Monica and John walked into Mrs Scully's living room and the five of them stood looking each other as if they were getting ready for pistols at dawn. Mulder and John were staring at each other reaching for masculine superiority; Scully looked at Monica and managed a half smile before taking a shuddering breath. Mrs Scully handed out cups of tea and everybody took a seat.

"Thanks for getting here so quickly, both of you," Scully looked at John as she spoke; she hadn't forgotten how they'd last parted.

"Of course Dana, but we had no idea, I mean – Mulder, how did you get here?" Monica was stuck in the middle on this one. Mulder and John weren't exactly bosom buddies, and John and Scully had obviously had words, there was a lot of tension in the air.

Mulder took the lead though, he was good at taking charge, and this was his life they were about to discuss, his and his sons. If anyone had the right to lead this conversation it was him.

"How I got here is a boring story, it's not important, we have to talk about why I'm here."

"Ok," everything from that point on became a two person conversation with Monica and Mulder. Scully didn't speak, nor did her mom and John.

"I know you know about William's adoptive parents, who or what they are, I'm here because we have to get him back, before all hell breaks loose."

"What are you talking about?"

"William's, abilities, they didn't go away. They were dormant, and now they're active again."

"How exactly?"

"Spender. I don't know what he did exactly; I just know that he's behind this. When the experiments that his father had him subjected to didn't kill him he vowed that he'd get revenge. He's doing that using William."

"But Spender's father is dead; we all saw that place get blown apart."

"Spender doesn't know that. He thinks he can still find where his father's been hiding and that he can personally bring his sorry ass life to an end."

"So why can't we just tell Spender that he's dead and get him to leave William alone."

"You misunderstand, he isn't a threat to William, he doesn't want to hurt him. But William is a threat to smoking man. And nobody knows where Spender is it, so no – we can't just meet him for lunch and fill him in on his father's death," John noted the unfriendly tone of Mulder's voice and didn't like it being directed at Monica.

"We're here to help Mulder, so about less of the attitude?"

"I'm not here to deal in or with any BS agent Doggett; I just want my son back."

"Well we tried that, it didn't work, and Scully seemed to have other ideas about whether it was even possible or not," all eyes turned to Scully and her face flushed a little.

Scully didn't want to have to relive her argument with John, and certainly not in front of her mother and Mulder. She resented him for still being hostile about it with her; she had wanted him to be involved in this because she thought he could help. She still believed that but she wasn't sure she could handle his company until they'd resolved their issues.

"Scully? What is he talking about?"

"John and I went to the adoption agency, claiming that William was in danger, and that we had to get him back, for his protection, needless to say it didn't go well, and John believed I accepted defeat too easily."

"Too easily? Dana, you didn't even try and pursue the issue! You were told it wasn't going to happen and you walked away. But then you're good at that," Mulder shot a look across the room and John didn't flinch.

"I'd appreciate it if you didn't talk to the mother of my child in that tone agent Doggett."

"Because you're the perfect parent? You were here for what? A day of his life?" Mulder stood up and John did the same. In nothing but panic about where this would lead, the three women stood too.

"If you have something to say, say it agent Doggett."

"John…" Monica put her hand on his shoulder and he looked at her, losing the rage that he was holding against Mulder. The room fell quiet and Mrs Scully was the first to break the silence.

"I think it's clear that everybody here has the same goal, to get William back, to make him safe. So the sooner we let go of our ego and pride maybe we can focus on how to get to my grandson?" everyone sat back down and there was another pause.

"I know exactly how to get him back. But I can't do it alone, that's why I came back. We have to do this together."