Wednesday, March 05, 2008, Episode #5263

Rick has some questions for his mother.

Brooke is at Nick's house as Nick prepares to go get Jack. He just hopes this situation doesn't send Taylor into a nosedive. That could happen, Brooke cautions, given how unstable Taylor is. She thinks he'll have peace of mind once Jack is home, safe. Nick thinks he should get going. Brooke decides to wait there for him, as she's anxious to see "our son." She gives Nick a hug and watches him leave. Soon after, Rick drops by and is surprised to find his mother there, especially when she tells him that Nick is on his way to Taylor's to pick up Jack. Brooke assumes that Rick came her to talk about her testimony, but he tells her that he's actually here because he's worried about Taylor. When Rick wonders if Taylor will ever be able to accept Jack because of who his biological mother is, Brooke hopes he's wrong, since she thinks Taylor was dealt a bad hand. Rick asks his mom why she's here, waiting for Nick to return home with his son, especially since she's committed to Ridge. Brooke asks what he's suggesting; he says he isn't suggesting anything, but her actions speak volumes. Rick follows his mom out to the terrace, telling him that he's concerned about both her and Taylor. Brooke tells him he doesn't need to worry about her, but Rick asks how he could not worry when he finds her here at Nick's house waiting for him to bring the baby home. Brooke claims that she just wants to help Nick as a friend and asserts, "I know what I'm doing." Rick tells his mom that he thinks she belongs here with Nick and Jack, not with Ridge. He asks her to think about that and leaves.

Phoebe tries to support Taylor.

Phoebe drops by the Bel Air mansion to see her mom. She gives Taylor a hug, wishing she had known sooner what her mother was going through. Taylor tells Phoebe not to worry and urges her to focus on college life and studying. Phoebe offers to stick around until Nick arrives to pick up baby Jack, but Taylor would rather wait for him alone. Phoebe assures her mom that this arrangement will only be temporary, but even so, Taylor doesn't know how she'll find the strength to let Jack go.

Nick tells Taylor that he's sorry.

After Phoebe leaves, Nick arrives. He tells Taylor that he never meant to hurt her. Taylor concedes that it's best that she takes the time to heal, but it's still hard for her to let her son go. She laments that things have been difficult lately because she's been so angry and resentful, and that made her forget what it meant to love. But she knows she loves her son, so she hopes she and Nick can agree not to argue in front of Jack. Nick agrees. Taylor asks him to also promise that she'll be a part of Jack's life. Nick assures her that she is Jack's birth mother, so she will always be a part of their son's life. Trying to hold back tears, Taylor tells Nick that she blames Brooke for ending their marriage. It makes her sad to think how different their lives would have been if it wasn't for Brooke. Taylor then goes to the nursery and returns soon after with Jack. When asking about her visitation rights, Taylor finds it odd that she has to be supervised to see her own son while Brooke can see the baby all she wants. As tears well up in her eyes, she tells Jack she loves him and kisses him goodbye. "I'm sorry," Nick tells Taylor as he takes his son and leaves the house. Taylor lies down on the sofa and cries.

Taylor wants booze to make her pain go away.

Alone in the house, Taylor frantically searches through the bar. Unable to find any booze, she places an order with the liquor store for some vodka. Soon after, a deliveryman arrives with a bottle of vodka. As soon as the deliveryman leaves, Taylor pulls the bottle from the bag and holds it. She walks over to the couch and sees one of Jack's stuffed toys. Sobbing, she picks up the toy and hugs it, but she then tosses it to the floor and walks over to the bar. Just then, Rick arrives. Standing in the doorway, he sees Taylor holding the bottle and warns, "Stop! Don't you drink that." Taylor turns around and glares at Rick, asking why she shouldn't take a drink. She reminds him that she took away Alexandria's mother, so she wonders if her losing her son was some kind of karma. As Taylor waves the bottle around, Rick asks her to let him help her; with her kids either living abroad or busy with school, he thinks she needs someone who can understand what she's going through to stand by her. "How can you possibly understand?" Taylor seethes, insisting that she just wants to make it stop! She opens the bottle to take a swig, but Rick pulls the bottle away and smashes it against the wall. Sobbing, Taylor tells him that she'll just get another one. Rick grabs her and tells her to listen. He knows she's hurting, but she has to find something besides alcohol to fill the void. She tries to pull away, but he embraces her and assures her that everything's going to be OK. As Rick holds her in his arms, Taylor starts to calm down, and the two start kissing each other passionately.

Brooke gushes over baby Jack.

When Nick returns to the Marone mansion with Jack, Brooke eagerly takes the baby from him and coos and gushes over the little tyke. Nick smiles as he looks on. As they sit down on the sofa, Nick tells Brooke that he wishes she could see how she is right now with their son. When he states that Jack deserves to be with his mother, Brooke reminds Nick that she's committed. Nick tells her that he doesn't want his son growing up as an only child like he did. He wants Jack to have a sibling, and it's not too late for him and Brooke to give Jack that family. "Stay with us," he pleads. "I want this to be your family." They move closer to each other and are about to kiss when there's a knock at the door: it's Ridge, who tells Brooke that they should get going.