Tuesday, December 11, 2007, Episode #5205

A stunned Ashley learns about Jack's maternity.
Ridge is in his office when Ashley passes by his door; she admits he caught her slipping back in after a long lunch where she did some Christmas shopping. Ridge asks what she got him, "I'm having a hard time figuring out what to get the guy who dumped me for another woman," she quips, asking how he's doing. Ridge admits that it's been hard for him with his mother's shooting and Brooke's dad's arrest for the crime, although he and Brooke have tried not to let that come between them. She asks how wedding plans are going and he admits that he and Brooke haven't said a date. When Ashley hopes she'll be included once he sets the date, Ridge jokes, "You're not planning to trip the bride or anything, are you?" On a more serious note, Ashley shows Ridge a gift she bought for baby Jack, a ceramic figurine of a woman holding her baby, Ridge thinks it's pretty, but he's not sure how it will go over given the circumstances with the donor egg. Ashley asks what he means, so Ridge lets slip that Brooke is Jack's biological mother. Ashley laughs, but then she realizes that Ridge isn't kidding. Ridge recounts the long story of the egg mix-up, explaining that only Bridget and Felicia know about this aside from him, Brooke, Nick and Taylor.

Ridge is sure that Brooke will not jeopardize their future.
Stunned, Ashley asks how Taylor is doing. Ridge says it's been a challenge for Taylor, but it's been just as hard for him and Brooke, since they had to figure out how to keep this baby, a connection between Brooke and Nick, from affecting their plans for a future together, and that's why he decided that Brooke can't have any future contact with Jack. Ashley thinks that cutting all ties to her biological child is a remarkable sacrifice for Brooke to make. Ridge agrees, but he thinks Brooke realized it was the only thing she could do for the sake of their family. He states that he could never accept the idea of Nick and Nick's child being part of the life he and Brooke are planning. He thinks he and Brooke have worked too hard to make those plans, which is why he's sure Brooke would never do anything to jeopardize them.

Jack gets to visit with Brooke.
Brooke comes aboard the Shady Marlin II and finds an eye-patch wearing Nick playing pirate with baby Jack. Brooke laughs at the idea of Jack being a pirate and is glad to see the baby here, since she didn't know what to expect when Nick asked her over today. Nick says that he thought she needed some cheering up with everything going on with her dad. Since he agreed last time they talked to find a way for her to see Jack, he thought he'd bring Jack over to see the "Marlin" for the first time - and if Brooke just happened to be there... Brooke thanks him and takes the baby. As she holds the baby and gives him his bottle, Brooke admits to Nick that she's feeling guilty about the way they're sneaking around behind Ridge and Taylor's backs, and she bets Nick feels the same way. Nick confesses that he does, but he also thinks Ridge and Taylor are being overly sensitive in insisting that Brooke play no role in Jack's life. Brooke agrees, but she also knows how keeping secrets has hurt the ones they love in the past and doesn't want to go down that road again, even if it means... When Jack starts to gurgle, Brooke realizes that she has to leave, even though she doesn't want to. She tells Jack that she has so many dreams for him that she wants to see come true, but she'll have to watch from a distance. She's sure he'll have a wonderful life, since he has wonderful parents, and she'll miss him so much, but she has to go. Caught up in the emotion, she gives Nick the baby and leaves the Marlin.

Nick asks Brooke if their families can make peace.
However, only a short time later, Brooke returns, telling Nick that she couldn't walk away from Jack any more than she could walk away from R.J. Nick says she shouldn't have to, since he's sure they both know that Taylor is Jack's mom. He can't change how Ridge feels, but he'll do anything his power to let Brooke spend some time with Jack and be part of his life. He admits that he and his father both grew angry from carrying grudges, and he doesn't want to see Jack grow up the same way, so he has to do something to bring their families together, and he thinks Jack's upcoming christening is just the way to do that. He suggests that he and Brooke go to Taylor and Ridge, respectively and ask that they use the christening as a chance for the four of them to put the past behind them. Brooke likes they idea and decides to go tell Ridge right now. She thanks Nick and leaves. After Brooke is gone, Nick plays with Jack and promises to bring their whole, very weird family, including Jack's two wonderful mommies, together.

Brooke makes a plea to Ridge.
Brooke returns to Forrester Creations and finds Ridge in his office, just after Ashley left. Ridge says it's a good thing Ashley had some work to tend to, because he'd like to lock the door and fool around with his bride-to-be. Brooke is tempted, but she has something important to talk to him about, something that involves their family and their future together. She tells Ridge that she loves him and is looking forward to the two of them raising their son together, especially with all the challenges they've faced. While she understands his feelings for Jack given his shaky relationship with Nick, she'd like to talk about it. Ridge doesn't see anything to discuss, since they already talked about this and came to an agreement. Brooke says she knows, and she also knows that what she's about to tell him will be hard for him to hear, but she still has a place in heart for Jack, which is why she thinks the two of them and Nick and Taylor have to come together for Jack's sake. Ridge doesn't like the idea, since they already agreed that she can't be part of Jack's life, but Brooke pleads with him to reconsider that they need to put this animosity behind them. She points out that this is the time of year when another child brought people together, so she pleads for him to let Jack do that for them.