Wednesday, March 25, 2009, Episode #5527

Stephanie is stunned by Ridge's suggestion.

Stephanie can't believe that Ridge would let Pam take the fall for Thomas's crimes. Ridge reminds her that Pam should have been sent to jail already for what she did to Eric and Donna. Stephanie scoffs, but Ridge won't let his son go to prison. Stephanie suggests that they get Thomas the best lawyers available, but Ridge fears that Thomas will still go to prison for the rest of his life, since he'd be confessing to attempted murder. Stephanie reminds him that keeping quiet about Thomas means that Pam will stay in jail for a crime she didn't commit. Ridge admits that he doesn't have all the answers, but he refuses to let Thomas go to jail. "How do we get Rick out of our lives?" sighs Stephanie. Ridge doesn't know, but Rick already destroyed his daughter, and he won't let Rick destroy his son, too. Stephanie asks if Steffy might tell Rick. Ridge laments that Rick has too much power over Steffy, who's so devoted to Rick that it seems like they're married. Stephanie still worries about her sister. Since most of the evidence is circumstantial, Ridge suggests they hire Pam a good lawyer and appeal to the D.A. to drop the charges. Stephanie wonders what they'll do if that doesn't work. Ridge doesn't know the answer to that, but he does know that no one can find out what Thomas did.

Thomas gets worked up about his situation.

At the Bel Air mansion, Thomas tells Taylor that Pam shouldn't be in jail. He fears that being behind bars might send his aunt even further over the edge than she already is. Taylor advises him to give his father a chance, but Thomas doesn't think that Ridge can find a solution other than lying to the police. He fumes that he just wanted to hurt Rick, that son of a... Taylor cuts him off and warns him to let his anger go, but Thomas can't do that after everything Rick has done to their family. Now Ridge has to lie to the cops, and the worst part is that Rick will probably find out what happened, anyway. He's sure Rick will want answers if Pam goes free, and once Rick learns the truth, he won't be satisfied until he destroys them all. Taylor warns him again to let go of his anger, since holding all those negative feelings inside is what caused him to lose control. Thomas frets that his sister is still with "that fool" Rick, even after everything that's gone down. Taylor tells Thomas that he has to stop talking like that. She promises that they'll find some way to deal with this.

Taylor reassures her son.

Thomas asks his mother how they can deal with what he did. Taylor tells him that she's still his mother, even if he is grown up, so she won't let anything bad happen to him. Thomas fears that she might not be able to protect him this time, and he doesn't want her to feel like she failed. Taylor assures him that she and Ridge will not fail. Thomas tells her that he never meant to hurt her or Ridge, any more than he meant to hurt Rick. But he's afraid that they'll still get hurt, nonetheless, and he doesn't want to see that happen. Taylor tells him that there is nothing he could ever do to change the fact that she loves him. She gives him a hug and reminds him that he's the number one man in her life, and that means that she'll always be there for him.

Brooke tells Katie that Rick is now safe.

Katie drops by Brooke's and notices that the police car isn't outside. Brooke reveals that Ridge assured her that Rick is safe and canceled the squad car. Katie asks how Ridge knows that Rick's not in danger. Brooke wishes she knew the answer to that, but Ridge didn't tell her. Katie thinks that Ridge's canceling the extra security means that he knows who Rick's assailant is. Brooke agrees. She just hopes she'll know more when Ridge returns, since he promised to explain everything when he gets back. Katie asks where Ridge is now. Brooke says that she doesn't know, since Ridge charged out like a man on a mission; she knows Ridge knows something, but she's almost afraid to find out what it is. Katie wonders what could have happened at Big Bear. Something did, Brooke speculates, but she doesn't know what, and she just wishes that she could make sense of it all.

Katie wonders about Ridge's decision.

Katie still can't believe that Ridge and Taylor kidnapped Steffy. Brooke thinks Ridge is just paranoid about Steffy after what happened to Phoebe. Katie reminds Brooke that she and Ridge will have to live with this tragedy for the rest of their lives, and it might be especially hard for Ridge given that Rick is a part of that tragedy. That's where love and forgiveness come in, Brooke states. Katie thinks it would be amazing if Ridge could forgive Rick. Brooke doesn't think they have any other choice if she and Ridge are going to stay together. She knows it's hard, but Ridge is really working on coming to terms with Rick, so she has to believe that everything will work out in the end.

Rick tries to get information from Steffy.

Rick lies with Steffy on his couch and urges her to open up to him about whatever it is that she's holding back. He's sure something happened to Steffy when she was with her parents, but she continues to evade his questions and insists that nothing eventful happened. Rick hopes it wasn't some kind of deprogramming session, although he thinks it failed if it was. Steffy thanks him for noticing. Rick bets that Ridge never really thought Steffy was in danger, but Steffy assures him that her dad was legitimately concerned for her safety. Rick tells her not to defend her father, since he's sure that Ridge knows full well that Pam is guilty. But Pam isn't guilty, Steffy counters. Seeing how sure Steffy seems, Rick asks if she knows who tried to kill him. When Steffy doesn't answer, Rick asks her if her father was the assailant. Steffy tells him that it wasn't her dad, but she doesn't want to talk about it anymore and would rather get back to kissing.

Steffy tells Rick not to badmouth her brother.

Steffy tries to distract Rick by making out with him, but Rick keeps asking if she knows who tried to kill him. Steffy laughs that she doesn't know why he wants to know, because he doesn't really seem to care. Rick admits that he doesn't care, because he changed all the locks and is confident that they'll be safe here now that no one can barge in. Steffy instructs him to stop talking and get back to making love. Rick tells her that she's safe here with him, and he wants her to know that there's nothing they can't share. After they make love, Steffy tells Rick how glad she is to be here with him. She can't imagine her life without him. Rick tells her that she won't have to, much to the chagrin of her parents and her crazy psycho brother who punched him out. Steffy asks him not to talk about her brother that way. Rick apologizes for touching on such a sore subject. Steffy admits that Thomas has done some crazy things, but he's still her brother and she loves him.