Monday, August 11, 2008, Episode #5374

Marcus tells Katie how much he likes being in L.A.

Katie comes up to the Forrester sky lounge and finds Marcus shooting some hoops. When Katie compliments him on a shot, Marcus asks if she's up to taking him on, since he heard she was pretty good at basketball. Katie politely declines and notes how well Marcus seems to have taken to L.A. life. Marcus agrees that he likes his new life. Even though his adoptive parents did their best, he finally feels like he has a real home since finding Donna and becoming part of this family. Katie tells Marcus that he's the best thing that ever happened to Donna and marvels at how quickly he and Donna bonded. Marcus thinks Katie will see what that's like when she has a child of her own. Katie smiles and holds her belly. Marcus tells Katie that it's good to have her back at work, since his mom needs all the help she can get. Katie is surprised to hear him refer to Donna as "Mom." Marcus admits that it took a while to get that point, since he grew up thinking his mom gave him up because she was ashamed of him. But now he met Donna, and she makes him feel loved like no one else ever has. He recalls Donna telling that any child is a blessing and says that he really believes that now, and he bets Katie does, too.

Katie gives Marcus some advice.

When Katie observes the big smile on his face, Marcus admits that he has a lot to smile about lately. When Katie asks if that would include a girl, Marcus reveals that he likes Steffy. "A Forrester. You like to live dangerously," Katie laughs. Marcus tells her that he and Steffy just want to end the feud between their families. Katie smiles and wishes him luck with that. Katie then tells him she has to get back to work, as she has some things to review with Donna -- that is, if the extremely protective Owen will grant her an audience with her sister. Marcus tells her that shouldn't be a problem now that he sent Owen home packing. Katie asks why he did that. She knows about Owen's deal with Felicia, but he ultimately confessed everything and proved to be very supportive of Donna. Marcus insists that Owen is trouble, so he's glad the guy is gone now.

Ridge turns off Eric's ventilator.

In Eric's hospital room, Ridge sobs, "Good-bye, Dad," after turning off the ventilator. As alarms start to sound, Brooke rushes in and asks Ridge what happened. Ridge weeps that his dad didn't want to suffer anymore. Horrified, Brooke asks if he... Before Ridge can answer, Dr. Patrick and some nurses rush in and see that the ventilator is turned off. Ridge tells them that he turned it off. The doctor orders the nurses to turn the machine back on. Ridge tells them not to and tries to stop them, but Brooke and an orderly hold him back as a nurse reactivates the ventilator and stabilizes Eric. Dr. Patrick asks Ridge what he was thinking. Ridge insists that his father doesn't want anything to do with that machine, but the doctor charges, "You're not empowered to make that decision." Still crying, Ridge insists to Brooke that Eric told him what he wanted. Brooke takes him outside so the doctor and nurses can work. Out in the hall, Ridge and Brooke look in on Eric through the window. Ridge insists that he did what was right and tells Brooke to gather the family in Eric's office, since Eric needs their help.

Thorne and Felicia are angered by Ridge's actions.

Soon after, Thorne, Felicia, Rick and Donna join Ridge and Brooke in Eric's office. Felicia asks if anyone called Stephanie. Thorne says that he tried to reach her, but she didn't answer her phone. When asked what's going on, Ridge explains that Eric is now on a ventilator that's keeping him alive. When he saw Eric hooked up to the machine, he knew his dad would not want to go on that way and turned the "damn machine" off. Everyone seethes at Ridge for his actions. Bridget comes in as Brooke tries to explain that the alarms went off and the medical staff arrived in time to turn the machine back on. The others don't care and fume that Ridge would even try to make a decision like that without consulting them first. Ridge defends his actions, insisting that he heard Eric's voice pleading with him to let him go, and that's why he turned the ventilator off. "It's what Dad wants. I know it is," he declares.

Bridget shares what she knows with Rick and the others.

Ridge asks Bridget to share with the others what she told him and Brooke earlier. Bridget tearfully confirms that the prognosis isn't very good, since Eric's chances of waking up diminish the longer he's in the coma. Donna refuses to believe that, since she's been doing research and has read of coma patients who wake up. Bridget weeps that she wants to believe that, but there's just been too much damage for her to think that there will be some kind of turnaround. "Even if he does wake up, he won't wake up my dad. He won't be the man we all know and love," she weeps. Ridge tells the others that Eric would not want to go on like this and urges them to support the decision to end Eric's misery, but Donna strongly objects and states that Eric would want to live. "You're on a mission to save Dad's life," Ridge states, "but I'm on a mission to honor Dad's soul." Thorne asks if Eric made his wishes known. Bridget informs them that there is no formal directive, but their dad designated Donna to make make any medical decisions for him. Felicia is shocked that her father would place that decision in Donna's hands.

Brooke comforts Donna, who refuses to give up hope.

Donna tells Felicia that Eric obviously trusted her to know what he wants, but she doesn't even need a piece of paper, as she knows her husband and is sure that he'd want her to give him more time to come back. Ridge presents a document he got from the hospital that will allow them to take Eric off the ventilator. All they need is Donna's signature on the document. Donna vehemently protests. Ridge tells her that none of them want to say goodbye, but Eric's suffering has to end. He doesn't think any of them would want to live as Eric is now, without any quality of life, so he urges them all to do what's right and allow Eric a dignified end to an extraordinary life. He looks first to Bridget, who admits that she's torn. As a doctor, she wants to fight to keep her dad alive, but as a daughter, she has to agree with Ridge. Felicia sobs that she knows what it's like to cheat death as a cancer survivor, but she retained her quality of life. While she doesn't want Eric to die, she knows he wouldn't want a living death as a vegetable. Rick agrees that if they have to lose Eric, they should do it with dignity. Thorne asks Ridge how they can make this decision without their mother. Ridge says that they will talk to Stephanie, but he's sure she'll understand why they have to do this. Felicia agrees to go along with whatever their mom decides, but she wonders if Stephanie will be able to say goodbye. With all his siblings in agreement, Ridge turns to Donna, who says that her heart goes out to them but she cannot and will not give up on her husband!