Friday, May 05, 2006, Episode #4801

Bridget tries to reassure Dante.

Dante and Bridget are at his beach house, discussing how Stephanie kept them from taking Dino to Italy. Bridget assures him that Stephanie can't stop them, but Dante reminds her that Stephanie could fire him and he'd lose his work visa. Bridget offers to talk to her dad, but Dante reminds her that Stephanie owns the company. He decides he needs a lawyer; Bridget promises to hire one of the best, since he deserves to be part of his son's life. Dante asks if she can call her dad and find a lawyer right away, but Bridget suggests that it might not come to that. Felicia knows how they all feel, she reminds him, so she hopes there's still a chance they could work things out. Touching his face, she reminds him that Dino won't be the only one who's heartbroken if Dante gets deported.

Dante has something for Bridget.

Dante follows Bridget out out on the patio; he has some wine and glasses with him, since he thought they both need to unwind. Bridget laments that they didn't get to Italy, since she wanted to meet his family. She still will, Dante promises. She's also sorry that they didn't get to spend some time alone. She thinks it's been healing for her to stay here with him and help him care for Dino. Dante says that was all he could ask for, but Bridget knows that he was hoping for more. She just wasn't ready to be there for him in the way he wanted. Dante says he'll wait as long as he has to, but Bridget doesn't want him to wait any longer. They kiss, and he carries her into the house and lays her on the bed. Still, kissing, they start to undress. They both say that this is what they want now. They kiss again, but Dante pulls back and goes to get something from the side of the bed. Smiling, Bridget asks if he needs something from the nightstand, but she's surprised to see that it's not what she expected. Dante turns to her and has a jewelry box with an engagement ring in it. He asks her to marry him!

Taylor offers an apology.

Nick is in his office working when Taylor drops by. Nick's not happy to see her; he tells her that bad things happen when they talk. Taylor wants to apologize. She still thinks it was right to tell him that Brooke and Ridge slept together, but she admits she shouldn't have implied that Brooke wasn't being totally honest. Nick says that he never believed that anyway. Taylor feels ashamed, as a psychiatrist and a woman, since she should knows that rape is never acceptable, no matter how suspect the woman's past is. She's sorry she thought otherwise. She then asks how Brooke is. They're fine, Nick replies. So he's not letting what Ridge did affect his relationship with Brooke, she surmises. That's right, he says, explaining that Brooke won't be around Ridge anymore. But they work together, Taylor says. Brooke is taking care of that at Forrester right now, Nick responds. Taylor asks why he's not worried that Ridge will change Brooke's mind. It won't do any good, he states. He knows she wants to believe that Ridge and Brooke have this "undeniable" love, but... But it can't be true if Brooke is with him, Taylor replies. And she will be for a long time, Nick tells Taylor, and nothing anyone can say will change that now.

Stephanie encourages Ridge to listen to Brooke.

In the basement office at Forrester, Ridge pleads with Brooke not to throw away what they have by quitting. Brooke tells him that his mother will never let them run Forrester. Stephanie agrees, so Ridge tells his mother to stay out of this. Brooke tells him that Stephanie has been trying to get rid of her for so long that it's become a compulsion, and she's had enough. She's tired of fighting, so she's giving in. Ridge tells her that he wants her, no matter what his mother wants. Brooke tells him that this is about more than just his mother. She reminds him of what happened the other night. But she forgave him, he points out. But Nick will never forgive him, she says, which is why Nick doesn't want her working here anymore. Ridge can't believe that she would cave in to Nick's whims that way. He's her future, Brooke replies, but Ridge asks her not to say that. Stephanie tells him to listen to Brooke, but he tells his mother to back off. Brooke tells him that his mother can't back off. She tried for years to win Stephanie's approval, but she sees now that it will never happen - and neither will a future with him. Because of his mother? Ridge asks. Because Stephanie never though she was good enough, she says. She turns to Stephanie and says that most normal mothers would be thrilled to see their sons happy, but Stephanie never was - and now she never has to be, since Brooke is letting her win. Ridge asks why she's saying this if this isn't about his mother. Stephanie says it's because it makes Brooke the victim.

Brooke tells Ridge that it's over.

Sick of listening to his mother, Ridge takes Brooke aside. Brooke reminds him how his mother faked a heart attack to keep them apart, and how Stephanie pretended to be her friend, only to turn on her once Taylor returned. Ridge suggests they go to Paris and run the company from the office their, but Brooke says that her life is here, with Nick. Ridge says that she's only with Nick because his mother broke them up. Maybe that's true, she admits. Then don't leave Forrester, he says, because it's their children's legacy. Brooke suspects that's not the only reason he wants her to stay. This is where they began, she says, where they clicked, where they shared so many triumphs in the boardroom and on the runway. This is where their love affair began, so it's only fitting it ends here. Ridge repeats, "No," over and over, but Brooke stands firms. Tearfully, she says that she'll never forget what they shared here, and a part of her will always love him. But she has to go, she says, as she touches his face and gives him one small kiss. Still crying, she picks up her box of things, leaving Ridge and Stephanie alone in the office.

Nick has a surprise for Brooke.

Soon after, Brooke arrives at Marone and tells Nick that she did it. She walked away from Forrester Creations, even with Ridge begging her to stay. It's what she wanted, he tells her. Brooke tearfully says that she didn't expect it to feel this way. As Nick holds her, she says that Ridge was hurt, but she told him that her future was with Nick. The thing is, she still cares about Ridge. She knows Nick wants her to feel relieved, and she does on one level, but on another... Nick kisses her and says that he just wants her to be happy, and he has a surprise for her that will help with that. He whisks her off to the Marone jet, where he has her bags packed and on board already. His mother and Catherine are taking care of the kids, so there's nothing to stop them from taking off. He buzzes the pilot that they're ready to depart. But where are they going? Brooke asks. Nick asks where she wants to go. Forward, she replies, with him. Nick thinks they can do that. And a gorgeous beach and a fruity drink along the way won't be bad either, she adds. Nick agrees. Sighing contentedly, Brooke tells Nick that he had no idea how much she needs this. He knows now, Nick replies, as holds her tight and she smiles.

Ridge gasps in pain.

Back at Forrester, Ridge sags into a chair. Stephanie knows this was hard for him, but she promises to help him get past this and move on with someone who's truly worthy of him. Someone like her? he asks. Brooke called it a compulsion, but he thinks his mother's efforts to keep him from Brooke were more like an obsession! Stephanie says she only wanted to protect him, but he thinks she wanted to keep him for herself! She says that's nonsense, since she supported his marriage Taylor. Taylor was her best friend, he says, and her surrogate, embodying everything his mother admired. Stephanie agrees with that last part, but Ridge doesn't think that changes the fact that she thinks it's all about her. He asks what kind of a mother would devote her life to keeping her son from having what he wanted most. He put up with the heart attack, the gun, the years of abusing and insulting Brooke, all in the hopes that she would finally stop so he could be happy. And she wants him to be happy, she says. If she really wanted that, he says, Brooke wouldn't have left. Brooke wants Nick, she replies, but he says that she drove Brooke to Nick! If she'd only supported them... Stephanie tells him that he doesn't need Brooke, but he says he does! Brooke gave him more love than he had in his life, he claims, but the years of disrespect, despite his efforts to ask his mother to stop, finally pushed her away. Stephanie replies, "I love you, baby," but he says he hasn't been her baby in a long time.