Hi everybody! So, this is the overdue sequel to A Winter Wonderland...I hope it meets your expectations!

Also, the first chapter is a prologue...the second chapter will go back a few weeks and all will be explained then...but anyway, read and you'll get what I'm blabbering about.

Disclaimer: does not own Castle. If I did, I would make it Law that Aussies (and anyone else who has to wait) would be able to watch new episodes as they air.

Prologue

Kate Beckett woke from a restless sleep, sensing another presence in her bedroom. She rolled away from Rick who was snoring softly, half his body dangling off the side of the bed. Blinking wearily, Beckett sat up, noticing the small figure huddled against the doorframe, a thumb in one mouth and a crumpled blanket scrunched between little fingers.

"Lilly?"

The little girl sobbed, shuffling her feet. Beckett sighed, glancing at the digital clock, groaning inwardly at the bright red numbers showing 4:25 a.m. Four hours of sleep. Possibly the longest she'd had in the past two weeks. Turning her attention back to Lilly, Beckett tiredly patted the centre of the bed. Tiptoeing slowly across the room, Lilly quietly made her way under the covers, snuggling her small body against Beckett's. Her sobs quietened, only to be replaced with hiccups and sniffling. Beckett glanced back across at Rick, cursing him for his ability to sleep through almost anything. Every night for the past two weeks Lilly had crept into their room crying and he had slept through the whole ordeal. She wondered idly where her maternal instincts had appeared from and Rick's had disappeared to.

Tugging Lilly close to her chest, Beckett willed the girl to go to sleep, knowing her own eyes wouldn't close until she was sure Lilly was ok, even though it had come to mean she herself was surviving off minimal amounts of sleep. Soon enough Lilly's breathing evened out and Beckett finally let her eyes close, only to be slammed open minutes later by the shrill ringing of her phone. Using one hand, she fumbled for her cell on the nightstand, finally grasping it.

"H'lo?"

"Mornin' boss, we got a body."

Also cursing Esposito for sounding so chipper at 5 a.m., Beckett listened as he rattled off the address before saying she'd be there in 20 and he'd better have a large dose of caffeine for her. Untangling herself from Lilly, Beckett sluggishly made her way into the adjoining bathroom, grabbing random pieces of clothing on her way. Five minutes later she was dressed and as awake as possible, scribbling a note for Rick, before making her way to yet another crime scene.

xxxxxxx

"What've we got, guys?"

Taking the offered coffee from Esposito, Beckett inhaled the delicious smell before taking a large gulp, noticing the way the two younger Detectives watched her intently. After downing almost half the scalding coffee, she glared at them.

"What?"

The two men glanced at each other, speaking telepathically in their little bro code that she wasn't privy to, before Ryan turned back to her and coughed uncomfortably.

"You ok, Beckett?"

"I'm fine. Why?"

"You sure?" Esposito asked, running his eyes over her speculatively.

No, she wasn't ok. She hadn't slept in weeks; she'd been bombarded with caseload after caseload and her and Rick had hardly had any 'together' time. Oh, and she'd suddenly become Mom to a broken hearted three year old. She was just peachy.

"I'm fine guys, now, what've we got?" Deciding against spewing her problems to the boys, she turned her attention to the crime scene in front of her.

"Uh, Beckett?"

Taking a deep, calming breath, Beckett turned around to face Ryan who shuffled nervously.

"Yes, Ryan?"

"You...uhm...your shirt is on inside out..." Turning crimson, he looked away. Beckett glanced down at her shirt, realising her was right. Sighing, she wondered how much worse things could get.

xxxxxxx

Once back at the precinct, and another three coffees later, Beckett instructed the boys on their next steps before making her way down to the morgue to see Lanie. She'd been missing quality time with her girl.

"Hey Lanie."

The medical examiner turned her attention away from a dead body, shaking her head when she saw Beckett.

"Girl, when was the last time you slept?"

Frowning at her friend's lack of welcome, Beckett slumped against the cold metal slab (currently home to someone else's latest murder victim) and hung her head, letting her long hair cover her bloodshot eyes.

"I dunno, Lanie. What month is it?"

Placing the victims chart on her desk, Lanie came to stand in front of her best friend, taking in the rumpled clothes, messy hair and purple bags underlining her eyes.

"Sweetie, you need to take a few days off. Decompress."

Kate let out a mirthless laugh, finally lifting her head to face her friend.

"I wish it were that easy, Lanie. I do."

With a jealous pout, Beckett grabbed her friend's hand, admiring Lanie's engagement ring. If all had gone according to Rick's plan, she'd be wearing one of her very own right now. But a wriggle of her left hand reminded her it was ring less.

"How long until writer boy gives you one, huh?" Lanie asked, her voice teasing, trying to cheer her friend up.

"Lanie..." from the gloomy, whispered tone alone, Lanie knew something was up.

"Spill, honey. All the details."

Beckett took a deep breath, remembering the beautiful day only weeks ago when Castle had almost proposed.

"Before...when we were at the Hampton's...he had a ring."

"A ring?"

"Yeah..."

"A RING?" Lanie's voice raised half a dozen octaves and Beckett waved a hand, trying to shush her.

"Keep it down. Yes, a ring. But before he could ask…"

"Riiiiiight, Lilly. So...would you have said yes?"

"I'm not sure. Probably."

"That means yes. Girl! You're...pre-engaged? Is that how it goes?"

Moving away from the slab, Beckett bit her thumbnail, pacing back and forth agitatedly.

"I don't know, Lanie. I'm so confused. One minute it's like...enter Kate Beckett into the Guinness Book of Records, she's the worlds loneliest girl...the next...I'm pre-engaged and living with Richard freakin' Castle, with a miserable little girl looking at me like I'm supposed to be Mom of the Year and make all her pain go away. How did this happen?"

"Scared?"

"...I have never been so scared in my life."

Knowing there really wasn't much she could say to ease her best girl's fears; Lanie pulled Beckett into a tight hug, wishing the world would go easy on Kate Beckett for once.

xxxxxxx

Her head still whirling with new information about their latest case, Beckett settled herself on the break room sofa, intending to get a few hours of good shut eye before daybreak. The precinct had cleared out hours earlier, and when she'd noticed that it was almost 2 a.m, she'd decided to call it a night. She'd texted Rick earlier saying not to expect her home, but had had no reply. Her conscience was flooded with guilt, but she was at breaking point. She was heading towards overload. Meltdown. And if she didn't stop to take a breath, have a decent sleep, clear her mind, she'd come crashing down.

Resting her head against one of the arm ends, her legs dangled off the other side, she closed her eyes, willing her dull headache away so she could sleep deeply. She'd barely sunk into oblivion before she heard it. A sound that had, over the past two weeks, become so familiar, yet so distressing. She sat up, rubbed her face and watched as Rick made his way into the break room, Lilly on his hip. She was screaming, her face red and pinched, her favourite blanket scrunched in one chubby hand.

"Rick, what're you doing here?"

Her boyfriend (almost-fiancee?) bounced Lilly on his hip, trying to calm her down, but Beckett knew that it wouldn't help.

"Hello to you too, Becks."

Feeling her jaw tick in annoyance, Beckett ignored his unwelcome sarcasm and opened her arms. The moment Rick placed Lilly in her lap, the little girl quietened. But only just. She was still sobbing, fat tears rolling down her face. Rick sat next to her on the sofa, wrapping an arm around her shoulders, tracing his fingers up and down her arm.

"Hey, Lil. Why are you crying, sweetheart?" Using the scrawny blanket, Beckett wiped the tears from the little girls face before kissing her cheeks.

"I put her to bed, but half an hour later she came to our room and you weren't there. She lost it, started screaming. I could hardly pick her up she was fighting so hard."

Beckett glanced at the man who had once questioned her lack of belief in fate, soulmates, double rainbows...and now, seeing the anguish on his face, the tired lines creasing his eyes, her heart broke a little.

"After everything she's been though...she needs to see someone, Rick. I can't keep doing this."

She felt him tense against her and she turned her head. His lips were hovering just near hers and the temptation to kiss him was overwhelming. They hadn't been intimate in weeks and she missed the soothing feel of his body against hers. She just missed him altogether.

"Can't keep doing what, exactly?" His voice was tight, his eyes worried.

"I can't stay awake all night trying to calm her down because she refuses to go to you, and then come here and work the hours I do. I'm not superwoman. We've had her for two weeks and already I'm cracking. We're cracking."

"So, what? You wanna drop her at the pound or something?"

Pulling Lilly tight against her, Beckett stood up, rocking the little girl, trying to soothe her sobbing.

"I'm serious, Rick. This isn't working."

TBC

So, it wasn't very long I know...but I really really hoped you all liked it? Ease my insecurities and tell me so?

Also...less than 24 hours until 3.13...

I. Can't. Wait.