*snicker*

"Curse my inquisitive mind!"

The outburst came quite suddenly and I jumped, glancing at the closed door from where the sound had been emitted.

"Holmes, are you alright?"

"Curse it!"

I rose from my chair and leaned against the closed door. "Come, Holmes, you don't mean that. Your mind is certainly nothing to be ungrateful for. In fact, most people would call it a blessing."

"Then curse the scientific studies in which I find myself wont to meddle!"

That gave me a pause. His experiments were certainly something to wonder at. "What is it this time? You didn't inhale sulfur again did you?"

Silence.

"Holmes?"

"You will laugh."

I sighed. I had long learned that being humiliated was something Holmes could not bear. To be made fun of was something he found intolerable and the wounded look of betrayal he wore in such instances struck deep.

"I would never laugh at you! True, I might be amused by some of your antics and there outcome, but at you, I would never, ever laugh." I spoke with earnest and he seemed to hear it in my voice.

"Not even just a little bit?"

Oh dear. This must be dreadful. Gathering my courage, I answered. "No,"

There was a slight pause and then door opened and Holmes stood glumly before me, completely bald.