A/N: I know it is not Tuesday but I figured you wouldn't mind if I published the chapter early. I will try and have the next chapter out on Tuesday, no promises though as I haven't finished it yet. My cat doesn't seem to give me too much time yet. She is getting better and is recovering nicely from her surgery.

Crime Scene Kitchen

Chapter 6, Competition Continued Round 4

Friday Evening, Round Three Wrap Up Party at The Dirty Robber

Frost and Susie arrived and sat down with Jane and Maura. Right after that Gen and Steve arrived and joined them. Riley and a few detectives from the Drug Unit walked by and Riley said, "So, I guess we showed you up on the cannolis, huh Rizzoli?"

"Our cannolis were great also if you remember Riley, you only won by one point. My Ma is well known for her cannolis, so I knew that there was a strong possibility your team might win, but we were right behind you." Jane said in frustration. Maura had reached over and grabbed one of Jane's hand in an effort to keep Jane calm.

Gen stood up and walked over to Riley. "Detective Cooper, your presence is not welcome at this table. This is a fun evening and we don't need you to be giving Rizzoli any shit tonight."

"Oh, you have to have a guard dog stick up for you Rizzoli." Riley said as she glanced at Jane and then at Gen. Gen was not happy.

"I am not her guard dog, detective. I am the Officer in Charge and the one who set this get together up and I would like for it to remain a friendly place for BPD members to socialize and get to know one another. If you cannot be pleasant than I would ask for you to leave." Gen stated as Matt walked up behind her.

"Is there a problem here lieutenant?" Chief Bradford asked as he looked at both Gen and Riley who were only inches apart from each other, both stiff in their stance as if they were getting ready to punch each other.

"No Chief, I was just explaining to Detective Cooper that this is a friendly event and if she cannot be friendly, she should leave." Gen replied to the Chief.

The Chief turned to Riley and said, "Well Detective Cooper what is your response?"

"I was just going to my table sir." Riley stated as she turned and walked away.

"Gen, if she gives you or anybody here any further problems, let me know and I will have her in my office Monday morning." The Chief said as he grabbed Sharon's hand and walked away. They walked over to the table they were sitting at last Friday and sat down and started chatting to the others that were already seated at the table.

"Thanks, Chief." Gen said as she and her husband sat down at Jane's table.

Frost got up to get everyone a round of drinks. "Beers, except for doc, a glass of wine doc?" Frost asked as he looked at Maura who only had a glass of ice water. He then looked at Jane, who was sitting with an almost empty beer bottle.

"Ya, I will take another beer." Jane said.

"Nothing for me, Barry, thank you." Maura replied.

Gen and Steve had beers in their hands that they had picked up on their way into the backroom so Barry left to go get the drinks. When he returned with the drinks he joined in the conversation. Gen was talking about her boys and how they were doing in school and how science was their favorite subject. They were 8 and 9 years old. Maura started talking about how science was her favorite topic when she was that age and how much of a science geek she was.

"Maura, how come you are not having your normal glass of wine?" Susie asked.

"Um, well." Jane started and looked at Maura who nodded and then Jane continued. "We haven't said anything to anyone yet but Maura is pregnant. We just found out last week that is why we were almost late to the competition. My ma doesn't even know yet and she is going to be pissed that I told you guys before her."

"Is that why you have been staying out of the autopsy room lately?" Susie asked.

"Yes, I am having a little reaction to some of the smells in the lab. I'm trying to come up with a plan to work around that." Maura offered.

Gen said, "Well, your Ma isn't here tonight, so congratulations! I'm happy for you ladies."

"Yes, congratulations partner and doc." Frost said as he smiled at the two of them. They continued talking and having a great time. Other people came by the table and Jane and Maura stayed seated as the people at their table changed over the next few hours. Jane was perfectly happy to sit with her pregnant wife and just enjoy the atmosphere.

The Chief walked back over and said, "Congratulations soon-to-be Sergeant Detective and Dr. Rizzoli-Isles. Children are a wonderful experience. Sorry, but I have to make this a work-related visit. I would like for all of you to write out statements about Detective Riley Cooper's actions during this event, going back to the very first meeting. If you can have your statements to me by 5 PM on Sunday, I would greatly appreciate it. Thank you!" The Chief and Sharon then said their goodbyes for the evening.

Jane switched to drinking apple juice after her second beer. Her apple juice was served in a beer mug and it looked as if she was drinking beer. Jane laughed when Frost brought out her first mug of Apple Juice. She figured if Maura couldn't drink, she would slow down on her drinking. They didn't tell anyone else that Maura was pregnant as they didn't want the whole precinct to know yet. They had wanted to be in their second trimester before they made any official announcement about their pending addition to their family.

Saturday Frost and Susie's Date

Frost had asked Susie on Friday if they could spend the day together on Saturday and if he could pick her up at 10 AM. She agreed, she had no idea what he had in mind but she was going to go with it. She liked Barry and wanted to spend time with him. He had told her, "Going to a fancy restaurant is nice and all, but we have known each other for years and have been to dinners together and I want to do something different. I want to spend as much time as possible with you so can we do a day date?" How could she say no when he smiled at her.

Frost picked her up promptly at 10 AM. The weather was nice and Frost had planned a picnic in the park. When they got to the park, he opened the car door for Susie. He extended his hand and she took it as he helped her out. He didn't let go of her hand as they walked along the path in the park. They walked for a little bit and then they sat.

He sent a quick text and a few minutes later lunch was delivered to them. A folding table was set up and real plates and silverware were set out as a waiter uncovered their lunch and poured their beverage of choice. Once the waiter finished serving them, he left. Frost pulled out his iPhone and hit play on a playlist he had made. Susie was enjoying the thoughtfulness that Frost was showing her. Sure, they could have just gone to a restaurant like every other date but he wanted this to be different and special. He really liked Susie and she deserved a nice date, not just a normal date.

When they had finished eating Frost pulled out a small rectangular box and handed it to Susie. She opened it up and it was a nice gold necklace. He stood up and offered to put it on for her. He helped her up and they walked for a little bit more before they got in the car and drove off. Susie asked, "What about the table and chairs from lunch?"

"They are being taken care of, we don't have to worry about them." Frost replied. It was true, as soon as they had left several people came by and took away the table and chairs as well as the plates and silverware. They didn't have to lift a finger just as if they were in a restaurant.

As they approached the outdoor movie theater that had been set up, two seats became available and they sat down to watch a matinee showing of 'The Notebook,' Susie's favorite movie. Popcorn and soft drinks were delivered to them. Susie was offered a blanket in case she needed it. There was a slight chill in the air but it was still a beautiful day. Susie wrapped up in the blanket and leaned into Frost so she could rest her head on his shoulder. They both enjoyed the movie. He loved watching the expressions on her face during the movie. When the movie ended Frost stood and assisted Susie in getting up.

He then drove them to the Harbor. He had tickets for a harbor dinner cruise. Because they would be out on the water Frost had asked Susie to bring a jacket and he made sure he had one also. Susie was enjoying her day with Frost. It was a date like none she had ever been on, it was a great first date. When they arrived at Susie's apartment Frost gently kissed her goodnight. Susie watched as Frost turned and walked to his cruiser. He waved at Susie as he hopped in and drove off.

Monday Morning

Chief Bradford's Office

Detective Riley Cooper reported to the Chief's office promptly at 9 AM as directed. The Chief asked her to have a seat. She said, "Yes Sir," and sat down in the chair that he pointed to. He had a small oval table in his office with six chairs and he sat across from her. The BPD union representative was also present.

Chief Bradford started the conversation by saying, "I have some concerns about your behavior on and off duty. I would like to address them with you."

"Chief …" Riley started.

"Detective, please don't interrupt, allow me to finish. This little rivalry you have going on with Detective Jane Rizzoli-Isles is not a great thing for you. I do not understand why you kept up after you were warned several times. Your comments are on the verge of harassment. I would ask that you refrain from any further interactions with both Detective and Dr. Rizzoli-Isles. I have asked Lieutenant Genevieve Booker to formally write out the verbal warning she gave you Friday night. It will now be a formal written reprimand and it will go in your personnel record."

The Chief paused and took a sip of water and then continued, "The letter of reprimand is coming from Lt. Booker because she was the officer in charge of the wrap up celebration event at the Dirty Robber and she was the one that had warned you several times since this Crime Scene Kitchen event started. As a member of BPD, you are always representing the department and your behavior was not becoming of an officer of BPD."

The Chief stood up and called his secretary on his phone and asked her to send in Lt. Booker. Gen entered the room and the Chief asked her to have a seat. He pointed to where he would like her to sit. He asked for Gen to read the formal letter of reprimand. Gen signed it and then handed it to the union representative who signed it and then he passed it to the Chief who in turn signed it and handed it to Detective Cooper to sign. Chief Bradford then said, "This will stay in your BPD record and if another occurrence like this happens, I will have to take further actions. Do you understand?"

Riley was a little emotional and just shook her head and the Chief waited and then Riley said, "Yes sir, I understand."

"Thank you, you are dismissed please report back to your supervisor." The Chief said as Riley stood and left the room. The union representative, Gen and the Chief talked for a few minutes and then their meeting ended.

Monday Night

Team 3, Homicide

The Homicide team decided they no longer needed to practice as Maura had been having morning sickness and they decided to just take it easy. Susie was busy so Maura had invited Frost over for dinner which Jane cooked. She was being overly protective and not letting Maura do too much. Maura loved it and hated it at the same time. She understood that Jane was just being Jane and wanted to make things easier on her.

They were hoping that Maura's pregnancy wouldn't affect their time in the Crime Scene Kitchen. Maura was their secret weapon, her ability to detect ingredients was superior to Jane and Frost's.

Team 5, the Drug Unit

Riley had asked her team if they needed to practice anymore. Angela and Susie didn't think they needed to practice anymore. So, Riley made the decision that they would just meet at BCU on Thursday night. Susie used her time to plan a night out for her and Frost for Wednesday Night. Angela decided she would spend time with her grandson TJ. Riley practiced by herself. Riley was still a little emotional from her meeting with the Chief earlier in the day.

Thursday Night, BCU

All teams were in place by 5 PM so Sharon started the program by greeting everyone and then she smiled widely at Matt who was in the audience. He wasn't sitting at the team table because Penny was back.

Gen's husband, Steve, was able to attend tonight. To date he had not been able to make it to a competition night so he was interested to see how this competition was accomplished. Gen had tried to explain it to him but he wanted to see it for himself.

Each of the three teams went through the Crime Scene Kitchen and then started working on their dessert. All of the previously eliminated teams were present to root the last three teams on. Friendships had formed and each person had their favorite team that they wanted to win the competition.

What Will We Be Cookin'

The three teams observed the Crime Scene Kitchen for their three minutes and observed a combination of the following:

Shredded, sweetened coconut (unused)

Canned sweetened, condensed milk (unused)

Whisky with some sort of cream on it in the sink

4 cake pans on drying rack

Tall measuring cup with remnants/residue of buttermilk in it

Sifter

Picture of cartoon mushrooms on cork board – indicated some possible decor idea(s)

Circle shapes on parchment paper – red outlines

Opened bottle of Kirsch Cherry licquer

Chocolate crumbs/cocoa powder

Bunches of unopened booze bottles of alcohol

Parchment paper with remnants/residue of chocolate sauce on it in the trash can

Laser chocolate temperer/candy thermometer

Dark and white chocolate

Team 3, Homicide

Jane, Maura and Frost reviewed the clues carefully and after a brief discussion decided that they would make a Black Forest Cake. They passed that information off to their student leader and received their recipes. Maura quickly selected the best recipe so that they could send their student leader to get their supplies.

Jane and Frost carefully read over the recipe as Maura started sorting the ingredients. This recipe had a few more steps to it so they wanted to make sure they understood the steps so they could better help their team. Frost turned the oven on to 350 degrees so it could preheat. As soon as the cake was mixed it had to go into the oven. Jane was tasked with measuring out the ingredients while Maura mixed them. Frost was busy preparing the pans and getting the cooling racks ready. He needed to line the cake pans with parchment paper and make sure that he didn't grease the sides of the pans.

Maura was cool and level headed as she gave instructions to Jane and Frost. They knew to follow whatever Maura said to do. Having the ingredients all measured out sped up the process. They worked well as a team.

As the cake batter was being mixed, Frost started working on chopping up the cherries for the syrup. He also placed a bowl and whisk attachment into the freezer for the cream as it needed to freeze for about 15 minutes before using it. The syrup would need to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.

The cake took 22 minutes to cook and needed 10 minutes to cool down before it could be removed from the pan and that is why Frost made the syrup during that time. After the bowl and whisk had been in the freezer for 15 minutes Jane removed them and started helping on the cream with Maura. When the cream was finished, they put it in the refrigerator and then went onto the next step in the process, assembling the cake.

Maura cut each cake in half, as they needed four thin layers. Frost spread the filling and then Jane placed the next cake layer. They repeated this process until all four layers were in place and then they put the frosting, chocolate shavings and cherries on. When their cake was finished, they were very pleased with the result.

Team 4, Headquarters

Penny, Shea and Lisa agreed after reviewing the Crime Scene Kitchen that they would make a Black Forest Cake. They selected their recipe and then set out their plan of action to get the cake completed. Penny said she would be the cake mixer. Shea took on the syrup and Lisa worked on the cream.

They followed the instructions to a tee or so they thought. They had shorted the time in the freezer for the bowl and whisk. Shea put some of the frosting in the pipping bag and placed it in the refrigerator but had handled it quite a bit trying to get it into the pipping bag. The frosting was soft and was messy when they tried to put it on the cake. This affected the overall appearance of their cake.

Team 5, Drug Unit

Angela, Riley and Susie discussed what they saw in the Crime Scene Kitchen and decided to make a Black Forest Cake. Angela had never made a Black Forest Cake before so she was intrigued. She enjoyed challenges. They wrote out their steps and Angela assigned the tasks to be completed.

Angela had Susie measure the ingredients for her while Riley prepared the pans and got the cooling racks out. The measurements had to be precise. Angela turned the oven on to 350 degrees and read over the instructions again.

They assembled their cake and were quite pleased with the outcome. They were ready for their cake to be judged. When time was called, they put a smile on their faces and waited to be called to bring their cake forward for judging.

Judgement Time

Sharon called time and instructed Team 3, Homicide to bring up their dessert for judging. Jane very carefully carried up their cake. They were very pleased with their cake and they hoped that Sharon would appreciate it as much as they did. "Your cake looks beautiful." Sharon stated as she gently spun the cake around on the lazy Susan. She picked up a knife and cut into it. "The inside looks great, it is well proportioned." She took a bite of it and just smiled. "It is delicious."

Sharon put her fork down and her assistant took the cake away and gave her a new plate, knife and fork. Sharon then said, "Team 4, Headquarters can you bring up your dessert please?" Lisa carried their dessert up to the judging table. "The cake looks a little small but well decorated. The chocolate shards are well placed. Let me slice into it and see what the inside looks like." She carefully cut into the cake and discovered why the cake looked small. Sharon stated, "The cake layers are very thin." She took a bite of the cake and said, "It is very delicious. The cake is moist and the frosting is a little soft." Her assistant took the cake away and once again provided her with a new plate, knife and fork.

"Team 5, Drug Unit please bring up your dessert." Susie very carefully brought their cake up and placed it on the lazy Susan. Sharon looked at all sides of it and said, "It is beautiful, a real piece of art. Your chocolate shards look great. Your cherries are proportionally spaced on top. Let me cut into it and see what the insides look like." Sharon smiled as she cut a piece of cake and placed it on the plate. She took a small bite and said, "It is absolutely delicious. The syrup is perfect as is the frosting. The cake is very moist." Her assistant removed the cake and took it to the student judging table where the students tasted it and filled out their scoresheets.

While the students were judging the cakes Sharon announced, "Our mystery dessert is a Black Forest Cake. All three teams made the correct dessert so once the students have finished scoring the cakes I will announce the winner for tonight's round of this competition."

After a few minutes Sharon's assistant brought up the scoresheets. "I am pleased to announce that the winner or tonight's competition is Team 5, the Drug Unit. The second-place team was only one point behind the first-place team. The third-place team was only two points behind. It was a very close competition. Unfortunately, the third-place team must be eliminated tonight. The team being eliminated tonight is Team 4, Headquarters. Thank you and you are more than welcome to join us next week for the conclusion of our competition. This concludes our competition for tonight. See you next Thursday for our last round of this competition."