Friday, June 13, 2008, Episode #5333

Brooke and Donna are glad to see Katie getting better.

Lying in her bed, Katie asks everyone if they can hear her and if they're real. Nick assures her that they're all real. Brooke asks Katie how she feels. "Different," Katie sighs as Donna joins them. Bridget gives Katie a quick exam and is pleased to report that Katie's fever is gone, probably for good. The others are all relieved. Bridget then gives Katie a quick technical rundown of the gene therapy studies in Stockholm that led her to find the treatment they used. While Katie will still have to take anti-rejection medication, Bridget explains, she shouldn't have to worry anymore about problems with her new heart. Nick laughs that all Bridget's scientific jargon went over his head, but the important thing is that Katie is alive, and that's a miracle - one they have Bridget to thank for! Nick gives Bridget a kiss to thank her, while Katie weakly smiles.

Katie hears Brooke and Nick talking.

After Donna leaves, Brooke changes Katie's sheets while Bridget sets up an I.V. Once they're done, Bridget takes the old sheets to be cleaned. Brooke tells Nick that she should be going, since Katie needs her rest, but she wants to know first about what happened during Katie's "prom night." Nick tells her that there's not much to say other than that they danced. Brooke asks if he found out what happened years ago at Katie's first prom. Nick says he did, but he won't say any more other than reporting that it's done now. Brooke assumes from the cryptic answer that what happened to Katie was painful. But it's not with her anymore, Nick assures. "Because of what you did for her," Brooke states. Nick explains that Katie was honest with him, telling him things she never told anyone. He's honored to have been part of that, and he'll remember it always. Lying in bed, Katie hears the conversation and smiles.

Bridget downplays what she did for Katie...

Nick and Bridget sit by Katie's bedside while she sleeps. Bridget wants to give Katie a sponge bath when she wakes up. Nick says the nurse can do that in the morning, but Bridget wants to do it herself. Nick jokes that she can be so annoying. Or they can say she was unethical and unprofessional, Bridget candidly points out, since she refused to honor Katie's request to forgo any further treatment. But she found the right treatment, Nick points out, and she even convinced him to let her apply it when he tried to make her honor Katie's wishes last wishes. If it wasn't for her, he points out, they'd be calling the morgue right now, so he thinks she's incredible. Bridget finally accepts the compliment.

...but Nick won't let Bridget discount her part in Katie's recovery.

Nick then tells Bridget that after all the time he's known her, he finally gets what makes her tick. After watching the way she helped Katie, he sees that she just loves life. And while he knows that Katie is a member of her family, he's sure she would have done the same thing for a stranger, and he loves her for that. He gives her a big hug. Bridget tells him that she may have found a strategy to help Katie, but he was the one who made Katie want to live. Nick concedes that he bonded with Katie, who let him into her life without any fear or self-pity. Bridget says she thought that might happen, and she's glad. Nick asks if she really means that. When she says she does, Nick reminds her that she was a big part of his forming that bond, since she was the one who invited Katie to live here and who encouraged him to spend time with Katie, all because she knew there were feelings involved that went beyond friendship. Bridget assures him that she's secure in his love, so she feels like the only threat to their relationship is her. "I'm never going to do that again, ever," she promises as she embraces him. As he holds Bridget, Nick looks over her shoulder at Katie while she sleeps.

Steffy gets a visit from her grandmother.

Steffy is in Eric's office on the phone, trying to straighten something out with a supplier who sent them some water damaged fabric. As she firmly tells the supplier that she's holding him responsible, Stephanie enters. Steffy runs over to hug her grandmother, who praises Steffy for the way she handled herself on the phone. She tells Steffy that she brought them lunch - scampi from Cafe Russe - so they can get caught up. Stephanie admits that she was surprised to hear that Steffy was working here, in shipping no less, since Steffy never had much interest in the business. Steffy admits that it's actually more interesting than she thought. As they sit down to eat, Stephanie says that she's glad Steffy's around to help Taylor with baby Jack, since she worries about Taylor being alone in that big house. Of course, she knows a thing or two about being alone herself, now. Steffy says that she was sorry to hear about Stephanie's marriage ending. Stephanie thanks her and gives Steffy some advice she learned from all this, warning her granddaughter not to take relationships for granted. Stephanie then asks Steffy if she's tried to make any connections here at Forrester. Steffy says that she has, but so many people are trying to make their mark here. Stephanie assumes that Steffy is talking about Donna, but Steffy points out that her dad, uncle and aunt are staging a mutiny. Stephanie says she's staying out of that fight and advises Steffy to do the same, but Steffy notes that this isn't Switzerland, so neutrality may not be allowed.

Stephanie offers advice and comfort to Brooke.

As Stephanie and Steffy finish their lunch, Brooke comes in. She's thrilled to see Steffy, who gives her a hug and asks how Katie is. Stephanie also wants to know if there's any news about Katie, so Brooke fills them in on the new treatment that Bridget just started Katie on. "I think she's gonna pull through," Brooke's pleased to report. Stephanie and Steffy are both excited by the good news. After Steffy leaves, Brooke tells Stephanie how grateful she was that Nick and Bridget were there to help Katie. Stephanie agrees that Katie really came to count on those two. Sensing the toll that Katie's ordeal has taken, she notes that Brooke doesn't look like she could take much more. Brooke says she's fine, but Stephanie finds that hard to believe given that Brooke just lost her brother and almost lost her sister. Between all that and the distance between Brooke and her parents, she presumes that Brooke was likely wondering how much family she had left, and she's sure that was hard on Brooke. It was, Brooke sides. "You know, you don't always have to be the strong one," Stephanie tells Brooke, giving her a reassuring hug.

Marcus tells Donna what her overheard.

Down in shipping, Marcus is hard at work when Pam comes down and asks what he's up to. When he explains that he's documenting a water damaged shipment, Pam asks how he's qualified for that. "I can tell wet from dry," Marcus snidely responds. After Pam leaves, Donna comes down to give Marcus the good news about Katie. Marcus is glad that his aunt will be OK. Donna tells him that she learned something today while waiting by Katie's side. The whole ordeal made her see that she life is too short, so she doesn't want to think anymore about him working here trying to hide who he is. She wants to tell everyone that he's her son. Marcus, however, doesn't think that's a good idea, since she knows that her husband's family will crucify her. Donna asks what he means, so Marcus tells her about how he interrupted the Forresters' meeting and got to meet the family. Once he left the room, he explains, he overheard them talking about her, so he knows that they're trying to get rid of her. Donna says she didn't do anything wrong. "What about me?" he asks. Donna says that he's her on, so he's not a mistake, but Marcus points out that the Forresters are looking for any reason they can find to force her out. He doesn't want to be that reason. Donna reluctantly agrees not to say anything for now, but she wants him to get to know Eric better, so Eric will understand once she tells him the truth. Marcus asks how he's supposed to do that; she suggests he start talking to Eric if he sees him in the lunchroom or something like that.