Monday, March 23, 2009, Episode #5525

Nick gives Jackie some love life advice.

At Jackie M, Nick tells Jackie to take a break and grab a bite to eat with him. Jackie frets that they have a ton of work to do if they want to keep Jackie M Designs afloat. Nick tells her to leave that stuff for tomorrow and just take a break tonight to enjoy a moment without worrying about business. Jackie responds that she'd really enjoy seeing him back with Bridget, with Katie out of his life. Nick thinks she's spending so much time worrying about his love life since she doesn't have one of her own. Jackie claims to have a lot going on in her life, but Nick points out that it's all in this office. "It's okay to feel a little lonely," Nick states. Jackie takes that comment as a comparison to Stephanie and accuses Nick of seeing her as a loveless, meddling mother. Nick assures her that he didn't mean it that way and asks how long it's been since she had a gentleman friend. Jackie retorts that there's more to life than romance, like business and helping him care for Jack, but Nick thinks both the company and Jack would be better off if she had a little romance in her life. He asks if she really wants to keep worrying about him and Katie. Jackie concedes that she doesn't want everyone to be miserable just because she is. Nick thinks there's someone out there who will make her happy if she just gets out of this office. Jackie kids that the delivery boy was eyeing her today and thanks Nick for his concern. After Nick leaves, Jackie sits alone in her office and reflects on what her son said earlier about there being someone out there who can make her happy.

Pam denies attacking Rick.

Brooke visits Pam in jail to talk about the attempts on Rick's life. Pam brushes her off and turns to leave, but Brooke orders her to sit down and listen. "Tell me you did it," Brooke demands, but Pam refuses to admit to the crimes. Brooke explains that she wasn't able to sleep after the attacks on Rick started until Pam was arrested. Pam asks Brooke if she's here because she thinks the police might have arrested the wrong person. Brooke thinks they have the right person, but she needs to hear Pam say it or at least nod her head for Brooke's own piece of mind. When Pam refuses, Brooke assures that she's not going to take anything Pam says or does to the D.A. She just needs to know the truth. Pam admits that she hates Rick because he's an arrogant, spoiled little brat, but she stands firm that she didn't try to kill him. Brooke doesn't know if she believes her. Pam bets that Brooke thinks she's guilty because of what she did to Donna; she points out that she was sick then, but she's better now, and she didn't try to hurt Rick. "If you really love Rick," Pam advises, "you should try to get me out of here so the police can concentrate on finding the real nutcase that's out there right now trying to kill your son."

Ridge, Thomas and Taylor try to explain to Steffy.

At the cabin, Steffy rages at Thomas for trying to kill Rick. You have turned into someone I don't even know anymore," she fumes, calling him crazy. Thomas concedes that he deserves to have her anger directed him, because he did something selfish and stupid, but he insists that he was only trying to protect her from Rick. Steffy says that she doesn't need to be protected from Rick because she loves him. Thomas explains to Steffy that he followed her from the office on the night of the press conference, hoping she wasn't going to Rick's. When he saw her arrive at Rick's, he planned to barge in and drag her out, but he just couldn't stand the sight of her with Rick. That's when he saw the lighter fluid and grabbed it. Ridge tells Thomas he doesn't have to say anymore, but Steffy wants to hear what her brother has to say and asks Thomas about blowing up Rick's car. Ridge and Taylor remind her that no one was hurt, but Steffy doesn't think that makes it all right and insists that Rick needs to know. Ridge and Taylor balk, but Steffy reminds them that Rick thinks his life is still in danger. Ridge points out that Rick is convinced that the police already have the guilty party with Pam in jail. Steffy shakes her head in disbelief, since no one here but her sees how wrong this is.

Steffy feels what her family is doing is wrong.

Steffy sees a call from Rick coming in on her cell phone. Ridge urges her not to take it, but Steffy answers anyway. Rick asks Steffy if she's OK, since she ended their call rather abruptly earlier. Steffy tells him that her parents don't want her to say anything, but there's something he needs to know. Before Steffy can go any further, Ridge grabs her cell phone and mutes it, begging her not to punish her brother for trying to help her. Steffy asks if that means Pam should be punished for something she didn't do. Taylor begs Steffy to give them some time to figure this out. Steffy takes her phone back and resumes her call with Rick, who asks if she's all right. Steffy tells him that she'll call him back, but Rick reminds her that she wanted to tell him something. She tells him that she misses him and says she'll be home soon, and nothing will keep them apart ever again once she comes home. Hanging up the phone, Steffy tells her parents again that this is wrong. Thomas agrees that Rick and the police have to know the truth. Taylor and Ridge disagree. Steffy tells them that it's wrong to let Pam rot in jail for attempted murder when she's innocent. Ridge points out that Rick has been trying to destroy his life for months; he fears that Rick might send Thomas to jail to get back at him. Steffy offers to talk to Rick, but Ridge thinks it's too risky and Taylor agrees. "Thomas is our son. He's our priority," Ridge insists. After all this family has lost, he won't lose Thomas, too.

Brooke tells Rick about her visit with Pam.

Brooke returns home and tells Rick that Pam refused to admit to making the attempts on his life. Rick asks if she really expected Pam to come clean just because Stephanie came by earlier to rant and rave about Pam's innocence. He knows he wouldn't admit it if he was in Pam's shoes. Brooke points out that she knows Stephanie well enough to recognize when she's playing games. Rick insists that Stephanie is using Pam's situation to make Brooke feel insecure about her marriage, but Brooke suggests that Stephanie might be right, which means that the person who tried to kill Rick is still out there. Rick urges his mother not to let Stephanie get to her, since Pam did it and the police can prove it.

Rick worries that Steffy is being deprogrammed.

Up at the cabin, Steffy tells Thomas how scared she was thinking that someone was trying to kill Rick. Thomas knows she might not believe this, but he's really sorry. Hearing her brother apologize, Steffy softens and gives him a hug. Steffy looks at her cell phone. Thomas guesses that she wants to call Rick and asks what she's going to say. Steffy knows what she wants to stay, but she's not sure if she can say it. Thomas tells her that he can't stop her and instructs, "Do what you have to do," before leaving the room. Steffy calls Rick, who says that he'll come get her if she tells him where she is. Steffy says that won't be necessary, since she'll be home soon. Rick asks if that means that "Daddy dearest" thinks the coast is clear. Steffy says that she's not sure what her dad thinks, since he's talking with her mom in the bedroom, but she knows that she'll see Rick in a few hours. Rick can't wait to see her. Steffy ends the call, not realizing that Thomas is watching her from behind the door. Back at Brooke's, she asks Rick if Steffy is OK. Rick thinks she is, but he fears that Ridge is giving her a hard time. Brooke insists that Ridge is just trying to protect his daughter, but Rick frets that Ridge is staging some kind of intervention to deprogram Steffy and change her feelings for him. Brooke reminds him that Ridge is the one who arranged to have the police car watching the house, thinking that's a sign that Ridge cares about more than just Steffy. In fact, she thinks Ridge has some real concerns, and now she's starting to share those concerns.