Monday, August 20, 2007, Episode #5128

Eric tries to set Stephanie straight.

At the Forrester mansion, Stephanie calls Dorothy Bascomb from Child Protective Services and asks when they should meet tomorrow at the courthouse for Brooke's hearing. Dorothy states that there's no need for Stephanie to be there. Stephanie asks how the visit to Brooke's went, but Dorothy says she can't discuss it. Stephanie again warns Dorothy that Brooke is putting up a front to look good to the judge, but Dorothy doesn't see a need to discuss this further and ends the call. As Stephanie hangs up, Eric comes over, having overheard the conversation. He asks his wife why she can't ever let go. Stephanie says she was just calling Dorothy for... Eric cuts her off and accuses her of trying to turn this into her battle, even though no one else wants to fight. "Hope and R.J. are not your kids," he reminds her, "and they never will be."

Andy offers Brooke an impossible choice.

As a whimpering, sobbing Brooke lies on her living room floor, a pleased Andy tells her how incredible she was. He also compliments his own prowess as a devastated Brooke continues to cry. As Andy starts to tidy up, he tells Brooke that a little roughhousing was a small price to pay for the greatest sex of their lives. "It was rape," Brooke accuses. Andy gets turned on by her saying that and wants more from her. Brooke goes for the phone, but Andy warns her not to call anyone - especially not if she wants to see her kids again. Brooke says he has nothing to do with her hearing, but Andy disagrees and challenges her to call 911 if she wants to take that chance. He asks how it will look if the authorities get called to the house a third time, this time because she invited some guy over and had some rough sex with him. Brooke says she didn't invite him, he broke in. Andy asks who will believe a sex addict like her, as Stephanie called her during the last hearing, who has been seen in magazines in her underwear over a lawyer like him. Pointing out that they were photographed together at Cafe Russe last night, he promises to drive the words "sex addict" home using his skills as an attorney if she even thinks of reporting him - and then she'll never see her kids again! Brooke fumes that he researched her and knew just what to do to set her up. "And it was perfect," Andy boasts, daring her to choose between making him sweat with the law and getting her kids back.

Dorothy is concerned by Brooke's nervousness.

Brooke glares at Andy and tells him to leave. Before Andy can react, there's a knock at the door; Brooke hears Dorothy Bascomb calling out to her from outside. Andy asks if this is what she wants Child Services to see. Brooke sobs that she just wants her kids back. Andy tells her to remember that as he hands her a trench-coat, reminds her of his threat and heads upstairs to hide. Brooke puts the coat on and goes to answer the door. When Dorothy sees Brooke standing in the doorway, she apologizes for coming by so late, but she likes to over-prepare for her cases and... She stops when she sees how nervous Brooke is and asks if anything is wrong. Brooke apologizes for how she looks, but Dorothy says how she looks doesn't matter. As Dorothy comes in the house, she asks Brooke if she was going somewhere. Brooke says she was going to her sister's but couldn't find her keys; while feigning that she's looking for the keys, Brooke takes something from her desk and puts it in her coat. She asks Dorothy for a ride to Donna's, but Dorothy says she can't escort anyone involved with her cases. However, she does note that she's a bit concerned about Brooke's nervousness tonight, since it makes her wonder if this home is really safe for the kids. Seeing the glasses of liquor on the table, she asks if she's interrupting anything. Brooke covers that she's just worried about the hearing. Dorothy reminds Brooke that there can't be another incident like the last two if Brooke wants her kids back. She tells Brooke to get some rest and bids her goodnight.

Brooke pulls a letter opener on Andy.

After Dorothy leaves, Brooke makes another bolt for the door, but Andy comes down and stops her. He brags about how hot and excited he got listening to Brooke protect him from the top of the stairs. He suggests that he and Brooke get back to business and move on to another room, like the kitchen, since they're done in this room. Brooke responds by pulling a letter opener from her coat and pointing it at Andy, ordering him to get away from her and get out! "You're sick. You are evil! You used my children to get what you wanted!" she accuses. Andy says he's about to do it again, but Brooke says he's wrong and threatens to kill him if he comes closer. Andy calls her bluff and moves closer to her, so he's stunned when she takes the letter opener and stabs him in the chest! Recoiling in pain, Andy calls her a bitch! Brooke tells the son-of-a-bitch to get out of her home; her sick assailant runs out the door.

Nick worries about Brooke.

At the Marone mansion, a nervous Nick paces the floor. Taylor senses that he's worried about Brooke's hearing tomorrow and tells him that it's OK if he wants to go check on Brooke. Nick admits that he's feeling conflicted, but Taylor tells him that he wouldn't be the man she married if he didn't feel protective about Brooke. As Nick turns to leave, Taylor admits a sense of deja vu watching her husband run to Brooke's rescue, but she then takes the comment back. Nick tells her to be honest with him, so she admits that she actually feels for Brooke, especially because of her part in Brooke losing custody of the kids. Nick tells her that she did what she could. That's not what he said when they last argued about this, Taylor responds, reminding him that he blamed her after the hearing. Nick concedes that he was confused and reminds her that they got past it. Maybe he did, Taylor states, but she didn't.

Taylor tells Nick that she understands how Brooke feels now.

Taylor explains to Nick that she's still angry at herself, because she wondered if he felt that she somehow trespassed on his friendship with Brooke by insisting that she was right to say what she did at Brooke's hearing. That led to her having some deep fears about other things. Nick asks what kind of fears she has; she explains that she's been having dreams about the woman who donated her eggs for the baby coming back, asking for equal custody of their child. Nick reminds her that it can't happen. Taylor says she knows that, but just the thought of it made her realize what Brooke is feeling. The idea that she might lose their baby is her worst nightmare, and now Brooke is living that nightmare for real thanks to the Forresters again using their money and power to run people's lives. Now that she understands what Brooke is feeling, she wants Nick to go over and tell Brooke that they're both on her side, and she wants Brooke to know that she has no intention of being anywhere near that courthouse tomorrow.

Stephanie defends her actions to Eric.

Stephanie tells Eric that she just wants to stick up for Hope and R.J. because no one stood up for her as a child. Eric tells her to not even try suggesting that, because Brooke would never abuse those children in any way. Not physically, Stephanie agrees, but she suggests that Brooke has put those kids through an emotional turmoil by neglecting them whenever another man comes into Brooke's life. She suggests that one of those men might abuse the kids, but Eric claims that Brooke would put herself in harm's way to protect her children. Stephanie thinks he has a selective memory given how Rick shot Grant, and how Brooke slept with Bridget's husband. As the two argue about Brooke's fitness as a parent and Stephanie's interference in Brooke's life, they're interrupted by a visit by Dorothy, who has just come from Brooke's. Dorothy recalls her first visit to the Logan home and remembers that Stephanie said Brooke was not a drinker. Stephanie confirms that Brooke doesn't drink, although who knows about her boyfriends. Dorothy tells Stephanie to stop implying that having a boyfriend makes a woman a bad mother. "Even if it's a different fellow each night?" Stephanie asks. Eric tells Stephanie to hush and thanks Dorothy for coming by, but Stephanie realizes that Dorothy saw something at Brooke's house and urges Dorothy to pay Brooke another visit in the morning.