Friday, December 21, 2007, Episode #5213

Ridge asks for Eric's help.

In Eric's hotel room, Donna admits that maybe she shouldn't be questioning his commitment, but he's still married. Eric assures he won't hypocritically hide behind that, but he thanks her for the out. "I don't want you to doubt what we have," he assures, promising not to let his history with Stephanie repeat itself this time. A pleased Donna smiles and they kiss, but a knock at the door interrupts them. It's Ridge, who sees Donna and asks to speak to Eric alone. Donna offers to leave, but Eric tells her to stay, since it's time his children accepted that she's part of his life now. Turning back to Ridge, Eric asks why it seems like he's about to be asked something he won't like. Ridge tells his dad that he, Thorne and Felicia have been talking about how depressed Stephanie is recuperating all alone before Christmas. "So the three of you expect me to come in and save the day?" a peeved Eric asks. Ridge says that he and his siblings will be there, even if their mother locks the house down, but he think it will make all the difference in the world if Eric would be there - that is, unless Donna has a problem with that?

Donna tells Eric to be with his family.

Donna tells Ridge that all she wants is for Eric to have a wonderful Christmas, and if that means spending time with his family, she's all for it. She turns to Eric and tells him that they'll have many more Christmases together, and she hopes that someday his family will welcome her as part of that. But tomorrow, if he wants to be at the mansion with the rest of his family, she wants him to go and have a good time, knowing that she's thinking of him. Eric tells her that he appreciates both the gesture and her. Ridge somberly offers his thanks as well. "My pleasure," Donna replies with a smile.

Donna gets an early gift from Eric.

After Ridge leaves, Eric decides to give Donna her Christmas present early as a token of his appreciation. Donna opens the box and giddily giggles when she sees it's a stuffed teddy bear. "It's a honey bear just like you," she laughs, referring to her nickname for Eric. Eric grins as he points out that there's one small difference and points to a collar around the bear's neck. Donna beams as she sees that the collar is an elegant diamond bracelet! She tells Eric that this is completely unnecessary, but he tells her that he doesn't want to hear it and insists that he got this not so she can be more sparkly, but because he wanted to do something wonderful. Donna thanks him, since no one ever gave her anything this special.

Eric shares his post-holiday plans with Donna.

Eric then reveals that he's going to give Donna something even more special after the holidays. Donna laughs as she asks if it's his eggnog recipe. He laughs that she can have it if she wants it, but he's talking about an engagement ring, since he plans to file for divorce after Christmas so he can give her the kind of commitment she deserves. Thrilled, Donna thanks him with a hug, but Eric sighs and looks melancholy as they pull away from the embrace. Donna asks what's wrong. Eric reluctantly admits that he knows things are wonderful between them, but he can't help worrying that he's so much older than her. He fears she might break his heart if some hot, young stud comes along when things aren't so new for them. Donna promises that she would never do anything to hurt him and they kiss.

Storm levels with his father.

At the jailhouse, Stephen realizes how wrong he was. He thought he and Storm were healing their old wounds to the point where he put his fate in Storm's hands, but Storm's admission shows just how much his son despises him. Brooke asks Stephen to let Storm explain, but Stephen says there's no need, because he knows that this is all his fault. He laments that all the rage Storm carried around since childhood because of him has now led Storm to lie, cheat and risk his career to make sure he got what he deserved, so he has no one to blame but himself for Storm's totally justified rage and hatred. Katie tries to reassure her dad, who admits that it's time he finally took responsibility for the wrongs he's done his children. Storm thinks he should be the one to take responsibility for letting his rage get to him after all these years. Stephen argues that Storm has nothing to be ashamed of. "I had a job to do as an adult, and I failed," he regrets, reflecting on how it took a messed up situation like this to get him to wake up and admit that he wasn't there for his son because his total lack of self-esteem.

Katie tells Storm that he was always there for her.

Storm tells Stephen that he's been dealing with this since high school. Stephen guesses that Storm is referring to the letter Storm sent him, asking him to come home for the water polo championship match. He recalls how he read that letter a hundred times, but he kept thinking that he'd have nothing to offer by coming home and cowardly decided not to answer. Storm thinks back to the end of the match; he stopped a shot with .4 seconds left on the clock and won the game and the crowd went wild, but all he could do is look to the crowd for Stephen. When he didn't see his dad, he assumed Stephen didn't give a damn and decided he was through with his father, but he obviously still held some of that rage inside to the point where he could do something this horrible to his father and sisters. "You were more of a father to my girls than I ever was," Stephen confesses, seeing what a toll that took on his son. Brooke and Katie agree that Storm was always there for them, but Stephen thinks he selfishly and stupidly pushed too much off on his son. Storm is surprised that his father doesn't hate him for what he did. "I could never hate you," Stephen answers, pointing out that he did something far worse by walking out on his family.

Brooke learns why her father left home years ago.

Storm tells Stephen to stop saying that he just walked out, because they both know there's more to it. Stephen tells Storm not to excuse his actions, but Storm thinks it's time his sisters learned why their father really left. "I ordered him to get the hell out," Storm declares. Stephen tells Storm to tell Brooke and Katie the rest. Storm doesn't think there's much more to say, so Stephen reveals to his girls how Storm constantly told him what a lousy job he was doing as a husband and a father and demanded that he leave if he wasn't going to grow up and act like a man. He sees now that Storm hoped he would finally take some responsibility, but he was too weak and left. Storm sighs that he should never have pushed his father so hard. "Of course you should have pushed me!" Stephen retorts, attesting that Storm put him to the test and he failed. "This is my mess," he declares, proclaiming that he intends to make up for it by standing up for Storm the way he should have years ago. Storm thinks his dad is talking about making things up to him when he gets out of here and advises Stephen to just leave town and never look back, but Stephen says he's not getting out of here. "I'm gonna confess that I shot Stephanie!" he proclaims.