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 1: Who's That Diner Girl?

Authors Note: Now I'm not exactly sure where I'm going with this, but the random plot bunny would not die so here's my start of what I don't know. Here goes nothing people.

"People signing without talking"

'Thoughts'

"People signing and talking"

A 26 year old Emmett pulled his motorcycle into the poorly graveled parking lot of a raggedy looking little diner. He had graduated from college a year or so ago with a degree in photography and minor in music focusing on his drumming. Instead of starting on a career in photo journalism, he decided to hit the road with Toby and the rest of "Guitar Face" for a little while.

The band now consisted of more than Toby, Wilke and Emmett; things had changed since High School. While they had not been signed by a record label, the band now consisted of a sound guy, and a roadie. They'd also managed to get a van with a small enclosed trailer for hauling their stuff. In fact they were just coming home from a gig in Columbus, Ohio.

Emmett preferred to follow along on his bike instead of riding in the van, especially when Daphne tagged along as Wilke's personal groupie. Not that he had feelings for her, far from it, but he was still her best friend so it was hard not to feel over protective watching her fawn all over a guy.

'Especially since the guy just had to be Wilke,' Emmett thought to himself.

Emmett and Daphne had dated for a while, in fact mostly through High School. Bay had let Emmett go after Daphne had confessed her feelings. By the time college rolled around they both knew that there was just no sizzle in their relationship, it was all fizzled out. They parted on good terms still remaining close friends.

By then though it was too late, Bay had already seemingly moved on. The guy she was with was perfect, too perfect in fact. With that in mind against his mother's wishes he enrolled in the hearing college Bay and Daphne were going to be attending. He told his mom that it was to keep an eye on Daph. Though he was sure his mother knew the real reason even if she didn't understand or approve of it. Pain sprang up in Emmett's chest just like it did every time he thought of Bay.

Shrugging off the feeling he made his way into the clean if not dingy little diner taking a seat in a back booth. Pulling out his phone he sent Toby a text letting him know that he was stopping off for a bite in Missouri, just before the Kansas state line and that he would catch up with them later. Just as he was putting his phone away a dishwater blonde headed waitress who was obviously chewing gum came sashaying over to him. While throwing down a menu in front of him she simultaneously pulled out a pad and had her pen poised.

"Welcome to The Roadside Diner, is there something that I can get ya to drink," the waitress eyed the cute man in front of her, sticking her hip out invitingly.

Emmett looked up at the waitress resisting the urge to roll his eyes noting that her name tag said Clara. Then opening his menu he found the drink section, pointing to what he wanted. At first Clara gave him a puzzled look and she tried asking the question again. This time Emmett pointed to his ears and then shook his head, again pointing to his drink selection on the menu. A light seemed to go off above the waitress' head as she put down her pen and pad. Emmett watched her warily.

First she pointed to him then she spoke slowly and clearly, "Are you Deaf?" she made it a question and on the last word clumsily touched her finger to her ear bringing it to her chin.

Emmett resisted the urge to let his mouth hang open as he watched Clara sign slowly, obviously unsure of herself but correctly to him. He merely nodded his head yes in answer to her question.

Clara nodded, still speaking slowly and signing only a few words, "Okay we have another waitress here who would be better suited to take care of you," She managed to sign "Another Waitress", "Care" and pointing to him for "you".

Looking over her shoulder the waitress called out to someone but he couldn't see her lips to read them. Clara then looked back at him nodding before sidling away. Emmett sat and waited for a few minutes unsure of what was going on. He stood up to leave as he started to think that he wasn't going to get any service here when another waitress showed up at the table behind him. She tapped him on the shoulder indicating for him to sit back down.

However when Emmett turned around he wasn't prepared for what he saw next. He found himself face to face with a female who had the most perfect alabaster skin with dark wavy brown curls escaping from a messy braid that went half way down her back. It looked like she also had blue highlights in her hair but that's not what brought him up short. It was her eyes, she had the most familiar golden brown eyes. His eyes then sought out her nametag and, etched neatly into the bronze plastic, there was one name he didn't expect to see…..

BAY

After re-reading it a couple more times and looking back to her eyes he fell back heavily into his booth. He was attempting to process all this but he didn't get a chance as the waitress started signing to him rapidly and perfectly.

"Hello my name is Bay and welcome to The Roadside Diner, is there anything that I can get you to drink," she signed easily without missing a beat even as she fingerspelled the name of the establishment. Emmett numbly made the sign for water. Next thing he knew the girl, no, woman was gone just as quickly as she'd come.

His brain was wild with thoughts of Bay now. It seemed that his waitress looked so much like Bay Kennish, but it couldn't be. Bay was supposed to be living the high life in California with her "boyfriend". The two of them had moved out there a year into college and into their relationship. This had inadvertently left him and Daphne alone at college for the duration. Although her parents still had regular contact via e-mail, granted she hadn't been home in a while. So she just couldn't be here serving over cooked fries, cold burgers and fingerspelling for the odd Deaf patron who wandered in here and there. She couldn't be, right? Besides she didn't even seem to recognize him; if it had been Bay she would have said err... and signed something. However, as Emmett watched his waitress walk away, he wasn't so sure that it wasn't in fact the same Bay Kennish who had been absent from his life for far too long.

The waitress then came walking back all smiles on her face as she placed a glass of ice water in front of him. Then tapping the table she made sure she had his attention. He studied her hands as she rapidly signed, her fingernails the same shade of blue as her highlights.

"Is there anything else that I can get for you sir?" when he didn't respond she tapped his shoulder this time "Sir?"

Startled from his thoughts he looked into her expectant face and jerkily signed a generic order, "Cheeseburger and fries." She jotted down his order just as fast as he signed and then was gone again.

When his food was delivered it was the blonde Clara who was bringing it, not the mysterious Bay. Placing his plate in front of him she smiled at him beamingly and refilled his barely touched water. She waited as if seeing if he was all set before nodding her head and walking away. Emmett decided then and there that when the brown eyed waitress made her appearance again he'd stop her and question her. As fate would have it, he didn't get that chance because the next time he saw her she was rushing out of the building with a look of panic on her face. He tried to stop her but she was too quick. He could only watch from one of the windows as the girl climbed into a baby blue Ford pickup whose color reminded him of another baby blue vehicle made for hauling things.

Once he got back to his table he pushed aside his barely touched food, his mind so full that his stomach couldn't complain much. There was a bill sitting on the table for a little over six dollars. Clearing his throat he waved the only other waitress over. Then looking up at the older woman's happy face, instead of giving her the money he took the pad and pen right out of her apron. He bent over it and began writing, showing it to her when he was finished. The note read…

Who was the other waitress?

If Clara was surprised by this question she didn't show it. She merely looked at him in puzzlement, not understanding why he would want to know that. Emmett merely shook the pad indicating his question. The waitress squinted her eyes at him before shrugging her shoulders and raising her right hand. She slowly fingerspelled to him while repeating each letter out loud

"B… A …Y," she looked at him, hoping that satisfied the red haired man. However she knew it didn't when he shook the pad again. Continuing to fingerspell she gave him the last name, "B…L…E…D….S…O…E."

His eyes widened a fraction as he looked at her, wondering if he had actually misread what she had just told him. With an annoyed sigh Clara raised her hand to fingerspell one more time.

"B…..A….Y," a longer pause here, "B...L….E…D…S…O…E."

The second time around he realized that, nope, he hadn't read it wrong. She had indeed spelled Bay Kennish's first name but only it had been paired with Emmett's last name. His mind reeled, not actually sure if what he thought was happening, was what was actually happening. Just in case though he pulled money from his wallet and wrote another statement on the waitresses pad.

Make sure Bay gets the change.

Is what the note read and he pressed the pad and pen along with a fifty dollar bill into Clara's hands. Then he quickly got up and left, leaving Clara to stare after him.

Going out to his bike he pulled his helmet on and threw his leg over the side. For a minute he just stood there considering all the possibilities. In the end he decided it was all too much to process right now. He made the decision to go home and poke around to see what he could find out about Bay Kennish and her whereabouts. Then maybe, just maybe, he might need to return to The Roadside Diner to have a chat with a certain mute waitress who appeared to be quite fluent in ASL, named Bay Bledsoe.

Okay, this is what I have for you guys. Now I'm telling you now this was the ramblings of a rabid plot bunny so I have no clue about what's going to happen next. So if you want me to figure out what's going to happen next then please read and review.