Friday, July 14, 2006, Episode #4851

Hope greets Brooke and Nick upon their return from their honeymoon.

Brooke and Nick return from their honeymoon. As the driver brings their bags into Brooke's house, Hope races to greet them, followed by Bridget. Nick picks Hope up and sits her down on the sofa with him and Brooke, who asks Hope to tell them what she did while they were away. That might take a while, Bridget laughs. Hope says that they went to the beach and the zoo. That sounds like fun, Brooke and Nick agree. Nick then sits Hope on his lap and tells her to start calling him just "Nick" instead of "Uncle Nick," since he'll be living here with her and her mom. Hope is of course thrilled. As Nick whisks her upstairs so she can tell him a bedtime story, Bridget asks "Mrs. Marone" if her honeymoon was everything she'd hoped for. Brooke just smiles.

On the side of the road on Pacific Coast Highway, Hector and his partner prepare to take Darla to the hospital. While Phoebe holds a distraught Taylor, Thorne frantically watches, kneeling before Darla and asking if she can hear him. Hector says she's unconscious while his partner calls the injury in to the hospital. As he works with his partner to put Darla on a board and on the ambulance, Hector tells Thorne to come with him. Hector then tells Taylor and Phoebe to follow them to University Hospital.

Phoebe drives a frantic Taylor to the hospital.

Once the ambulance leaves, Phoebe leads Taylor to the car. As Taylor keeps blaming herself, Phoebe helps her into the passenger seat and drives to the hospital. On the way, Phoebe blames herself for not putting her flashers on; she explains how she forgot when that creepy guy showed up. Taylor tells Phoebe not to blame herself and admits that she panicked out of fear for Phoebe. Phoebe tells Taylor that she called Darla after the creepy guy left; she just wishes she hadn't let Darla change that tire. Sobbing, Taylor insists that she was driving, so it's all her fault! Phoebe tries to assure her mom that Darla will pull through, but Taylor wonders what will happen to Thorne and Alexandria if Darla DOESN'T pull through. "That poor innocent little girl," she sobs.

Ridge and Thomas worry that Taylor may have been drinking.

In Bel Air, Ridge comes downstairs and tells Thomas that no one is home. Thomas wonders if Phoebe and Taylor went out, but Ridge says he checked the answering machine and the cell, and there were no messages. Thomas asks Ridge if he tried Taylor's cell phone; when Ridge says he hasn't, Thomas suggests that his mom is the one they should be worried about and points to the empty wine bottle. Ridge admits that he's noticed Taylor drinking more than usual lately, but she's not the kind of person to lose control. Thomas replies that it's not just one glass with dinner any more. Ridge tells Thomas, "I'm your father. I care about you, your sisters, and your mother." He wants to know why Thomas didn't say anything sooner. Thomas explains that he just wanted to talk to Taylor first. In fact, he did today, and she promised to get rid of all the liquor in the house. Ridge goes over and, seeing the empty bar, supposes that Taylor did just that. Except for this one bottle, Thomas says. Ridge points out that the bottle is empty. So is the glass, Thomas says, but it smells like wine He wants to believe that Taylor dumped this out, but he has to wonder if maybe she drank it.

Christian tries to answer Thorne's questions.

At University Hospital, Darla is being wheeled into the emergency room. After Hector briefs Christian on Darla's condition, Thorne asks when his wife might wake up. They need more tests, Christian explains. Thorne calls out to Darla to hold on as they wheel her off. Phoebe and Taylor arrive; they spot Hector and ask if Darla is conscious. Not yet, Hector replies, telling them that they're still doing tests. Taylor sobs that it should have been her. While Phoebe goes to call Ridge, Hector asks an emotional Taylor what happened. Taylor explains how Phoebe called her about the flat tire; she was really worried about her daughter being alone on PCH, so she rushed over. But Phoebe also called Darla, who got there first and went to change the tire. Taylor breaks down and sobs that she just didn't see Darla. Hector holds her and tells her that it was an innocent mistake, but Taylor backs away and insists that it WASN'T a mistake, and it was her fault. Hector softly asks if she was drinking. Still sobbing, she says that she was as Hector continues to hold her.

Back at Bel Air, Ridge advises Thomas not to jump to conclusions, but Thomas explains how emotional his mother was today. She seemed OK when he left, but he wonders now if perhaps he should have stayed behind. Just then, Ridge gets a call on his cell phone from Phoebe, who tells him that Darla got hit by a car while trying to help her change a tire. She tells her dad that she and Taylor followed Darla to University Hospital, and that Thorne is there too. Ridge tells her that they'll be right there. As Ridge hangs up, Thomas asks what's going on. Ridge fills Thomas in on what Phoebe told him and says they have to go. He says that he'll drive while Thomas calls the rest of the family.

Hector learns some disturbing news.

In the hospital, Hector makes a call on his cell phone and asks the person if he ran the plate. When the person responds, Hector confirms that it's for Taylor Hayes Forrester, a friend of his who has been in a little trouble lately. Hector is troubled when the person on the other end tells him that Taylor has been involved in a DUI recently.

Darla is in critical condition.

Meanwhile, Thorne enters Darla's room and is dismayed when Christian tells him that Darla still is not awake. Thorne is confident that his wife will wake up, but Christian is not as sure. Christian explains that Darla has a skull fracture. He tells Thorne to expect the the neurologist to talk to him soon, but right now, the next twenty-four hours will be critical. Even though there is no bleeding, that could change at any time. Thorne asks if they're going to operate. There isn't time, Christian explains, because of the severity of the injury. He promises Thorne that they will do their best. He then signals the nurse in the room to give Thorne a little time alone with Darla. After Christian and the nurse leave, Thorne moves to the foot of Darla's bad and looks at her bruised, hurt face. He then goes to the side of the bed, touches Darla's face and starts crying. As Taylor watches through the window in the door, Thorne sits by Darla's bedside and strokes her hair. Sobbing, he asks if she can hear him. He tells her that she can't leave them now, because Alexandria needs her Mommy, and he needs her. They love her so much, he sobs as he lays his head on the unresponsive Darla's shoulder.

Thorne wonders who could have done this to his wife.

Ridge and Thomas arrive and find a shaken-up Phoebe and Taylor in the waiting room. Thomas asks if they saw Darla get hit. Phoebe nods, while Taylor sobs that it was terrible. Ridge touches her face. Just then, Thorne comes out of Darla's room. Ridge walks over to his little brother, embraces him and says that he's so sorry. Ridge then asks what the doctors said about Darla; Thorne tells him what he knows so far. Ridge asks about the guy who hit Darla. Thorne doesn't know. "He got away?" Ridge asks. Thorne answers that it was like nothing happened; he wonders what kind of person would do something like this. Ridge just shakes his head as he walks away with Thorne. Thomas asks Phoebe if she's sure she's OK.