Tuesday, May 02, 2006, Episode #4798

Bridget is stunned by what Taylor tells her.

Bridget stops by Brooke's house and calls out for her mother. She's surprised when she gets no answer. She's even more surprised when she sees that Taylor is there. She asks Taylor what's going on. Taylor explains that she's watching Hope and R.J., because Brooke had to go to Big Bear to deal with a "situation". Bridget wonders what could have happened; Taylor guesses that there's no delicate way to put it and tells Bridget that Brooke and Ridge slept together last night - and Nick found out about it!

Taylor assures Bridget that Brooke did sleep with Ridge.

Stunned, Bridget can't believe her mom slept with Ridge. Taylor assures her it's true, since Ridge told her himself. But her mom loves Nick, Bridget points out. Taylor concedes that Brooke claims she didn't want it to happen. Bridget asks what that means. Taylor explains that Brooke was on medication. Although what happened next is up for debate, in the end, Brooke and Ridge ended up in bed together, even though Brooke still claims she didn't want it. Of course she didn't, Bridget remarks, asking if Nick knows. Taylor says he does. Bridget bets that Nick must be ready to kill Ridge right now.

Ridge asks Massimo to let him fight his own battles.

Meanwhile, Ridge has dropped by Massimo's office. He laments how much he's going through lately, and now he finds out that Massimo and Megan framed Jackie? Mass says he was just buying Ridge time to work things out with Brooke. Ridge is upset with Mass for taking that kind of action, but Mass insists he just did what had to be done. Ridge stops to massage his temples; Mass notices and asks what happened. He hopes Nick didn't... Ridge replies that Nick has anger management issues. He asks Mass to stop fighting his battles for him, as he can handle things on his own. Mass explains that he's fighting not just for Ridge, but for the entire family! He's tired of this war between brothers tearing the family apart. He asks Ridge to tell him he made progress with Brooke and has gotten her to re-commit to him. Ridge replies that his feud with Nick is just getting started, as he slept with Brooke, and Nick found out. Mass claps his hands in joy, as he thinks that's great news, but Ridge admits it wasn't the homecoming he wanted. He explains that Brooke was heavily medicated, so even though they slept together, she claims she didn't want it. And on top of that, he adds, Nick is accusing him of rape!

Massimo fears that Nick will blame everything on him and Ridge.

Mass thinks Nick's claim of rape is absurd, because Brooke would never let Ridge into her bed unless he wanted it. He thinks the important think is making Nick see that. He pours some drinks to celebrate, since he's sure Nick will never look at Brooke the same way after learning that she made love to Ridge because she wanted to. He hands Ridge a drink and states that it's obvious that Ridge and Brooke are meant to be together. Ridge says he's always believed that. Because it's true, Mass says, and now Nick knows it, too. Ridge doesn't care what Nick thinks. He just wants Brooke to understand, but she's up at Big Bear with Nick, trying to work things out. Massimo is sure Brooke will justify what happened. But she knows it wasn't rape, Ridge says. Massimo fears that Nick will try and find someone to blame for all this. Ridge says that would be him, but Mass includes himself in that, too.

Nick tries to understand what happened with Brooke.

At Big Bear, Brooke swears to Nick that she had passed out when she was in bed with Ridge, so she was so numb that she didn't know what was happening. Before she knew it, she was... She begs him to believe her, but she can tell from the look on his face that he's unsure. Nick says he's trying to understand. Even though he's used booze a few times, he's never taken pills before, so he needs help to understand this. Brooke swears that she she didn't expect the medication to affect her like it did. She insists that she's still the woman he fell in love with. Nick takes her hand and asks her to honestly tell him that there's no part of her that wanted this to happen. She replies that she already told him that she didn't. But she's a strong woman, he says. If she said no, he asks, why did it happen? Brooke says she told him. Nick laments that she keeps leaving doors open for Ridge to come into her life and asks if that's what she wants. She says she doesn't, but he isn't quite sure. He needs to know that she doesn't want Ridge. Brooke can't believe he'd ask her that after everything they've been through. Nick says he's questioning himself, not her. He's making a lifelong commitment here, so he needs to know now if she has ANY underlying desire for Ridge. Brooke tearfully replies that she wants him. Then how did this happen? he asks.

Brooke is stunned when Nick comes back into the cabin.

Brooke slowly recounts to Nick how she took too many pills. She told Ridge to leave as she went upstairs, but obviously he didn't leave, since the next thing she knew, she was awake, and Ridge was in bed with her! As soon as she knew what was happening, she wanted it to stop! Nick angrily shouts about "that Son of a Bitch!" Brooke begs him to please not let Ridge win by ruining what they have, but Nick just can't let it go. He can't just turn the other cheek knowing that Ridge violated her. But can he accept her and love her after what happened? Brooke asks. Nick doesn't answer. She asks him to look at her as she tells him to tell her he's not shutting her out. He doesn't say a word. She tries to pull him into her arms, but he pulls back. He walks to the door, pausing for a moment as he opens it. But he doesn't look back as he steps out, leaving a devastated Brooke on her knees on the floor, crying. Outside, Nick watches Brooke through the window; he sees her crying by the fireplace. He then goes back inside. Brooke looks at him questioningly at him, but he softly tells her that he's not going anywhere and kisses her. Before long, the two of them are undressing, and they make loves right there, on the rug by the fireplace.