This drabble is inspired by and dedicated to my favourite angry baker megansarah11. This by no means represents your cooking because we all know Caroline Forbes would be a determined baker but on steroids hehe. I really need an anger outlet but I just can't cook, unfortunately. I also really wish I lived closer so I could sample some of your delicious cooking though! Hope you like this : )

Caroline Forbes owns a bakery but is feeling particularly frustrated by a frequent and annoying customer complaining about his tea. Angry baking ensues...

Sugar and Spice

Thursday AM

"What's wrong?"

"What do you mean?"

"What do I mean? You're seriously going to try and play the innocent card with me, Forbes?" Katherine drawled. "It looks like the combined sets of Cake Boss and Cupcake Wars threw up in here."

"I did a little baking, that's all," Caroline murmured, guiltily. "I do own a bakery, Kat. Most people would consider this kind of effort productive."

"Not your former flatmate who had to live through multiple angry baking sessions," she reminded her. "I'll never forget the Hurricane of 2014, I was eating chocolate éclairs and red velvet cupcakes for weeks."

"Well, Tyler did break up with me and over the phone, no less."

"Yes, and I still haven't forgiven him for that or the three pounds I put on eating your angry desserts. I'm just glad you have customers now who can eat your sweets. You know I always thought you should have called your bakery Sugar and Spice instead of Sweet Caroline."

"What does that mean?"

"It means that you're all sugary sweetness during the day but when darkness falls you're all crazy cooking madness."

"What are you doing here anyway?" Caroline asked, choosing to ignore her best friend's observation. "Shouldn't you be at work?"

"Well, mum, I'm not going to answer your question until you answer mine."

"A customer happened, alright?"

"They must have been some customer to create all this high calorie, sugary goodness. What exactly did they do?"

"He complained about tea of all things," she muttered, feeling the anger envelop her again. She spied a stray bowl and began to stir furiously.

"Woah, step away from the batter, Care," Katherine ordered, seizing the spoon and pulling away the bowl. "I've never seen you get so worked up about tea, of all things."

"Well, when someone comes into your bakery, not once but three days straight complaining about the same thing it begins to grate on your nerves. You know, whoever said the customer is always right, was very wrong."

"Wait a second, they have come in multiple times? Usually when I have a bad experience somewhere I don't bother going back again."

"I wish, although it wasn't a bad experience," she spluttered. "Okay, I admit the first time he had a point. Davina made him English Breakfast instead of Earl Grey but we fixed it. Then the next day it was too strong and guess what his problem was yesterday?"

"It was too hot, no I know it was too cold? Why does this suddenly sound like a weird rendition of Goldilocks and the Three Bears?"

"Actually it was too cold," she admitted. "I was this close to throwing his 'apparently' cold tea right into his smirking face."

"Now that I would have paid to see."

"You know, if my tea is so bad maybe he should go right back home to England," Caroline growled, attempting to wrestle the bowl away from Katherine.

"He's English?" She asked, not relinquishing the batter as Caroline would have hoped.

"Yeah, unfortunately," she mumbled. "You know I even offered his pompous ass a pastry as a sort of peace offering and guess what?"

"I'm intrigued," Katherine drawled.

"He doesn't eat desserts; I mean seriously that's what he said. I don't trust people who don't like sweets, I mean they are right up there with people who don't like cats."

"I think you're just offended he doesn't want to eat your baked goods."

"I couldn't care less, Katherine."

"Okay, maybe he's just trying to watch his figure or something?"

"He doesn't need help in that area," she admitted. Yes, she was annoyed at her vexatious customer and his exaggerated demands but he did have sinful lips the colour of crimson, a set of dazzling dimples that may have disarmed her on a few occasions and a taut ass that fitted way too snugly into his pants.

"Oh, I see what's happening here," Katherine surmised, a knowing grin crossing her face. Before Caroline could intervene, she heard an all too familiar voice from the counter.

"I'll have an Earl Grey tea, extra hot not too strong and a long black." Caroline threw up her arms in frustration. What had she done to deserve his ire yet again?

"Is that him?" Katherine mouthed, moving towards the door inching it open slowly so she could take a peak.

"Move away from the door, Pierce," Caroline growled. "That pain in the ass doesn't deserve any attention."

"Fine, I'll reserve my attention for the gorgeous brunette by his side," she murmured. "Now that man can wear a suit."

"Who?" Caroline asked, the curiosity too much to bear and joining her friend at the door.

"That gorgeous piece of eye candy. Although looking at your tea pest I think this explains all the baking chaos that transpired here last night."

"He's okay, I suppose."

"Yeah, you tell yourself that if it makes you feel better, Care."

Friday AM

"When Kat told me there was a baking emergency I didn't believe her, until now," Enzo whistled, throwing open the kitchen door and taking in the array of baked goods.

"Last time I checked you loved my cooking," she scowled, not bothering to look away from piping her recent cake creation.

"I do, but not when it involves all sorts of weird repressed anger, Care Bear," he said, attempting to dip his finger into some nearby cookie dough.

"Stop right there," she muttered, without even looking up. "I have safety standards to adhere to, Lorenzo and don't call me Care Bear, you know how much I hate it."

"Have I told you how much it turns me on when you use my full name?" He quipped, backing away from the mixture to avoid Caroline's wrath.

"Have I told you how much it creeps me out when you use recycled lines on your platonic, best friend?"

"Maybe a few times," he admitted. "So, what did this tea snob do now?"

"Unbelievable! She told you? Last time I checked, you two couldn't spend more than ten minutes together in the same room without insulting each other."

"Until we found a common interest in your love life," he offered. "Apparently the English guy is being a twat and hailing from the same country I'm here to tell you that we don't like tea enough to antagonise someone over it three days in a row."

"Try four," she muttered. "Yesterday his tea wasn't properly infused, apparently."

"Okay, this guy is blatantly trying to pick you up. To be honest, I thought a smart girl like you would have realised that by now."

"You'd know a lot about that wouldn't you?"

"Ouch, you might as well just stick one of your cooking knives in my heart, Forbes," he said, holding his chest defensively.

"Don't tempt me, Enzo," she grinned, placing her cake on a platter and placing it in the fridge. "Now, what can I give you to make you go away?"

"Well, given the array of desserts on display here, how about one of each?"

"Has anyone ever told you that you're a pig?"

"Hey, I'm a growing boy," he shot back, defensively. Before Caroline could respond with another insult she heard the dreaded words Earl Grey sound out from the front counter. It was at that point Caroline decided to discontinue Earl Grey tea from their menu tomorrow.

Unable to help herself, Caroline pushed past Enzo and made her way to the front counter. His dimples were on full show, so too those lips and don't get her started on those dark blonde curls that were just crying out for her hands to touch.

"Can I help you?" She asked, deciding she didn't want to put another one of her staff through his punishment. He seemed a little taken aback by her appearance, pausing slightly. It was at that point she noticed a beautiful blonde by his side, her chest constricting slightly at the fact he was bringing dates to her bakery, bastard.

"Earl Grey tea…"

"Extra hot, not too strong and properly infused, I've got it," she rambled, pretending to write it down but knowing she didn't need notes. "And for you?"

"I'll have a chai latte," she asked, her English accent not lost on Caroline. She was actually glad the mystery woman had ordered coffee given how picky the Englishman seemed to be about tea.

"Would you like some food to go with it?"

"I don't..." he began and although the customer is always right was going through her mind, Caroline couldn't help herself. This guy had worn on her last nerve. She also figured if she was mean enough he may never come back again, hopefully.

"I was asking the lady, actually," she interrupted. "We actually have some blueberry friands fresh from the oven."

"Now, that sounds delicious," she nodded, enthusiastically.

"We'll have two of those then," he ordered. Caroline wondered what had changed that he suddenly decided he wanted to eat sweets when two days ago they weren't good enough. Right now she didn't really care.

"Great, we'll get those out to you," she smiled, forcefully. "Also, please don't hesitate to let me know if you have any other requests." If he was going to complain again, Caroline figured it was best to play this ass at his own game. He didn't bite, flashing those dimples briefly in her direction before finding a table by the window.

"Who's the hot blonde?" Enzo asked.

"I think she's already taken," she said, patting him on the shoulder comfortingly. "Now, forget what I said take whatever sweets you want but just don't blame me or call me when you come down from that sugar high."

His visit passed by without any incident, surprisingly. She couldn't help but take a few sneaky glances at his table thinking he was far too preoccupied by his pretty, blonde date to care how bad his tea probably was.

When they did leave, Caroline felt slightly disappointed that given his girlfriend it was probably the last she'd ever see of his stubborn ass. She should have been happy but for some reason the overwhelming urge to bake a batch of salted caramel macaroons took over.

Friday PM

Everyone had gone home and Caroline found herself alone in the kitchen, creating those macaroons she'd been thinking about all day, ever since his visit. She looked upon her creation favourably thinking maybe a croque-en-bouche was in order. It was at that point she heard the bell over the door jingle and she froze in fear, kicking herself that in her frustration that she forgot to lock it.

"Excuse me?" A distinctly English voice called out into the empty shop. She closed her eyes momentarily, knowing just who it belonged to. It wasn't bad enough that he tortured her during business hours now he was invading her personal time and space.

She walked out begrudgingly dreading the ensuing complaint she was fairly surely he'd throw her way. She faltered slightly, trying to ignore just how gorgeous he looked with his black tie loosened and his white shirt rolled up to the elbows and trying to ignore the fact she was wearing an old apron.

"Sorry to bother you, I just…"

"I'm sorry if your tea wasn't up to standard today, but if you could please refrain from the feedback until tomorrow it would really be appreciated."

"I just came in to ask if you found my wallet?"

"Your wallet?"

"Yeah, I realised it was missing and the last time I remember having it was here this morning." She could see his crimson lips moving but Caroline was struggling to string all his words together. Why did this ass have to be so damn cute?

"There's no wallet in our lost property," she finally replied, knowing that much was true. "I'm sorry."

"Well, that's a mystery," he replied shrugging his shoulders. "Oh, by the way that friand was delicious." Caroline cocked her right eyebrow curious about his sudden change of heart.

"It's okay, I know you only ordered it to impress your girlfriend."

"My girlfriend?"

"You don't have to play dumb, the chai latte fan."

"Oh, she's not my girlfriend. Uh, she's actually my sister." Now, that wasn't what she was expecting to hear at all. "When it comes to sizing up potential suitors, she's very thorough. Well that and the fact that she has a sweet tooth."

"I'm sorry, what?" Caroline murmured, thinking she'd never been this confused ever.

"I like you," he offered, after a long pause.

"And what? You asked your sister to size me up?"

"I possibly involved my older brother too."

"The long black," Caroline surmised.

"I'd planned to bring in my younger brother Kol tomorrow but let's just say his social graces leave a lot to be desired."

"Call me crazy but I thought the family interrogation only happened after the guy and girl are officially dating."

"What can I say I like to cover all my bases," he replied, sheepishly.

"So, I guess the million dollar question is why would I want to date someone who feels the need to insult my tea on a regular basis?"

"If I didn't, would I really have gotten your attention?" Caroline figured he was kind of right, not that she'd admit it to him of course.

"So, you didn't really lose you wallet?"

"Actually, I did," he confessed. "Given your response, I probably should be calling my bank now and cancelling my cards."

"Please, don't let me stop you Mr…."

"I'm Klaus, Klaus Mikaelson," he confirmed. "And you are sweet Caroline from what I know."

"Just Caroline, Caroline Forbes."

"Caroline Forbes who never sleeps just bakes 24/7," he replied.

"What gave you that idea?" She baulked. He stepped towards her, throwing Caroline off briefly at his close proximity with that familiar, spicy aftershave infiltrating her nostrils.

"You have a little flour on your cheek," he said, rubbing his thumb across her skin devastatingly slowly. "There, it's all gone now."

"You know I have occupational health and safety standards to uphold," she rambled, trying to extinguish the feelings he'd just managed to stir in her groin.

"And I wouldn't want to mess with those," Klaus promised, finally moving his hand away from her face. "Maybe we could go out tomorrow night then?"

"If I say yes, will you promise never to come back here and complain about my tea?"

"Whatever you say, love."