Author's Note: I'm so proud of myself. This chapter was written in one hour, flat. There's more fluff than questioning in this one, but what to do. This one's for Ritika, who's always so eager to read my newest chapters. Shh. I haven't shown her this one yet, so she's gonna kill me. :D. Let me know, guys..

Disclaimer : Pfft. I wish.

"So, Patterson, huh?" He said, tauntingly, raising his eyebrows. He had started to make the pizza they were having for dinner. Homemade pizza is the best, he had said. So here he was, chopping tomatoes and onions for his pizza.

"Hmm. Just so irresistible." She grinned, as she opened the water bottle she was holding, and hoisted herself up on the counter.

"Irresistible, huh? I'll show you irresistible."

He inched towards her, with a seductive smirk on his face. He placed his hands on the side of her suave hips, her denim shorts firmly shaping her body. Her long legs that seemed to go on forever, dangled, catching sight of the thread anklet he had never noticed before. His 'mission' was almost lost until he looked back up at her face, cheeky grin still in place.

"Show me? But Rick, your Patterson collection is on the other side of the room. Unless, of course, he's coming over for poker, cause you know the real thing is always so much…."

"Oh shut up you." He fused his mouth with hers, making her forget all thoughts of Patterson or Connelly or any other such nonsense. She ran her fingers through his hair, as they pulled apart, softly smiling.

"Doesn't that happen in one of Patterson's books?"

She felt a soft tap on her head, and suddenly, something gooey started running down her face. In horror, she recognized the substance as she felt her face. He had cracked an egg on her head. An egg! Right after they made out! The nerve of this man child. She growled. "Rick!"

He put a fist in his mouth to stop laughing, and walked away, getting back to work on his pizza. She jumped off the counter, planning her next move. "Now, now Ricky, do you really think that was such a wise move?"

"Wise? Nope. Funny? Hell yeah."

"I don't really find it that funny." Truthfully, she had started panicking. She needed a plan.

"Really then? Well, I don't appreciate the thought cheating."

"Thought cheating?" She paused, looking thoroughly confused. "Rick, what are you talking about?"

"You can't think about Patterson's books and Patterson's looks and Patterson's charm and what not when I'm right there. It's not fair. He's not better than me. So you can't think about him. It's practically cheating!" He said, pouting, like a 5 year old.

And suddenly, her plan was formed.

"Aww, honey, is that what this is about? Sweetheart, I'm so sorry. That's not how I meant it. Rick.." She sauntered towards him, like a lioness stalking her prey.

"Hey hold on there. You called me honey and sweetheart in the same sentence without any sarcasm. What's going on?"

Shit. He knew her so well.

"Nothing!" She smiled innocently.

"Kaaaate?"

Splash! He was answered with a whole litre of cold water in his face.

"Oh my God! Cold! Oh my God! Oh my.. Come here you!"

She giggled as she ran away from him, dodging all his attempts to catch her. Finally, after much effort, he cornered her on the couch. He pushed her back, so that his knees were next to both of her thighs, somewhat straddling her, but not for the same purpose. "Now, Ms Beckett, you will pay."

"Riiiick?"

His fingers jabbed into her side, and she squirmed. "Ah, ticklish are we?"

She bit back a laugh as her jabbed her on the other side. "No."

"You sure?"

"Mmhmm."

"Okay, then."

And suddenly, he was tickling her everywhere. She squirmed and laughed, till tears streamed down her face. "Rick! Please, stop!" She breathed out, laughing each syllable.

"Say it. I, Kate Beckett, am ticklish."

"I, Kate Beckett, am ticklish. Now please, stop!" He slowed down on the tickling, but not enough for her to stop squirming.

"Now. Rick Castle is the sexiest, most amazing author I have ever met."

"I must not tell lies." She wheezed out.

Suddenly, the tickling ceased. "A Harry Potter reference? That's so hot. But sadly, not enough." He tickled her even more.

"Castle! Please stop! Oh my gosh."

"Then say it."

"It."

"That's not what I meant. Kate, darling, can you really afford to be funny right now?" He tickled her even more, especially at a spot where she was extremely sensitive.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Rick Castle is the sexiest, most amazing author I have ever met." She gasped.

His fingers stopped moving and he got off the couch.

"There we go. Was that really so hard?"

She shook her head no, still trying to catch her breath.

After 5 minutes, he returned.

"You're an ass." She grumbled, as Rick handed her a glass of water.

He chuckled, putting an arm around her shoulders as he sat down. She leaned her head against his chest.

"Pizza's in the oven."

"Okay. Can I ask the second question first, this time?" she said.

"You still wanna play?"

"Yeah, of course. This is fun."

He gave her an 'I-told-you-so' look.

"By all means, go ahead."

"Kay. My question is, where in the world did you learn to tickle like that, Rick?"

His face instantly fell. "You promise not to laugh?"

"I'll try."

He frowned.

"Hey, tell me. I promise I won't laugh, okay?"

He sighed. "Okay. When Meredith left, Alexis was just 3. She would cry herself to sleep every night, wondering why she wasn't good enough for mommy. It broke my heart, Kate. That's when I decided that my little girl would never go to sleep sad. So, every night, right before she went to bed, I would tickle her so much, that she'd laugh and beg and eventually just pass out on the sofa. I did this for years, until she finally got over Meredith leaving. But until then, I learned how to tickle. The most ticklish places, the places that actually hurt, the works. I even Googled it and practiced it on Mr Teddy." He looked down shyly at his hands.

Kate smiled at him softly. "Rick, that's so sweet. I would never laugh at that. That is the most adorable thing I have ever heard. Alexis is lucky to have such a great dad."

"Thanks. And it doesn't hurt that I'm rich and ruggedly handsome either, does it?" He grinned, waggling his eyebrows.

And her Rick was back.

"You? Ruggedly handsome, please!"

The room was silent for a minute.

"Rick, you know I'm kidding right?"

Sigh. "Yeah, I know."

"Hey, look at me."

When he kept staring at their intertwined hands, she pushed his face up so that she could look at him. She was shocked to find tears swimming in his blue orbs.

"Rick? What's the matter?"

"Sometimes I think, this is too good. It's too easy. It's too right. Maybe I'm not good enough for you. I mean, look at you. Maybe you deserve better. Better than me." He rubbed his thumb against hers, soothingly.

"Castle, don't be ridiculous. You have a ridiculously large ego, and listen well, cause I'm only going to say this once."

He smiled.

"Your books saved me, Rick. They propped me up after my mom died. Even before the badge. You saved my life, before you even knew I existed. So don't you ever tell me that I deserve better, got that?"

He smiled gratefully at her. "Yes ma'am."

She kissed his cheek and snuggled into his side.

"I believe it's my turn to ask a question, Ms. Beckett."

"Yes, I believe it is Mr Castle."

"What's with the anklet?"

"Oh this one? She lifted her foot, displaying the brightly coloured worn out loop of thread around her ankle.

"Mmhmm."

"Oh. Good times. Me and my mom made this one of the days I was sick. We were watching Temptation Lane, and my tonsils were killing me, so my mom got out the thread and taught me all kinds of patterns with different colours. We made this one together, and I haven't taken it off since."

"It's beautiful."

"Thank you."

"You're beautiful."

"Cheesy much?"

"Always."

She grinned, tugging him off the couch, and into the bedroom. Pizza could wait. She couldn't deal with that much cheesy at once.

What did you think? Review/PM please? It's great motivation. And no, I'm not begging. I'm not Castle-like pouting. Not one bit.