What scares him the most, is that he knows exactly what's going on. He knows what it's like to be telling someone something, and just no one seems to understand. Out of the whole team, he knows he's the only one who can get through to Sammy. He's the only one who can understand what the boy is doing, and that's not because he's read books about Autism. As he watches Sammy draw pictures that don't make sense to the others, they start to put everything together for him. Somewhere in his heart, he's touched that Sammy cooperates with him; proud of himself that he can do something that no one else can. He's pretty sure Sammy can sense that Spencer understands him better then anyone else in his life.

Spencer was always best with patterns and routine, even now as an adult. It's comforting, knowing that his alarm will always ring at the same time and that he has to be at the train station by 7:30. He does his best not to be embarrassed by his deep understanding, even as Rossi looks on while he interacts with Sammy. He likes the boy, more then he's ever liked a child of Sammy's age. He doesn't run away or cry or ask questions. He doesn't make him feel uncomfortable. Sammy quietly accepts his presence and treats him with the same understanding in return.

He stays close to the boy, taking pride in the calmness he seems to have on him. When he sits next to Sammy on the piano bench and tries again to get the answers he's seeking, his heart warms a little. When Sammy starts to play, taking his hand to have him play along, he knows he's never felt anything like what he feels in that moment. He feels like a father playing with a child, like they have the understanding that only a father and son can have with each other. Sammy trusts him to understand his language, and he knows he can because it's his language too.

When it all comes together, Reid can hardly contain his excitement. When Sammy finally speaks, not even a complete sentence, he swears he's going to explode. He's almost positive that this case is going to have the happiest ending they've had in awhile, and when he hears that gunshot go off at the dock, his stomach drops. He finds it hard to swallow when Sammy is reunited with his mother, and he feels like he's losing something that he never even had. He can't bring himself to be upset, because when the pair hug, something in his heart comes together again.

He's ready to move on and return to the trucks when Sammy surprises them all. "Spencer," he says, clear enough for everyone to understand. He looks up at his team, the cops, and what's left of Sammy's family and he can't bring himself to hate the attention. He takes a few tentative steps in Sammy's direction and the boy cautiously moves towards him. He kneels to be eye level, and he sees something in those big innocent eyes that he can't quite place. He does his best not to twitch when Sammy gently pats his shoulder, and he decides to take a chance; letting his hand slowly pat the boys shoulder. Silence covers the dock like a blanket, and Sammy steps back and joins his mother again without looking back.

Reid walks past the team without looking up, and Rossi and Morgan join him. The silence lingers on and Reid stares out the window. Sometimes, he has a hard time understanding why he does this job. It's driven him crazy, caused him nightmares. It's shown him the terrors of the world, and he can't help but ask himself why. He could finally answer that question now.