This chapter is kind of a mess. Just a heads up. Also, I'm rewatching Switched at Birth, and it turns out that Bay's and Daphne's birthday is around here, on October 22. Which at this part of the story was a couple weeks ago. So let's just pretend it was fun, everyone had a good time, and nothing big happened.

The next weekend, we finally made our way to a baby store. I very vaguely remember having come here before, when I was still very young. I think it had to do with a new car seat for me.

Basically, neither one of us had any idea what we were doing, and we had refused help from our collective mothers. We wanted to look at everything first, take some notes-I had brought a notepad with me, a pen tucked behind my ear-and do our research. Then, after all that, take it to our mothers and see how we did. Almost like handing a test in to be graded.

Our first stop was the cribs, each one more confusing than the last. We tried to lift and drop the front... what were they, gates? Often we failed, and I was the first one to figure them out, crowing in triumph. It was only after we passed a few-while I wrote down the names of the interesting ones-that we realized there were more than just cribs. There was something called a 'bassinet', which ranged from something with mesh sides, to something you would see in a movie; those tiny white things that rocked, almost like what was in the original Sims games.

There were several different times of cribs, as well. Convertible cribs, cribs with changing tables... It was very quickly overwhelming. And we were still in the first part of the store.

"Ok. That's it. To hell with independence. We need our moms."

'Which one?' His gaze flicked around the store, looking almost afraid of the other sections. A sentiment I completely agreed with.

"All of them."

...

They looked like they were trying not to gloat. What do new moms do if they don't have their own mother to help? I was positive I wouldn't be able to do it. They moved in a whirlwind, looking through what little I had written and dismissing almost all of it. We followed helplessly as they quickly went over everything. That I would want the mesh bassinet for the first few months of the baby, so he could sleep in my room. It was collapsible for when we no longer needed it. A crib would go into the nursery, and they pointed to the few they approved of. With that, we were moving on.

They seemed to be getting the bigger stuff out of the way, as they then went to changing tables. With these, they gave more leeway. The nixed a few of them before deciding that the rest were sufficient, and up to personal preference. I wrote a few more things down, and we were moving onto dressers.

I quickly relaxed as the territory got more and more familiar. Dressers were easily gone through, as was seating. I liked the idea of a rocking chair in the corner, quickly picking a plush white 'glider'.

And then it took another turn, and we were back to baby things. A baby bathtub, strollers, carriers, car seats, diaper bags, on and on it went... Finally, I found a bench and sat down.

"Bay, what are you doing?" Regina asked, eyes wide. "We're not done."

"You're not done. I'm done. I plead pregnant. I'm sitting. I might be here for an hour. Maybe longer, I don't know." I held out my notebook. "My back hurts, and I have no idea what I'm doing. You find the moms-approved things, and I'll look it up later. For today, I wash my hands of this."

Emmett smiled and sat beside me. 'We're completely lost. We need to do more research.'

"What he said."

'I'm going to take her home.'

"No, I'm sitting right here until I feel better."

Kathryn laughed. "Honey, you aren't going to feel better for a few months."

"Then it looks like I'm sitting here for a few months."

I got a few eye rolls, but I remained resolute. I was not moving until I was good and ready.

Which was actually way sooner than I thought I would, once I recognized one of the workers.

Oh, no. Oh hell no.

I quickly stood and started walking away. I wasn't entirely sure the doors were in this direction, I just knew that anything was better than staying still, where she could see us. Emmett hurried after me, looking confused. Which left me to assume he hadn't seen her. Good.

However, I came to a dead end. No door here. I would have to turn back. With a deep breath, I slowly turned and did my best to avoid her. I saw the lights of the checkout lanes when...

"Bay? Is that you?"

I froze, and that hesitation was all she needed to know that I had heard her. She made her way to me, eyes wide, and I saw Emmett stiffen beside me.

"Oh, my god! Are you preggers?"

The rumor around school had been that Simone had started drinking heavily, and had been in rehab. Which meant either she was out, or it was just that-a rumor. And frankly, I didn't care. I didn't want to see her.

I didn't answer her, just continuing walking. When I finally made my way outside, I realized Emmett wasn't with me. What was he doing, staying to chat? Anger filling me, I got into my car and slammed the door shut, driving away and going home. Let him get a ride with someone else.

...

Daphne was sitting at the kitchen island, flipping through a book next to her plate. She looked up and waved. "Hey! Where is everyone?"

"At the baby store."

"Why aren't you there?"

"I was. I got tired. Mom, Regina, and Melody are approving things. Emmett decided to talk to Simone."

Her eyes widened and she turned her full attention to me, setting her fork aside. "No," she said in disbelief.

"Yes. Turns out, she works there. I didn't go back to see what they were talking about. For all I know, they were catching up on old times." I held up a finger and turned, wrenching open the fridge, quickly finding a pudding cup and pulling it out, grabbing a spoon from the drawer.

"Or maybe he's yelling at her. Telling her to stay away."

I sat on the stool next to her, ripping open the lid. "He didn't tell her to stay away last time."

Daphne sighed slightly and seemed to be turning her next words over in her mind. "Well... He knows it was a mistake, now. So maybe... Give him a chance. If he doesn't walk through those doors in the next five minutes, then screw him. If he's not here in a half hour, toss his stuff out. But I think he will be. He cares about you, Bay. You and your baby. You need to trust him. You're never going to get anywhere without trust."

I scraped at the bottom of my cup. She was right. I knew she was right. That didn't mean I had to like it. I needed to be rational. I had to let him explain. But I didn't need to like it.

"He almost kissed me again."

"At the baby store?"

"No. Last week. After our date."

She groaned loudly. "No! I did not interrupt your get-back-together kiss! Did I?"

"Well, I don't know about the whole 'get-back-together' thing, but... it was certainly some kind of kiss."

She groaned again and dropped her head on the counter. "Damn it."

I laughed, but the door swung open before I could say anything, Emmett rushing in. I tapped Daphne on the shoulder and pointed, and she spun around in her seat. "See? I told you." She hopped off and grabbed her book, setting her abandoned plate in the sink before quickly leaving the danger zone.

I didn't say anything, just watching him, waiting.

'I just told her to leave us alone. That was it. She tried to stop me, to talk, but nothing happened. I got past her. By the time I went outside, you were gone. I got my mom to drop me off. I swear.'

He looked almost... frantic. He was afraid I would kick him out. His eyes were wide, his face pale. He was... sincere. He was telling the truth. At least... I chose to believe he was telling the truth.

"Ok."

'O... Ok?'

"Ok. Do it again, and I'll kick your ass."

He nodded, relaxing. 'Got it.'

"Good."

He was silent a moment before reaching into his pocket, pulling out a piece of paper. 'Did you know there were classes? My mom found a flier at the baby store.'

"Yeah, birthing classes, parenting classes... What, do you think we should do it?"

'I do, yeah.'

I took the offered paper. They weren't too far, and there was a wide variety. Lamaze, something called the Bradley Method, 'hypnobirthing' (I made an immediate mental note to avoid that one), parenting, it went on and on. I wasn't entirely sure what Lamaze was, but it was certainly the one I had heard about the most, so there had to be something to it.

"Ok. I think that might be a good idea."

He relaxed a bit more and took a seat beside me. 'Which ones?' I pointed on the paper. Lamaze, and the parenting class. I figured it would teach things like how to bathe a baby, and change a diaper, and though I knew I would have help, I wanted the knowledge before the baby came... with other people just as lost as I was.

I tapped the paper to get his attention again. "I'm going to look online, see what times they have the classes and get us signed up."

He nodded, watching as I got up and walked away.

As I sat at my desk, scrolling through the website, and I did my best to forget about Simone.