Author's note: I'm so sorry I always take so long on updates.

Also, I've realized I've never actually stated that the bolded in all my Switched at Birth fics is sign language. That's just how I do it. In a book I read, that's how it was done, and yeah. Also, what's bolded isn't literally what they are signing, more of how it would be interpreted.

Hope you like this chapter. :)

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters or Switched at Birth.

Almost a month had passed since Bay first moved in with Emmett and Melody. Bay got used to a new routine. Over time, her room become more her. She didn't want to intrude too much and actually paint the walls or change too many things, because, after all, she was a guest. But Bay did hang up some of her painting, and some pictures of her and Emmett. Bay also made a large poster with the same quote she used to have above her bed, "I never paint dreams or nightmares, I paint my own reality."

Bay had made the decision that she was going to go to Carlton, instead of Buckner. It would just be easier, plus she would be able to spend more time with Emmett.

It was hard at first, being a transfer student in the middle of the year, but she adjusted.

There was only one problem. It wasn't the classes. She found them relatively easy. Nor was it the opportunity to be out of uniform. Bay had been sick of that stupid uniform and loved having the chance to actually wear some of her other clothes.

When she thought about it, her problem was pretty stupid, really. It wasn't even that much of a problem. Maybe it didn't even qualify as one. But, for Bay, it was a really hard decision.

She didn't know whether or not to take speech therapy or not. And she felt like she had no one she could talk to about it. She knew that Melody didn't want Emmett to be taking it, but would she feel the same back about Bay?

Flashback:

Bay stood in front of the mirror of her art studio. She watched as her mouth moved, forming words. But she was too scared to actually try to make any noise. What if she sounded completely different? And the only person she would have been comfortable experimenting with, couldn't help her. It's not that he wouldn't want to. It was that he couldn't. And that Bay never even brought it up. Why ask something that was impossible?

End flashback

Bay wasn't sure how she should bring it up to Emmett. Should she just go up and tell him? It all seemed too awkward. But it was what Bay wanted. She was sure of it.

It was a couple days later when she found the time. Bay had spent that last few days thinking of the best way possible to bring it up, there was no perfect way. But it was now or never. Soon she'd loss any courage she had and give up all together.

They were sitting on the floor of Emmett's room. Melody trusted them enough by then that they could do this. Bay had a Chemistry book open and was sort of taking note, but also doodling in the margins of the page, because, honestly, she didn't find it that interesting. Emmett sat next to her, sometimes glancing over at what Bay was drawing, but mostly trying to do his reading for English class.

After spending close to an hour trying to do homework, they both gave up. If they hadn't gotten it done yet, it wasn't going to be finished.

Usually, after a "study session" like this, they would move to kissing, and a little making out. Nothing beyond that though.

Instead, Bay moved apart, not much, just so that it was easier to see each other and sign.

Emmett? Bay started. She almost thought about chickening out, it would be so much easier, but Bay knew she'd regret it later, so she kept going. Do you remember that one time I asked about…why you don't…speak?

He did remember. Emmett had said that he didn't need to. Bay had kept persisting, but the answer stayed the same. Yes, I remember. He waited to see where she was going, knowing she didn't necessarily need him to prompt her to continue.

I've been doing some thinking, a lot of thinking. I want to take speech therapy. Bay hadn't meant for it to come out so blunt. She'd had a plan in her head, of a way to work up to it, but it just came out.

OK. Emmett signed.

Smiling, Bay closed the space between them, and kissed him. There was no way she could have asked for a better boyfriend.

After school, on the day of Bay's first speech therapy class, she locked herself in her room. The last thing she needed was someone sneaking up on her. Still, she set a timer on her phone, so that it would vibrate when it was time for dinner.

Bay wasn't sure if it was easier or harder than she's expected. She wasn't really sure what she had been expecting in the first place. In some ways, it was a lot easier than she's thought. Though, she did have over 17 years of hearing helping her. Over 17 years of being able to listen and talk.

But in other ways, it was just so extremely hard. Most people didn't realize how weird it was talking without hearing you're self. Like, Bay could see her lips moving. Feel her mouth moving. When she was concentrating enough, she could feel vibrations in her throat. But other than that, she could be saying anything.

The teacher had told her that her voice it's self, sounded fine. It was just building up more confidence. Getting Bay more comfortable speaking. Getting her more used to it.

Her pocket vibrated forcefully, startling her from her thoughts. Even if she was starting to have second thoughts, didn't mean she was going to give up. Bay Kennish was not going to give up. Gathering herself, Bay unlocked the door and made her way down to dinner.

Author's note: I want to apologize for anything incorrect about the speech therapy, this was just a chapter that's been in my mind for a really long time (since before that episode [1x18], I swear). I tried not to go into detail, because then I knew I'd really mess things up. So I hope this turned out OK.