Tuesday, August 12, 2008, Episode #5375

Marcus steals a quick kiss from Steffy when no one is looking.

On the Forrester rooftop sky lounge, Marcus and Steffy wait for some employees to return to work so they can have some privacy. Once the employees leave, Marcus and Steffy steal a quick kiss, but Marcus pulls away and reminds Steffy that they have to stay cool at work until her dad and his mom are cool with things. Steffy agrees. Marcus asks Steffy if she's heard how Eric is doing. She says that no one has told her anything. Marcus tells her that Eric wouldn't want them to let their lives stop, so he suggests that they go out after work to "chill" for a bit. Steffy suggests they go to the Hollywood Bowl and spread out a blanket out back, since it would give them enough privacy. "We could do a little bit of this," she giggles as she kisses him. When she pulls away, Marcus decides to show her what he has in mind for their date and kisses her back.

Steffy tells Marcus that she has a perfect idea for their next date.

Steffy pulls away from the kiss and tells Marcus that she has an even better idea for their date. It's someplace perfect and very private. Marcus asks where and when. Steffy tells him that she'll text him later with the details and leaves to make plans. As Marcus turns to go downstairs, a Forrester employee comes over and tells him that Owen Knight is back in town. Marcus asks if he's sure. The employee confirms that he saw Owen with Donna, so he figured Marcus would want to know.

Ridge orders Owen to leave.

In Eric's office, Ridge orders Owen to leave, but Owen refuses to leave Donna alone. Donna asks Owen why he's here. He tells her that he had a hunch that she needed him. "She doesn't," Ridge argues, but Owen tells Donna that she can trust him as her friend and points out that only she, as Eric's advocate, can make any decisions about her husband's health. Ridge explains about the document he was asking Donna to sign, but Owen states that Donna would be issuing her husband's death warrant by signing that paper and asks if she really wants that. "No. I can't and I won't," Donna tearfully sighs, stating that Eric needs more time. When Ridge protests, Owen notes that the family is so emotionally and physically spent over Eric's ordeal that they're not thinking clearly enough to make such a critical decision. Donna suggests to Ridge that he may have thought he heard Eric's voice because of all the stress he's been under. She then shows Ridge some studies she found on the Internet about coma patients, especially older ones like Eric, who miraculously recovered after it seemed like there was little hope. "Eric needs us. Help him fight to come back to us," she pleads. After reading Donna's studies, Ridge sits down at the desk and holds his head as he tearfully states, "It was too soon. I almost killed my father." Donna points out that he didn't, but Ridge keeps beating himself up for nearly killing his dad based on a hallucination. Donna assures him that everything will be all right. "Our prayers for your father are the same prayers," she gently tells him.

Brooke is surprised by Ridge's revelation.

Soon after, Brooke returns to the office and finds Ridge there alone. She asks if Donna signed the papers. "No one's signing anything," Ridge somberly replies. Brooke asks him to tell her what happened, so he explains that he sees now that he almost killed his own father. He thinks about how close he came to killing his dad because he thought that was what Eric wanted and is grateful that it's not too late. Brooke offers him a reassuring hug. After they break from the embrace, Ridge concedes that he might have been hallucinating, as Donna suggested, when he thought he heard his father's voice. He tells Brooke about the articles Donna showed him about older coma patients who recovered after being given just a little more time and admits that he was in such a rush to convince his family to do something horrible. But he got the whole family to at least look at it from his perspective, Brooke points out, so it couldn't have been wrong, and there might still come a time when they need to make that decision. Ridge admits that even though Donna is not one of his favorite people, he can't deny how much she loves Eric, so he's glad she was able to change his mind. Brooke sighs that it OK now and draws him into another comforting embrace.

Donna thanks Owen for being there for her.

Meanwhile, Owen takes Donna home. When Owen offers to leave, Donna asks him not to go, since she feels so alone now. Owen tells her that she's not alone, and he explains that he came back from San Diego because he somehow knew that she'd need him. As Owen draws her into a hug, Donna thanks him for helping her get through to Ridge. Owen points out that he just asked if she was sure that she wanted to take Eric off the ventilator, but she did the rest. Donna asks if she's kidding herself by expecting a miracle. Owen tells her not to ever stop believing in miracles, since Katie's being alive is one, as was Marcus finding her and reuniting with her. Donna thanks him for coming back and tells him that she doesn't know what she would do without him. Owen tells her not to worry, because he's not going anywhere. Donna confides that if and when she actually has to let Eric go, she doesn't know how she can get on with her life. Owen offers to help her and tells her to focus on a moment she and Eric shared in this room. Donna tells him how she and Eric would come in her after dinner and Eric would open up the patio doors. Then Eric would want to dance, so he'd push a button on the piano, which doubles as a player piano, and take her in his arms so the two of them could dance the night away together. "I'd just want to be there forever," she recalls.