also hope the characters aren't too OOC. Though Bay didn't make Daphne break up with Liam and so the two were able to become friends while Bay and Emmett connected through Daphne's friendship with them both as well their artistic interests.

One last thing: The quote at the beginning of the prologue helped inspire the title of the story. I love quotations.

Anyway, review!

Dreamin. of. Scotland