Disclaimer: I don't own the ABC family show "Switched at Birth", which will here on be referred to as SAB

Story Title: Me and Emily

Chapter 21: Shifting Sands

Authors Note:

15 DAYS TILL THE PREIMRE OF "SWITCHED AT BIRTH" ON SEPTEMBER 3RD 8PM

Just so you know we've been officially renewed for a second season. According to what LW tweeted we are getting 20 more episodes this winter. Now without further ado onto the story!

"People signing without vocalizing, but will be mouthing all words"

'Thoughts'

"People signing and vocalizing"

Daphne was zipping around the front area of the house doing this and that trying to settle her mind. She folded a basket of clothes. Then she straightened some floor rugs even rearranged pictures on the walls. It wasn't enough all she could was chase her thoughts around in circles. Those thoughts were an overwhelming burden. She wished more than anything that Emmett's disappearing act had been the worst of what was weighing on her mind.

'Emmett's home but my Mom is dying….' Suddenly she felt so scared and lost.

Emmett…..her issues with him suddenly paled in comparison with the realization of what she was losing. Daphne dropped to the couch as that notion started to sink in. She would still have Regina but she was losing Kathryn. She pulled her knees up to her chest trying to make sense of her feelings. She would still have her Mom but she was losing the one she still knew too little about. A part of her felt guilty like she was betraying the woman who raised her somehow.

'But you're not. It's your Mom who betrayed you. Regina is the reason you don't know Kathryn that way you want to.' Her thoughts continued down that path. 'She's the reason Bay calls her Mom, she's the reason you'll never have that same bond Bay shares.' Then there was Emmett. 'If Regina had just come clean he wouldn't have been a blip on your radar…'

She felt a gentle weight, a hand pressing on her shoulder. Looking up she found Emmett looking down at her with wide guilt ridden eyes. With that one look she couldn't be angry with him anymore. Daphne was more than anything just happy to have him home with her and no one else.

"What's wrong?" Emmett asked the familiar comforting question and in that moment she was undone.

"She's dying…." It was the only thing Daphne could say before she fell apart.

Emmett did the only thing he could do. Confused and bewildered he sat on the couch next to her. After pulling a stricken Daphne into his warm embrace he let her cry it out while trying to puzzle out the real meaning behind her shaking signs.

John was currently rummaging through his wife's desk, 'Where is it?'

John had gotten a call just moments ago from Kathryn's nurse Tami. The woman had spent quite some time expressing his wife's intent to have Bay brought home. John hadn't believed her because just as adamantly Kathryn had insisted that they wait till Bay came home of her own accord. It wasn't until Kathryn's raspy tired voice traveled over the line that John was convinced. He promised her that Bay would be home and he would make it happen.

So that left John ransack his wife's small study. It was a room she'd started using as her own after writing her first book. She'd written other novels after that. One of them chronicled the events of the trail itself. There was another that highlighted the turmoil afterwards. Kathryn had been so enchanted by the beauty of words that she was just starting to toy with the idea of exploring fiction when her illness had struck.

Despite the trials she faced she'd started writing it anyway. She'd never showed it to anyone before. However it wasn't his wife's elusive manuscript he searched for now. No it was something much more mundane than that. He sought her address book and he hoped that was the simple key to bringing Bay home to her family.

He'd combed book shelves, dumped out desk drawers. Hell he'd searched the cushions in the couch. After coming up empty handed he sat heavily down in Kathryn's dainty swivel desk chair. The room officially looked like someone had robbed them. John paid no attention as he tried to think of where else to look.

It was then that Toby came in knocking on the door frame, "Hey Da…..Okay what happened here? Have we been raided?"

"Oh I was just looking for something," John answered as Toby's eyes scanned the wreckage left by hurricane John.

"Obviously," Toby stepped more fully into the room, "What are you looking for? Maybe I can help."

John wiped his hand down his face clearly irritated with a drained look on his face, "Your Mother's address book I need it but it's not here."

"That's because she doesn't keep it here," John's head whipped up fixing Toby with a piercing stare as his eyes squinted, "It's in the craft closet in the living room with all the cards she sends and receives."

'Why didn't I think of that?" John jumped to his feet intending to make a beeline for the living room.

Toby stood in his father's path, "Whoa wait I need to talk to you first."

"What is it?" John backpedaled just a little bit but there was still tension in his stance.

"It's about this weekend." Toby let the sentence drop still not sure about helping Emmett.

"What about it?" John urged after several minutes of silence

This seemed to snap Toby out of his reverie, "Uh I won't be here. The band got offered a last minute gig this weekend when the other band dropped out."

John raked his fingers frustrated that Toby would be out on the road again. That's when he remembered he had yet to sit his on down and have the talk about his Mother's worsening condition. Now was not even close to the best time for anyone to be out of pocket for very long. Even just a weekend was two days too long. Especially considering that his son's weekends started early Friday morning and didn't end till late Monday night normally.

"Is this that important that you have to go now?" The oddness of the question through Toby off making his guard come up.

"Well yeah any stage time we get is important." Looking at his Dad, Toby could see how tired he was, "Why do you ask?"

"Son, we need to talk….." John touched his son's shoulder trying and failing to be casual about it.

Toby's thoughts were reeling from his Father's demeanor, 'Son? He never calls me son unless….." Toby's eyes became wide and frightened, "Mom is it Mom? Is she…?" The words died in his throat suddenly wanting to be anywhere but in this room.

"Not yet but the situation has…changed." John straightened out the couch cushions before leading Toby to sit down.

Taking in his son's stricken appearance he hoped that he was strong enough to guide him through this. The sand beneath his family was shifting faster than he could cope with. It all threatened to buckle his knees destroying them all. He needed to keep it together or else his family might fall apart. In that moment he wondered what Kathryn would do. For so long she'd been the glue that held everyone together in the face of catastrophe time and time again. Through Toby's broken arm, Bay's concussion and the many illnesses and injuries his adventurous children had brought upon themselves. Then she came through again for the tougher times like the switch, the trial and Bay's car accident with Daphne and Emmett. He honestly didn't think he would have made it through any of that without her.

So now in his time of need when he wanted to rail at the world but had to guide his son instead John asked, 'Kathryn what would you do?'

In that instant he knew the answer. She would have out her arm around Toby and prayed. Then speaking softly done her best to help him and everyone else understand. That's what John did now. Slipping his arm around Toby's shoulders he prayed for the right words the words that his son needed to hear. Turning to Toby he spoke…

Slowly Daphne was calming down as she hiccup sobbed into his chest. After a while however she was too drained for even that bit of broken crying. So she fell completely silent and still against him. Daphne's long graceful fingers were fisted messily into the front of his shirt while she breathed in his scent. She relaxed burrowing deeper into him enjoying the rare opportunity to feel his arms around her even if only for a moment.

Emmett shifted uncomfortably. He hadn't minded holding her while she was falling apart but she wasn't anymore. So the calmer Daphne became the weirder and more uncomfortable it was for him. A week ago he wouldn't have cared but he had a daughter now and Bay to win back over. Somehow he didn't think cuddling Daphne however noble his intentions wouldn't win him any points with Bay. Of course if Bay weren't enough of a reason he figured Wilkie wouldn't be too thrilled to see this either.

With his hands on her shoulders Emmett gently pushed her away putting some much needed distance between them before asking, "Who's dying? What's wrong?"

Daphne blinked at him as if confused by the sudden lack of his warmth surrounding her, "My Mom…."

"Your Mom?!"Emmett was suddenly swept by a touch of alarm. "Since when is something wrong with Regina?"

That pained look started to flow back into her eyes. "Nothing's wrong with Regina…"

"But you said…." Emmett instantly interjected.

"I said my Mom! It's Kathryn she's taken a turn for the worst." With that statement a sense of urgency took root inside of Emmett.

Just before Daphne could start crying again Emmett asked, "Does Bay know?"

"Bay?" Daphne asked clearly confused as Emmett nodded at her. "Does Bay know?" Emmett nodded again finding it unbelievable that she didn't comprehend. "My Mom's dying. I'm devastated and all you care about is if Bay knows?"

With that statement Emmett's defenses were officially on the rise. "Yeah that's what I care about is if Bay knows that her Mom is dying or have you forgotten that Kathryn raised her and not the other way around."

"She's my Mother!" Rage lit Daphne's eyes.

Emmett jolted to his feet. "Just how do you figure that Kathryn is more your Mother than she is Bays?"

"Because I'm the one who's been here!" Anger turned her face sour. "I've been here while she's been God only knows where living it up in California that's WHY!"

"DON'T…." Emmett had to stop and take a couple of steps away from Daphne utterly incensed by her blatant lack of compassion. "Don't you Dare talk about things you know NOTHING about!"

Daphne's face paled as she watched Emmett turn to walk away. Realizing she'd crossed some invisible line between them she was overwhelmed with the desire to make it right. Her arms flailed desperately reaching towards him. Grabbing his arm she felt him go completely still and stiff under her touch. After what must have been an eternity he turned back around to face her.

Shaking her grasp off Emmett asked, "What?"

"I'm sorry." Daphne seemed to shrink down right in front of him.

Emmett wasn't budging. In fact he was only giving her this chance was because she'd once meant much more to him. So he waited patiently for her to collect herself. Then Daphne blew it.

"I know Bay is important but she's not here right now. I'm here I have always been here and I need you." She pleaded with Emmett banking on his protective instincts to kick in.

"I'm not your boyfriend Daphne." That's when Emmett finally said what had been hanging between them for so long. "I love Bay. I need Bay. I've got to go and find her."

"But….."

"Call Wilkie. You need someone who's going to be here right this second call him because I'm sorry but it just can't be me anymore. Things have changed more than you understand but you will one day." Emmett touched her cheek tenderly then kissed the top of her head like he use to back in High School. "I'm not sorry and this is the way it's got to be."

There it was the truth, it was finally out in the open like it should have always been. He'd let it go unsaid for too long. With that simple declaration he felt an enormous weight lift off of him as all the tension drained away. Then without so much as a backward glance he turned and walked away leaving his relationship with the girl behind him forever changed.

Can't believe I've been working on this story for over a year now! So please show me the love and review Tell me what you think of my story. I want to know what you like. What you don't like. What you want to read more of. I want to know what you want. Please review!