Friday, August 18, 2006, Episode #4876

Brooke doesn't want to discuss leaving Forrester to come work at Marone.

Nick comes out of the shower to find Brooke sitting on the bed, looking at travel brochures. She feels bad about missing Bridget's graduation from medical school. Nick reminds her that Bridget herself missed the ceremony because of Darla. That's why Brooke wants to do something special; she was thinking about a trip - hence the brochures - but wonders if Bridget might want a car. Nick tells her to forget the car, although he thinks Bridget will appreciate anything after the rough year she had, including the loss of their child. Brooke thinks that just makes you appreciate your loved ones more. Nick agrees, which is why he feels lucky to have Brooke. They start to kiss, but they're interrupted by call on her cell from Ridge. Despite Nick's pleas not to, Brooke answers and discusses the Bedroom line with Ridge. After Brooke hangs up, Nick asks her again to forget about the fashion business and join him at Marone Industries. She reminds him that she loves running Forrester, and she even runs the company from her office at Marone. Nick would like her not just working AT Marone, but FOR them, since he and his company need her. Brooke appreciates the sentiment and suggests they table this discussion for now.

Nick sings a song he wrote for Brooke.

Since Brooke has asked to change the subject, Nick decides to break out his guitar and play a song he wrote on their honeymoon. It was going to be about The Shady Marlin, but it turned out to be about Brooke instead. Brooke is surprised and asks what the song is called. He suggests she decide that for herself and starts to play. He sings:

Yesterday's over and tomorrow may never come
well at least we had some fun,
at last we'll race to the good ole days.
Nothing comes easy to the one who walks alone,
he's always looking for a home,
step inside for a hell of a ride.
Got to take over, I think it's time to show her,
it's been coming, no more running, no more running.
It's you and me, that's the way it's gonna be,
and pretty soon you'll see that forever you're mine.
It's you and me, there is no other way,
and we're starting here today, 'cause today it's just you and me.

As Nick sings, there is a montage of special moments between him and Brooke. When Nick finishes, Brooke tells him it's beautiful. "You and Me," she says. Forever, Nick agrees.

Prison guard Darryl brings Hector bad news.

Hector gets a visit at the fire station from Darryl, the prison guard who brought Diane Walker in to the visiting room earlier. Darryl explains that an LAPD detective lieutenant named Baker saw Hector at the prison with Taylor and Phoebe and asked about it. Darryl told Baker that Hector brought the ladies to see inmate Diane, who is in for vehicular manslaughter. He didn't think it was a big deal to tell the cop, since he thought it was like the other times Hector brought kids to see Diane, to scare them into not drinking and driving. Hector is concerned, but he covers with Darryl by suggesting that Baker is just curious about his relationship with a woman like Taylor. Darryl says that he figured something was going on between Hector and the doctor. Hector says he and Taylor are just friends. "And friends don't let friends drive drunk," Darryl states, given that Hector asked Mrs. Walker to talk to Taylor. Hector tells Darryl to stop there; there's nothing else to say, he tells his prison guard friend.

Stephanie finds Lt. Baker's theory to be absurd.

Meanwhile, Lt. Baker stops by the Forrester mansion to see Stephanie, who hopes the cop has some leads on Darla's killer. Baker thanks Stephanie for her patience during the investigation and admits that's why he's here. He explains that he didn't have a lot of leads, since the information Phoebe gave him was so vague. He had called Taylor shortly after to talk with Phoebe again, but Taylor never called back. Stephanie thinks that's because Taylor is trying to protect her daughter. Baker completely agrees; in fact, he thinks the reason Taylor is being so protective now is that she and Phoebe know more than they are saying. Stephanie doesn't think that's possible, so Baker tells her how he saw Taylor and Phoebe at the state penitentiary today with Hector, visiting a woman who's serving a ten year sentence for vehicular manslaughter. Stephanie says it might have been Taylor's patient. Then why was Phoebe there? Baker asks. Stephanie suggests he focus on Darla's killer. Baker says he is and shares his theory with Stephanie, who replies, "This would be almost laughable, if it weren't so tragic." Baker tells her that accident happen and informs her about Taylor's prior DUI charge and suspended license. Taylor shouldn't have even been driving, he points out. Stephanie says that Taylor thought Phoebe was in danger; she thinks she would have done the same in Taylor's shoes. If Taylor was worried, Baker says, she should have called the police. Instead, she got into the car and drive with a suspended license after drinking some wine.

Stephanie thinks this is outrageous and hopes Lt. Baker has more promising leads than this. He lists a few that he;s working on. Stephanie suggests he focus on those, because Taylor is an honest woman who is above reproach. Lt. Baker hopes she's right and leaves. Later, Stephanie recalls this whole conversation with Lt. Baker and starts to wonder.

Thorne opens up to Taylor.

Taylor is at home, sitting alone in the dark, flashing back to Darla's death. Thorne comes in and finds her in the dark, so he asks if she's OK. She says she was just thinking about how quickly someone's life can change. Thorne says that he wanted to talk, but he sees she's upset, so maybe they can talk some other time. Taylor asks why; he replies that she may be helping him, but she's hurting herself. She asks what he's feeling. He says he feels lost. Whether it was an accident or not, he wants to look the guy who killed Darla in the eye and let him know who Darla was, and what she meant to their family. He wants the guy to suffer, even though he knows it's wrong, because it may be the only way to get past the anger inside him. And when he thinks about how that guy took Alexandria's mother away, he feels like he could choke the guy. He asks Taylor why this happened; she says it was an accident, and she knows that because she was there. "It's my fault," she confesses. Thorne tells her not to say that, but before Taylor can explain, Thorne gets a call about Alexandria, who is at a friend's house. He tells Taylor that he has to go, since Alexandria might get worried if he's late picking her up. Taylor tells him to wait, but he leaves.