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James watched the Inspector leave the room before stilling Alec with a hand on the others arm, Rhodri was already looking steadily at John the unasked questions heavy in the air.
"No" John answered "They have no idea what I am. Even Sherlock doesn't know."
"You did always excel at hiding in plain sight John." Alec said softly.
Rhodri nodded, "That idiot in Berlin certainly didn't think you a danger until you had him mid air."
There's a collective laugh and shudder at those memories.
"You do realize that's all over now don't you?" James asked with deceptive mildness, they all know what it means to John to be able to blend in so totally.
John takes a deep breath and on the exhale his whole posture and personality change. His stance becomes a coiled stillness ready to strike at any second, the slightly perplexed and bewildered expression morphs into intense watchfulness and a laser like focus. A tightly leashed anger replaces the kindness and compassion that habitually grace his face.
The man who stands before them now is the highly skilled deadly operative who's run countless operations for various branches of army and civilian government. Not a man to cross, a man as far removed from the harmless and helpful Doctor he pretends so well to be.
"Yes, I know." John responds "But they're in this because of me, even if they don't know it and I owe them a life."
Alec closes the last folder of evidence and smiles "You may still be able to put the mask back on, the Inspector looked like he'd been pole-axed. I bet he'd be willing to forget it all."
John's grin is feral "Sherlock always says that people see and don't observe. Shall we go and see how unobservant people really are gentlemen?"
Three matching grins answer him and the four of them move towards the door and the possible end of one Dr John Watson M.D, who had been, mostly, harmless.