Friday, January 18, 2008, Episode #5230

An angry Eric wants answers.

Eric is shocked to see Donna on the couch of his hotel room with Jake. Jake is equally shocked to see Eric, who informs Jake this this is his hotel room and demands answers from Donna. Confused, Jake grabs his shirt and makes a hasty exit. An angry Eric looks to Donna, who explains as she puts on a robe that she couldn't control her desires and had to let the "sexual demons" inside her take over. Eric seethes that she's not the woman he fell in love with. Donna agrees, stating that he deserves someone classier than her, Eric tries to understand how Donna could do this after everything they've been through, but Donna doesn't answer and goes to get dressed. When she returns, Eric asks her why Jake was here. Donna sobs that she saw Jake in the lobby and one thing led to another. Not wanting to hear anymore, Eric asks Donna if the age difference between them is the problem. Donna says that's not it, reminding him that she already told him at Big Bear about her addiction. Eric reminds her that they agreed to work through her problem together, but Donna doesn't think that's possible without disappointing him again. "Goodbye, Eric," she weeps. "I hope you believe me when I say I will always love you, but this is how it has to be." Donna tries to leave, but Eric tells her to sit down and listen to him.

Donna insists that she has to deal with her problem alone.

Donna insists that she has to deal with her problem alone, but Eric contends that she can't fix things by running away. Donna doesn't want to let him be part of her problem, but Eric insists that he already is part of it. Donna holds firm that he deserves better than her and heads for the door, but Eric tells her to wait and accuses her of deliberately trying to sabotage their relationship. He just doesn't know why. Donna cries that her hands are tied. Eric counters that one of the benefits of being older than her is that he's learned that when two people love each other, there's nothing that happens to them that can't be forgiven. He takes her in his arms and pledges that there's nothing he wouldn't forgive her for. Donna tearfully asks how he can be so forgiving. "Because I love you," he responds. Donna sobs that she loves him, too. They end up in bed together. After making love, Donna lies next to him, going over her dilemma in her mind. She loves him so much, but her family is counting on her to keep her brother out of jail. "Oh, Eric, what am I going to do?" she asks in her head.

Brooke brings baby Jack to Nick.

In Jackie's office, Nick tells his mother that he's in love with Taylor, but Jackie asserts that Jack's maternity is a sign that Nick is destined to be with Brooke. Suddenly, Brooke rushes in the door holding Jack. Nick asks what's going on, so Brooke quickly recounts how she came over to see Taylor and saw signs that Taylor is drinking again. Nick admonishes Brooke for going over there since he told her to stay away, so Brooke apologizes and assures him that she just went over to reassure Taylor. But Taylor didn't believe her and things got heated, and that's when she smelled the alcohol. As a stunned Nick and Jackie consider Brooke's allegations, Taylor bursts in and takes Jack from Brooke. Taylor then asks Jackie to take Jack out of the room; once Jackie is gone, Taylor tears into Brooke for kidnapping her son from his home. Nick points out that Jack is fine and, getting to real question on his mind, asks Taylor if she was drinking. Taylor rails at Brooke for rushing over to rat her out, but Nick tells her to forget Brooke and answer his question. Taylor admits that she poured some alcohol into her coffee and was tempted, but she stopped herself and didn't drink it. Nick however is still incensed that she would even think of drinking with Jack in the house. Rattled, Taylor blames Brooke, sobbing that Brooke caused everything wrong in her life.

Jackie says a prayer for her grandson.

Jackie takes Jack into Clarke's office. After setting the baby down, Jackie calls Bridget and asks her to come over to Spectra to help her with a problem. After Bridget agrees to come, Jackie tells her to please hurry. Jackie then hangs up the phone and kneels in front of Jack's bassinet, telling her baby grandson that her heart is breaking for him, because it's so unfair that he shouldn't be with his daddy and his real mommy. She prays to find a way to bring Jack, his daddy and his mommy together as a family.

Nick tells Taylor not to blame Brooke.

Back in Jackie's office, Nick tells Taylor not to blame Brooke, reminding her that a mistake in the fertility lab upset all their lives. Taylor weeps that she seems to be the only one having a problem with this. Brooke tries to reassure Taylor, but Taylor tells her to butt out and asks Nick to get Brooke out of here. Nick however tells Taylor that she should be thanking Brooke, because he'd hate to think about what might have happened if Brooke wasn't there. Taylor insists that nothing happened, but Nick reminds her that she's an alcoholic and asks why she'd bring that kind of destructive behavior into their home. Taylor concedes that it was stupid to pour the alcohol, but she didn't drink it. But she thought about drinking while she was alone with Jack, Nick retorts. Taylor claims that Jack was fine, but Nick wonders if that would be true if Brooke hadn't stepped in and done what she thought was right to protect the baby. Taylor accuses Nick of taking Brooke's side and rages at Brooke for brainwashing Nick into thinking that she's a malicious mother. Brooke fires back that Taylor is wrong and insists that she was just worried about Jack. "She did the right thing," Nick adds, prompting Taylor to lash out at her husband for defending Brooke's taking their son from his home. "I'm your wife," she cries. "How could you do that to me?