Friday, June 06, 2008, Episode #5328

Marcus tells Donna that he likes his new job.

Donna finds Marcus upstairs at Forrester lugging two huge bolts of fabric and asks why he brought them up. He says he heard that Mr. Forrester likes to check the fabrics as they come in. Donna laughs that he didn't need to bring the whole bolt and cuts off a couple of swatches for Eric. She then asks how his first day is going. He raves that he's amazed by all the energy around here. Donna reminds him that he still has to careful around everyone, including their "evil and demented" receptionist Pam and Eric's adult kids who hate her. The worst of the "kids," she warns, is Felicia, but there's also Thorne and Ridge. Marcus asks if the names "Thorne" and "Ridge" are really on their birth certificates. Donna tells him that people in L.A. hide their birth certificates, just like he has to hide his until the Forresters get to know him. But she's sure he'll win them over with his charm in due time. Donna then leaves to bring the swatches to Eric. As he charges out the door with the bolts to take them back to shipping, Marcus bumps into the entering Steffy, causing coffee from the cup in Steffy's hand to spill all over the fabric! Marcus frets that he's going to be fired, but he calms down once Steffy finds some baking soda in the janitor's closet and uses it to take the stain out.

Steffy helps Marcus out.

Marcus is amazed that there's no sign of the stain after Steffy's done and asks how she knew how to do that. She explains that her careless sister wears her clothes all the time. Marcus laughs that this would never happen in Texas, where the coffee just eats through your clothes. Steffy asks him what brings him to L.A., since it obviously wasn't fashion. He says that it was family stuff and asks about her. It's the same for her, she wistfully replies. Marcus senses some sadness in her reply and asks where she'd rather be. London, she tells him, even if it's hard driving on the wrong side of the road. Marcus kids that he's been to London - as in the town in Texas, where they don't care which side of the road they drive on. Steffy laughs at the joke. Marcus then asks about the Forresters, so Steffy gives him the rundown on the family members working there, including sort of family member Brooke. After Steffy tells him about perfume model Phoebe, Marcus hopes he doesn't get stuck working around clothes or perfume. Steffy reminds him that those things are what Forrester is all about. Marcus knows that, but he's more interested in how and why things happen in the business. Marcus then asks if her name is short for Stephanie; she says it is, but no one calls her that here since it's also her grandma's name. Marcus says he likes "Steffy," since it's not "stuffy." Steffy says she better get the baking soda back downstairs and gets up to leave. Marcus says it was nice talking to her and smiles as she walks out the door.

Donna gives Marcus some advice.

Later, Marcus stops by to see Donna and tells her that he got through the day without burning the place down. He tells her that the girl working downstairs who he met in Eric's office during his interview was nice. When Donna recalls that the girl was Steffy, she tells Marcus to be careful, since Steffy is Ridge's daughter and would love to have her head on a silver platter. Marcus is surprised to learn that Steffy is a Forrester. Donna cautions that Steffy is the smart one, which could be good or bad. Marcus says he likes Steffy. "Like her from a distance," Donna advises. Marcus says he understands. Donna has some stuff to take to the sewing room for Eric, but Marcus volunteers to do it for her. He thanks her for getting him this job and thinks he'll like it around here.

Brooke asks about Katie's options.

Brooke arrives at the Marone mansion and asks if Nick and Katie are back. Bridget says they aren't, but she didn't expect them anyway. Brooke worries about Katie's meds, but Bridget explains that Nick has the pills with him. Brooke asks Bridget to explain about how Katie's condition will progress. Bridget explains that the pills are meant to suppress Katie's strong immune system from breaking down her heart, buying her some time, but they don't know how much time they can buy. Brooke asks if there are alternatives, like an artificial heart or another donor, but Bridget says those aren't viable options. So they'll lose her, Brooke realizes, and they can either accept it or be in denial. Bridget apologizes for being so hard. She understands how Brooke feels, since she finds herself in denial, too, but she doesn't want to give Katie or anyone false hope with the end drawing near. She thinks this could be good for Katie, since all the uncertainties are gone and Katie can count on knowing what's going to happen. Now that they all know that, they can make Katie's final days happy and free of regret, unlike Storm's.

Bridget gives her mom some advice about Katie.

Brooke admits that she still has regrets about how harsh the last words she said to Storm were. Still, she agrees that it's wrong to look for some kind of loophole that can hold off the inevitable, since that would be wrong for Katie, and she wants to be there for her sister. She commends Bridget for being such a wonderful daughter and a great doctor, especially since that's meant so much for Katie, and she tells Bridget that she's proud of her. Bridget thanks her, although she admits that she sees now that being a doctor isn't so much about what she learned in med school, but rather is about being there for her patients when their bodies betray them and being an advocate when they need one. It's not about medical science, but about understanding what medicine can't do and doing it. As it starts to get dark, Bridget starts to worry about when Nick and Katie will get home. Brooke asks if she thinks something's happened, but Bridget is sure that Nick won't let anything happen.

Katie tells Nick why she doesn't want to take her pills.

On Catalina Island, Katie asks Nick why she should take the pills if they're just delaying the inevitable. It's only a matter of time before her immune system attacks her heart to the point where she gets a fever that spikes and goes up in smoke. That's why she'd rather stay here than go to a hospital where they hook her up to machines until she goes. A lot of what's happening isn't in her power, she laments, but this is, and she's asking him to help since she knows her sisters would never do it. She asks him to put away the pills and stay with her. Nick admits that what she's saying makes sense, so he won't get on some moral high horse. But at the same time, he wants her to consider how much pain she'll be in hours after she makes her choice, and by that point it might be too late. Katie suggests that he go back to the Marlin and let her do this on her own, but he says he'll stay with her. At least this way, Katie muses, there won't be machines or people deciding when she slips away. She feels like every decision about her life since that gun went off has been out of her hands, so she feels like this last decision should be hers. Nick agrees that this is her choice, but is it the right one? He asks her to consider the pain she'll be in and the impact this decision will have on her sisters. Katie tells him that what's left to be said is just too hard to say.