Gaby frets that Thomas told Immigration that they're married.

Gaby drops by Spectra, where Thomas is busily fitting some models. When he sees Gaby, Thomas sends the models off. He quips to Gaby that her *HUSBAND* will have to get used to working with these beautiful models. She tells him to stop and closes the door, reminding him that it's bad enough that Nick knows about their marriage. Nick's not the only one, he explains: he called the Immigration office today to get the ball rolling on getting her green card. Gaby's confused: she thought that they... Apparently, Thomas explains, even though they're married, there are a few more steps before she can get a green card. He hopes he didn't overstep, but he knew how important this is to her. Gaby is silent at first, but she then thanks him and hugs him. Thomas starts teasing her when someone knocks on the partially open door. Thomas asks the man if he can help him. The man says that he's Phillip Dunn from Immigration Services, and he's looking for Thomas Forrester.

Immigration man Dunn wants some answers.

Thomas identifies himself and guesses that Mr. Dunn is here about the form he faxed earlier. Dunn confirms that. He finds it interesting that Thomas and Gaby got married just as her legal status changed, and in Vegas, no less. Thomas says that his and Gaby's love for each other has nothing to do with their status. Dunn explains that they'll be placed on conditional status until 90 days before their second wedding anniversary. Meanwhile, it's his job to determine if they married for love, or for a green card. Gaby says that she didn't even know she wasn't legal until after her mother died. Was that before or after she fell in love with Thomas? Dunn asks. Thomas tries to explain, but Dunn wants to hear from Gaby. Thomas says that would be fine, but his wife hasn't been herself since her mom died. Dunn asks Thomas if he loves Gaby. How could he not love her? Thomas asks, putting his arm around Gaby. Dunn says he'll be in touch and leaves. Once he's gone, Gaby nervously frets to Thomas about their visitor; she can't believe that she dragged him into this. Thomas reminds her that this was his idea; he got them into this, so he'll figure out how to get them through it.

Nick welcomes Brooke and Hope home.

Brooke, Bridget, Hope and RJ arrive at Brooke's house and are stunned to see that the living room is filled with toys, courtesy of Uncle Nick. Hope runs over to Nick, who gives her a great big hug. He says that she's just in time to play dolls with him. Brooke, holding RJ, smiles and thanks Nick. She and RJ sit down on the sofa next to Hope. Bridget then thanks Nick for doing something so incredible for her family. Nick replies that he did it because he likes them. Bridget then asks if he can stay with her mom and the kids while she goes to see Ridge. He asks if she's sure she wants to do that; she says she is and turns to leave, but he stops her for a brief kiss first. Once she's gone, Nick sits next to Hope and picks up some dolls from the doll house. Finding a little girl doll and a woman, he asks Hope if that's her and her mommy. Hope nods. Nick then finds a guy doll and asks Hope if that's her handsome Uncle Nick. No, she says sadly, that's Daddy: he doesn't live with them anymore. Brooke looks sad as Nick is caught speechless; he recovers and tells Hope that they'll find a place to put Daddy and puts the doll on the doll house's sofa, in front of the TV.

Nick takes two more dolls, a boy and a girl, and tells Hope that he wants her to understand that she'll always have her big brother and sisters. Does she understand that? he asks. She says she does. Nick then puts his nose in the air and says that he thinks he smells something: he bets Catherine is in the kitchen baking something. Cookies! Hope shouts. Nick sends her off to get some. Brooke asks Nick what Catherine is doing here: he explains that he called her over, to minimize the amount of change in the kids' lives. Brooke tells him that he's made this move almost bearable. He wishes that he could fix her sad face. She says that saying goodbye to Thomas and the girls, and seeing Ridge with Hope and RJ, was even worse than she imagined. Nick hopes that Ridge feels that, too, only ten times as hard. She tells him to stop, but he says he means it: he feels like Ridge has made her suffer, and he hopes that Ridge feels that pain every day of his life. And the same goes for Ridge's *mother*, Nick says, spitting the word *mother* like a bad word.

Ridge sits alone in his living room, remembering Brooke asking him if it was worth losing his son to save his mother. He then picks up a teddy bear that Hope forgot and holds it to his chest. He imagines that Hope is there, asking him to read to her; he goes to pick her up, and she vanishes. He then hears Brooke's voice; he turns and imagines that she's there, supporting RJ as he takes his first steps. She tells RJ to go to Daddy... but when RJ reaches him, Ridge goes to pick his youngest son up, only to see RJ also disappear. Ridge calls out, "Logan! I love you! I never meant for this to happen!" But the room is empty.

Ridge tells Bridget how torn up he is.

As Ridge puts the teddy bear down, Bridget arrives. Ridge guesses that she's here for the bear, but she says she's here to tell him how angry she is that he could hurt her mother and those kids like he did! Realizing that she's upset, Ridge asks if she sees how unhappy he is about this. She says that she doesn't know what to think, and she wonders if even he knows, since the Ridge Forrester she knows would never... Ridge says that he's the same Ridge she knew: it's just that he had to make a decision. He recalls how miraculous Taylor's return was and swears that he never meant to hurt Brooke and her kids. In fact, it killed him to watch them leave earlier. It killed him? she asks in disbelief. Doesn't he see how he made it impossible for them to stay when he remarried Taylor and broke the hearts of her mom and those kids? The only thing left, she says, is for him to call his lawyer to set up his visitation rights. Ridge seems surprised. What did he think was going to happen? Bridget asks. Ridge says that he's unprepared for this. Of course he is, Bridget says, since he didn't make this decision: his mother did, without any thought about what it would do to her mom and those kids!

Ridge tells Bridget that she's wrong; he's just confused. Bridget isn't buying it, though, and she tears into him for not being able to even see how his mother pulled his strings! She begs him to reconsider his decision, while there's still time, before her mother moves on with someone else. And where is Brooke? he asks. At her house, Bridget says, with Nick, But of course, Ridge says: he bets Nick hasn't left Brooke's side! Bridget tells him not to bring Nick into this: she tells Ridge that losing him was like a death to her mother. And the last time Brooke thought he died, Ridge recalls, Nick slept with her. Bridget tells him not to do this, but he says he has to say it. If she doesn't want to lose Nick to her mother, he warns, she'll keep them apart, because Brooke is all Nick has ever wanted. Bridget tells Ridge that Nick loves her, and she's the most important person in his life. Then watch him like a hawk, Ridge warns.

Back at Brooke's, Nick reminds her that Ridge is a grown man who made a decision. However it came down, he thinks that Ridge turned his back on her kids, and that's as pathetic as it gets. Brooke recalls saying goodbye to Ridge before, but it wasn't like this. She never had to say goodbye to her son's father, so this is it for her: she's not going to look back. She's moving forward, for her sake and her kids' sakes. Nick says that's what he wants to hear: he tells her to show everyone how strong she is. She says she's trying, but it's so hard. Her whole life has been about Ridge, and now she feels so empty, like something died inside. He gives her a hug and bets that scares her. That's why she has to realize that there's a better life for her out there, one that's not filled with the heartache and the drama that the Forresters have given her. She deserves better, and her kids deserve more than a father who turns his back on them, so he wants her to focus on surviving, on being strong and finding that life. He promises that people who love her will be there to support her, people like him and Bridget who will never abandon her, and who will make sure that she never gets hurt again.