Wednesday, February 06, 2008, Episode #5243

Hope, R.J. and Felicia tell Brooke about their fun-filled day.

At the Forrester mansion, Brooke insists she's committed to Ridge, but Stephanie thinks Brooke still has feelings for Nick. Before Brooke can respond, Hope and R.J. come in and rush to their Mommy to tell her that Aunt Felicia took them on a safari with Dominick. Felicia comes in right behind them and explains that Dominick got tired, so she brought him home for a nap, and Hope and R.J. insisted on coming in when they saw Brooke's car in the driveway. R.J. asks Brooke if she and Ridge are still taking him and Hope to the zoo this weekend. "Of course," Brooke replies. Felicia invites the kids to join her in the kitchen to bake some cookies while Mommy and Grandma chat. Brooke says that she and Stephanie are done and is ready to take the kids home, but Stephanie says she has one more thing to ask Brooke, so Felicia tells Hope and R.J. to follow her to the kitchen.

Stephanie refuses to butt out of Brooke's relationship.

Alone again with Stephanie, Brooke refuses to have this conversation; Stephanie takes that as confirmation that she's right that Brooke is still in love with Nick. Brooke tells Stephanie to stay out of her relationship. "My grandson is involved in this mess. That makes it my business," Stephanie contends, again asking Brooke if she loves Nick. Brooke refuses to answer, stating that Stephanie has no right to interfere in her life. Stephanie says that she's trying to help, because she thinks it's perfectly natural for Brooke to want to be with Nick if they share a child. Brooke reminds Stephanie that she also shares a child with Ridge and asks Stephanie if she'd deprive her own grandson the chance to grow up in a home with two loving parents. Stephanie says that she would if Brooke's heart belonged to another man. Brooke tells Stephanie to butt out, but Stephanie won't let her grandson be damaged by his mother entering a marriage she doesn't really want. "I still believe you're in love with Nick," Stephanie asserts.

James gives Nick some advice.

At the Marone mansion, James asks Nick to search his soul before answering his question. "Are you still in love with Brooke?" James asks. Nick points out that Taylor is the one having issues with Brooke, but James thinks that Taylor might not be the only one, reminding Nick of his past involvement with Brooke. Nick insists that Brooke is in his past, but James doesn't think it's that simple. Nick asserts that he'll always care deeply about Brooke and her kids, but he's committed to Taylor. Which makes it even more important that Nick answers his question, James counters, suggesting that Nick's conflicting feelings are at the heart of his issues with Taylor and Brooke. He asks Nick one more time, "Are you or are you not in love with Brooke?" Nick says he's not comfortable with this, but James insists that he's not passing judgment. He knows Nick wants to help Taylor, but he believes that Taylor can only get that help if Nick takes the time to seriously consider his questions. Nick is ready to answer right now, but James advises him to be 100% sure before he does, for Taylor's sake. Nick agrees that helping Taylor is the most important thing now, so James advises him to find a place where he likes to think to consider whether or not he still has feelings for Brooke.

Taylor gets upset when she learns what James asked Nick.

Later, Taylor comes downstairs and finds James alone in the living room. She asks where Nick is. James explains that Nick had to go out for a while and didn't want to disturb her while she was resting to tell her. Taylor asks James what he and Nick talked about; James prefers to keep that between him and Nick, but Taylor insists that she needs to know what Nick's thinking if she wants to save her marriage. James reluctantly discloses that he asked Nick if he was still in love with Brooke. "Why did you ask him that?" an upset Taylor asks. James tells Taylor that her problems with Nick have more to do with Nick and his feelings for Brooke than with Brooke herself, but Taylor still wishes that he hadn't asked Nick that question.

A fantasy Brooke taunts Taylor.

After James leaves, Taylor starts to hallucinate again. In her fantasy, Brooke walks through the front door. When Taylor asks what she's doing here, "Brooke" says that she lives here and starts to go upstairs to find Nick. Taylor shouts that this is her house and her family, but "Brooke" contends that Taylor can never compete with her. "Every man has wanted me more than you, and now so does Nick," taunts "Brooke." Sobbing, Taylor begs "Brooke" to go away, but "Brooke" mocks, "There's nothing you can do to stop me now." Unraveling, Taylor cowers on the stairs, pleading for "Brooke" to just go away, but Brooke's taunts continue to echo in her mind.

Nick recalls times he spent with Brooke.

Nick goes to Shady Marlin, where he hears James asking, Are you still in love with Brooke?" over and over in his head. He picks up his guitar and starts strumming, finding himself singing "Going Back Again." Singing the first song he wrote for Brooke years ago sparks flashbacks to the many happy times they shared when they were together over the years. As he sings the final line, "I'm going back again," he looks up and sees Brooke standing there. Brooke explains that she had to think, so she drove down to the marina and saw his car parked by the dock. Nick asks what she had to think about; she replies that she was thinking about all the memories the two of them shared together. Nick admits that he was just thinking about the same thing. They both agree that they always find it easy to think when they come down here.