A/N: Thank you so much, everyone! Don't be afraid to critique my grammar/spelling, or anything else. I'm Australian, so some words are different. Updates won't always be this quick. I'll do my best. I just wanted to give you a reward for the response.

Here's another fluffy chapter based on Castle and Beckett's tweets and the fact that everyone seems to love the Little Marshmallows...

Upload Date: August 10, 2012

Chapter Rating: T (Very mild course language, references to violence, murder and child abuse)

Chapter Summary: Castle decides to give Beckett something from her childhood to cheer her up when she's having a bad day.

#2

"Kate."
His voice seemed to come from far away at first.

"Kate."

She should say something back.
"Mmkmlmhm," was all she could manage.

"Kate." He prodded her gently.

"What? I'm up." She shook her head, feeling groggy, processing the new information.

She was in Castle's bed. According to the clock it was 2:30 am. He was standing next to the bed looking - oh, crap - scared.

She groaned. "Castle, I thought we'd moved past this. You were doing well."

"I'm sorry - I had another dream. Freddy and Norman were trying to make me take a shower with them and when I said no - "

"It was a dream, Castle."

"It was just so graphic. So much blood."

"Really? You're saying this? Castle, what do you do for a living? Hell, what have you been doing in your spare time for the last four years?""

"Please, Kate, I'm busting."

She groaned again. "OK, if the big baby really needs me," she said, getting up.

"Thank you," he said sweetly.

"I hope you appreciate everything I do for you."

"I do," he smiled as they walked hand in hand towards the bathroom. She resented how nice his warm hand felt in hers.

"I was joking about the Nightlight before but now I think I'm gonna get you one," she said when they reached the door. "OK, do your business."

He trotted sheepishly in to the cool, tiled room.

"Did you wash your hands?" she asked when he got out.

"Funny. Come on, let's go to bed. We'll snuggle."

"I'm not in the mood," she said as they walked back to his room.

"I'll let you be the big spoon."

"I usually am the big spoon."

"Then, I'll let you be the little spoon," he reasoned as they got into bed.

"Castle, the Malinowski case goes to trial in a week. I've got heaps of paperwork to do tomorrow. We can't afford any mistakes; those are the little technicalities that put murderers back on the streets."

"All the more reason to get a good night's sleep. And what better way than to snuggle up to Big Rick?"

She sighed. "Goodnight, Castle."

There was a pause.

"Goodnight."

She lay there for a while on her side of the bed, wondering why she hadn't been arrested for pedophilia; she was sleeping with a nine-year-old. The thought reminded her of something she'd said to Montgomery when he first told her Castle would be shadowing her.

She thought back to the person Castle was back then. He was so different now; and yet, he hadn't changed at all. How did that work?

Oh, what the hell?

She sighed again. "OK, come on," she said, adjusting so that she was on her side.

He turned to face her.

"Really?"

"Yeah, but you're gonna be the Big Spoon this time. Hurry up before I change my mind."

She could practically hear him beaming as he turned his body fully and wrapped his arms around her. She allowed herself to smile because she told herself he couldn't see it in the dark.

Castle fell asleep pretty quickly. Beckett wasn't as lucky. She tried counting sheep. She tried re-playing boring movies in her head. She even tried listening to his breathing. Usually, it had a calming effect on her. This time, it was getting on her nerves.

"Damn it, Castle," she whispered, giving up. She managed to free herself from his arms without waking him up and made her way to the kitchen.

The light was on. Martha was there and the kettle was boiling.

"Oh, hello, Kate," she said brightly. "Couldn't sleep either?"

"Actually, I was sleeping really well until your son woke me up for Bathroom Escort Duty."

"Oh, not again. He was doing so well!"

Beckett sighed. "I know."

"Maybe you should think about scrapping Scary Movie Night."

Beckett suddenly looked as if she had suggested cancelling Christmas. "Oh, no, we can't call off Scary Movie Night. That's crazy talk."

"But if it's causing you to miss sleep -"

"That's a pain in the ass, I won't lie," Beckett yawned, "but it's worth it."

"Oh, to be young and in love."

"Well, one out of two ain't bad."

"But I'm not in - "

Beckett gave her a mischievous smile.

Martha inclined her head. "Oh, aren't you sweet? Now, I was about to make myself a hot chocolate. Would you like one?"

"Uh, yeah, if it's not too much trouble."

"No trouble at all," Martha assured her, going through the cupboards. "I'm sorry. We seem to have run out of the little marshmallows."

"You guys get the little marshmallows? I love the little marshmallows."

"Darling, everyone loves the little marshmallows. I always had to hide the packets from Richard and Alexis still won't go to bed without Hot Chocolate with a little Marshmallow."

"My Mom used to use them to make little smiley faces," Kate confided. "Two pink eyes and a white mouth. I used to have them with every hot beverage you can imagine. I stopped doing it at the Academy because I wanted to be taken seriously - I was kind of sick of all the funny looks I was getting at lunch - and eventually I kind of just lost the habit."

She sighed wistfully. " Little Marshmallows make everything better."

Castle awoke to a lot of muttering and swearing.

"Morning, sweetheart," he said, stretching.

"Morning," she said distractedly, barely giving him a glance as she hastily put on her clothes.

"What's the rush?"

"The rush is, I slept through the alarm. I can still make it if I skip breakfast."

"But I thought we were gonna have breakfast together to make up for that meeting I have to go to at Black Pawn."

"We don't need to spend every second together, Castle."

He pouted.

She softened. "Oh, don't give me that. Hey. Look, I'm just really tired today and I don't need any more distractions."

"I thought I was your favourite distraction."

"You are, but I'm not the Captain. If I'm late, Gates will find some way to blame you. I have the feeling today's gonna be pretty crappy, and I don't mean to take it out on you. I just wanna get through this day, OK?"

"OK," he said sadly.

She reached over the bed to kiss him on the shoulder. He in turn kissed her forehead. She smiled at him for a fraction of a second.

"I'll see you tonight."

"See ya." With that, she ran out, still doing up her buttons, racing against the clock.

Castle heard a loud thump and more swearing.

"Kate?" he called out, concerned, jumping out of bed.

"I'm fine," she called back. He heard the door slam shut.

Castle held the plastic packet, fully confident in his plan. At first, she would be annoyed that he had just showed up unannounced, wondering why he wasn't at his meeting; but then her eyes would go straight for the coffee and she'd accept, thanking him. She'd see the little smiley-face of marshmallows bobbing in her latte' that he'd prepared for her and she would exclaim, "You put the little marshmallows in! I love the little marshmallows."

He would chuckle and say, "I know." She would be happy and his work would be done. He would attend his meeting knowing she was going to have a good day.

Seemed like a full-proof plan.

Beckett weaved her pencil through her fingers, resisting the urge to snap it. Her morning coffee buzz was starting to wear off. It never lasted as long when Castle wasn't there. It just wasn't the same when it wasn't coming from him. She didn't know what it was about the simple act of him handing it to her, or even just placing it on her desk, that made it so much better; it just was.

And that pissed her off. What an annoying man. What a frustrating, immature, hyperactive, annoying man. He was ruining her life was what he was doing; waking her up at night, making her think about him all the time, giving her those irritating warm fuzzy feelings in her stomach, making her mouth ache with the amount of smiling she'd been doing lately...

"Guess who?"

She nearly fell out of her chair.
"Castle!" she said when she realised who it was.

He looked very pleased with himself, sitting down and placing a coffee on her desk.

"What are you doing here?"

"Relax, I'm not staying long. I just wanted to make you a coffee before my meeting."

She couldn't help smiling, much as she wanted to stay annoyed at him.

"Thanks, Castle." She grabbed the handle and pulled the mug towards her.

She froze when she saw the marshmallows arranged just as her mother used to do: Pink eyes and three white ones for the smile.

"You put in the little marshmallows," she said quietly.

"I hope you like it. I thought about shredding one in half to make eyebrows but that seemed like overkill."

"I love you."

"I know," he chuckled, and then froze when the words she'd actually spoken sunk in. "Wait... What?"

At first, Beckett looked just as shocked as he felt but then she smiled.
"Did I stutter? I love you, Castle," she repeated, taking a sip.

Oh, yeah. There was definitely something comforting in the way the marshmallows affected the flavour, but there was something else, that familiar feeling she only got from Castle's coffees. Of course, it had nothing to do with the coffee. It was all about the looks he gave her when she drank it. The one he was giving her now might just be one of her favourites: a mix of surprise, awe and happiness.

"Your mother told you, didn't she?"

"Uh, yeah."

"I'd like to have some more so pick up another packet on your way home."

"This packet's almost full."

"It won't be for long." She gave him a quick chaste kiss on the cheek, checking to see no one was looking. "I'll see you tonight?"

"Definitely," he beamed.

"Outstanding. Now, get lost Castle; can't you see I'm trying to work here?"

Thanks for reading. Hope it met up to your expectations.