A/N: Sorry to everyone for a much extended break in this story, I've had some pretty intense exams lately. Perhaps this instalment will make up for it?

I very seldom attend church, as can be imagined, a fact that the local pastor of Whitby never fails to mention whenever I deliver him a prescription or treat him for some other mild ailment. I find his attempts to convert me quite amusing. In contrast, John attends church every Sunday and I personally have no idea what he sees in it. All that eternal damnation is rather depressing, particularly for someone of my persuasion.

Until today, I had not set foot in a church for at least five, possibly seven years. I hesitated on the threshold before steeling my nerve and reminding myself that I was here for Jeremiah and Mary. After asking John and I to be godparents, it would be rather rude if I refused to attend the Christening of their first child. John and I had been elected godfathers, while Betty and Mary's only surviving cousin would be godmothers. As I entered the church a little behind John, who was swept into a conversation with an ancient relative I had not yet met, I was confronted with a fierce glare from Cassidy. At first I was puzzled at what I could have done to incur her wrath before remembering the incident at Mary's wedding and her misguided belief that we were lovers. I fought to keep from smiling at this memory, but the idea of having an affair with Mary was so ridiculous that I did not succeed in smothering a small smirk.

This seemed to infuriate the righteous Cassidy, who marched over towards me, clearly incensed. "Mr. Burrow," she said in a sickeningly sweet voice that failed to hide her malice, "would you step outside with me for a moment?"

There was no reasonable way to deny the request, so I shrugged my shoulders and followed her out the church door. As soon as we were out of sight of the other guests, she whirled around and placed her hands on her hips.

"I believe it would be best for you to leave," she announced imperiously. My skin crawled at her pretentious over annunciation of words. She seemed to be mimicking members of the upper class, such as the Crawley's.

"I was invited, so I believe it would be best for me to stay," I retorted, making my Yorkshire accent, which had diminished over the years, stronger in a kind of rebuttal to her falsified pronunciation.

"Haven't you done enough to Mary? Can't you leave her in peace with her family?" she hissed all pretence at politeness gone from her voice.

"I don't believe I have done enough. She asked me to be a godparent to her son and I think it would be rude of me to leave before I've done that, don't you? Besides, you're more likely to ruin this occasion. I wasn't the one spreading malicious rumours about Mary on her wedding day," I was surprised at the levels of sarcasm and venom apparent in my voice. I hadn't been provoked to respond like this in a long time.

Cassidy turned pink at my accusation before opening and closing her mouth several times. "Well…at least I wasn't making eyes at the groom!" she eventually retorted.

"Of course you weren't," I replied nastily. "He wouldn't look back, for all you think you're prettier than Mary"

Cassidy's face froze and her eyes went dead for a brief moment in time before her features realigned themselves in an expression of hate. I felt the familiar elation that came with hitting a nerve and grew concerned with this relapse in my behaviour. Perhaps I should have calmly explained the situation to her, as opposed to insulting her. Before I could rectify my mistake however, Cassidy spoke.

"Leave, or I'll tell Jeremiah everything," she threatened in a low voice.

"There's nothing to tell," I icily informed her. "But if you were to say something to Jeremiah, I have plenty to say to Mary"

Cassidy gave a final furious glare before turning her back to me and marching up the stairs. I watched her retreating profile. Her pale green summer dress and beige hat were the height of fashion and looked enchantingly sweet on her, but there was little sweetness below the façade. I stood frozen on the steps, itching to retaliate to her threats in some way and hating her for reawakening what had once been a powerful and petty desire to do other people's reputations harm. Just as I was about to step over the abyss and formulate a damaging rumour of some kind, John appeared at the top of the steps, clearly looking for me. I raised my hand slightly to catch his attention and he made his way towards me.

"What are you doing out here, Thomas?" he asked, brow wrinkling in concern. "The service will begin in…"

"Cassidy asked me to leave," I interrupted him.

The furrows on John's brows deepened, "What on Earth?" he asked, looking slightly angry.

"Apparently she thinks I'm still having an affair with Mary," I explained, with distaste.

"Did you tell her you weren't?" John asked in a slightly exasperated voice.

I reflected on our conversation. "No…" I admitted. John gave me a frustrated look and I began to defend myself. "She insinuated it, so I couldn't really tell her we weren't. But I meant to explain that hugging Mary before her wedding didn't mean anything, only I'd insulted her, so she just threatened to tell Jeremy and stormed off"

John shook his head and dragged me around the side of the church, out of sight and earshot of Jeremiah and Mary's other guests. When we were alone he put his head in his hands and sighed. "Alright," he said, pinching the bridge of his nose between his forefingers as he did when he was frustrated. "You didn't handle that as well as you could have, but we both know Jeremy won't react to whatever nonsense Cassidy comes out with. So I take it you're not going to leave?"

"Of course not," I exclaimed, offended.

"Good," John responded, leaning forward to give me a soft kiss on the mouth. I moved my lips slightly, before we were interrupted by a crashing sound behind us.

Cassidy stood a few metres away, her mouth an exaggerated parody of shock. Below her was a small flask which contained some kind alcohol that had caused the offending crash. It seemed Cassidy had a slight drinking problem. John took charge of the situation, politely stepping forwards and picking up Cassidy's flask.

"I thought you'd told Mary you had your addiction under control?" he questioned. The words sounded friendly enough, but there was an implicit threat to them.

Cassidy snatched the flask away, secreted it in her hand bag and made to move past us towards the church. As she neared where we were, I reached out and grabbed her hand on impulse.

"Mary and I aren't having an affair, please believe me," I declared with false sincerity. Cassidy snatched her hand away, nodded once and strode away.

"Well," was all John said, staring at the retreating figure. We both knew Cassidy was a gossip and inwardly I was beginning to panic. "We'd better go inside," John said quietly, I nodded. We took seats next to Jeremiah and Mary, both of whom were glowing in spite of the dark circles under their eyes. Little Ruben was tiny, pink and only able to squirm and rub his face, yet he'd bewitched me and I couldn't help smiling at him, curled up in Mary's arms in his ludicrously puffy white baptism outfit. Mary smiled proudly in acknowledgement of my doting, but it was clear she thought it was only natural for her son to be universally admired.

The priest came in and gave a sermon about new life and the promise of forgiveness. It wasn't quite the fire and brimstone I'd expected and I was caught unawares. I found myself listening attentively and inwardly berated myself for it. Afterwards Mary and Jeremiah carried Ruben to the front of the congregation. The priest addressed them individually, asking them to provide a loving Christian home for Ruben, to which they both replied "we will". After this, the godparents were asked to join the birth parents and their son at the front of the church. Betty, Cassidy, John and I left our pew to stand near Jeremiah and Mary, Cassidy looking resentful. John stood on Jeremiah's left and I stood beside John, while Cassidy and Betty stood beside Mary. After making our own vows to support and care for Ruben, the priest began to trace the sign of the cross in water over the baby's head.

As this was occurring, John whispered into my ear, "Look at Betty as though you're in love with her". At first I was a little taken aback, before I saw the logic in this instruction and looked adoringly across at Betty. I realised we were putting on a show, just as Betty and I had inadvertently done at Jeremiah and Mary's wedding, in case Cassidy should revert to gossip. Betty caught my gaze and returned it with a confused frown before interpreting it as some kind of game and smiling. After a moment she returned my stare with a glance of love and longing. Betty had relaxed her strict mourning of all black for the occasion and wore a grey floral dress that was more subdued than anything she would normally have chosen. William's death had been hard on her, but she was beginning to move past it, in her own way. She'd thrown her energies into training as a nurse and John couldn't be prouder of her.

As the ceremony progressed I found myself uplifted. Perhaps the religion I'd despised for so long because of a perceived rejection from it, was not entirely about damnation? I was not about to proclaim myself a born again Christian, but I supposed I could tolerate it enough to go to church one Sunday a month with John, so he would not be berated by his congregation for failing to convert a heathen.

Ruben's baptism having been completed, we made our way towards our pew. Mary passed the baby to Betty and I put my arm around Betty's shoulders while leaning forward to gently squeeze Ruben's little hand. As the christening broke up, I overheard the following conversation,

"…don't be absurd. He's quite clearly in love with Betty," a matronly lady in a pink hat admonished.

"I saw them!" exclaimed a whiny voice which I recognised as Cassidy's. "They were kissing behind the church!"

"Nonsense," the lady whom I recognised as Cassidy's mother, Mary's Aunt Prue dismissed. "You've already tried to convince all and sundry he's having an affair with poor Mary. Really, if you want gossip to spread, you'd do better to be consistent"

Cassidy opened her mouth to protest, however the torrent issuing forth from Aunt Prue's mouth was growing stronger. "Furthermore, what were you doing behind the church? That wouldn't be brandy that I smelt on your breath, would it?" her severe frown was enough to cause Cassidy to lapse into a sudden silence. I breathed I sigh of relief as I followed the new parents out of the peaceful church and into the busy London street. My relationship with John had very nearly become public knowledge.