Thorne and Darla makeup after some crying. He tells her she isn't stupid and that he will always love her. The show ends as a big success. When Rick hugs Caitlin on stage, Amber cries and leaves as well as Thomas. Caitlin and Rick realize that Thomas probably saw them kiss and head to look for him. Thomas shows up at the beach house where Amber is staying. They share a heart to heart. Ridge complains to Brooke about what Darla did. Brooke tries to calm him down and then Rick and Caitlin come over looking for Thomas. They slowly admit what happened which only infuriates Ridge even more.
[ Applause ] Rick: Well, congratulations. Caitlin: What? Rick: You were a hit, just like I knew you'd be. [ Applause ] Megan: Yeah! Oscar: Beautiful! Caitlin: Thank you. Rick: We did it! We pulled it off! Congratulations, everyone! Oscar: Hey, hey. I gotta hand it to you, mr. V.P. That was one gutsy move. Rick: I just gave the green light. You know? Oscar: Right, after ridge told you to 86 the whole she-bang. Rick: Yeah, well he'll be thanking me in the morning after all the orders start pouring in. [ They laugh with excitement ] Am I right? You did incredible. Wow, they just can't get enough of her. Oscar: Yeah, they're not the only ones. Hector: Caty. Caitlin: Oh, my gosh, hi. Hector: That was fantastic. Caitlin: Thank you, dad. Wow, these are for me? Hector: Well, they're the first of many, I'm sure. Caitlin: Thank you. Oh, I love you. Hector: I'm so proud of you, honey. Caitlin: Thank you, dad. I'm so glad you were here. Mom. Oh, mom, hi. Samantha: You were magnificent. Caitlin: Oh, thank you so much. Yes. Jarrett: Ahh -- our triumphant miss ingenue in the bosom of her adoring family. I have only one question for you, my dear. Young thomas forrester -- you were supposed to be on his arm during the grand finale. But you wound up on rick's arm instead. What happened? Our readers are just dying to know. Ridge: I swear, I could ring that dingbat's neck. Brooke: Ridge, she said it was an accident. Ridge: Right. Like I'm supposed to believe darla, after everything she's cost us? Brooke: You honestly believe she'd be in cahoots with sally? Ridge: Does it matter? We had to cancel the showing. Which I'm sure darla loved. Brooke: There isn't anything you can salvage from the line? Ridge: The point is, brooke, it never should've happened. And it wouldn't have if he hadn't married that dimwitted secretary. Brooke: Oh, ridge. He loves her. They have a little baby girl together. Ridge: Yeah, I know. It's gotta be killing thorne, too, after all he's done to support darla. Well, he can't support her now. Not after this. Thorne: Alexandria okay? Darla: She went back to sleep. Thorne: We should call it a night, too. Darla: I'll just -- I'm gonna make up the couch. Thorne: Darla -- Darla: I know how furious you are with me. You have every right to be. It probably makes you sick standing here with me right now, huh? I am so sorry, thorne. And I don't blame you, honey, if you never forgive me, because I will never, ever forgive myself. Caitlin: Thanks for rescuing me. Rick: Yeah, well jarrett can be pretty persistent. Caitlin: So can my parents. I mean, they were wondering about thomas, too. Rick: Well, so am I. I mean, he's here one minute -- Caitlin: I saw him, rick. At the back of the room, when we were on the runway. And the way that he was looking at me, I think he saw us kissing. I've got to find him and try to explain to him what happened. Rick: Okay, look. We're gonna wrap things up here. We're gonna find him. All right? Don't worry, we'll make him understand. Caitlin: Okay. [ Amber remembering ] [ Applause ] Amber: I know exactly what you're feeling. Brooke: Thomas must be so disappointed. Ridge: Missed out on his chance to escort his dream girl down the runway. I'll go up and talk to him. Brooke: No, he's not here. Ridge: Oh, he's not? Maybe he's out with caitlin then. [ Doorbell rings ] Look, if that's the press, just -- Brooke: You stay put. I'll handle this. Rick: Hey, mom. Brooke: Hey, you two. I'm sure I know why you're here. Caitlin: Oh, no. You talked to thomas. Did he tell you? Ridge: Tell us what? Hey, rick, what's going on? What's it got to do with thomas? Rick: So thomas didn't come back home? Brooke: After the showing was canceled, you mean? Rick: Actually, the premiere went on as scheduled. Ridge: What?! Rick: Look, ridge, I know that you told us to cancel it, but I just couldn't see throwing away all that hard work. I mean, even if sally had the designs -- Ridge: Which she does. Whatever cache we had, rick, is gone. Rick: Oh, that's not true, ridge, and you know it. Look, the people who can afford forrester originals want the real thing. Especially if we make that a selling point. We just change our whole marketing strategy, "don't settle for less than the best." Especially in international markets, where sally doesn't have the distribution. You know, we can make up most of our losses. Look, knockoffs or no knockoffs, the collection is brilliant, and it can still do some big things for forrester. Caitlin: They loved the line. Especially the showstopper. Rick: The crowd went crazy when caitlin hit the runway. Brooke: That must've been an incredible moment for you. Caitlin: It was. Until -- Ridge: Until what? Does this have something to do with thomas? Is that why you're looking for him? Caitlin: He changed his mind about walking me out. Rick: So I filled in. Ridge: Why would he change his mind? He was so pumped up about it. Rick: I gave caitlin a kiss backstage, and we think thomas might of seen it. Ridge: Didn't I warn you about this? What the hell are you doing, rick? Thomas: What're you doing here, amber? Amber: I live here. Rick, he, um, felt sorry for me. Thomas: I'm outta here. Amber: You don't have to go. Thomas: Well, I came here to be alone. Amber: But that's not what you need. I'm so sorry, sweetie. Let's go inside, okay? Amber: What happened tonight? Thomas: Trust me, you're better off not knowing the gory details. Amber: I saw them on that runway, thomas, I know what's going on. Thomas: I don't want to talk about it. Amber: Yeah. You know, I thought rick and I still had a chance. Thomas: Let me guess. That's what he led you to believe. Amber: No. Rick didn't lead me on. He's not that kind of guy. Thomas: Oh, great. Now you're defending him. Well, don't expect me to sit around here and listen to that. I'm gone. Thorne: Darla. Darla: I know when I've gone too far, and it can't be fixed. That look in your eyes right now. I've seen it so many times before. On so many different faces. When I'd go to a new foster home, I'd tell myself, "I'm gonna be so good. I'm not gonna mess up." But I always would. And here I am. Did it again. And thorne, I tried. I tried so hard. I tried to be so careful, because you were the only man who ever believed in me. The only one who told me that I was intelligent. Who am I kidding? That's funny, huh? I'm not smart. I'm as dumb as ridge says I am. Thorne: Where are you going? Darla: I'm just gonna make this easier on you, okay? Thorne: You're leaving? Darla: I'll take alexandria with me -- Thorne: You're not taking her anywhere. Darla: You're right, you're right, you're right. I should let her sleep. I'm not thinking straight right now, but that's no surprise. God, thorne, we should've known better, baby. The way we got together in the first place. Getting drunk. Pregnant. Our relationship started with a mistake, and now it's ending with one. Everything in between was so beautiful. Darla: I'm sorry. Oh, thorne, I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry. [ Darla sobs ] There she goes Rick: I knew you'd react this way. Ridge: Oh, rick, what's it gonna take to get through to you anyway? Don't you realize that -- Brooke: Hon. Ridge: He's your son. You talk some sense into him. Brooke: I had no idea that you and caitlin -- Rick: It's not like that, mom. It's not like we planned for this to happen, you know? It's just, it's just an attraction. Caitlin: I'm so sorry for hurting thomas. I wanted to talk to him, and try to tell him -- Ridge: Tell him what? That his stepbrother's got the hots for his girlfriend? It's too late. He's obviously already seen that. Now he's upset, angry. God knows what happens now. Amber: Thomas, wait. I am not defending rick. Thomas: Could've fooled me. Amber: You think you're the only one who's hurting? I mean, what do you think it was like for me to see rick look at caitlin the way that -- the way that he used to look at me? Thomas: You still love him? Amber: I always will. Thomas: I'm sorry. Amber: Maybe this is what I needed. You know? Just to have that image drilled into my thick skull. You know, I know that I have to let go. It's just that it's so hard. Where do I ever find that again, you know? What rick and I had. Thomas: It's gonna be okay. Darla: Couldn't even make it to our first anniversary, huh? Thorne: Darla, stop. Okay? I don't want to hear any more of this. Darla: Thorne, I am so sorry. Thorne: And I don't wanna hear anymore apologizing. Darla: It doesn't help, does it? For what I've done. Thorne: What have you done? Huh? What? You picked up the wrong envelope. Darla: I cost the company millions. Thorne: Sally has stolen lines before. Okay? And she'll do it again. It's part of doing business in this industry. Darla: You're not angry? Thorne: Oh, you bet I am. I'm angry at whoever it was that made a helpless little girl feel like she was damaged goods. That's what I'm angry about. If I could go back in time and wring some necks, I would. My god, girl, you are not stupid. Honey, you are the kindest, warmest, funniest, toughest woman on this planet. How can you not know how amazing you are? Or how lucky I am to have you? Darla: You have worked so hard, thorne, to become president, and if they take that away from you -- Thorne: I don't see that happening. Darla: Oh, god, if they do. Thorne: It's a job. It's just a job. You and alexandria, you guys are my life. So, right now, I want you to, I want you to look around this house, these walls, and I want you to tell me what you see. Darla: Furniture. Pictures. Thorne: You wanna know what I see? I see you and me, right here, in this same place, 30 years from now. Our faces lined, wrinkled, my hair gray. And both of us remembering this moment. The moment that you realized that your life is and always will be with me. I love you, darla forrester, and I love the life that we have together. I know it's not always going to be champagne and roses, but -- you know this. And never doubt it. Whatever life has for us we'll face it hand-in-hand. You and me, sweetheart. Hand-in-hand. Always.