Wednesday, March 19, 2008, Episode #5273

Eric is concerned about Bridget.

Bridget is wrapping things up with a patient at the hospital when Eric drops by to see her. Bridget is surprised to see her dad, who explains that he heard that she's seeing Nick Marone again. Bridget confirms that she shared a wonderful evening with Nick and is hoping something comes out of it. Eric worries about that, because he fears Nick is going to hurt Bridget again, but Bridget assures him that she knows what she's doing and is taking things slowly with Nick this time. Eric frets that Nick wanting to "take it slow" means that the sailor doesn't want to commit. Bridget reminds her father than Nick isn't even divorced yet and asks Eric if his concern has anything to do with Nick's part with Brooke. If it does, Bridget reassures, than Brooke already promised not to interfere. She asks Eric to be happy for her. Eric tells her that he wants her to be happy, but he's concerned about Nick's intentions given how Nick hurt her in the past.

Bridget asks her dad to be happy for her.

Bridget asks Eric what he means. Eric reminds her that Nick grew up without a father and was practically raised on an ocean tanker, which makes Nick a loner by nature who really doesn't know how to treat a woman. He agrees that Nick doesn't want to hurt her, but he fears that Nick will hurt her anyway due to his inability to really appreciate her. He suggests that Bridget find someone else to move on with. Bridget thanks Eric for his concern but tells him that what she really needs is his support. Eric suggests that Bridget find someone who could properly appreciate her for who she is, but Bridget asks him to stop worrying about her. She wants Nick and wants to be with Jack, and Brooke has promised not to interfere, so she really hopes that Eric can just be happy for her. Eric agrees, telling her that he'll try and showing his love for her with a hug. Bridget thanks him and tells him that she loves him too.

Nick asks Katie why she's so concerned about Bridget.

At the Marone mansion, Nick asks Katie why she's so concerned about Bridget. Katie tells him that she knows how Bridget feels about him and doesn't want to see Bridget hurt by him again. Nick tells Katie that he doesn't want to talk about this with her, which leads Katie to assume that he is in fact going to break Bridget's heart again. She fumes that he could have that kind of attitude towards a woman like Bridget and whips off her jacket, revealing that she's wearing a basketball jersey underneath. Nick assumes from her attire that she's a basketball fan; Katie says you have to be growing up in L.A. and throws a basketball at him, telling him to think fast. Catching the ball, Nick asks Katie why she's doing this. She answers, "I'm trying to get you to open up your eyes, you big dope." Nick says that his eyes ARE open. Katie offers to spring for a pair of Laker tickets if he's interested, but Nick would rather talk about the reason she's here. Katie tells him that she came to get her sweater and to make sure he doesn't destroy Bridget's life. "You got your sweater and Bridget's fine," Nick responds, "but you're still here." Katie quips that she obviously couldn't pull herself away from his irresistible charm.

Katie asks Nick what kind of woman he's right for.

Nick tells Katie that she found out what she wanted to know, so it's time to go, but Katie tells him that she didn't find out what she wanted to know. Nick points out that Bridget spent the night, but Katie is more interested in what comes next. Nick tells her that he really doesn't know. Katie begs him not to break Bridget's heart again, wondering if his time with her sister Brooke has messed him up so badly that he can't even control his own actions. Nick tells her to forget about Brooke, who chose to be with Ridge and is out of the picture. He again assures Katie that he doesn't want to hurt Bridget. "Just love her. That's all she wants," Katie advises. Nick states that he does love Bridget, but Katie wonders if he loves her enough to give her a second chance. Getting fed up with Katie's being so nosy, Nick tells her that he honestly doesn't know if he can give Bridget what she wants, and he alleges that the reason Katie's such a pain in the ass is that she's too much like a guy. He suggests that she be more feminine if she wants a man. Katie replies that she is feminine, and she's not the one who can't see what's standing right in front of him. Nick admits that he's lucky to have Bridget and doesn't want to hurt her, but he's not sure if they're right for each other. Then who is he right for? Katie asks. Nick admits that he's stubborn and stuck in his ways, so he's a lot like... "Like me?" Katie asks.

Ashley asks Rick how he's doing.

In his office, Ridge spritzes a sample of Ashley's new fragrance and flashes back to his close encounter with the chemist earlier. Meanwhile, Ashley is in Eric's office, remembering the very same moment. She's brought back to reality when Rick comes in. He's surprised to see her, so she explains that she was dropping off some reports for Eric. Rick tells her that he heard that she's going to Genoa City. Just for a short business trip, Ashley responds, wondering why he'd think she was leaving for good. Rick says it was just that he has this "I have a lucky man on my mind" look on her face and asks if there's something he doesn't know. There isn't, Ashley answers, asking how he's doing lately. She asks if he has a new woman in his life, or if he's just busy protecting Taylor again. Surprised by the question, Rick says that he's just trying to support Taylor. Ashley thinks his doing that shows what kind of a man he is, since no one would have ever expected Brooke's son to step up to the plate to back up Taylor.

Ridge apologizes to Taylor.

Speaking of Taylor, she drops by Ridge's office to see him. Ridge asks how she's been, telling her that he knows about everything that's gone on with Nick and Jack and is sorry. Taylor asks if he's going to lecture her about being an unfit mother, since what she really needs is a friend thanks to having her child taken from her courtesy of Brooke. Ridge admits that he told Brooke to back off, but he doesn't want to talk about Brooke right now. He wants to know how Taylor is doing, right here and right now. Taylor tells him that she's doing OK all things considered, but she'd be doing better if Ridge's excuse for a fiancee would just butt out of her life. She fumes about the way Brooke has insinuated herself into her life in so many ways, including getting her DNA into Taylor's child, and she blames Brooke for all the losses she's experienced in her life. Ridge tells her that Brooke is just concerned about Jack, but Taylor retorts, "No, she's not. She has one mission, and that's to ruin my life." Ridge doesn't think that's fair, but Taylor disagrees. She asks Ridge why he gave up a wonderful woman like Ashley just to go back to Brooke, and she charges that he should dump Brooke and go running back to Ashley is he has any sense in his head. "If you marry Brooke," Taylor alleges, "you are going to be completely miserable for the rest of your life." At just that moment, Brooke appears in the door and overhears Taylor's last comment. "How dare you?!" Brooke seethes.

As Taylor accuses Brooke of eavesdropping, Ridge tries to explain that the Doc just stopped by to... Brooke doesn't care why Taylor stopped by and calls the shrink on her attempts to undermine her engagement to Ridge. Taylor retorts that she didn't intend to do it, but she doesn't see anything wrong given how Brooke has told everyone in town that she (Taylor) is crazy. A shouting match ensues between the two women, with Ridge trying to play referee. Taylor accuses Brooke of bringing nothing but chaos and pain to Ridge's life, which Brooke takes a sign that Taylor is still emotionally unstable. Taylor states that Brooke is the crazy one if she thinks she thinks Ridge would commit to her again when Brooke is still wrapped up in Nick and Jack's lives. Brooke asks how Taylor can call her insane when Taylor is the one having hallucinations and delusions. The women resume trading loud barbs, with Brooke hinting that the reason Taylor lost Jack is that she's losing her mind. Just then, Rick appears in the door. "Do not talk to Taylor like that!" Rick orders his mom.

Rick defends Taylor.

Rick accuses his mom of berating Taylor again, but Ridge tells him that it wasn't like that. Brooke tells Rick that Taylor attacked her, but Taylor counters that she just expressed how sick she is of seeing Brooke ruin everyone's lives. Taylor points out how Brooke ruined both of Bridget's marriages (to Deacon and to Nick) and then ruined Taylor's two marriages (to Ridge and to Nick), and now Brooke is trying to renege on her signed agreement to stay out of Jack's life. Brooke says that's not true, but Taylor disagrees. Ridge gets a call from downstairs that there's an emergency with one of their shipments that he needs to handle, so he rushes down to deal with it, leaving Rick to play referee between Brooke and Taylor. Brooke states that she's sorry for all the pain Taylor is feeling, but she really feels that Taylor is incapable of caring for a child when she's so irrational and has been drinking. Rick tells his mom to stop right there, since he thinks Taylor has been through more than enough. Taylor thanks Rick for defending her, asking how he's put up with his mother's antics all these years. She points out that she's not Brooke's only victim, since Rick's own sister Bridget's life has been ruined by Brooke's competing with her own daughter for a man. "I don't think that's insane. I think that is sick," Taylor asserts.

Brooke is shocked by Rick's reason for defending Taylor.

Brooke admits that she's made mistakes, but none of them have to do with why Taylor lost her child. "The judge just didn't think that you could take care of Jack, because you were so focused on your obsession with me," Brooke alleges, pointing out that Taylor is still obsessed with her. When Rick asks his mom to go there, Brooke asks why he's defending Taylor. "Do you realize how many people you've hurt on your pursuit for your destiny?" Rick asks, suggesting that Brooke has hurt a lot of people while trying to decide what that "destiny" was. Brooke asks Rick why he's defending Taylor over his own mother. Rick tells her that he's defending Taylor because she deserves it. He states that when he looks at Taylor, he sees a beautiful, wonderful, talented woman who's been brought to her knees. Brooke asks if she's to blame for that. Rick says he's not here to cast blame. He's just here to defend a woman who has lost so much, yet hasn't lost her faith in people. He's here to support a woman who always plays fair and puts herself above others, only to lose to Brooke time and again. After all that, he thinks Taylor deserves something wonderful in her life. Brooke commends Rick for wanting to stand up for Taylor, but Rick insists that he's not doing this because of admiration, or charity, or pity.