Taylor realizes Brooke is never going to support her marriage to Rick. Brooke brings up Taylor not having children and the age difference to get Taylor to admit it's not a good match. In a few years, they will both be miserable. Taylor vows she will not lose another man to Brooke. Then she shocks Brooke by asking will she give back Ridge? Donna tells Eric they don't have to have this conversation tonight. He wonders why she wanted to apologize and now won't tell her what is wrong. He takes off his ring and lays it on the table and says obviously their marriage is over. She lays hers aside his. Pam smiles from her hiding place. Later she tells Donna that she will be better off, women like her should not be married at all. Donna cries for Pam to quit taunting her and just go. Pam warns her that she will be watching her, but if she really leaves Eric and he goes back to Stephanie then Pam will be out of her life. But that is her life now, watching Donna. Ridge has a conversation about Taylor with Steffy. Reality check  he reminds her that Taylor is marrying someone else and so is he. Eric confesses his Donna woes to Stephanie. She hugs him and admits she still loves him.
Eric: What are you not telling me? Donna: Just let go. Let go! I didn't want to do this. Eric: You said you wanted me back. Donna: Look, it's for your own sake. Look, you--you're still recovering. Eric: Recovering?! You--you--you're worried about my health? You're breaking my heart! [SCENE_BREAK] Taylor: You know, when I work with my patients, I try to tell them that one of the most effective ways to work in a relationship is to try not to judge what you think is going to happen. And I try to do that myself. But for you, it flies right over the top of your head. You already asked Rick not to-- not to rush into something, and that-- that's exactly what he's done. Brooke: I'm not accusing you, Taylor. Taylor: No, but you're not supporting us either. And I've shown you. I've shown you that this relationship is not some vendetta or some kind of rebellion against you. Brooke: All right. But then do any of us really know the reasons that we fall in love? Taylor: So we don't know the motives, but you do? Brooke: (Sighs) You did such a wonderful thing for me with Jack. The last thing I want to do is pick a fight with you. I'm amazed at how you were able to put your feelings aside so that you could do what was best for that little boy. And now I'm wondering if you can do the same thing for Rick. Taylor: Oh, my gosh. There is a huge difference here. Rick is a grown man, and he can make his own decisions, if you would let him. Brooke: So he told you that he was fine with a childless marriage? Taylor: (Sighs) Brooke: What? You haven't even discussed it? Taylor: If that came up, well, I guess we could always adopt. I'm fine with that. He's already proven that he can be a great father. Brooke: And he's shown that he wants to be a father. But what about you, Taylor? Five or ten years from now, do you want to be raising another child at this stage in your life? I don't think so. Taylor: (Scoffs) [SCENE_BREAK] (Door closes) Stephanie: Whoa. Ridge: Jumpy? Stephanie: No, I'm fine. Come on in. Ridge: Were you worried about the house after what happened at work? Stephanie: No. And it's not as though I'm going to be here that long. Ridge: What does that mean? Stephanie: Well, nobody exactly asked me to move back in. Ridge: You know how strange it was comin' into this house when you weren't in it? Stephanie: Well, honey, you know what I mean. Your father wakes up, I'm already installed and nobody bothered to ask him if that's what he really wanted. Ridge: Well--well, if it weren't, he'd say so. Stephanie: Maybe. Maybe not. Anyway, I think he's working himself up to making a decision. Ridge: Okay. I'll go talk to him. He shouldn't be keeping you guessing like this. Stephanie: Oh, I'm sorry that you drove all the way over. He's gone. I think he's probably with Donna. [SCENE_BREAK] Donna: Why did you have to do this? We didn't have to have this conversation tonight. Eric: Why not? I mean, why not put me right out of my misery? You know, what was all this business about begging my forgiveness? Did you ever really care about me? Donna: How can you even--even ask that? Eric: How can I not ask that when everything I thought I knew about you is not true? Wh--wh--does he-- does he really matter that much to you? This--this Owen? Donna: Look, I know-- I know I'm--I'm hurting you. I'm sorry. But it would only be worse if we waited. Eric: Well, okay. I say it end now. You're right. Why wait? Eric: Obviously, our marriage is over. [SCENE_BREAK] Taylor: This is a conversation that should be happening between Rick and me, not you and me. Brooke: I can't even believe that you haven't even had this discussion with him yet. So whether Rick has children or not, that's not important to you? Taylor: Well, see, we kind of feel like we should let the relationship happen naturally, and at this point, we feel like we should be getting married. We don't feel like we are so uncertain of what we're doing that we need to negotiate everything up front. Brooke: You believe you'll be able to weather good times and bad? Taylor: That's kind of the idea of marriage, yeah. Brooke: Well, let's face it, Taylor. You've had mostly bad times. And Rick has been there to save you from your breakup with Nick, your issues with Jack. And if he hadn't been there, you probably would have started drinking again. Taylor: So I'm too weak to be there for Rick should he have problems. That's right? Brooke: (Sighs) A door that opens for most people, parenthood, would close the minute he were to marry you. And what about ten or 20 years from now? Are you gonna be able to keep up with him? And what about sex? Taylor: Oh, my God, I can't believe you're even saying that. You're worried that I-- that I can't keep up with him one day? Oh, my God. Brooke: No, Taylor-- Taylor, this isn't right, marrying Rick, and you know it. Taylor: Okay, that's it. That is really it. You are not coming in my home ever again and telling me how to live my life. This is the last time. This is it. [SCENE_BREAK] Eric: Isn't that what you want? Donna: Why didn't you leave when I asked you to? Eric: Answer me, Donna. Is that what you really want? Donna: I don't see any other way. Eric: Well, I really have been-- I-I really have been an old fool. Donna: Eric... Eric: I believed in you. I believed in you when you showed me that I was a prisoner in my own life. And you were right. I was the man that my wife and my children needed me to be. I was a man without passion. There was no room for passion in this life. And I believed that. And I searched for that passion in failed marriages. I looked for it, and then I found it. I found it with you. You. Eric: I'm so lucky I've been loved. I've been loved so much. I've been luckier than any man in-- in this world. But I never thought I would find the kind of love that you brought to me. The kind of woman that just wanted to be wanted and who wanted me. (Sighs) that kind of love just doesn't happen, does it? Well, it doesn't. Stephanie was right about that. Donna: No. No. You're wrong. Eric... please-- please don't ever think that I didn't love you. Pam: That's it. Have a good long cry. You're better off, really. Women like you and me were never meant to be married anyway. [SCENE_BREAK] Steffy: Hey. Ridge: Hey. Is Marcus okay? Steffy: Yeah. Ridge: You look upset. Steffy: Mom's really gonna marry Rick? Ridge: (Sighs) So she says. Steffy: And you're okay with that? Ridge: I don't think I'm gonna get a vote in all that. Steffy: But if you could change it-- if Brooke wasn't in the picture, would you want Mom back? Taylor: Who gave you the authority to come over here and give me advice about my private life? Brooke: Your private life with my son. Taylor: Who is a grown man. Would you cut the apron strings? He's already moved away once. He lived in Europe for months by himself. Brooke: Taylor, this is marriage we're talking about. He doesn't have the best track record, and quite frankly, neither do you. Taylor: Oh, my God. My track record? If I have a track record, it's because of you. Whenever I'm happy and I'm married and I'm sitting there minding my own business, you come along and you pry my husband away from me. And then you marry him. Well--well, you can't do that with Rick, can you? So now what are you doing? You're doing this poor, you know, "I'm so concerned" motherly act. You really must be losing your touch, because it isn't working. I am not going to lose another man that I love to you. [SCENE_BREAK] Eric: (Sighs) Stephanie: Would you like some dinner? Eric: Uh, no. No, thanks. Stephanie: Tired? Eric: Maybe I am. Stephanie: Well, why don't you go upstairs and go to bed? Eric: No, no, no. I'm all right. (Sighs) yeah. Stephanie: You ended the marriage? Eric: I'm not sure which one of us did, but, uh, but yeah, it's over. [SCENE_BREAK] Donna: You got what you wanted. Pam: Yes, indeed-Y. And you know, I-I thought you were gonna try something sneaky. Donna: With you listening to every single word? With a gun? You go. Go to whatever rock you've been hiding under. And you leave my son alone. You leave my mother alone. And you leave Eric alone. Pam: I don't think he's gonna be coming back here again. He didn't seem happy with you, not one little bit. Donna: You don't-- you don't have a clue, do you? Do you know what you just did to him? How would you know? How would you know what it's like to love somebody and--and have it be torn away? Nobody has ever loved you. Pam: Sticks and stones, missy. Donna: Did that man look like he was walking out of here ready to go back to your sister? Hmm? Or anyone? Pam: Oh, he's gonna be upset at first. I mean, that's only normal. You take heroin away from an addict, they're not gonna be relieved, not right away. But he's away from the pollution of you, Donna. Donna: You're sick. You're sick. And when they lock you up, you will be locked away from decent people forever. Pam: Will I? Nobody seems to care much about catching crazy people. I got money. I got time. Donna: What do you-- what do you want, Pam? What do you want? Do you want to kill me? Go ahead. Go ahead. Pam: No, I don't want to kill you. For killers, they do manhunts. Donna: Then go! Go! God, you saw him. He will never trust me again. I could tell him that were holding a gun to my head, and he still wouldn't believe me. Pam: I know. If I can only be sure, though, that he's gonna go back to Stephanie. Donna: No. No. No. You stay away from him. You stay away from him. You promise me now you will stay away from him, or I will call the police. I did what I did for him. I will not let it be for nothing. [SCENE_BREAK] Eric: She's in love with him. Stephanie: I'm sorry. Eric: You don't have to say that. Stephanie: Your feelings are hurt. Stephanie: To be very honest, I-I thought she did care for you. I don't know. Maybe she's afraid. Making a life is hard. Making a commitment, you know? You have to do what you say you're going to do and-- well, believe me, I'm not gonna be the first person to throw a stone. I've made more than my share of mistakes. But for what it's worth, sweetheart, I'm here, and I love you. And I hurt when you hurt. [SCENE_BREAK] Pam: So brave. You really think you're a tigress, don't ya? Donna: Look, you have two choices. Either you shoot me or you promise me you'll stay away from Eric. I will call the police. You already took the only thing that-- that ever even mattered to me. Pam: Now you know how Stephanie felt. Donna: What's it gonna be, Pam? Pam: If you keep your promise and you really stay away from Eric, then I will, too. You will never see me again. But I will be watching you, donna. What else do I have? That's always been me. The one on the sidelines, the one with no life. This is my life now-- minding you. [SCENE_BREAK] Steffy: (Sighs) Ridge: I had no idea you felt this way. Steffy: Look, Dad, I love Brooke. She was great to us growing up. I just love Mom more, and I think secretly you do, too. Ridge: Swe--sweetheart, love isn't a matter of more or less. When you love, you love all the way. I'll always love your mother. I loved our marriage. I loved having you kids, but things just change, you know, for a lot of different reasons. Steffy: No, maybe you changed it, Dad. Mom didn't want it this way. Neither did Thomas, Phoebe or me. Ridge: I'm sorry, sweetie. Your mom's marrying someone else, and so am I. Come here. [SCENE_BREAK] Brooke: We're not talking about the past here, Taylor. At least I'm not. Taylor: I think you need to get checked out for memory problems and pattern- recognizing problems. You don't see the pattern? I guess, well, the only thing that changes is the name of the man. Brooke: I can't believe all this bitterness that is coming from you. Taylor: You can't? Brooke: No matter what you do, don't take your anger out on my son. Taylor: Stop! This is not about you! Brooke: Well, it certainly sounds that way. Taylor: Rick and I make each other happy. That's my motivation. You need to accept that. Brooke: And marriage is a lifetime decision. At least it should be. Your motivation shouldn't be just to put you in a good mood. Ri--Rick is gonna feel trapped, and... (sighs) he's gonna leave you. And you're both gonna be miserable. Taylor: Okay. Thank you. Thank you so much. Are you done now? Good-bye. Brooke: Oh, no, Taylor, listen to me. Taylor: No. No. No. No. Brooke: Please-- Taylor: I'm done. I'm so done. I'm done. Brooke: Isn't there something that I could say or do... Taylor: No. No. Brooke: So that you don't walk into this disaster? Taylor: Okay, you know what? There's one thing you could do. You could give me back my husband. Brooke: Excuse me? Taylor: Nothing. No. Brooke: Give you back your husband? Wai--wait. Oh, my God. You are wearing Rick's ring, and you're still in love with Ridge? Taylor: (Sighs) Brooke: Is that what's going on here? Is that what you're trying to tell me? Taylor, tell me the truth. Who would you rather be marrying-- Rick or Ridge?