Together they watched Mrs Reid leave the small office, Reid at her side and his father following close behind. The nurse who accompanied her was waiting outside where the trio was heading and so leaving Morgan to finish up with police captain Rossi followed in their wake.

By the car William Reid stepped back, leaving mother and son to say a tearful goodbye, Rossi intended to do the same, but Diana Reid had other ideas.

"What's your name?"

Dave could see Spencer's blush creep over his cheeks when his mother set her gaze on him, but never the less stepped forward, only just resisting offering his hand, knowing touch wouldn't be welcomed right now. His mind briefly flicked over the idea that Spencer's aversion to the same may not be autistism related at all, but possibly a by-product of upbringing.

"David Rossi, mam." He answered as if he were taking to his own mother.

"You look after my Spencer you hear, he's a good boy," she said to him, prompting Rossi to take another step forward to stand in line with Spencer.

"I will I promise." He said politely, flicking his gaze to the kid, ignoring Reid blushing at his side.

"I trust you." She said, taking his hand firmly in her's surprising him, "you have an honest face."

"I do?" Rossi laughed, letting his fingers curl gently around her fragile ones before letting go.

"Wise, strong, but honest. You're a good role model. " Diana Reid continued with a knowing smile. "He needs watching though, always getting into trouble" she added with a wink to Spencer, before finally letting the nurse guide her into the waiting car.

As far as weird interactions go that was one of his weirdest. The car pulled away after a whispered 'Bye mom' from the dazed kid at his side staring at the floor and when Reid eventually did look up it was to find Rossi waiting patiently, still standing in front of him looking concerned, asking without saying a word if he was alright. To his non surprise Spencer's face immediately crumpled fighting to keep control with tears already forming and Rossi knew exactly what to do.

Sighing from the heartache alone that this kid's caused him over the short time he'd known him Rossi reached out and enveloped him in a big hug. "It's okay kid."

And that's all it took for the tears to fall, silently, but as Reid held on Dave could swear he felt him shaking down to his bones. He whispered in his ear, reminding him he'd always look after him and they remained like that for what felt like quite a while. Reid calmed but Rossi kept him close just the same. Upon turning to walk them back inside the precinct he caught Morgan's eye, William Reid looking pained at his side.

..

Morgan walked out the precinct looking for Rossi and Reid. What he found stopped him in his tracks. He emerged in time to hear Reid whisper bye to his mom and watched the car pull away, then before he could take a step Reid was falling into Rossi's arms.

To his left Morgan could see Mr Reid. He was stood far enough away not to seem a part of the group, in fact anyone who hadn't met him would peg him as a random bystander, but Morgan read the look on his face as he watched someone else comfort his son. Reid's dad stared at them as Rossi lead the kid back inside, his wistful look morphing into something akin to regret, like he almost wanted it to be him Spencer was taking support from so easily… ialmosti. That riled him up. Morgan wanted to say 'well what did you expect?' To push him into acknowledging what he'd so carelessly thrown away, what he, Rossi, Hotch and the rest of their team would kill to keep in their lives.

What he actually said was "We look after him, he's happy."

Or at least Morgan was pretty sure he was anyway, it was sometimes hard to tell with Reid given how he's often so deeply sensitive, but generally the kid was happy, not perfect, but happy.

"I'm glad." William Reid nodded sombrely.

Morgan was distracted by Rossi poking his head back outside asking if they were good to go, when he turned back to suggest he should at least say goodbye Mr Reid was already gone.

..

"Kid I can hear you thinking from here, what's up?" Morgan broke the atmosphere shrouding the journey home.

Hotch had sent the jet back for them, budget committee be damned, and for that Rossi would be eternally grateful, because frankly trying to get a commercial flight out this late in the day would have not only been a nightmare, but also meant Reid holding it together for longer than was really healthy for the poor kid. Aside from his little breakdown at the side of the road he'd been pretty mute. Filled them in on the details he'd learnt from his parents, clearing up a few things about the Jenkins case, but apart from that they'd had radio silence the entire trip to the airstrip.

Reid frowned at Morgan's question, raising an eyebrow looking like he didn't quite know how to answer, but then suddenly realised he did.

"Well considering I've recently discovered I narrowly avoided being a murder victim," his voice cracked, raising an octave once again, "of a paedophile no less and that's the reason my dad abandoned me I guess nothings up."

He's looking at Morgan as if to challenge him to say something that could possible make it right and that's the last thing Derek probably wanted. Normally Reid would open up to him, Rossi knew this because he was a damn good profiler and it was obvious Derek was the person Reid chose to take his problems to, just like he knew Hotch was the one he went to when in distress and needing comfort. Rossi himself had even developed an authority figure role in the kids life, much to his surprise considering his first impression. Reid often came to him to share his thoughts when all he wanted was to be heard, knowing very well unlike Morgan or Hotch whose protective instincts flared up every time the kid was in trouble, he'd listen without feeling the need to fix him, but Dave guessed this was still a little raw. He wasn't ready to talk or hear Morgan's advice and Hotch wasn't here to tell him everything would be okay so that left it up to him to make the kid feel safe.

"But I guess you were right it kind of does bring me full circle, that incident shaped my entire life, brought me to the BAU where I'd eventually destroy what's left of my mother's life with my need to know the truth."

Morgan thinned his lips into a straight line, wisely biting back the comment he no doubt wanted to make about him doing nothing of the sort. He saw the same as Rossi did obviously. Reid just wasn't ready to hear any of it right now, the guilt too strong for him to be thinking clearly at all in his wrung out state. Rossi quickly looked across at Morgan as if to say don't take it personally and reached out sideways, squeezing Reid's shoulder, not all that surprised when the kid, exhausted and emotionally spent leant into the touch. What did make him react with wide eyes was Reid going a step further by resting his head down on his shoulder forcing Rossi to readjust his hold some by wrapping his arm around the skinny warm body now curling up against him. Taking it all in his stride, firmly rubbing his hand up and down Reid's arm until he felt the kid relax under his touch Rossi simply shook his head at Morgan's look of surprise. Hotch may not be the most demonstrative, but he'd seen him offer Reid the odd shoulder squeeze or on occasion a casual hug. He guessed this wasn't that different in comparison, and besides it wasn't in him to do things by half, his Italian up bringing made certain of that. Luckily this seemed to be exactly what the kid needed as he melted into the touch, calming instantly. Morgan's face softened watching as twin dark ringed eyes eventually lost the battle to stay open. The repetitive blinking ceased and heavy lids fell comfortably closed for what seemed like the first time since they flew out to Vegas several days ago.

Rossi tisked theatrically, glancing briefly at the sleeping body using him as a cushion before catching the barely suppressed twitch of a smile in the man opposite.

"Go ahead take a picture, you know Garcia will put your balls in a blender if you don't."

The jab succeeded in its aim. Rossi had never heard Morgan laugh so hard in his life.