Tuesday, January 15, 2008, Episode #5227

Brooke tries to revive Taylor, who has collapsed to the floor of the Insomnia Cafe. As a woman asks if Brooke needs help and offers to call 911, Taylor starts to rouse. Brooke offers her some water and tells her that an ambulance is on the way, but Taylor insists that she's fine and just wants to go home. Brooke offers to drive her, but Taylor reminds Brooke that she's a doctor and insists that she can tell if she's OK. Brooke refuses to let Taylor drive home in this condition and tells a resistant Taylor that she's taking her straight home to Nick.

Taylor insists that she's fine.

At the Marone mansion, Jackie frets to Nick that Taylor may not be able to handle the stress of raising Brooke's biological child. Nick tells his mother not to worry, but Jackie lectures that her grandson needs a mother, and if Taylor isn't capable of caring for him... Nick tells her that Jack has a mother, but Jackie sees no problem with Brooke stepping in if she's willing. Nick tells his mother not to go there, but Jackie fears that Taylor can only take so much. Just then, Taylor and Brooke enter the room; after Brooke tells them about Taylor's collapse, Nick and Jackie are naturally concerned, but Taylor tells them that it was nothing and assures them that she's fine. Jackie wants to take Taylor to the hospital, but Taylor insists that she knows how to handle a panic attack after seeing such attacks so many times. Jackie suggests they call Bridget to the house instead, but Taylor snaps, "Don't call a doctor, and positively do not call Bridget!" Taylor then thanks Brooke for the ride, although she still thinks she could have gotten home on her own. Nick suggests that Taylor lie down and rest, so Jackie takes her upstairs. Alone with Nick, Brooke tells Nick that Taylor saw them at Insomnia and confronted her. She explains that Taylor really flipped out on her and urges him to consider that his wife may not be emotionally stable. Nick thanks her for the help and goes upstairs to check on Taylor.

In Nick and Taylor's bedroom, Jackie recalls her warnings to Nick that Taylor may not be able to accept raising a child that came from Brooke's egg. When Taylor enters the room, she remarks that Jackie must think she's it. Jackie affirms that she loves and supports Taylor, but she also confesses that she's concerned, because Jack needs his mother to be strong. She advises Taylor to remember that. Nick comes in and asks if everything is OK. Taylor asks if Brooke is gone. Nick says she is and asks his mother if he can have a minute alone with Taylor. Once Jackie leaves, Nick asks Taylor how she's doing, but Taylor says that she needs to rest and doesn't want to talk now. Once Nick leaves, Taylor lies down on the bed and cries.

Brooke tells Ridge that she's concerned about Taylor.

At Brooke's house, Ridge calls Thorne to thank him for taking care of R.J. so Ridge and Brooke can have some time alone. After hanging up the phone, he gets out wine and candles and muses, "All I need is Brooke." When Brooke arrive, she asks Ridge what's going on. Ridge pours the wine and tells her that they're celebrating his mother's recent memory of her shooting and her father's newfound freedom. As they clink their glasses, Ridge states that he's glad that Stephen didn't shoot Stephanie, since that could have put a strain on their relationship. He then asks Brooke why she got home so late. Brooke tells him that something happened with Taylor and the baby. Ridge hopes she's not going to waste their romantic evening talking about Nick and his brood, so Brooke tells him about her encounter with Taylor at Insomnia. She assures Ridge that she and Nick just happened to run into each other, but Taylor didn't believe her and flew off the handle, ordering her to stay away. Ridge suggests that Taylor has been under a lot of stress lately, but Brooke frets that Taylor is out of control and fears for Jack's safety. Ridge thinks she's overreacting, so she tells him how Taylor had a meltdown and collapsed. "I'm really concerned about this," she declares, wondering if Taylor will ever come to terms with Jack's maternity.

Ridge advises Brooke to let Nick worry about Taylor.

Ridge agrees that it sounds like Taylor needs help, but he's sure she'll get it - from her husband. While he doesn't trust Nick on most issues, he's sure his half-brother cares about his wife and will get her the help she needs, and he's certain that Jackie and Phoebe will be able to help Nick if necessary. He of all people knows how strong Taylor is, so he's sure Taylor will love Jack just as she does Thomas, Steffy and Phoebe. Brooke agrees that he's right; "Aren't I always?" he smirks, suggesting that the forget about Taylor for now and enjoy a romantic evening together. He tells her that Hope and R.J. are at Thorne's, so Brooke agrees that they should take advantage of that. Ridge tells her that he has something serious to talk about and hints that she should make an honest man out of him by finally setting a wedding date. He knows they've had to put if off with his mother's shooting and her dad's arrest, but he doesn't see anything holding them back now from planning their future. They smile at each other and kiss.

Nick insists that Jack isn't in danger.

In the Marone living room, Jackie pours tea and asks Nick if she should bring some to Taylor. Nick suggests they leave Taylor alone for now. When Jackie comments on how delicate Taylor seems, Nick doesn't want to hear it, but she tells him that he has to, since he has to see how this situation is affecting both Taylor's and Jack's health. Nick insists that Jack isn't in danger, but Jackie reminds him that Taylor passed out in public and wonders what might happen if Taylor had another panic attack while holding Jack. "It's a recipe for disaster," she states, "for you, for everybody, for the baby." Nick asks what she wants him to do. Jackie isn't sure, because she doesn't know either. But she does know that baby Jack needs his parents, and she fears that Jack might need Brooke, his "other mother," if Taylor isn't able to fill that role. Seeing the pained look on Nick's face, Jackie insists that she doesn't want to be a home wrecker. It's just that she knows that the baby is what bonded him to Taylor. Nick says he loves Taylor. Jackie responds that she knows he does, but the fact is that Brooke is Jack's mother, and she thinks he and Brooke need to deal with what that means. Nick doesn't want to talk about this now, but Jackie says he can't ignore the issue with his son's welfare stake. She knows he loves Taylor, but he needs to be selfish for his son.