Dan Scardino liked to keep tabs on Lois Lane. Not because he was obsessing, or being stalkerish, or any of that, but because he had genuinely cared about her. And he surmised that he had reasons to be concerned. Her name appeared on the front page of not only the Daily Planet, but other papers around the country in connection with incidents that she really shouldn't be getting involved in.

"So much for Kent taking care of her," Dan muttered bitterly as picked up a recent edition of the Daily Planet. Although, he didn't know if Lois and Kent were even still together. True, she'd broken things off with him in order to pursue things with Clark, but what did that really mean, anyway? What with Kent's disappearing acts and inconsideration for Lois, Dan doubted they had lasted very long. Even if, by all accounts, they were still partners.

Dan had been out of the country on and off since he and Lois had split. He had heard something about Lex Luthor while he was in Europe, but he had yet to find out the whole story, and he wondered if Lois had been involved at all. She had confided in him once about her near marriage to the dead billionaire. He'd meant to contact her and see if she was all right, but then the New Kryptonian crisis had thrown the entire government into disarray, and even his job had been affected by it. Now, it was October, and well over a year had gone by since he'd seen or talked to Lois.

So he'd picked up the first issue of the Daily Planet he could find. Knowing Lois, she was front page news again.

He stared at the paper in shock. Utter...complete...horrifying shock.

There was a headline on the front page about a grisly multiple murder case in upstate New Troy. Then, on the bottom of the page, was a headline for a story on page A-5. The headline read "Planet Reporting Team Finally Wed!", by James Olsen.

The small picture next to the headline was of Lois and…and Kent.

"She married him?" Dan exploded. He ripped open the paper, finding page A-5, and found a larger picture of Lois and Clark, evidently a publicity shot. Her hair was short – "she cut her hair off?" he shouted – and Kent looked a little more Urban than Farmboy, but there they were. Happy. In love. Married!!!

Dan read the article, his mouth dropping open as the details of the couple's long and tumultuous engagement were revealed. Clones, formerly dead ex-fiancée's escaping from prison, New Kryptonians, evil psychiatrists…the reporter writing the article was telling the tale with gusto, that was for sure. If it weren't in one of the most respected newspapers in the country – in the world – then Dan would have had a hard time believing that any of this was fact, even though he had seen the reports on the New Kryptonians himself.

The article went on to tell about the wedding, after it was postponed once again by Myrtle Beach, 'The Wedding Destroyer'. "'After so many false starts," Dan read aloud to himself. "The couple opted for a private ceremony at an undisclosed location. Surrounded by close family and friends, the star reporting team for the Daily Planet finally exchanged vows, and were pronounced man and wife. This reporter had the privilege of witnessing this occasion, and I can say I have seen no happier couple than Lois Lane and Clark Kent. We'll miss them while they're on their honeymoon, but we at the Daily Planet want to offer our greatest congratulations to Lois and Clark. We wish them a lifetime of happiness.'" Dan put down the paper, his lips curled in disgust. Then he noticed a picture at the bottom he had missed.

It was Lois and Clark, in full wedding regalia. They were somewhere tropical, against a sunset, and Lois was the vision of the perfect bride. And Kent looked okay, too, Dan thought grudgingly. They were looking at each other, and he could see so much love in their faces that he was temped not to feel bitter anymore.

Well…maybe for a little while longer.

So he chewed over it over for a few weeks. He had a lot to do, anyway. He was being transferred – permanently – to the Los Angeles field office. He had packing, last minute details about his house, a going away party he was being forced to attend. Finally, on the last night before his move, he decided to suck it up and make the call.

He punched in Lois' number. He knew it was a long shot, but he figured he'd try.

An unfamiliar voice answered the phone, and he asked for Lois.

"Oh, I'm sorry," the woman said. "That must have been the previous tenant. I just moved in a few days ago."

"Oh…do you know the forwarding number?"

"Well, as a matter of fact, my landlord is here with me right now. Hold on." There were a few moments of muffled conversation, then a new voice, slightly accented – Middle Eastern? – came on the line.

"Yes? Can I help you?"

"I hope so, sir. I'm looking for Lois Lane. I'm an old friend of hers."

"Miss Lane got married and moved out. She lives in her husband's apartment now."

"Do you have Mr. Kent's phone number, by any chance?"

"No, but you can try the Daily Planet. I'm sure they have it."

Dan looked at the clock. It was after six. "I'll try. Thank you for your help."

He called the Daily Planet. No one answered at the city desk, so he asked the operator to be connected to Lois or Clark, and was informed they were gone for the evening, and that he could speak to the editor if he wanted to. Dan asked to be transferred, exasperated, thinking that maybe this was too much trouble to go through.

"Perry White."

"Mr. White, hello. I don't know if you remember me. My name is Daniel Scardino, I'm an agent with the DEA-"

"Sure, I remember you," Perry White said cautiously. "What can I do for you, Agent Scardino?"

"Well, I was wondering if you could give me Lois' phone number. I called her old apartment, but she doesn't live there anymore, and I wanted to-"

"Now, listen son," Perry interrupted. "I normally make it a point to stay out of my reporters' personal lives, but Lois and Clark just got married a few weeks ago, and they just moved into their own house, and basically they're happier than the King at Graceland, so I'm gonna tell you real politely, don't bother Lois. She's happy, and that's all that matters. I've never seen two people more meant for each other than Lois and Clark."

"Well, that's why I wanted to call her," Dan said. "I saw her wedding announcement, and I wanted to offer my congratulations. Mr. White, I'm not trying to start trouble. I just want to tell her I'm happy for her."

Perry hesitated. "Well, all right, but if she asks, you didn't get this number from me." He rattled off a number, and Dan copied it down. He thanked the editor, and they said their good-byes.

Dan dialed the number. "Please don't let Kent pick up," he muttered.

"Hello?"
Inwardly, he groaned. "Hi, can I speak to Lois, please?"

"I'm sorry, she's unavailable right now. May I ask who is calling?"

Dan hesitated. "This is Dan Scardino. Is this Clark?"

There was a moment of silence. "What do you want, Scardino?" Clark bit out.

"Listen, chill out, pal. I saw your wedding announcement, and I was calling to ay congratulations."

"Oh, I'm sure you were." Clark said sarcastically. "I'm sure you also have the number of a good divorce attorney handy, don't you?"

"Listen, Kent, I didn't call to start trouble. I really wanted to say my congratulations. If this means anything to you, as long as Lois is happy, I'm happy for you both. That's all I called to say. Really."

Clark was quiet for a moment. "Well, I appreciate it."

Dan hesitated. "She is happy, right?"

Clark seemed to understand. "Yes, she is. She's very happy. She's just napping right now. We were out buying wallpaper all afternoon."

Dan smirked. "I can't imagine Lois doing something that domestic."

Clark laughed. "Well, she still can't cook."

"That's almost comforting." Dan smiled. "Please tell her I said congratulations. I hope you two will have a wonderful life together."

"Thank you. Is there a number she can call you back at?"

"Actually, no. I'm moving to Los Angeles tomorrow, and it's probably best that she doesn't call me back. Just relay the message, please."

"I will. And thank you, Dan. I realize how difficult this may have been for you. If the positions were reversed…" Clark hesitated. "Well, I wouldn't be this pleasant."

"You never know, you are kind of a boy scout," Dan said wryly. "And I wondered, how slow of a news day was it that your wedding announcement was front page news?"

"Wellll…it was in connection with The Wedding Destroyer."

"Or it could just be that the two of you are your editor's pets."

"Oh, I wouldn't say that…"

Dan laughed. "No, I guess you wouldn't. Well, I'd better run. You take care, Clark"

"You, too."

Dan hung up the phone. He sighed. Well, that was that.

He picked up his next assignment. After he got settled in at his new apartment, and the L.A. office, he was to go see a reporter at the Los Angeles Chronicle about a recent story she had written involving a drug underlord in Costa Rica. Chances were this reporter might need some protection, and the DEA was assigning him to assist in her investigation. "Catherine Grant," he murmured, as he read her profile. "Hopefully you'll be less trouble than the last female reporter I ran into."