At the hospital, Ridge and Thomas hugged. Ridge said he wouldn't abandon his son. He received a call from Detective Sanchez, who wanted to meet with him urgently. As Ridge left the room, he said that Thomas had a long road ahead of him as far as making amends, but Ridge would see to it that Thomas wouldn't spend time in prison.
A short time later, someone entered Thomas' room. Thomas thought it was Ridge with discharge papers, but it was Steffy. She told Thomas to keep his mouth shut and listen to what she had to say about what he'd done to his sister. Thomas agreed not to stop her from giving him "hell," but he wanted to say something first.
Forbidding it, Steffy didn't want to hear Thomas' apologies and excuses. He claimed that he didn't have either of those. He just wanted to thank her for being there. He hadn't thought she'd show up. She said she'd been horrified to hear about his fall, but she hadn't wanted to be there until she knew he was strong enough to hear and handle every scathing word she had to say.
Thomas wanted to explain. Steffy asked what part of "no excuses, no apologies" he hadn't understood. He wanted her to know why he'd done it. Steffy had already heard it and said it was because he'd been obsessed with Hope. Thomas claimed to love Hope and to have been in love with her for years. Steffy doubted that he'd ever been in love.
Thomas said it hadn't been just about him. It had been about giving Douglas a mother. Thomas had tried to fix Douglas' broken heart and Steffy's family. Thomas said he'd sent Liam to be with Steffy, Kelly, and Phoebe. "It's not Phoebe! It's Beth! Her name is Beth!" Steffy yelled. She said he should have told her the moment he'd found out the truth about the baby.
Thomas claimed that he'd tried to. He knew keeping the secret had been wrong. Steffy called him and his actions sick. He asked if it was sick that he'd wanted his sister to be happy. He stated that it was the reason he'd done it. Upon seeing Liam and Steffy bonding and parenting the girls, Thomas hadn't been able to take the family's future away.
Citing that he and Steffy knew what it was like to lose a sister, Thomas stated that Steffy had given Kelly her own Phoebe. Thomas hadn't wanted to take that away from Kelly. He knew that it had been wrong to stay silent, but he asked Steffy to understand it and forgive him. He didn't feel he deserved it, but he was asking as her brother.
Steffy asked what kind of brother would do such a thing. Thomas replied that she knew he'd do anything for her. Slapping his arms and chest area several times, Steffy asked what was wrong with him. She said that Hope and Liam had been "in hell," and Thomas could have taken it away by showing that he'd cared about her.
"But you don't care about her. Otherwise, you wouldn't have kept her from her daughter," Steffy concluded. Steffy said he'd chosen to keep the lie over giving Hope back her daughter, and as twisted a Dr. Buckingham had been, he'd been protecting his child. Thomas, on the other hand, had used his son and his son's grief. She stated that Thomas had dangled Douglas like bait.
Thomas replied that he'd seen that Douglas had needed a mother, and he'd seen the chance to give Douglas one in the woman whom Thomas had admired for years. "The woman who already had a child?" Steffy asked. He replied that they'd all thought that Beth had been dead.
"Until you didn't! Until you didn't!" Steffy screamed. She stated that Thomas had let her raise a baby who hadn't been hers, and he'd let her bond with that child as it grew. Sobbing, she asked if he could see how cruel it had been.
Steffy figured that she was an adult who could process what had happened, but the girls weren't. They were confused because of Thomas and his selfishness. While she thought that she might be able to get over it, she'd never forgive what Thomas had done to her "daughters."
According to Steffy, Kelly had been looking around for Beth. Steffy had tried to explain why Beth was no longer living there and had a different name. "And why her daddy isn't there anymore," Steffy added. She uttered that they'd just started to feel like a family again. Thomas heard the pain in Steffy's voice. He said it had been what he'd been trying to save her from.
Steffy told Thomas that prolonging the lie had made it a thousand times worse. She felt that he'd betrayed her by encouraging her to believe in the family she'd been making. She didn't know anyone could do something like that, "but especially you." Steffy said that he'd understood what she'd wanted for Kelly, and that made it all the more disgusting that he'd let her believe his lie.
Steffy was glad she'd gotten to look into Thomas' lying eyes. She didn't know when she'd see him next. She said he'd crossed a line, and he couldn't come back from it. She had to protect herself and her daughter. Thomas was surprised that she felt she had to protect them from him. She didn't even know if she could ever be in the same room with him again.
Steffy asserted that everyone would survive it. Hope, Liam, Steffy, and the girls would move on without Thomas. Wordlessly, Steffy exited the room, and Thomas shed tears.
At the jail, Flo told Shauna that she didn't have to make "this" a daily thing. Shauna didn't know where else she should be. She was doing all she could to get Flo out of jail, but Flo was resigned to the fact that she was getting what she deserved. She felt she and Reese each had a price to pay, as did Thomas. She hoped Thomas went straight to jail after he left the hospital.
Shauna found it hard to see Flo in jail. Flo said it was hard on her, too, but that was the point of it. Jail wasn't supposed to be easy. Flo regretted what she'd done, and she believed that she'd feel that way for the rest of her life.
Shauna wanted to hire a fancy-pants lawyer, but Flo was resigned to using the court-appointed one. She didn't want her mother going into debt. Instead, she thought that she and Shauna should accept that she'd be there for a long time.
A buzzer sounded, and a guard arrived to take Flo back to her cell. Shauna refused to give up on her daughter. She asked about the possibility of community service. Flo didn't see it happening. As the guard and Flo walked behind the gated walls to exit, Shauna vowed to make it happen and to find a way to get Flo out of there.
In a nearby interrogation room, Sanchez sat with Ridge. Ridge asserted that Thomas hadn't broken the law. Sanchez hoped it was true. He said the police had decided to close Emma's case for lack of evidence. They hadn't found evidence in Thomas' car or at the scene. According to Sanchez, Emma had been texting. It had ultimately killed her, regardless of whether Thomas had been driving nearby. Sanchez had decided not to "waste" any more time on it.
Ridge asked why Sanchez had wanted to see him. Sanchez relayed that it was about Flo. Authorities were discussing dropping the charges against her, and she could even be released that day. Sanchez explained that Flo had been extremely cooperative in their case against Reese, and Reese was the one they wanted to see serve time.
Ridge bellowed that he wanted them both to serve time. That was ideal in Sanchez's view, but he said more things were at play, like the investigation into the forged documents ring. The prosecutor was talking about giving Flo immunity. Ridge interrupted Sanchez to ask if Sanchez was kidding. Sanchez said he'd asked if he could talk to Ridge first to see if Ridge would want to speak on behalf of his family.
Certain that his whole family would want to fight it, Ridge stated that the answer would be no. Sanchez asked if Thomas would want to see it go to trial. Sanchez was sure Flo would have no problem telling the court what Thomas had done -- including her version of what had happened to Emma Barber.
Considering the case closed, Ridge stated that it would be hearsay. Sanchez asked if Ridge had no problem airing dirty laundry and drumming up more interest in Emma's death. Sanchez had just wanted to let Ridge know that there were ways to make things less messy for his son. Sanchez was ready to tell the State that the Forresters had declined the deal, but Ridge asked if letting Flo walk out of there would be beneficial for Thomas.
Sanchez asked why Ridge would want to put all the information out there in the court of public opinion. Ridge asked if he could think about the offer. Sanchez advised Ridge to take his time and discuss it with his wife and Hope. Opening the door, Sanchez said he'd return in a few minutes to see if Ridge had changed his mind.
In the corridor, Shauna stood among the bustling police officers. She paused upon seeing Ridge in the room. She heard Sanchez tell Ridge that the Feds were eager to make a deal, and Flo's freedom was in Ridge's hands.
Sanchez left, and Shauna slipped into the room. She asked Ridge if Flo's freedom was in Ridge's hands. "Oh, my God, Shauna," Ridge replied. Closing the door, she asked if there was a deal. Ridge replied that if it were true, Flo didn't deserve it. Shauna didn't think that Flo deserved to be in jail. Ridge vehemently disagreed.
Shauna insisted that Flo was horrified that someone who she'd thought had been a friend had dragged her into that mess. Shauna knew that Flo might never be able to make things up to Ridge's family, but Shauna asked how Flo could even try to do it while locked up there. Shauna implored Ridge to use whatever power he had to set Flo free.
At Brooke's house, Brooke was amazed by a drawing Douglas showed her on a tablet. She was surprised that he'd done it himself and said his inner designer was coming out. Her sisters were there, too, and they became anxious when Douglas began asking where his father was. Brooke explained that Thomas was taking a time out. Douglas asked if Thomas had been bad.
Brooke stated that Thomas had a lot to think about, but in the meantime, Douglas would be with his grandfather, Brooke, Hope, Liam, and Beth. Katie and Donna didn't want to be left out of it. Brooke included them, saying that Douglas would be surrounded by love. Douglas asked if his father was okay. Brooke assured him that Thomas was fine.
Brooke took Douglas to the cabin to see Beth. Katie and Donna discussed how surreal it was that Beth was alive. Donna stated that what was meant for them came to them, no matter what. Katie replied that it included justice, which Flo was learning about right then.
When Brooke returned, she talked to her sisters about how resilient Douglas was. Donna took that to mean that Hope and Douglas were getting along well. Brooke said that Hope was like a second mother to him. Relieved, Donna expressed that she had been worried that everything that had gone on with Thomas would affect Hope's relationship with Douglas.
Brooke explained that Hope, who didn't want Douglas to suffer another loss, was spending as much time with him as she could. It was almost as if he was spending more time in the cabin than at the main house. Donna hoped that it was making up for Thomas abandoning his son.
Brooke didn't want to start in on all Thomas had done. She felt that he deserved to be in jail for years. Donna noted that Ridge didn't agree with that. Brooke said it was why she couldn't voice her feelings in front of him. Katie advised Brooke to really think about her marriage and said that, with the family involved, it was a recipe for disaster.
Brooke loved her husband, who was struggling to come to terms with what his child had done. Donna said that Thomas hadn't just hurt Hope and Liam; he'd hurt his own sister. Agreeing, Brooke added that there was something fundamentally wrong with Thomas.
Brooke felt that Thomas shouldn't be anywhere near Douglas until Thomas got the help he needed. Certain that Douglas needed stability over Thomas' chaos and confusion, Brooke vowed not to let Thomas damage Douglas' life any more than Thomas had already.
Later, Brooke escorted Katie and Donna to the front door. They expressed their discontent with Flo's part in things. Katie asked what kind of mother Shauna was to condone Flo lying to her cousin about a baby who'd been there the entire time. Brooke said Shauna and Flo were horrible people. Brooke stated that Shauna and Flo wouldn't get away with it, and both of them had to pay.
In the jail's visitation area, Flo waited to take a surprise visitor. Steffy arrived and said Flo had to have known Steffy would eventually be there. Steffy seethed about the lies and deception Flo had heaped upon a family that had been good to Flo. Steffy asked how Flo could dare to do it.
Glad that Steffy was there, Flo stated that nothing could change or justify what she'd done. Flo felt terrible, and she was deeply sorry. She didn't expect anyone to forgive her and stated that she couldn't even forgive herself. Flo didn't want to try to make excuses. She knew that she should have put an end to the scam once she'd understood what she'd gotten into.
Steffy stated that Hope had suffered and had been grieving. Liam hadn't been able to outwardly grieve because he'd had to be strong for his wife. "Phoebe was my little girl. She was Kelly's sister. We were a family," Steffy painfully uttered.
Flo apologized. She felt she was where she belonged and said she deserved to pay for what she'd done. She was happy that Beth was with her original parents but couldn't imagine the hole in Steffy's heart. Tearfully, Flo apologized for her part in creating it.
Steffy said that Flo's sorrow didn't make it any better. Steffy was still left in the ruins of her once happy family, and it was all because Flo had been too selfish to tell the truth. Steffy asked if Flo knew how painful it had been to watch Hope and Liam walk out the door with Phoebe. Steffy said that Flo had lied about being the mother of Hope's not dead baby, the child Steffy had adopted.
In Steffy's view, Flo had helped Buckingham put the hateful plan into motion. Flo had stolen Beth from her parents and had stolen Phoebe from Steffy. She found Flo, the destroyer of families, disgusting. Steffy said that there was always a silver lining, and it would be seeing Flo behind bars.
"Nothing to do but just live with your worthless self and think about all the damage you've caused as time slowly, slowly marches on," Steffy said. "Think about Hope, grieving her dead baby for months. And think about me, the child I loved so much -- believing that she was mine. I hope you rot in prison. It's exactly what you deserve."
In an interrogation room, Shauna begged Ridge to do anything he could to help Flo get out of prison. Though Shauna hadn't heard Ridge's entire conversation with Sanchez, she'd gleaned that the decision was in Ridge's hands. Ridge stated that his daughter was in a world of pain. He asked if Shauna really thought he'd help Flo get out of there.
Shauna admitted that she'd known that telling the secret had been the right thing to do, but she had been selfishly thinking of her own daughter. Shauna didn't expect Ridge's forgiveness, and she said that he had every right to be furious at Flo. Shauna just wanted him to know that being there was killing Flo's spirit. Flo was full of regret. She'd been carrying it since the beginning. Shauna implored Ridge to forgive Flo and let her go.
Ridge advised Shauna to remember that Flo wasn't the victim. Shauna insisted that Flo had been a good person all of her life, and Buckingham had taken advantage of that and had used Flo. Ridge raged that Flo had signed the papers, which had been a conscious act. Shauna reminded Ridge that Thomas had kept the secret, too, and had threatened to ruin the lives of anyone who'd speak up about it.
Detective Sanchez returned to the room, announcing that it was decision time. He was surprised to see Shauna with Ridge. Shauna said she was trying to reason with Ridge. Sanchez asked what the verdict was and if Ridge would support immunity for Flo.
Ridge asked if he had to answer right then. Sanchez felt that time was of the essence to get the process started. Shauna asked Ridge to agree to it. Sanchez understood Ridge's reluctance, but Sanchez felt that it was better for everyone -- with all things considered.
"All right," Ridge muttered. Sanchez asked if Ridge was saying he didn't object to the immunity deal. Ridge affirmed it. Sanchez asked about the family, but Ridge replied that he'd deal with his family. Shauna asked if it meant that Flo could be free. Sanchez said Flo would have to meet with investigators, sign an affidavit, and be processed out.
Sanchez left to start the process. Shauna stated that she didn't know how to repay Ridge. Ridge conveyed that he knew exactly who Flo was, and Flo deserved to be there for the rest of her life. He wasn't agreeing to it for Flo; he was doing it for his son. Shauna didn't care why he was doing it. She said that her only child was being set free, and it was because of Ridge.
Shauna noted that Ridge's son was problematic, but Ridge still loved him and was doing everything possible to protect him. She felt the same way about her child, who was everything to her. Shauna said that Flo was an amazing person who'd lost her way. She believed that Flo would be a better person because of the experience. In Shauna's view, Ridge had given Flo a chance, and Shauna would be forever grateful to Ridge.
Just then, Sanchez entered with Flo. Immediately, Flo asked what Ridge was doing with her mother. Shauna tried to speak, but Flo cut her off. Flo refused to let Shauna be harassed for Flo's bad actions. Flo decided to tell Ridge the same thing she'd just told Steffy and the same thing she'd told Ridge before.
Flo was ashamed of her actions. She hated what she'd done and that she'd caused pain to the people she loved. She said that it was on her, not her mom. Flo believed that she'd live with it every day for the rest of her life from a prison cell. "Not another day," Shauna corrected.
Flo asked what Shauna was talking about. Shauna told Flo that Flo could go home. Sanchez explained that Ridge had done Flo a solid by agreeing not to challenge the immunity deal that the Feds wanted to make with Flo in exchange for her testimony in the forged documents case. Shauna said Flo owed it to Ridge, who could have fought the deal.
Ridge asked if Flo understood that he hadn't done it for her. Flo asked if she didn't have to spend years in prison and if she could just leave. Shauna replied that it would be that day. Sanchez stated that she'd be free to go after they took care of some legalities. Flo hugged Shauna and told Ridge that she didn't deserve it. He agreed.
Flo said she'd never stop trying to make it up to Ridge's family. She believed that she'd someday earn back their respect. Sanchez led Flo out, and Shauna said she'd wait for Flo. On the way out, Flo thanked Ridge, who silently watched her go.
Shauna promised that Ridge wouldn't regret it, and he'd see what a good person Flo was. Shauna echoed Flo's vow to earn Ridge's respect and his family's respect. Shauna said that Ridge had given Flo a beautiful gift, and he'd given Shauna the gift of her daughter. Though she didn't know how she'd do it, Shauna vowed to find a way to repay him.
Shauna hugged Ridge. Awkwardly, he tensed. "Okay," he said, and she let him go. Shauna thanked him.
At Brooke's house, Ridge returned home and said that Thomas would be released that same day from the hospital. Brooke was glad that Thomas would recover, but she shared that she wouldn't hide her feelings about him.
Brooke wondered about legal action against Thomas. Ridge explained that Detective Sanchez had made it possible for both Thomas and Flo to be free. Brooke was shocked. Ridge explained that Flo had received immunity because she had agreed to testify in a bigger case about forged birth certificates and Reese Buckingham. Ridge admitted that Sanchez had asked him about the deal. Brooke was in disbelief. "How is that possible? You had a choice?" Brooke asked.
Ridge explained that there really wasn't a choice. He wanted to protect Thomas. "That's what this all about?" Brooke asked. She was furious. Ridge explained that he didn't want the family to go through a trial. Brooke disagreed. She wanted Thomas to pay for what he'd done. Ridge looked helpless.
Ridge reminded Brooke that Thomas had not committed a crime. He'd "made a mistake." Brooke was furious that Thomas had known the truth and never told anyone. "Everybody involved in this mess is going to have to pay," Brooke shouted. Ridge said that his main priority was his son. Ridge wanted to reunite Thomas with his family and Douglas.
Brooke found it "appalling" that Flo was out of jail and that there were no consequences for Thomas. She felt that Hope and Steffy would agree. Brooke warned that Thomas would not "waltz back in this house like nothing happened." She refused to let Thomas off the hook and insisted there had to be consequences. Ridge countered that Thomas had no family and no friends. He had "to restart this whole life."
Ridge said it was a family crisis, and they would work through it as they had done before. He wanted it to remain a family matter. Brooke reminded Ridge that she was going to stand up for her daughter, granddaughter, and Douglas. She didn't think Thomas should be anywhere near Douglas. "Try to remember who his father is," Ridge said. Brooke said that she and Hope cared about Douglas. Ridge wondered if Brooke wanted to separate Thomas and Douglas. "Yes, Ridge. Thomas needs to be away from Douglas," Brooke said.
Brooke announced that she didn't want Thomas near her or the family. Ridge said that Thomas was a young man who had made a mistake, and Brooke had known Thomas since he'd been a child. "He's my boy...be rational about this," Ridge said. Ridge promised they would figure it all out as a family and focus on healing.
"Absolutely not," Brooke said. She refused to allow Thomas near Douglas or anyone until he had proven he could be a decent father -- if that day ever happened. She promised to do everything she could to protect Douglas and Hope. Ridge insisted that Douglas needed his father. Brooke refused and promised to have Thomas' bags packed for him.
Ridge was in disbelief that Brooke had no sympathy for Thomas after she had pushed him off a cliff. Brooke scoffed and said it had been an accident. Brooke said she couldn't forgive Thomas for his "manipulation and aggression and obsessions." She added that she could never forgive him for what he had done to Beth, Hope, Liam, and Steffy. She reminded Ridge that Thomas had used his own son to get what he'd wanted.
Ridge told Brooke that she couldn't keep Thomas away from Douglas. Brooke disagreed. "I can, and I will," Brooke said. Ridge shook his head.
At Flo's old apartment, Shauna and Flo entered, and Shauna was glad to have her daughter home and out of jail. Flo thanked her mother for all she'd done. Shauna said she would have done anything. Flo said the apartment, which had been Reese's apartment, had bad memories for her.
Shauna answered that Flo had been given a fresh start, and she needed to use it. Shauna promised to make Flo her favorite meal -- chicken and dumplings. Shauna was grateful to Ridge, but Flo reminded her mom that Ridge had agreed to the deal for Thomas' sake.
Shauna said that she had begged Ridge to agree to the deal. Flo said everyone felt that Thomas had had something to do with Emma's death, but Sanchez had no proof. "Ridge came through for us," Shauna said. She added that she knew Brooke would not be happy about it, and neither would Hope.
Flo said she deserved it if they never spoke to her again. Shauna said that Reese had pressured Flo into participating in the adoption. Shauna maintained that Flo was a good person, and they would work to get the Forresters and the Logans to eventually forgive her. Shauna wanted Flo to be positive. She also encouraged Flo to rekindle her relationship with Wyatt. "Don't give up on him. He loves you, and you love him. You need to see him," Shauna said.
At Spencer Publications, Wyatt discussed meetings, mergers, and investors with his assistant. Suddenly, Wyatt looked up and saw Sally at his door and asked his assistant to return later. His assistant left, and Sally said the corporate Wyatt was very sexy. "Look at you," she said. Wyatt teased that she didn't have an appointment.
Wyatt and Sally kissed, and Sally teased that his corporate lingo was really turning her on. "I could watch you all day," she said. Wyatt said he could make it happen and suggested they lock the door and make up for lost time. Sally said she wasn't ready. "Trust me. I missed you, too. I'm not ready to jump in," she said. Sally didn't want to get hurt again, and she added that she hadn't recovered "from the last time you dumped me."
Sally suggested that they needed to earn one another's trust again. She was still hurt that he'd left her and run "right back to your high school sweetheart." Wyatt was understanding. He and Sally agreed that they'd both made mistakes. Wyatt understood and said he could wait "because you're worth it."
Wyatt changed the conversation and said he wanted her to move back in. Sally smiled and said she wanted to take it slowly, and he had to be patient. Wyatt agreed. She kissed him and left.
Later, Wyatt was on the phone, negotiating a deal. The door opened, and Flo walked in. "What are you doing here?" Wyatt asked. Flo explained that she had been granted an immunity deal, and she was free. Flo apologized for everything and everyone she'd hurt. "I know it doesn't mean much," she said. She added that she felt the worst for not being truthful with him. She worried that she had hurt him, and she cared most about him.
In Wyatt's office, Flo said that he was the first person she'd wanted to see. Wyatt said she was the last person he'd expected to see. He didn't know if there was anything more for them to say to each other. Flo felt that she'd been given a second chance with the immunity deal. She didn't plan to waste any of it, and that was why she was there.
"Flo, if you're asking me to forgive you -- " Wyatt began to say. Flo said she wasn't. She just wanted to explain. He didn't think there was an explanation for what she'd done, and he didn't want any apologies from Flo. He said she could save those for Liam and Hope.
Flo stated that she'd hurt Wyatt, too. Wyatt agreed that she'd done that. He said she'd also stolen Liam and Hope's baby and had allowed them to think Beth was dead. Wyatt pointed out that Flo had said nothing when he'd expressed how bad he'd felt for the couple and had said nothing when they'd been at Steffy's house. Wyatt concluded that Flo had lied for months.
Sitting with Flo, Wyatt admitted that he was glad she was okay. Flo asked if he was upset about her being out of jail. Wyatt had hated to think of her in prison for years. He stated that she'd let Steffy think the baby had been hers and had taken time from Hope and Liam that they'd never get back. Wyatt didn't even know how one fixed something like that.
Flo claimed to be just as disgusted by it as Wyatt, but Wyatt asserted that she'd still helped Buckingham sell Liam's baby. Wyatt couldn't imagine the woman that he'd known and loved doing something like that. Wyatt had been happy when Flo had returned to his life. He hadn't known where it would go, but he'd been happy.
Wyatt said Flo had known why he'd left Sally and how important honesty was to him. He felt that Sally hadn't done anything close to what Flo had done. He recalled begging Flo to open up to him. Flo wished that she had. She stated that Beth could have been home sooner.
Flo explained that she had known that the truth would ruin her relationship with Wyatt and cause him to look at her exactly as he was looking at her at that very moment. She felt that it was too soon to ask for Wyatt's forgiveness, but she asked him not to hate her.
At Brooke's house, Brooke and Ridge argued about whether Thomas could live on the grounds or whether he should be around Douglas. Against both things, Brooke revealed that she'd been thinking about getting a restraining order. Ridge was aghast, but Brooke was insistent upon doing anything she could to protect Douglas and Hope.
Ridge was adamant that Brooke couldn't take Douglas from Thomas. Brooke stated that Thomas was unfit and couldn't care for the child the way that Hope could. Ridge noted that Hope wasn't the child's mother. Brooke was okay with Douglas staying at the house until things got ironed out. She felt that Douglas needed stability and that Hope could give it to him.
"Any judge would agree," Brooke stated. Ridge asked what it was a judge would agree to. He insisted that Thomas and Douglas would stay on the grounds, and they'd deal with it as a family, without judges and lawyers. Brooke said they'd tried it each time Thomas had done something horrible, but that time, there were children involved, children that needed to be protected.
Brooke was adamant that Thomas couldn't be a parent to Douglas. Ridge obstinately shook his head. Brooke told him that he couldn't ignore that Thomas had used and threatened Douglas. Ridge disagreed that Thomas had threatened the boy. Brooke asserted that Douglas had vocalized how threatened he'd felt.
Ridge claimed that the little boy had just gotten scared when Thomas had raised his voice while he'd been under stress. Brooke asked if Ridge honestly felt that Douglas was safe with Thomas. Ridge did, and he also didn't know why it worried Brooke. He said that Douglas and Thomas wouldn't be alone; they'd be at the house with the family.
"I don't want him here! I don't want him at Forrester!" Brooke replied. Ridge asked if Thomas wasn't allowed at the family business, either. Brooke didn't even want Thomas in Los Angeles. Ridge refused to abandon his son. Brooke screamed that Ridge couldn't bury his head in the sand. He felt that he could see very clearly; his son was in trouble, and he wanted to help.
Brooke said she was sorry, but she couldn't be a part of it. Ridge asked if revenge was what she preferred to partake in. Brooke wanted Thomas to get help, but it had to happen elsewhere, in her view. She didn't think it was safe for Thomas to be around Douglas. Brooke insisted that Thomas had been out of control, and it had been sinister. She yelled that Ridge knew it.
Ridge didn't know anything but that Brooke had pushed Thomas. "My God!" Ridge rasped, shaking his fists in frustration. He decided to leave before he said something that he regretted. "Yeah! You go! You go!" Brooke responded. As Ridge went out the door, she called his name.
Evening fell. Brooke was still at home, but Ridge was at the Bikini Bar. He told the bartender to keep the drinks flowing. He ignored a call from Brooke. She left a message asking him to return home. She didn't want to argue with him.
Back at Brooke's, someone knocked on the front door. Opening the door, Brooke was unhappy to see Shauna on her doorstep. "No, No," Brooke said, closing the door. Shauna pushed the door back and strode into the house. Brooke said she didn't want Shauna there. Shauna knew it but was there for her daughter. Brooke said it was all the more reason for Shauna to leave.
Shauna asked Brooke to hear her out. Brooke didn't know what Shauna had to say to her. Shauna began to defend the actions of Flo, who was a member of Brooke's family. Shauna said she'd made the mistake of advising Flo to bury it, but Flo had wanted to tell the truth. Shauna asked Brooke to give Flo another chance and have mercy on Shauna's child.
Brooke wondered how Shauna would dare ask for anything after the cruel, heartless things Flo had done. Shauna claimed that they were Buckingham's actions, but Brooke said he couldn't have done it without Flo, who was just as guilty as he was. "Oh, yeah. About that. I'm not sure if you've heard yet," Shauna arrogantly replied.
Brooke acknowledged that Flo had been released from jail. It made Brooke sick to her stomach that Flo would get away with it. "Well, she is helping with a big investigation," Shauna snidely replied. Brooke stated that Flo had made a deal to save herself. Chuckling, Shauna said that wasn't how it was. "Didn't Ridge explain it to you?" Shauna asked. "Actually, is he here? Because I would love to thank him again."
Brooke replied that Ridge wasn't there, and she doubted he wanted Shauna's appreciation. Brooke stated that she and Ridge had been in complete agreement about Flo being in jail. "Oh, but not about everything," Shauna said in her continually haughty tone. Brooke insisted that Flo's actions had been criminal, even if Flo wasn't being punished for them.
Shauna asked if Brooke was kidding. In Shauna's view, Flo was being punished and had lost everything that mattered to her. Brooke asked if she was supposed to feel sorry for Flo. Shauna claimed that Flo had been afraid and in too deep. She told Brooke that Brooke needed to understand that Flo wasn't a bad person and that Flo felt terrible for what she'd done.
"And she is determined to earn your forgiveness," Shauna added. Brooke laughed. She said that once they were discovered, everyone wanted forgiveness and to have their crimes erased. "I mean, what's wrong? Everything is good. Hope and Beth are back together. They're happy. It's good, right?" Brooke asked and then shouted, "No, Shauna! It's not! Flo is not a victim in this case. She doesn't deserve my forgiveness, and you know what? She's never gonna have it!"
Shauna claimed that Flo loved her cousin and her family. Brooke scoffed. Shauna asked Brooke to look at it from Flo's perspective. "Gee...Should I help steal a baby? No!" Brooke responded. Shauna persisted, saying that she was asking mother-to-mother.
Brooke replied that her daughter had grieved for months. Brooke had thought she might lose Hope, too, over a lie and secret that everyone around her had perpetuated for their own selfish needs. Shauna called Thomas the cruel one, not Flo.
Brooke stated that Flo was just a tramp from Vegas who had betrayed Hope's daughter and nearly ruined Hope's life. There was no coming back from it. In Brooke's view, the best thing for Flo and Shauna to do was leave.
Shoving Shauna, Brooke told her to go home and pack. Brooke prodded Shauna out of the house. She swore that Flo and Shauna would never be allowed around the Logan or Forrester families again. Brooke shoved Shauna, told her to get out, and slammed the door in her face.
Back at Bikini, Carter greeted Ridge, who was inebriated at the bar. Danny poured drinks and said that if Carter planned to keep up with Ridge, the bottle wouldn't last long. Carter asked Ridge what was going on and if his mood was about Thomas.
Ridge said he hadn't gone to the bar for an interrogation. He was there to keep himself from saying something he might regret. Ridge revealed that Brooke was being unreasonable about Thomas and wouldn't listen to Ridge.
Ridge's phone rang. He showed Carter that it was Brooke and sent the call to voicemail. Carter was surprised Ridge wouldn't answer it. Carter said Ridge and Brooke had had an argument, but they'd work through it. Slurring, Ridge said Brooke was trying to break up his family. He stated that she claimed to be looking out for them, but she wasn't looking out for anyone.
Carter asked who Brooke was trying to protect. Ridge kept slurring his words and mumbling as he conveyed that Brooke wanted to protect Hope and Douglas. Ridge murmured that Thomas had done terrible things, but Ridge couldn't abandon his son. Ridge stated that all Brooke thought was that Thomas needed to go.
Ridge yelled Danny's name, but Carter motioned to Danny to stay on the other side of the bar. Carter told Ridge that Ridge didn't need another drink. Instead, Carter wanted to keep talking. Ridge rasped that they were talking. Ridge stated that Thomas had fallen off a cliff. "Well, he didn't fall -- but I can forgive that. But she can't forgive him -- " Ridge stammered.
Standing, Carter decided that he and Ridge should get out of there. Ridge refused to go anywhere that night. Carter didn't want to leave Ridge like that. Ridge screamed at Carter, asking if it was so hard to understand that Ridge wanted Carter to leave him alone. Carter asked Ridge to call if he needed anything.
Carter walked over to Danny. Carter stated that he didn't want to leave Ridge like that. Danny said Carter didn't have to worry. Danny would make sure Ridge wouldn't be driving that night.
Carter left. Ridge tried to order another drink. Danny offered him coffee instead. Ridge raged about knowing what he wanted, and he ordered Danny to "feed" him. As Ridge sloppily ate nuts from a bowl, Shauna sauntered up to the far side of the bar and noticed him at the other end.
As Brooke was at home, text-messaging Ridge, asking him to return to work things out, Danny handed Ridge a drink and advised him to make it last. Shauna sat beside Ridge. He growled and said the day just kept getting better and better.
Shauna guessed that his wife wasn't happy about what he'd done for Flo. "Your wife might not appreciate what you've done, Ridge, but I do," Shauna stated, grinning at him.
At Spencer, Wyatt said that he didn't hate Flo, but she couldn't expect him to look at her the same way again after what she'd done to him, Hope, and Liam. Lives had been forever changed due to her actions, including his and Flo's. He saw that as possibly the saddest part of it all.
Flo knew that Wyatt's words were true, but it was still hard to hear them from him. He replied that he wasn't trying to hurt her. She stated that she believed in miracles, like finding her father and reconnecting with Wyatt. She hoped that there could be another miracle in store for them.
"Miracles, huh?" Wyatt murmured. Flo joked that it had been a miracle that she'd gotten him to pick up his socks around the house. Agreeing, he replied that his mother had had a hard time getting him to do that when he'd been a child.
Flo loved Quinn and was worried that she'd never see Flo the same way again. Wyatt replied that Quinn wasn't a saint, but she had Eric, who believed in her. In his view, Quinn wasn't the same person, and that was a miracle of miracles.
Wyatt received a message about a client meeting. Flo said it was okay for him to go. Unbeknownst to him and Flo, Sally approached the office door that was slightly ajar.
Flo was glad she'd visited Wyatt. She'd thought he'd slam the door in her face. Though she couldn't undo what she'd done, she was determined to make it up to him. In her view, Wyatt had had faith in her and loved her the way no one had ever loved her. She didn't know if she could make up for betraying Wyatt's trust, but she wouldn't stop trying or believing in miracles.
Wyatt left, and moments later, Sally entered the office. She noted that someone had gotten a free pass out of jail. Flo asked if Wyatt had been expecting Sally. Sally answered that he hadn't been, but she was sure he hadn't been expecting Flo, either.
Sally asked who'd bailed Flo out of jail. Flo explained that she'd gotten an immunity deal. Sally was sure it had involved deceit and treachery, things Flo was famous for. Sally didn't know how Flo could have done what she'd done to Liam and Hope or to Wyatt, with whom Flo was supposed to be so in love.
Flo said that she'd gotten caught up in something that she hadn't been fully aware of. She should have gone forward sooner, and she felt awful for what she'd taken part in. "Oh, God. Boo-hoo," Sally quipped. Sally said Flo would need a lot more than that to redeem herself. Sally decided that Flo would need that "miracle" she believed in so much.
Flo asked if Sally had been listening to Flo and Wyatt. Sally laughed at the idea that Flo would be offended by that after what Flo had done to her own cousin. Sally argued that Flo had let Hope suffer in silence and had let everyone else believe that Flo was something she wasn't. Sally had a newsflash for Flo: Flo's little miracle was that she'd gotten out of jail. Sally advised Flo not to push it because no one was that miraculous.
At Brooke's house, Katie arrived as Brooke paced in the living room. Brooke conveyed that she was worried about Ridge because he'd walked out during an argument between them. Katie was shocked to learn that Ridge had helped Flo get immunity to protect Thomas.
Brooke added that Ridge wanted Thomas to live in Brooke's house and be a father to Douglas. To her, it made no sense because Thomas shouldn't be anywhere near the child he'd manipulated and used. Brooke was worried about Ridge, and she didn't know where he was.
Brooke understood the need to protect one's children, but she couldn't imagine if hers had done what Thomas had done. Katie replied that Brooke's children weren't that cruel. Brooke wasn't buying Thomas' apology act and believed he'd do anything to keep Ridge on his side.
Katie assumed it was working, as evidenced by Ridge vouching for Flo. Katie understood that Brooke didn't want Thomas near Hope. Brooke didn't want him near Douglas, either, and said she didn't even know if the restraining order would work. Katie asked if Brooke had talked to Ridge about having a restraining order against his son.
Affirming it, Brooke said it had hurt Ridge. She hadn't meant to hurt him, but he couldn't be objective about Thomas. Brooke felt that she had to be a mother to Hope, a grandmother to Beth, and an advocate for Douglas. Katie believed that Brooke and Ridge could work it out. Brooke hoped so, but she didn't even know where Ridge was.
The topic turned to Shauna's visit, and Katie asked what that woman had wanted. Brooke said Shauna had wanted Brooke to forgive Flo -- as if that would ever happen. Katie hoped that Brooke had let Shauna have it. Brooke affirmed it and said she might have reacted more strongly than normal because she'd just had the fight with Ridge.
Brooke didn't know what Shauna had been thinking to even show up there. Brooke declared that she'd had it with Flo and Shauna. She wanted them to go back to where they'd come from.
Katie asked if Brooke would tell Hope and Liam about Flo's deal before Flo or Shauna did. Brooke didn't think they'd dare do it, but she realized that no one had ever thought Storm's daughter would cause so much pain, either. Brooke said that Shauna had pressured Flo to keep quiet for her own good, and they hadn't cared about anyone but themselves.
Katie reasoned that if Shauna and Flo had gone forward sooner, Thomas might not have become involved, and Brooke and Ridge wouldn't be at odds. Brooke replied that she and Ridge had been through a lot, and they hated arguing. Brooke didn't know what else to do because she had to stand up for Hope, Beth, and Douglas.
The sisters hugged. Brooke believed that she and Ridge would weather the storm, but the longer Ridge stayed away, the more worried Brooke was that something might happen to him.
At the Bikini Bar, the slurring Ridge tried to deny to Shauna that he was drinking and the reason for the drinking. Shauna, however, insisted that she knew he was drinking over an argument with Brooke about Flo's release. Shauna said that Brooke could be unhappy about it if she wanted to be, but Shauna would be forever grateful for what he'd done.
Ridge managed to articulate that he and his wife weren't Shauna's business and that there hadn't been an argument. Shauna informed him that she'd talked to Brooke, and he was surprised that Shauna had spoken to his "beautiful wife." Shauna said she'd pleaded with Brooke to find forgiveness for Flo the way Ridge had. Ridge denied finding forgiveness for Flo.
Shauna said that, whatever it was, Ridge hadn't put up roadblocks to Flo's release. She'd hoped telling Brooke that would open her heart. Shauna claimed that it hadn't and that Brooke had blasted and humiliated her instead. Chuckling, Shauna noted that she and Ridge were in the doghouse with Brooke. "At least the company's good," she added.
Danny set down what he said was Ridge's last drink of the night. Shauna advised Ridge not to drink it. Calling himself a drunk, Ridge gestured to the drink and said he needed to get back to work. Shauna starting getting down on Brooke again. Ridge replied that Brooke was worried about her daughter, and he was worried about his son.
Shauna was worried about her daughter, too, but she claimed that Brooke wouldn't listen. Shauna complained about Brooke, who'd been in the tabloids for years, acting as if she'd never made a mistake. Ridge stated that Brooke had every right to be upset with Flo.
Ridge tried to stand up and go home. He groaned and fell back into his chair. Shauna shook him and called his name, but he had apparently passed out. Danny rushed over to help and wondered if Shauna could drive Ridge home.
Shauna didn't think it would go over well with Ridge's wife. Danny recalled that there was a room upstairs. As Danny helped Ridge out of his chair, Shauna said she'd grab Ridge's phone.
Upstairs at the bar, Danny tossed Ridge onto a bed in a room. Shauna thanked Danny, and he returned downstairs to work. Ridge roused long enough to ask for water. Shauna had to wake him back up to get him to drink a glass of water she'd poured.
As Ridge lay on the bed, trying to sleep, Shauna started to undress him to make him more comfortable. He stopped her when he felt her pull his belt. He stood up, took off his own pants, and climbed back into the bed in his boxer briefs, shirt, and socks. She said she'd go downstairs while he slept it off, but he told her to stay.
Lying beside Ridge in the bed, Shauna stroked his forehead and said he was an amazing man. She said he'd never treat her the way that Brooke had. Shauna kissed Ridge's lips. He reciprocated in his sleep. She cuddled against him on top of the covers and gazed at him.
