Tuesday, November 13, 2007, Episode #5187

Brooke asks Nick about baby Jack.

Brooke meets Nick at Insomnia to talk about baby Jack. She explains that she didn't think it wise to meet at the house. Nick guesses that's because of "the dressmaker" not wanting him to come around, since Ridge is still not comfortable with the idea that Brooke is Jack's biological mother. Brooke asks if Taylor has bonded with Jack now that he's home.

Nick confides in Brooke.

When Nick is silent, Brooke asks if Taylor has problems bonding with the baby. Nick admits that it's been tough for Taylor. He tells Brooke that Taylor has been holding the baby, but there are times when he looks at his wife and sees this expression that makes him wonder if she can ever accept that Brooke is their son's biological mother.

Katie tells Storm that their father is in town.

Storm stops by Brooke's house to review Katie's contract with Forrester Creations. Katie tells Storm how excited she is about her new job and asks if he knows the combination to Brooke's safe, since her birth certificate is inside and she needs it for work. Storm gives her the combination. Katie is stunned when she opens the safe and finds a gun. Storm explains that Stephanie gave Brooke that gun to kill herself. When Katie freaks out at the idea of a gun in the house with kids around, Storm takes the weapon and offers to tell Brooke to return it to Stephanie when he sees her later. Katie finds her birth certificate, which reads "Katherine Elizabeth Logan," and wonders if she should start going by Kate, since it sounds so unprofessional when people like their dad call her Katie. Storm doesn't think that's a problem, since their dad's not around, but Katie tells him that Donna brought their dad back to L.A. Enraged by the news that his father is in town, Storm angrily tosses the contract on the floor and cries out. He then apologizes to Katie for the outburst; it's just that he's cared for their family for so long that he can't see why they need their dad in town. Katie apologizes for upsetting him and asks when he last spoke to their dad. It was years ago, Storm states, and he thinks little has changed since then. Seeing Storm is angry, Katie suggests he get going to catch Brooke. On his way out, Storm tells Katie to call their dad and tell him to go back to Paris or wherever. "I don't trust what I might do if I run into him," Storm cautions.

Donna tells her father that she's in love with Eric.

Stephen demands that Eric get away from Donna. He won't let Eric seduce Donna the way he seduced Beth and Brooke. As Eric puts his shirt back on, Donna tries to explain to her dad, but Stephen doesn't want to hear her defend Eric, since he's so sure Eric is using her. Donna tells her daddy that she loves Eric. Sensing the tension, Eric gives father and daughter a chance to have some privacy while they talk and leaves the room. Stephen insists that what Donna feels for Eric isn't love, but Donna disagrees. While Donna goes behind a screen to get dressed, Stephen somberly reads Eric's press release for the new line, glaring at the photo of Eric in the release. When Donna comes out, Stephen asks why she didn't tell him she was sleeping with Eric. Donna tells him that it's not what he thinks. She explains that what she feels for Eric is real, because she's found someone who can make her happy after years of dating losers. She even pinches herself every morning, because she can't believe how a wonderful man like Eric has changed her life. Stephen wishes it were any other man BUT Eric; Donna tells him that Eric isn't just any other man, because he treats her like a precious jewel. That's the man she wants to spend the rest of her life with, she sobs, so she can't understand why Stephen just can't be happy for her. Stephen holds Donna's hand and hugs her.

Eric tells Donna that he wants her on his arm on the runway.

Eric returns and acknowledges that he understands how Stephen feels, since he'd be just as concerned if one of his daughters was dating an older man. but he insists that his feelings for Donna are real. He tells Stephen what Donna has brought to his life. "What about Stephanie?" Stephen inquires. Eric explains that he and Stephanie are separated and asserts that he's in love with Donna. Donna smiles as Eric admits that he wasn't looking for a relationship with Donna, but he found one, and he vows to make Donna as happy as she's made him. Touched by Eric's admission, Donna puts her arms around him and hugs him before turning to her dad, who simply nods and leaves the office. Eric holds Donna, who's nearly in tears, close to him and comforts her. He sees that Donna is trembling. She says she was moved by what he told her father. Eric tells her that he meant every word and kisses her. He then goes over to his desk and opens up a garment bag containing the showstopper for the fashion show. "It's breathtaking," Donna sighs. Eric tells her that she was his inspiration for this, which is why he wants her to wear it when she's on his arm on the runway at the end of the show tomorrow. He wants the whole world to see her the way he sees her, since that will make them see what a happy man looks like. He laments that he's lived without happiness for a long time, but he doesn't want to do it anymore, and he doesn't have to thanks to her. An overjoyed Donna leans toward Eric and kisses him.

Storm has harsh words for his father.

Across the hall, Storm enters Brooke's office looking for his sister and finds Stephen sitting there. Stephen greets his son, who tells Stephen to tell Brooke he was there and turns to leave. When Stephen tries to stop him, Storm orders his dad to get his hands off him. He has no interest in listening to Stephen apologize for abandoning his wife and kids. Stephen insists that he didn't abandon anyone, and he only left because... When Stephen stops in mid sentence, Storm orders him to finish, so Stephen charges that he only left because he got tired of listening to his hot-headed son tell him what a lousy father he was! He explains that he couldn't stay because it hurt too much that Beth, no matter how much he loved her, was still in love with Eric. Storm states that's a load of bunk and insists that Stephen could have worked on his marriage if he really wanted. "How would you know what I wanted when you were always ordering me to leave?" Stephen fumes. Storm says that he did that to force Stephen to fight for his family, but instead, Stephen just left. Stephen admits that he left because he felt he'd do more harm than good by staying. Storm laughs at that explanation and tells his father that they don't need him here; he insists that he'll take care of his sisters, just as he's always done. If he took such good care of his sisters, Stephen angrily asks his son, then where was he when Donna started sleeping with Eric, or when Brooke was raped?!

Stephen insists that he's not going anywhere.

Storm shakes his head in disbelief at his father's claim that Brooke was raped; he's sure Brooke would have told him about something like that. Stephen informs Storm that Brooke told him about the rape, but not about Stephanie's involvement. Still shocked, Storm asks how Stephanie was involved, so Stephen tells him how Stephanie fed the rapist information about how to get close to Brooke. Between that and Donna's sleeping with Eric, he can't help but scoff at the "great" job Storm did protecting his sisters. Storm guesses that Brooke and Donna would have told him about their issues when they were ready and tells his dad to get out of his sight. Stephen bets that Storm would love that, so he could go running back to the girls and tell them how their daddy abandoned them again. But he didn't abandon them the first time, because Storm drove him away, and he only let the girls believe he walked out on them so they wouldn't blame their brother for tearing their family apart. Storm insists that he didn't tear the family apart and accuses Stephen of not wanting the family badly enough to fight for it. Stephen states that Storm is so wrong, and he intends to prove it by staying around and doing whatever it takes to protect his girls from Stephanie. Storm then takes the gun from Brooke's safe out and shows it to Stephen. Stephen is stunned as Storm tells him how Brooke got that gun; he fumes that the gun should be locked up, and so should Stephanie for everything she's done to their family. "I'd love to use this on Stephanie!" he seethes.