Tuesday, February 17, 2009, Episode #5503

Somewhere in L.A., Rick fills out some forms and discusses his general health with a man across the desk from him. Rick says he's never been better and finishes the forms. The man across the desk takes them from Rick and shakes his hand, welcoming him to the U.S. Army!

Ridge warns Steffy not to trust Rick.

In the Forrester shipping department, Steffy spots a package addressed to Rick and flashes back to his impassioned promise to be with her, no matter what the family thinks. Ridge comes in and tries to console her over losing Rick. He assures her that letting go of Rick is the right thing to do, even if it hurts. Steffy argues that Rick could change, but Ridge doesn't think Rick is capable of that, and Rick proved that with everything he did to their family. "You can never trust Rick again," Ridge warns. Steffy defends Rick, suggesting that getting kicked out of company might be the wake-up call Rick needs, but Ridge doesn't think Rick will ever change. He tells Steffy how he saw Rick in Eric's office last night, acting like the same selfish jerk he was when he drove the car that took Phoebe away from them. He truly thinks that Rick is beyond redemption, no matter what crazy plan he comes up with to fool them into thinking that he's actually trying to change.

Marcus promises to be there for Steffy.

After Ridge leaves, Marcus comes in and discusses Rick's sudden departure from the company with Steffy. Marcus isn't really sorry to see Rick go, since Rick was the one who shipped him off to Paris to make a play for Steffy. He tells Steffy that their relationship was never the same after Rick sent him to Paris, and he even wondered if there was another guy involved when Steffy turned down his marriage proposal. He asks Steffy if she turned him down because Rick hit on her and used her. Steffy insists that Rick didn't use her. Marcus thinks something must have happened to make her turn him down. Steffy tearfully tells him not to dwell on it, because it's over; she can't be with a man who can cause her family so much pain. Marcus advises Steffy to stay away from a user like Rick and promises to be there if she needs him. He won't let Rick suck her back into his orbit, but he needs her to stay away from Rick.

Eric and Brooke are surprised by Rick's news.

In Eric's office, he and Brooke discuss the situation with Rick. Eric wants to believe Rick can change, but he's not sure that can happen after all the things Rick did. He hopes Rick can find a way to turn his life around. On cue, Rick walks in and tells his parents that he's already taken steps to change his life by joining the Army. He thinks that being in the military will let him do something meaningful to make up for the pain he's caused everybody. Eric understands, but a shocked Brooke doesn't see where this sudden decision came from. Rick insists that the Army will straighten him out and make him a man that they all can be proud of. Eric sees that Rick is serious about this and gives his blessing, but Brooke points out that Rick could be injured or worse. Rick doesn't think anything bad will happen to him, but Brooke has her doubts. Rick reminds her that there are no guarantees in life and tells his parents that he loves them very much. After Rick leaves, Eric tells a tearful Brooke not to blame herself, but she points out that Rick only enlisted after she threw him out of the company. Eric reminds her that their son is a grown-up who can make his own decisions, so all they can do is support him. "But at what cost?" Brooke asks, praying that this is the right decision for everyone.

Rick tells Steffy how he plans to change.

Steffy gets a call from Rick. She tells him to stop calling, but he begs her to meet him at the beach house so he can tell her about the important new direction his life is headed in. Steffy reluctantly agrees and soon after arrives at the beach house, where a wet and shirtless Rick thanks her for coming. Steffy tells him that they can't keep doing this. Rick agrees, and that's why he asked her to come over. He wants her to know that he's making a big change to turn his life around. Steffy thinks he's going ahead with his original plans to work for Jackie M. Rick admits that he might wind up working for Jackie some day, but that's not what's happening here. He sees now that he put her between him and her father by being with a man that her dad despises, which is why he's decided that the old Rick has to go away for a while to make room for a new Rick, one she and her father can both respect and be proud of. Steffy doesn't want to hear this, since he's said these things before, and she won't let him hurt her family again, intentionally or not. Rick insists that he doesn't want to hurt anyone, and that's why he's decided to put his life on the line by enlisting in the U.S. Army!

Nick likes Bridget's attitude.

Nick arrives at Jackie M and finds Bridget, wearing her Madame X disguise, hard at work. He asks about the new "receptionist" outside. Bridget laughs that Jackie wanted to make sure she could work without being disturbed and hired "Ivana the Terrible," who used to work at a maximum-security prison, to stand guard. Taking off her dark glasses, Bridget looks at them and wishes she could lose both the glasses and the wig, but she fears someone might discover her secret before she's ready if she doesn't keep wearing the disguise. Nick assures her that they all love her work, but he doesn't want to cause her any problems with her family. Bridget thinks she can handle most of her family, but she doesn't think Katie is too keen on the idea of her working here. She kids Nick about their working relationship and suggests that he put on a wig and glasses of his own to work more closely with her as "Mr. X," although she bets Katie would have something to say about that, too. Nick loves seeing this side of her and says that's probably why he married her twice, although he wonders why he couldn't get it right the second time. "I guess we both got exactly what we deserved," Bridget suggests. Nick isn't sure how to take that comment. Bridget tells him to just take it in the spirit it was offered and accept that she just wants what's best for everyone, including her ex. Right now, she just wants to get this new line out so she can help his struggling business, and she hopes she can live up to all the hype. Nick assures her that she already has.

Bridget thinks about Nick.

After Nick leaves, Bridget takes a call for him from a Mr. Lowery. As she puts on her fake accent and tells the man that Nick will return soon, she stares at a photo of Nick on Jackie's desk.

Katie gets an earful from Jackie.

Jackie drops by the Marone mansion with some papers for Nick only to learn that he already went to the office. Katie tells Jackie that Nick has been going in a lot earlier lately. Jackie says that's because he's devoted to seeing them through their financial crisis. Katie asks how that's going. Knowing that Nick clued Katie in on Madame X's true identity, Jackie touts her new designer as a possible reason for Nick's spending so much time at work. When Katie reveals that she already went to meet Madame X, Jackie asks if she was was trying to dissuade Bridget from her newfound passion that has her and Nick working so closely of late. Katie tells Jackie not to treat her like an idiot; she can see what Jackie is implying because she knows that Nick and Bridget once cared for each other. Jackie says that they were deliriously in love. "Before I ruined everything," Katie qualifies. Jackie detects a hint of guilt in that comment since Katie slept with Bridget's husband. Katie points out that Nick and Bridget were not married yet, but Jackie thinks that's a flimsy excuse. Katie says that she's not trying to excuse anything, but Jackie thinks she should be, since she came into Bridget's home, stole her husband and commandeered her life! Jackie blasts Katie for her actions, charging that she doesn't like what Katie has done to Nick and Bridget's lives one bit.