Thursday, January 17, 2008, Episode #5229

Storm surprises Donna and Katie.

At Brooke's house, Donna tells Katie that she tried, but she couldn't end things with Eric. She feels that giving in to Stephanie's blackmail is hard because of how much she and Eric love each other. Katie asks if Stephanie knows it's not over. Donna tells her that Stephanie is helping her "psycho sister" in Chicago with their mother and expects things to be over with Eric by the time she returns. Katie knows it's hard, but she reminds Donna that she's doing this for Storm - who right on cue, walks in the front door! Katie and Donna ask what he's doing. Storm tells them that on the way to Europe, all their dad talked about was finding Beth and winning her back, and Storm felt like he's just be in the way. So he decided to get his therapy here in L.A., where he could show Stephanie how much he values the second chance she gave him. Donna and Katie, of course, get nervous at this news. Storm sees that and asks if something's wrong, since they promised to tell each other everything. When his sisters fumble that they're fine, Storm heads home to get some rest.

Donna tells Katie that she knows what's at stake.

Once Storm leaves, Katie points out to Donna that it's now more important than ever for Donna to live up to the terms of the deal with Stephanie, since Storm's freedom depends on that. Donna says she knows what's at stake. Just then, Donna gets a call from Eric; Katie thinks this is Donna's chance to end things with him. Donna picks up and tells Eric that they need to talk, so Eric tells her to meet him in his hotel room in about two hours. After Donna hangs up, Katie offers to help come up with a plan for Donna to convince Eric that it's over and asks what Donna told Eric at the cabin. Katie laughs in disbelief when Donna tells her how she lied to Eric that she's a sex addict who could never be faithful to him. Donna reminds her sister that she had to think of an idea on the fly, and she thought Eric would be so disgusted that he'd leave her. Instead, he was concerned about her "problem" and promised to get her help.

Katie comes up with a plan.

Katie apologizes for laughing at Donna's idea. Donna reminds her kid sister that this is serious business, because Eric's commitment to getting her help just shows how much he loves her. She fears she can't do this. Katie asks Donna if she ever considered that telling Eric that she's a sex addict isn't really a turn off; she doesn't want to hurt Eric, either, but they have to think of their brother. She's sure both Donna and Eric will move on, and that will keep their brother free, but first they have to think of a way out of this impossible situation. She decides to work with what Donna has done already and proposes that it's one thing for Eric to SAY he wants to help, but it's another for him to realize how serious Donna's "condition" is, so maybe he needs to witness first-hand exactly what Donna's "sex addiction" really means.

A bare-chested Jake is confused by Donna's overtures.

Later, Donna is stripped down to her lingerie in Eric's room. She's on the phone with Katie, who tells her that Eric is on the way up. Donna says she's ready just as a bare-chested Jake comes out of the bedroom and asks Donna why she lured him up here and got her all excited. Donna promises to make it up to him as she directs him to the sofa, where she starts making out with him -- just as Eric comes in and demands to know what's going on!

Nick is glad to see that Taylor seems better now.

Taylor stands by the bar, holding the cup of coffee laced with vodka. She looks at the cup and then puts it down. She's about to pick up the bottle of vodka, but she thinks twice about it and picks up the cup of coffee again just as Nick comes in and startles her. Nick tells her that his mother asked him to come to the office and asks if the coffee is ready. Taylor says she did, pointing to her cup; Nick asks if she can put it in a cup he can take in the car. When Taylor quips, "I live to serve and please, sire," Nick asks if something is going on, since she seems different. He notes that she seems like she more back on her feet than she was earlier and asks if that means she's past those panic attacks. Taylor thinks he's right and sends him on his way. Once she's alone again, she goes back to the cup of coffee with the vodka in it.

Jackie tells Nick that she's worried about Taylor.

Over at Spectra, Jackie recalls her earlier conversation with Nick suggesting that he should be with Brooke instead of Taylor for Jack's sake. When Nick arrives, Jackie starts to tell him about a business issue she needs his help with, but she sees he's distracted and guesses that it has to do with Taylor. Nick assures her that he and Taylor are just fine and asks his mother if she's thought about what she's doing here. He reminds her of the sacrifice Taylor, who already has three grown kids, made for him by carrying this child for him. Jackie admits that she's grateful to Taylor for that, but she feels like everything changed when their "anonymous donor" turned out to be Brooke, the woman Nick loves most in this world.

Brooke wants to make peace with Taylor.

Back the Marone mansion, Taylor puts Jack down in his stroller, but the cup of vodka laced coffee keeps calling her. When the doorbell rings, Taylor isn't too happy to see that it's Brooke. Brooke wants to talk about what happened yesterday, but Taylor doesn't feel a need to discuss that and asks Brooke to leave her alone. Brooke says she can't do that, proclaiming, "All I've been able to think about is you-- you and YOUR child." Taylor hears Brooke referring to Jack as her child but is wary from her experience with Brooke and isn't sure if she should believe her. Brooke insists that she'll do anything Taylor asks to reassure Taylor about who Jack's mother is, because she wants to put all this negativity and competition behind them once and for all. Taylor fears that it's not that simple. After years of dealing with Brooke, she doesn't think the two of them will ever be friends, and she doubts that they'll all be able to live happily ever after in peace. She pleads with Brooke to just leave her alone, since she can see right through Brooke's transparent attempts to make peace.

A horrified Taylor sees that Jack is gone.

Brooke asks Taylor to calm down, since the baby is sleeping. Taylor tells Brooke to mind her own business. Brooke says that this is isn't how she intended this conversation to go, but then she smells the alcohol in Taylor's coffee cop. As Brooke starts to pick up the cup, Taylor tells her to put it down, but Brooke takes a whiff and gasps, "Are you drinking again?" Taylor insists that she only poured the alcohol in the cup and never drank it, but Brooke says that Taylor still wanted to take that drink and can't understand how Taylor could do that with a baby boy under her care. "Hasn't alcohol damaged your life already and the people that you love?" Brooke asks. Taylor admits that she's been vulnerable, and she knows that Brooke knows the reason why. Brooke doesn't care about the reasons and takes out her cell phone to call Nick. Taylor pleads for her to stop, but Brooke leaves a voice mail message for Nick telling him that his wife is drinking again. Taylor becomes emotional and cries out, "She's lying, Nick!" When Brooke hangs up the phone, an agitated Taylor orders her to get out!