Because we skipped so much time in between our two stories, The Only Thing Different and State of Love and Trust, we thought we would give everyone a glimpse into how all the couples involved found their way to happily ever after. Booth and Brennan, Clay and Charlie, Sweets and Penelope, Hodgins and Angela...all of their major and minor life highlights in one place.

Each installment will be titled with the date and year that it occurred. Enjoy and thanks for reading!

~Smurfs and NatesMama

August 7, 2011

Charlotte rolled over with a groan and glared at her ringing phone. She didn't recognize the incoming number so she answered it with a sigh, "Hello. I hope this is important – I just got to sleep."

"Uh, is this Charlotte Townsend?" A deep male voice asked on the other end.

She rolled over and stared at the ceiling, "Yes, it is. And you are?"

"I…I'm Clayton Woods."

Charlotte sat straight up in bed, "The Speaker of the House?"

With a smile he said, "Yes."

"I am so sorry about how I answered the phone, I just got back from…" She shook her head, obviously this man didn't need to know her personal schedule, "I'm sorry. How can I help you, sir?"

"First of all, you can stop calling me sir." He shifted in his seat, unable to believe that calling a woman made him this anxious at his age, "I'm sorry for waking you."

"It's fine." She ran her hand through her hair, "A normal person would be awake at 3 o'clock in the afternoon but-"

He cut her off, "You're not normal are you?"

She thought she heard the distinct sound of flirting in his voice but she didn't think that was possible, "Well, I certainly don't live a normal life. I just flew in from Iraq last night and I'm a little jet-lagged."

Clay shook his head, "Do you want to call me back at a better time?"

"No, this is fine. How can I help you?" Charlotte looked over at herself in the mirror and rolled her eyes; hair mussed, bags under her eyes. Nice, she thought. Clayton Woods was, as far as Charlotte and most straight women were concerned, one of the most handsome men to ever hold public office and a notoriously private bachelor.

He cleared his throat and closed his eyes, "I wanted to know if you would like to have dinner some time?"

"With you?"

"Yes, with me."

She laughed lightly, "I'm sorry but…How do you know me?"

"Uh, I guess you could say I'm a fan?"

Charlotte shook her head and slowly asked, like she didn't believe it, "The Speaker of the House is a fan of mine?"

"Oh yeah." He leaned back in his seat and started to relax, "Your reports from the Green Zone have been fantastic and…well yeah."

Feeling a deep blush creeping across her face, she laid back down, "I'm currently in New York for a few days but I could come to DC this weekend."

"So, you do want to have dinner with me?"

Charlotte smiled, "I really do."