Avery Crittenden (word_of_law) wrote in marvel_nextgen,
@ 2010-03-15 20:54:00

Entry tags:

The Deal
Thus far, Avery Crittenden had enjoyed spending time with his newfound little girl. Zoey was bright, talented and outright amazing, and it made Avery proud to be able to say that she was his daughter. He called every other night, work permitting, to speak with her and tell her good night and that he hoped she slept well. He still hadn't told his parents about her yet, wanting to ease Zoey into getting to know her extended family, but he hoped that she'd come to call them family in time as well.

Today, he was meeting with Sydney to hammer out and finalize the terms of their custody arrangement. Sydney was indeed with the time Zoey could spend with him, but Avery had in mind to ask for a small something extra. He didn't think it was anything Sydney would mind too much, and their previous discussions on where she would go for different holidays helped him come up with a few other ideas on how to set up a good time with Zoey.

Avery and his lawyer/best female friend,Claire Walsh, would arrive at the office of Sydney's lawyer with their papers and requests to be added to the custody agreement. He didn't think he was asking for very much, about sixteen days each apiece, give or take when one of them had work to attend to. Sydney's schedule appeared more flexible than his, though, so his idea might benefit her more.

"Avery, you're being extremely charitable about this whole thing. Honestly, you've got ground to demand join custody and set some of your own terms regarding this situation where your daughter is concerned. Are you sure you don't want me to file that motion for you?" Alexis asks as they enter the building.

"No, Alexis, I don't want you to. It would only hurt Zoey in the long run, and Sydney and I agreed that we can be adults about this. She could have told me to go hell at the start, but she didn't, and I'm not trying to make waves. Zoey is my priority; I've missed too much already and I'm not going to waste anymore time by starting a custody battle." he says.

"You're afraid she's going to sic her friends on you, aren't you?" Alexis asks. "They're a pretty handy deterrent for a lot of things, you have to admit."

"No, I'm not. She wouldn't do that." Avery counted.

He hoped.

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sydney_ashcroft
2010-03-16 02:24 am UTC (link)

Sydney had been expecting a meeting with Avery since the day she handed him the proposal for custody of Zoey, so she wasn't surprised when she received a call from him asking if they could meet. She didn't tell anyone where she was going and why. She didn't need questions she couldn't answer and she surely didn't need anyone coming along.

She screwed her courage to the sticking pole and went to meet Avery.

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	word_of_law 2010-03-16 02:08 pm UTC (link)
	Avery saw Sydney and greeted her with a smile. "Thank you for coming, Sydney. This is my attorney, Claire Walsh." Claire gave Sydney a measured look, and offered a hand. "Miss Ashcroft." she said simply. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	sydney_ashcroft 2010-03-17 11:30 pm UTC (link)
	Syd had thought this was going to be an informal meeting. Next time he wanted to discuss anything she was bringing her lawyer. "Nice to meet you," Syd said and shook the offered hand. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	word_of_law 2010-03-18 12:08 am UTC (link)
	Avery, on the other hand, though this would be a formal meeting and it showed. "Sydney, is your lawyer going to be joining us? I thought having our lawyers present to address questions and the paperwork might...put you more at ease." he said. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	sydney_ashcroft 2010-03-18 12:12 am UTC (link)
	"No. I was under the impression that this was going to be an informal meeting, Avery. Had I known otherwise, I would have brought him. Whatever we discuss here, I can bring to him and get back to you." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

word_of_law
2010-03-18 12:21 am UTC (link)

"I'm sorry. I assumed you'd want lawyers involved." he said, only realizing now that Sydney had trusted him enough to meet with him alone on this.

Good move, Avery.

He turned to Claire.

"Claire, I'm sorry to ask you to come out here like this, but I wasn't clear on my intentions to Sydney and miscalculated. Can I call you after this is done? I'll pay you double." he says with a smile.

"Good, because I'm billing you triple, Avery." she says. "I'd like to advise against this, but...call me afterward and let me know what was discussed and accepted."

"Got it." he says. Claire nods at Sydney and begins walking away.

"I'm sorry about that, Sydney. I suppose we should get down to it, since I'm sure you've got a million places you'd rather be." he says.

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	sydney_ashcroft 2010-03-18 12:23 am UTC (link)
	"Your lawyer can stay if you want her to," Syd said. "I didn't mean to complicate things." Syd had been reading up on legal stuff for this and for work. It was dry and boring, but necessary. "I don't mind." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

word_of_law
2010-03-18 12:44 am UTC (link)

Claire looks at Sydney, and while it's not a look of outright contempt, it barely passes muster for civil or professional.

"I would, but I've got a few calls to make and it wouldn't be proper. Thank you anyway." she says. She goes, touching Avery's shoulder lightly as she does.

Avery tries to ignore the display and move on with business, turning back to Sydney.

"Okay. Well, Sydney, you were extremely generous with the arrangement you put forth, but I'd like to iron out a couple of holiday questions, and pitch a couple of ideas I have regarding the weekends." he says, taking out a piece of paper and handing it to her.

"I'd like it if the weekend could start on Friday evening. So, Zoey and I could hang out Friday until Sunday night, and then she'd come home in time for school. That would be the first three weeks of the month. In say, three months, I'd like to try having Zoey during the school week at the end of the month, from Friday to Thursday. I could take her to school, pick her up, and what not. On Friday, she'd come back to you and it would basically go back to the regular schedule.

Does this sound like something we could try once she's comfortable with the idea of seeing me every weekend?" he asks.

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	sydney_ashcroft 2010-03-18 12:56 am UTC (link)
	Sydney was quiet for a moment while she processed what he was saying. "I have no problem with the weekend starting on Friday night," she carefully said. "And three months is a reasonable amount of time to wait to see how things go before Zoey spending a week with you." "What did you have in mind for the holidays?" (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

word_of_law
2010-03-18 01:06 am UTC (link)

Avery's confidence was buoyed by Sydney's acceptance of his first two proposals, and he smiled and nodded as he prepared to deliver the next one.

"Well, I'm not sure what days you consider holidays, so I based my ideas of my work calendar. Any holidays during the week will likely be yours, unless it's Independence Day. It's my favorite, and I'd like to spend it with Zoey. I'm also not a big Halloween person, so you can certainly have that one as well. Besides, you two probably have something fun planned for it." he said. He assumed that Sydney's friends probably did a much livelier Halloween than he could ever put together, but he hated Halloween so it was not a loss.

"My big questions are the family holidays, like Easter Thanksgiving and Christmas. Easter is on a Sunday, but I don't want to interrupt anything you and Zoey usually do. As I said before, I go back to Boston for the summer, and I'd like Zoey to meet her grandparents and other family. That doesn't have to happen this year, but maybe next.

Should we alternate Thanksgiving and Christmas? Should we go with whoever she's with during Summer she's with for Christmas? I'm open to anything, really." he says.

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sydney_ashcroft
2010-03-18 01:13 am UTC (link)

"Holidays are outside of the week and weekend thing. We can split them up and alternate on the big ones. Say for example I have her on Thanksgiving and you get her Christmas Day, then the reverse the following year. I can't think of any other way that would be more fair."

"I don't see a problem with Independence Day. We usually just have a cookout and watch fireworks."

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word_of_law
2010-03-18 01:20 am UTC (link)

"I'm glad we're thinking along the same lines; I thought your idea would be a fair division as well, but again, I didn't know what you two usually have planned." he says.

"I usually get fireworks and go to the park, have a cookout as well." he nods. "Ah, I also want you to know that I've briefed my employers of the situation and I'll do my best to give you and Zoey at least one to two weeks notice if I'll need to go out of town on business." he says.

"And if there's an emergency and you need me to do something for Zoey, like pick her up and bring her home, you've got my number. Don't hesitate to let me know." he says.

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	sydney_ashcroft 2010-03-18 01:26 am UTC (link)
	Syd nodded. "Thank you. Thankfully my schedule is really flexible so if you are called out of town on short notice, it won't be a problem. Scion doesn't require much from me or much travel. Mr. Stark is good about giving Simon and me a head's up when travel is required." Syd smiled. "I will keep it in mind." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

word_of_law
2010-03-18 02:35 am UTC (link)

"That's good to know. I don't want to inconvenience you or disappoint Zoey." he says.

"Oh. I also had one more question, but it's more like a request, if you don't mind." he says, gathering up his own courage.

"I was wondering if you had any pictures of Zoey you could part with. I'd like one for my desk at work, and for home. Recent ones to start, but...maybe some from when she was smaller too. If you don't mind.

I'd just like to see how she grew, is all."

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	sydney_ashcroft 2010-03-18 02:38 am UTC (link)
	"Not at all. I have them all scanned, so I can put them on a disc and you can get the ones you want printed out. Sounds okay?" (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	word_of_law 2010-03-18 02:42 am UTC (link)
	Avery smiled brightly. "That would be excellent, Sydney. I'd appreciate that." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	sydney_ashcroft 2010-03-18 02:43 am UTC (link)
	Syd smiled a little. "It's not a problem. Is there anything else?" (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

word_of_law
2010-03-18 02:49 am UTC (link)

"Just one last thing. Does Zoey have any issues sleeping through the night? Like night terrors or anything?" he asked. His expression was more than curious now, she'd notice. Almost as if he were looking for a specific answer.

He'd started see things when he was about six or seven, things he couldn't explain, but that would happen all the same soon after he saw them. He considered telling Sydney about that, but if Zoey wasn't having any issues, then it would be better not to worry Sydney for nothing.

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	sydney_ashcroft 2010-03-18 02:51 am UTC (link)
	Syd shook her head. "No. She's a good sleeper, though she does find some excuse to crawl in with me at night." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	word_of_law 2010-03-18 02:53 am UTC (link)
	The relief on Avery's face was visible, and he seemed mollified by the news. "All right." he smiled. "Then that's everything for now. If I come up with anything else, I'll call you." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	sydney_ashcroft 2010-03-18 02:56 am UTC (link)
	"Do you want me to have my lawyer put everything in writing and send it to your lawyer?" (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	word_of_law 2010-03-18 02:59 am UTC (link)
	"Sure, you can do that. Once we get it, I'll sign the papers and send them back." he said. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	sydney_ashcroft 2010-03-18 03:02 am UTC (link)
	Syd stood up. "If there's anything else, you have my number. Don't hesitate to call." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	word_of_law 2010-03-18 03:08 am UTC (link)
	Avery nodded. "You've got it. Give Zoey my love, please." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	sydney_ashcroft 2010-03-18 03:10 am UTC (link)
	This was probably a really bad idea, but he was Zoey's father. "I will. Until this is finalized," she dug into her purse and pulled out a business card. "This has the address on it if you would like to stop over for dinner one evening." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

word_of_law
2010-03-18 03:13 am UTC (link)

Avery took the card, looked at it, then looked at Sydney before he put it away. He wasn't too keen on meeting people who could kill him by breathing on him just yet...but Sydney trusted them Zoey.

Moreover, Zoey trusted them. These people were part of his daughter's life, so it was in his best interest to at least know who they were.

"I'll call you and we can set up a time." he says.

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	sydney_ashcroft 2010-03-18 03:14 am UTC (link)
	Syd smiled. "Great. My lawyer will send over the papers. Thanks, Avery." (Reply to this)(Parent)

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