Tom pays Brooke a visit and realizes she's missing Edmund. He encourages her to let Edmund back into her life. Brooke then gets a threatening call from a bigot regarding the expose that they wrote on Whitewood. Edmund comes in at the end of the conversation and takes Brooke into a comforting embrace. He then tells her an amusing story during his bout covering the mob. He jokes about how his secretary was taking threatening messages from the mobsters and using little hearts to dot the I's. The image makes Brooke laugh and then he offers to be her guard dog. Brooke notes that Edmund would do anything to get one foot in her door. He doesn't bother to deny the charge, but Brooke turns him down. Edmund gives her a sweet kiss on the cheek and exits. Brooke decides to ask him over, but when she goes to his office and finds him comforting Erica, she makes a hasty retreat.
While doing the dishes, Brooke hears a noise outside. She finds a rolling pin and hits her perceived stalker on the head only to find out that it's Edmund keeping guard. He's seeing double, but that's okay with him because it means he's seeing more of Brooke. She gets him an ice pack and a cup of coffee. As they discuss the night's events Edmund gleans that Brooke is jealous of Erica, which she doesn't deny. They kiss, and this time around Edmund pulls away from her first. They agree to watch an old movie and mess up the cushions a little. After the flick is over, they start to make out, but are interrupted by Tad who's had a fight with Dixie. Edmund agrees to leave so Brooke and Tad can chat.
Chapter Twelve - A New Chapter for Brooke & Edmund, Not really
Tad learns from Dixie, not Brooke, that Jamie is his son. Tad rips into Brooke for withholding this information from him. Edmund defends Brooke saying that she went out of her way to shield Tad and he can't even appreciate it. Trying to wrap his head around the fact that he's a daddy to Brooke's son, Tad runs away to Napa followed by Dixie.
Meanwhile, Brooke tells Edmund that all the confusion she's feeling is centered right here in Pine Valley on them. Edmund tells Brooke that he finally gets what she's been saying --they can't go back, he knows that now. Edmund says he wishes he could look on the calendar and see last August. Brooke finally gives Edmund the hint of hope he's been longing for when she reintroduces herself as if they are meeting for the first time. Edmund proceeds to ask her out on a date, which she giddily accepts. Edmund goes outside to bring the car around, once outside he hollers out in excitement, Brooke also can't stop herself from smiling. They go on a date at the Valley Inn. They enjoy each other's company, but could do without Erica and Dimitri mucking things up. Brooke assures Edmund that he is not a substitute for Tad like Erica's implied. Brooke says that's not even close to the truth.
The next day Edmund arrives at Brooke's door. She lets him in and then pulls a dollar bill out of her wallet and pays herself. Brooke tells Edmund that she won a bet with herself. She knew Edmund could not adhere to their deal to keep things slow between him. Edmund says he can't help that he already knows things about her, like the perfume she wears and her tiny little snores when she sleeps. Edmund asks if he snores, Brooke says no, but he does drool. They go to the park and when they return Aunt Phoebe takes Jamie to the main house.
Brooke and Edmund discuss what they should do for the afternoon, they watch each other's lips while they speak. Edmund makes a few suggestions, none of which whet Brooke's appetite. She suggests they watch "Citizen Kane" she's never seen it. Edmund says Rosebud was a sled, it went up in smoke. Brooke responds just like all her good intentions and they hungrily move into a steamy kiss. Brooke's passion for Edmund really turning him on, but they are again interrupted by Tad. This time, however, Edmund gets very territorial about Brooke. Edmund doesn't want Tad running to Brooke every time he has a problem. Brooke overhears the conversation and is pissed about Edmund making assumption about their relationship; she wants him to leave. Tad says what he has to discuss with Brooke doesn't concern Edmund. Edmund wants to know if that's how Brooke feels. Brooke hollers that Edmund doesn't have the right to say who comes and goes in her home. Edmund storms out and Brooke seems to regret her words. She caresses Edmund's scarf and touches the book he was reading Jamie. Tad offers to run after Edmund and apologize, but Brooke diverts the conversation, asking how Tad has been. Tad can't believe she has nothing else to say since he just took off. Brooke can understand why he needed time after finding out about Jamie.
When Tad starts to talk about Dixie, Brooke says she's sick of hearing about his on again off again reunion with her so he can march right back out. Tad says he came to talk to her about their son. Brooke explains why she kept Jamie's paternity a secret. Tad wants to be a father to his son. Brooke reintroduces her son to his father. Brooke freaks when Tad wants to make the paternity legal, she's worried that he could pull an Adam Chandler on her. Tad suggests that he sign a legal document stating that he would never sue for custody, so that, Brooke will let him establish legal paternity. To ease Brooke's fears, he agrees to stay in Pine Valley in order to keep in touch with his son. Brooke and Tad head over to Jack's place to set things up and run into Edmund who was catching up with his old pal. Edmund tells Tad he's a lucky man, Jamie is a great kid and walks out.
Dimitri can tell that Edmund is upset about something, but Edmund sarcastically says he's only hitting the bottle because he's celebrating Tad's newfound fatherhood. Dimitri knows that Edmund is really upset about Brooke. Edmund says Tad treats her like dirt, Edmund defends her and she gets mad at him. Edmund doesn't get it. Edmund says he was really starting to work things out with Brooke, they could have had a double wedding ceremony with Dimitri and Erica if Tad hadn't stuck his nose in things. Just then, Lucy says Brooke is at the door. Dimitri tells Edmund to play it cool and not blow it.
Brooke enters; she wants to explain about Tad. Edmund mocks Brooke's feelings, which pisses her off. Edmund says he's just accepting things the way they are - she's always right and he's always wrong. Edmund thinks she likes it that way, because then no matter how close they get she always has an excuse to kick him out. Brooke says Edmund was trying to kick the father of her son out of her house, doesn't she have the right to be angry with that. Edmund concedes that he was a jerk, but hell people make mistakes. Brooke realizes he's been drinking. Edmund says now there's two strikes against him for the night. Edmund says every time he makes a mistake, that she chooses to get angry, not a little angry but way over the top angry. Edmund says they both know what was going on before Tad showed up. He wanted Brooke and Brooke wanted him. Edmund says he wouldn't have been happy about anyone showing up, especially not Tad. Brooke is sorry Tad's arrival ruined the mood, but it was no reason for Edmund to act like an idiot. Edmund says he was an idiot and she should have called him one, but instead she tossed him out the door. Farewell Edmund is getting to be their song, he declares. Brooke tells him that he sings the chorus very well. Edmund says she didn't have to kick him out, she didn't have to wipe out all the progress that they'd made. Edmund says Brooke's knee jerk reaction is because she's scared.
Brooke: Oh, this is getting better and better.
Edmund: You are scared. You're scared about how you feel. You are scared about going back with you and me. You're scared of losing that little tiny life that you have. You're scared of being so in love that you don't know what time it is every second. Hell, you're scared of being happy.
Brooke: You know that's such a lie. It's such a lie it's ridiculous. You can't tell me how I feel, Edmund. You have no idea why I do what I do.
Edmund: You're right. Here we go again. You're right. I'm wrong. Okay, fine Edmund. Edmund go home. I'm sorry. Well, I am home. So, why don't you go home? You go home to your lonely little house. Might as well get used to it.
Brooke: Well thank you very much for sharing all of this with me.
Edmund: Yeah, well its called honesty, Brooke. You want to deny it. You want to pretend it doesn't exist. It's there. Now, what do you think I am? Do you really think I'm going to kidnap someone again? You think I'm a criminal, you think I'm going to dig up another body? Come on, it's not my criminal record or my tantrums that are keeping us apart. There's only one thing that's holding us from being together and I'm staring right at her.
Brooke: Well, I'm so glad that I chased you over here. It's a much more satisfying way to end things.
Edmund: You happy now?
Brooke: It's a relief to know that you figured out a way to get yourself off the hook and make it my entire fault. I'm sure you'll sleep much easier tonight. I know I will.
Edmund: Brooke that's not what I'm saying.
Brooke: No, you've decided that I'm so scared that I'd rather continue torturing you than being deliriously happy.
Edmund: Brooke, I didn't mean that.
Brooke: It was perfectly logical. You've obviously given it a lot of thought.
Edmund: Brooke, what I'm trying to say is there's no reason for us to be apart anymore. Just think about it.
Brooke: I think there's a perfectly good reason. You didn't exactly say it in so many words, but after your little speech it's very clear. You don't think that much of me.
Edmund: Oh, baby, that's not true.
Brooke: No. You don't need a neurotic, rigid, frightened little woman on your hands.
Edmund: Brooke, Brooke, wait, wait.
Brooke: I came here because I thought you might like to know something. After I saw you at Jack's and you ducked out. I thought that maybe I acted a little hastily. And now I realize I didn't act hasty enough.
Brooke storms out and Edmund hurls his liquor glass against the wall. Brooke heads over to Tad's new place. She says all the right things about the joint. It's the beginning of Tad looking at Brooke in a new light.
Chapter Thirteen - Tad Courts Brooke, She Accepts Tad's Marriage Proposal
Dimitri and Erica throw an engagement party and Brooke attends with Tad as her date. She's determined to show Edmund that she can go on without him, but she starts feeling badly about how Edmund's taking it. Meanwhile, Peggy browbeats Edmund into realizing he needs to stop being angry and start being charming if he wants any chance of getting Brooke back. Edmund goes downstairs and finds Brooke. He tells her not to speak, just listen. He doesn't have the words to tell her how much he misses her, how much he misses them. He's sick of analyzing their relationship; he just wants back what they once had. He asks her for the honor of the next dance. She's about to accept when Tad informs him that Brooke's dance card is full. Tad and Brooke move onto the dance floor where Tad proceeds to list all of Edmund's crimes to undermine Brooke's softening feelings toward him. But when Edmund runs out of the room, Brooke chases after him.
Brooke tells Edmund she's sorry. She's sorry she spent the evening rolling over his feelings. She's sorry if she hurt him. Edmund has a hard time accepting the apology since she chose to grace Wildwind with her presence on the arm of the one man she knew would drive him crazy. Brooke says she didn't come here to intentionally hurt him, but he was asking her for much more than a dance. Edmund tells Brooke about his fantasy, they are on the dance floor where he apologizes for stepping on her toes and all the horrible assumptions about her life that he had no right to make. And he thought after the music stopped, they'd still be dancing. Edmund says his fantasy is embarrassing. Brooke says this is embarrassing because instead of really listening to her apology, Edmund filters it through his angry pride. Brooke says if he didn't do that they could have come to their senses by now. Edmund says as usual, she decides when they talk and lays down the ground rules. Edmund says Brooke has an uncanny ability to make Edmund look bad even when no one else is around. Brooke thinks that's Edmund's conscience working, Edmund retorts he doesn't need a conscience with Brooke around.
Brooke doesn't want to fight but she doesn't see how that's possible when Edmund keeps accusing her of having a hidden agenda. Edmund says Brooke's agenda is clear, she wants Edmund when she wants him, the way she wants him or she doesn't want him at all. Brooke says that's Edmund's M.O. not hers, and he has a very selective memory. Brooke says she was always playing adult to his inner child, it's only fair that she gets to act out for once. Brooke says she came here tonight to prove to herself that she could look him in the eye without falling apart knowing that he was watching her every move. Edmund acknowledges he was spellbound. Brooke claims she didn't notice. Then the spell is broken, and she's free. Brooke says it feels good, it's nice to know that she can have her life back on her own terms. Brooke says if the price she has to pay for that is forever crossing paths with the man she loves, then she'll just have to pay it.
Edmund can't believe that Brooke just admitted she loves him. Brooke says loving him doesn't make a difference. Edmund says it makes all the difference in the world if they still love each other after everything they've been through. Edmund says the other stuff doesn't matter. Brooke says the other stuff is their lives. Brooke says honesty, trust, respect all have to be there to have a relationship and not five minutes ago he was trashing her character by accusing her of abusing him. Brooke doesn't know what they need to do to get each other out of their systems - they've had marathon fights, making up, making love, and waking up, and going to sleep and starting the cycle all over again. Brooke wonders if they should try some kind of shock treatment to cure them. Edmund thinks they could end this all by her agreeing to marry him, tonight. It's now or never, declares Edmund.
Brooke says it sounds like more of an ultimatum and doesn't see how it solves all their problems. Edmund says they would be a team and making love not war. Edmund says every time that the going gets tough one of them walks away, marriage deletes that option forcing them to deal with each other. Brooke wants to know why it has to be all or nothing with him. Edmund says Brooke gave him that same ultimatum. Brooke retorts that he chose never. Edmund says he thought she was bluffing. Things get nasty again when Brooke brings up Tad since he is Jamie's father. Edmund admits that he doesn't like watching Brooke being used by Tad. Brooke sarcastically tells Edmund he's being both romantic and flattering. Edmund says the only reason she came tonight was because Tad talked her into it. Edmund wants an answer to his question. Edmund says they love each other and because of that anything is possible. Brooke is starting to melt, but of course, Tad happens upon the scene. Tad leaves but the damage is once again done, because Brooke doesn't think Edmund can handle Tad being a part of her and Jamie's lives. Edmund says he loves Brooke to death, but he can see how that would put a crimp in her well-organized life. Edmund shouts that he asked Brooke to marry him and he expected a yes or no, but instead he got a paragraph on the significance of Tad in her life. Edmund says he'll see her around. Edmund leaves for parts unknown. Brooke cries in Tad's arms. Brooke and Tad then laugh and bond over their son. As he leaves, he walks back into the room and gives Brooke a kiss on the cheek, which has open interpretation.
Brooke is assigning Edmund's office to a new employee when Edmund, looking worse for wear, returns from Bosnia. He's very glib about almost getting himself killed. Brooke starts to rip into him, but he says he doesn't analyze himself anymore and suggests she do the same. She should just be happy that the story is going in her magazine. He starts to unpack his belongings assuming that he still has a job. Edmund says going over there gave him new insight, making him want to simplify his life. He wants to go back to their old arrangement, he'll write and she'll edit. He won't have to pretend to be someone he's not and she wouldn't have to worry about him. They agree to keep it professional, but the hurt is evident in Edmund's eyes when Brooke says she's meeting Tad.
Tad feels like a bit of a loser as he tries to merge Ted Orsini with Tad the Cad. His family and Dixie only seem to add to his insecurities while Brooke seems to make him feel better about himself. Tad and Dixie can't seem to stop fighting, and every time they have an argument he seems to end up connecting with Brooke. Tad wants to date Brooke. Brooke doesn't want to be a substitute because he's having problems with Dixie. Brooke says she agreed to decorate Tad's house, nothing more.. Tad thinks there's a reason that Brooke is the one who found him and brought him back and that they have a child together. Brooke says Tad was always very good at sweeping her off her feet, but it was never love. Tad retorts that maybe he didn't have a clue what love was supposed to be like back then. Dixie spies as Tad kisses Brooke who responds. They admit it brought something back for both of them, but Brooke wants to know if Tad still loves Dixie. Tad turns around and asks if she still loves Edmund. Neither really answers the question, but allude to the fact that even though they do love other people, those people shouldn't dictate their every move. Tad wants to move forward with Brooke, but Brooke isn't convinced that's a wise idea.
Tad notes that Edmund hurts Brooke the worst and Dixie hurts Tad the worst because they know all the right buttons to push, pushing them into an emotional hell. Brooke says she keeps trying to forget what Edmund put her through. She would go to bed with a calm, peaceful man but never knew with whom she was going to wake up in the morning. She was always waiting for the other shoe to drop, and inevitably it would drop where it would do the most damage. Now Edmund claims he has no more to drop, but there is a very bruised bottom line, which is trust. Brooke reminds Tad that the last time they were together she also ended up with a broken heart. Tad says the last time they knew the end would come and she let him go gracefully. He wonders how she got so wonderful. Brooke responds that everyone who dumps her asks her that. Tad says this time all their cards are on the table and he wants to know if this feels right to her. He kisses her again and she responds. Tad continues to wine and dine Brooke, until he convinces her that they are the couple meant to be and pops the question. She doesn't give him an answer at this point; instead she tracks down Edmund to confirm that he overheard Tad propose to her. Brooke asks if she can come in. Edmund says it's her magazine, she can do what she wants. Brooke counters that it's his office. Edmund half-jokes that he lends it out for things such as marriage proposals, so Brooke knows that Edmund heard. Brooke knows they agreed to keep it professional, but she knows under the shoptalk that he must have some reaction to what's going on between her and Tad. "Must I." responds Edmund. Well, what are his options - hot, cold, numbness can all enter into this. Brooke says this isn't easy for her to do, and Edmund replies that no one asked her to do this. Edmund doesn't know why she feels the need to rehash things since they've already decided to keep their feelings to themselves. Brooke pleads with Edmund not to tangle them up in words. Edmund finds it funny that Brooke is at a loss for words, since they didn't escape her when she told him to butt out of her life, which he's done. He wonders why she wants to know now. Brooke spits out because it matters; they can't just act like nothing's changed. Edmund says nothing has changed, she still calls the shots, he dances and then they switch partners. Edmund's convinced that Brooke wants his blessing to make things easier on herself when they run into each other around the water cooler. Brooke says that's not what she expects from him. Edmund wants to know what she's really after. Brooke just wants him to talk to her, tell her what's really in his heart. "Now?" Edmund asks. Brooke replies that it might be their last chance.
Brooke asks Edmund if he believes that Tad loves her. Edmund theorizes that Brooke is Tad's best revenge and a way for him to be with his son, but it's not about love. Edmund believes Tad doesn't know who Brooke is or what she needs, and that he can't even begin to know how to love her. An offended Brooke thanks Edmund for being so candid with his opinion. Edmund wants to know why Brooke is lying to him. Edmund says Brooke isn't here for his take on Tad and matrimony, she's here because she's not finished with Edmund. Brooke tells Edmund that he's wrong, they were finished a long time ago. Edmund says if that were true, she'd being wearing Tad's engagement ring right now, she wouldn't give a damn what Edmund thinks. Brooke says Edmund was a major part of her life at one time, of course, she cares about what he thinks. Edmund again asks Brooke what she wants from him. Does she want him to get down on his knees and beg her not to marry Tad? Or tell her once again what a jerk he's been? Or plead for the ten thousandth time for her to trust him? Brooke says he doesn't have to do anything. Edmund says that's good because he's done it all to death. And he meant every word of it, but it's the last word. Brooke says she didn't come here with any expectations and she's not leaving with any.
Edmund: What do you want, Brooke? What do you want to leave with? What do you really want?
Brooke: (voice quivering a bit) I don't know. I'm not sure. I just knew that one way or another before I gave Tad an answer, I had to see you.
Edmund: Do you know why? Do you want me to tell you? (He steps closer to her) You want me to do your dirty work for you. You want me to look you in the eyes and tell you that what we have is over and make you believe it. And I can't do that. For one thing I'm a lousy liar. And number two, for those words to mean anything they have to come from you. So, you tell me. You say you don't love me and I will let you go.
Brooke looks into Edmund's eyes, but can't say the words. She looks away and attempts to form the words again, but can't get them out. Edmund tells her to say it. Brooke stares off into space instead of at her man and says, "I don't love you."
Edmund doesn't take his eyes off Brooke. She bows down her head, saying those words to Edmund is killing her. Edmund gently lifts Brooke's chin up and they gaze into each other's eyes. The music swells and Edmund pulls her into a poignant kiss. They finally break.
Edmund: This is what scares you. This is it. It's not me; it's not anything I've done. It's us. This is what keeps us coming back together. No matter what I do to screw things up, no matter how hard Tad Martin tries to seduce you, no matter how hard you try to reason it, there is no reason. There's just us.
Brooke: (Turning away from him) You're wrong. We're wrong.
Edmund: We're the only thing that's right. Now I will l tell you anything else you want to hear, Brooke, but I'm not going to drive a stake through what we have. I wouldn't even if I could. So, if you came here for that, you've just wasted a trip.
Brooke: It was a mistake for me to come here.
Edmund: The mistake is choosing to be safe by settling for some guy you don't love. The fatal mistake is marrying Tad Martin because you want to get away from me. (Turning her to face him) How many times do you have to screw it up, before we finally get it right? (He release his grip a little) Okay, no more words. I've said it all.
He walks toward the door; turns around one last time to look at Brooke and exits. Brooke is tortured by her feelings for Edmund, Tad keeps seeing images of Dixie around his new house, and the real Ted Orsini starts lurking around.
Brooke rehashes what happened between her and Edmund. Brooke admits to Tad that she did feel something, she can't deny that, but she resents Edmund believing she can't handle the passion they share. Brooke tells Tad that Edmund thinks she's settling for Tad because she's too scared to be with Edmund. Brooke say Edmund walked out the door as usual. Tad starts pushing the life they could have again. Brooke tells him she can't handle that pressure right now. Brooke says she is so sick of playing things safe. She's sick of dissecting her feelings. Tad pulls her into a kiss and then wisks her off to the beach. They make love and Brooke accepts his proposal. Brooke wishes on a shooting star and instantly Tad is reminded of Dixie, but instead of admitting his feelings, he pushes Brooke to marry him by the end of the month. She agrees.
Meanwhile, Edmund is recounting the story to Dixie. He says that Brooke couldn't look him in the eyes when she said she didn't love him and then they kissed. And when they kissed it was like they used to be, before he blew everything sky high, and the love of his life was still his. Edmund tells Dixie that he had to leave because if he stayed another minute longer, he would have grabbed her and never let her go. Edmund knows he can't pressure Brooke, she has to make this decision on her own. Edmund also knows Brooke is with Tad right now. Dixie pulls Edmund into a comforting embrace. Edmund wants to be with Brooke, but she needs to be able to love him for who he is now. He tells Dixie to hang in there and exits. Dixie then tells Brian that she wants a divorce.