"Luke, can you get the door?"

"Lazy ass…" he muttered under his breath, but pushed himself up and sauntered over to the door.

Luke wiped his forehead before he opened the door, reminding himself that he needed to turn the air conditioner higher. Today was a hot one. The sun was burning the pavement to a blackened crisp, and the humidity made it possible to drink the air. Luke and Tony had both agreed that nothing was worth going outside today, and it was time to turn the air conditioner up. The outside can fester, but this house? No, this house, it will be the arctic.

Luke opened the door and closed his eyes as the warm, sickening air engulfed his face. He groaned and opened his eyes again, glaring at this unwanted guest. But that soon disappeared. "Maria?"

The woman looked up in surprise and smiled, "Luke! I had no idea you lived here!"

She quickly pulled Luke into a warm hug and pulled away. Luke stared in amazement and seemed to be in a trance. This woman... This ravishing woman. Before this woman had flocked his premature thoughts with seductive turns and twirls, but then she left and those deep thoughts vanished, just like her. But all of the memories that he made with her, all were gone. All but one. All that was left, was their quick but memorable kiss. That day, Luke thought he would have been happy to die; he didn't need anything more to live. But now she had grown. She had changed; she must have.

Maria's smile dampened at the loss of reaction and almost made a move to stir him, but Luke quickly responded, "Maria, what a surprise! What are you doing here?" he asked, happiness clear in his words.

She looked meekly behind her and turned back sheepishly, "Oh yeah. My car broke down nearby and I wanted to see if anyone would be willing to help a poor girl out. This was just a pleasant surprise!"

Luke smiled, "Of course I'll help. Here, come on in; let me get you a refreshment."

Maria smiled and quickly stepped into the house, glad to be away from the blazing heat. Luke closed the door and motioned for her to follow as he walked to the kitchen. "Who was it?" came the lax voice of Tony from the couch.

"Tony, this is my," Luke paused for a moment, concerned what to call her but quickly recovered, "friend, Maria."

Tony lifted himself up from the cushion and gave the girl a fleeting glance and went back to his show, not in the least concerned about the new intruder. Luke gave Maria an apologetic smile and pulled her into the kitchen, "Excuse my roommates, he isn't that social. But tell me, how has it been with you? I mean, it has been, how many years? 30?" Luke inquired as he dug around in his refrigerator.

She chuckled and rubbed the back of her neck, "Yeah, just about 30. But my life has been everywhere; I don't even know what is coming next or how it can get any worse. See, first my work has me moving out into some bumpkin neighborhood and I can't leave or else I'm fired, which is reasonable and I understand that. But, then my boyfriend leaves me because he can't stand how loyal I am to my job, but what else am I suppose to do? I have to make money some way, and this is a well paying job; I just can't leave it! Oh, and to top it off? My house has cockroaches and I can't find any exterminator whatsoever in that town. Apparently, that is just the normal thing," she rolled her eyes and put her head in her hands, "But I don't like to talk about it. How about you?"

Luke smiled and stopped stirring the drink to hand her one. She gladly accepted it and sipped with a dainty smile, "Nothing major. Just me and my roommate. Been like this for quite awhile; maybe 12 years or so. I've got a simple desk jockey job and he is a corporate big-shot. We get pa-" she quickly interrupted, "Do you work under him?"

Luke smiled and took a deep drink and looked up. He thought for a moment and chuckled, "Yeah. That is actually how we met. I had joined his company and I was having a really bad day and we just happened to cross each other. I remember he had split his coffee on me and was about to walk away when I grabbed him and slammed him to the floor. I was so angry. I was yelling so loudly I was certain that people outside could hear; we were on the 20th floor! Anyways, he thought it was funny so he promoted me, just like that."

Smiling in her cup, Maria said, "That's cute! I wish I could find my lover like that…"

Luke turned red and quickly muttered off, "We're not lovers! No, we're just roommates."

She chuckled and tilted her head, "You've changed so much."

He looked at her confused and stopped drinking, "What do you mean?"

"Well, you were so shy; you had no friends or anything," she laughed, "I remember that I always had to introduce you to anyone you ever met! But you're older now, huh? You should have changed..."

He smiled and chuckled, "Yeah. I was really shy, wasn't I? But hey, you left. I had to move on, didn't I?"

She looked away, smiling sadly, "Yeah, I suppose so," She giggled and took a deep drink from her cup. Taking a deep breath she looked at him sultry, "I remember how you use to chase after my hand; always pushing all of the other boys away. 'She's mine! She's mine!', that's what you use to say. But you're older, so who has your heart now? Not Tony, right?"

Although Luke was red, he certainly was not as red as before, "Not Tony! I mean… Well… I don't really want to discuss that."

She slid closer and touched his arm, "Why not? Are you scared that I might spill it?"

He pulled away and backed up, "No. It's just something I don't talk about; not even with Tony."

Pushing herself on him she coyly looked up, "You don't have to worry, I won't tell."

Luke's face was deep red and swallowed down his fear, "I think you should go wait in the living room; I'm going to call my neighbor to see if he can go help you with the car," with that, Luke pushed her away.

She pouted but did as told, trudging off to the living room. Upon seeing Tony, she smirked and glanced around before plopping down on the coach next to him. Tony didn't even give her a glance and she frowned in annoyance, but she quickly recovered her composure, "So, Luke told me that you're a corporate boss?"

Tony grunted in agreement and she frowned. But she couldn't be stopped, she just slid closer, "What company is it?"

At her movement, Tony gave her a questioning look but didn't do anything to stop her, "Riddler's Box."

Getting a reaction she smiled triumphantly and scooted closed, "Really! I read their books all the time! You must be very proud in yourself, huh?"

"Sure," was the nonchalant reply she received.

Slowly but surely, she leaned over onto his lap and stared into his face, her face calling him in. But she couldn't get anything from him. He just stared at the TV ahead of him. But this wasn't how it would play out. And before he could react, she grabbed his shirt and slammed his lips upon hers. He stared in terror at her but didn't move, not quite sure what to do. She smiled in the kiss and pushed harder, prodding his closed lips with her tongue. "So, I called my neighbor and he-" Luke started before he quickly stopped at the scene and turned around, red in the face, "My bad! I'll just come back later!" and he walked away.

With that scene, Tony broke from his reverie and tried to get up, but Maria forced him back down, straddling his legs. Pulling away for air she took a deep breath and smirked into his face, "Darling, don't worry about him. He'll get over it," and she pressed another bruising kiss down.

Tony growled and pushed her off, throwing her to the other end of the couch and stood up. As he began to follow after Luke she screamed in anger, "Fine! I don't need you faggots! Tell him I lied! I don't have a car; I was doing my job!" and she stormed out of the house, slamming the door.

He looked back for a moment but hurried to Luke's room and tried to open the door but it was locked. Tony pounded on the door, "Luke! Open the door, dude!"

He heard shuffling in the room and he quickly responded, "That's okay! I don't want a three-some! I'm okay with being alone! Just keep your STD's out there!"

Tony rolled his eyes and yelled back louder, "Don't be stupid! I don't bang trash!"

There was silence for a moment before Luke unlocked his door and he looked out shyly. He noticed Tony alone and opened the door more, "You sure?"

"Of course. But she was some hot trash." And Luke's door was closed and lock shut again.

Surprise visit from Maria, Luke's past, young love. R&R