Wednesday, October 01, 2008, Episode #5409

Katie asks Nick about his being "bonded for life" to Brooke.

Katie paces around Nick's living room, flashing back to Ridge's warnings about Nick and Brooke's connection. She tells herself to stop thinking about it. Nick hears her talking to herself as he comes in and apologizes for not being there when she arrived. She tells him that he was upstairs with Brooke when she got there, so Ridge told her about the new custody arrangement for Jack. She asks Nick is he's really OK with Jack being part of Ridge's family. Nick tells her that he trusts Brooke to make sure Jack is raised with a lot of love, so he's sure everything will be fine. Katie brings up the fact that he and Brooke are now "bonded for life" as parents. Nick reminds her that Brooke has always been tied genetically to Jack, so all he's doing is making their bond official.

Nick tries to reassure Katie.

Katie still can't believe that Taylor would give Jack up, especially to Brooke of all people. Nick assures her that they're all doing the right thing for Jack and thinks this just shows how far a mother will go for her child. Katie sighs that it's just not how she pictured their future, since she always thought the two of them would spend time on the Marlin with their baby and Jack and Taylor and Rick, as one big family. It will be one big crazy, weird family, Nick chuckles. Katie laughs at the thought, especially knowing that her sister will be part of it.

At the Forrester mansion, Eric dresses for work. Thorne and Felicia ask Dr. Patrick if Eric is up to going back to work. The doctor declares that Eric is not 100% yet, but he sees no reason to stop Eric from going to the office as long as he promises not to push too hard. Felicia still wants her dad to take it easy. Eric is determined to return to work, but he wants to call his wife first. Thorne is pleased that Eric wants to call Stephanie, but Eric reminds him that Donna is his wife and asks his children to give him some privacy. Eric then calls Donna and asks her to come by the house. Surprised but excited, Donna says she'll be right there and bolts out of Brooke's house.

Bridget admits that she dodged a bullet with Nick.

Bridget and Brooke come into the living room just as Donna leaves. Brooke is glad Donna went out, since Donna has been hiding in her room the past few days. Bridget bets things would have been even crazier here had she moved in after leaving Nick's. Brooke tells Bridget that she's always welcome here. Brooke then asks Bridget how she's doing. Bridget admits that she feels like she dodged a bullet. While she wishes she knew everything before she remarried Nick, she's glad it came out now instead of five years from now. She wanted to believe that fate brought her and Nick back together, so it hurt when she found out about Nick and Katie, but at least now she has no more illusions about her marriage. Brooke gives Bridget a big hug. Ridge comes home and witnesses the embrace, so he asks if everything is OK. Bridget tells Ridge that she's fine and kids that her mom just asked her to move in. Ridge asks where she wants him to put her bags. Bridget tells Ridge that she was kidding, but Ridge tells her that he wasn't, since he and Brooke would love to see more of her around here. Bridget thanks them both for their support; she feels blessed to know that she can depend on them. "Honey, I'm your mother. I'll always be here for you," Brooke promises.

Ridge asks Brooke for reassurance.

After Bridget leaves, Brooke notes that Ridge seems quiet. Ridge admits that he was surprised at how quickly Nick agreed to share custody of Jack. He worries that Nick had some other motive to agree besides for doing what's best for Jack. Brooke asks Ridge if he's having second thoughts. Ridge tells her that they're going to have to be honest with each other about their feelings and concerns if this custody arrangement is going to work. Brooke says that she thought they were past this, since he was the one who suggested she ask for legal custody of Jack. Ridge confesses that he came up with that idea since he knew she needed some kind of protection, but now he needs something from her. Brooke asks if he's asking for assurance. Ridge says he is after witnessing the emotional moment she shared with Nick and Jack. Brooke acknowledges that it probably isn't easy for him to see her with Nick and promises to be a bit more sensitive. Ridge tells her that he's not jealous, but he thinks some preventative medicine is in order given their current situation. Brooke assures that Nick will never be a problem and promises Ridge that she's his, now and forever. Ridge asks if she will put that in writing. Brooke responds that she'd be happy to declare her love for him in front of God and everybody they know.

Brooke tells Ridge that she wants to be his wife again.

Willing to accept that, Ridge takes out a Forrester garment bag and opens it up. Removing a dress and two suits, he tells Brooke that he designed these for maid of honor Hope, best man R.J. and ring bearer Jack to wear at their wedding. Brooke is touched and thrilled by the outfits, especially the one for the newest member of their family. "That is so perfect," she gushes. Ridge then shows her the pillow that their little ring bearer will hold. Brooke looks at it and sees something hanging from the bottom. Turning the pillow over, she sees a ring with a big purple gem attached. "That doesn't go there," Ridge states, taking the ring off the pillow and sliding it on Brooke's finger. Stunned, Brooke tells him that she doesn't need this, but he thinks she does and asks her to tell him that she wants to be his wife again. "Yes, I want to be your wife, again and forever," she declares with a big smile on her face. The two of them gaze at each other for a moment and then kiss.

Thorne and Felicia tattle to their mom.

Back at the mansion, Thorne and Felicia tattle to their mother that Donna is on her way over. They ask Stephanie to talk to Eric and tell security to keep Donna away, but Stephanie sees no point in doing that. When Donna arrives, Stephanie graciously lets her in and tells her that Eric is waiting for her upstairs. Felicia and Thorne ask their mother what she's doing. "What your father wants," La Forrester responds. Thorne and Felicia ask her why she's just standing by while Donna is engaging in a last chance effort to hold onto Eric, but Stephanie does not answer.

Eric shows Donna a photo he finds insulting.

Donna enters Eric's bedroom and is thrilled to see that he's dressed to go to the office. She's pleased that he's recovering, just like she always prayed he would. Eric tells her that he's just starting to see things clearly again. Donna takes that to mean that he remembers what they meant to each other and tells him that she never stopped thinking about him. Eric tells her that he's been thinking about her, too, and he sees now that it was wrong to let Stephanie drag her out the last time she was here. Donna tells him that Stephanie was trying to keep her from telling her side of the story. Eric informs her that his doctor told him about all the time she spent at the hospital by his bedside. Donna says she would have been there more, but she had to tend to the house and the business. Eric then shows his "loving, devoted wife" a magazine article about her Paris trip with a photo of her and Owen together. He reads the caption below that states that "Mrs. Eric Forrester does the city of lights with the new man in her life." Donna tells him that's just gossip, but Eric finds it insulting and demeaning.