Notes: Thanks to the nice English lady that is revising the chapters of this fic. All mistakes are mine.

Notes too: The number of comments and likes are quite a head-rush. Thank you all for taking the time to read my story, comment, like or follow it. It all helps to keep the momentum going.

Chapter 5 – Baking Battle Semi-final

'Welcome to our first Baking Battle semi-final!' Josh started. 'We have the four winners of this week battling it out for a spot in the final that will air Sunday, next week.'

The camera panned over the four baking station, showing the contestants. The pairs waved and smiled to the camera, but when the camera got to the NCIS station, Tony started to make small jumps and boxing movements, like he was preparing for a fight. Dolores got a tea towel and threw it over his head, inciting laughs all around.

'Looks like you are in fighting form, Agent DiNozzo…' the presenter said but correct himself quickly when Tony pushed the towel behind his neck and waggled a finger toward him. 'Tony. You two are pumped up because of the good comments and reports?'

'You know the internet rules, Josh,' Tony answered with a big smile. 'Never read the comments.' The witticism brought out more laughs. 'I avoided comments, news and anything related to our appearance here. Did you check, Delores?' Tony turned to his baking partner.

'I received some messages from friends and work colleagues, but I didn't go looking for any information,' she answered.

'So, we didn't let any comments go to our heads or bring us down,' Tony said. 'This is us,' he finished, throwing an arm around Delores' shoulders.

'Well, if works for you, keep going,' Josh smiled. 'Now for our battling teams for the day!' The presenter stopped in front of the first baking station. 'Sergeants Mike Smith and Melissa Johnson from the Army Corps of Engineers, champions of the Corps Foundation. You raised over seven thousand dollars, so far.'

The pair high-fived with wide smiles amidst the applause of the rest of the room. Josh turned to his left, towards the next baking station to present the next team.

'Lieutenant Alina Liu and Cadet Harold Serrano from San Francisco Police Department, raising money for Swords and Plowshares.' The pair waved timidly. 'The donations are also over seven thousand dollars so far,' Josh said, and they also received applause all around.

The presenter walked a few steps to reach the next station. 'Captain Jimmy Bruno and Lieutenant Tanya Bruckner from New York Fire Department!' The pair jumped up and down, doing a little imitation of Rocky Balboa from the movie Rocky.

'Your charity, FDNY has raised close to 15 thousand dollars!' The pair upped up their attics, whoopeeing and shouting 'Yeah!' happily. The applause was louder this time.

'Last but not least,' Josh said jokingly, 'Naval Criminal Investigative Services represented by Agent Tony DiNozzo and Ms Delores Bromstead,' the pair bowed. 'The charity you are championing, the Gary Sinise Foundation, has raised close to 25 thousand dollars so far!' The gobsmacked faces of Tony and Delores were put in full view with a close up from the camera following Josh.

Applause was loud and a few 'Good job!'s could be heard. 'I think we chose a popular and easy to market charity,' Tony commented. He turned fully to the camera and let loose one of his most charming smiles. 'But we thank you all who contributed to our chosen charity and the other charities represented here because your generosity will make a great difference in the lives of so many people in need.'

'Well said, Tony!' Josh clapped his hands and walked towards the dais to introduce the judges. 'And now for our judges of the day! Our adorable Mabel Stewart, creator, and owner of Sweet Stewart, probably the most famous bakery on the West Coast!'

The woman stood up, waved to the room, smiled, and commented. 'I always say ours is the best cupcake out there, but some contestants are giving us a run for our money.'

Josh laughed and turned to the man sited by her side. 'Harry Salas, restauranteur, owner of Salas Eatery at the Bay, our own food critic!'

The tall man stood up and waved. 'I haven't had much to criticise this last week.'

Discreet applause was heard, and Josh gestured toward the last person at the dais. 'Mr Edmund Quinn, Engagement Manager for Stars and Stripes News!' The man stood up, waved, and smiled.

'I'm here for the free food, some good photos and maybe some gossip, like a good old-fashioned journalist.' The discreet laugh finished quickly when Josh turned back to the contestants.

'Today is the first semi-final of our law enforcement and military Baking Battle, and the winner today goes directly to the final Sunday next week,' he repeated the information. 'We will have four more Baking Battles next week, and each winner will try for another spot at the final on the second semi-final next Friday. But the last two spots in the final will be decided by popular vote! So, if you don't impress the judges today, don't despair!' Josh joked. 'Just up your marketing strategy and get family, friends, and colleagues to vote for you!'

The teams laughed and Josh clapped his hands. 'And now for today's Baking Battle theme!' He stopped, trying to create suspense. 'Seasons and fruits! I will go around with a bowl where each team will pick a paper that will be their theme for the day. A season and a fruit connected to it. All your baking today will need to have that fruit as the prominent flavour.' He picked up a bowl from the top of the desk in front of the judges and started walking to the New York FD station. 'Just pick one,' he offered the bowl towards Lieutenant Bruckner.

She exaggerated her movements, dipping her hand into the bowl, and mixing the papers in there before pulling one out and waving it above her head.

'Don't open it yet,' Josh cautioned before she could bring the paper down to read. 'Let's get everybody to pick theirs and then we can find out who will do what.'

The presenter moved around the stations, with each team picking up a paper, and holding on to it. NCIS station was the last, and Tony also made exaggerated movements to look at the bowl and try to find more than one paper to pick up.

'Sorry, Tony,' Josh laughed. 'Only four seasons on this planet.'

'Oh, what can you do,' Tony pretended to be sad, and picked the last one.

'Now, please open your papers, and start planning! Don't tell us yet what is your theme. Let's make the cupcake round a surprise for the judges!'

The teams oohed and smiled, while the judges made small-talk comments about it being a different approach, and how that would be interesting. The contestants started preparing their first round of baking, and Josh went to join and distract the judges.

The NYFD team was the first to raise their flag, indicating they finished their baking goods. As the presenter and the judges walked towards their station, the other three teams also flagged their finished work one after the other.

'This seems to be a first!' Josh exclaimed. 'All teams finishing almost at the same time!' He looked around. 'Do you mind if we go around? I confess I didn't quite get the order in which the other 3 signalled.'

The nods and smiles around showed all pairs' agreement. The judges were already talking with the NYFD team when Josh approached the station.

'So, let's try it out first, and then confirm which season and fruit you guys got.'

The cupcakes were distributed, tasted and the judges talked between them before turning to the NYFD team.

'Pears, right? Winter or Autumn?' Salas asked, putting down his half-eaten cupcake. 'Tasty but a bit dry, I would say.'

Captain Jimmy Bruno answered. 'We got Winter and pears, yes.'

'Not the easiest of the fruits for this type of baking,' Mabel comment. 'A bit of caramel or vanilla frosting would help.'

The Stars and Stripes representative smiled towards the contestant but refrained from commenting, saying a quiet 'thank you' when the group moved to the next station.

'Sergeants Smith and Johnson, Army Corps of Engineers,' Josh started. 'Your cupcakes are looking…. really pink.'

Discreet laughs were heard while the contestants' offered plates with cupcakes covered in bright pink frosting.

'We got Spring and strawberries,' Sergeant Mike Smith started.

'It's a vanilla cupcake with strawberry frosting,' Sergeant Mellissa Johnson added.

'Nice complimentary tastes,' Harry Salas commented.

'It's colourful,' Mabel smiled.

'Strawberries do dominate the taste,' Edmund Quinn, the Stars and Stripes engagement manager, agreed.

'And onwards for the next spoils of the battle,' Josh guided the judges.

Lieutenant Liu presented the plates with their cupcakes at the San Francisco Police Department's station.

'We got Autumn and apples,' she explained.

'It's a denser cupcake,' Mabel Stewart said. 'But the cinnamon frosting helps.'

'I like that you can bite pieces of apple,' Salas commented.

'Can't wait to see what you will do for the pie version,' Quinn complimented.

'And again, last but certainly not least,' Josh approached the NCIS station, 'Agent DiNozzo and Ms Bromstead.'

'We got Summer and lemons, or limes,' Delores informed while Tony distributed the cupcakes. 'This is a lemon and poppy seeds cupcake with a cream cheese frosting.'

'Okay,' Mabel said after the first bite. 'If you two publish a book with the recipes used here, it will be a huge success.'

'How We Own the Baking Wars in Nine Battles', Tony laughed. 'Rivetting reading.'

The group all laughed with him.

'No, seriously, Agent DiNozzo,' now it was Harry Salas talking. 'This is really good.'

'Thank you.'

'I'm also impressed,' Edmund Quinn said. 'I might suggest a cooking and baking column just publish these recipes.'

'Maybe we should have an auction for charity and you guys can sell the recipes,' Josh suggested.

'Oh, we'll have to think about it,' Tony demurred.

'Now it's time for the judges to deliberate and decide which season is finished for this episode,'

The room filled with noise and laughter over the bad pun while the judges huddled together to talk. The contestants started cleaning their stations in preparation for the next phase while waiting for a decision.

A few minutes later and Josh turned towards the contestants while the judges walked back to their seats. 'Thank you all for the effort and the participation but we are at the point where one of the teams must be eliminated. I'm sorry to say, but Captain Jimmy Bruno and Lieutenant Tanya Brucker from New York Fire Department will not be going forward to the next Baking Battle today.'

The sad oohhs sounded around the room while the dismissed pair stopped cleaning the area, disappointed looks on their faces.

'The access for donating towards the FDNY Foundation will continue to be available on our website until the final battle Sunday next week. And you still can come back if you are one of the two teams to win the popular vote for the final.'

The pair nodded and waved to the other participants, leaving the room.

'Now for the pie!' Josh exclaimed. 'Show us what you can do to showcase the seasonal fruits you have to work with.'

The six competitors nodded and turned to their partners to strategise and bake.

For the second round, the NCIS team was the first to raise their flag at the 45 minutes mark of the available hour for the bake. The other two teams were hot on their heels, raising their flags in sequence a couple of minutes afterwards.

'This is looking more like a race, than a battle,' Josh joked. 'We'll start with NCIS and then to the others, okay?'

After nods all around they approach the baking station, admiring the light-yellow confection plated for them.

'And this is…?' Josh inquired.

'A lemon slice,' Delores said.

'Crunchy base, a thin layer of caramel and a thick layer of lemon cream, served chilled,' Tony completed the description.

'Oh, yes, this does sound like summer,' Harry Salas smiled, picking up the plate and taking a healthy bite.

'Humm,' the sound came from Mabel, while she was still chewing.

'I agree,' Quinn said with a smile.

'You guys are here to destroy the competition,' Josh joked.

'Nah, we're all for cooperation,' Tony answered, tongue in cheek. 'But we need to do the best we can.'

'Let me tell you,' Mabel put down her empty plate. 'Your best effort will cost me extra hours in the gym!'

The group left for the next station in between loud laughs.

'Here we are for the strawberry offering from the Army Corps of Engineers,' Josh said.

'It's a tartlet with custard and glazed strawberries,' Sergeant Johnson presented.

'Tasty,' Edmund Quinn was the first to comment.

'Nice but a bit sweet for me,' Salas responded.

'Yes, the custard is a bit heavy,' Mabel agreed.

'And for our final contestants in this round,' Josh guided the judges to the San Francisco PD station.

'Apple pie as my grandmother used to make,' Cadet Henry Serrano said while distributing the pieces of the sweet.

'Pretty close to my childhood memories,' Mabel Stewart commented.

'Yes, I can imagine this pie cooling down on a window sill,' Quinn was happy to say.

'I'm not a fan of nutmeg, even if I understand its use,' Salas said.

'Thank you, teams!' Josh moved with the judges to the centre of the room. 'Now it's time to deliberate and see which team fell in this Baking Battle!'

The conversation was intense and heated for a few minutes. The teams were back to cleaning and arranging their station in hope of progress to the last round. They finally seemed to achieve a decision with the judges retreating to the front of the dais when Josh Miller turned towards the contestants.

'It was a heated debate but, in the end, the summer weather won over balmy autumn, so congratulations to the NCIS team. Again!' Tony and Delores did a quick victory dance and high-fived while the rest of the room laughed.

'Unfortunately, the spring this year was not a huge success, so I'm sorry to say that Sergeants Mike Smith and Melissa Johnson from the Army Corps of Engineers have been defeated in this Baking Battle round.'

The pair waved and then walked around shaking hands with the other participants before leaving the recording room.

'Now, the last two teams will have 3 hours to present us with cakes based on your seasonal fruits. Apples, for the SFPD,' Josh said gesturing towards the pair. 'And lemons or limes for the NCIS team.' He gestured towards the other team. 'We expect some representation of the season or the fruit besides the taste,' he completed.

The participants nodded in acceptance and went to work while the judges and the presenter left the room to wait for the final baking product.

The three hours seemed to fly by, but the competing teams were ready to present their creations when the judges stepped back in the recording room.

The SFPD offered an upside-down apple cake with small fondant sculpted apples and leaves decorating it as an autumn scene.

The NCIS team had a round lemon cake and decorated it with marzipan, coconut shavings, caramel filling and Italian meringue buttercream for the frosting to create a beach scene.

Both baking creations were beautifully presented, and the taste test seemed to be the decision factor for this final Baking Battle round.

The conversation between the judges lasted for minutes before Josh Miller turned towards the competitors for the final decision.

'This was a close one. And we do hope that the other team gets the votes to go to the final, after all. But the first duo going to the final of this special edition of Baking Battle…' He paused for effect. The edition for airing would probably include the necessary suspense music. 'NCIS! Well done again, Agent DiNozzo and Ms Bromstead!'

The pair was surprised but happy. They turned to the SFPD team to congratulate and wish them good luck. The judges mingled with the participants while confetti fell around them. The presenter positioned himself in front of the group.

'Thank you for being part of this fun Baking Battle with us! And thanks for all the donations received! We will see you again next week for the next round!'

'Cut!' Sounded from a dark area of the room.