Friday, February 08, 2008, Episode #5245

Taylor tells Nick that they should go their separate ways.

At the Marone mansion, Taylor begs Nick to tell her if he loves Brooke. Nick tries to tell her that it's not that simple, but Taylor doesn't want to hear that. Nick finally admits that he still loves Brooke, but he insists that he still remains committed to Taylor and Jack. The feelings are there, but he's sure he can get past them. Taylor says that denying his feelings is a recipe for disaster, as she well knows. She laments that she knew deep down how Nick felt, and she fears that she'll have a nervous breakdown if she doesn't accept those feelings as a reality. Nick suggests that they will heal in in time, but Taylor sighs, "I am never going to get control of my life as long as Brooke has control of your heart." She says that she already went through that with Ridge, and she won't do that again. Nick insists that this situation is different, but while Taylor is glad that he was honest with her, she thinks it's best that they go their separate ways. Nick begs her to reconsider, promising to stand by her. Taylor declares that she loves baby Jack, but she feels James was right that she won't get better until she gets out of this situation. She says that she'll move back to her house in Bel Air, since no one is there now. Nick states that her home is here with him and Jack, but Taylor says that she can't live in Brooke's shadow. She takes off her wedding ring and places it in his hand. "I need to do this for me," Taylor tells Nick before leaving.

Brooke finds Rick waiting for her at home.

Brooke gets home and finds Rick waiting for her. He tells her that Bridget was here, too, but she had to leave, but he and his sister discussed baby Jack and how Jack's arrival affected so many lives. "You know how I feel," Rick reminds his mom, alleging that baby Jack is the miracle that will bring her and Nick back together where they belong. Brooke reminds him that she has children, so it's complicated. Rick counters that Nick loves Hope and R.J. like they were his own, so he thinks the kids would be better off in a happy home with Brooke and Nick. Brooke thinks she knows why he's saying this, but Rick tells her that this has nothing to do with Ridge and everything to with the fact that she and Nick are meant for each other. Brooke says that she knows Nick still loves her, since he just told her so. "Then what are you waiting for?" Rick asks. Brooke says that she's not sure it would be right. Before she can say anything else, Brooke gets a call from Nick, who tells her that Taylor moved out and went back her old house. Rick overhears and bolts out of the house. Meanwhile, Nick tells Brooke that he's alone with baby Jack, so Brooke tells him that she'll be right over.

Rick tells Taylor that she's not alone.

Rick arrives at Taylor's old house in Bel Air and finds her curled up on the couch in the darkened room. She tells him that it's over for her and Nick, and she feels so alone. Rick tells her that she's not alone, sliding next to her on the couch. She tearfully confesses that something is terribly wrong, recounting about her hallucinations of Brooke and how her old friend James Warwick tried to help her. James made her see that the core of the problem lies with Nick, she explains. Rick says that he's sorry, although he doesn't quite understand what she means about Nick. When Taylor explains how James told Nick to face his feelings for Brooke, Rick doesn't even have to ask how Nick answered. "That's just not fair," he commiserates, telling Taylor that he's sorry. Taylor admits that she knew deep down that Nick was never really over Brooke. Rick knows this may not mean much, but he thinks she did the right thing by moving out, since she needed to get some distance from Nick and be around people who care about her - like him. He tells her again that she's not alone. Taylor thanks him for the advice, since she doesn't do well when she's alone. Getting up, she laments that she's just so tired of competing with Brooke, since she's lost everything good in her life to Brooke, to the point where she's afraid to get attached to something for fear of losing it. "I feel like such a damn loser," she bemoans. recalling how she lost two husbands to Brooke! Rick moves to her side and tells her again that he cares about her - and then he leans in and kisses her!

Baby Jack settles down when Brooke holds him.

Brooke gets to the Marone mansion and finds Nick holding baby Jack. Brooke takes the baby from Nick and helps get him settled. "Maybe it's a mother's touch," Nick says as Brooke gets Jack put down. When Brooke asks what happened, Nick tells her how he got back from the Marlin to find Taylor waiting for him with James, who told Taylor what was going on. Although he tried to avoid the situation, Taylor demanded answers, so he had no choice but to tell her about his feelings for Brooke. Nick explains how Taylor wouldn't let him apologize, even after he admitted that he was still in love with Brooke, since she knew how he felt deep down. But she couldn't get past those feelings and decided to move out of the mansion, since she felt like that was her only option. Brooke asks who's going to be a mother to baby Jack. When Nick replies by simply looking at her, Brooke insists, "I can't," reminding Nick of the life she is building with Ridge, Hope and R.J.