Tuesday, November 29, 2005, Episode #4690

Eric and Jackie are surprised when Stephanie barges in on them.

After watching Eric with Jackie, Stephanie comes out of hiding and frets that her husband - EX-husband, Eric reminds her - the father of her children, is still being led by his libido. That libido was nearly non-existent during their marriage, Eric retorts. Stephanie asks herself why she thought she could come down here and make a compromise with Eric for the sake of the company and the family, since Eric is obviously not interested in either. Eric argues that Stephanie didn't come here to compromise, but Jackie asks him to hear Stephanie out. He says that there are no compromises with Stephanie; she used to pretend to value his opinion when they first wed, but then she stopped even pretending. Stephanie asks how she was supposed to pretend when he was never here. He was always here, she says, running HER business, while she raised their kids. Eric says that's how she wanted. Jackie takes that as her cue to leave, but Eric stops her. He tells Jackie that she doesn't have to go, but she thinks she does, as she doesn't want to interrupt his lover's quarrel with Stephanie.

Eric and Stephanie argue that this isn't a lover's quarrel, but Jackie thinks it sure sounds like one. Jackie observes that Eric and Stephanie hate each other too much to even ignore each other. Eric reminds her that Stephanie was the one who barged in here... To talk business, Stephanie says, but instead she found a love scene. Stephanie claims she feels nothing but disgust for Eric, but Jackie says there's a thin line between love and hate. That line was crossed long ago, Eric insists. He can't believe Jackie thinks he loves Stephanie after what his ex- has done. What she's done? Stephanie asks. Jackie interrupts them both. She reminds Eric of what he was saying before, about the bond that he and Stephanie will always share because they started a family and a business together. Eric says that neither he nor Stephanie wants that life anymore, but Jackie isn't so sure that's how he really feels. That's why she wants to leave the two of them alone, to see if this is about the company, or about something else. She kisses Eric on the cheek and leaves.

Stephanie questions Eric's choice in women.

Stephanie asks why Eric is always attracted to women who don't know what they're talking about. Eric agrees with her for a change, as he thinks Jackie's assessment of them is way off base. Stephanie says that a few words of him making nice aren't going to get the two of them walking out of here, arm in arm, for a martini. Not even if he was drunk, Eric agrees, and especially not for one of her martinis. She asks what's wrong with her martinis. They stink! Eric says. So does his singing! Stephanie retorts. Eric sees this going nowhere, so he asks her to leave. He reminds her that he's going to be busy down here in his new office, so if she has anything else to say to him, she should send Megan down with a message. He then walks out of the office.

Nick and Bridget wait outside the beach house. Nick reminds her that this fresh start for them feels right. Now she only needs to go in and break it to her roommate. Nick offers to help her, but she thinks Dante has been a good friend and deserves to be let down easy. She kisses Nick and heads inside.

Dante can't accept that Bridget has reconciled with Nick.

Inside, Dante flashes back to tucking Bridget in as he sets the table for a "perfect dinner for a perfect woman." When Bridget enters, he tries to usher her over to the table for dinner, but she says there is something she has to tell him. There was a scare with the baby, she explains. Dante wishes he had been there, so she wouldn't be alone for something like that. She wasn't alone, she says. Dante then sees the ring on her finger: he can't believe it! How can she agree to take Nick back after all the painful lies Nick told her? And how can she expect him to just sit by while she walks off a click with Nick? Bridget admits that it's a leap of faith, but it's one she believes in. Dante asks her to consider what she's doing, not just for her own sake, but also for her child's. She's moving backward, he insists, not forward, and he won't let her do that! Bridget says that she knew he wouldn't be happy about this, but she hoped he would at least accept it. He asks how he can accept this when Nick only wants her because he can't have her mother. Bridget refuses to listen to this anymore; she tells Dante that she intends to trust her husband. Dante wants to know what lies Nick told her that he hasn't said before, or what promises Nick made that he hadn't already broken.

Bridget admits that Nick didn't have to say anything. It was the way he looked at the thought of losing the baby. Dante thinks that was just Nick seeing an opportunity and grabbing it, but Bridget says Nick was there for her. Dante says that he has been there for her, even though she's not carrying his child. Bridget tells him that the baby is a girl. Dante is thrilled and promises to look after her and her little girl. She thanks him for saying that, but she doesn't need him to look after her. She tells him that she'll never forget what a good friend he's been. Dante tells her that he can't lose her this way, especially not to Nick. He's sure nothing good will come of her being with that man. Bridget holds her tummy and says that something good already came of that. He asks how she or her baby can ever feel secure when she might turn around some day, in the near or distant future, and find Nick with her mother. Bridget doesn't want to listen to any suspicions that will just make her doubt herself. Dante reminds her again how he came here from across the world, just because he was committed to her. No one asked him to be, she comments. She didn't have to, he says. He felt, and still does, that she had everything she needed in him. Except the father of her child, she reminds him, a man that she loves. Dante sees that there's nothing more he can say: he just hopes he never has to tell her "I told you so." She walks into his arms and gives him a hug.

Nick has news for Brooke.

Nick comes into Insomnia and sees Brooke looking over some papers. She's surprised to see him, but he admits that he actually came here looking for her, as he has news for her. He tells her that he and Bridget are back together; he's completely committed to the marriage, and to having this family. He wanted to be the one to tell her. Brooke smiles, stating that she is glad to hear this. She asks how it happened. Nick tells her about the exam, where they learned about Bridget's weakened cervix and the chance of miscarriage. Brooke is stunned and worried upon hearing that. Nick tells her that the doctor thinks Bridget and the baby will be fine if they take it easy. But still, the Bridget saw how scared he was at the thought of losing that baby, and that's what made her believe in what he was telling her. Brooke reminds him how he always says that it sometimes takes a crisis to put things in perspective. He agrees that he thinks that's what happened. Brooke says she's happy, despite the scare about the baby, that he and Bridget found their way back to each other. That's how it has to be, she says.