Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters, that belongs to the writers of HOA. The plot idea belongs to the creator of the television series "Switched at Birth"

Warning: This story will contain mentions of drugs, alcohol, sex and profanity. Read at your own risk.


The car rolled down a long driveway. Nina Martin was beginning to believe it wouldn't end. Though the sky was cloudy, the tree branches hovered over the road almost as if it were protecting it from the mad world. She thought this sight was beautiful. As the car got closer to the house it was then that the thought had sunk in, she was supposed to grow up there. The house that was looking at was supposed to be her home.

Back in America, where Nina grew up her home was small. She shared a two bedroom apartment with her grandmother in a small town in Pennsylvania. The two lived off retirement funds, some money Nina's mother left behind as well as the part time Nina worked. She was a cashier at target and during the summers she'd pick up jobs at festivals or be a lifeguard at local pools because her grandmother, Evelyn, was too old to work. Still, sometimes money was so tight they had to skip meals however Nina would rather stay with her gran then some mean foster family.

The car came to a stop. Looking out the window, Nina saw several figures. She stepped out before proceeding to help her grandmother out and two of these figures approached the Martins.

The female figure had dirty blonde, medium length curly hair and bright blue eyes full with specks of various greens. Her face was kind, an oval shape similar to Nina. Actually, her entire appearance was similar to Nina's. Her height, her figure the expression on her face. Unsure but excited.

The male figure was a lot taller, had a sleigh build and sharper features. He held out his hand and Nina shook it.

"Hello, I'm Frederick." And gesturing to the woman next to him he continues saying "This is my wife..Christina"

Before she could even acknowledge her once more, Nina felt herself going under attack. Christina had pulled her in for a warm and very tight embrace. It took her a moment before she could let herself sink in. This was her mother, in the present and in the flesh.

"I'm so sorry, it's just.." Christina was speechless, "you're so beautiful."

She thanked her for her kind words. The Mercers talked about living arrangements with her grandmother saying they must stay in the guest house. Nina knew that Joy the other girl she was switched with suggested they move out here for a while so that the two families could get to know each other but she also knew this was before Joy found out about her mother.

Eleana Martin had died in a car accident about two years earlier and her heart was like fragile glass, at the mention of this scratches would be placed on the fine finishing and as her heartstrings were tugged during the holidays this glass would always find itself shattering.

Joy was short. She wasn't really short maybe around 5'2 but her petite figure gave her a much younger look. It reminded Nina of her mother who had dark hair and eyes. She was always so exoctic looking in a very incredible way. Her mother- well, Joy's mother could have been model if she wanted to. Nina thought she had a badass spy kind of look to her and the fact she'd often leave for business trips for a couple days at a time sometimes even weeks further proved her theory.

Joy dressed in dark colours. She sported black combat boots, leggings and a gray top. She covered herself in a green army jacket to shield herself from the cold England air. Her hair was in a ponytail that really brought out her face.

Joy definitely did not want to be there.

Next to her stood two males. The first one had an appearance similar to Christina's with greenish blueish eyes and dirty blonde hair. He wore a band t-shirt and was in the middle of eating a sandwich while talking to the guy next to him. He was probably Eddie, the older brother.

The other guy Nina wasn't so sure of. She didn't hear of the Mercer's having two sons and he definitely didn't look like the rest of the family. Unlike Eddie, he was more put together wearing a sweater with the collars of his shirt sticking out. He hair was a little messy but still, he was put together. Kind of attractive Nina thought to herself. She felt a hand on her back, Frederick, who began to guide her to trio off at the side.

"Nina, this is my daughter" he paused for a moment and quickly glancing at Nina before continuing "Joy."

Joy, who seemed to notice the pause in her father's sentenced gave Nina a quick smile, looked at Frederick and began to walk towards the house.

"Joy Elizabeth Mercer" Christina followed her.

"I apologize for her behaviour. Any how, this is my son Eddie and his friend Fabian."

Fabian, he was called Fabian. Both Eddie and Fabian shook Nina's hand while mumbling hello.

"Don't mind her, it's her time of the month" Eddie told her.

"She's just surprised with the whole situation" Fabian corrected Eddie.


"So?" Joy asked her friend.

"So?"

"Fabian be serious, what do you think?"

"Of..her?"

The two were sitting at the kitchen counter looking into the family room where Nina and her parents sat looking through family albums her grandmother had brought.

"No, of the grandmother" Joy sarcastically answered him.

"Well, I only spoke to her for a moment but she seems really sweet. I think we have an amazing friendship ahead of us." Fabian tells her "Do you think she'll see that new movie with me Friday?"

Hitting him hard, Fabian winced in pain. "Okay, okay I'll be serious" he says rubbing his arm as if that would stop the pain.

"I don't know, we didn't really talk but" his face softened.

"But?"

"She seems nice"

"That's not what you were going to say" Joy turned to face him digging for the truth.

"How would you know?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Fabian!"

"Okay, calm down." He studied her face, her reactions, the way she spoke to the Mercers. He noticed she and Christina had the same kind smile. That was hard to find these days in a world so focused on unimportant things and their own narcissism.

He kept his eyes on her "Honestly, she's gorgeous."


Author's Note: Hey, so this chapter is a little bit longer then the last one but did you like it? Please review, it honestly helps me so much. I'm still just getting back into writing so constructive criticism is great.

Q&A: To answer a few of your questions, no Nina will not be deaf however she will have a slight hearing problem that will be spoken about within up coming chapters. For those of you who ship Fabian and Nina this chapter was actually supposed to have more of them however this chapter would have been too long if I added their conversation but know that Nina does have a story line with Fabian but so does Joy so lets see how that plays out.