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 25: Stepping Into Her World.

News On The Home-front: No I am not dead. Yes I am still writing. My daughter is six. I am married now and have recently gone to Chicago. I hope to have a new computer this spring. My husband will start the legal process to adopt my daughter as his own this fall. How are all of you doing?

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

'Thoughts'

"People signing and vocalizing"

'Texting'

Emmett hadn't known what to expect when he stepped into Bay's chaotic world but the second he did he was both entranced and assaulted on all levels. Now he stood in the middle of her living room the smell of cinnamon and vanilla taking over first an interesting blend of spicy and sweet. He searched for the source his eyes drinking everything in.

What caught his eye first was something that at a glance was just a shabby entertainment system with a too small TV. Upon closer inspection he noticed that the usual bland molded wood doors that hid movies and music were replaced with what looked suspiciously like hanging wooden placemats. What made him grin most were the faces smiling back at him. Scattered across them were plastic pockets each holding a different photograph.

'So clever.' Emmett thought to himself.

Emmett stooped low to gaze at the pictures of his family and others from around town. Some he recognized others he didn't. His smile softened when he came across a picture of Emily hair flying free wearing a small white cowgirl hat on a horse with Travis standing in the grass holding the lead rope. The picture itself looked oddly cropped like something was missing but he didn't mind. All Emmett cared about was that Emily looked so happy astride the powerful animal that it broke a small piece of his heart.

'I should have been there.' Emmett thought glumly wondering exactly how much he had missed, 'Five years…such a short time…so much that was missed.'

He continued to look at all the pictures finally spying one of Bay. She wore what looked like pastel green scrubs. All her attention was focused on the baby in her arms while leaning against what looked like a reception desk. He stared wonderingly at it finding himself flooded with curiosity wanting to know what Emily had been like as a baby. It was then that Emmett became aware of a presence at his side. Turning his head he found Emily standing next to him.

"Mama says that's me in that picture." Emily said small fingers indicating the one he'd just been so taken by.

"That's you?" Emmett asked making sure he had the right picture.

Emily didn't answer right away. She just stared at the picture as if concentrating hard on it. Her face screwed tight with the force of it. It was almost as if she weren't sure about what she'd told him. All at once she broke out into a wide grin eyes sparkling in a way only a child's can. It was a sight to behold and Emmett never wanted to go another day without her innocent smile.

Than as if she'd been faking her indecision all along, "Course that's me silly."

Emmett reached out ruffling Emily's hair. He found himself fascinated with the girl's silky strands whose color was identical to his but curly and soft like her Mother's. She smiled shaking with giggles while he examined her curls. Emily was use to people being jealous of them but having a boy be so interested was a first.

Reaching out Emily grasped Emmett's hand and he marveled at how small that it was. She proceeded to pull him around the room showing him everything. For instance she went on about how the couch pulled out into a bed she liked to make a fort out of the cushions. She told him how everyone would camp out in the living room during a storm. Next Emmett discovered that the smell filling the room was coming from mason jars filled with homemade vanilla candles with whole cinnamon sticks buried inside.

"Mommy makes things sometimes." Emily beamed obviously proud of her Mother.

Emmett took the opportunity to ask something that he'd been wondering about. "Can you show me something your Mom's painted?"

Now Emily looked confused her mouth drawn down into a small frown her head tilting to the side. "My Mama doesn't paint."

"Are you sure?" Emmett was surprised by how matter of fact she was about all of this that he had to ask again.

She nodded her head vigorously, "Yup. Mommy did make the floor."

Emily looked pointedly at the floor and Emmett couldn't help but follow her gaze even if he was confused, 'Made the floor….?'

That's when he noticed the carpeting wasn't just 1 color but several. Curios Emmett pushed the coffee table up against the threadbare couch wanting a closer look at the floor. Then something fluttering in his peripheral got his attention. Turning he found Emily perched on the armrest of the couch.

"It's easier to see it if you stand up here." She smiled in a mischievous way as if she were doing something she shouldn't.

Emmett tried to ignore that nagging feeling and take Emily's advice instead. He stood easily on the sturdy wooden edge of the coffee table. Looking down he saw a sort of pattern emerge. The flooring was made up completely of different carpet squares. There were dark colors, bright colors, drab colors and patterned ones. No two squares were alike and in Emmett's eyes what some might view as an eyesore this patchwork quilt of a floor was a thing of beauty. It made him hunger to know what the rest of house was like because he knew if it was as warm and eclectic with as much personality as the living room – well then he'd never want to leave.

With just that thought in mind Emmett jumped down from the coffee table and headed for the archway that led into the dining room. He could sense Emily following behind. Once through the entry way he didn't have long to look around before noticing that it bled into the kitchen making almost one space. What he saw in that kitchen nearly stopped his heart.

Bent over in a very unladylike way was Bay her butt almost straight up in the air as she showed something under the kitchen sink to Dwight. He took a moment to thankful noting that she had been wearing shorts this whole time under her (his) shirt and not just underwear like he'd assumed. Of course that's not what brought him up short now. It was the casual way one of her arms was thrown across the other mans shoulders while she used the other to point out something that Emmett couldn't see.

Jealously started to bubble up from within watching Bay touch him wanting desperately to be where Dwight was now. Than as if she could feel his eyes on her boring into her Bay shifted looking up their eyes locking making everything stop. She froze as if she'd been caught doing so much more than just touching Dwight.

That's when the man in question realized the woman he was here to help no longer was paying attention. Dwight turned looking over his shoulder. Seeing Emmett glaring daggers at him he just smirked in response. Then as if the punch from a couple nights earlier hadn't even fazed him he possessively wrapped an arm around Bay's small waist.

In that small action a challenge was issued. The gauntlet a simple gesture, the prize a woman Emmett nodded a barely imperceptible action but in that instant it was a challenge accepted. The question was who would win the girl…?

Toby stared at the bland white washed ceiling above him his eyes following a crack that ran from the corner branching out to several smaller ones. His gaze flicked in Wilkie's direction his annoyance with his childhood friend growing as he watched him furiously punching out yet another text on his phone. In an effort to rein it in he turned his attention back to the ceiling counting the cracks all over again.

'…21, 22, 23….' Toby looked again finding Wilkie still absorbed by his phone. His frustration prompted him to call out. "You know for someone who needed sleep and couldn't while I drove because of a delicate constitution you're sure spending more time texting than snoozing."

Toby knew his voice was laced with annoyance while he reprimanded Wilkie. It wasn't really his friend he found bothersome. It was more the fact that they were stopped at all. It was more than a twenty-four hour drive to where Bay was and Toby found himself anxious to get there. While he wasn't relishing the idea of breaking the news about their Mother to his baby sister but he was still jazzed to see her. It had started to slowly dawn on him just how long it'd been since they'd been face to face and now Wilkie's stomach is what was holding things up leaving them waylaid in this no tell motel with questionable bed sheets.

"Sorry man." Wilkie answered. "Just trying to take care of something."

Toby's annoyance faded as he took in the fact that something was clearly eating at Wilkie. "What's up with you and Daphne?" He casually ventured trying to act as if he asked about his best friend's love life with his other little sister all the time.

Wilkie's brow creased with surprise as his eyes squinted. "How'd you know it was about Daphne?"

"Because…" Toby wore an amused look that lit up his eyes, "It's always about Daphne."

Wilkie just rolled his eyes in grudging acceptance of his friend's too true words. "I doubt you want to talk about anyone's love life involving Daphne."

"Or Bay's for that matter." Toby quipped while Wilkie nodded both acknowledging the long burning torch Emmett had carried for the wild brunette they were going to rescue from the lap of luxury. "But helping you is a lot easier than listening to you text rape your phone. So shoot what's going on?"

Wilkie actually looked uncomfortable now as he started to fidget. This really threw Toby off because he'd never known his arrogant friend to be made uncomfortable by anything. Looking at him now though he'd swear Wilkie was 12 years old again and confessing about asking his first girl to a dance. Now not only was Toby concerned but curios as well.

"Come on as long as you haven't knocked her up, cheated on her or want to talk about what you guys do the bedroom you can tell me anything." Okay so maybe there were a lot of other things about Daphne and Wilkie he'd rather not hear about but those were the top three.

"I told her I loved her…and she kicked me out." The last part Wilkie mumbled as the words rushed out of his mouth as if he hadn't wanted Toby to hear it at all.

It worked Toby wasn't sure what had been. "You told her you loved her and what happened?" The bass player just resumed his fidgeting while studying the floor. "Come on what is it?" He prompted again.

"She threw me out okay." Wilkie jerked his feet sending his phone tumbling to the floor.

He started to pace hands slapping against his thighs in frustration not expecting what Toby's reply would be. "Is that all?"

"Is that all?!" Wilkie raked his fingers through his hair in frustration. "That's all you've got to say?"

"Well yeah." Toby responded easily as the chill factor the seemed to seep from his very pores filled the room. "Dude you've been through this with her before. You take a step forward and she takes aim at your head. Remember when you asked her to thanksgiving? I know I do." Toby chuckled remembering the way Daphne had chased his friend down the driveway hurtling things while yelling about the pressure of it all. "You know nothing scares that girl more than commitment and what you said is kinda huge."

Toby would never say this out loud but he was surprised it had been said at all. He'd known Wilkie had definitely been smitten by Daphne….but love? The possibility of the still young professional flirt actually being in love had never crossed his mind. In retrospect though Toby figured he shouldn't be too surprised considering how long they'd been exclusive. Before Daphne, Wilkie had a constant stream of girls on hand. His only real friend other than Toby during those years had been Bay. Now there was an odd pair…but they had seemed to make good friends for each other at the time so he never questioned it too much.

"So what should I do?" Wilkie seemed eager for the advice Toby had given him time and time again.

"Look Daphne wants what she can't have. Always has and always will. So give me your phone get some sleep and make yourself scarce." Toby took the phone that was tossed to him. "Let her come looking for you. She always does."

Wilkie nodded always floored by the sage wisdom of the friend in front him. "Truer words have never been said my man. Problem is I think I'm just tired of waiting for her to chase me."

With that said Wilkie fell onto one of the beds rolling over leaving Toby in a stunned silence. 'I definitely didn't expect that response. I have a feeling things are about to get interesting.'

'He's in MY HOUSE!' Bay leaned back heavily against the door her thoughts running rampant.

Invasion! Sure the fact that he was inside her dwelling was a bit disorienting even if she was the one to leave the door open but still…. Still it was the emotions behind it all that made it what it was an invasion. With him…with Emmett in her home Bay found herself running the whole gambit of emotions from oddly elated to absolutely terrified.

Bay pushed away from the door struggling to collect her emotions. After turning to lock her bedroom door she walked towards her closet. Throwing the door open she not only reviewed what was in her closet but had just happened downstairs. It had just been a few moments but that scant amount of time had been fraught with tension to say the least.

Bay remembered clearly the way the two men had stared at each other once all three adults had stood. She could even still feel the heat of his arm like a belt around her waist where Dwight had touched her. It had left her both tingly and disgruntled for some reason she couldn't name. After that she'd fled upstairs to where she was now picking through her closet.

Bay tried not to think about what might have transpired downstairs after her and the kids had come upstairs as she perused her closet. For the first time in a long time it dawned on Bay that she didn't have much in her closet to work with as far as clothes go. It bothered her now that she only boasted about three skirts her jeans out numbering them.

'Wish I had….' Bay started day dreaming of the clothes she had in high school but instantly shot herself loose of it with a reprimand, 'No don't think like that it's not like you have anyone to impress…besides you couldn't pull off any of your old outfits if you tried.' Bay looked down momentarily dismayed by the changes pregnancy and diner food almost daily had caused in her body.

In a brief surge of despondency Bay forewent her nicer clothes in favor of jeans and a solid color black sweater that was a bit more form fitting than she realized. Just as she was finishing tying her shoes she jerked upright her ear cocked towards the door as she heard a crashing from below. So with visions of one or both men lying dead on her kitchen floor Bay made a mad dash out of the room and down her stairs.

Upon entering the kitchen the sight that greeted her was thankfully not one of the many grisly scenes running through her mind. It was however a scene of cooperation…which in it's own way was just as shocking. The two were on the floor picking up various tools that had spilled out on the floor with the doors leading beneath her sink thrown open. That's when Emmett looked and caught sight of Bay standing slack jawed in the door way.

"We're gonna fix this together." Emmett stated simply as if he were talking about something as mundane as the weather.

"You're gonna what…..?" Bay was so stunned she didn't even bother to raise her hands.

Emmett smirked his response seeming to enjoy the sudden bewilderment that had come over his feisty brunette. Bravely he turned is back on the momentarily stupefied woman. It was Dwight that chose to engage her not knowing that he risked life and limb by doing so, for within Bay was a storm brewing.

Bays world swirled and blurred because before her very eyes her past and present merged. Emmett, her past, had casually bulldozed his way in giving her no choice but to make way or be buried. Dwight, her present, had slowly became a part of her life like soft green moss engulfing a tree so slowly you hardly noticed it was there. That is until the day you realized you couldn't tell where the moss ended and the tree began.

The moment the thought struck Bay the scene before her seemed to play out in slow motion. Suddenly every last detail was important from the way Emmett's back curved as he turned from her to the harsh scent of Dwight's aftershave as t wafted through the air. Bay's artistic eye roared to life in her mind not even bothering to stretch and yawn fueled only by the nuance's the hidden meanings of the bodies positioned before her.

"Past…and present…but I," her mind fumbled for understanding in a world gone sideways.

The cowboy flashed his good natured down home smile at Bay before speaking in his quiet manner, "Now Ms. Bledsoe if ya want ter just go on about your business me and your friend should have this done in a tick."

Dwight shattered that single self contained moment where Bay's heart and mind were struggling for dominance and logic won out, "I need this to stop!" Bay's eyes went dangerously dark as she caught the cowboy unawares, "Just WHO do you think you are!"

Just as those words were uttered Emmett felt a prickling dancing across his skin imploring him to turn around as he did he caught Bay's icy stare. The confused look on Dwight's face resonated through the room too. Apparently he had never been on the receiving end of Bay's irrational temper, Emmett however was an old pro.

'This should be interesting.' Emmett smiled to himself ready for the show Bay was sure to put on.

Okay all so tell me what you thought.