A/N: Um... yeah. Probably takes place somewhere within the first half of the group's stay in the Digiworld...
Joe knocked on the door to Matt's studio, knowing that Matt himself was visiting his parents and was not actually inside. There was someone else that he was looking for, and he knew that she had been there ever since Matt had left.
He didn't hear anything, so let himself in. "Hey Nicole, I need to talk – Nicole?"
Nicole was curled up on the ground in a fetal position amongst a giant mess of wires, cables, and what looked like metal sheeting. And her body was shaking as though in convulsions.
He was beside her immediately. "Nicole? Nicole – oh dear…"
The girl was caught in a mad fit of giggles, her mouth twisted up in a huge grin as she gasped for air.
"Turtle!" she squealed in a strange throaty voice. "Tuuuurtlllle!"
Joe stared.
Then he saw the small wrench clamped in her hand, the many various tools also strewn around her, and deduced exactly what was going on.
"Okay, Nicole," he gently rolled her over and pushed her into a sitting position. "Breathe, relax, let's go do something completely different…"
She managed one good breath, looked at him, then back at one of the bundles of wires… and burst out laughing again.
"Turtle!"
Joe only shook his head in disbelief. "What in the world were you trying to do?"
Nicole fell forward flat on her face as she gasped again for air. "Trying – to set up – thing – for Matt," she managed between giggles. Then let out a large pained moan. "Oh Mew, what is wrong with me…"
"What's wrong with you," Joe said sternly, "is that you're driving yourself insane. Not that you weren't already insane to begin with, but this is just pushing it. So we are going to now leave this room and take a nice relaxing walk to the lake, outside, in the sun. Maybe we'll get you some food too."
He helped her stagger out of the room, knowing that his conversation was going to have to wait.
And I need to talk to Matt when he gets back…