Thursday, February 28, 2008, Episode #5259

On THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS: Jack Abbott and his wife Sharon are at Forrester Creations. After Jack settles some personal business with Sharon about where she'd like to work, Ashley joins them. Eric hears that Jack is there and invites Jack to join him in his office. While Jack's gone, Ashley asks Sharon how things are living with Ashley and Jack's stepmother from hell, Gloria, and with Sharon working so closely with Sharon's ex-husband Nick and Nick's current wife Phyllis (who is also Jack's ex-wife). Sharon admits that things are tense with Gloria, but she's fine working with Nick and Phyllis. Meanwhile, Jack is stunned and disappointed when Eric tells him that Forrester's ad budget is committed for the year, so they won't be able to advertise in Jack's magazine. Wondering what dampened Eric's enthusiasm from yesterday, Jack tries to sweeten the deal, but Eric stands firm. Later, while he, Sharon and Ashley spend time at a local beach club with Ashley's daughter Abby and Sharon's son Noah, Jack tells his wife and sister that Eric passed on his offer. He can't shake the feeling that Victor Newman is behind Eric's sudden change of heart. Ashley promises her disappointed big brother that she'll try to find out what happened and will try to change Eric's mind. And now that we're done with another Jack and Nick's dealings with the Forresters, let's get back to our own Jack and Nick, as well as the rest of the folks on B&B.

Ridge and Phoebe talk about Taylor and Eric.

Phoebe stops by the Forrester mansion to talk with her dad about her mom's break-up with Nick. She worries about how suddenly the break-up happened and recalls how things were never quite right since right after baby Jack was born. Ridge assures Phoebe that Taylor is well on her way to being her old sense again, and he tells her that he's sure Taylor doesn't want her worrying too much about this. Felicia comes in and calls out for Stephanie, but she's glad when Ridge tells her their mother isn't there, since she wanted to talk to Ridge anyway. Seeing that Phoebe is there, Felicia asks her niece if everything is OK at school. Phoebe says it is and remarks that she's actually headed back to the dorms now (apparently Phoebe stayed true to her word and went back to school as planned at some point). Phoebe thanks Felicia for giving her a head's up about Eric's photo in the paper recently and asks if Eric is still with Donna. Felicia states that's actually why she's here; she wants to talk to Ridge about the golden opportunity they have to reunite their parents at the anniversary party. Phoebe offers to help, but Ridge tells Felicia that their dad seems committed to Donna. Phoebe says she has to go and leaves.

Felicia tells Ridge that she's hoping for a miracle.

Alone with Ridge, Felicia urges him to join her in planning a moving celebration for their parents that highlights what their family means to Eric, since Donna can't compete with that. Ridge informs her that Donna actually seems to have made their dad happy and thinks Eric might be wise to hold onto that happiness while he can. Felicia asks if Ridge's somewhat skeptical comment means there's trouble in paradise with Brooke, so Ridge tells her that things are kind of hectic on that front now that Nick and Taylor split up. Felicia suggests that maybe it's not meant to be for him and Brooke and changes the subject back to her party plans, but Ridge advises her not to expect any miracles. Felicia says that's just what she expects and suggests that maybe he should do the same.

Brooke fills Storm in.

Brooke is at Nick's house, where he tells her that he's hired Storm to represent him around custody of Jack. When Nick worries what might happen if Taylor starts drinking again, Brooke frets that baby Jack could be in danger without Nick around to monitor what Taylor is doing. Nick agrees that he's scared, too. When Storm arrives, Nick explains how Taylor hasn't been herself lately. Storm is a bit surprised; while he admits the last two years have been rough on Taylor, he thought she pulled herself together. Once Brooke and Nick explain that Taylor is drinking again, Storm wonders what led to that extreme change in behavior. When his sister sighs, Storm asks if she had anything to do with this, so Brooke tells him about the egg mix-up and about Jack's maternity. Storm starts to understand what's going on and asks Nick how he wants to proceed. Nick says that he doesn't want to take away Taylor's parental rights, but he needs to protect his son, which is why he wants Storm to ask for an emergency custody hearing first thing tomorrow morning. Storm cautions that they'll have to build a case showing how unstable Taylor is. Nick asks Storm to do it as respectfully as possible. I don't want her dragged through the mud, as he doesn't want Taylor dragged through the mud. He just wants Taylor's time with Jack to be supervised until she can prove she's stable enough to be with the baby alone. Storm goes to make some calls the get the hearing set up.

Nick laments that he's fighting for custody of his son.

Alone with Nick, Brooke reassures him that he's doing the right thing. A few minutes later, Storm returns and tells Nick that the hearing is scheduled and a process server is on his way to serve Taylor as they speak. Storm then heads home to prepare for tomorrow. Alone with Brooke again, Nick laments the thought that he's fighting for custody of his son. Brooke reminds him that Taylor left him no choice. The two of them wonder when Rick became so close to Taylor given how Rick came over with Taylor earlier. Nick agrees that it's strange, but he thinks it's good that there is someone there to offer Taylor support, especially if Jack comes back here to live. Even so, Brooke wonders how her son of all people became so committed to Taylor. The two of them watch the clock, wondering when Taylor will be served. Brooke admits that she empathizes with Taylor, since Stephanie tried to take away her kids last year. Nick tells her that her situation was different, because Stephanie was using her. In this case, he thinks they have a legit reason to question how stable Taylor is. Still, Brooke suggests, it's going to hurt Taylor deeply. Nick asks her to stay committed to their course of action, since she assured him a short while ago that he was doing the right thing.

Rick asks Taylor if her place is with baby Jack.

At Taylor's Bel Air home, she rejoins Rick after putting Jack down for the night. She thanks Rick for his support and finds it ironic that he of all people is siding with her against his mother. Rick says he just wants what's best for her and her son and asks her to consider a comment she made earlier that she sees Brooke every time she looks at Jack, and that fills her with rage. He asks if she feels that same rage toward him, since he's also Brooke's son. Taylor says she just sees a sweet man who has been kind enough to help her. She still can't believe that Nick got so upset about her choice to bring Jack home. Rick asks if she's ready to have Jack here. Taylor assures that she would not have brought Jack home if she wasn't ready. Taylor then asks Rick to search the house and remove any alcohol he finds, since she doesn't want anyone even thinking that she might be drinking. Rick agrees, but Taylor catches him giving her a look once he starts searching. Rick explains that he was just thinking about the battle ahead, since he wonders if she's ever considered that her place in life might not be with Jack. Taylor says that she feels that her place is with Jack, but since Rick has brought it up, she wonders where he thinks her place in life is.