Piled in bed with R.J. surrounded by Ridge and Brooke, Hope finishes her storybook. Ridges comments that sometimes happy endings happen in real life too. Nick remembers what Brooke told him about not wanting him to be around the kids. Donna asks if he wants to be alone to lick his wounds, but he asks her to stay. She knows it won't be the same as having Brooke or Jackie by his side, but she offers her help to make Forrester succeed. He suddenly realizes that she's right. He can't sit around wallowing in his self-pity. He has to treat this company like his own. Stephanie rails at Eric for caving in, turning tails to Nick and running. She says as long as she draws breath, she will never forgive him for giving the company away. He's had it also. She should be thanking him with gratitude instead of castigating him. He doesn't want to be shut out anymore. He wants to see love and understanding in her eyes and he doesn't. He doesn't think she even knows how or even cares. He takes blame too for just standing back and letting her control him. He doesn't feel like he's a bad man; he's been a good father, friend, even husband though he has failed in her eyes time after time. She vows she does love him, but admits she doesn't know why she can't show it. Brooke tells Ridge that he is the first man she ever loved, wanted to spend her life with and have children with .and she never stopped loving him ..and this time it's going to be the two of them forever. They proclaim their love for each other before making love. Stephanie and Eric agree that he deserves better. All he got was her anger over the years, anger that he got quite comfortable with. She doesn't want him to play Dr. Phil again when he asks if she knows why she is the way she is. She confesses she knows the marriage lacks intimacy because of her. She doesn't know why, but she doesn't want to lose him over it. She laments that he is a kind, decent, wonderful man who she has abused and she is very, very sorry. And she thanks him for selling the company. Later she picks up the phone and makes an appointment with Taylor as she needs a really good psychiatrist.
Hope: "And they all lived happily ever after. The end." Ridge: Way to go, kiddo! You got through all of the big words without any help. Brooke: It's Hope's favorite story. R.J.'s too. Ridge: Hey, what's not to like? Everybody ends up happy. Brooke: That's why they call it a fairy tale. Only sometimes -- Ridge: Sometimes -- the same thing happens in real life. Brooke: I don't want to be a part of this, Nick. I do not want to be a part of this. Not now. Not ever. [SCENE_BREAK] Donna: Is there anything I can do? Maybe I should just go and let you lick your wounds in private. Nick: Don't leave. Donna: I wish I knew what to say. Nick: Nothin' to say. Donna: You've thought that you lost Brooke before. Nick: Well, this time I have. Donna: Because you took Forrester Creations from the Forresters. Nick: I stand by what I did. Holding Stephanie accountable. Donna: But it's an empty victory, knowing you lost my sister because of it. Nick: I didn't lose her just to that. Donna: Maybe we've both been fighting a losing battle. Me with Ridge, you with Brooke. But for what it's worth, I respect you for finally putting Stephanie Forrester in her place. Although, I pity poor Eric when she learns what he's done. [SCENE_BREAK] Stephanie: How could you do that? How could you sell our company? Eric: I had no choice. Stephanie: You had -- of course you had a choice! But as usual, you took the easy way out. Eric: Easy? You think it was easy for me to sit here -- Stephanie: My god, he threatens you and you buckle. You didn't even take the time to try and defend the family. You just turned tail? What kind of man does that? Eric: I'll tell you what kind of man does that! It's a man who loves his wife. A man who wants to protect his family and his wife from yet another self- inflicted tragedy! Stephanie: I'm telling you, if the next words out of your mouth are, "Oh, I did this to save the mother of my children from going to jail, I'll shoot you! Eric: That's exactly what I did, Stephanie! But instead of coming in here and thanking me, you belittle me, and you emasculate me for the thousandth time! Stephanie: You did that a long time ago to yourself, pal! You want gratitude from me? Gratitude for selling this company without even discussing it with me! Oh, my god, I can't believe it! I have forgiven a lot. I've forgiven all your philandering, but I'm never going to forgive you for this! Not while I draw breath! [SCENE_BREAK] Donna: I knew this day would come. Brooke and ridge back together. And me -- back to slinging hash in San Francisco. Nick: Are you thinking of leaving town? Donna: Maybe I should just put it all behind me. Then again, I'd hate to leave you high and dry. At the company. I know you were counting on Brooke's help. And your mother's. But I might be a while before Jackie's up to it. I know I haven't been at Forrester that long. But the bedroom line is currently its strongest asset. Plus, I could take on other responsibilities. Whatever you need me to do. Nick: You'd be willing to step up? Donna: I know it won't be the same as having Brooke by your side. But you've got Forrester Creations. Their name, their power. We can still do big things with this company. Just say the word and I'm in. Unless, despite what you've said, you're still hoping that my sister sees the light. And comes back to you and the business. [SCENE_BREAK] Ridge: Who knew two kids could put away so much popcorn? Brooke: And fall asleep so quickly afterwards. Ridge: Hey, do you think hope understands about nick? Brooke: How he's still going to be a part of her life even though he's not married to me? Ridge: I just hope he doesn't let her down. Especially after what he did today. Brooke: I never dreamed any of this would happen. Or you and your family were forced out of the company. And how I had to give up all of my shares. Still, on what should be one of the saddest days of our lives -- Ridge: We've found a whole bunch of joy, didn't we? Getting back something much more important than any stupid business. Our love, our family, and that, my very beautiful, beautiful Logan -- is everything. [SCENE_BREAK] Eric: You put us in this position, Stephanie. Once again, you lost your temper and you lashed out at the world. Only this time, somebody got hurt! Stephanie: Why are you so quick to believe that woman? It was an accident! Eric: The point is, that woman and her son were not going to back down. You were going to go to jail. So, I made the decision to get this family together and to protect you. Stephanie: A decision I would never, never asked you to make. Eric: Look at this! Look how ironic this is! Our whole relationship you've regretting that I have no backbone! And suddenly when I get one -- you know what? I'm finished with this! I give up! I sacrificed this company today. The company that I spent my whole life building up for this family and for you, and I sacrificed it for you because god help me, I still love you! And instead of coming in here and thanking me, you should -- you should be on your knees with gratitude, but instead, you crucify me. How can you and I -- how can you and I be so out of sync? How can you and I lie together in that bed every night and not -- oh, there it is. There's the crux of the problem, isn't it? You and I have been partners all these years -- never, never really lovers. Stephanie: Oh, children came here by Immaculate Conception? Eric: I'm not talking about procreation. I'm talking about intimacy. About genuine human contact. Stephanie: Oh, for -- Eric: I reach out for you and you turn away. I want to be with you, and you can't be bothered. Stephanie: Oh, Eric, please. We're hardly teenagers. Eric: Intimacy has nothing to do with age. Besides, it's been that way most of our marriage. Stephanie: What the hell has this got to do with you giving away this company? Eric: I did not give this company away! And for you to see it that way -- Stephanie: You know what I see? Do you know what I see? A man who's made such a huge mistake that's going to have such an impact on his family, that you haven't even started to imagine -- Eric: That's what it is, isn't it? Mistake and after mistake after mistake. All of them mine. Our marriage is just riddled with mistakes! Stephanie: Oh, please! This is so ridiculous! We should be trying to salvage this and what are you doing, battling like Dr. Phil, for god's sake! Eric: You know what I want, Stephanie? Do you know what I want? I want to look in your eyes and I want to see love, instead of disappointment. What I want to see that I matter to you, that our marriage matters to you. I want to look in your eyes and I want to see into your heart. I want to know your heart as well as I know mine. I want you to let me in. But you can't. Something keeps you from letting me and I don't know what it is. And the real tragedy is that I don't think you know what it is, either. Or care. [SCENE_BREAK] Nick: I don't want to talk about this. Donna: Brooke will never be out of your heart, Nick. You know it, she knows it. But for now, you got to face the situation head on. Show the strength that sends fear through the people you deal with. Nick: I'm not feeling exceptionally strong at the moment. Donna: You will -- with a little help. I'm offering you my help. Nick: A little help, huh? That's something that I haven't felt much lately. Donna: I'll give it everything I've got. And then some. But you've got to want it just as much as I do. Look, the Forresters are convinced the company won't succeed without them. But we know better. Forrester creations can and will succeed with you at their helm. You can make that happen. Nick: You're right. This is doing me no good sitting around here, wallowing in my own pity. I've got to make a move here. I got to treat this company like it's my own. Like it's my own. That's what I've got to do. [SCENE_BREAK] Stephanie: You're making way too much of this. Eric: Well, that's exactly what I expected you to say. Stephanie: Instead of what? Admitting that I'm not perfect? Eric: I'm not asking for perfection. I just don't want to be shut out anymore. Stephanie: I'm not doing that! Look, the children need me, the business needs me. I'm human. I only have so much that I can give. Eric: And that shows me exactly where your priorities lie when it comes to our marriage. Stephanie: That's not true. Eric: Maybe not at first. But over the years, that's exactly -- Stephanie: Over the years -- over the years, oh, please. Whatever was lacking in this marriage, you found elsewhere. There were plenty of women that took you into their hearts and into their beds. Eric: You make me sound like some, some shameless philanderer here. Stephanie: Shameless? You were always appropriately penitent when it fell apart or they grew bored with you. Which is probably why I took you back every time -- Eric: That's probably why I just stood back and let it all happen. I just stayed out of your way and let you do what you did best. Control. Control me. Control the children. When all I really wanted was what you couldn't or wouldn't give. Stephanie: I didn't realize you required so much of me. Eric: Not so much, really. Just to know that you care. Stephanie: I do care. And I certainly don't want you feeling as though you are alone in this marriage. Eric: Now, I wish to god, I can believe that. I'm not a bad man, Stephanie. I've worked really hard for you. And for this family and for this business. I've worked this hard for everybody else since I've worked for myself. And I've tried to be a good father and a good friend. And a good husband. And I've failed time after time. But in spite of all of that, I can look in the mirror every day and not hate the man I see there. But you can't do that, can you? You don't see that man. The same man that I do. You can't love that man. Stephanie: I love you. I do. Eric: Then why can't you show it? Stephanie: I don't know. [SCENE_BREAK] Ridge: Do you feel it too? How right this is. Brooke: You are the first man I ever loved. The first man I wanted to spend my life with and have children with -- and I always believed in us. Even before there was an us. And in my heart, I never stopped believing. Even when I told myself I should. Now, here we are. You are looking into my eyes, and I am looking into your eyes. Just like we've always did. Only this time, it's going to be different. Because this time -- it's going to be forever. You and me. Forever. Ridge: God, I love you so much. So much. Brooke: I love you, too. So much. [SCENE_BREAK] Eric: Well, that's the first. That's the most honest moment you and I have in years. Stephanie: I'm sorry -- Eric: Don't be. It's a start. Stephanie: For lashing out at you for selling the company. Eric: It's okay. Stephanie: No, it's not. Any more than it is for you to say it is. Eric: Fine, then. I deserve better. Stephanie: Yes, you do. And all you got -- all you got was my anger which you seemed to have become quite comfortable with over the years. It's who I've become. It's who I've let myself to become. Eric: Have you ever asked yourself why? Why that is? Stephanie: You're not going be dr. Phil again? You're not going to get into this thing about controlling again, are you? Eric: It's been an excruciating day for both of us. We can do this later. Or not at all. Stephanie: Eric, over the years -- over the years, it's kind of like a cancer that eats at you. You don't even -- it's eating away at us. At the marriage. I know the marriage lacks intimacy because of me. I don't know why. I want to make it right. I know I've said that to you a thousand times. I don't want to lose you. Who else would have me? You're not a bad man. You're a good, kind, decent, loving man. And I've abused you. I've abused your love and I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. Thank you for selling the company. Eric: I'll see you at home. Taylor: Hi, this is Dr. Taylor Hayes private line please leave me a message and I'll call you back as soon as I can. Stephanie: Oh, I was hoping to catch you and still at work. I don't know what your schedule's like tomorrow morning. But if you could make some time for me, I need to come and talk to you. As a professional. I need a really good psychiatrist.