Brooke comes over and agrees with Nick; Taylor is not stable enough to take care of little Jack. Nick doesn't know how to handle this as Taylor is coming back over today to get Jack. Brooke says they have to find a way to stop her; she does not trust her alone with Jack. Ridge tells Taylor he's glad she moved back home, he thinks that will do her good. He says he would be lying if he didn't worry that Brooke wanted to spend more time with little Jack. She tells him she doesn't care what he does with Brooke, but he can tell Brooke to leave her son and her life alone. He tells Taylor that he will always care for her and do whatever he can to soothe this transition. He's shocked when he finds out Rick is reaching out to her too. Rick confides in Ashley about Taylor and she encourages him to be Taylor's friend. Taylor tries to explain to Rick that she isn't going to turn her back on Jack, she's just a mom that loves her baby and she wants him with her. She is not going to hand him over to Brooke. He just wants her to be happy and not suffer any more grief over this. She thinks the truth is out and she is free to move ahead, just focus on the baby. She vows she will never get into another relationship where she will compete with Brooke. He states there is one man she can be with where she won't compete with Brooke ..and he's deadly serious about that. Nick laments to Brooke that he just can not grasp that Jack will be taken out of his house. This is not how he imagined his baby's life would be. He wants to be part of all of it. She reinforces that she loves him, always will and part of her wants to be his wife and raise little Jack. But, it's not that simple. She doesn't want to disappoint Hope and R.J. to be with his father and she loves Ridge. She is divided. He tells her he is not going to beg her, but they both know how she feels about him, and she does not love Ridge that way. They cling to each other and she rejoices that he is still deep in her heart.
Brooke: That's what happened with Taylor? She just walked in and announced that she's taking the baby? Nick: That's about how it happened. Brooke: What in the world was she thinking? She's not stable enough to watch little Jack by herself. Nick: I talked her out of taking him last night, but she's coming back today. I don't know how to handle this. [SCENE_BREAK] Ashley: So what do you think of it? Rick: Mmm. Ashley: Yeah? Rick: Yeah. Ashley: Well, it's designed to be an aphrodisiac. It's designed for the x-y demo, and it's for both men and women. I've been working on it for the longest time. Rick: Ashley, that is sexy. Ashley: Really? Rick: Does it have a name? Ashley: (Laughs) I was thinking about "eau de let's get busy." Rick: Huh. Ashley: (Laughs) Rick: I think it needs to be a little bit more direct than that. Ashley: Well, I think everybody in the world's gonna buy it once they realize it turns on their partner. Let me see. It's definitely working. Mm-hmm. Rick: (Laughs halfheartedly) Ashley: Well, what? Are you okay? What's going on? Rick: Yeah. Yeah. Um, I just--I have-- I have a lot on my mind. Ashley: Like what? You can tell me anything. Rick: Taylor. You know, she moved out. Ashley: I didn't. Rick: Yeah, she got away from--from Nick and Baby Jack. Ashley: (Gasps) Rick: And yeah, she moved back into her house in Bel Air. She's all alone. And I just--I don't-- I don't want her to be alone right now. I'm gonna go check on her when we're done. Ashley: Okay. You're so sweet... Rick: (Laughs) Ashley: Looking out for her. That must mean a lot to Taylor. Rick: Well, I hope so. I just--I just-- I want her to be happy. Ashley: I thought she was doing better when I saw her last time, but I've been remiss, because I haven't kept in touch. Rick: Well, you should call her. I'm sure that she'll appreciate that. In the meantime, she has me. [SCENE_BREAK] Ridge: I think you did the right thing dumping Nick and moving back here. Taylor: Yeah, I, uh-- I thought if I just had a little space that things would be better. And coming here brought me a lot of clarity. Ridge: Clarity's good. Hard to come by when you're involved with Nick Marone, but I'm sure glad you saw the light as soon as you did. Taylor: Well, it'll all get better. It just takes a little time. Ridge: Are you aware of how Phoebe's reacted to all this? Taylor: Yes, and I feel badly about it. She shouldn't be worrying about me. It should be the other way around. It's the parents who should be protecting the child. Ridge: That's one thing we've always agreed on-- the children always come first. Taylor, you've always been an amazing mother to our children. Now you have another child with Nick. And if it's not too much to ask, what arrangement have you and Nick made regarding Jack? Taylor: Well, when I left Nick, I-I didn't bring the baby, because I knew I would need a little time to get my emotions under control and get the house ready for a baby. Ridge: So what are your plans now? Taylor: Well, I've got the house ready. I've got everything baby-proofed, and the nursery is ready. I just have to go get him today, and, uh, he'll be with his mom. Ridge: Good. Good. I'm very glad. Taylor: Why? Were you worried? A little bit worried that maybe Brooke might, uh, want to spend a little more time with Nick and Jack now that I moved out of the house? Ridge: I guess I'd be lying if I said it hadn't crossed my mind. Taylor: Well, really, Brooke should be minding her own business. It doesn't matter what's going on between Nick and me. Jack is my son. He is not her child. Ridge: I totally agree. Convincing Brooke of that-- Taylor: I said this to you before, but you are absolutely out of your mind if you marry Brooke. Do you know that this whole thing started because she wanted to find out if she could conceive Nick's baby? She isn't over him. He isn't over her. You can't deny it, and you can't change it. Ridge: I don't really want to believe that, all right? Taylor: Well, neither did I. Ridge: It's a different situation, though. Taylor: It is? I don't think so. It's not really different at all. Look, um, actually, I don't care what you do with Brooke. She's your problem. But I do care about the way she affects my life and interferes in it with my child. So you can tell her that she can back off and leave me and my son alone. [SCENE_BREAK] Brooke: I just can't believe that Taylor wants to take Jack. She's been so messed up lately. You have a right to be concerned. I'm concerned, too. Nick: I was hoping she'd change her mind, but I haven't heard from her. I doubt if I will. Brooke: Well, we can't let her take our son. Nick, I don't trust her with little Jack. We have to find a way to stop her. Nick: (Exhales deeply) You know, Brooke, when Taylor was here, it was like she was a different woman. It's like she's gotten her act together. Brooke: Well, that's good. I'm glad to hear that. And I know that she's Jack's birth mother, but come on, Nick, you can't possibly feel comfortable with her watching our little boy on her own. Nick: It's just sad what she's been through. She's a good woman. She doesn't deserve what happened. Brooke: You're right. (Sighs) she doesn't deserve it. But you know what? It happened. And there's nothing that we can do about it. Now Taylor's been a basket case lately. And the important thing here is Jack. We need to do what we have to do to protect him. Nick: I waited my whole life to have a child of my own. I got him. But I have to recognize that Taylor's part of him, too. There's no getting around this. She's got a right to be with her son. Brooke: (Sighs) no matter what happens, you're not alone. I'm here for you. I'll always be here for you-- for you and our son. [SCENE_BREAK] Ridge: Brooke knows how I feel about this whole mess with Nick and the baby. I told her it's best if we don't rush into a marriage right now. Taylor: Really? Ridge: I love that woman, and I know she loves me. And I believe we're gonna have a long and happy life with Hope and R.J. I just need the dust to settle with Popeye before we move on here. Taylor: Hmm. I think that's very wise. Ridge: I know how difficult this has been for you. You and I shared a life once. We still do with our kids. (Sighs heavily) Taylor, I'll always care for you, and I'll do whatever I have to do to help you through this. Taylor: Well, thank you, but, uh, you don't have to worry about me. I've--I've made a very new unexpected friend who's been really good to me. Ridge: Really? Who? Taylor: Rick. Ridge: Rick? You gotta be kidding, Taylor. He's a kid with a chip on his shoulder. Based on what happened to Phoebe last year, you can't trust him. Taylor: No, I think he's a very stand-up guy. He may have grown up a little. I don't know, but he's been amazing. He's been there for me. He's reached out to me. And I'm very grateful for his friendship. [SCENE_BREAK] Rick: (Exhales deeply) everything that Taylor's been through, it's just taken such a huge toll on her. And Ashley, she has nobody. So I just--I-I feel the need to--to be there for her, especially since it was my mother and my sister who were responsible for sending her to the edge in the first place. Ashley: And you just want to make sure she doesn't fall off? Rick: Yeah. Look, nobody should--should suffer the way that she's been suffering. Everybody needs to feel connected to someone. You know what I mean? I mean, even when you're alone, you shouldn't feel like you're alone. So I've been spending time with her, reminding her how special she is. Ashley: You're pretty special, too. You know that? Rick: I do, yeah. Ashley: (Laughs) Rick: (Laughs) I just--I don't want Taylor's life to be turned upside down by this. She's such an extraordinary woman. Ashley: Hello? (Giggles) Rick: Sorry. Ashley: You got really quiet again. Rick: I was--I apologize. My mind is just-- it's just wandering. Ashley: Are you kind of consumed by this whole Taylor thing? Rick: Yeah. No. I mean, I--she's planning on doing something today, and I think it's a bad idea. Ashley: Oh. Did you tell her? Rick: No, no, I haven't. Ashley: Well, maybe you should. I mean, even if she doesn't listen, at least you'll know that you tried. Rick: Touché. All right, I'll talk to her. (Chuckles) What? Ashley: Nothing. I think you're pretty remarkable. You're sweet. Some lucky girl is gonna steal your heart. Well, you better get out of here right now, because if you don't go now, then I'm not gonna let you go for a while, and I've got way too much work to do on my aphrodisiac, see? Rick: Okay. Ashley: (Giggles) Rick: (Laughs) sounds good. Ashley: Good luck with Taylor. [SCENE_BREAK] Rick: It's good to see you. Taylor: Rick, I'm his mother, okay? I had every intention of always raising him. That was what I wanted to do. Rick: Taylor, I know you feel a-a-a connection to Jack, okay? I-I-I-I don't even pretend to understand what it's like to carry around a child for nine months and then--and then give birth to that child. I-it's an incredible bond. Just know that I'm trying to figure out what's best for you in the long run. Taylor: What's best for me is for me to be with my son. Rick: Okay, but you said it yourself-- it's inevitable that my mom and Nick will reunite because of Jack. Taylor: Mm-hmm. Yes. But Jack is my son. He's my child. He needs to be with me. I-I mean, I can't just turn my back on him. Rick: Right, and Nick is the father, who happens to be in love with my mother. And I just don't see how you're gonna come out okay in the--in the end. Taylor: Well, I'm not taking the baby away from--from Nick. That's not what I'm doing. I wouldn't do that in a million years. I'm just a mom that wants to be with her baby. I love my son. Rick: Yeah, and my mom loves him, too. Taylor: Well, she doesn't have any legal right to him, though. She wasn't even supposed to be the biological mother. I was the one who planned this whole thing. I carried the baby, and I delivered him, Rick: Okay, but you said it yourself-- it's inevitable that my mom and Nick will reunite because of Jack. Taylor: Mm-hmm. Yes. But Jack is my son. He's my child. He needs to be with me. I-I mean, I'm not taking the baby away from--from Nick. That's not what I'm doing. I wouldn't do that in a million years. I'm just a mom that wants to be with her baby. This whole thing. I carried the baby, and I delivered him, and he's mine. I mean, I'm not just gonna hand him over to her. Rick: Fine. Fair enough. What about Nick? Taylor: What about him? The reason the marriage ended is because I happen to have an issue with my husband being in love with another woman. Rick: Taylor, can you please just understand that I'm worried about you? I want you to be happy. . Taylor: Okay, I'm not going to lie. I-I miss Nick. I do. I miss the possibilities that we were planning everything with our future, with the baby, and, you know, now the truth is out. So in a way, I'm also free. I feel--I feel free now, because I don't have to look over my shoulder and worry about my marriage all the time. I'm free to just move ahead and love the baby and focus just on him. Rick: (Sighs heavily) I'm sorry. Taylor: Don't be. I'm--I'm fine. I've moved on. And, um, I've got a plan. I've got a plan to start a new life with myself and my son. [SCENE_BREAK] Brooke: You've waited your whole life to have a family... Nick: (Scoffs) Brooke: And raise a child on your own. I know how much Jack means to you. Nick: Please. I think about this kid all the time-- before I go to bed at night, when I wake up in the morning. He consumes my entire day, and I cannot grasp the fact that he'd be taken from me, taken out of this house, out of his house. Brooke: It just seems so wrong. Nick: (Exhales deeply) She has her rights, though. She's his mother. It's not right to have her separated from her son. This is not how I imagined it to be, Brooke. (Laughs) you know, you think about his first steps, first words, doing homework with him, teaching him to throw a ball, in my case, how to sail, girls. I want to be a part of all of that. Brooke: I know you do. Nick: I want Jack to have the father I didn't have. And I want him to have a mother that loves him unconditionally, the way that I'll always love his mother. Brooke: I know you love me and you want me to be a part of your life. And when I think about that, being your wife, a mother to Jack, a part of me wants that so much, so much that it hurts. I do love you. I will always love you. But if he likes me why would he act that way? [SCENE_BREAK] Rick: Taylor, can you honestly say that you don't see my mother when you look at Jack? Taylor: Jack is a part of me. You can never break that mother-child connection. He--I mean, I could never give him up. He's mine. Rick: Even if it means possibly setting yourself up to get hurt again? Taylor: I know I've been through a very rough time here. And, yes, I think I've been tested, but you know what? I passed it. And--and on top of it, it's helped me finally get what was really going on. It was never really the baby to begin with. The problem was that we were trying to build this life together, and--and Nick couldn't do it, because he still had feelings for your mother. And I just--I'm so sick of competing with her. I really--I can't do it anymore. I-I'm never getting in another relationship like that again. Rick: Well, I can name one man who will never make you worry about competing with Brooke. Taylor: Oh, now you're a comedian. Rick: No. I'm serious, very serious. [SCENE_BREAK] Nick: I've waited a long time for you to say those words to me. Brooke: I meant what I said, but... Nick: Oh, God. But what? Brooke: (Sighs heavily) but this is my last chance to be with Ridge, to be married to him and have a future and raise Hope and R.J. and my last chance to be in the Forrester family. and R.J. loves his father so much. I couldn't disappoint them. Nick: That's very admirable. What about Jack and me? And what about the way you really feel? Brooke: Nick, I think about that all the time, to be a family with you and little Jack. But it's not that simple. There's all of these outside factors. We both know that. Nick: Well, I believe we can overcome anything we want if we do it together. Brooke: (Sighs heavily) the truth is I love you and I love Ridge. I hate this feeling of--of being divided. You know, when I'm with Ridge, I think about you and little Jack. And when I'm with you, I think about Ridge and Hope and R.J. and if Ridge heard me talking like this right now, he would end it for sure. And I can't let that happen, Nick, not again. Nick: Brooke, I'm gonna clue you in on something. You don't love Ridge the way that you love me. You fell in love with the man when you were 18 years old, and you put him on a pedestal. He was like a little dream to you. And now you're a big grown-up woman, and everything about you has changed. You know it won't work. That's why you're not married to him now. Because if it could work, you would have done it. You ever thought about that? You certainly had the opportunity and the time. But it hasn't happened. And you know why? Because what you have with him isn't like what you have with me, because our relationship is based on truth and honesty. And that little boy R.J. that you have with Ridge-- he's gonna grow up, and he's gonna realize one day that his mother sacrificed what was in her heart for him. And you're gonna be the one who has to live with that. Nick: I'm not gonna beg ya. Nick: You know I love you. And we both know how you feel about me. Brooke: (Crying) You're in my heart, Nick. You're still deep in my heart. Nick: (Exhales deeply) That's all I want to hear. Brooke: (Sniffles) (sniffles).