Monday, October 29, 2007, Episode #5176

Ridge makes his choice.
Brooke is still in her living room with Ridge. She tells him that she knows this is hard for him, since he committed to Ashley and is an honorable man. But at the same time, she thinks he was ready to make a life with her before, which is why he has to face the truth and tell her if he's ready to have that life now. Ridge admits that this is hard, because he fears her being the donor for Nick and Taylor's baby may still pull her back to Nick someday. But he hopes that if she ever feels drawn to Nick, she'll realize what he found out now. He explains that he really tried to keep his promise to Ashley and let go of Brooke, but it felt like he was letting go of everything that made him what he was. Now, being here with Brooke, he feels like he's come home, despite all the stupid mistakes he's ever made with her. "The only life I have, I have with you," he tells a tearful Brooke, who asks if he's saying... "I'm saying yes," Ridge says. Elated, Brooke hugs Ridge. She asks if he's told Ashley yet. He says that he will as soon as Ashley gets home, lamenting how much he's hurt Ashley, her little girl and Brooke. Brooke asks Ridge to come upstairs and lay down with her. Ridge takes her hand and leads her up to her bedroom.

Brooke asks Ridge to remember how they used to be.
Once they get up to the bedroom, Ridge hesitates. He asks Brooke if she's ready for this, worrying that it's too soon after the rape. Brooke reminds him that the last man to touch her was Andy; she hates that man and hates that she's thinking about him now. Ridge tells her that he's thinking of her now. "Then remember all of me," Brooke says, asking him to show her that she's still the same, and that she belongs to him and not that horror. They start kissing, and Ridge tells her how crazy she is. Brooke whispers, "I know." Ridge tells her he loves her, and Brooke again responds, "I know." They kiss some more and fall onto the bed. After they make love, they lie in bed. Brooke asks Ridge if it's OK that some things won't be the same now. Ridge says he doesn't want them to stay the same, because he likes how it is now. Brooke thinks it's funny how sometimes, dreams change, but when Ridge thanks God for letting him be here with her, she giggles that some things do stay the same after all. "Every dream I ever had is you," she sighs as they kiss again.

Donna tells Stephanie that Eric is now Forrester's sole owner.
In Eric's office, Stephanie calls Donna a slut. She fumes how Donna may have pointed those "rockets" on her chest at Thorne, but at least he, unlike his old fool of a father, had the brains to turn away. "The rockets and I never had it so good," Donna retorts. Stephanie asks Eric why he can't see what Donna's up to. Eric contends that Donna has no hidden agendas, but Stephanie tells him that Donna is only using him to get back at her. Donna chimes in about how Stephanie is again making Eric feel worthless. She admits that she's more interested in making Eric happy than in seeing Stephanie miserable. Stephanie tries to fire Donna, but Eric fires back to Stephanie that she's the one who is fired! Stephanie says that he can't do that, since this is a family business, but Donna informs her that Eric is the sole owner of Forrester Creations now. Eric then tells Stephanie about the condition Nick put on the sale that requires him to divorce her. Stephanie thinks this is absurd, accusing Donna of manipulating that contingency into the sale agreement, but Eric insists that Nick put that condition in the contract. Stephanie seethes that no court will ever enforce that. Eric cautions that he intends to stay true to his word, which unlike Stephanie's, still means something to people. Donna takes that as a cue that Eric and Stephanie need some alone time; she tells Eric that she loves him and warns him not to let Stephanie make him forget who he is before leaving.

Thorne is surprised when Katie drops by with lunch.
Katie drops by Thorne's basement office and finds him cleaning the clutter that got buried there while Nick controlled the company. When Thorne tells the worker who is helping him that it's time for lunch, Katie chimes in that she's just in time and offers Thorne his choice of a selection of turkey sandwiches that she brought. Thorne thanks her. Katie admits that she had ulterior motives in coming by, since she saw Ridge's car in the driveway when she got home and peeked in the window, only to see Brooke and Ridge engaged in some heavy conversation.

Katie likes Thorne's answer.
As she and Thorne enjoy their lunch, Katie asks why all the good ones are always wasted. Thorne asks how he's being wasted. "Are you seeing anyone?" Katie asks. "No one besides you," Thorne replies. Katie is glad to hear that and suggests he keep it that way. The banter leads to a kiss. Just then, Donna walks by and sees the kiss through the open door. "I must say, you two are a much better idea than you and I were," she quips to Thorne as she walks into the office. "The 'Titanic' was a better idea than you and I were," Thorne counters. Donna asks Thorne and Katie if they're sleeping together; when neither answers, Donna takes that as a no. She tells them she's happy for them and asks why they can't be as happy for Eric and her.

Eric tells Stephanie how he feels.
Upstairs, Eric assures Stephanie that his relationship with Donna isn't the sexual daydream Stephanie thinks it is. Stephanie scoffs that Eric sees this affair as a mental vacation from the choices they've made, where Donna makes him feel like anything is possible. Eric admits that he's considered how some people will react to how it looks for him to be with someone young and fun like Donna, but none of that mattered when he realized that he was happy. He asks Stephanie if she remembers what it was like to be happy and asks why she even wants to stay married to him. Stephanie angrily asks if this is some fishing expedition on his part. He tells her that it isn't and admits that he knows she loves him, but he truthfully doesn't know why, especially when she treats him like some over-the-hill hunting dog that she just keeps around. Stephanie is insulted that he can ask that question after all they've been through. Eric tells her that he remembers everything they've been through as he removes his wedding ring from his finger and places it on the desk.

Stephanie tells Eric that it's not over for them.
Stephanie asks if this means he wants a divorce. Eric says he wants a separation. Stephanie accuses him of punishing her, but he asks her not put words in his mouth. She asks when he plans to tell the children, but he reminds her that their "children" are grown and can choose any relationship they want. He tells her that she just won't be in the house, something their kids have gotten used to. Stephanie asks why she's being cast out of her own home. Eric reminds her that she was the one who left. Stephanie agrees to check into a hotel, but she still can't see why she's expected to grovel after she forgave him for his involvements with Lauren, Sheila and twice with Brooke. Eric thinks that should prove how much he wants to see what life without her is like. Stephanie scoffs at how he's acting like an artist, painting this bold picture of himself and some fantasy future when what he really needs to do is grow up. She can't believe that he's passing on a life with her to have Donna stroke his ego. Eric says this isn't a competition. Stephanie laughs at that notion and tells him to marry Donna if he wants to, although she hopes there won't be any babies. Eric asks how she can think about that now. She says she can because she's the practical one, which is why he loves her. She guesses that he feels liberated being with with Donna now, but what goes up also goes down. "When it does,' she advises, "I'll be there to collect you, because this is not the end of us."