Chapter 1: Prologue

So, this is my first Switched at Birth fanfic. I hope you enjoy. I welcome all reviews and ask for them graciously!

Backstory: Alternate Universe! This starts after Season 3, episode 11: Love Seduces Innocence, Pleasure Entraps, and Remorse Follows. However, while Bay did date Ty over the summer they never had sex, meaning she was still a virgin (or a "vegetable" *wink wink*) when she and Emmett had sex in the park. Everything else up to this point is the same. It's what follows that will change everything...

This will be partially familiar as a good portion of the beginning was taken directly from season 3 episode 12 with some minor changes to suit the future of my story.

Also, please note that if a character I'm talking about would normally sign or sign while speaking to certain characters, they are here even if I just say "said" or some version thereof., unless otherwise specified. :)

Bay walked up to Daphne on the steps outside of her Mission Hills house. "Hey." she said.

"Hey, what's going on?" Daphne asked.

Bay silently signed, "I had had sex with Emmett."

"WHAT?!" Daphne nearly screamed.

"SHH!" Bay urged her.

"What about the whole Tank and Mandy thing?" Daphne said, more quietly.

"Ok, pause on the Tank thing for now but there is no Mandy. It was actually Matthew."

"Pretending to be a girl?"

"Yeah."

Just then, John came up behind Bay. "I thought I heard you two. Everything ok?" he asked.

"Oh totally!" Bay proclaimed. "I'm just coming in to bed."

"Ok, goodnight sweetie." John said to Daphne as he started to head back in.

Bay signed to Daphne, "I'll explain everything tomorrow," as she followed her father into the house.

The next morning was hectic and rowdy in the Kennish household. Bay was sitting at the counter eating a bowl of cereal when Daphne and Regina came in. Kathryn welcomed them but quickly noticed something was wrong.

Regina explained to everyone how a threatening brick had been thrown through her window at K&D telling her to "Stay away from East Riverside". She told them she had quit working for Wes and that she was terrified of what the community would do next because it wasn't exactly like she could wear a sign that said she wasn't part of the project anymore. John and Kathryn rallied around her and offered her support.

"Regina, you believe in the project don't you?" John asked her.

"Yes, I do."

"Then you have to keep doing it. People are going to be idiots no matter which way you go so you might as well fight for something you believe in."

"Yes, I completely agree." Kathryn said as she touched her arm.

"Thanks, you guys. That means a lot." Regina said. "Ok, then. I guess I'm crawling back to yet another boss..."

"Wait? What? Mom you can't!" Daphne exclaimed.

"Sweetheart, I have to. I deeply believe in this and I have to follow through on it. Vasquez's don't quit remember?"

Daphne did not look happy but she nodded to her mom anyway. Regina hugged her then said, "Have a good day at school, sweetie," and walked out the door back towards the guesthouse.

Daphne sat next to Bay. "So, what happened last night?"

"Matthew's been pretending to be that Mandy girl to... I don't know, get back at Emmett for turning him in or something. I found out about it when Emmett gave me a picture Mandy supposedly took to get it framed for her. Turns out the picture was copyrighted backed in 1994. So, I went to try to find Emmett and by the time I got to him in the park Matthew had already beat the crap out of him."

"Is he ok?" Daphne looked concerned.

"Yeah, a few bruises and cuts but he'll be ok. Anyways, he started telling me how he tried to move on with Mandy and I told him I still love him and well..." Bay's hands moved around in front of her non-coherently.

"Right there in the park?"

"Yep."

"Wow. Go Bay!" Daphne bumped shoulders with her.

They sat in silence for a few moments before Bay spoke again. "So, what's going on with Regina? Is she really ok?"

"I really don't know right now. I was right there when that brick broke through the window. It barely missed us. She's crazy if she's really going back to that jerk."

Kathryn chose that moment to come in and tell the girls they better leave for school or they'd be late, cutting their conversation short.

Bay pulled up in front of Carlton and saw Emmett standing there, waiting for her. Her heart melted. Every doubt she ever had about them was gone the moment their lips touched last night. Every hurtful thing they had done to eachother, every harsh word spoken, floated away with every gentle touch he had placed on her body. Shivers ran up her spine just thinking about it. She smiled at him and exited her "tank".

Emmett walked up to her. "Hey..." he said, obviously nervous. His face was bruised and battered but he was still so beautiful. He would always be beautiful to her.

"Hey," she said back. He shuffled his feet around on the asphalt. She couldn't remember the last time he had appeared this nervous around her. "Emmett..." she started but didn't know what to say to him just then. Her words were all jumbled up inside.

He looked into her deep brown eyes. "You don't... I mean...you're not... regretting what happened, are you?" he asked.

Her eyes widened in shock. That was not what she thought she was projecting. "No! God, no, Emmett. I meant what I said last night. I never stopped loving you. I still love you. I will always love you."

Emmett leaned down and kissed her, deeply. "I never stopped loving you, either."

The lights around the school began flashing signifying first bell. Emmett reached out and took Bay's hand in his own and hand in hand, they walked into their school to start the first day of their new lives, together.