Monday, February 23, 2009, Episode #5507

Rick pulls Ridge back onto the roof.

Ridge dangles from the roof of Forrester Creations as Rick tries to pull him up. Brooke comes up the roof of the wing opposite where Ridge and Rick are and spots them. She calls out to them as Rick desperately tries to pull Ridge back onto the roof. Rick finally manages to pull Ridge to safety. As the two men catch their breath, a sweaty Rick pants to Ridge, "I would never let you die," and walks away.

Taylor talks with Stephanie about Rick.

In Ridge's office, Stephanie tells a surprised Taylor about Rick's plans to join the Army. Taylor asks Stephanie if she knows why Rick would do something like that. "He's always working some angle," Stephanie speculates, suggesting that Rick is trying to get back in the family's good graces and impress Steffy. Taylor asks what Ridge thinks of this latest turn of events. Stephanie explains that Ridge thinks Rick has an ulterior motive, but Eric and Brooke think Rick is sincere and is trying to regain his integrity. Taylor wonders if that's even possible. Stephanie concurs, but she doesn't think Rick's parents would agree. Taylor wishes she could find some kind of solution, since she fears that Steffy is in way over her head in dealing with Rick. But she knows there is only so much they can do since Rick and Steffy are adults. She's just afraid that Ridge won't stand for that relationship after what happened to Phoebe. Stephanie asks Taylor to support Ridge. Taylor says that she will, since they can't trust Brooke or Rick to act logically. Still, the person she worries most about is Ridge. Stephanie notes that Taylor still loves Ridge. Taylor sighs. Stephanie wonders if Ridge and Brooke's marriage can survive their being on opposite sides of this situation. Taylor just hopes Ridge survives and asks Stephanie to call her if she hears anything more.

Ridge tells his mother what happened on the roof.

After Taylor leaves, a disheveled Ridge returns to his office. Stephanie asks what happened, so Ridge tells her about his encounter with Rick on the roof. Looking at her son's torn shirt, Stephanie asks if Rick did that. Ridge explains that what happened was his own damned fault. He recounts how he saw Rick manipulating Steffy in the shipping office and followed Rick up to the roof after he left. Stephanie presumes that Rick was responsible for what happened next, but Ridge informs her that it was Rick who saved his life. Stephanie asks how he feels about that. Ridge admits that Rick didn't intend to kill Phoebe, nor did Rick try to kill him today; he finally sees that Phoebe and he were both in the wrong place at the wrong time. Stephanie warns that Rick will try to put a spin on this. Ridge agrees that Rick will find a way to turn this to his advantage. "You can't let him get away with it," Stephanie advises.

Rick asks Brooke not to tell anyone that he saved Ridge.

Brooke finds Rick in the shipping office and asks what happened on the roof. Rick explains what happened. Brooke is grateful that he saved Ridge. Rick insists that he didn't do anything that anyone else wouldn't do, but Brook is proud of him for what he did. Rick asks her not to tell anyone. Brooke wants everyone to know how heroically he acted, but Rick insists that he's no hero. Brooke thinks the rest of the family might think otherwise if they knew what happened, but Rick thinks his position with the family is sensitive enough. He hopes that his keeping quiet might change things between him and Ridge, and that might lead to Ridge letting him and Steffy be together. That's why the only ones who can know about this are the two of them and Ridge. Brooke tells Rick that saving Ridge's life could be a breakthrough, so she really wants the family to know. Rick reminds her that the rest of the family sees him as a con artist, and he doesn't think he can change their opinions of him if it looks like his taking advantage. After losing his job and the respect of his family, he wants that all back, but his getting it hinges on Ridge. Brooke thinks that saving Ridge's life will make all the difference and advises him to just stay away from Steffy. "If Ridge can forgive me, the healing can begin," Rick predicts, and that will be the first step in winning the respect of the family back. "I won't accept anything less," he proclaims.

Taylor returns home and picks up a family photo album. As she holds the album, she admits to herself that Stephanie is right that she'll never stop loving Ridge. She opens up the album and looks at the photos of her and Ridge with their kids. "We were such a beautiful family. We had it all," she sighs as she flashes back to happier times with Ridge, including his marriage proposal in St. Thomas and the birth of the twins. As she looks at a photo of Ridge and Phoebe, she laments that her perfect life was destroyed by the Logans, Brooke and Rick. "He took Phoebe away from me," she sighs, " but I can't let him take Steffy."

Stephanie is amused that Rick got turned down by the Army.

In the shipping office, Rick writes a note to Steffy begging her not to give up on him, since her dream of him winning her father over might already be happening. Stephanie enters and asks if he's waiting for Steffy. Leaving his note for Steffy in an envelope, Rick says that he's going home. Stephanie says that she heard about his escapade on the roof and warns him not to milk his heroic deed to make himself look good. Rick says he's not trying to do that, although he's not surprised that she's less than grateful after he saved her son's life. Stephanie retorts that he wouldn't have had to save Ridge had he stayed away from Steffy like he promised. She then asks him when he's shipping out. When Rick tells her that the Army rejected him, Stephanie laughs and calls him a piece of work. She asks if there's anything he won't do to make himself look good and accuses him of enlisting just to impress Steffy. Rick boasts that he doesn't have to impress Steffy since they're crazy about each other, and he's sure he and Steffy will be together in the future. "Not as long as I draw breath," Stephanie scoffs. Rick prays that he's never in a position where he has to decide if he should save her life. "Don't. I'd rather die," she responds as she leaves.

Brooke makes a plea to Ridge.

Brooke finds Ridge in his office and tells him how grateful she is that he's alive. She offers to take him home, but he insists that he's fine. Brooke tells him that she spoke to Rick, who doesn't want anyone to know about what happened on the roof, even though she wants to tell the whole world about her son's act of heroism. Ridge asks if she's going to respect Rick's decision. Brooke thinks the family should know, but Ridge tells her that's just what Rick wants her to do. Brooke asks why he's not grateful for what Rick did. Ridge explains that he followed Rick to the roof after seeing him with Steffy. While it was his own fault he went over the side, he would not have even been on the roof had Rick stayed away from Steffy. Brooke doesn't like what he's insinuating, but Ridge thinks this shows how bad things happen when Rick pursues his daughters. Brooke argues that Rick just wants Ridge to accept him, but Ridge doesn't buy it and states that her obsessive son needs to be institutionalized. He thinks Rick's history with Phoebe, Taylor, Ashley and now Steffy proves that Rick doesn't love anybody, but Brooke asks him not to talk about her son like he's a deranged person. Ridge says that he's tried to stay sensitive to the fact that Rick is her son, but he can't do that unless Rick keeps his word and stays away from Steffy. Brooke points out that a relationship requires two people, so she doesn't understand why Steffy isn't partially at fault. Ridge says that Rick is a master of manipulating of women, and he won't let that conniver put his remaining daughter at risk.