David walked into the laundry room and threw his leather jacket on the dryer. He took off his shoulder holster and placed that on the dryer. He unbuttoned his shirt and threw it in the washing machine. He looked down and saw that the cocoa had also stained his white tank top so he took that off and threw it in the washing machine. His Jeans were also stained. He took his badge off his belt and threw it on the dryer and the he unbuckled his belt and took it out of his jeans and threw that on the dryer as well. He took off his shoes and then took off his jeans and threw them in the washing machine. He angrily pored the laundry detergent in the washing machine and started it. He found a pair of sweatpants that were his size and he put them on. There were no shirts there that fit him but he found a hoodie and put it on and zipped it up. He picked up his badge and started wiping the cocoa off it when a woman walked in crying.
"This time don't ruin them. You should be good at this considering this is all your good for right now" David heard a man say to the woman. David looked up and saw James walk into the room. "Hurry up. I don't have all day" James said as the woman continued crying. "Hey why don't you pick on someone your own size" David yelled. James looked at David just realizing he was there. The woman looked between the two twins amazed. "Don't get involved in this David. For once mind your business" James said. David set his badge down and walked over to James. "I'm making this my business" David said. James rolled his eyes. "Apparently you forgot the conversation we just had" James said. David shook his head. "I haven't forgotten. I'm just not scared of you" he said looking around. "I don't see anybody around here to lie for you about what happened. Why don't we settle this right now" David asked.
"No I'm good. I have better things to do then kick your ass. Now be a good puppet and wait for your clothes to finish washing and report to work" James said playfully slapping David's cheek. James turned to the woman. "I expect those clothes in an hour and don't be late" he said. The woman nodded her head. "Yes Mr. Mayor" she said meekly. David went to punch James but James caught his fist. He shook his head. "You asked for this" he said punching David hard enough to push him back and he fell into a hamper full of clothes. "As I said David mind your business. That's two incidents today where I was minding my business and you decided to threaten me. You even tried to physically assault me. There won't be a third" James said sternly. He turned to the woman. "One hour and not a minute later" he said leaving the room. The woman walked over to David. "Here let me help you" she said helping David up. "Thanks" he said.
David finally got a good look at the woman and smiled. He recognized her. She was Cinderella back in the enchanted forest but he didn't know who she was here. They had met at a ball him and Snow had went to together. They were friends with her and Prince Thomas although he hadn't seen Thomas around Storybrooke. "I'm David the new deputy here" David said holding out his hand for her to shake. "Ashley" she said shaking it. David noticed she was pregnant and by the look of it she was due any day now. Had she been pregnant for the last 18 years? This is something James and Regina would do. "That was amazing thank you" Ashley said. "Anytime. You shouldn't let him treat you like that. My brother could be a real dick sometimes" David said. "I have no choice. Him and Regina control this town. I'm just barely scrapping by as is. The last thing I need is them to come after me especially with my baby on the way" Ashley said.
"Well still you don't deserve that" David said. "You don't even know me" Ashley said. Actually he did. "No one deserves to be treated like that especially by my brother" David said. "I didn't know the mayor had a brother" Ashley said. "We don't like to talk about each other" David said. "It was my fault I turned their clothes pink" Ashley said. David laughed. "That's an easy fix. Just use bleach" David said. Ashley looked at him in surprise again. "How do you know that" she asked. "I've done it before. I've turned all of mine and my daughter's clothes pink before too. Bleach will take that right out" David said. "You have a daughter" Ashley said in surprise. David nodded his head. "Yea her name's Emma" he said. Ashley looked down at her stomach. "Last night, I felt contractions and the doctor said that the baby could come any day now" she said. David smiled. "Congratulations, that's great" he said. Ashley started to cry.
"It's just that when the baby comes, no one thinks that I can do this. No one thinks I can do anything" Ashley said. "Where's the father" David asked. Ashley shook her head and cried harder. "I don't know. It's just me. Maybe everyone's right. Maybe I can't do this " she cried picking up the clothes and starting to throw them in the washing machine. "They're not" he said. Ashley looked at David. "What" she asked. "You can do this. How old are you" David asked. "Nineteen" Ashley said. David smiled at her. "My daughter just turned 18 and I can't imagine her having a baby right now" David said. "Your daughter's 18" Ashley asked surprised. He did not look old enough to have an 18 year old daughter. David nodded his head. "Yeah. I know what it's like by the way. I had to raise Emma by myself. It was hard and everyone always has their opinions on how you should raise your kid but ultimately, whatever you're considering doing, or giving up, the choice is yours and no one else's" David said.
"It's not exactly what you might think it is" Ashley said. "It never is. I thought me and my wife would be raising Emma together. I never thought in a million years I would be a single father. People are going to tell you who you are your whole life. Prove them wrong. You got to show everyone you are strong enough to do this. Make them see it. You want to change things? Your going to have to do it yourself because their certainly isn't any magic in this world. My father was a cruel man who believed me and my brother were worthless but he was wrong about both of us. You can do this and if you need help I'll help you" David said. Ashley looked taken aback. "Thank you David" she said. "Of course" David said. He was going to help Ashley through this. He would protect her from James and find Thomas so he could help raise his baby. Finding people was what he did after all.