Martha woke them up early the next day. Lois was groggy and somewhat grouchy, but she got up for Martha's sake. She wasn't used to waking up at the Kent farm yet. It still took her a few moments to get her bearings but once she did, she realized how real everything was and it made her smile, especially at the perfect blend of their things that she had created in the room. Clark had liked the blend too.

Lois dragged herself into the kitchen, each step felt like a major accomplishment. Climbing Mt. Everest couldn't be any harder. Clark and Martha looked cheerful and energetic already. They were morning people. Being surrounded by morning people never helped the grouchiness factor. She propped her head up with one hand, waiting for the reason they were up so early. Martha set a cup of coffee in front of her and she greedily took the caffeine that would make her feel alive.

"So why'd you wake us up?" Clark asked his mom.

Martha looked at him, surprised. "It's Sunday." Then she stared at him pointedly. "You still go to church, don't you?"

Clark became red and started to stutter. For someone who carried the secret around that he was a being from another planet, he was a terrible liar. Lois wondered how he possibly thought they could keep a secret from his mom for the entire week. It was by sheer dumb luck thus far.

"I--I--it was--I mean--I've been to church recently," Clark got out at last.

"How recently?"

Clark gave up. The minister would likely give it away anyway by saying something like, "it's been a long time."

"Not since last Christmas when I went with you," he told her apologetically.

Lois felt sorry for him. It wasn't really his fault. He led a pretty busy life. There was always a meteor freak or something to get in the way of a simple thing like attending church and once you got out of the habit of something, it was hard to get back in the habit. "I haven't been to church in 3 years, since the last time I went with you guys," she said, hoping to take some of the pressure off of Clark. She could testify to a busy life too. Of course, she had more opportunities to attend than Clark. She didn't have to rescue everybody all the time. Her biggest problem was that she much preferred to sleep in on Sunday mornings and she felt out of place if she wasn't with the Kents.

"I think it'd be a lovely way for us to spend some more quality time together if we all went," Martha said kindly, "but of course, I don't want to force you to go if you don't want to."

If it had ever entered Lois' mind not to go, it didn't now. Martha Kent had a way that made you feel like you were kicking a puppy if you refused her, not that she made people feel that way on purpose. Lois was already up anyway. Clark obviously felt the same way and it wouldn't be too bad. It'd remind her of the old days when she went with Mr. and Mrs. Kent and of course, Clark. She missed those days sometimes, particularly because those old days included Mr. Kent.

An hour later, they pulled up to the little white church. They had arrived early. While Martha started making conversation with other early arrivers, Clark motioned for Lois to follow him and they took off to another part of the church.

"What are we doing?" Lois asked.

"We didn't get a chance to be alone together yesterday, so I thought we'd take the opportunity now."

He opened a door and pulled her inside the room. Lois' eyes widened. "Your church has a pool? I never knew that. That's what I call service."

He laughed and put a finger over his lips. He whispered and pointed to the latched cupboard-looking window, "The sanctuary is just out there. It's not a pool. It's a baptismal pit for people getting baptized."

"Oh, I always wondered what was behind here," she whispered back.

He smiled at her again and then started to lean in to kiss her.

"Isn't this kind of sacrilegious?" Lois asked uncomfortably.

"Afraid we'll get struck by lightening?" Clark joked.

Lois frowned at him.

" Relax. 'Be fruitful and multiply.' We're just working on fulfilling a commandment."

"Are you seriously quoting scripture to justify this?" she asked, trying to keep her frown, but grinning instead.

They were in each other's arms before Clark could quote anything else and kissing passionately, making up for the past 24 hours of having to hide their romance.

However, before too long the door came swinging open. It threw Clark and Lois off balance and they went splashing into the pit. They quickly struggled to their feet and looked to see who their intruders were. It was the minister himself with an 11 year old boy.

The minister was desperately trying to cover up his smile. "I'm showing Kevin where he's getting baptized today and how it's going to work."

Lois quickly covered, "I'm Catholic and I've never seen a baptismal pit. We don't need them because we're sprinkled as babies. The most we need is a bowl. Clark was just showing it to me," Lois explained, which was sort of the truth. Her mother had taken her and Lucy to mass when they were little, but her father hadn't continued their religious instruction after she died.

"You'll get to see a baptism today," the minister told her, the amusement still thick in his voice. Kevin was just staring at them curiously.

Clark and Lois looked down at themselves. They were soaking wet and both wondering how they were going to go back to the sanctuary in that condition and better yet how they would explain to Martha.

"You can change into the choir robes," the minister told them. "There's also some pageant clothes in the basement, but I'd go with the choir robes. You can bring them back next Sunday."

Clark and Lois hurried to the room where the choir robes were kept.

"I don't think I've ever been so humiliated," Lois told Clark.

"Don't worry. I've known Pastor Mike, since I was a kid. He's a nice guy. And I think you've been more humiliated than this. What about when you thought there was an intruder and--"

"That's enough. We're in church," she whispered. "What if someone hears you?"

He smiled. She passed him a red robe and got one for herself.

"We'd better get changed separately," she told him.

"Church has turned you into quite the proper young lady," he teased.

She glared. "I just don't want a bunch of busybodies gossiping about us. That's all."

They changed into the choir robes and made their way into the sanctuary. The church was full and they self-consciously took a seat on each side of Martha. It was best not to be next to each other considering the circumstances. Martha looked at their choir robes and partially wet hair inquisitively.

"Clark, pushed me into the baptismal pit," she accusingly pointed at Clark. "He said he just wanted to show me the pit, but he tried to drown me. Luckily, I took him with me."

Clark was completely taken off guard as his mom turned to face him, but he quickly found his voice. "She's lying, Mom. I mean I was showing her the baptismal pit, but she tripped and pulled me in."

Martha simply shook her head. Clark had to restrain a laugh when he saw Lois lift her eyes toward the ceiling, expecting lightening to come down.

Mrs. Swift, a middle aged lady who was one of the busybodies Lois had been referring to earlier, hurried in and sat on their pew. She looked closely at them when she saw Clark and Lois' choir robes.

"We're thinking about joining the choir," Lois snapped.

The minister swung the window open ready to baptize Kevin, saving them from any further explanations.

On the way home, Clark and Lois felt like Martha was looking at them, but every time they snuck a peek at her, her eyes were on the road.

TBC