Thursday, February 12, 2009, Episode #5500

Ridge tells Brooke about Rick's visit to Eric last night.

Ridge gives Brooke a good morning kiss as they start a new day. Brooke asks Ridge where he was last night, since she woke up and saw that he wasn't in bed. Ridge explains that he was on the phone with Eric, who told him how Rick came over to put a spin on his relationship with Steffy in order to win over Eric's support. Brooke asks how Eric reacted. Ridge reveals that Eric called an emergency family meeting to decide Rick's fate. He informs Brooke that they'll deal with Rick at the meeting, but he wants to stop by Taylor's first to talk about Steffy. Brooke reminds Ridge that they've already dealt with Rick, since Rick and Steffy won't be seeing each other anymore. Ridge tells her that Eric is really sick over this whole mess, and he thinks the best thing for all of them is to get Rick out of Steffy's life and out of the business so they can all move on.

Rick asks his mother if she'll sacrifice her relationship with him.

After Ridge leaves, Rick shows up to talk to his mom about the family meeting. Brooke implores Rick to stay away from Steffy, but he won't do that. Brooke states that he has to and reminds him about what happened last night. Rick blames Ridge for what happened, but Brooke thinks he must have known how Ridge would react to his being with Steffy. Rick feels that Ridge was acting desperate, but Brooke thinks Ridge panicked at the thought of Steffy winding up dead like Phoebe. Rick lays the blame for that on Ridge's failure to accept his feelings for Steffy, but Brooke slams her son for causing all the turmoil in the family. Rick insists that all he did was fall in love with Steffy. Brooke tells him that he drove Ridge crazy by being with Steffy, even if that wasn't what he intended. Rick says he can't be responsible for how Ridge reacts. Brooke warns Rick that Ridge intends to get rid of him at the family meeting. Rick doesn't think she or Eric will let that happen and asks if she'd really support Ridge over him. Brooke says that she just wants peace in the family. Rick says he wants that too, but he won't sacrifice his relationship with Steffy for it. He asks Brooke if she would sacrifice her relationship with him. Brooke is tired of his questioning her loyalty and asks why she should believe in his feelings for Steffy or in anything else he says.

Steffy tells her mom and grandmother about last night's events.

At the Bel Air mansion, Steffy tells Taylor and Stephanie about what happened last night. Stephanie isn't surprised at how Ridge reacted, since she's sure that his seeing Steffy in Rick's car brought back memories of Phoebe's death. Stephanie asks Steffy why she went anywhere near Rick after their talk with James. Steffy says that she just went over to tell Rick it was over and to say goodbye, and she's sorry it ended in a car chase. Stephanie doesn't think an apology is good enough, but Taylor thinks they should just put this all behind them now that Ridge knows the truth and assures that what happened last night won't happen again. Ridge shows up and asks his mother if he can talk to Taylor and Steffy alone, but Taylor informs him that Stephanie knows what's going on. Steffy insists that Rick didn't act out of revenge, but Stephanie disagrees. Ridge asks his mother why she didn't tell him what Steffy was going through. Taylor defends Stephanie and tells Ridge that his mother was just trying to protect him, but Ridge thinks he should have been told and fumes that James Warwick knew before he did. Taylor tells him that they thought James could look at the situation objectively. Steffy assures her parents and grandmother that they don't have to worry about this since it's over, but Ridge says he can't stop worrying while Rick is in the picture. Fortunately, he thinks Rick won't be around much longer after the family meeting. Steffy asks him why he'd send Rick away. Ridge states that it's about time that Rick finally faces the consequences of his actions.

Stephanie offers Steffy her opinion on Rick's behavior.

After her father leaves, Steffy asks her mother and grandmother if Eric will really send Rick back to Paris. Stephanie thinks Eric will do it if it's the only way to protect his granddaughter. Taylor tells Steffy that this isn't her fault, while Stephanie says that Rick could have avoided this by walking away from Steffy. Steffy fears that Rick won't do that, since he wouldn't listen when she told Rick it was over between them.

Taylor tries to reassure her daughter.

While Taylor talks on the phone, Steffy sits on the bed and recalls Rick telling her that he refuses to stay away from her. Taylor hangs up the phone and looks at Steffy, who tells her mom that she doesn't have to keep an eye on her. Taylor says that she wants to do it, since she knows how persistent Rick can be. Steffy insists that Rick loves her, but Taylor thinks Rick would respect her wishes if he really loves her. Steffy says that Rick listens to her heart, and she doesn't think he'll give up on her as long as he does. Taylor thinks that should say something about how Rick feels. Steffy insists that Rick is not some monster who is using her to get revenge on her father and thinks Taylor should know that from her own involvement with Rick. Taylor reminds Steffy that she's talking to her now as her mother, not as some girlfriend who has a crush on the same boy Steffy does, so her past with Rick is irrelevant. Steffy disagrees, but Taylor states that she's known Rick long enough to understand his true motives, even if he isn't sure of those motives himself. Steffy asks how she can give up on Rick with everything he's going through. Taylor tells Steffy that she has to let Rick go, but she thinks it's only a matter of time before her daughter finds the right man to fall in love with. "I really thought Rick was the right man," Steffy sighs.

Felicia and Thorne are shocked to learn about Rick and Steffy.

In Eric's office, he and Donna talk about Rick and Steffy. Donna doesn't think Rick is being malicious, but Eric thinks his son is a disturbed young man who needs their help. Brooke and Rick arrive; before they go into the office, Rick tells his mom to let him talk to Eric. Rick tries to convince his dad to cancel the meeting, but before Eric can respond, Felicia and Thorne arrive and ask what the big pow-wow is about. When Eric says it's about Rick's future with the company, Thorne thinks their president wants to be king now. Ridge and Stephanie arrive, so Eric begins the meeting and tells the family that they need to decide what to do about Rick. "Ship the little bastard back to Paris," Stephanie suggests, with Ridge agreeing that Rick can't stay here. When Rick objects to being put in front of this "firing squad," Felicia asks what Rick did. Ridge says that Rick killed Phoebe for starters and then almost killed Steffy last night. Rick says that's a lie, but Thorne and Felicia are still appalled to hear that Rick was chasing after Steffy. Rick wants to say something. Stephanie cuts him off, but Brooke demands that her son be allowed to speak. Felicia notes that Brooke didn't ask to let Rick defend himself and infers that Brooke agrees that Rick's actions were awful.

Eric and Donna offer their views of what Rick did.

Rick tries to say that things would have been different had Ridge not been out to get him, but Felicia tells him to stop, because they all know Ridge didn't do anything to him. "He crippled me," Rick says. Thorne and Stephanie claim that Rick trumped up that charge. Donna tries to defend Rick, but Stephanie says there's more, because she knows for a fact that Rick went after Steffy to get back at Ridge shortly after Phoebe's accident. Rick says that things changed, and he's sick of being blamed for everything this way. Stephanie tells Eric that it's obvious that Rick can't be trusted, but Rick takes exception to that remark and tries to put his spin on his relationship with Steffy. Eric stops all the bickering and tells everyone that this is not about Rick and Steffy nor is it about what drives Rick or what he wants to do here. The meeting is simply to decide if Rick can remain working here at Forrester. Ridge says that there's no way he could ever work with Rick like they're one big happy family, and Stephanie agrees. Ridge points out that he tried to get along with Rick after Phoebe died for Brooke's sake on the condition that Rick promised to stay away from the family. Rick apologizes for breaking his word, but Ridge doesn't want to hear it.