(no subject)

[chaoschildofgod.livejournal.com]

Who:  Swordfish, Chaos
When:  After Sword's visitor and after his talk with Sen
Where:  Chaos' office
What:  Legal Advice
Rating:  PG-13 (Cursing! Sword you potty mouth)

Sword couldn't stop thinking about it all day. By now he was sure that Lacey was his. It was just a feeling. And he had to do something about her situation. He got to the prison's lawyer's office and saw two guards near the door. He walked up to them and demanded to see the lawyer. Of course they refused, said something about making an appointment. "I don't give a shit about an appointment! Now let me in there and see this guy!" Again they refused him. Sword glared, "Don't test me! Move over and let me in!" This went on for a good while; the guards refusing and Sword becoming more and more angry and loud.

Chaos could hear it, he wasn't deaf, and he had gotten up from his seat fairly early in the conversation to listen.  Maybe the guards weren't such a good idea, he really didn't like for things to be so confrontational.  Maybe he'd go ask they be called off, even though the Warden had joked it was for the prisoner's sake, he also half wondered otherwise considering events after.  But turning back to now...  Chaos opened the door a bit.  "Why such a noise?"  He asked.

Sword's attention immediately turned to Chaos, "You the lawyer?"

Chaos tilted his head a bit, faintly, blue eyes glancing over Sword briefly, before smiling politely.  "Yes.  Are you the one screaming you need to see me?"

Sword cocked an eyebrow, "I wasn't screaming...... Yes. It's important."

Chaos wouldn't fight over it, though Sword had definitely been screaming.  He motioned at the guards, basically a 'Yeah, go away' type thing, before opening the door wider and indicating Sword to come in.  "Please, come inside and have a seat."

Sword did so. As soon as his ass hit the chair he began, "This really has nothing to do with me. I just didn't know who else to go to, and you're a lawyer so I figured you could help me out. You see this morning, I got a visit from a girl I haven't seen in like 7 years. And she suddenly tells me that her kid is my daughter," He waves a hand dismissively, "But that's not the issue. I've got a DNA test done and the results should be be back in a couple of days. Anyway, I have a feeling she's abusing this girl and I need something done about it."

Chaos had barely gotten the door shut before Sword began his speech.  Heck, he hadn't even caught the guy's name properly, but that was alright.  He moved to the desk and sat down in his own seat, listening intently to what was said to him.  When it was finished, he only nodded softly, understanding the situation.  "I see.  Unfortuantely, I'm not sure what exactly you want done.  Are you just looking for suggestions?"

Sword looked at Chaos wide eyed in disbelief, "Are you kidding me!? I want it investigated! I want the little girl to be taken out of the situation!"

Chaos looked back at Sword, his eyes quite clear, and it was apparent he knew exactly what was wanted, but the next words explained better why he had phrased things the way he had.  "But what is it you want done?  You are not her father officially, yet, so there is very little you can do.  As for the abuse, Child Protective Services could be called, but a report would need to be submitted about why.  It can be done anonymously, but it isn't assured to actually work."

He paused a moment, keeping his eyes trained on Sword.  "Why do you think she's being abused?  What did you see or hear?"

"Cigarette burns on her arms. Stacy wasn't hiding anything with the way she spoke to her and the way she acted towards her." Sword would have told Chaos about the harsh flick to the ear Lacey had recieved, but he knew it probably didn't sound to threatening.

"You're sure they were cigarette burns, and not from something else?"  Chaos asked.  "And exactly how did she speak to her?"

Sword gave Chaos a look, "I've seen my fair share of those kinds of burns to know one when I see one." He shrugged, "She was just.... a bitch. The girl asked for a soda and she completely flipped out. And then when I got her her one, Stacy was a complete bitch to me. Saying that I was spoiling her. Also, Stacy's a crack whore. Do you really want a crack whore raising a child? She probably does it right in front of the poor girl."

Chaos sighed faintly to himself.  "Listen, I'm going to be brutally honest here, since I don't tend to be anything but.  There isn't a whole lot I can do.  If you want, I can call CPS, but they fail about as much as they work.  Denying her a soda won't count as abuse, although they would investigate the part about burns.  But the way CPS tends to work is they call before they ever go over, and so long as certain requirements are met, they don't tend to take the child.  Even if the child IS taken into custody, there is a large chance they will be handed back to the parent, especially if there is no other family that can take care of the child.

"Again, technically, if there is adequate food, clothing, the house is somewhat clean, and drugs cannot be proved by a visual examination, it will most likely just be put on the backburner, the mother written off as adequate, and the child left in her care."  He then sat back and waited to see what would be said.

Sword stared in disbelief. He couldn't believe what he was about to say, but he had to say, "This whole legal/justice system is corrupt!" He sighed heavily, "Fine! If you won't help me, then I'll talk to someone who will!" He said and made to get up.

Chaos smiled softly.  "I didn't say I wouldn't help.  But legally, I can't do a great deal for you."  He shifted his eyes to lock them onto Sword's, judging how serious he was about handling this issue.  "Legally, you're in a position that is quite frustrating.  Even if the results come back that she's yours, you can't take custody.  And, legally, CPS has it's standards.  But that isn't to say that things can't be done."

Sword raised his eyes brows and sat back down, "So what do you plan to do?"

"Right now I can't do much."  He handed Sword a sheet of paper and a pen.  "Write down all the information you have on the mother and daughter.  I have some friends who can look into the matter just a bit closer than I could, or even CPS could.  They've assisted in a few cases I had before, with good results."

Sword thought about telling Chaos that he couldn't write anything because he couldn't see. Keeping up the roose he and Sen had going. But then suddenly realized that he had already told Chaos that he had seen the burn mark on Lacey's arm. He sighed and picked up the pen. After he wrote a couple of words he passed it back to Chaos, "All I know is Satcy's full name. Not sure if Lacey has the same last name as her. And I have no idea where she lives now. So all I can do is give you their names." He paused, "Also, if it's possible. Don't let Stacy know she's being watched. At least not until I know if Lacey is mine." He paused again, "I might have a family she could go to."

Chaos wouldn't have bought that he was blind anyway.  His eyes were focusing far too clearly on him for it to be so.  But he grabbed the paper anyway, lifting the pen.  "What name would she see you under?  I can look up her information that way."

"Swordfish," He said simply.

Chaos wrote it down a bit, and looked to the other guy in the room.  "I'll have someone peek in on it.  But please do me a favor, and next time don't shout.  It gives me quite a headache."  The smile he gave Sword was neither happy, or threatening, or anything really, just a habit of sorts that had no true meaning.

Sword snorted, "Then you should get your guys to let me through."

"I didn't assign them there."  Chaos stated simply.

"So? do you need anything else?"

Chaos shook his head a little. "No."

Sword nodded," Good," and he got up to leave, "You gonna let me know what's going on right?"

"Yes."  Chaos nodded.  "Once I know something, I'll let you know."