Monday, January 14, 2008, Episode #5226

Nick assures Brooke that he has things under control.

At Insomnia, Taylor continues to watch from a distance as Nick talks with Brooke, although she can't hear what they are saying. At the table, Brooke worries that Taylor needs professional help. She tells Nick that she's worried not just for Taylor, but for "our child," since Taylor's unstable behavior could jeopardize Jack's early development. Nick tells her not to worry; for one thing, Jack has everything he needs from his parents, and he also thinks Brooke has enough going on in her life that she doesn't have to worry about Jack's future. He assures her that everything is fine, but Brooke asks him to at least consider that Taylor may need more support than he's able to offer. Nick says he will, but he assures her as he gets up to leave. Seeing Nick get up, Taylor hides so he doesn't see her.

Jackie learns that Jack is Brooke's biological child.

At the Marone mansion, Jackie cares for baby Jack and wonders where Nick is. After she puts Jack to bed, Nick returns. After peeking in at his son, Nick asks where Taylor is. Jackie isn't sure, since Taylor said before she left that she was going to join Nick at Insomnia. Nick frets that Taylor never arrived there. Jackie asks if Taylor is OK, since she sensed something amiss earlier. Nick confides that Taylor is having a problem and it involves Jack. Jackie worries that something's wrong the baby, but Nick assures her that Jack is fine. That leaves Jackie confused about what could be wrong, so Nick explains that Jack is Brooke's biological child. Jackie is stunned by the news first. But as Nick recounts how they came to learn that Brooke was the egg donor and how Brooke even signed her rights to the child away, Jackie is amazed at the miraculous gift Brooke has given her son. She thinks it's incredible that Brooke gave him the child he always wanted while married to her. Nick agrees that he wanted a child with Brooke then, but he assures his mother that he and Taylor are Jack's parents in every sense of the word. Jackie wonders if Taylor can handle raising a child that came from Brooke's egg. Nick assures her that Taylor will be able to handle it over time. Jackie hopes so, since for what will happen to Nick, Taylor and especially the baby if Taylor can't get past the issue of Jack's maternity.

Brooke is surprised when Taylor confronts her.

Back at Insomnia, Brooke is getting her coffee to-go when Taylor approaches her. Brooke is surprised to see her rival and asks Taylor to sit down and chat. When Taylor sarcastically suggests that a little "girl talk" right now might be fun, Brooke decides to leave, but Taylor won't let her go until she tells Brooke to stay away from Nick! "Who the hell do you think you are?" she seethes, asking Brooke if she understands what "stay away from my husband" means. Brooke insists that she and Nick just happened to run into each other here, but Taylor doesn't believe her. Brooke tells Taylor that she understands what Taylor is going through and offers her help, assuring Taylor that she has no plans to jeopardize Taylor and Nick's family. Fuming that Brooke has been talking about her to Nick, Taylor shouts that Brooke is disgusting and declares, "I can't even look at you right now without wanting to puke. You ruined my life, Brooke. I want you gone!" Brooke assures Taylor that she never wanted any of this to happen, but Taylor believes that Brooke wants to take her husband and baby away and tells Brooke to go to hell! Brooke tells Taylor to calm down, but Taylor refuses to believe someone who never did a decent thing in her life. Brooke reminds her. "I gave you a gift, letting go of my child," but that just infuriates Taylor even more.

Taylor lashes out at Brooke.

Taylor rages at Brooke, suggesting that Brooke thank her daughter for her help during the in vitro procedure. Brooke insists that what happened with Jack was a miracle, but Taylor says it was a disaster. When Brooke asks how she can call Jack a disaster, Taylor accuses Brooke of twisting her words, proclaiming that Brooke has her so angry that she doesn't even know what she's saying anymore. She knows Jack deserves a stable life and wants to give him that. Brooke seizes the opportunity to get Taylor to sit down and talk about Jack. Taylor seems to be calming down ans she admits that she's scared by how hard it's been to hold herself together given how Jack came into the life. She tells Brooke that she thought she was doing well handling things at first, but then she started thinking about what Bridget did by orchestrating the implantation of Brooke's egg in her. Sensing what Taylor is insinuating, Brooke tries to steer the conversation away from her daughter, but when Taylor continues to insist that Bridget plotted with Brooke so Brooke could have Nick's child, Brooke refuses to listen to any more of this. She tells Taylor that she has a wonderful husband and a beautiful child, so all Taylor needs to do is embrace that like the strong person they all know she can be. "Please get a grip, or else you might lose that baby boy," Brooke pleads