Eric walked into his office as Katie was leaving marketing proposals on his desk. Eric told her that he was blessed to have all three Logan girls working for him. Katie mentioned Stephanie's name and asked Eric if he had heard from her. He told Katie that there was no reason for Stephanie to contact him, as they were getting a divorce.
Eric sat at his desk and took a few minutes to review the proposals Katie had delivered. He gave her feedback but noticed she was distracted and asked if she was worried about him hurting Donna. Katie told him she was worried about Donna's happiness, and Eric reassured her that he was going to do everything he could to make Donna happy.
Stephanie told Donna she was trying Stephanie's patience and didn't have to make dumping Eric so difficult. Stephanie said she was tired of giving Donna chances to do the right thing and walked over to call the police to turn Storm in. Donna cried out for her to not do it. Donna reached across the sofa and hung up the phone.
Stephanie said that Donna loved her husband and needed to live up to her agreement and end things with Eric. Donna said that Brooke was the one who had agreed to Stephanie's deal, not her, and that Donna had tried everything to break up with Eric, but he wouldn't let her. They continued to fight, and Stephanie started to leave the room, but Donna slammed the door shut, telling Stephanie she wasn't going anywhere.
Donna yelled at Stephanie to go ahead and call the police, as it might mean that she would lose her brother, but she would gain Eric forever. Stephanie raised her eyebrow and asked Donna where she had gotten that idea, on her own or if she had discussed it with the other bimbos at Bimbo School. They exchanged a few more insults, and Donna told Stephanie to stop hounding her. Stephanie demanded Donna figure out how she was going end things with Eric, told her to handle it, and walked out the door.
Dr. James Warwick let himself into Nick's "M" office. Nick greeted James, who had arrived a day earlier than expected, and they chit-chatted. James cut to the chase and asked Nick what was wrong with Taylor. Nick told him about the egg donor and the lab mix-up. James couldn't imagine how Taylor was dealing with having her worst enemy's baby. Nick told him she was not, but she seemed to have turned a corner for the better.
James told Nick that Taylor had one of the most brilliant minds he'd worked with in psychiatry. He told Nick that it was unfathomable what she had been through with her drinking and what had happened to Darla. He asked Nick if Taylor had begun drinking again, and Nick said no. James said that as long as Taylor stayed sober, she could handle anything.
At home, Taylor continued to drink. The doorbell rang, so she stashed the bottle in a drawer, sprayed her breath, and opened the door. Rick told her he had stopped by to let her know that even though he was Brooke's son, he cared about her. She invited him in, and he told her that he wanted for her to be happy, but he didn't think she would have that chance with her and Nick raising Brooke's son.
Rick told Taylor that Brooke and Nick shared something intense, and it wouldn't stop, especially since they shared a child. He told her that she knew Brooke and Nick would get together eventually and wondered if she thought it was best to get out. Taylor shook her head at him in disbelief.
Rick told Taylor that Brook always got what she wanted. Taylor wanted to know what Rick wanted, as everyone knew how he felt about Ridge. He didn't deny that he did not want Brooke and Ridge together. Taylor told Rick that Nick was committed to his family with her. She told him that if she had known he was going to enter her house to say all that garbage, she would never have let him in in the first place.
Rick told Taylor he felt partly responsible because his mother and sister were in the middle of the mess, and he just wanted to help her. Taylor told him she did not want his help. She and Nick were working through things, and Rick could take his mission out her door and go home.
Rick started to leave and noticed a near-empty alcohol bottle on the counter. He picked it up and asked Taylor if she was coping by drinking and asked about Jack. Taylor told him she'd had a little cocktail to take the edge off, but she was not drunk. She walked up to him and told him to not make a big deal of it and to promise her he wouldn't say anything. Rick told her he wouldn't promise her that and headed out the door with the bottle in his hands. Taylor chased after him, begging him to not say anything.
Katie called Donna on the phone to say Eric was on his way there, and Donna needed to end things immediately. Donna said that she knew what she had to do and hung up as Eric walked in the door.
Donna ran into the bedroom, crying, and Eric followed. He asked her what the tears were about, and she told him she needed to tell him something. She told him that Stephanie had something on her family and was blackmailing Donna to end things with him -- or Stephanie would tear the family apart. Eric demanded to know what Stephanie was using to blackmail her. Donna told him that Stephanie knew who had shot her -- it was Donna's brother, Storm. Eric's face registered shock, and he turned away as Donna begged him to help her.
In Eric's hotel room, Stephanie paid Donna a visit. Stephanie again made threats to Donna that if Donna did not end her relationship with Eric, Stephanie would report to the police that Storm was the person who had shot her. Stephanie went to the phone to call the police. Donna begged her to stop. Donna promised that she would end her relationship with Eric.
At Forrester Creations, Stephanie warned Katie that if Donna did not end her relationship with Eric, Stephanie would have Storm arrested for shooting her.
Later, Donna explained the whole situation to Eric. Donna told Eric that Storm had shot Stephanie. Donna said that Stephanie was threatening to inform the police that Storm had shot her if Donna did not end her relationship with Eric. Eric was shocked to hear that Storm had shot Stephanie. Initially, Eric thought the police should be notified. Eric was even more shocked to learn that Stephanie was blackmailing Donna in order to end his relationship with her.
Meanwhile, Nick took James over to see Taylor. Taylor was happy to see James. However, she was not honest with James about how she was coping.
Back at Eric's hotel room, Eric devised a plan to make Stephanie think that he had ended his relationship with Donna. Eric explained to Donna that he would make Stephanie believe their relationship had ended, and that would stop her from reporting Storm to the police. Eric told Donna that he loved her and did not want their relationship to end. Eric encouraged Donna to keep mum about their plan and patiently wait for him to leave Stephanie.
Eric went to Stephanie's. Eric told Stephanie that Donna had admitted to him that she had been using him. Stephanie tried to console Eric. Stephanie told Eric that she was sorry that Donna had hurt him. Eric told Stephanie that he was glad to have someone to talk to about his pain.
Nick was in his office, leaving a message for Clarke. He grabbed his coat and headed for the door, dropping his wallet on the way. He turned to see what he had dropped and saw his wallet was open to a picture of Jack. He picked it up and gazed at the photo. He made a business call, hung up, and walked to his desk.
Nick opened a desk drawer and removed a photo of himself, Brooke, R.J., and Hope. He then took out his wallet and held up the picture of Jack next to it and gazed longingly at both photos.
Eric stood at the fireplace, holding his head, when Stephanie walked up and offered him words of comfort. She reminded him of the wonderful years they'd had together, and he told her nobody could change that. She asked him if they could begin again and said that he was her whole world. Eric told Stephanie she had been right about Donna -- he had found her in bed with another man, and all Donna was about was hot sex with men, and he wouldn't stand for that. He walked over to the patio as Stephanie rolled her eyes.
Stephanie walked up to Eric and told him she had known Donna would break his heart, and she hated to see him in such pain. He told her how sorry he was and that he wanted Donna out of the company and out of his life for good. Stephanie chuckled in relief and told him she thanked God that Eric had finally reached that realization. He smirked and shook his head.
Stephanie walked Eric to the door and invited him to return home. He told her he wanted to, and she grabbed him, kissed him, and then hugged him. Eric told her he wanted to move back home but wanted them to take things slowly. He then asked her to never mention Donna again, because it was over between them.
Taylor opened her door and let Rick in. He told her how worried he was about her and the baby. Taylor told him that everyone was questioning her ability to be a good mother. She then asked if he had told anyone about the alcohol, and he told her no. She told him she knew he had an agenda -- he only wanted Brooke and Nick together again.
Rick told Taylor he was there to talk to her about her drinking, not his mother. Taylor justified her drinking by reminding Rick of all she had been through with the egg swap. She walked up to him and begged him not to tell Nick about her drinking, as she couldn't handle any more loss.
Taylor stood by the patio doors, and Rick walked up behind her. He quietly told her that he was there with no agenda -- she was the recipient of a very raw deal, and he wanted to help her. She turned, hugged him, and thanked him for being there. She told him she knew intellectually the lab mix-up had been an accident, but other times, she slipped into an abyss of paranoia, and it was not normal for her.
Rick told Taylor that he wanted her to call him anytime, day or night, when she needed to, because he would always be there for her. He told Taylor to think of him as her friend, not Brooke's son. She hugged him and thanked him again. As Rick headed for the door, Nick walked in. They exchanged pleasantries, and Rick left.
Nick and Taylor snuggled on the couch, and she told him how safe she felt in his arms. She turned and told him she had an idea. She said she wanted people to know how much better she was doing so she wanted to invite Brooke and Ridge to dinner. Nick was shocked and told her it'd be a nightmare, but she told him that it was to end her nightmare. She kissed Nick, snuggled back up, and told him it'd be a big surprise for them.
Katie showed up at Eric's hotel room and offered sympathy to Donna for breaking it off with Eric. Donna told a shocked Katie that she had told Eric the truth: Stephanie was blackmailing her. Katie yelled at Donna that Storm would go to jail. Donna told about her plan with Eric to make Stephanie believe they'd broken up. Katie looked at Donna with disbelief and asked if she seriously thought Stephanie would believe it.
Donna told Katie she'd find out, so she called Stephanie and put her on speakerphone. Donna told Stephanie she had lived up to her end of the bargain and broken things off with Eric. Stephanie said that Storm would be safe; she wouldn't go to the police. Stephanie then warned Donna that she had better never go near or call Eric ever again; Stephanie hung up. Donna excitedly told Katie that Stephanie had bought it.
Stephanie walked away from the phone and gazed upstairs. Meanwhile, up in his "new" bedroom, Eric called Donna. He told her Stephanie had believed it and that he had bought a disposable cell phone to call her on so that Stephanie didn't see Donna's number on his phone bill. Eric noticed someone lurking outside his door and pretended he was talking business.
Stephanie knocked and entered as Eric ended the call. Stephanie told him she was happy he was home and said how much she loved him. She said goodnight and left. Eric sat back on the bed, arms behind his head, and said, "Goodnight, Donna."
Ashley visited Taylor's home, and the pair chatted like old friends. Taylor asked Ashley to be godmother to Baby Jack, and Ashley said she was honored but surprised. Taylor said she felt a kinship with Ashley since Brooke had interfered in both their lives. Ashley agreed, and the two discussed that Taylor had invited Brooke and Ridge for dinner -- a dinner that promised to improve all their lives.
At Forrester, Nick popped in on Brooke and suggested that she and Ridge skip the dinner. He added that Brooke could pretend to become sick, since the dinner was going to be a nightmare. Brooke agreed and claimed Taylor was up to something, but Nick said Taylor was trying to put the past behind them. Both were skeptical.
Later, Ridge went into Brooke's office and joked that he was thinking of buying a hostess gift for Taylor for dinner -- something like boxing gloves. Then, Brooke and Ridge promised to have a positive attitude as they agreed that Brooke, Nick, Ridge, and Taylor needed to get along, since they shared children.
At Forrester, Rick chatted with Eric on the phone as Ashley walked in and started joking with Rick. Discussion turned to Taylor, and Ashley commented on how well Taylor was doing. Rick expressed doubt. Rick claimed Taylor had been on the verge of a nervous breakdown the day before, but Ashley told Rick that Taylor had been fine when she had seen her inviting Ridge and Brooke to dinner.
At Nick and Taylor's, Taylor set the table, telling herself the night promised to be a whole new beginning for all of them. Later, wearing a sexy black dress, Taylor welcomed Ridge and Brooke and told them she had feared they wouldn't go over.
During dinner, Taylor toasted to new beginnings and family. Taylor shared that she had harbored a lot of anger, but she was done with the pity party, and she thanked Brooke for being the biological mother to Jack and saving his life with her bone marrow. Although Jack's parentage had resulted from an accident in the lab, Taylor said she was thankful and wanted to express her gratitude by giving something back to Brooke, so she had something special planned.
Brooke, Nick, and Ridge looked puzzled as Nick asked what Taylor was doing. Taylor claimed that after that night, they would all have closure, and that another guest was arriving. In walked a pastor, and he greeted Ridge and Brooke by name, adding that he was happy to be there for such a special occasion. Everyone looked surprised.
Taylor acknowledged Brooke and Ridge had to be surprised, but she told them she had asked the minister to go to the house and marry them immediately. She then asked Brooke if she would marry Ridge then -- that night. Brooke and Ridge looked uncomfortable.
Ashley and Rick talked about Taylor's dinner party and how things might go with both couples together. They also discussed Jack's maternity, and Rick asked Ashley if she thought it might cause Ridge and Brooke to break up. Ashley told him she had thought about it, but she had learned her lesson and wouldn't be going down that road with Ridge again.
Ashley asked if they could talk about something other than her and Ridge. When Rick asked what she wanted to talk about, Ashley asked him, "What about you and me?" She told him she'd been thinking about when they had been together and wondered if they could have it again.
Rick told Ashley he was surprised to hear her say that, as he had waited a long time. They both acknowledged they were feeling gun-shy because of their history and how they'd hurt each other. Ashley told Rick they were both available and pulled him into a kiss.
Rick moved back and told Ashley she had caught him off guard. He told her part of him wanted to go take a cold shower, and the other part wanted to make love to her on the conference room table. Ashley told him she loved the last part. Rick told her that he wanted to take some time and let things sink in first. Ashley told him to take all the time he needed but to know that her feelings for him were sincere. She pulled him into another kiss. When she broke off and walked away, Rick looked torn.
Taylor continued pressuring Brooke to marry Ridge immediately. She said she was okay with Brooke being Jack's biological mother, and she had moved on, so Brooke could move on by marrying Ridge. Nick quietly watched what was going on then walked over and dismissed the minister to the kitchen while things got sorted out. Brooke told Taylor there were a million reasons for them not to get married. Taylor reminded Brooke she'd said many times over the years how much she loved Ridge, and Taylor wanted to know what the problem was.
Ridge stepped forward and told Taylor she had gone above and beyond with her surprise but that she had caught both him and Brooke off guard. He thanked Taylor, told her it was a great idea, and then turned to Brooke and said, "Let's do it, Logan." Brooke's mouth dropped in shock, and she asked Ridge to talk in private. Nick went to get another drink, and Taylor smiled innocently as Brooke and Ridge left the room.
In Nick's den, Brooke was upset with Ridge for wanting to get married that night. She thought Taylor was up to something and that the whole idea was ridiculous. Ridge wanted to know what Brooke found ridiculous about marrying him, or "has something changed?" he asked her. Brooke reassured Ridge that she wanted to marry him, but she wanted their wedding to be something special. He told her that it was not their first trip to the altar, and they didn't need anything special.
Ridge asked Brooke to get married right then. Brooke told him she did not want to get married in Taylor's living room. She told Ridge that Taylor wasn't doing it because she wanted them to be happy -- she was doing it because she wanted to ease her fear of Brooke stealing Nick. Ridge told her he didn't question her love for him but that it would make a bold statement about where things stood if they went ahead and got married.
Nick asked Taylor why she hadn't asked him about her surprise. Taylor apologized and told him she was trying to show she wanted Brooke to be happy, so she had thought a surprise wedding was a good idea. She asked him if he had a problem with Ridge and Brooke getting married, and Nick told her that he did only because he had a problem with Ridge.
Nick felt that he and Taylor should not be involved in planning Brooke and Ridge's wedding. Taylor told Nick that Brooke and Ridge had tried many times to get married, and it had always blown up in their faces. She said she had planned it to make things simple for them.
Brooke and Ridge reentered the room, and Brooke thanked Taylor but declined her gift. Taylor said she didn't understand why, and Brooke said it was because she wanted to get married on her terms, not to appease Taylor's fears and insecurities. At first, Taylor denied it and said she wanted Brooke and Ridge to be happy, but then she started to cry. She walked up to Brooke and wanted to know if Brooke refused to get married because she had feelings for Nick and Jack. Brooke denied it and confirmed she wanted to marry Ridge, but not in Taylor's home.
Taylor told Brooke she saw Brooke every time she looked in Jack's crib and that Brooke was in every facet of Taylor's life. Taylor pleaded to Brooke that if she cared about Taylor, Brooke would do what she had told Taylor she wanted to for years: marry Ridge.
