"I was," he acknowledges evenly. It's been long enough that he has the facts of the matter pretty well sorted into what is (or may as well be) common knowledge, and what should be kept more guarded. That he was attacked is no secret, but the motives and identity of his assailant are details he'd as soon stayed under wraps. It's bad enough that Martin worked it out; he won't have anyone else following in his footsteps.

Which, unfortunately, leaves him with little to do but brush it off. He doesn't want to tell Blue it's none of her business, and not just because her concern is genuine and rather touching. But he doesn't want the whole truth haunting her, either.

"But I'm more... resilient... than I look," he continues. "We're taking appropriate precautions, going forward, but it would take something substantially more dramatic than an attack to, er..." he falters; there's really no good way to put this, "... finish me off." After a beat, he adds, "I don't believe Kat is in any danger," his tone and expression softening by a few degrees.