When it All Comes Crashing

Chapter 3

"You okay, miss?" I leaned back a little to look past the big man to see the campground supervisor I'd met in the shop.

"Yeaaah...?" I drawled, confused. "Do I look like I have a problem?"

He shrugged. "Lady out here on her own, just wanna make sure this guy ain't botherin you." The big man shifted uncomfortably, about to say something.

"Not a bit," I retorted, not pointing out he may not have known I was alone until that comment. I tried not to bristle at the way I was reminded of people's general mistrust of enhanced people like Hulk who looked very different. "My friend here was just about to join me for brunch." I set my big frypan on the camp stove and lit it. "Weren't you, big guy?"

He just blinked at me. "Uhh..." The other man looked up at him and he quickly recovered. "Yeah, chica." He sat on the ground by the picnic table. "Wouldn't miss your cookin for nuthin."

The man looked skeptical, but shrugged and turned away. "You're using the laundry, right? I heard a dryer alarm on my way out."

I nodded. "Thanks. I'll be up there shortly."

He left and I turned back to the business at hand, setting a pan on the campstove and proceeding to crack a full dozen eggs into it. My new companion started to get up. "Thanks."

"Where you goin, big guy? Gonna make a liar of me?"

He looked down at me in surprise.

"I can't eat all these eggs myself, y'know." I scrambled them in the pan and threw in some ham and cheese. I set a bottle of hot sauce on the table and a couple of plates. I pushed the eggs out onto the plates, a reasonable amount for me, and the rest for him, then put a bit of butter to melt in the pan and returned it to the flame and threw in some bread to toast. Then, I whistled and Lo came loping back up as I pushed the larger plate toward the large man with several pieces of buttered toasted bread stacked on top. "Eat up, big guy."

He looked down at the plate and fork in front of him. His fingers ended in large, blunt claws. I grinned and grabbed a piece of bread, scooping up a healthy mound of eggs with it like a taco and gave him a wink. "We're not any too precious on table manners around here, bud. Do whatever works best for you." I set the rest of my plate in front of Lo, who despite her somewhat distended looking belly, polished off the rest of the scramble before crawling under the van for a nap in the shade. I smiled after her before turning back, plopping some hot sauce on my own breakfast situation and giving my guest a little mock cheers before digging in myself, holding a hand under to catch the bits of egg that inevitably fell out.

He finally started eating and the plate was clean in a matter of moments. He gave me a small smile. "Gracias."

I smiled broadly. "De nada." I took his plate. "What's your name, friend?"

"Armadillo."

"Well, obviously." I shook my head with a smile. "Not your stage name, hon. I've seen you fight. Your real name."

He looked a little taken aback. "You've seen me fight?"

"I have," I grinned. "My boyfriend took me to a UFL match. I thought you were amazing."

"Which fight?"

I think my eyes went a little distant, remembering that night. It had been brutal. "Axum, Madison Square Gardens." His big form seemed to wilt before my eyes. "You shouldn't have lost that match," I continued. "You deserved better."

He looked up again and met my eyes. "Antonio. Rodriguez."

I smiled. "Nice to meet you, Antonio." I extended a hand. "Sarah Grant." It was the first thing that had rolled off my tongue, probably because Steve was the one who had taken me to see the fight, back before we were dating.