Against All Odds Chapter 81 (Borrowed Time)

Brooke lay bed with her feet curled up under her stroking Bridget’s hair. Bridget was curled up next to her in her bed. She hadn’t wanted to send her back to her room all alone and upset. She had needed her mother’s love and affection. Brooke had done her best to calm her daughter’s natural fears. She had wanted her to know that although Eric had made a mistake that he did indeed love Bridget for the wonderful girl that she was, but all Bridget would think about was how her father had tried to use her. She had done her best to calm Bridget but it had been difficult. Brooke had seen a despair in Bridget’s eyes that none of her calming words had been able to erase. Bridget had cried in her arms until she had fallen asleep. Brooke, like a new mother had been watching her daughter sleep waiting for any sign to display that Bridget needed. Brooke’s heart broke for Bridget. She didn’t understand why Eric would tell Bridget the truth. Didn’t he understand the enormity of what he had done and how it would even affect Bridget? No matter how much Eric’s feelings for Brooke had obviously changed she knew that he genuinely loved Bridget as he did all of his children, so why did he tell her. How could he have done this horrible thing? He had broken Bridget’s heart. Tears of pain and anger slipped from Brooke’s eyelashes. She hadn’t always been the most perfect mother but she had tried her best to protect her children. She never thought that she’d have to protect them from their own father. “ How could you Eric?” she whispered as she watched over Bridget’s sleeping form. “ How could you do this to our daughter?”

The blaring ring of the telephone startled Brooke awake for her sleep. Brooke groggily shook her head for a moment because instinct to look for Bridget hit her. Bridget was sleeping soundlessly next to her. Brooke afraid that the phone would awaken her quickly answered the phone. “ Hello?”
“ Brooke.”
“ Thorne?” Brooke was confused, why would Thorne be calling her?
“ Yes, Brooke, it’s me.”
“ Thorne..” Brooke said annoyed. “ What do you want?”
“ Brooke just listen. It’s dad..”
“ I don’t want to talk about your father. In fact when I get my hands on him, I’m going to kill him!”
“ Will you just listen. Something horrible has happened.”


Brooke hung up the phone, she couldn’t believe what Thorne had just told her. “ My god. Eric.” Brooke was in shock and for a moment she could only hope that this all have been nothing more than a nightmare and that in any moment she’d wake up. But, she knew that this was reality. Looking down at Bridget she thought of the pain her daughter was currently in. And now this. How could have things gone from bad to worse in a matter of moments? Leaning over her daughter, she shook Bridget awake. Bridget opened her eyes to find her mother leaning over her with a worried expression on her face. Her eyes were also brimming with tears. Bridget knew that something was wrong. “ Mom, what happened?”

Stephanie Forrester sat in stone dead silence as car speed through traffic on the L.A streets. She didn’t noticed how effectively Thorne drove. The only thing on her mind was her husband. She had been asleep when a feeling of dread had touched her, moments later she had received a call about her husband. It didn’t seem possible. She had first thought it had been a mistake. It couldn’t be HER Eric. A knot formed in her chest. She thought about the last time that she had talked to him two days before. She had been so hard on him. She had blamed him for everything that had happened to their family. Why had she done that? Eric wasn’t to blame. He had just made a mistake. Why couldn’t she have listened to him and told him that she had forgiven him? Why hadn’t she gone up to Big Bear where she knew that he was? Instead she had wanted him to suffer for the pain that she had thought that he had inflicted on their family and their company.

Kristen had been silently studying her mother in the car saw the strained look upon her mother’s face. No matter how much she and her mother didn’t get along, she knew that her mother loved her father very much. Sliding closer to her, she put her hand on top of Stephanie’s ice-cold hand and squezzed. “ Mom” Stephanie looked into her daughter’s sympatric eyes. She couldn’t remember the last time her daughter had looked at her with other than discord. Stephanie didn’t say anything but she didn’t pull her hands away from Kristen’s.

Ridge handed Charlie a drink. She raised an eyebrow. “ What’s this?”
“ A piece offering.” Ridge said as he sipped his drink.
“ Are you sure that it isn’t poisoned.”
“ If it were coming from you then I’d be worried.”
Charlie took a sip of her drink. “ For what it is worth, I’m sorry for mess that Morgan created with the doctor’s the other day. She shouldn’t have chosen the dame pediatrician as Taylor. I don’t know what she was thinking.”
“ You don’t.”
“No. I don’t. Personally I think that the best thing would be for her to move back to New York with me.”
Ridge stopped drinking. “ You aren’t serious are you?”
“ Ridge, I think that it would be best. You and Taylor are having problems and from what you are telling me, they aren’t going to get better with Morgan and Dylan around. In New York, I’ll be able to help Morgan and I’ll see to it that Dylan has everything that he needs.
“ He’s my son and a son needs his father.”
“ He needs a stable life, do you really think that he can have that? He’ll be knows as the bastard son of Ridge Forrester from an illicit affair. Tell me Ridge, do you really think that your family is going to accept him with open arms. You mother alone is reason enough for Morgan to leave.
“ My mother will learn to accept Dylan. And he will be accepted, he is a Forrester.”
“ You really are blind when it comes to her, aren’t you. I buy that Stephanie will change her mind just like I don’t buy that she was the find Morgan and helped her out of the goodness of her heart.”
“ It doesn’t matter what you believe. I’m not going to allow Morgan to take my son away.”
“ Ridge what do you think is going to happen. Do you think that Taylor is going to change her mind about your son?”
“ Taylor is a loving person. I have hopes that one day she’ll come to care for Dylan.”
“She very well may be kind but Dylan is a constant reminder of your affair with my sister.”
“ It wasn’t an affair.”
“ No, it wasn’t but it doesn’t matter to her. You lied to her for months. She had this whole perception of you and your marriage. When you lied to her and slept with Morgan, you broke the delicate bond of the trust your marriage was built on. Before you can get her to accept Dylan you must get her to accept you.” Charlie sipped her wine. “ You are going to have to reconnect with your wife and it will be a big chore. You’ll have to do it through talking about your problems and feeling, not using the obvious ploys. You know, the Forrester dresses and jewels.”
“ What do you know about that?”
Charlie shook her head. “ You are using the same trade mark ploys that you used in high school.”
“ High School? You were paying attention to my dating habits.”
“Don’t get too excited, son. It was common knowledge.”
“ I’m not the same man that I was back then.”
“ You were the ultimate playboy. And from where I’m standing there are times that you seem to be the same man that you were back then. You were happily married to a woman you proclaim to love so much but in no time at all you were diddling my sister.”
“ I wasn’t diddiling her.”
“You had sex with my sister based on an e-mail. How stupid is that? That had to be humiliating to Taylor. Maybe you need to think about why you were so willing to cheat on Taylor in the first place. And while you are at it, you might need to think about why you are so willing to work so closely with your ex-wife.”
“ Brooke?”
“Brooke has nothing to do with this.”
“ Maybe not but from the way that I hear Morgan tell it, you are still very close to her.”
“ We are good friends. Brooke holds a special place in my heart. It wasn’t like we divorced on bad terms.”
“ Why did you break up then?”
“ It was a long story. Brooke and I were married but I found out that Thomas was my son. He needed a father. I wanted him to have a father and a mother.”
“ You are making it sounds like a duty.”
“ That isn’t what I meant. I love Taylor and my children. They aren’t a duty.”
“ But, you wouldn’t have divorced Brooke if Thomas hadn’t been yours, correct?”
Ridge didn’t answer. “ You don’t have to answer me but I can see your answer in your eyes. If I can, just think about your wife. You left Brooke because Taylor had your child. It is only reasonable that she feel scared that you may one day leave her for Morgan.”
“That is ridiculous. The situations are entirely different. I have loved both Brooke and Taylor but I don’t love Morgan.”
“ Still, Taylor may not see it that way. Your wife may be questioning everything that has happened in your marriage.”
“ I hope not. I love Taylor.”
“ Well then, you have a lot to work on.” Charlie finished the rest of her wine and slid out of the chair. “ I’m going to give you another piece of advice for free.”
“ What?”
“Make it very clear to my sister that your relationship with her only extends to being a father for Dylan.”
“ I’ve done that.”
“ Morgan always had it bad for you. Sometimes when she looks at Dylan and you I think that she sees the family she always wanted. Morgan doesn’t mean any harm but she can cause it, surely you know that.”
“ I’m well aware of the pain that she can cause.”
“ Well, take care Ridge. I’ve had my limit for tonight.”
“ Can I walk you to your car?”
“ No thank you. I can manage on my own.” Charlie turned to walk away when she stopped and turned back around. “ By the way. Thank you for trying to come to our rescue even though I didn’t need it.”
“ Only you could make saying thank you sound like I was the one who intruded.”
“ You did intrude Ridge. Besides, what would you do if I were actually nice to you?”
“ You could give it a try.”
“ No, I couldn’t. I’d actually have to like you.” Charlie walked away and Ridge couldn’t help but to watch how her body swayed in that red dress. As much as he hated to admit it, she looked damn sexy. Also, she had made some good sense. And more surprising that that, he had actually enjoyed talking with her.


Brooke knocked on the door to Rick’s guesthouse at his estate for the third time. Bridget stood next to her mother, tears streaming down her face looking like a scared rabbit since she was shaking so bad. She had gotten dressed in a hurry throwing on a sweatshirt and jeans as her mother had hurried to put on a pair of black pants that had been laying on a chair and a black ribbed turtleneck.
“ Mom, I don’t think that he is there.”
Brooke turned to look at Bridget. “ He didn’t tell you where he was going?”
“ I don’t know. Maybe he went to hang out with Chris or CJ. Did you try Eve’s?”
“ There isn’t an answer at her apartment.”
Brooke cursed as she used her key to open the door to Rick’s home. The inside of the guesthouse was dark but Brooke heard music playing in the direction of his bedroom. Before she thought about her actions Brooke opened the door. There she found her son fast asleep curled up next to Eve as naked as the day that he had been born, Eve, like Rick was also nude. Brooke shook her son awake hard. “ Rick, get up.”
Rick at the sound of his mother’s voice and touch on his shoulders Rick jumped up in his bed. It took his a moment to realize that his mother was standing over top of him and that he was naked.
“ My, god. Mom!” He yelled with horror. He grabbed the dangling bed sheet to cover himself and Eve who had awoken with his cry. “ What are you doing, here? Don’t you know how to knock?” Rick looked across to the doorway to see his sister standing in the background. “ Oh great. ”
Brooke didn’t have much time to explain. “ Rick stop worrying. You don’t have anything that I haven’t seen before. Now, I don’t have to worry about your ruffled feeling. It’s your father.”
Rick noticed the seriousness of his mother’s voice. “ What’s wrong?”
“ Get dressed Rick. We don’t have much time.” Brooke hurried to the doorway. Eve was worried, something was terribly wrong. Dread filled her. Whatever it was, it wasn’t good and to make matters worse Brooke had caught her in bed with her son. Eve crawled toward the foot of the bed with the sheet wrapped around her. She nervously looked on the floor for her discarded underwear and had picked up panties when Brooke came back into the room. Eve stopped turning red with embarrassment.
“ Eve, if you don’t mind. I’d like you to go with us. Rick.”
Eve looked at Rick. “ Are you sure?” The situation was getting stranger and stranger by the minute.
“Yes, I’m sure. You are good for my son and he is going to need you.”


Stephanie and Kristen hurried into the emergency room of Cedar’s hospital when they went to the information center. “ I’m Stephanie Forrester, I’m here about my husband Eric Forrester. I was told that he was rushed here not too long ago.” Stephanie said calmly yet inside she was quaking with fear. What had happened to her precious Eric? An African American doctor who had been passing by the station stopped.
“ Mrs. Forrester, I’m Doctor Woods. I was here when your husband was bought in.”
“ How is he?” Kristen asked with fear.
The doctor put his arm out toward the group of chairs. “ Let’s sit and talk.”
“ I don’t want to talk. I want to see my husband, right now.”
“ Mrs. Forrester. I know that you are upset and rightly so but you can’t see your husband at the moment. If you would just sit down I could tell you what is going on.” Stephanie allowed the doctor to guide her toward the chairs. “ As you know based on the call that you received, your husband was brought here.”
“ Yes, but what for? All I know is that he was here and that it was life and death situation.”
“ He had a heart attack Mrs. Forrester.”
Stephanie shook her head in disbelief. “ A heart attack, but that isn’t possible. Eric was in excellent shape. He ate well and his blood pressure was the best that it had been in ages.” Stephanie frowned. “ It isn’t possible.”
“ But it is. Your husband had a heart attack, a very serious one.”
Tears formed in Stephanie’s eyes, stinging them so that she wanted to blink but she was afraid to. Everything around Stephanie slowed as if were in slow motion. She didn’t see the other members of the hospital staff rush in and out of the room. All she heard the slow words of the doctor talking to her. Finally for what seemed like an hour, yet had only been no more than two minutes Stephanie’s body fell back against the chair like deflated balloon. Tears fell from her eyes and her hand, which had somehow found her daughter’s hand, gripped her hands tightly. Her purse, which had been in her lap, slowly fell to the floor. A wallet size picture fell out of her purse and slipped onto the floor with a few other contents of her purse. The picture was of a smiling Eric and Stephanie.


Eric stood in the middle of a meadow full of sunflowers. All around him was nothing but earthly beauty as the sun beamed down on him. The weather was seemingly perfect, not too hot and the slight chill in the air was perfect. Eric studied the view for a moment before he heard the distinct laughter of children. He walked steadily toward the sounds when he found a playground of children of different ages, sexes and races playing on a grassy noel and playground. Some the children swung on the swings, others flew kites, girls played jacks and some boys played touch football. They all wore white yet there were not telling grass stains or smudges on their clothes. Eric looked down and noticed that he too wore all white. “ Hello” A cute little black boy around the age of 9 was swimming upside down on the monkey bars. He had locked hair and wore circular glasses like Harry Potter’s in the Sorcerer’s Stone movie. Eric looked at the little boy.
“ Hello.” He said back.
“ I’m Ibby.” The boy said as he swung himself right side up on the monkey bars. He then crossed the monkey bars and jumped down into the grass.
“ Hello Ibby.” Eric looked around. “ Ibby, where are all the adults.”
Ibby smiled, showing his tooth in the front that was coming in. Ibby took Eric’s hand.
“ Follow me.”
“ Where are we, Ibby?”
Ibby cocked his head to the side. “ Come on Eric. Follow me.”
“ How do you know my name?”
“Just follow me.” Ibby pulled Eric’s hand. Eric followed Ibby as the walked away from the playground. Suddenly the children started to wave. “ Bye Ibby!” They called. Ibby just smiled as he hurried Eric down the hill toward a small pound. There a little blonde girl was lying in the grass while coloring. The little girl looked up at Ibby.
“ Hi Ibby.”
“ Hi ” Ibby said almost shyly to the little girl. Ibby pulled Eric’s hand until he stood over the girl. Ibby let go of Eric’s hand. “ Good-bye Eric.”
“Wait, where are you going?”
Ibby looked up at the sky for a moment before spoke. “ I’m leaving. You’ll be alright.”
He waved good-bye before he took off running up the hill.
Eric was confused about what was going on. He turned his attention to the little girl.
“ Who are you?”
The little girl laughed. “ Don’t you know?” She took Eric’s hand. “ I look like what you thought that I’d always would have looked like, it I had had a chance.”
“ What?” Eric was confused.
“ Look at me. You know who I am.” She said with certainty. When Eric said nothing, she took his hands in her tiny ones. “ Look at me daddy.”

Kristen clutched the pay phone to her ear she had steadily talked into as she left a message on the answering machine. “ Sam, it’s me. My dad had a heart attack.” Tears filled her eyes. “ I need you. I’m not sure that he is going to make it. Please hurry, I need you.” Kristen hung up the phone. She needed Sam more than ever. Sam understood her. Sam loved her. Sam was her family.

Brooke rushed into the hospital room followed by her children and Eve. Seeing Taylor standing next to the nurses’ station she hurried to her. “ Taylor, please tell me. What has happened to Eric?”
Taylor had had just got there a few minutes before Brooke. “ It isn’t good Brooke.”
“ What do you mean by that?” Bridget said with tears in her eyes. “ Tell me Taylor! What has happened to my father!”
Taylor heard the pure panic in Bridget’s voice and was alarmed by who panicked the young girl was. “ Bridget….your father had a heart attack.”
“Oh my god.” Brooke said in a rushed whisper. She reached out to grab Bridget’s hand in hers.”
“ A heart attack.” Rick said pushing past his sister and mother. “That isn’t possible. Dad is in excellent shape.”
“ Is he dead?”
Taylor reached out toward Bridget who has whispered her question with dread but she stepped back only allowing her mother and a pretty girl standing next to Rick touch her.
“ No. He isn’t dead. His heat did stop but he was blessed. A couple found him and the man was a paramedic. They started CPR and called the unit. They bought your father in.”
“ So, Eric’s alright?” Brooke asked.
Taylor looked at Brooke. “ I think that we should talk privately.” She said nodding to the corner.
“No Taylor. Tell me what happened to my father.” Bridge turned her eyes toward her mother. “ I want to know mom.”
Rick but his arm on his sister’s shoulder. “ We want to know mom.”
Brooke nodded at Taylor. “ Tell us all. What is Eric’s status?”
“ It’s critical Brooke. Although they got his heart to start again they took him into surgery. Right now they are working on him but it is touch and go.”
“ They aren’t sure that his is going to make it, are they?”
“ Bridget, these things, they can never tell. We just have to pray.”
“ Pray? When have any of prayers ever worked? What if he dies?”
Brooke cupped Bridget’s wet face. “ Honey, your father is a fighter. He is going to fight to stay alive. There is nothing that he loves more than his family.”
Bridget chuckled bitterly. “ I might that thought that before today. But you know the truth. He loves the company more than me. I don’t even care momma if he doesn’t love me.” Bridget started to shake. “ I don’t care. I just don’t want him to die. Even if he doesn’t love me. I love him.”
“ Bridget, your father loves you. Honey, please don’t think that he doesn’t.”
Taylor was surprised by the conversation going on between Brooke and Bridget. “ Rick, what is Bridget talking about?”
“ Dad told Bridget that he was trying to get custody of her in order to get the Forrester stock back.”
“ Oh no. Oh Rick I’m sorry.”
“ Yeah. Bridget and dad had this horrible fight.” Rick ran his fingers though his hair.
“ With everything that happened between he and mom, dad and I haven’t been that close lately. I can’t remember the last time that he and I sat down to have a cup of coffee or something but I know that he loved.” Rick stopped the words had become lodged in his throat. Eve, who had been standing silently next to Rick, slipped her hand in his as a silent show of support to him. Rick looked at her for a moment seeing the pain in her eyes. She had never met his dad but she had pain in her eyes because of her love for him. That was how she was, Rick thought silently, she was full of love. Taylor saw the look of love in Rick’s eyes toward the pretty girl with the long black hair wearing a white sleeveless shirt and blue jeans.
“ I’m Taylor, you must be Eve.”
“ I am. It’s nice to meet you although I’m wish that it were under better circumstances.” Turning back to Taylor Rick continued to talk. “ I’m worried about Bridget. She had been different all of her life. For a long time she thought that Ridge was a father. She always thought of him. She and dad never bonded but she loved him. Finding out that dad wanted that stock really hurt her. Taylor, I love my father and I’m scared. I want to get out of this alive. But I’m more scared for Bridget if he doesn’t. Her memories of him would be thinking that he thought that stock to Forrester was more important than her. If dad dies…” Tears filled his eyes. “ If my father doesn’t make it, Bridget will never survive.”

Stephanie stood looking at the doorway that lead to the operating room, which housed her husband. She had been rotted in that same spot for last fifteen minutes. She was afraid that if she moved that something would happen. Her precious Eric’s heart had stopped. They were doing their best to see if they could continue to get it to work. They had to be successful in their operation. They had to make sure that he lived. She’d be nothing without him.
“ Mom…” She heard Thorne’s voice but she didn’t turn her head. She only stayed rotted to her spoke.
“ Did you reach Ridge?”
Thorne felt a moment of resentment. In all of this mess, Ridge had only been the child on her mind. But Thorne couldn’t fault his mother. There was a weakness to her that Thorne had never seen. He but a hand on her shoulder. “ Kristen is still trying to reach him. His cell phone is turned off. No one at works knows where he is.”
“ Find him Thorne. We need him. His father needs him.”
“ Dad needs all of us.”
Stephanie looked at Thorne and then touched his hand that was lying on her shoulder.
“ You are right. We need Eric and he needs us. We have to support him.”
“ Thank god, that a paramedic found him.” Whether his mother had heard him or not, he didn’t know for she kept talking.
“ I knew that something was wrong. I had this dream. Your father had been so upset.” She gasped as if she suddenly remembered something.“ Rick and Bridget did someone call them?”
“ Yes mother, they are already here.”
“ Good. They need to be with their father.”
“ Do you want to sit down? Taylor has gone to get you some coffee.”
“ Taylor?” Stephanie squeezed Thorne’s hand. “ Thank god for her. I know with everything happening with her and Ridge that she was upset with me for taking Ridge’s side but when I needed her, she’s been here.”
“ Well, Taylor loves dad.”
“ That she does. And our grandchildren. You remember how Eric was the clown at the twins last birthday?”
Thorne remembered how surprised they had all been when the clown had unmasked himself as their father. The chuckled. “ If he didn’t make it as a designer, he could have made a carrier of being a professional clown.”
“ I know.” Stephanie had such fond memories. “ He was a clown at your fifth birthday.” She patted Thorne’s hand. “ And you know what?”
“ What?”
“ He’s going to be a clown at your baby’s birthday party. You just wait and see. We are Forresters, together we can do anything. You father is going to pull through and then we are going to make the person responsible for this pay.”
Thorne frowned. He the last thing that he wanted to do was to upset his mother at this critical juncture. “ Mother, he had a heart attack. No one is responsible for it.”
Stephanie looked at Thorne as if he had uttered a blasphemy. “ Oh there is someone responsible for this. Brooke is. Brooke is the one to cause your father to have this heart attack.”
“ Mother. You can’t lay this at Brooke’s feet.”
“ The hell I can’t! Your father was in excellent condition. He ate right, exercised and was more fit than any other man his age.. He never had any real stress in his life until he got involved with that woman. Now, she took away his company, his life dream, she has taken his will to live. Brooke is the one responsible for Eric having this heart attack.” Stephanie walked away from Thorne; the last thing she wanted to hear was his defense of Brooke.


Brooke, Bridget, Rick and Eve along with Taylor walked into the room that Stephanie was standing in. Stephanie turned to greet Taylor when she noticed Brooke. Thorne saw the look on Stephanie’s face. “ Mother.”
Stephanie looked at Brooke up and down. “ What are you doing here?”
“ Stephanie, why wouldn’t I be here? Eric needs his family. I care about his well being.”
“ Family? You aren’t my family! In fact this whole thing is your fault! You are the reason that my husband in there fighting for his life.”
“ Stephanie, I know that you are upset right now and you are probably saying things that you don’t mean.”
“ Oh I mean it all right. If it weren’t for you none of this would have happened.”
Rick interrupted Stephanie. “ I know that you emotions are running high but you can’t possible hold my mother responsible for dad’s heat attack.”
“ All the stress in Eric’s life is because of her and her antics.” Stephanie turned her cold hard eyes back to Brooke. Her face had become red with anger. “ You are the reason that every horrible thing has happened to this family. You have destroyed my family, taken my husband’s life dream and fu(ked your way through my family. You are nothing more than a disease that has infected my family. I knew the moment that I met you that you’ve bring ruin to my family.” Stephanie’s voice turned into a harsh whisper. “ I tried my best to rid my family of you but you wouldn’t go away. You just kept coming back. First my son, then his father and finally my other son. But you couldn’t stop there. You took the only thing that my husbands had left. But the final straw was when you bought that thug that you are sleeping with in to take what was rest of his company. Now my husband is suffering. You caused this! How dare you stand there and act like you are part of this family!” Stephanie pointed angrily at Brooke as her chest rose and fell with her anger.
Taylor stepped toward Stephanie. “ Stephanie calm down. This isn’t good for your health. And this isn’t going to help Eric.”
“ That bitch isn’t good from my health.” Stephanie’s face turned red with rage, the veins in her neck started to stand up. “ He was so lost and upset about losing more of his company to you. Now he is fighting for his life because of your deeds.” Stephanie whispered.
“ Stephanie, I’m getting really tired of this. Eric didn’t lose his stock to me. He owed it to Caspian. Stephanie, this really isn’t the time for this. I think that you ought to calm down. I am not responsible for this and I won’t allow this thing to escalate into a fully-fledged fight. My children need me. This is their father.”
“ You aren’t responsible? How dare you say that? And when have you ever been there for your children? You are never responsible in your eyes for any of the mess that you create. My husband was in excellent condition until you pulled your latest stunt, you bitch. You are the one who caused him so much pain. You took what little of his company that he had left and when you did that, it killed him.” Stephanie eyes squinted. “. I’m going to make you pay, you bitch! I tell you one thing, if my husband dies because of you, there is going to be blood shed and it ain’t going to be mine.”
Bridget gasped at the way that Stephanie had spoken to her mother. She knew that Stephanie didn’t like her mother and head heard them argue once or twice but she had never heard her speak to her mother like this. What in the world was happening to her family? They were turning on each other.
Taylor did her best to calm Stephanie. “ Stephanie, please don’t do this. You’ve got to concentrate on Eric. Brooke I think that maybe you should leave. It isn’t your fault but Stephanie doesn’t need to be upset.”
Kristen came into the room and was surprised to find her mother arguing with Brooke.
“ What is going on?”
Taylor answered. “ You mother is upset that Brooke is here.”
“She doesn’t belong here.”
“ Well, I’m not going anywhere. Rick and Bridget need me.” Brooke said stubbornly.
“ The hell you are staying. Do you think that I’m going to look at your face when my husband is fighting for his life.”
“ Stephanie, our mother has every right…” Rick interrupted.
“ Your mother had no rights here. She is nothing more than a murdering whore who just might have killed your father. She’s responsible for this just like she is responsible in Macy’s death.”
“ Mother, that is enough.” Thorne said. “ I am not going to let you do this. Brooke isn’t responsible for what happened to Macy. I won’t let you use her death as a means to attack Brooke. She has every right to be here. I called. I know how much she needs to be here for her children. I also know how important dad is to her.”
Stephanie gave Thorne an outraged look. “ Sometimes I wonder what in the hell happened to you? ” Stephanie pointed to Brooke. “ This slut killed your wife. You have another wife at home pregnant with your baby and your father is in there fighting for his life but you still are defending Brooke.” Stephanie turned toward Brooke again. “ You are going to leave this hospital if I have to physically remove you myself!”
“ Ladies, Ladies Please!” A nurse came rushing in between the ruckus. “ Ladies, we are in a hospital, you’ll have to be quiet.”
Stephanie opened her mouth to say something when the Dr. Woods came out of the operating room. All eyes went toward him and there was a hushed silence. “ Mrs. Forrester, we are working on your husband. At this moment it is too soon to say how things are going. He’ll soon be out of surgery. We will have to wait and see how he recovers.”
“Doctor, could stress have caused my father’s heart attack?” Bridget asked in a strained voice.
“ Bridget.” Brooke stated putting her hands on her daughter’s shoulders. She knew what Bridget was thinking. The last thing she wanted was her daughter taking Eric’s heart attack on her shoulders.
“ Well, there are many factors. But yes, a great deal of stress can be a catalyst. If you’d excuse me I have to get back to surgery.
Bridget stopped the doctor. “ What about an emotional argument. Could that help to cause his heart attack?”
“ Well…”
“ Code Blue, Code Blue.” Rang out over the speaker. The doctor quickly left Bridget heading back to the operating room while standing there.
Bridget looked lost. “ An argument.” She said softly. “ Dad and I had an argument.”
“ Bridget the argument that you and your father had nothing to do with his heart attack.” Brooke said. “ Honey you’ve got to believe that you had nothing to do with this.” Brooke reached out toward her daughter but Bridget backed away from her. Bridget didn’t want her mother to touch her after all she knew that she’d lie to her. Bridget knew what had caused her father to have a heart attack; it was his argument with her.
Bridget hands shook as she cupped her face. “ I caused this.”
“ No you didn’t. Your disagreement with Eric had nothing to do with his heart attack.”
“ That isn’t true and you know it! Dad had his heart attack at the park near Insomnia. He was upset because of me.”
Stephanie frowned. “ Brooke what is Bridget talking about?”
Rick answered. “ Bridget found out what you and dad had been up too with wanting her stock. And before you blame my mother for that, it was dad who spilled the beans.”
“ Oh god.” Stephanie murmured. The last thing she wanted was for Bridget to be hurt in this entire mess. “ Bridget, listen to your mother.” Stephanie reached out and grabbed Bridget’s hands.
“You aren’t responsible for what has happened to your father.”
“ Yes I am.” Bridget cried. “ He was upset and I just left him. If I had only stayed. If I had only forgiven him, it wouldn’t have happened.”
Brooke shook her head. “ Honey, it was it his heart it wasn’t you. You didn’t cause this.”
“ The doctor said that stress….”
“ But it wasn’t you. It was other things.”
“ But I was the last straw.”
Stephanie cupped Bridget’s face. “ Look at me. You aren’t responsible for what has happened to your father. Honey your father loves you. You aren’t the cause of his heart attack.”
“But you thought my mother was.” Bridget stated. “ You said stress caused it. You blamed her when it was me. I’m at fault.”
Stephanie looked at Brooke for a long moment before she spoke to Bridget. “ I was wrong to blame your mother honey. I was just upset. You see Eric is important to me I just wanted to lash out at someone so I chose your mother. I was wrong. She wasn’t to blame and neither are you. You aren’t to blame Bridget.”
Bridget looked at Stephanie and then her mother who had been looking at her with pure love in her eyes. “ Bridget, Stephanie is right. You aren’t to blame. Your father’s heart attack isn’t your fault. Honey you aren’t to blame of this.”
“ What if he dies?”
“ Budge, you aren’t to blame.” Rick implored his sister with his eyes.
“ I was so mad at him. I told him that I never wanted to see him again. I told him that I hated him but I didn’t.” Bridget wiped her nose with the back of her hand. “ I didn’t mean it.”
“ Honey I know that you didn’t. Bridget, your father knows that you didn’t mean it. You were upset.” Brooke took out a tissue and wiped Bridget’s nose. Tears shone in her eyes. Her daughter was going through so much pain.
Bridget’s breath kept catching in her throat as she talked. “ I was so hurt. I thought that he didn’t love me. And it is okay. He doesn’t have to love me but I want him to live.”
“He does love you.” Brooke looked at Stephanie for a moment. “ He just made a mistake. He just wanted his company back. He wasn’t thinking about what it would do to you. If he had given it a thought he wouldn’t have done it. He regretted it honey. I know that he did. Your father loves and nothing you could say or wish would change that. You aren’t to blame for any of this.”

Eric stood studying the girl with blonde hair and gray eyes. She looked to be about 8 years old. “ Angela?” He said with confusion.
“ Yes, daddy, it’s me. Or at least what you always thought that I’d look like. So I look like this to make things easier for you.” She smiled and he noted that she had a tooth missing.
Eric blinked. “ How can that be possible? Angela you were retarded. You never spoke your entire life.”
“ But in heaven, in god’s place, we are all equal. There are no sicknesses or pain.”
“ Heaven. Is that where I am?”
“Sort of.”
“ Sort of, what does that mean.”
“ You aren’t in heaven just yet but if you keep walking down that path, you’ll be there.”
“ What path?” As Eric spoke suddenly a path appeared. “ How did you?”
Angela smiled. “ It was easy.” She took Eric’s hand in hers. “ Before you go. Can I ask you a question?”
“ Yes.”
“ Why are you here?”
“ What?”
“ You aren’t supposed to be here, not now. Why are you here and why are you so sad?”
Eric didn’t know what to say. How could he possibly explain? He sat down on the grassy embankment. “ You wouldn’t understand.”
“ Oh, because I’m a little girl?”
“ Well, yes.”
“ I’m not a little girl. I just look like one only because you would relate to me better this way.”
“ Are all the other children like you?”
“ No, those are children. They belong in heaven. Each of them crossed over when they were children.”
“ Crossed over?”
“ Died.” Angela saw the look of sadness on Eric’s face. “ Don’t look sad, everything happens for a reason. Just like the things that happened in your life, happened for a reason.”
“ You know what happened?”
“ Yes. I know that you are hurting. You are thinking you’ve let your family down.”
“I did.” Eric said with clear disgust in his voice.
“You made a mistake daddy. It happens but there is still time to make a difference.”
“ I can’t. I let my need for revenge or my need to take back my company to rule my life. I didn’t mean to hurt Bridget but I did.” Tears stung the back of Eric’s eyes. “ She didn’t know. She didn’t know what had happened and I told her. I thought that Brooke had told her but Brooke didn’t. I saw the hurt and the pain in face.”
“ She loves you.”
“ But I let her down. I ripped her heart out. Bridget has been the needed the most love because the first few years of her life, she thought that Ridge was her father. I just wasn’t thinking about how this mess with the stock would affect her. She thought that I didn’t want her; she thought that I only wanted the stock. But it was more than that. Then are the rest of my children. Rick can hardly stand being in the same room as me. Thorne isn’t happy. He is married to a girl too young for him and Ridge’s marriage is falling apart.”
“ You aren’t to blame for the mistakes of Thorne and Ridge. They are responsibilities for the mess that they created.”
“ Yes, but they needed a better role model. I was so busy when they were growing up. I should have been there for them more. I should have tried to stay closer to Felicia and I shouldn’t have let Kristen. I shouldn’t…”
“ Stop! Daddy, you got to stop. You aren’t to blame for everything that has happened.”
“ I’m to blame for losing my company to Brooke. I didn’t have her sign a contract. Your mother was right. I was to blame. She was so disappointed in me.”
“ Mom was just angry. She didn’t mean it. She loves you. Don’t worry about the thing with Brooke. She was your wife, why would you think about making her sign a contract. You couldn’t foresee all the to happen.”
“ But now I’ve lost the company. With Caspian owing another 10%, there is nothing left for my family. There is nothing left at all.” Eric said sounding resolved.
Angela shook her head. “ You have is your family and that is the most important thing. Family is more important than anything, including your company.”
“ I wanted to leave them something.”
“ What have you left them now?” Angela sighed. “ They need you. All of them.” Angela looked into the pound. “ Just look.” She pointed to the ripples in the pound that looked down into a vision of the hospital. Eric clearly saw Stephanie sitting a chair clutching a picture. Thorne, Ridge and Kristen were huddled around her. Ridge had her other hand in his. Taylor was walking out of the elevator with a hot cup coffee. Bridget was sitting in a chair with her head in Brooke’s lap. Brooke had been caressing her Bridget’s hair. Rick was sitting in a chair next to Brooke with his arm around her shoulder. “ Look at them. Do you see the despair in their eyes? They are scared.”
“ They’ll be fine without me.”
“ Will they?”
“ They need you. You are the glue that keeps the family together.”
“ How when I caused so much mess?”
“ Dad, you did cause a mess but that doesn’t mean that you aren’t the glue family. Mom is strong but you have always had a gentle calmness. You had words of wisdom. You always saw things clearly. For such a long time you kept the peace for mommy and Brooke. Now, they are all alone. You aren’t there.” She said ominously “ Without you, they will lose everything.”
“ What? What are you saying?”
“ Without you daddy, the family will lose everything that you ever wanted for them.”

Eve held on tightly to Rick’s hand as they sat. “ If he doesn’t make it.” Rick sighed deeply. “ There are so many things that I’ve always wanted to say but I never did.”
“ Like what?”
“ I never let him know how much I admired him for creating a company like Forrester. He created it from nothing and he has such high regard from him.”
“ A lot of people do.”
“ I was pretty harsh on him.”
“ You felt like you had to protect your mother.”
“ She never had anyone to protect her. I know that I got on his case but that didn’t mean that I don’t love him.”
“ Oh Rick.” Eve kissed his forehead. “ Of course you love him. No matter what happens to all of us we still love our parents.”
“ But what if I don’t get a chance to tell him?”
“ You will. Your father is strong and he had all these people who love him. Just look around at this room.” Rick studied the room. Not only had his family members shown up but some of the Forrester employees who had heard the grim new. They all wanted to show support to Eric.“ I think that it is pretty impressive. Your father has every reason to fight to live.”
Rick caressed Eve cheek gently. “ I hope so. Not just for me but especially for Bridget and Stephanie. If he doesn’t make Budge will blame herself and Stephanie, she’ll blame mother.”
“ But I thought that Stephanie said that you mother wasn’t to blame for everything that happened?”
“ That was for Bridget’s benefit. Stephanie blames my mother all right. I’m afraid that this war between them isn’t over. I wish to god that it was.”

Bridget sat alone in the chapel in the hospital. She had come here to get away from her family and to pray. Both Stephanie and her mother had stopped fighting long enough to try to get her to think that it wasn’t her fault but Bridget knew that they both were lying. She had caused this tragedy. If only she could take it back. Closing her eyes and bowing her head she spoke in a soft voice.“ God, this me Bridget. I know that it seems like I’m always asking for help. I guess that is what people away do, call on you when things get tough. I know that I’ve done some horrible things. I know that I don’t deserve to have my prayers answered but if you would just let my father live, I promise to do my best to make up for all the pain that I caused. I promise that I’ll never manipulate anyone ever again. Just don’t take my father from me. Please. I know that I need to be punished for the things that I’ve done to my mom, to Thorne. Even to Taylor and to Ridge. But don’t take my father from me.”

Ridge stood against the wall. He was numb. The thought of his father not being here was chilling. He had spent his whole life being influenced by his father. He could still remember when he had been young and had felt privilege to go to work with his dad and watch him design. As a young man he knew what he had wanted. Eric had shared his vision, his dreams with Ridge and they in turn had become his own dreams. Although Ridge was closer to his mother than his father, that didn’t make his love for his father any less powerful. Forrester was Eric. Eric along with his mother was the backbone of the family. And now there was a chance that he would be gone.
“ Ridge…” Taylor had been watching Ridge silently as he stared off into open space. All the resentment that she had found when no one could find Ridge had disappeared when she had seen how stricken he looked when he got here. Ridge was hurting and although her mind said not to reach out to him, her heart did. “ Ridge, I bought you a cup of coffee.” She handed him the warm Styrofoam cup. “ Here drink this.”
“ Doc, I don’t want any coffee.” He said gently.
“ I know but you need something in your stomach. Please Ridge, for me. Just drink.”
Ridge saw the gentle pleading in his wife’s eyes. She cared. She cared and it was more than just about his father, she was worried about him. Ridge couldn’t remember the last time that he had seen anything than discord and disgust in her eyes. Ridge took the coffee and sipped.
“ Thank you.” He took Taylor’s hand gently with his right hand. “ Thank you for being here Doc.”
“ Ridge, would you ever wonder where I’d be? Eric is family. I love him. And our children love him.”
“They don’t know do they?”
“No, I left them with Catherine fast asleep.”
“Good. They have been through enough. I hope that they won’t have to lose their grandfather. Thomas is so close to him.”
“ I know. Granddaddy and his daddy are the most important people in his life. He wants to be just like you and Eric.”
“ When I was a kid, I wanted to be just like my father.”
“And you turned out more than what Eric ever expected.”
Ridge grinned bitterly. “ I don’t think so. He was disappointed in how I messed up my family. He told me that without family there is nothing and he knew how badly I screwed up with you. I guess that is why the last time we talked, we argued. I just couldn’t believe that he and mother would try to take Bridget away from Brooke especially to get their hands on her stock. I was so angry with him. I felt ashamed to call him my father. I think that he knew it.”
“ Ridge, you were just upset. He knows that you love him. Eric was so proud of you the most out of all his children. He told me once what it meant to him to have his son working side by side of him, seeing this dream come true meant the most to him. Eric created Forrester for you and you in turn helped to make the company bigger than it has ever been. So what if you had words with him about Bridget. He knows just how much you love him.”
“ You are an amazing woman Doc. I know that lately you haven’t wanted to even look at me but when I need you the most, here you are. And I do need you. There are so many things that I didn’t say to dad and now when I think that I might not get a chance to say them it hurts. So, I want to tell you how truly sorry that I am for messing up our lives and our marriage. I just wish that things were different. I wish that I could go back and change what happened. I wish that I hadn’t been such a fool. I was a fool to sleep with Morgan but more than that; I was a fool to believe that you wanted me to sleep with her. I didn’t think. You have been a wonderful wife but I haven’t always been truthful to you. I should have waited before we got married. I should have had time to say goodbye to Brooke that way you wouldn’t have felt threatened by her.”
Tears filled Taylor’s eyes. “ I was afraid. I was so afraid that if I had given you time to deal with your marriage with Brooke but I was scared. When Bridget ran away, I saw that way you and Brooke bonded together. I let my feeling of insecurity take control and for such a long time.”
“ I didn’t help that I worked on the Bedroom Line with Brooke did it?”
“ It didn’t help that you loved her.”
“ Doc..” Ridge cupped Taylor’s face.
“ I shouldn’t blame you for loving her. She was your wife. But you were so close to her. At a moment’s notice you’d drop everything and run to her rescue. It just hurt I just thought that one day it would stop.”
“ I stopped.”
“ Only because you didn’t have a choice.”
“ That didn’t mean that I wasn’t happy with you and our marriage.”
Taylor bit her lip gently. “ Where you really happy Ridge?”
“ Taylor how can you ask that?”
“ You slept with Morgan so easily. If it had been Brooke, I would been able to at least understand it but with Morgan, it made me feel like I was nothing. That everything we had was a lie.”
“ No Taylor. It wasn’t a lie. My life with you was everything that I could have asked for. My sleeping with Morgan was a stupid thing. I’m not going to make excuses for it. But Taylor with everything happening I can’t help but to think of my family. You are my family Taylor. I want you back.”
Taylor turned away. This was the last thing that she had expected. She had been filled with so much hurt and anger and it was still there but she had seen what Stephanie was going through. Stephanie was lost without Eric. Taylor thought about her life without Ridge, would she be able to life without him. The situation they were currently in wasn’t working. Being married without really being married, yet could she forgive him? Could they get past the hurt, the betrayal and the pain? “ Ridge, I can’t any promises right. Emotions are running high at the moment. But…”
“ But..” Ridge for the first time in a long time had hope.
“ But I’ll think about it.”
Ridge felt his heart leap. “ Oh god Doc.” Ridge turned her around to face him. His lips lowered to take hers. Taylor didn’t pull away. She allowed herself to taste the sweetness of her his lips and responded to hesitantly at first then fully. Ridge wanted to deepened the kiss but he didn’t want to pressure her. Ridge pulled his lips away from Taylor and gently traced the track of her tears. “ Doc I’m sorry for that pain I caused you. I’ll take whatever you give me.”


Brooke opened the door to the chapel and watched her daughter for a moment before she sat down next to her. Without a word she pulled her daughter into her arms and held her.
“ This isn’t your fault.”
“ I feel like it is.”
“ But it isn’t.”
“ You are only trying to make me feel better. You and Stephanie.”
“ See that is where you are wrong. Stephanie never agree about anything we aren’t starting just for the sake of it. I was taught to believe that you have power and you do. And you have lots of power honey. In your artwork you have the power to captivate and inspire.” Brooke smiled softly. “ Your smile can light up a whole room. But you don’t have the power to make your father’s heart stop. Yes, your father was under stress but it had nothing to do with you. Bridget no matter how horrible or upsetting your argument with your father was, you didn’t cause this to happen. I don’t want you to spend your time beating yourself up. What are going to do is sit and pray. Pray that your father comes out of this. That is all that any of us can do.”
“ I’ve already prayed for him.”
“Well, I haven’t. I think that it is time that I did.” Brooke said as she clasped her hand with Bridget. “ God, it’s me again. Brooke. I know that I’m always in one crisis after another but this time I’m not asking for myself. I’m asking for Eric. I know that lately we haven’t seen eye to eye but that doesn’t mean that I don’t care for him. Eric is a good man. He had a loving family and none of use would be the same without him. So please, spare him. Although you may be ready for him, we need him too.” Brooke squeezed Bridget’s hand. “ Well all need him.”

Angela has Eric a serious look.
“ Without you to guide them, the family will suffer.”
“ Suffer what do you mean?”
“ They will lose everything that is important. The family will be ripped apart. Pain and heart are in their future and without you things are only going to get worse. There are bad times coming for them. There is nothing that you can do about that but without you, the bad times will wear thin on the family. They won’t be able to bend like the branches on a tree, instead they will break.” Angela sighed softy. “ Without you to stay calm and to keep the focus on family, they will destroy themselves. Without you the family with be totally destroyed. And without the family, Forrester will mean noting. Surely you know that.”
Eric was stunned by this revelation. “ What it going to happen?”
“ That I cannot tell you. But I know that there are many tragedies that will befall the family. Without you there, they won’t stand together. They need you daddy.”
“ How? Look at what I’ve done.”
“ But they still love you. Didn’t you see the pain in their eyes? Didn’t you see the way that mommy looked. There was nothing but fear. She was scared to death. She IS scared. She may not always say it but you know deep down how much she depends on you. She needs you in order to stay strong. Without you, mother will never be the same again.”
“ Stephanie…”
“ She’ll have a stroke and this time it will be the big enough to cause major damage.”
“ Are you staying that Stephanie is going to die?”
“No, she won’t die but she just may wish that she had died. She will lose her ability to speak, to walk and even to think clearly. The stress of your death and the other factors will be too much on her. Just imagine a woman as strong as mother being at the will at other, not speaking and hardly moving.”
“ MyGod! This is going to happen to Stephanie?”
“No, this doesn’t have to happen to mother, but it could. If you aren’t there. No one will be there to keep her calm. She won’t have anyone to focus her love and attention and love on. Instead, she is gong to have lots of time to sit and stew on her rage. She will focus her rage on Brooke, that in turn would destroy her and Brooke.”
“ Are you sure that this is going to happen?” Eric said in a highly concerned voice.
“ It will if you aren’t there. You were the only person who could ever get her to calm down. Without you to keep her calm, there is no hope.”
“ What happens to the rest of my family?”
Angela was still for a moment. “ I can’t tell you. I only told you some of the things that are going to happen to mommy to help you decide.”
“ Help me to decide what?”
“ Decide what you are going to do? This wasn’t your time but you are here. But it isn’t too late for you. The doctors are still working on you. Right now, you have flat lined but they haven’t given up to you. Now, it is time for you to make a decision about what you are going to do. Are you going to walk down the path to heaven or are you going back?” Angela touched Eric’s hand softly. “ You don’t have much time daddy. You’ve got to make a decision. Soon.”

The doctors wheeled Eric out of the operating room. “ Time will only tell.” Dr. Woods had told the Forresters. Stephanie looked at Eric’s pale completion. “ Can I sit with him?”
“Not yet. Give us a few minutes and I’ll call you Mrs. Forrester. Ridge put his arms on Stephanie’s shoulders.
“ It will be alright. Dad’s a fighter.”
Stephanie nodded. She knew that Eric was a fighter but lately he hadn’t thought that he had much to fight for. But he did. She loved him. They had a wonderful family and one day they would have their company again. “ You are right Ridge.” Stephanie hugged her son. If anything good had come from all of this was the fact that Stephanie had witnessed a loving moment between Taylor and Ridge. If she had her prayers answered they would reconcile totally but right then at the moment all of her prayers were for her husband.

Brooke splashed cold water on her face and then dried her face with a towel. Walking out of the bathroom wondered over to Ridge. Ridge patted the seat next to him. Brooke sat down. “ How are you holding up?”
“The best that I can Logan.”
“ I know.” Brooke put her head on Ridge’s shoulder.
“ What about you?”
“ I know that Eric and I haven’t seen eye to eye lately.”
“ You had every right to be upset Logan.”
“ I never wanted this to happen.”
“ Hey..” Ridge looked down at Brooke. “ Who said that you did?”
Brooke thought about Stephanie for a moment. “ No body…it’s just. You know how I get.
“ Yeah, Logan I do.” Ridge paused for a second. “ How is Bridget?”
“ She’s hurting.”
“ I heard that she found out about dad.”
“He told her. For the life of me, I can’t quite figure out why.” Brooke pulled at her hair, which was in a ponytail. “ At this point, I think that she between being so angry and hurt at the same time. I not even sure that I can reach her.”
“ She’s been through a lot.”
“ She’s been through too much. Most of it because of me. I wanted so much to protect her from all of this but I couldn’t.” Brooke took her head off of Ridge’s shoulder and leaned it on the back of the chair. “ I guess that Caspian was right. There are some things that I can’t protect my children from.” Ridge groaned.
“ Stop it.”
“ I can’t help it. I don’t trust the guy.”
“ Well I’m sorry but I do. I know that you are looking from another standpoint but he has been there for me. I love him Ridge.”
“ What about Thorne?”
“What about him.” Brooke said in a huff.
Ridge gave her a knowing look. “ Come on. He is going through hell right now. You know that he doesn’t love her. That would be like me leaving Taylor for Morgan.”
“ It isn’t my job to make him feel better. I didn’t know he was still there.”
“ Tell me something. Do you really love this Deangleo?”
“ Yes.”
“ I know you Logan, you just can’t up and forget a man. Especially if you loved him.”
“ Who said anything forgetting? I love, I’ll admit that but it is over. It took years to figure that out with you be glad that I figured this out with Thorne without all the additional heartache.”
“ Let me ask you a question then. How come it doesn’t bother you seeing me with Taylor but at the mere mention of Kimberly you are upset.”
“ Taylor loves you. Besides what makes you think that seeing you and Taylor together doesn’t bother me?”
“ Be serious.”
“ I am.” Brooke titled her head to the side. “ Well, maybe it doesn’t bother me that much but it used to. Besides, you loved Taylor. I knew that. Thorne doesn’t love Kimberly. Maybe I’m completive. Maybe it stings that he threw away everything that we had a girl that he didn’t love. I don’t know.” Brooke sighed. “ You see, I don’t give it or him a lot of thought. I have my own life to deal with besides I’m building a relationship with Caspian, I can’t do that thinking about Thorne.”
“ Brooke, do you still love my brother.”
“ Ridge…”
“ Just answer the question.”
“ Yes. I do.”
“ And you love this Deangleo character as well?”
“Yes. I do love Caspian. And as time goes on, more and more.”
“ Logan..”
“ Oh Ridge please. You can’t be shocked. For years you’ve been in love with more than one woman. Besides this is different. My love for Caspian and my love for Thorne are different as night and day. There are two different men.” Brooke had a far away sound in her voice. “ Look I had better get going. Taylor will be back soon from checking on the children. She had just started to warm to you, I don’t want her to read something between use that is not. Besides, I want to check on Rick.”
“ His girlfriend. She’s beautiful…quiet though.”
“ Eve is really quiet isn’t she? I don’t think that I’ve heard her talk about her family or anything. I’m hoping to get a chance to really know her. I like her. She’s good for my son.”
“What about Bridget? Is there someone special in her life?”
“ I don’t know. I think that there is but she is keeping quiet about the whole thing. I hope to meet him soon. I know that Eric…” Brooke eye’s widened and she gasped. In that moment she had forgotten. “ Oh god.”
Ridge shook his head and kissed her on top of hers. “ It’s okay Logan. I know. I can’t quite see this family without him.”

Bridget sat outside in the cool night air. She had to get out of the hospital if only for a few minutes. Her emotions had run high. So many different things had happened in such a small amount of time. It didn’t seem like it but only two hours ago she had been in the arms of Scott dancing in Insomnia. Now a mere two hours later she had gone from being utterly destroyed at finding out that her father had used her to being scared to death that her father wasn’t going to make it. She had desperately wanted to call Scott, she needed to feel his touch and to know that everything was going to be all right but she couldn’t. Her mother had no idea that she was seeing Scott and this wasn’t the time for her to learn about it. There were so many things that Bridget wanted to say but was scared to utter them out loud. She wondered if the was being punished for the deeds that she done. Tears fell down her cheeks as she bowed her head.
“ Are things that bad that you’d sit out here in the dark by yourself?” A voice said gently.
Bridget looked up. She found a man wearing black jeans and a black silk shirt standing next the hospital bench. “ It’s lonely out here.”
“ It’s more lonely insides.”
The man sat down next to Bridget. “ Why is that?”
“ Cause inside I have the faces of all the people that I love.” Bridget breathed in deeply.
“ And I know that I’m the one responsible for their sadness.”
The man was silent for a moment. “ How are you the one responsible, little one?”
Normally, Bridget would have been uncomfortable talking to a strange man but for some reason it wasn’t bizarre at all. Bridget heard gentleness in man’s voice and in that moment she just needed someone to talk to. “ My dad had a heart attack.”
“You feel responsible.”
“ I am.”
“ Why?”
“ We had an argument. It was horrible and later, he had this heart attack. During the argument, I wished that he’d just go away.”
“ But you didn’t really mean that, little one. You were speaking emotionally at the time.”
“ I told him that I wished that he’d die.” Bridget looked at the man. “Everybody is saying that it isn’t my fault, that I’m not to blame. But I wished him dead. We the argument and then he had the heart attack.”
“ Arguments don’t cause heart attacks.”
“ Stress can.”
“ It can. But stress over a long period of time can put pressure on the heart. But not an argument with a daughter.”
“ But what if…What if I did something really horrible once and it hurt people. What if god decides that I should be punished for my deeds and takes my father.”
“ Little one. That isn’t possible.”
“ You don’t know.” Bridget cried. “ You don’t know what I did.”
“ Whatever you’ve done it can’t be all that bad.”
“ You don’t know, it is.”
“ No matter what it is, I promise that I’ve done much worse.” The man smiled at her. Bridget noticed how handsome he was with his dark hair and dark eyes. “ The things I’ve done just might make you quiver.” He said as she handed her a handkerchief. “ If god hadn’t punished me, he surely won’t punish one as innocent as you.”
“I’m not innocent. I destroy people’s lives.”
“ Someone as young as you?”
“ I broke up my brother’s marriage. He had this affair with an old girlfriend and there was this videotape of it. I played it at my other brother, Rick’s party. I knew that it would cause trouble.”
“Tell me, did you make your brother cheat on his wife?”
“No but…”
“ Then you aren’t responsible for their marriage breaking up.”
“ But there is more than that. I hurt my mom I…”
“ Your mother loves you.”
“ I hurt my dad too. I saw it in his face.”
“ Shh, just listen. It seems to me that you take the worries of too many people in your family. Your brother, your mother and your father but you aren’t responsible for them. It is their job to take care of you. Don’t blame yourself for what is happening. If you continue to blame yourself Bridget you’ll just may shut yourself away. No matter what happens, you have to continue to live. If you don’t, the world would really miss out on something special in you Bridget.”
Bridget was silent for a moment. “ You knew my name.”
“ Yes. I do.”
“ But how?”
It then dawned on Bridget that the man had been speaking with an accent. “ An Italian accent. You have an Italian accent.” Bridget said in a whisper. “ You’re the one, aren’t you? The one who is involved with my mother.”
“ Yes.”
“ Why are you here?”
“ Because your mother needs some support. She was very upset when you came home upset. She was scared for you. I wanted to help her but now I want to help you.”
Bridget was silent for a moment.“ You are different than I thought you’d be.”
“ What did you think that I’d be like?”
Bridget shrugged. “ I don’t know.”
Caspian grinned a dangerous grin. “ I’m not the big bad wolf, you thought that I was.”
“ I didn’t think that you were the big bad wolf. I just didn’t know what to think. You just listened. I’m not used to that, not in the men interested in my mom.”
“ Well. I’m a little different.”
Bridge noticed how calm and controlled his was. “ Yes, you are. I’m not sure what to think of you.”
“ I wouldn’t expect you to. It will take time. It is alright, little one.” He winked. “ The jury is still out.”
“ Little one?”
Caspian nodded. “ You are still growing up. You still need protection.” He held out his hand to her. “ If you’d like it. I’d consider it an honor to walk you back into the hospital. Being all alone not only hurts them but it hurts you. You need to be with them just like they need you.”
“ I don’t know if I can do it.”
“ Yes you can. If things get too tough, just squeeze my hand and I’ll see to it that you are left alone. I won’t let anyone bother you Bridget. But I have a feeling that you won’t need me. You are a lot like your mother, she is strong. And so are you.”
Bridget couldn’t remember when she had had an older male in her life try to protect her. Ridge had been there but he left and her father had never really been protective of her. But this man, she knew instinctively that he wanted to help her.

Thorne sat in the chapel. He was no good to anybody in the condition that he was in. Normally he might have gone to his father although since Venice they hadn’t been too close. Lately he and his father hadn’t spoken much. He missed the talks that they would have. It was obvious that Ridge received his artistic flare from his father but it had been.
Thorne had had inherited his father’s disposition. He had also inherited his father’s ability to sing; damn he couldn’t remember the last time that he had even thought about singing.
Singing was something that he had done with Macy. The small smile that had touched his lips when he thought about singing had faded when he thought about Macy. Her death was senseless. Although he never talked about it, he missed her. His family had already lost a great deal. He had lost so much. He had lost Macy, Brooke and now he was in a position in which he might lose his father.
“ Is the seat next to you taken?”
Thorne had been so caught up in his thought that he hadn’t heard the door to the chapel open. He felt his heart race as he looked up. Even now with tired eyes and a disheveled ponytail, she was beautiful. Thorne swallowed. “ No. The seat isn’t taken.” Thorne scooted over to allow Brooke to sit down next to him.
“ I thought that Bridget might be back in here. I came to check on her.”
“ What? Oh…no. Bridget isn’t here.”
“ I can see that Thorne.” Brooke looked away for her moment. “ I saw sitting here. You looked so lonely. I guess that I couldn’t just walk away. How are you holding up?”
“ The best that I can.”
“ Thanks for taking the time to ask. I know that lately, you haven’t wanted to be in the same room with me.”
“ It’s just difficult.” Brooke’s face looked strained. “ On the both of us I think.”
Thorne rubbed his hands together. “ Yeah. I guess. Everything is just…”
“ Complicated.”
“ Yeah.” Thorne said as he played with his wedding band.
“ So, where is your wife?”
“ Kimberly. I guess that she is home.”
“ She didn’t want to come with you?”
“ I didn’t call her.”
“ You didn’t?”
“ Look Brooke…I just had a lot on my mind and I didn’t feel like dealing with everything. Besides, she needs to stay away from stress.”
“ Right.” Brooke paused. “ The baby.”
“ Yeah.”
Brooke looked away for a moment. “ I had better get going.”
Thorne took a hold of Brooke’s hand. “ No, wait. Brooke there is something that I’ve got to tell you.”

Kimberly punched the button to the elevator door for the third time. She couldn’t believe it. She had heard it on the late breaking news that night that Eric Forrester had been taken to the hospital for a heart attack. Truthfully she wouldn’t have known it if one of her friends hadn’t called to tell her. She had been embarrassed. They had asked her why she wasn’t with her new family. Kimberly hopped in her car and headed straight to the hospital. She was a Forrester. Mrs. Thorne Forrester and she were going to be with her husband. The door swung open and she walked in. The door were about to shut when a foot slipped in between them, she quickly pressed the open button to allow the person on. Kimberly’s breath caught in her throat when she saw how was standing in the elevator with her. She tried to push past him but he caught her arm in his hand.
“ Not so fast Kimberly.”
“ Get off me Scott.” She tried to pull away but his grip was too strong. “ What are you doing here?”
“ I’m here to see how Eric’s doing. But I must say that it is my good fortune to run into you. You’ve been avoiding me and I want to know why?”
“ I haven’t been avoiding you, you idiot. I’ve been busy.”
Scott dropped her arm. “ Yes, you certainly have been a very busy little bee. But I have one question to ask you.”
“ What?”
“ Is that baby inside you, mine?”
The door on the elevator closed as Kimberly gasped.

Eric stood in a mist of clouds, holding his precious daughter’s hand. All his life he had wanted to know his daughter and he finally did. He was a peace here. There was no pain. There was no heartache. He knew that time was running out. He had to make a decision soon before he no longer had a choice.

 

Against All Odds Chapter 82 (The Pain)
Scott pressed the stop button on the elevator. “ What in the hell do you think that you are doing?” Kimberly screeched. “ Let me out.” She tried to push past Scott but he wouldn’t let her.
“ Not until you tell me the truth. Are you having my baby?”
“ I’m not going to even answer that question.”
“ Because it could me mine?”
“ No, are you nuts. This baby is Thorne’s.” Kimberly stated with a haughty voice.
“ How do you know? We had sex and a few night later you and Thorne had sex.”
“ It’s Thorne’s baby. It’s not yours.”
“ We didn’t use a condom. You know it. And I came inside of you.” Scott watched a flash of emotions on Kimberly’s face that betrayed her. “ Oh my god. This baby could me mine.”
“ It isn’t YOURS, you jackass. It is Thorne’s baby and if you have any sense you’d better remember that.” Kimberly eyes narrowed. “ I’m married and he married because he loves me and this baby.”
“ What have been smoking? He married you because he thinks that you are carrying his baby. That is the only reason he married you. You know that he loves Brooke.” Scott looked at Kimberly’s cool demeanor. “ But you already know that, don’t you?”
“ It doesn’t matter who he used to love. He’s married to me and he IS the father of this baby not YOU.”
“ But he just may question that if he talk to him.”
“ And what would you say? That you fu(ked me?”
“ You wanted it. You came onto me. In fact the only reason that you slept with me was because you didn’t want to be a virgin when you slept with Thorne.”
“ That’s right. He didn’t want to touch me because I was a virgin but wanted me the same.”
“ He loved Brooke.”
Kimberly eyed Scott for a moment. “ Surely you know that love and lust are two separate things. In fact…” Kimberly moved steadily toward Scott. She placed her hand on his chest and skimmed her nails down toward the front of his jeans. Finding a bulge she squeezed his shaft. “ You want me right now although your heart belongs to that little virgin Bridget.” Kimberly smiled as she whispered against his hear. “ I think that she’d find it interesting that you called out her name as I pleasured you. Do you think that she’d be flatter or disgusted?
Scott didn’t think that he could hate Kimberly anymore than he already did. He thrust her away hating the fact that his body betrayed him in such a manner.
Kimberly laughed at him giving him a knowing glance. “ I see dating Bridget has certain disadvantages. Tell me have you taught her that there are ways of sexual pleasure without losing her precious hymen? Have you taught her how to go down on her knees for you? She has that pretty little mouth and all.”
“ Shut up! Just shut the hell up!”
Kimberly’s face became hard as a stone. “ Then I suggest that you do the same about this baby nonsense.”
“ It could be mine, you know it.”
“ But it isn’t.”
“It’s Thorne’s baby. Just forget about that night we had, I’ve already forgotten it.”
The enormity of what had happened hit him. Kimberly was not cold hearted. She wasn’t the type of girl to have any baby. What kind of mother would this child have? “ I can’t forget. I might be a father.”
“ You aren’t this baby’s father. Thorne is. He’ll be a wonderful father. He is loving and caring, you know that.”
“ I didn’t have a father, he died. I can’t turn my back on my child.”
“ Are you ready to be a father? Tell me, are you ready to lose your job because if you say a word about this, the Forrester will get rid of you. Sure, you do have your mother’s companies but you want to be a designer. You mother certainly isn’t going to play grandmother. She’s got her own life filled with many men. And what about Bridget, sweet soft and innocent. You haven’t taken that yet but trust you. She hasn’t trusted any man because of her father. And there you go, breaking her heart. Do you really want to do that Scott? Do you want to see those baby blues tear up with pain. Pain that you caused? Are you willing to break her heart in two?”
Scott said nothing. Kimberly smirked. “ I thought not.” She pressed the button to the elevator. When it reached it destination she looked at Scott for a moment. “ I think that maybe you should go home. After all this isn’t the place for Bridget’s family to find out what you are doing with their daughter, nor is it the place for you to open your mouth. Especially when you aren’t sure if baby is yours. Why take the chance and ruin your future.” Kimberly stepped off the elevator and smirked.

Brooke was surprised by Thorne’s request for her to stay in the chapel with him.
“ Thorne I think that it might be best if I left. You need some time alone.”
“I don’t want to be alone.” He gently grasped her other hand. “ This is the first time that we have had a chance to talk, really talk since I got married.”
“ There is nothing to say.”
“ But there is. My dad is in their fighting for his life. He may not make it and there are plenty of things that I want to say to him. Things that I may not get the chance to say. And there are things that I want to say to you. What if something were to happen and I was never given the chance to say them. Please Brooke. Just give me a few minutes to say them.”
“ All right, Thorne,” she said hesitantly as slid her hand out of his. “ What do you have to tell me?”
“I don’t love Kimberly.”
Brooke groaned. “ I don’t want to hear this. I already know that you don’t love the little vamp.”
“ Yes, but you don’t why I married her. The way that I did it was wrong. I know that I hurt you by doing it especially when the night before I told you that I loved you.”
Brooke stood there in cold silence not giving Thorne an inclination of what she might be feeling but he didn’t care. He had to get it out. The truth was all that he had left.
“ The truth is that I married Kimberly to protect you.”
Brooke’s head titled to the side for a moment before she stepped back away from Thorne.
“ What? This is rich. You cheat on me with that little bitch, she gets pregnant and you marry her to protect me. To protect me from what?” Brooke threw her hands up. “ It was a mistake to come in here. When I saw you, I should have just left. Well, I learned my lesson. My daughter needs me, good-bye.” Brooke pushed past Thorne but he grabbed her arms and spun her around.
“ No, you aren’t going anywhere. Not until we talk. You are going to listen to me.”
Brooke was shocked. She had never heard Thorne speak to her in such an aggressive manner.
“ I married Kimberly to keep you with your daughter.”
“ What?”
“ I made a deal with my mother. I knew that you didn’t want to lose Bridget and that a court battle would hurt her and you too much. So I made a promise to marry and stay with Kimberly and in turn she’d give you back Bridget.”
“ Your mother black mailed you?”
“ No. It wasn’t blackmail, it was a deal. A compromise.”
Brooke turned and walked toward the chapel alter giving Thorne her back. “ When did she make this deal with you?”
“ That night that I kissed you in your office.”
Brooke’s bottom lip began to quiver. “ What time?”
Thorne shrugged to himself. “ Late, around 11 or 12. Why?”
“ After I talked to her. Oh god.” Brooke felt like she was going to throw up. “ You married her to give me my daughter back.” Brooke turned toward Thorne.
“ Yes. You had been through enough at the hands of my family including me. Bridget and Rick are the most important thing to you. I couldn’t let you lose her.”
“ But what about you? You married a girl you didn’t love.”
“ Yes, but I did it to protect the one that I did.”
A lone tear trailed down Brooke’s cheek. “ Why didn’t you say something before you married Kimberly. I could have told you…” Brooke stopped.
“ You could have told me what?”
Brooke shook her head. “ Nothing.”
There was an uncomfortable silence in the room. Thorne headed toward the direction of the chapel doors. “ I had better go. I just wanted you to know that marrying Kimberly wasn’t meant to humiliate or hurt you though I did. I did it for you. So you’d have Bridget.”
“ Thorne, wait. There is something that I have to tell you.” Brooke inhaled deeply. “ I lied to you about sleeping with Caspian while we were together. I didn’t cheat on you.
I lie and say that he didn’t tempt me because he did. But I didn’t do it. I don’t you to think that I throwing away our lives and dreams. I wanted to hurt you, that is why I lied.” Thorne thought that his heart would stop. She hadn’t cheated on him. She had loved him. The emotions filling him were bittersweet. He reached out to touch the track of tears but then stopped himself. Although she said that, it didn’t change the fact that they weren’t together.
“Brooke, do you love this man?”

Bridget and Caspian walked into the waiting room. Rick saw them and hurried over to them. “Caspian, I’m glad that you could make it.”
Bridget was stunned. “ You invited him?”
“ After that battle with Stephanie, I figured that mom needed someone. So I called Caspian.”
“ You did the right thing Rick. How’s your dad?”
“ Right now he is in recovery, Stephanie is with him. But it is too soon.”
Bridget’s eyes filled with tears. Caspian noticed and took her hand in his. “ Little one, don’t get yourself upset. It is natural. Give it time. He needs time to recover.”
Rick was surprised in the way that Caspian interacted with his sister. Bridget didn’t seem to object of having him hold her hand. “ I see that you two have met.”
Bridget nodded. “ Yeah. I was outside he tried to cheer me up.”
“ I was trying to get your sister to understand that she isn’t to blame for your father’s heart attack. We’ve all mistakes.”
“ Caspian is right. Budge dad and I have fought plenty of times over the years.”
“ Bridget, why don’t you do and sit with your father. It might make you feel better.”
“ I don’t know.”
“ He needs you little one. Even if he is still unconscious, hearing your voice would make him feel better.”
“ Or upset him more. I said some horrible things to him.”
Rick sighed. “ How about we go in together.”
“ But the doctor Woods said.”
“ Screw doctor Woods. We’ll see him together.” Rick nodded at his sister as he put his arm around her. “ We won’t be long. Caspian just say here. Mom’s around here somewhere.” Rick smiled. “ She’ll need you.”

Brooke was silent for a moment. “ Thorne, don’t ask me that question.”
“ Why not? We could always talk to one another. I need to know. Do you love him?”
“Yes.” Brooke said sadly. Thorne closed his eyes in pain. “ I’m sorry.” Brooke cried.
“ I don’t want to hurt you. I did at first…”
“ Is that why you were with him? TO hurt me?”
“ No.”
“ You knew him when we were engaged.”
“ Yes.”
“ But you didn’t say anything.”
“ I was ashamed.”
“ Ashamed but why?”
“ Thorne, I don’t think that this is the place.”
“ Why were you ashamed? Brooke,” he said in a commanding tone.
“ I was attracted to him. The first time that I saw him. We were in the elevator in Paris. I was ashamed that one a level, I wanted him. I had never experienced that before, wanting a man that I didn’t know. I let him kiss me. I was ashamed about what I had done and I wasn’t going to tell you. It was wrong.”
“ In Paris, when I got there, you were aggressive in bed.”
Brooke’s eyes widened. “ No. It isn’t what you thinking. I wasn’t thinking about him when we were together. But I did hide my meeting with him. I’m always screwing up things. I remember how I let Grant kiss me before I was to be married to Ridge and how upset he got. I figured that I’d never see him again. Why take that risk and tell you that I let a man I didn’t know kiss me. I was frightened.”
“ I’m not Ridge.”
“ I know that but I was scared.” Brooke ran her hand through her hair pulling it out of the ponytail. “ The night we were engaged, I saw him again. He was in L.A for business and we ran into each other. He just listened to me. I was so angry at you because you couldn’t see Kimberly for what she was.”
“ He made a pass at you,” Thorne said softly. He didn’t know how to feel. He had no idea that any of this happened.
Brooke laughed a small laugh. “ Caspian doesn’t make passes. He just says how he feels. He wanted me.” Brooke looked seriously at Thorne. “ I turned him down. The irony of it is that when I was turning him down, Kimberly was turning you on.”
“ Brooke…”
“ I used to think that it was my punishment for being attracted to him.”
Thorne thought about that horrific night. Still his memories were unclear but what was clear was the image of Kimberly that night that replayed in his mind. “ He was there for you the night that you were attacked.”
“ He stopped Gunter from raping me.”
“ Gunter?”
“ Caspian found out who he was. He was graduate assistant at Rick’s school. He was arrested for drug possession. I don’t have to worry about Gunter anymore.”
“ Yet you never said anything. Never one word about him.”
“ No I didn’t.” Brooke ran her finger up the back of the pew she was standing next too.
“ I guess that says something, doesn’t it. We both had secrets. I was wrong never to say anything about him. The last time I saw him I told that my life was with you. We were getting married and he promised to stay away.”
“ But he didn’t?”
“No. He did. But then I found out about you and Kimberly. That changed everything. I was so hurt and lost. I gave into my feelings for Caspian.”
Thorne didn’t want to think about her feelings or her making love to Caspian yet the truth was right there in front of him. Even when they were together she had wanted this man.
“ You never once said a word about him. Caspian was a part of your life but you kept his presence a secret.”
“ Yes, I did.”
“ Would you have ever told me about him?”
“ I’m not sure. Maybe after we were married.” Brooke sighed deeply. “ I don’t know. Maybe he just would one of the secrets that people keep and look back on. I do know that I would have married you. But I know now that it wasn’t meant to be. This was meant to happen.”
“ You think that being with Caspian was meant to be? Brooke, I don’t understand your feelings for this man. They can’t be real.”
“ They are very real. I can’t explain them or how it happened so quickly but they are as real as anything that I’ve ever felt I didn’t expect to feel like I do for him. I’m in love with him.”
“ You can’t be. We spent two years trying to get it right.” Thorne grasped her shoulders.
“ You just fall out of love with me and in love with another man in a matter of a month.”
“ I never said that my feelings for you died. As much as I don’t wish them to be there, I still care for you. How could I not, I’ve cared about your for years and then for the last two years I loved you. I still have love in my heart for you but I’m in love with Caspian. Regardless of the time element, I know what I feel. Everyday more and more I fall in love him. Yes, he protected but there more to it than that. This isn’t some fling or rebound. What I feel for Caspian is real love.” Thorne was stunned. He didn’t want to hear about Brooke’s love for this virtual stranger. This stranger who he left had taken advantage of her when she was hurting of their breakup. Brooke saw the look upon Thorne’s face and felt guilty. “ I’m sorry. I know that I hurt you but you hurt me too. I didn’t chose for any of this to happen, to fall in love Caspian.” Fresh tears filled Brooke’s eyes. “ All I wanted was a life with you. But that didn’t happen. Kimberly happened.”
“ And Caspian.”
“ He isn’t at fault for this,” Brooke said. “ I tried to warn you about Kimberly. She wanted you but you swore that you were just helping her. I believed you.”
Sorrow filled Thorne’s heart. “ I didn’t mean for it to happen! Damn it! If I could take it all back.”
Brooke licked her lips and swallowed deeply. “But it did happen. Kimberly is pregnant. She’s carrying your baby and as I hate her for destroying us but I can’t fight for us. There is no more us. We can’t go back. Too much has happened. You are having a baby with Kimberly and I’m in love with Caspian. Brooke touched Thorne’s face gently. “ I’m sorry. I didn’t want to do this here. Not when Eric is fighting for his life.” Brooke headed to the door and opened it. “ Thorne..”
“ Yes”
“ Thank you for what you did for Bridget and I.” Brooke hurried out of the door and headed toward the hallway. Tears stung her eyes. Thorne had made the sacrifice of marrying Kimberly for her and in the end it had all been for nothing. She didn’t have the heart to tell Thorne the truth. Stephanie hadn’t given up on Bridget because he had married Kimberly; she had given up on Bridget because she didn’t have a choice. Brooke had blackmailed Stephanie into leaving her daughter alone. It had nothing to do with Thorne. Nothing at all. “ How could you do that Stephanie? How could you do that to your son.” Tears of sorrow fell down her cheeks.

Rick and Bridget stood in the doorway watching Stephanie with Eric. Bridget had never seen Stephanie look as defeated as she did. Tears filled her eyes, as she talked to her husband unaware of her audience. She touched Eric gently on his hands stroking it gently. “ Eric. My precious husband. I need you to come back to me.” Stephanie studied the wires and the machines monitoring Eric’s progress. He looked so deathly still she was frightened that it was almost too late. “ Eric, please. You’ve got to hang on. You’ve got to fight for your life.” Tears weld up in her eyes and her throat ached. “ My life, I’ve only truly loved one man and that was you. You are my friend, my partner and the other half of me. You can’t possibly expect me to live the rest of my life without you.” She brought his hands up to her lips to kiss it. “ You can’t expect me to go on without you. We built a life together. We built a family together. A family full of love and strength and you are the corner stone of that.” She whispered. “ From the time that I met you, I was in total awe of you. You were full of life ideas and so handsome.” Stephanie chuckled. “ You know it too. It was in the way that you walked and carried yourself. I knew from the moment that I saw you that I needed you in my life. And we did it. We built a life together.” Stephanie bent her head to kiss Eric on his brow. “ We built a good life together and I scared of what my life would be like without you. So don’t make me live without you. I couldn’t bare it. I love you Eric.”
Bridget heard all that she could stand. Seeing Stephanie like this was so much. She hurried from the doorway. Rick quietly closed the door and followed his sister.

Taylor closed her cell phone as Ridge leaned against the wall. “ The children are fast asleep.”
“ Good.”
“ Is Stephanie still with your father?”
“ Yes.” The strain of the situation showed clearly on Ridge’s face. “ If he doesn’t make it, I’m not sure how she’s going to handle it. I know that mother seems tough all of the time but the truth is that dad has always been the source of that strength. Even when they were divorced, they were always close to one another.”
“ I know. No matter what she has done, she loves your father very much. Come on, we should at least check on Rick and Bridget.”
“ Yeah. I think that I saw Brooke head from the chapel.”
“ Isn’t that where Thorne was?”
“ Yeah. I told her that Bridget might be there.”
“ Why would you do something like that?”
“ Because my brother needs her. Besides they need to talk hopefully they will open up about their feelings.”
“ Your brother is married to Kimberly. Besides when have you been a supporter of Thorne and Brooke.”
“ Since I stopped being a total idiot. He really loved her and I acted reckless. Thorne was good for Brooke.”
“ And what about Kimberly?”
“ She is too young for him.” Taylor didn’t say anything. She agreed. A baby was a huge responsibility and Kimberly wasn’t ready for that no more than Morgan was. A slight from surfaced on Taylor’s face. Although she was willing to consider working on her marriage, she hadn’t changed her mind about Morgan. As far she was concerned Morgan had done her best to destroy her marriage. She wasn’t going to let her anywhere near her children. Clearing her thoughts about Morgan she and Ridge headed toward the waiting room. There Taylor noticed that Ridge suddenly stiffened. Taylor noticed that Ridge’s eyes became dark. “ What in the hell is he doing here?”
Taylor looked in the direction that Ridge was glaring. There stood a man dressed in black. The man turned toward them and Taylor had to admit the man was stunningly handsome. With dark intense eyes, strong handsome face that looked like a chiseled statue, his lips seemed to be as sensual as her husband. “ Who is he?”
“ Deangleo.” Ridge said bitterly.
Taylor looked at the man again. This was the man who was involved with Brooke.
The man’s dark eyes rested on her for a moment and Taylor felt a cold shiver radiate from her body. It was almost as if he could look deep down within her soul.
“ Ridge.” The man said in an accented voice. “ This must be your lovely wife, Taylor. It is a pleasure to meet you Mrs. Forrester. I however am sorry for the circumstances.” The man took Taylor’s hand and kissed it.
“ Get your hands off my wife. I want to know what in the hell you are doing here.”
“ I’m here for Brooke. I heard what happened to your father and I thought that she might need some support. I’m sorry about your father’s heart attack. I hope that he will pull through this.”
“ She already has support. She doesn’t need you. And I don’t need your sympathy. No one in my family does.”
Caspian looked bored. “ Ridge playing the jealous suitor doesn’t suit you especially in front of your wife. Haven’t we already had this conversation?” His eyes flashed dangerously. “ We don’t need it again.”
Taylor looked at her husband. Caspian’s words had an unsettling effect on her just as he did. There was something about him she couldn’t seem to put her finger on. It was almost like he were a predator of some sort but what disturbed her most was in a way, he was right. . Ridge was always protective of Brooke. He had become angry with Connor Davis, Grant Chambers, James Warwick, Victor Newman and even Thorne because no man in his eyes was good enough for Brooke. It seemed that he was still doing the same thing here.
Ridge, who must have seen the wavering fear in Taylor’s eyes, put his arm around her shoulder. “ It isn’t what you think, not at all. Doc I don’t like Deangleo here for what he had done with my father. The man is dangerous. It has nothing to do with me being jealous of him being with Brooke.”
“ Really Ridge because that didn’t seem the case the other night. Whatever your reason for not liking me, it won’t change a thing. There is nothing that you are anyone else can do about my involvement with Brooke. With the way that your family acts it couldn’t come at a better time.”
“ My father is in there fighting for his life. And you are one of the reasons that he was so distraught.”
“Your father was distraught because he made some bad decisions on of which was trying to double cross Brooke. It came back to haunt him. As far as him losing his stock, well, it was never his. It belonged to me.” Caspian gave Ridge a hard stare. “ I always keep what is mine. Always.”
“ What do you mean by that? Brooke is a person, not a thing.”
“ I never said that she was although in the past, you’ve treated her like she was nothing more than a toy that you’d play with and then forget about. I however won’t treat her like you. You are nothing more than a pompous ass living as a child yet claiming to be a man. Your sniveling brother is no better.”
“ Hey! What’s going on?” Rick hurried toward Ridge and Caspian.
“ I want him gone. He has done enough to hurt this family.”
“ What has he done to hurt this family Ridge?” Rick asked. “ The man stood up for my mother. He got a lawyer to block the maneuver that dad and Stephanie made to steal Bridget from mom. Without him, mom would be suffering.”
Bridget looked at Caspian. “ You helped my mom keep me?”
Taylor watched as Caspian’s face changed and became soft as he looked at Bridget.
“ Keeping you was the most important thing to your mother. I would have done just about anything to see that you stayed with her. I just saw that she had a good lawyer since Connor was out of town.”
“ He was the one to figure out that dad was trying to get his hand’s on Bridget’s stock.”
Ridge crossed his hands over his chest. “ That’s the thing that I don’t understand. How did you know that? None of use knew what dad was planning.”
Four pairs of eyes looked at Caspian. “ Alright. I’ll tell you. I had your mother, Stephanie watched.”
“ You did what!” Ridge stated angrily.
“ I had her watched. I knew that she was up to something and I found that she and her lawyer were having Brooke’s codicil looked at.”
“ How is that possible? Brooke’s inheritances for her children were private.”
“ Yes, but that didn’t stop them for bribing someone from getting it. Actually, Ridge, if I were you, I’d be worried about my lawyer going to jail. They had no right to that information.”
“ You had no right to have my mother spied upon.”
“ I had every right! They were going after Brooke with bother barrels guns loaded. She was scared shitless. She was hurting and all alone. Your mother was out for blood. . Do you think that I’d let them destroy her? She would have rather died that to allow them to take Bridget from her. Her children are her life.”
As much as Ridge thought his parents were wrong in their actions. It chilled him to know that Caspian could have had them investigated. Ridge took a threatening step toward Caspian. “ I don’t like you Deangleo. Not one bit. Men like you are capable of anything.”
Caspian’s face turned dark and hard like granite. “ I am capable of just about anything. Anything to assure Brooke’s happiness. Don’t you ever forget? In every man there is a beast. And then there is the mate of the beast, the enchanted beauty whose touch can calm and settle him. Brooke is my enchanted beauty. If anything were to happen to make her upset her I’d be forced to retaliate in equal if not a most horrible manner.”
Caspian words radiated throughout the room like a strange curse. Ridge and Taylor were shaken by it. Rick admired the words. And Bridget just stared because in a way it scared and awed her at the same time. Just like Caspian did.

Brooke stood outside feeling the cool night air stir all around her. “ Mom?” Brooke turned to find Rick standing in the doorway. “ Are you alright?” Rick noticed the tears on his mother’s cheeks. He turned her face toward him. “ Hey, why are your crying?”
“ It’s just everything. Today has been a trying day. The mess with Bridget and then you father. And finally Thorne, I think that I’ve had enough.”
“ Thorne? What mess? Don’t tell me that bastard has been bothering you. You’ve been enough.”
“ Rick. It’s okay.”
“ No it isn’t. He hurt you mother.”
“ Honey, Thorne is going through enough. This isn’t the place for this. He, like you should be focused on your father and not me.”
Rick set his face in a stubborn look. “ He upset you.”
“ He didn’t mean to. Believe me. I’m just tired. I just want everything back to normal. I want your sister to be alright. She’s hurting so much. I want your father to recover. I just want to go home and lay in the arms of Caspian.”
“ Well, I can’t help with the first two of your wishes although I’d do my best to support Bridget and dad but I can do something about part of your third request.”
“ What are you talking about?”
Rick held out of his hand. “Come on mom.” Brooke took Rick hand as they walked back into the hospital. “ I figured that you needed some support like the rest of us. So. I called him and asked him to come.”
“Who?”
“Who do you think mom?”
Brooke stopped talking when she saw Caspian standing next to Bridget in the waiting room. Caspian must have felt her presence in the room because he looked up and then straight at her. In that moment, the connection of their eyes Brooke felt warmth wash over her. He smiled and leaned down to whisper something into Bridget’s ear. Bridget looked up and the relief in her eyes was there. Caspian left Bridget’s side and was next to Brooke in a matter of moments. He gently titled her head up toward him.
“ Mi Amour. Are you alright?”
Brooke felt her heart flutter when his dark eyes studied hers. “ So much better now that you are here.” Tears filled her eyes. Caspian enveloped her in his arms holding her tightly in a hug. Brooke laid her head against his chest. It was if the whole matter was too much to bear. Bridget finding out the truth, the possibility of Eric’s death and now the knowledge that Thorne had married Kimberly to ensure that she keep her daughter. Brooke started to cry. Caspian closed his eyes and said nothing, he only held her while she cried mumbling assurances to her in Italian.
Bridget watched the scene unfolding. She watched how her let go of her feelings and allowed the tears of the pain that she felt come out. She also noticed that Caspian tightened his grip on her mother and soothed her. As much as she hated to admit it. She had seen the look of joy in her mother’s eyes along with something else when she has seen Caspian. Bridget had seen a look of love pass between the two. She honestly couldn’t remember her mother looking at anyone like that except Ridge. Even Thorne whom her mother said that she loved had never caused that look upon her face. Bridget wasn’t sure what to make of it.
Rick who had been watching his mother and Caspian but also Bridget moved to walk by his sister. “ You are surprised by it too, aren’t you?”
Bridget looked at Ridge for a moment, who was standing so close to Taylor that it looked as if their bodies were touching each other. Then she looked back at her mother who was no longer crying but whose tear-stained face was turned up toward Caspian’s who was gently kissing her forehead. Bridget couldn’t keep her eyes off her mother. Bridget nodded at her brother’s question. “ I don’t know what to make of it. For years she loved Ridge, I know that she did.”
“ Yeah but that’s over. Clearly you can see that, can’t you?”
“ I didn’t with Thorne. Not at first and even then she didn’t have that look. The look that she got when she was with Ridge. But she has it and something else.”
“ Yeah. I saw it too the first time I saw them together. It’s weird especially because we don’t know much about him. At least with all the other men mom was seeing we know all about them. With Caspian, there is very little.”
“ I expected him to be a jerk or something. No one serious, just a man to help mom through of her breakup. I didn’t expect him.” Bridget dug in the pocket of her jeans for his handkerchief. “ Outside he tried to cheer me up. He just listened and he said that he’d come in here and protect me if needed.”
Rick wasn’t sure what to make of it. “ He did?”
“ Yeah.” Bridget cleared for throat. “I couldn’t remember the last time that someone offered to do that besides mom...” It was weird but I think that he meant it
Rick put his hand the back of his sister neck gently between his thumb and forefingers.
“ I know Budge. I’m sorry that I haven’t been much of a big brother to you. It seems that I spent so much time dealing with my own life that I didn’t pay attention to the things that you’ve been going through.”
Bridget looked up at her brother. “ No Rick. Don’t feel that way. You’ve been a wonderful brother. You and mom have been my family. How could you help me through anything when you were going through it just like me? Except you had a baby to worry to about.”
“ Still I should have been there. I was the man of the house. It was my job to look after you and mom and I failed.”
Bridget rolled her eyes. “ That wasn’t your job. Besides there was no way that mom was going to let you take control of anything. You were a kid just like me. It was dad’s job to help look after us.”
Rick sighed. “ I know Budge.”
“ Sometimes I wanted to be close to him but it just felt like something was missing. I can’t blame him for the gap in our relationship. For the first six years of my life he thought that I was his granddaughter. And I guess I never really let him get close to me because I wanted Ridge back.” Bridget whispered. “ I thought that if I just held out that Ridge would come back. But he didn’t.”
“ I’m so sorry Budge.”
“ So am I Rick.” Bridget glanced at Ridge who had a frown on his face looking at her mom and Caspian. “ I know that the love that mom and Ridge shared is essentially over.
“ Do you think that is why dad wanted his stock and not me? Because he knew deep down that I wanted Ridge as a father and not him?”
“ No Budge. Don’t think that. Dad just wasn’t thinking. I think he was pissed at mom and he just wanted him company back. I also think that he was really upset because you are probably going to Paris. Mom told me he didn’t want you to leave. He said that it was too far and he’d never get a chance to see you.” Rick wrapped his arms around his sister.
“ I think that dad wanted both. He wanted you and the stock.”
Bridget bit her inner lip. She didn’t know what to think anymore. She didn’t have time to dwell on it because Thorne came through the door and stopped dead in his tracks when he saw Caspian holding Brooke. Tears filled Bridget’s eyes. All of this was too much for her to take. Seeing Thorne was just a reminder of all the pain that she had caused him. She could’ t imagine seeing Scott in the arms of another woman.

“Brooke had been caught up in her conversation with Caspian didn’t notice Thorne at that minute was speaking to Caspian. “You feel so good. I guess that I didn’t know how much I needed you until now.”
Caspian nodded gently kissing the top of her head. “I’m glad that Rick called me.”
Brooke looked up into his eyes. “ You really shouldn’t be here but at this moment I really don’t care.” Caspian kissed her fingertips softly. Then he kissed her mouth in a soft kiss.
“As long as you need me, I’ll be here.” He said softly in Italian.
Brooke smiled through her tears. “ I know.” She murmured in his language. Her Italian was getting better and better the more that she spent time with him. “ You met Bridget.”
“ Yes, she was outside when I came. She was feeling a little down. I wanted to cheer her up.”
Brooke sighed. “ She’s blaming herself for Eric’s heart attack. She isn’t to blame.”
“ I know but that doesn’t change how she feels. I have to get her to see that she couldn’t stop what happened to Eric anymore than I could. But guilt is a terrifying thing, when you feel like you are responsible for the actions of other.”
Caspian titled Brooke’s head up. He heard something in Brooke’s voice. “ What happened?”
At that moment Brooke noticed Thorne standing in the doorway staring at her. Caspian turned and saw Thorne them he looked back at Brooke. She wore a look of despair on her face. “ I’ll tell you later.”

Thorne felt as if he had been punched in his stomach. What in the hell was going on? He couldn’t believe the nerve of this man showing up at the hospital. This was for family and friends. Not only that, he had his hands all over Brooke. Thorne had had enough of all that he could take.
“ What the hell are you doing here?”
Brooke sighed. “ Thorne, listen…”
Thorne ignored Brooke. “ I can’t believe the gall you’ve shown being here. This is for family and you certainly aren’t that. You are nothing more than a stranger who has wormed his way into Brooke’s life.”
Caspian studied Thorne for a moment. “ I’ll tell you like I told your brother. I’m here to show support to Brooke.”
Ridge who had left Taylor’s side stood next to Thorne. “ Now that you’ve seen Brooke. It’s time that you left. You aren’t wanted here.”
“ Ridge…” Rick jumped in. “ I invited him. I knew that mom was going through a rough time and she needed support.”
Thorne put his hands on his hips. “ You were wrong to invite him, Rick. The situation here is tense enough. We don’t need him. ”
“ Brooke needed some support. Rick called me to support his mother. Unlike some men that I know. I’m here when the woman I love needs me.” Caspian said with a slight edge in his voice.
“ What is that supposed to mean?”
“ You are a smart man figure it out. Every time that Brooke needed you, you were too busy running off with that teenaged wife of yours Thorne.”
Thorne felt as if he had been punched. This bastard had no right to speak to him in such a manner. “ You bastard.” Thorne took a threatening step toward a bored looked Caspian.”
“ That’s enough Deangleo.” Ridge roared. “ This is a FAMILY situation. My father is fighting for his life at the moment. The last thing that we need is this to become a brawl. Now I suggest that you leave this hospital right now.” Caspian didn’t budge. Ridge looked at Brooke. “ Logan, ask him to leave. We don’t need this kind of stress. Just think how mother would react.”
“ Brooke Ridge is right. Our mother is hurting not only that. Thorne is going hell, do you really think having him here is something that is going to make things easier. Seeing this man will only upset Thorne and mother. We are asking you to ask him to leave. Please Brooke, think of the family.”
“ That isn’t fair Kristen.” Rick stated. “ Caspian isn’t the blame for dad’s heart attack.”
“ But Rick surely you see the error in your judgment in inviting him here.”
“ It’s time for you to leave.” Thorne stated in a cold breathe. “ This is a family problem. Only family should be here.”
“ Then why is it that Brooke is here and I had to find out about Eric on the television?”
Kimberly stated as she made her way toward the group. She turned toward her husband.
“ You didn’t call me to let me know that Eric had a heart attack. Didn’t you think that I’d be worried?”
Thorne looked at Brooke for a moment and when Kimberly saw where his gaze went she clenched her fist. What did that look mean? How long had Brooke been here?”
“ Thorne was worried that the stress upset you and the baby.”
“ How would you know what he thought?”
“ Because he told me.” Brooke said.
Kimberly heard the threat in Brooke’s voice. “ You were talking about me to Brooke?”
Thorne saw the hint of fear in Kimberly’s eyes. “ Kimberly this isn’t the time for this conversation.”
Inside Kimberly wanted to scream but she couldn’t. She instantly noticed how cold Thorne was to her but he hadn’t said anything about the rape so Brooke couldn’t have told him. Still she wanted to know what had happened between Brooke and Thorne.
“ It’s alright honey. You are right, this isn’t the time. We need to be focusing on Eric and your mother. I can understand why you’d not want to upset me. We’ve already had one scare with the baby.” Kimberly pulled Thorne’s hand toward her stomach.
Rick snorted. “ Well, if Kimberly stays so should Caspian.”
At the mention of his name. Kimberly turned her attention toward the man standing next to Brooke with his arm around her waist. God, she thought. He was breathtaking handsome. She wondered who he was.
“ Kimberly being here wouldn’t upset mother.”
“ I would think not.” Muttered Brooke who hated the sight of the little scheming liar. More than ever she wanted Caspian to stay but this wasn’t just about her. It was about doing what was best for the family. Brooke sighed and turned toward Caspian and took his hand leading him toward the corner of the room. “ Caspian….maybe it would be best if you left. Stephanie didn’t even want me here. She’d blow a gasket.”
“ I don’t care about that woman. She tried to hurt you. Do you think that she’d have the same kind of consideration for you?”
“ No. But she stopped fussing about me staying because of Bridget. My daughter is just holding on by a thread. She can’t take all this drama.”
Caspian looked toward Bridget who was standing next to Rick glaring at Kimberly. He for a moment wondered what that was all about. “ She is suffering. I don’t want to do anything that would upset her or you.”
“ Honey, you being here aren’t upsetting me. I wish that you could stay but I understand Ridge, Thorne and probably Kristen’s feelings as well. You owning Eric’s stock isn’t helping. It would be better if you go home.
“ I’m not leaving you here at the whim of Stephanie and Kimberly.”
Brooke rolled her eyes. “ Mr. Cave man. I can handle Kimberly easily and as for Stephanie…she’s got a lot on her plate with Eric. I’m not going to get into any battles with her.”
“ Mr. Cave man?”
“ Well, you do act a little prehistoric at times.” Brooke took Caspian’s hands. “ The situation is tense enough. I have to think about the others.”
“ You are always thinking about others. That is why you get into the mess you get in…but that is why I love you.” Caspian bent his head and kissed Brooke passionately. .
Thorne watched Brooke while she and Caspian talked. He wanted to go and rip him away when he kissed Brooke. Kimberly watched Thorne and resentment. Although it thrilled her that Brooke obviously had a new lover she hated the way that Thorne watched Brooke. “ Thorne, you’ve got to let Brooke go. It is clear that she has moved on.”
Thorne turned and looked at Kimberly with unconcealed disgust. Before he stalked away. Kimberly tried to go after him but Kristen stopped her grabbing her. “ Let him go.”
“ He’s my husband he needs me.”
“ No. He doesn’t. He needs to be alone. Seeing Brooke like this hurts him.”
“ It is good for him to see her acting like the whore she is. Now he’ll finally understand that she isn’t good for him. They never would be happy. Eventually she would have turned to someone else. Just look, she already has.”
Kristen’s eyes narrowed. “ Just what kind of person are you? My brother is hurting and you are happy.”
Kimberly didn’t like the way that Kristen looked at her. “ I’m not happy…”
“ Yes you are. You are thrilled aren’t you?”
“ Not that he is hurting but yes, I’m happy that Brooke has moved on. She’s nothing but trouble. He’s better with me and our baby.”
“ My brother is better off married to a girl young enough to be his daughter. A girl he doesn’t love and will never love.”
Kimberly felt anger ripple through her body. How dare this bitch talk to her like this?
“I think that you had better get hands off of me. If I didn’t know better I’d think that you liked touching me and so would someone else watching.” Kimberly smirked. “ We wouldn’t want someone to get the wrong idea…oh but wait. It is the right idea with you isn’t it?” With that Kimberly pulled away from Kristen. “ Looks like I have to take a shower now. Don’t ever touch me again. The thought of you touching me makes my skin crawl.” Kimberly stalked away in the direction Thorne left.
Taylor walked quietly toward Kristen. “ Kristen, are you alright.”
“ Yes. It’s just. She’s cruel Taylor.”
“ I’m sure that Kimberly didn’t mean…”
“ She meant it. That girl will say anything and I’m sure do anything to get what she wants. Just kind of monster is my brother married to?”

Eve walked off the elevator toward to find Rick sitting next to Bridget. “ Amber says that Little Eric is fine. She says that she’ll take keep him tomorrow.”
“ Thanks Eve.” Rick took her hand and kissed it. “ What would I do without you?” He pulled her in his lap.
“ I won’t give you a chance to find out.” Eve looked around. “ Where is everybody?”
“ You missed all the fireworks.”
“ What fireworks?”
“ I invited Caspian.”
“ That’s your mother’s new boyfriend, right?”
“ Yeah. I forgot that you haven’t met him yet. Well it caused Ridge, Kristen and Thorne to be upset. Although I don’t give a flying fig about Thorne. Ridge and Kristen think that Stephanie is going to be upset.”
“ Is she?”
“ Yeah. But I guess that I didn’t think about that. I was thinking about mom. She needed somebody. So, Thorne got mad and so did Ridge and then to make matters worse. Kimberly showed up.”
“ Oh god. I can only imagine that she was her usual nasty self.”
“ I don’t know what she said but Thorne stalked off and it looked like Kimberly and Kristen got into it.”
“ About what?”
“ I don’t know. Taylor and Kristen walked off.”
“ So, where is your mom?”
“ I think that she is walking Caspian out.” Rick kissed Eve on the cheek. “ Baby, can you look after Bridget for a moment. I’ve got to do something.”
“ I don’t need a babysitter Rick.”
“ I know Budge. But I want you to look after Eve. The way that people are treating one another, I’m afraid that someone would say something nasty to her.” Rick picked Eve up and then placed her in the chair while he ran off.
“ He really loves you, you know?” Bridget said softly. “ At the mere mention of his name, he lights up. I’m sorry that mom and I interrupted you earlier.”
Eve blushed. “ It’s okay. Things like this happen.”
“ Only with my family. Sometimes I think that we are the weirdest people in the world.”
“ A little strange but at least you love each other. Personally I think that it is kinda neat having a big family. When I was a little girl, I had this dream about having a big family one day. For so long it was just me and my mom and when she got involved with a guy or drank, well it was just me.”
“ Do you think about your mom often?”
Eve looked off in the distant for a bit. “ Sometimes. Sometimes I wonder what she’s doing or if she is okay. It’s only natural. No matter how your parents my hurt you. You still love them a bit.”
Bridget nodded. No matter what had happened between her and Eric, she did indeed love Eric. But it had to be different for Eve. Eric had wanted Bridge for all the wrong reasons where as Eve’s mother hadn’t want Eve at all. “ Eve…do you mind if I ask you a question?”
“ No.”
“ What really happened between you and your mother?”
Eve became so suddenly quiet and still for so long that Bridget was afraid that she had hit on a forbidden topic. Bridget was just about to tell Eve that she was sorry when Eve spoke. “ When I was around 14 my mom’s boyfriend began to look at me differently. He wouldn’t touch me or anything but he’d just stare. Find reason to walk in on in the shower. Sometimes I’d wake up and he’s be in my room just watching me.” There was a giver in her voice. “ He’d never touch me and I guess because of that, it was alright for him to do what he did. He’d walk around naked and aroused. He wanted me to see him. It was like a game to him. He'd tell about the dreams that he’d have about me. And I was so scared that one day that looking wouldn’t be enough that he’d want to touch me.”
Bridget thought that she’d through up. Never in all her life had she ever been afraid of her mother’s boyfriends. “ Did you tell your mom?”
“ Yeah. But he denied it. He said that I wanted to cause problems but inside she knew. She would never let him touch me but she didn’t want to let him go. So one day, she got a new job and she just left. I came home to a empty house, a note and some money.” Eve took in a difficult breath as she inhaled. “ In the end, he was more important than me. My mother chose him and she let me go.”
“ I can’t believe that she’d do something like that.”
“ Sometimes family members are the ones to hurt you the most. Not all mothers are like yours Bridget.”
Bridget thought about her mother. No matter what, Brooke would never put a man over her especially if she knew that he was looking at her in a sexual manner. Bridget saw the sadness in Eve’s eyes. “ Did you ever see your mom again?”
“ How did you survive being left and all?”
Painful memories started to resurf in Eve’s mind. “ A was foster care system for a while. At times I was in a group home and other times I was with different families. Sometimes it works really well but sometimes…sometimes it doesn’t. Some people only take in kids because they are getting a check, the more the better. And sometimes people take in kids for other reasons.”
Bridget heard a distinct note of bitterness in Eve voice. “ What other reasons?”
“ Sometimes its playground for pedophiles Bridget.”
“ Eve are you saying that…”
“ It happens. It happens sometimes. You can’t stop it. So sometimes you just run away and shut down to forget it all. Sometimes you take anyone who wants to be your family and you’d do anything to make them happy. Until you find out that there are worse things than having someone put their hands on you. There are things that make you want to die.”
Bridget had never heard Eve speak like this. Eve to her knowledge was always cheerful and happy about everything.
“ Eve, those bad things…did they happen to you?”
Eve who was almost in a trace like state shook her head. “ Huh?”
“ Those things, they happened to you?” Bridget was scared. Just what in the hell has her brother’s girlfriend lived through?”
Eve shook her head. “ No. Bridget, they didn’t happen to me. They happened to a girl I knew named Angel. I was one of the lucky ones. Angel wasn’t lucky she got involved with the wrong type of people. They were first people to treat her like family and she’d do anything for them. She did. She sold her body and her soul to them. They owned her and she had to do anything they wanted.”
“ That doesn’t make sense Eve. That sounds like slavery.”
“ There is slavery of all sorts in this world. There are many things that you don’t know about Bridget and you are lucky. But she wasn’t lucky. By the time she knew that it wasn’t for her and she couldn’t take it anymore it was too late. They had blackened her soul. The things that she had done were horrible. There were things that she still couldn’t remember. It was like at times she blocked things out so she wouldn’t have to deal with the guilt.”
Bridget felt the pain radiate through Eve. Eve most had really cared a great deal for Angel. “ What happened to her?”
“ She died Bridget.”
“ No Eve…” Bridget hugged Eve.
“ It’s alright Bridget. She’s in a better place now. A place where she be happy.”
“ You were really close to her, weren’t you?”
“ We were like sisters.”
“ What happened to you Eve?”
“ Well. After a while, I did run away from the foster care system but I ran into True and her brother Christopher. They took care of me and became my family. I had someone to love me. I worked hard, got a scholarship and the rest as they say is history.”
“ I’m so glad. I’m so glad that you didn’t have to go through that horrible stuff that your friend had to go through.”
“ I was a lucky one.”
“ Did you mom ever look for you?”
“No, she didn’t. But now if she did, it would be hard for her to find me.”
“ Why?”
“ Records. I think that the records were burnt in the fire besides I’ve moved so much.”
“ Yeah but your social security and your name is the same. She could hire someone and they could find you. In this day and age of computers, looking for someone isn’t that hard.”
Eve wasn’t about to tell Bridget that she had changed her name or that she had a fake social security number as well as ID. Those things have cost her some of her blood money. If her mother ever looked for her, all she’d ever find of Angel would be a old bank account in which she’d had touched on all those years. Angel would never touch that money. That money had cost her, her soul.
“ I doubt that she’d look for me Bridget. It’s been years.”
“ You must think that I’m a spoiled brat.”
“ Why would you say that? I don’t think that at all.”
“ I’ve been so upset about my father wanting me for a stock. I’ve been feeling so bad and hurt. But that is nothing compared to what you have gone through.”
“ Bridget, you have a right to your pain. What your dad did was wrong. You aren’t a brat for being upset with him nor are you responsible for the heart attack that he had. All you did was express your emotions in an argument. Just think about it. If everyone who had an argument in your family had a heart attack every time they argued, there wouldn’t be anybody left.”

Taylor put her hand on Kristen’s shoulder. “ So, Kristen how are you holding up in all of this.”
“ I’ll be alright Taylor.”
“ Really because from the looks of it you’ve been so worried about your mother and Thorne that you haven’t dealt with your pain.”
“ Working again Taylor?” Kristen said sarcastically. “ I don’t think that I’m to being one of your patients.”
“ No, just stating a fact. With all that is going on in my life recently, I don’t have the time to work. But I am worried about you. I know how close you are to Eric.”
Kristen smiled through her tears. “ I love my dad. I was always such a daddy’s girl.”
“ Eric is a wonderful man.”
“ It was more than that Taylor. It was acceptance. Growing up my mother and I were never close. I guess she didn’t understand me. I know that might be hard for you to understand because she’s closer to you than she is to me.”
“ I’m sorry about that Kristen.”
“ You aren’t to blame.”
“ Mom didn’t have room for anyone other than dad and Ridge. She was all for family but mainly for them. Dad on the other hand was sweet. I think one of the reasons that we were so close was because deep down he knew that I needed a mother’s love and mother wasn’t capable of that. So he’d spend extra time with me. I’d go down to Forrester and watch him work and I wanted to be designer. I wanted one day to work with him. My mother didn’t really like that idea because Ridge was the heir to Forrester but I still tried to follow my dream.” Kristen sipped some of her coffee. “ Leaving L.A was hard but I had to leave. After a failed marriage and relationships I knew that in all those years I had been lying to myself about who I was. What I was. I had been doing to it protect myself from disappointing my dad. His love and acceptance had been the only thing to keep me here. In all these years not one week goes by where dad and I don’t talk. At least three times a year he would come to New York and see me. We’d have dinner and see a show. I’m not even sure that mom knew about those times. If my father dies who would I have. I would have my brothers and sisters but I don’t feel like I’d have a parent. ”
“ What about Stephanie. Kristen surely the differences between you and your mom aren’t that great.”
“ Taylor there are so many things between my mother and I that I wish I could forget. Tonight, I want to be there for her. I don’t like seeing her suffer but I all I can do is hold her hand, if she’d let me. Growing up, she made me feel guilty for all the time that I spent with dad. And the moment that she perceived to have something to use against me, she did.”
Taylor would have said months ago that Stephanie would not do such a thing but she knew the truth. She had been the receiving end of Stephanie’s threats recently. “ What happened?”
“ When I was 16 I had a friend named Elsie. Elsie was the most wonderful person that I had ever met. She was kind, intelligent and artist. She was also beautiful. Long dark hair and eyes that you could get lost in. She was exquisite. When I was around her, my heart would race. I started to have dreams about her. They scared me because when I was around boys I never felt anything. But when I was around Elise I felt everything. Once she and dad had gone this day trip to Santa Barbara. Ridge and Thorne were off doing something. I think that Felicia was a camp or something. Elise came over. We were going to take a swim and go to the movies with a friend of ours. Nothing more. I not even sure how it happened but we were swimming and laughing. I splashed some water in her face and she was trying to get it out of her eyes. I moved to help her and the next thing I know is that I kissed her. I didn’t mean for it to happen but it did. And it was like my soul opened up because she responded to me. The next kiss was hesitant and then it turned passionate. Soon I wanted more than a kiss. I wanted her. What amazed me is that she wanted me too.”
“ You had relationship with this girl.” Taylor asked without judgment.
“ Yes. We kept it a secret from everyone. No one knew. But in all things that you try to keep secret, you get caught. There was a night that Elsie and I came back from this school dance, we had both ditched our dates. No one would be home, so I thought. We came back to the house. We kissed and one thing led to another. We made love and it was beautiful because it was our first time. It my first time with anyone. I was so nervous and excited at the same time. Afterward we lay in each other’s arms still a little shy about what we had done but flushed with excitement because it was so special. She needed me; I needed her just as much. Then everything went wrong. My mother came home and walked in on us. It was horrible. The things that she said….”
{ Flashback}
The door to Kristen bedroom opened. “ Kristen I wanted to ask you if you knew where…” Stephanie stopped and gasped in horror. She blinked her eyes at the sight of her daughter before her. Kristen was lying naked in the bed with Elise. The girls were kissing each other passionately. Kristen pulled her head away from Elsie’s lips and turned white as a sheet.“ Oh god…mom.” Fear radiated from her body. She quickly pulled the fallen sheet up to cover their sweaty bodies. “ Mom…”
“ What in the hell is going on!” Stephanie covered her eyes in horror. “ My god. What are you doing? Kristen! What the hell are you doing with this girl?”
“ Mom…please.”
Stephanie’s face became a mask of rage. “ You had sex with a girl?” Stephanie pulled Kristen out of the bed hard.
“ Mom, your are hurting me!”
“ I’m hurting you! You are hurting me. What you are doing is disgusting!” Stephanie turned her eyes on Elise.
“ And you. I should have known better. I saw how you’d look at Kristen and I should have known you were trying to do something. You were trying to convert my daughter. Get out of my house!”
“ Mrs. Forrester. I’m sorry.” Elise was more than afraid of Stephanie. “ We didn’t mean to disrespect your home. But I love Kristen.”
“ Love my daughter. You sick little bitch! This isn’t love. This is unnatural.”
“ It’s true mother. I love Elise.” Kristen cried. Stephanie dropped Kristen’s hand as if she never wanted to touch her again. “ This isn’t her fault. I wanted it. I wanted her. This was my idea. I love her. I’m in love with her…” Kristen’s declaration of love was cut off by a hard slap across her cheek. Kristen reared back from the blow. Never in all of her years had her mother ever hit her.
“ Don’t you ever utter those words again, do you hear me! You are not in love with Elise. You are a Forrester and I won’t have you destroy our family name with your sick actions.”
By this time Elise had gotten dressed and was crying. “ Mrs. Forrester, if you would just listen to Kristen. She is telling the truth. We tried to fight our feeling for one another but there were too strong. I love Kristen and she loves me. There is nothing that you can do to change that.”
“ Oh really. Little girl we will see about that. You don’t know what I’m capable of. Now get out of my house. Get out before I tell your parents what kind of child they have raised.”
Elise looked at Kristen but it was she who nodded for her to go. Kristen knew that having Elise in the house would only make matters worse. Elise gave Kristen a fleeting look and mouthed the words “ I love you” before she left. Stephanie turned her cold eyes toward her daughter glancing at the bed in disgust. She threw a robe at Kristen.
“ Cover yourself and take a shower. I want you to wash the stench of your actions from your body.”
“ It won’t change what I did. It won’t change who I am.”
“ No one will ever find out about this.”
“ This has been happening for a long time.”
“ That girl had corrupted you. You are confused.”
“ I don’t like boys. I’ve never been interested in them. I’ve tried. I tried once to have sex but I couldn’t do it. But with Elise I felt passion for the first time. When she touched me I felt…”
Stephanie grabbed Kristen by her jaw squeezing tight. “ Don’t you dare think about telling me what you did in that bed? You are interested in boys, do you understand me. You are NOT gay. Now, you are going to take a shower and straighten that bed out. In fact, bring me the sheets so I can burn them.”
“ Mom. If you would just listen.” Kristen yelled as tears feel from her lashes.
“ I’m not listening to a damn thing that you say. You are a disgrace to this family. If your father ever found out what you’d did here, it would kill him.”
Kristen blinked the tears out of her eyes. “ Daddy… of god. Mom, he would understand because he loves me. Wouldn’t he?”
Stephanie crossed her hands over her chest. “ What do you think? You’d disgust him. I’m not going to tell him and neither are you. It would kill your father. And you aren’t going to ever see that girl again.”
“ No! I love her. You can’t stop me.”
“ Try me! I won’t have it.”
“ Mom. Please just listen to me. I need you. I need for you to understand..”
“ Oh I understand alright. You had better understand me. You will never see that girl again or I will destroy her.” With that Stephanie gathered the sheets off the bed. “ No go take a shower! Now!”
Kristen stood there crying while her mother left. She fell onto the empty bed crying her heart out.

{Fade Back to Present}
Taylor was in shock to hear the story of how the rift between Kristen and Stephanie became permanent. “ What ever happened to Elise?”
“ Mother lied. She told her parents. Elise’s parents were very religious and thought that she was possessed by the devil. For only the devil in their eyes would elicit such a thing in their daughter. They but her away in a mental institution thinking that she was crazy. She was free spirit and couldn’t take something like that. They made her feel ashamed and she thought that I had abandoned her. Mother made her think that. Elsie would write to me but I never knew until years later. She’d burn the letters. Elsie committed suicide at age 17. She hung herself in her room.” Kristen wiped a tear that trailed down her cheek.
“ She died because she loved me.”
“ And you blamed your mother.”
“ She was to blame. She knew how Elise’s parents were. But she didn’t care. All she cares about was the fact that I had tarnished the Forrester name. After that I was afraid of my feelings. I was hurt because I lost the one person that I had dared to love. I never wanted to feel that way again and I was scared that my mother would destroy anyone who she thought was leading me down the wrong path. So I dated boys. I slept with them and even married Clark. I did it because I was afraid. And I am afraid now, afraid that my father is going to die. He is my family. He has loved me unconditionally. He has loved me in a way that my mother couldn’t.”

“ So is the jury still out? Do I stay or do I go?” Caspian asked Brooke as he wrapped his arms around her.
“ If it were up to me, I’d have you stay. Especially now.”
“ Because of Kimberly.”
“ She’s only a small part of it.”
Caspian frowned. “ There is more to it?”
“ Yes, but I’ll tell you about it later.”
“ It has to do with Thorne.”
“ Yes.” Brooke wrapped her arms around Caspian. “ I don’t want to talk about it right now. Just hold me.”
“Always,” he murmured.
The outside door opened and Bridget studied Caspian and her mother for a minute before she spoke. “ Mom.”
Brooke went to her daughter and hugged her. “ How are you holding up?”
“ Okay I guess.” Bridget had watched the exchange between her mother and Caspian. As much as she may not like to admit it to herself, she noticed how gentle and caring that he had been toward her mother. Just as he had been caring toward her. She wasn’t about to jump for joy or completely trust her mother’s newest lover but she was willing to admit that she understood what Rick had meant by Caspian being different from the men her father had been involved with. Bridget had studied Ridge’s reaction of seeing her mother with Caspian and she had noticed that he didn’t like seeing her mother with Caspian at all. Still as much as she planned to hate him. As he had stated earlier, the jury was still out. She didn’t hate him not at all. She wasn’t sure what to make of him. Bridget looked at Caspian over her mother’s shoulder. “ I met Caspian.”
“ He told me.” Brooke put her arm around Bridget. “ He said that you needed someone to talk to.”
“He was right. I was feeling bad.”
“ Honey there isn’t any reason to feel responsible for this. No one blames you. Including your father.”
“ Stephanie came dad’s room. She said that I could go and see him.”
“ Do you want me to go with you?”
Bridget over toward Caspian. “ Do you mind?”
“ Of course not honey. I don’t mind at all. You come first. Always have, always will.”
Brooke turned to Caspian. “ I’m going in with Bridget. Just wait a bit before you leave.”
He kissed Brooke quickly. “ Of course I’ll wait.”
Brooke hurried back into the hospital while Caspian studied her and Bridget. Bridget held on tightly to her mother’s hand. He smiled. He cared for Bridget. Meeting her had certainly made him understand the depth of Brooke’s love for her daughter. Bridget had dealt with a great deal of pain in her young years. He certainly hoped that she would be spared from ever experiencing more.

Bridget studied her father silently. She looked at her mother for additional support. Brooke just nodded at Bridget. Bridget sat down next to her father. “ Daddy, I hope that you can hear me. It’s Bridget.” There was no response only the beeping of the heart monitor. “ Daddy…I’m sorry for earlier. I’m sorry for the horrible things that I said to you. I didn’t mean them daddy. I’m so sorry….” Bridget’s declaration was cut off by a loud beeping sound the sounded and then the flashing of a flat line. Brooke rushed over toward Bridget. “ Mom,” she said in a rush. “ What’s going on?”
“ Honey I don’t know.”
A group of doctors entered the room. They shoved Brooke and Bridget out the way calling out a group of orders. Rushing off, they left Bridget and Brooke standing alone.
“ Mom, what happened?”
“ Honey I don’t know.”
“ It’s my fault. I was talking to him and he suddenly had another heart attack.”
“ That isn’t it Bridget.”
“ Then what is?” Bridget pushed herself away from her mother. “ It’s my fault. See, he doesn’t want anything to do with me. Bridget ran from the room. Brooke chased her but a group of medical staff jumped in front of her. By the time that they moved out of Brooke’s way Bridget was gone. “ Bridget! Bridget where are you!” Brooke looked all around for her daughter but she couldn’t find her.

Caspian stood outside looking at the stars. He didn’t like waiting around doing nothing but he made a promise to Brooke. Being here was upsetting the Forresters so he’d stay outside and stay clear of Ridge, Thorne and Stephanie in order to not upset Brooke. He knew that they would blame it on Brooke if anything happened. The door to the hospital suddenly burst open and Bridget ran outside speeding past Caspian. “ What in the world? Bridget?” Caspian started to chase her. Bridget heard her name being called but she didn’t dare go back into the hospital she was the cause of all the pain in her family. She was crying so hard that she didn’t look where she was going, so didn’t notice that she was in the street.
Nor did she notice the truck that the heading toward her. Caspian did, he increased his speed. He had to get her before it was too late. Caspian ran as fast as he could in the street when the truck hit.

Angela looked down into the reflection of the pool. Ibby reached her side. “ What’s wrong Angela?” “ The pain has begun.” Tears filled her eyes.
“ Eric made his choice?”
“ Yes, but in taking so long. Something unexpected happened.”

 

Chapter 83 (The Waiting Game)
The Forrester family stood by Eric’s room while the doctors valiantly shocked Eric’s heart in an effort to get his heart to start again. Stephanie stood with Ridge’s arms around her, Thorne wore a serious look on his face while, Kristen stood in silent shock afraid to breathe afraid that this was the end of the line for her father and Rick stood with his hands plastered against the glass, waiting for his father’s heart to start again. There they stood, one of the most influence families in L.A yet they were breathless to find out what would happen to the patriarch of their family. The doctors inside the room did their best and when the heart monitor started up again each member of the family let out a breath of air. Once again they had been spared and they all prayed that Eric’s heart could withstand this ordeal. It wasn’t until after the doctor’s had left the room and a capable nurse had tended to the needs of monitor Eric once again that they realized that two members of their family were missing. Rick looked at Ridge. “Where are mom and Bridget?”
Ridge had been caught up the latest ordeal. “I thought that I saw Brooke a few minutes ago. I have no idea where she or Bridget went.”
“I’m going to go look for them. They’ve got to know that dad pulled through this.”



Caspian heart cried out in pain as he bent over the broken form of Bridget. Reaching down he gently touched the side of her face leaving his fingers bloody. The driver of the truck was distraught as he too bent over Bridget.
“My god. I did not see her until the last minute. She darted out of nowhere and I swear that I tried to stop. I swear that I tried to stop.”
“Go in the hospital and get some help now!” Caspian belted out. The man ran quickly toward the hospital. Caspian would have carried her but he was afraid to move her for fear of doing too much damage. His fingers quickly checked Bridget’s pulse and breathed a sigh of relief when he found a light pulse. Thank god she was alive. He had seen the damage when Bridge had hit the windshield then flew off the car. There was a gash on the side of her head where the glass had cut her and she lay on her side crumpled like a rag doll. He knew that there could be a great deal of internal damage. He gently rolled her on her back. “Bridget, baby please hold on.” Caspian heard the distinctive sounds of running feet. That was when he noticed blood seeping from a wound on her right side. Caspian expertly put pressure on the wound when help finally arrived. Doctors moved him out of the way and he watched how they put a neck brace on Bridget and pressure on her wound and quickly put her on the gurney. Caspian raced with them as they took Bridget into the hospital.



Stephanie sat in the hospital chapel alone clutching tightly to the worn photo of her and Eric. She ran her fingers across the deep creases of the photo. The photo had been one that she had kept for more than 30 years. Even in the years when they had been divorced she had kept the photo for it was a constant reminder of all the love, life and family that they had shared. Eric Forrester had come into her life unexpected; she had been young socialite with the best of things that she had to offer. Her family had been the elite of the Californian society; the Douglass name was on of now only power but affluence. She wasn’t sure what it had been about Eric that had first attracted her, he hadn’t come from a family with the financial backing or connections as her nor did they travel in the same circles but there had been something about the handsome artist that touched her deeply. When she had first met Eric had one of the fraternity picnic, she knew instantly that she’d love him forever. He was funny, kind and so talented, she knew with her help he’d go places. But, Eric had been involved with Beth a woman who Stephanie considered beneath him. Stephanie knew that she should feel at least a little bit guilty for what she had done, getting Eric drunk and sleeping with him. She hadn’t planned to get pregnant but once found out that she had been expecting his child, she told Eric. He, being an honorable man did the right thing and they married. She never kidded herself about the reason that he had married her but she didn’t care because she knew that she’d do great things for him. Having Ridge had been the greatest thing that ever happened to her and Eric, it bonded them and their love and friendship grew over time. As time went on her love for her grew after all they had created a huge clothing dynasty that was the envy of people all over the world. Everything in their life and their family had been perfect until Beth Logan made her way back into their lives and worst than that, her daughter Brooke Logan had destroyed everything that Stephanie held dear. Brooke Logan was truly her nemesis, the woman had done more than just taken her company but she had wormed her way into Stephanie’s life. Worse, she could never understand the devotion that Brooke instilled in the men in her family. She had been so relieved when Ridge and Brooke had broken up all the years ago, she had done her best to see that Ridge see that Caroline and not Brooke was the one for him. She still remembered the conversation that she had had with Brooke when the opportunist had the audacity of watching Ridge’s wedding. She had confronted Brooke so confident that it would be the end and she’d never see her again. But it wasn’t the end, Brooke had gotten her hooks into her husband and she had used her body and sex to ensnare him. Stephanie had loved Eric so much that as much as it killed her when he asked for a divorce she had been willing to give it to him so he could be happy until she had found that he was leaving her for the whore. She would have accepted anyone, even Margo Langley who she knew had had a love and maybe an affair with Eric, but she couldn’t accept Brooke. No one had ever understood how she felt. The one woman whom had ensnared her son was now pregnant and taking her husband. In the end, Brooke threw it away and hurt Eric just as Stephanie had known it. No one ever understood how humiliating it was for her to watch Brooke marry Eric then Ridge. Not only that, there was the children. She would never forget watching Brooke hold Eric Jr, Rick and how it made her heart bleed when Eric had told her that she had named her son after him it nearly killed her. She had wanted to name Ridge after Eric but Eric had said it was too pretentious but what she was never allowed to do, Brooke was. Even after she slept with Ridge and cheated on Eric, he had still wanted her. Brooke had no qualms of turning husband against son; she knew that she had to get Brooke out of their lives. Stephanie had thought that having the forged letter would do the trick but it didn’t work. Then the worst thing occurred, Brooke took over Forrester and nothing was ever the same. No one understood what seeing Brooke on the covers of magazines did to her, her sexuality was flaunted and her scandals out in the open for the world to see. But somehow Brooke never paid for the way she was ruining her image of the Forrester name. Stephanie tried to get rid of Brooke and nothing ever worked. Stephanie had done some things that she hadn’t been too proud of the worse of to change Bridget’s paternity test so it looked as if Eric and not Ridge had been Bridget’s father. She had had no choice, true if Ridge hadn’t stumbled upon that letter at Brooke’s it never would have happened but once she had had the chance, she had to take advantage of it. She never understood what had happened the first time with the testing but once she had the chance to change history and finally get Brooke out of their lives she took it. Sometimes she wondered what it had cost her after all she way denying her own grandchild, but she had tried to make it up to Bridget in her own way. After all, she loved Bridget just as she loved Rick, regardless of who their mother was; she was a Forrester and family. Bridget was very important to her and the poor baby was suffering. She blamed herself for Eric’s heart attack when it was Brooke’s fault. She had agreed to let Brooke stay for Bridget’s sake but that didn’t mean that she believed anything that she had said to Bridget. Brooke had been a source of stress for Eric. He had been so upset about losing the company’s stock to Caspian. It riled her to no end that although Brooke was no longer involved with any member of her family that she still affected them. Brooke’s latest lover was trouble, plain and simple. He was a bully, threatening her, trying to control her with the information that he had collected on her. Brooke never would have been in a position to control her using that CD to blackmail her if it hadn’t been for him. Brooke was sitting in the hot seat but for how long. As badly that Stephanie had felt knowing that Brooke was almost raped, she never would have approved of that no matter how much she hated her, she had made a promise to get rid of Brooke and Caspian yet, now all of that didn’t matter. She’d be willing to leave Brooke alone for the rest of her life if that meant that Eric survived. For Eric, she’d be willing to make a pack with the devil.



Brooke searched the hospital but it seemed that she couldn’t find Bridget anywhere. She had to find her there was a nagging feeling that something was horribly wrong.



Caspian hurried to Rick. “Where is your mother?”
Thorne and Ridge who had been in deep discussion about Eric’s progress to exception.
“Deangleo. Didn’t we tell you to leave? This isn’t the place for you.”
“Not now Ridge.”
“Yes now. My family is dealing with a crisis. You son of a bitch.”
Thorne had noticed Caspian’s hands, which had dried blood on them. “What happened to your hands?”
“I don’t have time for this. Where is Brooke? It is important.”
Rick felt dread fill him. “What’s wrong?”
“It’s Bridget.”
“Bridget, what the hell did you do to her? If you hurt her…”
“Shut up Ridge and just tell me where Brooke is. You are wasting time.



“Brooke, I checked all the bathrooms and no one has seen her.”
“Eve, do me a favor. Call her cell phone again.”
“Alright.” Eve who had left her purse upstairs in intensive care hurried to find a pay phone.



Scott finished off his drink and asked for another one. The music played all around him in The Lair. “Don’t you think that you have enough?” Scott studied the bartender. “No. I’ll let you know when I had enough.” He took the keys out of his pocket and pushed them toward to he bartender. “I planned on calling a cab so give me another drink.”
A blonde in a tight leather tank top and tight leather pants with a spiky haircut next to him gave him the eyes. “Rough night?”
“The roughest.”
She sipped her drink. “A pretty boy like you. Feeling down? Why so glum?”
Scott snorted. “Women. The world had no idea what cunning creatures the lot of you are.”
“So, is that women in general or a specific female?”
Kimberly’s image flashed before his eyes. “Vicious bitch.”
“Ahh. What did she do, break your heart?”
“Heart? Hell no. She only manipulated and hurt people. I just wish that I could expose her for what she really is. She has everyone around her fooled.”
“Why can’t you expose her?”
Scott thought about Bridget. He couldn’t tell Bridget that he might be the father of Kimberly’s child. “Because it might hurt someone I really care about.” Scott looked down at his drink in disgust.



Caspian found Brooke. She turned and when their eyes met he felt her heart rip in two.
“Caspian. I’ve been looking for Bridget. You haven’t seen her have…' Brooke stopped talking. There was something in his eyes.
“What’s wrong?”
“It’s Bridget. She was running from the hospital. I tried to stop her but she just kept going until she ran into the street.”
“The street.”
“Sweetheart, Bridget was hit by a truck.”
Brooke took a step back clutching the wall for support. “No.” Brooke shook her head.
“Bridget!”



Pierce couldn’t get rid of the nagging feeling that he had. “I’m telling you Bailey it was Isabelle.”
“Pierce, I seriously doubt that she’d be here in L.A out of all places. Besides I thought that you had decided to give up on that relationship.”
“I decided no such thing. That was HER idea.”
“Then let it go.” Bailey couldn’t comprehend Pierce’s obsession with this woman. “The woman offers you nothing. Just look at what she has reduced you too. Sitting here looking defended. You should be with a woman who uplifts you and makes you a better man. A woman like Taylor Forrester.”
“Don’t start that again.”
“Why not? Taylor is here. She’s highly respected.”
“And going through a divorce.”
“Yes, isn’t it the perfect opportunity for you.”
Pierce looked out his windows of the penthouse of the hotel he was residing. “No it isn’t. I remember how much she loved Ridge Forrester and even if she didn’t I just can’t forget what I had with Isabelle.”
“Pierce, does sex mean that much to you.”
“It was more than sex.”
“Yes it is your need to fix this woman. You can’t fix her.”
“There is something that you don’t see Bailey.”
“What? The coldness in her eyes and soul.”
“That is a mask. You have to look past that to see the woman beneath that mask. I’ve glimpsed it. I know that she is warm and loving.”
“Yes, in a Leona Hensley kind of way?”
“Bailey, no. Isabelle feels that she has to cut off her feeling. More and more I’m convinced that something happen to her when she was young. She experienced something to make her feel that her feelings should be shut off. I want to know what happened. I want her to start to experience love. She cared for me Bailey, I know it. I saw it. I felt it but she wasn’t ready to admit it. I made a mistake. I pushed her. I told her my feelings and she got scared.”
“That woman isn’t scared of a thing.”
“She is Bailey. I’ll admit that I handled the situation the wrong way. I should have eased her into accepting her feelings. But I’m going to change all of that.”
“You are going to change what? You have a conference to attend to.”
“I will attend to it but I’m going to work on getting Isabelle back. I love her Bailey. I won’t give up on Isabelle. And I know just the person to help me.”
“Who?”
“Caspian. I’m going to get Caspian to help me.”
Bailey was silent. Rumor had it that Caspian Deangleo was in L.A. He would see the man himself first and plead with him not to help Pierce. Bailey loved Pierce, he had been a good friend to him, he wasn’t going to let some cold hardened woman who would never love Pierce have his heart.



Nico played her last hand of poker. “Read them and weep gentlemen.” Some of the men groaned while a few others gave her an appreciative looks for her skills had been more their match. Nico collected her chips and wore a smug smile on her face while she felt eye bearing into her back. She knew that it was Deacon. She looked at him staring at each other for a few seconds wondering what he was feeling since his face was impassive. Deacon studied Nico with more than an appreciative glance, the woman was sexy as hell but it wasn’t her beauty or sensuality that got his attention but her ability. She was on hell of a card player, she had more than beaten some of the best players and she had charmed most of them while doing so. All, except Richard Allen, one of the owners of a dot COM companies. “Gentlemen, this has been a wonderful experience, but it is getting late and I’ve got to work in the morning.” Nico stood collecting her winnings when Richard who had lost around 15,000 dollars that night and who had more than enough Hennessey that night stood reaching out to grasp Nico’s wrist.
“Not so fast. You’ve taken quiet a bit of money from me today. You don’t think that I’m going to just let you get away with it.”
Nico’s eyes became dark yet her smile never left her face. “I think that maybe you are making a mistake. Like I stated so nicely, I’m tired. So, if you don’t mind.”
Richard tightened the grasp. “But I do.”
“Get over it.”
“If you think that I’m going to let some bitch take my money….”
“Oh but I think that she is.” Deacon pressed Richard between the shoulder blades with his hand. “I think that you have had enough to drink for tonight. And I’m quite sure that you don’t mean to insult Nico, after all she’s a friend of mine.” Deacon said in a quiet yet controlled voice that spoke volumes.
Richard, although the CEO of his company and control of hundreds of people, didn’t stand to the quiet yet dangerous Deacon Sharpe. Richard, like others had a great deal of respect for Deacon. The man had not only made something of his clubs, his card games were legitimate and an upscale operation. He didn’t want to be banded from them, although going to Los Vegas was always an option but there is something thrilling at doing it secretly within a club in L.A. Richard let go of Nico’s hand. “Sorry. I guess that I made a mistake.”
Deacon nodded. “I’m sure that you did. Listen, it’s been a long night. It’s late and the games were almost over. Why don’t I have someone see you home, if you’d like I can send over one of the girls, not tonight but another night? I’ll take care of the bill.” Deacon dipped and dabbled a bit in prostitution, he wasn’t a John but he knew a few upscale classy girls, all he did was help them to get connected to some very wealthy men. He only charged the girls 10% of their earnings for it really wasn’t about money for him at all, he hated to admit it but he had a soft spot for them, after all his mother had been a prostitute herself and he knew how tough it was on them. The women were well protected, they had the choice of doing whatever it is that they wanted of course all of this was a secret just like his card games, he had worked hard and wanted to establish creditability for himself in the real business world. He glanced at Nico, with her skills; she’d be just the person to do that. She’d help him get him some information that would make him richer than he ever dreamed.
Richard the persuasion in Deacon’s voice but knew instinctually that there was much more pressure than a simple question. “I agree it is late. As much as I might want to have some company tonight, my wife might not like it. I’ll will take you up on your offer for maybe tomorrow.”
“Good. Luke will see you out.” Luke hurried to help Richard out. While Deacon attended to Nico. “I’ll see to your wrist.” He nodded to one of his workers and had them to take her earnings.
“I’m fine. I can handle myself. In fact you did him a favor stepping in.”
“I did, did I?”
“Yes”
Deacon laughed heartily shaking his head. “Follow me.” Nico turned toward the men.
“Sorry gentlemen but it seems that I’ve been summoned, I’ll catch you later.”
A heavy man wearing a gray suit winked at her. “I’ll lose to you anytime sweetheart.”
“Ahh, Hammal, you are so sweet.” But that, Nico sashayed out of the room. Nico followed to his office, he made a call on the intercom telling them to send up the ice.
“Do you want anything to eat?”
“No, I’m not hungry.”
Deacon raised his eyebrow while he lit a cigar. “Send up some clams casino and a caser salad.” He stated before he hung up. He reached out and pulled Nico near him. His callused fingers gently traced the inner shell of her wrist. Nico noticed the coy look in his eyes and knew instantly that this was all part of his charm. “Are you alright?” He said in a smoothly sensual voice. God, Nico thought. She knew with that voice alone that he would easily be able to entice women in his bed. Deacon was a shark, plain and simple. He was dangerous, sexy and rich a dangerous combination. He also was bad boy and women would also want to taste that danger, if things were different she’d might be willing to take up with him.
“Yes, I’m just fine. That little grip means nothing.”
“You might bruise.”
Nico pulled her wrist out of his grasp. “It isn’t the first bruise and it won’t be the last.”
Deacon blew out some smoke. “So, you are used to being bruised.”
Nico laughed. Deacon found that the sound had an arousing effect on his ****, which had been semi-erect and now was pressed up against the confines of his black pants.
Nico who knew what Deacon was thinking. “Down boy, not those kind of bruises. I’m talking about when I was a kid.”
“Rough life?”
“Somewhat. I learned to take care of myself. I couldn’t always have someone around to protect me.”
Deacon nodded. “I know what you mean.”
“Rough childhood?”
Deacon shrugged. “I survived. My mom’s boyfriend used to use me as a punching bag.”
Nico eye’s found Deacon’s. “Yeah, I hate that when it happens.”
“Your mother?”
“No. Never knew her but I’ve been around quiet a bit. At some point in time it happens.”
“It does.”
“Thanks for trying to play knight and shining armor. That doesn’t happen that much.”
Deacon grinned. “So, since I saved you. What do you plan on giving me?”
“I’m going to first give you the 5 grand that you gave me and I’ll be here tomorrow at 10p.m to start working.”
Deacon trailed a finger down the valley of her breast. “Are you sure that is all you want? I think that I can think of a few things that I’d love spending my time doing.”
“I’m sure you would. I’m also sure that you’d be good at anything that you did. But…” Nico took a step back. “I’m not interested. Sorry.”
“Is it because of business.”
“Something likes that.”
There was a knock on the door and Deacon called for them to come in. A female brought in ice. “Dec…your dinner will be ready in a little bit.”
“Thanks Karen.”
Nico put ice on her bruised wrist. “I better get going. Like you said it is a long night.”
“Tell me. If you can do all that you say that you can do with that computer, why do you need me to give you a job? Why do I have the feeling that there is more to this than I think?”
“Because you don’t trust me.”
“I don’t trust anybody.”
“I can understand that. The truth is I want to get paid but I love the feeling of the power that hacking gives me. With my job I have to be a good little girl in order to keep a living but working with you will give me the high that I want. Knowing that you can get into anything anywhere is orgasmic.”
“Orgasmic.”
“Yes, it has the same feeling. In fact getting into a locked system makes me down right wet.”
Deacon loved the way that she’d talk. “Are you wet now?”
Nico laughed. “You’ll never know.”
“Never say never. I have a way with women.”
Nico took her money laughed. “I had a feeling that you did.”



KC continued to eat out of a bowl of cereal of Chex while Connor took off his glasses and put down the notes for his upcoming trial. He turned toward KC and watched her with delight. KC turned and feed Connor of spoon of her cereal. Connor ate the cereal with delight. “Why is it that your food always taste so good?”
“I don’t know.” KC put her bowl of cereal down on the nightstand and snuggled close to Connor. “Why are you kisses so good?”
“Why that is because I’ve had lots of practice.”
KC pulled Connor’s head close to hers. “You just make sure that you don’t practice on anyone else.”
Connor lay back against the soft mattress of his bed. “Are you being possessive?”
“I sure am.”
“Good.” Connor captured KC’s mouth gently exploring her mouth tasting the cinnamon sweetness of her cereal on her mouth. KC murmured.
“Keep that up and you know what that means.”
KC sat up on her knees wearing a short lilac colored nightie. Connor ran his fingers up her inner thigh causing a sexual sensation through her body. “No what does it mean?” She asked coyly.
Connor took the ends of nightie and pulled it over her head. Connor studied her body.
“You are the most beautiful thing ever created.” He murmured as he pulled her down on top of him.
“You are supposed to say that, we are engaged.” KC stated between kisses.
“I mean it.” Connor pulled KC into his arms. She had come back to his home after her dinner; lately they had been alternating between his home and hers. Soon, she’d move into his home. He snuggled against her, his erection already hard at just the sight of her.
Lightly tracing the curve of her face he rubbed his body against her. “You and Alex had a good time.” Connor had met Alex when he had gotten home. Alex and KC had been in the kitchen talking and drinking some homemade pina colas reminiscing. Connor had found Alex delightful and smart in fact she had only left his home an hour ago. Instead of going to bed KC became hungry and they had eaten and watched Legend Of The Fall on AMC.
“It was like old times. I can’t tell you how happy I can that she’d going to be around for a while.”
“How long will she be here?”
“A couple of months. She is here for business with Victor Newman. Actually I’m glad that she’ll be here, she can help me plan the wedding.”
Connor smiled. “Now that is a subject that I can’t wait to talk about. I can admit that I’ve been thinking about it.”
“You might change your mind after this weekend.”
“Are you kidding? I can’t wait to meet your family. I want to meet the people who made the most wonderful, beautiful, talented woman ever made.”
“You really are a good lawyer aren’t you? Using the courtroom charm on me.”
Connor nuzzled the curve of KC’s neck. “You can’t blame me can you?” They mouths met again for a kiss before KC pulled her head away.
“So are you going to tell me what you were up to late tonight?”
Connor made a face. “Oh, this must be good. What’s up?”
“I hired a private investigator. Tray Whittaker.”
“An investigator for what?” KC sat up. She saw the look on his face. “What did you do?”
“I hired Tray to investigate Caspian Deangleo.”
KC was confused. “Why?”
“Because something isn’t right about this. I’ve met him and I just have a bad feeling.”
“What kind of feeling?”
“I don’t know. Brooke had been through a lot and she isn’t lucky in love. I guess that I don’t trust him. His influence is powerful and he owns part of Brooke’s company.”
“But it is her decision to be with him. Connor you have no right to have him investigated.”
“She’s my friend and my client. She’s been through a great deal of heartbreak.”
“You can’t protect her from any heartbreak anymore than you can stop the sun from shinning.”
“I know but I need to do something.”
“How about being a friend. Supporting her.”
“Even if it means that she may get hurt.”
“You can’t protect her from hurt. You couldn’t protect her from being hurt before what is different now?”
“He is involved with her business. Also at least with the Forrester men you know what you were getting, spoiled selfish children but with Caspian it is different.”
“You feel that strongly about this?”
“Yes. KC, I just can’t shake this feeling that there is something more with this man.”
KC sighed. She didn’t like the idea that was having Caspian investigated but Connor wasn’t a paranoid man. “Just be careful. I have a feeling that you are opening a can of worms, one Brooke might not like.”
“I know. I just want to see what his past is like just in case Brooke needs protecting.” Connor laid her head on his chest. “Baby, do you understand?”
“Well, I don’t like it. But I understand what you are doing. Please just be careful. Believe me, I don’t want Brooke hurt anymore than you do.”
“She’s been through enough pain and heartache. I just want to make sure that Caspian is everything that he says that he is.”
“What if he isn’t?”
“Then Brooke needs to know what he is up to.”



Brooke stood in the emergency room hoping to get word about Bridget. She had almost fallen to pieces when she got a glimpse of her daughter. Her poor little baby. Brooke didn’t understand how this happened.
Brooke asked Caspian. “What happened?”
Caspian could clearly see the distress in Brooke’s face. God, as much as he was afraid of what was happening to Bridget he was more afraid of what this effect that this would have with Brooke. “She came out of nowhere. I tried to stop her but she just ran away.”
“So you just chased her? What do you think that she was going to do?” Ridge stated angrily. Taylor put her hand on Ridge’s shoulder doing the best to diffuse the situation.
“Emotions are running high at the moment with your father and now Bridget. I’m sure Caspian wasn’t trying to scare Bridget. Based on what the truck driver said he was trying to stop her.”
“Don’t make any excuses for him. If he had just stayed out of it none of this would have happened.”
“That isn’t fair Ridge. Don’t start this.” Kristen said worriedly. “We are a family and the only way that we are going to get through this is if we pull together. TOGETHER as a family. Dad and Bridget need our support not us blaming each other.” Ridge glowered at Caspian but he knew that Kristen was right. This wasn’t the time or the place.
Caspian held on tightly to Brooke’s arms. “She didn’t see the truck but I did. I tried to stop her but I couldn’t reach her.”
“Brooke I’m so sorry.” Brooke was preoccupied with Bridget that she didn’t hear the falter in Caspian’s voice. For his to sound had changed from his normal confident tone to one of remorse and a hint of despair.
Brooke ran her hands through her disheveled hair as tears fell down her cheeks. “She was so distraught. Eric flat lined again while she was talking to him. She blamed herself for it.” Brooke’s eyes were puffy and red as she wiped them. “She looked so fragile and helpless. And the blood from her head and that wound.” She clutched her chest. “Oh god, please …I don’t think that I can take this.” Caspian wrapped his arms around Brooke’s back and held her tightly against him. Brooke’s whole body shook with pain. “I can’t lose her.” Brooke leaned her head back against his chest tears stung her eyes so that she could hardly see in front of her. “I can’t lose my baby.”
Caspian kissed the top of her head. “You won’t.” He said a silent prayer. He knew that Brooke couldn’t deal with losing Bridget, if she did, it would kill her.



Thorne who had been quietly standing there watched as the woman he loved was falling apart. Brooke was pale looking and worried. He wanted to be there for her just like she had been there for him with his father. Instead Caspian had been the one to hold her while she cried and deep in his heart he couldn’t hate him for it. Caspian had been the one to act fast and look out for Bridget. Once again, he had failed.



Caspian shoved his hands in his pockets in an effort to hide his shaking hands. Emotions overwhelmed him in a way that he had never expected. What bothered him the most was that he felt fear. It wasn’t like him to be afraid of anything or anybody for he had dealt with some dangerous individuals yet he was afraid of the woman he loved. He was also afraid because when he saw Bridget laying almost lifeless on the street into it reminded him of the night that Lark had died. There were times that he still had memories of her death. When he had held his lifeless body next to his, he had wanted to die with her.

{Flashback}
Caspian ran down the spiral staircase toward Lark’s broken body at the bottom of the stair. Caspian bent over Lark. With shaky hands he cupped her beautiful face. Tears filled his eyes. “Little Bird. Please. Please open you eyes baby.” He kissed her lips softly.
“Baby I’m sorry just open your eyes.” His voice broke off there was no sound of stirrings of any kind only the dead silence greeted him. He took Lark’s pulse but he didn’t find one. “No! No!” He roared within the confines of his homes. Pressing his head against her breast listening with baited breath for a heartbeat but alas he heard nothing. He gathered her in his arms rocking her against him, squeezing her tight. “Baby please. Please open your eyes.” Tears streamed down his face as her head fell back. There was blood on the marbled floors. “No. No baby. Just open your eyes and if you want to leave. You can leave. I promise you that I won’t stand in your way. Just open your eyes. Don’t leave me. Don’t leave me Lark. You are all that I have. You and Bella, please don’t leave me.” He cried as he held her tightly against him. He hands splayed down to her stomach where his child laid nestled. “I won’t bother you anymore I promise. I’ll let you and the baby go just open your eyes for me.” Caspian’s body shook as he cried hard her lifeless body.
“Mr. Deangleo.” The soft voice of Marina his housekeeper came into the foyer. She saw her employee laying and crying on top of his beautiful wife. She the man who was one of the strongest men she ever met in tears crying like a newborn baby. “My god.”
Caspian hardly heard her as she rang to get the phone. He just kept holding Lark against him as he prayed to anyone who would listen to his pleas. But his pleas and prayers weren’t answered.
{Fade Back To Present}

Caspian was surprised the effect that this was having on him. He had to collect his thoughts and his betraying feelings. Brooke needed his support, she and Bridget came first. Yet those painful memories gripped his soul and he knew that his sins had come back again to haunt him.



Stephanie held sat watching Eric when she felt a slight grip on her hand. She held herself still when she felt the slight tug on her hand again. She leaned forward. “Eric?”
“If you can hear me. Hang on. We need you sweetheart. Especially me.”
Stephanie clutched Eric’s hand.



Kimberly had stood off to the side watching the varied expressions on her family. She felt for all of them. She knew what they were feeling, how desperate and out of control they felt since they had no control over what was happening. She had been here one day herself when her mother died. Feeling lost and confused, asking why these sort of thing happened. Then once again she had felt emptiness inside as well as helplessness. She had been in the accident scene. She had even helped to hold a rag on the wound on Brooke’s head while blood seeped out of it. While she had been so busy helping the woman who destroyed her sister’s marriage, her sister had been trapped in car that blazed and exploded. She had felt helpless when Macy died just as she was sure that the Forresters felt helpless. Her heart went out to Thorne; her sweet kind husband looked so serious trying his best to stay calm when he was going through pain. She made a promise to herself to help him get through it.



Brooke paced manically outside of the emergency room. Rick had tried his best to calm his mother but she was a mess. “Mom, you’ve got to try to stay calm.”
“I’m trying Rick but you didn’t see her. She looked so fragile and broken and battered. I should have stopped her. She was so distraught. I should have stopped her.”
“Logan you couldn’t have known that this was going to happen. How could you?”
“She’s my daughter Ridge. I’m supposed to protect her. Instead she is in there on that table…” Ridge cupped Brooke’s face with both of his hands.
“Don’t do this. Bridget blamed herself for dad’s heart attack just like you are blaming yourself for this accident. You aren’t the blame. You are a wonderful mother Logan.”
“She’s been through enough for one so young. You remember how precious she was when she born.”
Ridge remembered the feeling that he had when Bridget was born. Bridget had been the most beautiful tiny baby that he had ever seen. “Yes Logan.”
“She was beautiful, wasn’t she?”
“Just like her mother.”
“But her life hasn’t been what I wanted for her. She had a mother who bought scandal into her life, and then she lost you as a father and then this thing with Eric. Tonight my baby cried in my arms because she thought that he father didn’t love her. When Eric had the heart attack she ripped herself apart, literary. Bridget had been through enough she doesn’t need this.”
“She’s going to make it, Logan.”
“You didn’t see her Ridge.”
“I know but she’s a fighter.”
Rick approached Brooke. “Ridge is right mom. Bridget is a fighter, she is going to be okay.”
“I just don’t understand how things went from bad to worse in a matter of moments. First, Eric and now Bridget. Just how much more can this family take.”



Stephanie stepped out of the hospital room. “Mom? How is he?” Kristen asked.
“He is still resting however when I was talking to him, I squeezed my hand.”
“Mom. That’s wonderful. Can I see him?”
“He’s resting right now but I’m sure having you near him would make him feel better. Maybe he’ll feel your presence.”
Kristen surprised by the warmth in her mother’s tone. Kristen nodded. “I love him just like you do.”
Stephanie studied her daughter for a moment. Regret filled her heart. She and Kristen were not close, they never had been. There were times that she felt closer to Taylor than she did to any of her daughters, especially Kristen. Kristen to her had erected a wall around her heart a long time ago, one which Stephanie never been able to bring down. Stephanie knew that Kristen didn’t approve of her but Kristen didn’t understand that she did love her daughter. She just didn’t like some of the choices that Kristen had made. Kristen’s sexuality had been a slap in her face. She truly believed that if Kristen gave it an earnest try that she could be attracted to men and have a normal life. Her daughter was a beautiful woman with white blond hair like her’s and her own blue eyes. Kristen was indeed a talented designer; Stephanie had seen some of her work in the catalogs and design magazines. Her daughter in her own way made her proud but she didn’t know how to tell her then there were the moments that she was ashamed of her daughter. Ashamed that her daughter didn’t like her and ashamed of who Kristen really was. Stephanie pushed the thought of her relationship with Kristen out of her head and focused on her surroundings. She noticed that Ridge was missing along with Rick.
“Where is Rick and Ridge?”
“Mother, you were dealing with dad we didn’t want to worry you with everything going on. There’s been an accident involving Bridget.”

Stephanie walked into the emergency room seeing Ridge, Taylor, and Rick. Ridge was leaning against wall. “Mother?” All the eyes went to her. “How is dad?”
“It’s too early to tell. He has been stabilized. But is a good sign. You sister is upstairs sitting with him.”
“Now tell me about Bridget?”
“It’s too soon to tell. She was hurt pretty bad. Mom is a mess I don’t think that I’ve ever seen her like this.”
“That is understandable. Brooke does love Bridget.” Ridge and Rick looked at each other they weren’t used to Stephanie saying anything remotely kind about Brooke. Stephanie figured out the reasons for the looks. “Brooke and I aren’t friends, never will be. Too much history and bad feelings that I won’t get into however she does love Bridget.”
Ridge silently raised an eyebrow at Rick.
“Now if you don’t excuse me. I want to talk to the doctor and find out about Bridget. That girl has been through enough pain.”
Stephanie meant what she said, she didn’t like Brooke. She’d give her right eye to get rid of her but Bridget came first. Her grandchild was suffering and she knew that she was partly to blame.

The doctor appeared walking toward the group of people in the emergency room. Earlier, the family was here because of the heart attack for Eric Forrester and now his daughter Bridget had been in an accident. Brooke stood up in the waiting room when the doctor finally appeared. Caspian silently stood behind Brooke putting his hand on her shoulders to support her. Brooke wasn’t sure if she’d be able to keep it together if she hadn’t had the support of Rick, Caspian and the family. Even Stephanie. Stephanie had been there to show her support and Brooke could clearly see that Bridget’s health was as important to Stephanie as it was for the rest of the of the family. Her stomach was tied up in knots for fear of what his prognosis was going to be.
“Doctor how is Bridget?”
“Ms. Logan, as you know Bridget was hit by an oncoming vehicle and in situations like these there are many things to worry about, however Bridget was lucky. She sustained some bruises, a sprained ankle. She hit her head hard and has a serious concussion but it is surely remarkable that is all that she sustained.”
“So, what are you saying?”
The doctor smiled. “Bridget is going to be fine.”
Relief filled Brooke as she let out a breathe of air. Brooke reached out and grasped the doctor’s arm. “Are you sure?”
“We still have some basic test to run to make sure that everything is alright. But there are no signs of internal bleeding which is good although she will be heavily bruised. Because she had a head trauma we are going to watch her for a least a day or so. But she had woken so we aren’t too worried. We will wake her every hour as we do for every head trauma to ensure her safety.”
“She’s really alright?”
“She’ll be sore and in pain for a while but yes she is going to be alright. She’s a very lucky girl Ms. Logan. I’m amazed that there wasn’t serious damage done. She could have easily had neck trauma or internal bleeding.”
“She’s very loved.” Brooke said through tears. “Thank you so much.” Brooke threw her arms around the doctor and kissed him on the check. The doctor’s neck turned red with a blush from receiving a kiss from such a beautiful woman.



Deacon finished running the money for the cover pay through the counting machine. He wrote the numbers down in his books while he finished smoking a cigarette. On his desk was the left over plate of his dinner that he had finished. Tonight had been a good night for business all around and he had made quiet a bit of money. Then there was Nico; she was one hot piece, with a body like sin and a mind that worked wonders. Oh, he wanted to fu(k her alright. He wanted to ride her hard and fast. But she wasn’t the only woman on his mind. As much as he wanted to taste what Nico had to offer he couldn’t forget the amazing woman that whose bed he had shared not to long ago. Isabelle. She had been magnificent in bed and just thinking about him made his mouth wet and his cock hard. God, she was beautiful and yet she had strength about her that he was attracted too.
Deacon wasn’t used to thinking too much about a woman once he had her in his bed, usually they’d know upfront that he only wanted sex. With his “relationships” they’d met, have sex and then it would be over. Deacon had been placing money in his safe when there was a knock at his door.
“Boss, there is a lady here for you.” Alex said. Alex was the manager in charge of the club. She was a pretty African American woman who could hold her own.
“The bar and club is closed.”
“I know Deacon but she asked for you. There is something about her….well I just couldn’t send her away.”
“Why in the hell not, Alex. Listen, you know how I feel about the women. I let them know when I want something.”
“I know all about how you treat those women and you know that I think that it is a shame that they let themselves be played like that.”
“I’m charming.”
“Yeah. Whatever. All I say is whatever you have in your pants but be gold.”
“You want to find out?”
“You had better not let Carl hear you say that.” Alex said laughing. Carl was Alex’s husband and a linebacker for the Raiders. Although Alex knew that Deacon was kidding, he had too much respect for her to disrespect her marriage.
“I know.” Deacon finished off his drink, closed the safe. “Listen, don’t worry about the woman, I’ll get rid of her.”
“Sure you will.” Alex said as she left the office. Deacon yawned loudly. He looked at the clock, it was around 2 and they closed at 1:30 on weekdays. On the weekends, they stayed open to 4 am. He was tired and debated on whether he was going home. Although he had a luxurious penthouse, he had a full-scale apartment above the club for nights when he was tired. Deacon loved his home; he and his art decorator had spent a great deal of time together making his home the way that he wanted. People would have been surprised to find what Deacon did in his past time. Yes, he was a bad boy, he smoked, drank, and said what he felt and loved sex but there was more to him. Deacon wanted to better himself. He read all the time, investment papers, art books, old literature; he cooked and tinkered with cars. People would be surprised to find that one of his favorite things was watching Emeril Laggasse on TV, the man made Deacon laugh. Not only that, good food was all a part of the seduction. Seduction was important to Deacon, after all he looked women. He loved everything about them, the way they smelled, their soft thighs, he loved large breast with full nipples as much as he loved pert little breast and most importantly, he loved having sex with them. He loved sex, the foreplay, he liked making it last for hours just as much as he loved making hard, fast, furious sex. Anyway that it got it was fine with him. Deacon left his office, finished for the night and headed toward the bar. There was no one there except a few of his employees whom were closing up for the night. “Hey, Alex said that there was someone here for me.”
“Yes, she is in the poolroom. The private one.”
“The private one?” Deacon sighed. “I’ll take care of her. Listen you can go for the night. Tell everyone they can leave.”
“Are you sure Deacon?”
“Yes, I’m sure.”
Deacon wasn’t sure whom this woman was but he was going to get rid of her. Deacon took his time walking into the private poolroom, this room was special, and Deacon had paid heavily for the originally made of the pool table finest mahogany wood and polished to perfection with the handcrafted balls made of marble. The room was stocked with it’s own fully stocked bar and plush leather sofa. Deacon opened the door ready to give whatever female had the nerve to disturb him hell when the sight of Isabelle wearing a plum colored suit using her fingertips to brush across the balls against the pool table.
“It took you so long. I was wondering if you’d ever come.” Isabelle stopped running her fingers across the balls and studied Deacon for a moment. “You look tired, tell me was it a hard night.”
Deacon went to the bar and poured himself a drink. He’d play it cool with her but it seemed that his night was going to get a hell a lot better. Thoughts of going home fled his head. All he could think about getting her out of her Taylor made suit and getting inside of her. He took a sip of his drink and turned to look at her flashing blue eyes.
“Yes, it certainly was a hard night. But it seems that my night is going to get better.” He said as he slowly circled the table. Isabelle stood still as he made his way toward her. Deacon walked behind Isabelle. He pressed his body against her while he leaned down and inhales her scent. God, she smelled good. His body pressed up against her back his painful erection pressed against the softness of Isabelle’s buttocks. Isabelle leaned her head back against Deacon’s chest and pressed her back against Deacon’s body, she could clearly feel his **** rubbing against her. Deacon’s hand made its want up the front of her blouse cupping her already tingling nipples. She felt as her nipples swell as his fingers found them and pinched them. She arched her buttocks against him causing his pen*s to bury in the crevices of the two firm globes of her bottom. Deacon’s nuzzled her hair out of the way and he then sunk his teeth on the silky slope of her neck. Isabelle felt her body come alive as his teeth scraped against her skin; he knew how she liked it. One of his hands trailed down to the waist of her pants. “Tell me, are you wet?”
Isabelle hid her smile. They were playing a game and she was more than willing to play.
“Yes.”
“How wet?” Deacon asked as his fingers slipped down her pants and under her panties to find her soaking wet. He felt himself become more strained against the confines of his pants. “God baby…you are soaking wet.” Deacon used his fingers to rub sensually and slowly against her nub. Isabelle leaned forward and opened her legs wider to allow him access. When they had been together before she had been the aggressor, but tonight she’d allow him to do whatever he wanted. She’d lose herself in the sensation of good old fashion sex. “Tell me who do you want it?” He stated as he trust his fingers deep inside of her wet sex.” Isabelle shuttered as she rode his fingers. God old sex was the thing that she desperately needed more than anything else. Isabelle began to cry out as his fingers moved in and out of her. It a matter of moments feelings overwhelmed Isabelle and her orgasm hit her.
“Hard and fast. We can skip the preliminaries,” he said as he moved his fingers out of her and panties. Deacon sensually licked his fingers.
Isabelle turned toward Deacon and ripped his shirt while he peeled her suit jacket off her shoulders and his fingers made a quick job of opening her blouse. Deacon’s hot ardent mouth covered her nipples as soon as he rid her of her bra. His teeth scraped over the aroused tip of a nipple as Isabelle opened his pants and his pen*s sprang free. Her expert fingers cupped and played with his balls before it moved up and down the warm hard length of him. Deacon opened her pants while she kicked off her high-heeled shoes. Wearing only a garter he ripped the panties off of her and threw them on top of the pool table. Lifting Isabelle up he captured her full ripe breast while he laid her on top of his pool table. Deacon fidgeted with his pocket, pulled off his pants, pulled on a condom and in a matter of moments climbed on top of the table and thrust inside of Isabelle. Deacon groaned in complete satisfaction while Isabelle wrapped her legs around his waist, the balls of her heels digging deeply inside on her back. Isabelle finger nails dug deep in his back while he rode her with hard fast need. Isabelle cried out, her body moving against him, her inner muscles clenching him tight. Together they burned up the room. He rolled over so that she now rode him and his member was forced deeper inside of her. Skin against skin, sex against sex they moved together. They rolled together again until he was on top of her again. Their moans could be heard throughout the room but neither of them cared. Isabelle moved her hands down Deacon’s back; her eyes bore into his as she moved harder. She wanted to make him come and come fast for she needed to be in control. Moving her hands down his back until she reached the globes of his butt, she then slid a finger in between the globes until she met the bud of his anus then applied pressure to the orifice. Deacon’s whole body clenched with need as the pressure of her finger gave him pleasure. “Oh fu(k. Fu(k!” Deacon groaned as a hot intense orgasm hit him. Never in his life had he had that done and it shocked and delighted him at the same time.



Nico threw her keys on the coffee table in her apartment. Her furnishings were scarce for she had little nothing more than a comfortable bed, small 12 inch TV which she hardly used, a scared up coffee table, kitchen table, a few old movie sized movie poster for old films such as Gone With The Wind, Star Wars and Some like it hot. In a couple of old crates on the floor were mounds and mounds of books. The only thing that she had which was state of the art was her computer and computer equipment. She took the money out that she had won earlier and put in an old sugar container. Stripping down until she on pair scanty panties, she put on an old Andy Worehall T-shirt. Putting on her glasses she turned her computer. After signing in to AOL, she read her e-mail. One e-mail caught her attention and she quickly down loaded the information.



Brooke opened the door to the hospital room. Bridget lay amidst the pillows; there was bandage on her forehead. Scratches from the pavement covered the side of her face and her hands and she would see where bruises were forming under her eyes. Tears filled Brooke’s eyes as she sat down next to her sleeping daughter. Brooke bent down and kissed her Bridget on her forehead lightly. Brooke sat down next to the bed. She took her daughter’s hands in hers and stroked it gently. “Bridget honey.”
Bridget slowly opened her eyes. “Mom...” She said weakly.
Brooke laughed as tears slipped down her face. “Ah honey. You sure scared me to death.” Bridget tried to move slowly but she winced in pain. “Don’t try to move honey.”
“My side. It hurts and my head.”
“I know honey it’s going to hurt for a while. You were cut.”
“I was cut…I don’t remember.”
“Sweetie, just sleep.”
“How did this happen?”
Brooke had talked to the doctor and he had already told her that Bridget might be confused about the events before and leading up to her accident. As far as she was concerned her daughter had been through enough and she wasn’t going to remind her of Eric’s heart attack. “Sweetheart. Don’t worry about things. Just rest and I’ll explain things in the morning.”
Bridget could hardly keep her eyes open. “Alright.” Bridget blinked her eyes twice before she fell off to sleep.
“Mom?” Brooke found Rick coming in the doorway. “How is Bridget?”
“She confused and not sure how this happened. Maybe it is better this way. She’s had enough for one day.”
“So have you.”
Brooke took Rick’s hand. “Ah honey. There you are trying hard to be strong for me. I’m going to be all right. Now that she is okay.” Brooke looked at Bridget. “You and your sister are the most important thing to me. Everything good and wonderful that I’ve ever had has been wrapped up in you.”
“I know mom. You don’t have to worry. The one thing that Bridget and I have always known is how much you love us.”



Eve watched through the glass as Rick and Brooke talked. She couldn’t help but to feel a little envious of the love that the Forresters had for one another. No matter how dysfunctional they seemed when times where tough they supported each other. They were currently spending time going back and forth between the two floors in order to visit and check on Eric and Bridget. They had shown strength in their unity. In all they were amazing, from Stephanie to Kristen, to Ridge and Taylor to Brooke. Even Caspian, Brooke’s boyfriend was an amazing man, he had been there strong and silent for Brooke. Eve had watched him although he hadn’t seen her none of them did because she made sure that she was out of the way when they were dealing with the doctor. But she wasn’t the only one. She had noticed that although Kimberly was the newest Forrester wife, she hadn’t really been considered family.



Deacon lay smoking a cigarette while Isabelle worn only an open blouse nearly displaying her naked body. The last hours sex-a-thon had been well worth it. Isabelle was an amazing woman. He had wondered what had brought her to him.
“Wow, that was amazing.” Isabelle leaned over and took the drink out of Deacon’s hand and sipped the burning liquid. Deacon watched with avid fascination as a drop of liquid off her bottom lip with a sweep of her tongue. Deacon rubbed her lower lip. “Tell me, what bought you back.”
Isabelle reached to caress his member through the sheets on his bed. After having sex on the pool table and on the floor. They moved this his apartment above the club. “Why do you think that I came here for?”
She was blunt and cold hardened but she was more than fantastic in bed. “Are you always such a cold hearted bit(h?”
“Yes. I want that to be clear. If you are looking for a woman hearted female to make you feel good about your ego, you are with the wrong person. I don’t do that. In fact I want to make it perfectly clear that this is no relationship.”
“Whose says that I wanted one?”
“Good, because you and I have that in common. I like sex, so do you. That is what this is. Nothing more, nothing else.”
Deacon sat up. “You are making this sound like I’m nothing more than your person whore. I’m not.”
“I don’t think that you are. I know all about you Deacon and I’m impressed by everything that you’ve accomplished on your own. This business and of course your side business.”
Deacon frowned. “My side business?”
“Yes, your little card games.”
“My card games. How in the hell do you know about that?”
Isabelle took Deacon’s cigarette and inhaled looking amused. “Answer me damn you. How did you know about the games?”
Isabelle’s eyes became cold. “I’d watch that tone if I were you. I’m not one of your simpleton females to be ordered around. “I have my ways. Don’t worry, your card games and your other side deals are not my business. I could care less about what you were or are doing.”
“You still haven’t told me how you know about my card games.”
Isabelle slid off the bed. Deacon became hard again just by looking at her but he was consumed with the thoughts of how she knew about his operation. “I know all about you Deacon. Your mother, your stepfather and your operations. But you don’t know about me.” Isabelle found her clothes and started to dress. “Let’s just say that I’m a person with connections in places that you’d never even think of. Deacon. I like you and I like sex. We can get together from time to time. I’d like that. Neither of us are fools. We don’t know each other and we aren’t even sure that we like each other. We certainly won’t think that this is a relationship of any sorts. I don’t care who you fu(k. Isn’t my concern nor is it your other business.” Isabelle pulled a card out of her purse and laid it on the table. “If you want to get together let me know. I thoroughly enjoyed myself.”



Caspian held a sleeping Brooke while she rested the chair in the hospital. It had been a long night and the entire family had either camped in Bridget and Eric’s rooms or in the waiting room. Regardless of the Forrester’s family thought about him he hadn’t left Brooke. How could he when she needed support? Emotionally she had had a tiring day and now that it was wee hours in the morning she was still not only worried about Brooke but concerned about Eric as well.



Stephanie watched as Kristen slept in the chair in Eric’s room. She had placed a light blanket over top of her. Stephanie hadn’t been able to go to sleep for fear that she was going to miss something. Sunlight was just starting to come through the windows since it was now around 6 in the morning. The entire night had been a long emotional one. Around 4:30 she had asked Ridge to send Taylor home to get some rest for her and the children. She had also suggested that Thorne do the same for Kimberly. Kimberly had resisted and she knew why. Kimberly didn’t want to leave Thorne anywhere near Brooke and she understood her however Taylor explained to Kimberly that although Brooke was most certainly a whore, she was too concerned with Bridget to be worried about Thorne at the moment. That must have allayed her fears because she finally went home. Movement on the bed caught her attention. Eric’s eyes fluttered open slowly.
“Stephanie…”
Stephanie grasped Eric’s hand tightly in her. “Oh Eric. Thank god, Thank god you are okay.” Eric tried to smile at his wife when he noticed how tired she looked. “Honey, you look awful.”
Stephanie laughed. “Oh honey. You just don’t know the night that I had. How are you feeling?”
Eric looked confused for a minute. “I don’t know. What happened?”
“You had a heart attack.”
“A heart attack?” He said weakly.
“Yes, but don’t you worry dear. You came back to us and that is all that matters.”
Eric nodded. He was awfully tired but there was something in the back of his head. There was something that was supposed to remember. What was it? He didn’t know but he knew that it was important.”



The blood within the test tube was analyzed by the one of the hospital’s specialist. He stopped for moment while recording the data. “Hey Greg, you got in earlier.”
“Yeah well I’ve been here since 3. I’m backed up on testing. I’m hoping to get done because I have to go house hunting and today with Suzy, the apartment is too small and with her expecting the baby.”
“A house, huh? Good luck to you.”
“Thanks.” Greg put the vile away and then picked up one labeled Bridget Forrester.

 

Chapter 84 (Family Unity)
Bridget moved slowly from the bathroom with the assistance of Rick. Bridget winced as he slowly helped her back in the bed. “Thanks Rick.” She blushed. “I’m sorry that you had to help me.”
Rick waved at had at his sister’s embarrassed looking face. “Budge, don’t worry. Helping you is no big deal, after all I’m your big brother and didn’t I promise mom that I’d help you.”
“That was the only way that you could get her to go home.”
“She’ll be back you know.”
“I know.” Bridget said sleepily. All night along the nurses kept waking her up in order to make sure that she wasn’t in danger since she had had a concussion. The doctors wanted to wait a little while before they subscribed a painkiller for the pain that she was in. Bridget had gotten 7 stitches for the gash that she received for her side and Rick had to help her to ensure that she didn’t tear them. Luckily, the gash on her forehead didn’t need stitches but butterfly clips, Bridget’s face weren’t so lucky at the moment. She had seen how she looked in the mirror, she looked like she took on Tyson and lost. The bruises and the scrapes she knew would fade in time but more important than her own improving health was the improving health of her father. Bridget’s memory had started to slowly come back to her and she woke up in tears, luckily her mother who had been resting near by her bed all night had calmed her and sworn that her father was alright, that he had wakened. Bridget hadn’t been sure at first if her mother had been just saying that to make her feel better up after a minute of convincing, her mother had gotten through to her. Bridget had been so relived that it brought her to tears, which in turn had caused her mother to start crying. Rick had later told her how upset Brooke had been and worried to death. Rick really didn’t have to tell Bridget that, she could see it in her mother’s eyes; her mother had dark circles under her eyes and had looked worn out. Bridget had apologized for doing something as foolish as run out in the street without any thought. Brooke had made her promise that she would never do anything foolish like that again. Bridget had seen the tears in her mother’s eyes and felt her heart ache the last thing that she had ever wanted to do was to bring more pain into her mother’s life, she had done that enough. Her mother had needed some real rest, it had taken both her and Rick along with Caspian to get her mother to agree to go home just to change and to eat something.
But, Rick was right; her mother would be back soon.
“Is it true Rick? Caspian really ran into the street and tried to stop me from getting hit by the truck?”
“Yeah. He really tried to pull through. He was great Bridget. He was there for mom, which was good because she was a mess. I remember the truck driver saying how worried and how he gently held you when you were hit.” Rick leaned back in his chair and put his feet on the bed. “He was really upset. I could see it in his face. It wasn’t an act for mom, he really was scared for you.”
“He could have gotten hurt coming out in the street like that.”
“Yeah, I guess he could.” Rick gave his sister a concerned look. “But you are worth it Budge.”
“But he doesn’t know me. He was really nice to me and tried to listen. And then he tried to save me.” Bridget was silent for a moment. “I thought that I wouldn’t like him but last night he was there for mom and for me.”
“Yeah he was Bridget. Maybe Caspian is just the man that mom needs. She has been alone for so long. She has always had to be the strong one, all the time. With him, she can depend on him. I don’t know about you Budge...but the more that I’m around him….”
“…the more you like him. Don’t you Rick?”
“Yeah.”
There was a knock at the door and then is opened. “Hey you two.”
Bridget’s face lit up when Ridge stepped through the doorway. Ridge like the rest of the family had been spending time between her room and her father’s hospital room. “Ridge.”
Ridge bought in a big bouquet of flowers. “Look what someone brought you.” Ridge put the flowers down on the table. “I however got you this…” Ridge brought a bag from behind his back. Bridget took the bag and pulled a beautiful handmade stuffed bear from the bag. Bridget face lit up.
“Ridge this bear looks exactly like Mr. Wiggles.”
Ridge smiled, he too remembered the bear that he had given Bridget when she was a young girl. Bridget loved Mr. Wiggles so much that she wouldn’t sleep without him. Bridget had loved the bear so much that Brooke had to mend it constantly.
“I know. That is what made me buy it.”
Bridget touched the bear gently. Tears had started to fill the back of her eyes. “When did you find the time to buy this?”
Ridge sat on the edge of the bed. “For you Bridget, I’d make the time.” Ridge gently scooted closer to Bridget. “Bridget, seeing you yesterday nearly broke my heart.” Ridge touched one of Bridget’s bruises lightly. “Bridget…don’t ever do something like that again. You are too important to this family and to me. If something were ever happen to you it would be like losing my own…” Ridge paused there was distinct pain in his voice. “…it would be like losing my daughter.”
Bridget’s face flushed. “Your own daughter. I’m not your daughter.” She said sadly.
“I know sweetheart. I know what those blood test stated all those years ago and I know that it seemed like I just left behind. I’m so sorry Bridget. I’m sorry for all the pain that I caused you. Bridget if I could go back and do it all over again…I would ….I would have done things differently.”
The depth of feeling displayed by Ridge touched Bridget. “But you couldn’t have done things differently. I guess that I see that now. I mean…Phoebe and Steffie; they are your real daughters. And Thomas is your son just like Dylan; you couldn’t turn your back on them. You are my brother and not my father. I have to accept that, really accept that.” Bridget touched her bear softly as tears slipped from her eyes. “You and Taylor have a family together and it shouldn’t be torn apart. Your children don’t deserve that. You did the right thing staying with your children.” Bridget then looked shyly at Ridge. “But I’ll be honest, I wish that we never had that blood test all those years ago. We were a family back then, you, mom, Rick and I. Sometimes I wonder how things would have been if the truth hadn’t come out.”
Ridge nodded. “To tell you the truth Bridget, I sometimes wonder the same thing myself. But…”
“But I can’t wish anymore. It is time for me to grow up and accept certain things. You are my brother and Eric’s my dad.”
“But you’ll always be special to me Bridget.” Ridge hugged Bridget gently not wanting to injure her any further.
Stephanie moved away from the doorway. She had witnessed the exchange between her son and Bridget. There was pain there yet she knew that there was nothing she could do to ease the ache. She had made a decision long time ago to change the test. She did it to save her son and her family from Brooke. Stephanie knew that she’d still do anything to keep the secret, after all she had paid Christopher Hastings and even that his slutty sister, Trudie, very well to keep her mouth shut.



Trudie thrust a hot cup of Starbucks coffee under Scott’s nose. “Here you really look like you need this.”
“I look that bad?”
“You look like shit.” Scott did indeed looked bad. His hair was disarray all over his head and he looked pale. Where as he normally looked very neat and precise he wore a pair of baggy jeans and a Radio Head T-shirt which he looked like he slept in.
“Thanks.”
“So, are you going to tell why you are here instead of being with your girlfriend?”
Scott sipped his coffee giving Trudie a nasty look. “Hey don’t hate me because I’m beautiful and noisy.” Trudie said in a rush as she blobbed down on Scott’s sofa. She wore a reveling black lace top, which plummeted down, low on her bodice but had slits around her shoulders and a red rose flower on the right side shoulder. She also wore skintight black pants that rode so low on her hips that Scott could get a glimpse of her trademark tattoo; her hair was flowing in a mass of curls down to her stomach.
Scott had to grin sarcastically because truthfully he had never seen her look horrible.
“I’m sorry True. I had a bad night.”
“You want to tell me what happened?
“Kimberly happened. I caught her in the elevator and we had it out.”
“So, did she tell you what you wanted to know?” Scott didn’t say a word and Trudie became impatient. “Come one Scott. It’s me I’m not going to tell a soul. Tell me, is this baby yours?”
“She won’t say but I think that it might be mine.”
“Oh god. Scott, what are you going to do?”
“I don’t know. God knows I don’t want the baby to be mine.” Scott banged on the table.
“Damn it all to hell! How in the world could I be so stupid to have sex with her without protection? I wasn’t thinking….hell I wasn’t even thinking about her.” Scott shook his head as he looked toward the ceiling and let out a big breathe. “The irony of the whole thing is that I was thinking about Bridget the entire time.”
“Bridget…you really know how to pick them. On one hand there is this psycho teen bitch Kimberly who you screwed and then there is Bridget a girl way too sweet and way too innocent for you.”
“Kimberly and Bridget are nothing alike. And yes, I guess that I know that you are right. Bridget IS too innocent for me but it doesn’t change how I feel about her or the mess that I’m in. If this baby is mine than she is going to suffer.”
“She isn’t the only one you know. There is Thorne to think of. He married for that baby if it isn’t his….”
“I know Trudie. So somehow I’ve got to find out the truth. I’ve got to find out if this baby is really mine. I don’t want to say anything if it isn’t mine. I don’t want to put Bridget through that but if the baby is mine then I need to do the right thing.”
“I certainly hope the right thing isn’t marriage to that bitch.”
“Are you kidding me? I swear that I wanted to strangle Kimberly right there in the elevator. She was so smug and nasty. She made comments about Bridget and actually threatened me. She threatened to tell Bridget everything if I didn’t leave.”
“Scott, I can’t believe that you let her get to you. She wasn’t going to say anything. No matter what she’s scared. She’s scared shitless. I tell you if it weren’t going hurt you. I’d love for Thorne to see what she really is. Thorne is a nice guy. I like him.”
“I know…me too. You know the more I talk to Kimberly the more I don’t think that everything is the way that she said.”
Trudie leaned forward. “What do you mean?”
“I mean. That night. It was almost like she planned the entire thing. Well, I know that she did, she said that she wanted to lose her virginity to me because Thorne wouldn’t take it. But why would he be willing to sleep with her after she slept with me and not before.”
Trudie frowned. “I don’t know. That doesn’t sound right either but…”
“But what?”
“He’s admitted that they had this affair thing going.”
“Yeah but you’ve seen him with Brooke.”
“Yes …but not a lot. I heard about them.”
“Well I saw them together. I just don’t see why he would throw what he had with Brooke away for Kimberly.”
“That’s the thing. You men heads…well at least the one above your neck. I guess Thorne got caught and either he or you are trapped. The one thing that I do know is that she is pregnant and no matter who the father is, that that baby is going to be in big trouble if she is left alone to raise it.”



Brooke stepped out of the shower and quickly dried herself off. She wanted to do her best to get redressed and to head back to the hospital. She knew instinctively that she was being silly but she really didn’t want Bridget out of her sight longer than she needed, after all she could have lost her baby girl yesterday. Brooke wrapped her body in a towel and headed toward her bedroom. Brooke’s breathe caught in her throat; Caspian was standing in the middle of bedroom in nothing more than a towel. He had made arrangements to drop off some clothes for him to shower at Brooke’s house. Brooke willingly admitted that she would have enjoyed taking a shower with him but the temptation was too much. God, he was sexy as hell. Brooke’s eyes trailed down his still wet body to his muscular chest toward his rock hard abdomen toward the towel that rode low on his hips. Caspian looked up and studied Brooke, she was aroused he could almost smell it in the air, her nipples were hard as pebbles against the towel wrapped around her body. “If you keep looking at me like that we are going to end up in that bed.” Caspian said as he cupped Brooke’s wet head and brought his lips down to kiss her. Brooke responded to the kiss leaning her body next to his as his mouth gently explored hers. Caspian ended the kiss before the passion between them became too much for him to pull away from. Hell, he was already hard against her and he wanted nothing more than to take the towel off of her and make passionate love to her however he knew that she had Bridget on her mind.
Brooke understood why Caspian ended the kiss and it warmed her heart. “I think that I like coming out of the shower and you being in my room wrapped in the towel. In fact I like seeing you in my bedroom.”
Caspian used his fingertips to massage the back of Brooke’s neck and tilted her head back. “So are you asking me to move in with you?”
Brooke laughed showing delight in her eyes. “Not just yet. But…I want you to know just how much I love you.”
“I already know that.”
“Do you? Do you know what yesterday meant to me? Having you stand by me last night. I know that it seems like a little thing but it wasn’t to me. For so long I’ve looked for a man to stand by me when things got tough. Last night…I was a mess…” Brooke walked toward her bed hold Caspian’s hand. “I thought that Bridget wasn’t going to make and I couldn’t have dealt with that.”
“I know how hard that was on you and you were incredibly strong.”
“Was I? Because I didn’t feel strong.”
“You were. Baby, you were. You were the perfect mother.
Brooke was silent for a moment. “Yesterday, I couldn’t think past anything but Bridget but I did notice that you were really upset. Your hands were shaking and you got really quiet.”
“I was worried about Bridget.”
“I know that you were but there was something else, wasn’t it?”
“It was Lark.”
“Lark?”
“Seeing Bridget when she was struck down by the truck laying there on the street, I reminded me of the night that Lark died. I remember how she lay at the bottom of those stairs, her body so cold.”
Brooke heard the pain in Caspian’s voice. Even now after all this time he still was dealing with the death of his wife. She gently touched his face. “I’m so sorry that you suffered.”
Caspian took hand and kissed it gently. “Sometimes I think that it was nothing compared to what she must have gone through. She wanted freedom and I should have give it to her.”
“Why didn’t you?”
“The business that I was in. In those days it wasn’t the most legal business.” Brooke already knew that information. She had spoken to Caspian about his past business and although he wasn’t too forth coming into what he had done, he had promised her that he had never dealt with drugs. Brooke had allowed Caspian to be vague because she knew what it was like to make mistakes; Caspian was a different man than he used to be. Maybe deep in her heart, she didn’t want to know everything that Caspian had been involved in. She knew that kind of man he was, he was gentle, loving, dependable along with aggressive and at times controlling, however she could deal with that as long as he knew that she wasn’t going to be controlled. “I thought that I was protecting her but instead Lark felt suffocated. She wanted to leave and if I had let her go she would have lived.”
“It was a mistake. You couldn’t have foreseen the accident. You didn’t want her to fall down the stairs. I know that.”
Caspian couldn’t believe Brooke’s trust and belief in him. He loved her so much. “You have so much trust in me. I wonder what I did to deserve someone like you.”
“Well, all you had to do was to get trapped with me on an elevator.”
Caspian kept the smile on his face but remembering that the elevator wasn’t an accident. He had spent so many years in the dark and now she had brought light into his barren existence. “Brooke, tonight I want to tell you about my life with Lark. All of it. I want to tell you everything about her and show you pictures of her.”
His wanting to share his memories of his late wife with her touched Brooke. “Caspian, I’d love to learn everything about your life and your life with Lark.”
Caspian knew that she didn’t understand the importance of what he was going to show her. But it was time to tell her the truth. Seeing Bridget like a broken doll had made him think of his mistakes. His mistakes with Lark were that he wasn’t as honest and he was too controlling. With Brooke he didn’t want to make the same mistakes, he wanted total and complete honesty with her. He loved her that much. He prayed that she’d understand about Lark but if she didn’t, he’d give her time and court her until she relented him. Caspian had wondered if he were doing the right thing telling her now, but with Eric doing better and Bridget out of the woods he felt that he would not waste anymore time. Tonight he’d tell the woman that he loved about the other woman that he loved.



KC sipped her Irish coffee as she worked on her drawing board wearing a pair of form fitting blue jeans, a lightweight black sweater that sloped off her shoulders leaving them bare as her feet. Connor had already converted one of his rooms into an office for her. She really enjoyed working in the office; the sunlight from the morning was already shinning through the bay windows while she had the most wonderful view of the large pasture where some of Connor’s horses grazed. Connor had had the office redecorated is eggshell and melon while some of KC’s photo’s graced the walls as they did with in her office of Forrester. Not only that, he had brought her a new drawing board, plush eggshell sofa and had installed not only surround sound for KC’s love for music but had the room soundproofed to keep other distractions and noise out. He had also had it set up to have her phone messages patched to her office here when she wasn’t working at Forrester. To Connor it had been a easy way to let her design when she was at home not having to find a comfortable place but to her it had meant a great deal more, it simply was an act of love. Working at his home was an excellent option for working at Forrester, not that KC minded, she loved working for Forrester. KC continued to work on the evening gown she had been putting the finishing touches to make it perfect. KC had decided that there was too much going on with Eric’s heart attack and Bridget’s accident to work at Forrester. She and Connor had already called to give their condolences and had decided to visit Bridget and Eric later during the day. KC didn’t want to intrude too much; she had known that they would be dealing with their own pain and worry. The phone in the office rang.
“Hello”
“KC.”
KC smiled. “Daddy, hi.”
“Honey. I’ve been calling you at your home most of the night but you didn’t answer.”
“That is because I was at Connor’s.”
KC heard a slight sigh on the other side of the phone. “Connor’s…”
“Yes daddy.” KC laughed. “You do know that I’m not longer 17 daddy.”
“But you will always be my baby no matter how old you get.”
KC smiled. She loved her father; he had worked hard his entire life to see that the family had everything they needed. He had always put them first. Not only had he been an excellent father, he was a fantastic husband; KC had grown up in a home full of love. Her parents were demonstrative with their love for one another. KC had grown up in a home in which her father and mother openly expressed their love for one another; KC had lived in a household where kissing, making love and total honest was a normal thing. KC wouldn’t have wanted it any other way. “I know daddy.”
“Good. Well, your grandmother wanted to know what kinda meal that you want for your welcome home dinner?”
KC smiled. Her grandmother could burn in a kitchen because nobody cooked like her. It made KC’s heart warm at the thought of the family dinner that could await her. She knew that she’d and Connor would have dinner out but no dinner in the fanciest of restaurant would never compare to having dinner surrounded with friends and family. “Tell Nana that I want the works.”
KC heard chuckling on the other side of the phone. “That’s my girl. So, how are things coming at that company?”
“Everything with Forrester is fine. I love working for this company. Forrester is one of the best in the business.”
“Well, they had enough sense to hire you. You are talented and one of the best in your field.”
“With this fashion show, I’m really going to have a chance to showcase my work.”
“Well, I’m not thrilled that you’ve decided to stay in L.A. You know your mother and I wanted you to come back to New York. You can design here.”
“I know but there aren’t any offices in New York. Besides L.A is a lot closer than Paris. Besides, I’m happy here.”
“How much does your happiness have to deal with the man that you are seeing?”
“A lot. Connor makes me happy.” KC looked out of her window and saw Connor walking down one of the side roads with one of his horses. KC’s heart melted at the sight of him. “Connor makes me happier than I’ve been a very long time daddy.”



Eric lay amid the beeping sounds of his heart monitor. He had awoken not more than ten minutes ago and was going over the thought of his disturbing dream over. It had to be a dream; it couldn’t really have been real. How could it have been? He couldn’t have been in heaven or the outskirts of heaven, talking with his daughter. Did it really happen? Was he the one who made the decision to come back when his family needed him? Still he couldn’t help to remember the flashes that he pieced together. Nor could he forget the confusing message that Angela had given him about him not being the one. What had she meant that he wasn’t the ONE? Eric was confused.



Kimberly knocked on the door to Thorne’s bedroom but there was no answer. After the third knock, she opened the door. She had heard Thorne come home an hour ago when she heard the shower running and then she heard nothing. She had hoped that he would come and see her to at least check on her to make sure that she was all right but he didn’t. So, it has come to this, she was going to check on him. Kimberly opened the door to Thorne’s bedroom slowly and walked in. Thorne was sleeping soundlessly in his bed wearing what looked to be nothing. Kimberly noticed his wrinkled clothing that he had shed on the floor. She had already heard from the morning news that Eric had survived as well as the accident that Bridget had had. Kimberly sat on the edge of the bed and gently stroked some of the hair away from Thorne’s face. She could clearly see that a day’s growth of a shadow of a beard had grown on is normally smooth face. “My poor sweetheart, you’ve been through so much.” Thorne moaned softly in his sleep seeking the comfort of her touch. Kimberly smiled to herself. She loved him so much if only he’d just give her a chance. Kimberly leaned over Thorne and lowered her head to kiss him lightly on his lips. Thorne sighed and opened his mouth under hers. Kimberly felt her body come alive as she slipped her tongue inside of his mouth and moved it against his. Slowly he responded to her kiss while Kimberly felt the effects of his kiss and his entire body hardened under her. Kimberly smiled to herself as she spoke to him in a soft sensual voice. “That’s right Thorne, let me love you.” As if he understood her in his sleep his hand somehow found it’s way on her breast covered in her nightgown and rubbed her nipple. Kimberly’s whole body came alive as his finger made her ache. “Thorne,” she murmured against his throat while she kissed down the slope of his neck toward his muscular chest. God, how she needed some connection to him. Kimberly rubbed her body against Thorne’s taunt body when suddenly she felt the slight changes of his body, the covers on top of his ****. He was hard and she knew it however her euphoria about the situation changed when Thorne murmured Brooke’s name. Kimberly sat up, pulling her body away from his. She looked down at the man she loved, the man who loved another woman and tears filled her eyes. Why in the world didn’t he see her for who she was, the woman who loved him? Tears filled eyes as she bent down and kissed Thorne once again before she slid her body next to his. She had already taken advantage of him once; she’d try not to do it again. However, she couldn’t resist lying next to him that way she could at least pretend that their marriage was more than what it was. As if by some odd circumstance, Thorne turned and pulled her into his arms. Once again he said Brooke’s name but Kimberly didn’t care, one day she knew that he’d call hers.



The elevator doors opened to and a beautiful woman with cinnamon colored hair cut in a jazzy bob that reached a little past her chin with matching sparkling cinnamon colored eyes stepped off. Her beauty was one of natural beauty and she easily caught the eyes of many men as well as fantastic body which she often hid under T-shirts and her comfortable pair of jeans she wore when working hard. However today she looked stunning a white sheath of a dress with simple spaghetti straps and matching jacket. The dressed more than showed off her curves as well as gave a hint of her fabulous breast in it’s draping neckline it also displayed her fantastic legs since it’s hem only reached her knees, the dress like many of her others that hung in her closet were designed and tailor made for her by her lover. She looked around for a moment then headed toward the nurse’s station.
“I need to find out which room has Eric Forrester.” The woman’s voice was very soft like smooth butter and had a sensual like quality to it.
“I’m sorry Miss but only family is allowed to see the Forresters.”
“I know but I’m….” She paused for a moment. There were times like these that being how she was uncomfortable but then again she was never afraid of being who she was. “I’m family in a way.
“What is your name?”
“Samantha Craven.”



Dr. Levine took a look at the test results pertaining to Bridget Forrester’s blood. After reading the information, she called down to the lab. “Barry, yes this is Dr. Levine. I’d like you to run Bridget Forrester’s blood work again. No. I want the test again before I talk to her mother. There is no reason to upset her or her family unless these results are conclusive.”



Kristen yawned as she stretched. She had once again fallen asleep in the chair by her father’s bedside. Kristen looked down at her father and saw that he was awake.
“Daddy...”
Eric looked at his daughter and smiled. Kristen had always been special to him, as much as she didn’t know it; she looked a great deal about how Stephanie had looked when she had been younger. So beautiful. So sweet. He noticed that tears filled Kristen’s eyes and he wasn’t, “Honey…don’t cry.”
“Daddy, these are tears of happiness. I thought that I had lost you. We all did.”
“I know.” Eric sighed. “I’m sorry for all the pain that I put you through. All of you. Especially Bridget, last night she was so upset and I…”
“Bridget loves you daddy.”
“She found out. She found out why I had really wanted her and it just about broke her heart.”
“But she forgives you. You should have seen her last night. She was so worried daddy that you weren’t going to make it. Bridget will forgive you just like the rest have already. You just got to get better and you’ve got to promise to always put the family first before the company and mother’s need to get back at Brooke.”
Eric squeezed his daughter’s hand. “Believe after this ordeal. I know what is important.”
“Good. Because that is all that matters. Now, I better get mom. She made me promise to get you when you woke. Besides Ridge will want to talk to you too. Plus Rick.”
“Rick. I’m not too sure about that. He has been upset with me because of what happened with Bridget.”
“Dad, you can’t keep thinking about the past. You’ve got to think of the future. We are family and we love you. Now I had better go before mom has my head.”



Ridge planned another hand of Gin Rummy with Bridget. He knew just how much being with her lifted her spirits but more than that, it lifted his. He had meant every word that he said to Bridget. He loved the girl as if she were his own. Although Ridge had forgiven his father for what he had done a part of him would never forget, Eric had not treated Bridget as if she were his special daughter, a daughter to be loved and cherished. But Ridge made a promise to himself that from this point on; he’d be Bridget’s father. He’d protect and cherish her, always.



Kristen walked down the hallway when she found her mother walking toward her coming from the direction of the elevator.
“It’s dad. He is asking for you, mother.” Kristen’s comments were cut off when she looked past to her mother toward the nurses’ station. Kristen’s face lit up in brilliant smile. “You made it.” Kristen rushed past her mother toward the beautiful woman wearing white. The woman turned and she too smiled as she opened her arms to Kristen. Before Stephanie could blink she watched in horror as her the woman brought her mouth down and kiss her daughter fully on the lips. Kristen gently sighed as she returned the gentle sweet kiss, her mouth opened softly as she felt the faint touch of her lover’s tongue touch hers. Remembering before where she was, she gave her lover another quick kiss before she hugged her tight. “Sam, thank god you made it.”
Sam gently cupped Kristen’s face in her soft warm hands. “You know that I knew that I wouldn’t leave you. I hopped the quickest flight and got here as fast as I could. How is your father?” Sam said as she gently swept a strand of Kristen’s white blonde hair away from her face.
“He is doing so much better. He opened his eyes.”
“Thank god.”
Kristen turned and noticed that her mother was standing there with a disapproving looked on her face. Kristen however did her best to ignore it. Kristen took a hold of Sam’s hand and walked toward her mother. “Mother, this is Sam.”
Sam saw the disapproving look Stephanie Forrester’s face yet that didn’t dismay her. She knew that Kristen’s mother would not be happy about Kristen’s choice of lifestyle. Sam also knew that there was a lot of bad blood between Kristen and her mother. The last thing that she’d expected would be a warm welcome of any sorts but it was Kristen’s reaction her mother’s reaction to her that worried her. Sam however put on one of her best smiles and turned toward Stephanie Forrester. “Mrs. Forrester, it is a pleasure to meet you. I’m just sorry that this is happening at this tragic time for you.”
Stephanie couldn’t conceal her disgust in that moment. How could her daughter do this to her, at this moment? Kristen read the disapproval in her mother’s face as she walked away from her.
Kristen hurried toward her mother. “Mother, don’t do this.”
Stephanie stopped for a moment. “I can’t believe that you chose this time to flaunt that woman in my face.”
“Mother, I’m not flaunting anything. If you were involved with my life in anyway you’d know about Sam. She makes me happy and I am happy, happier than I’ve ever been my life. I want you to know that I’m not hiding who I am anymore. I love Sam sorry if this time isn’t good for you but I need her. Just like Ridge had Taylor and Brooke had Caspian. I have Sam.”
Stephanie shook her head. “You just can’t help ruining our name can you?”
The look of vulnerability that washed over Kristen’s face. “I’m not ruining our name mother. I’m living my life.”
“With a woman.”
“A woman that I love. A woman who has been there the last three years of my life. A woman who has family when I didn’t have one.”
“You’ve always had a family, you turned your back on us.”
Kristen stepped back for a moment. “No mother. You turned your back on me remember. A long time ago I just finished the job. I did it your way for years mother. I had relationship with men that meant nothing. My god, the failed relationships, one after another. Don’t even get me started on that marriage to Clarke and ohh by the way. I know that you paid off to get involved with me. You were so afraid of my relationship with daddy.”
“Is that what you think?”
“Don’t lie to me.”
“I hired Clark to take you out because you refused to try. You moped around the house and it would only be a matter of time before your father realized what was wrong with you.”
“You kept me from daddy because of that? You had marry ame man who used and hurt me in order to keep my secret BIG secret. It isn’t a secret. Dad knows, hell he has always known. That is what he told me that two years when he met Sam. Dad has been a part of my life for a long time, part of my real life. He wants me to be happy I just wish that you did too. I who I am. I’m a lesbian and I’m not afraid to say it or be me. My brothers know, my sister knows, the only person who doesn’t seem to know or really acknowledge it is you and that is because you don’t want to. Well I’m sorry mother but I can’t live my life the way that you want me to live anymore.”
Stephanie hadn’t known that Eric knew about Kristen’s lifestyle. “You father knows about your choice?”
At that moment, Sam walked to stand beside Kristen. “I’ve have meet Eric on visits to New York to see Kristen. We’ve had dinner together and he had seen how happy Kristen is with me. I’ll admit it took him some time to get used to it but he loves Kristen. He loves his children. He wants her to be happy more than anything. You see, that is what being a parent is all about. Letting your children make choices and their own mistakes. Have you ever done that? Have you ever just let any of your children live their lives and pick their lovers without interference? Have you ever just let them be?”
Stephanie couldn’t believe the audacity of this woman. How dare she come in and question her role as a parent. “I think that you ought to learn your place. You don’t have a say I anything that I do or the matters of this family.”
“That may be true Mrs. Forrester but I love Kristen and her happiness I paramount to me.”
Stephanie turned her attention back to Kristen. “I’ve done my best to understand you.”
“No you haven’t mother. I don’t think that you’ve ever understood me but you have a chance now. You have a chance to see as the woman that I’ve become. Just give me a chance.”
Stephanie looked at her daughter inside she wanted to give it a chance. Kristen thought that she didn’t care but she did. She remembered how much it had hurt her when her daughters didn’t even come to the hospital when she had a stroke but this was too much for her at the moment. She and Kristen had so much to work out. Seeing the Kristen’s lover didn’t help. For a moment, she considered saying yes but she had too much on her mind at the moment. There was Eric; he needed her attention not Kristen. “I can’t deal with this right now Kristen, I have to deal with your father. He is the one who needs me.”
Stephanie walked away while Kristen stood there.
“I’m sorry Kris.” Sam said.
“Why. I didn’t expect her to give you at big welcome.”
“But you wanted her to acknowledge your decision. You wanted your mother’s acceptance.”
“I stopped looking for that a long time ago Sam.”
“I know but that doesn’t mean that you stopped wanting it. We all want our mother’s love including you.”



Caspian took the tray into Brooke’s bedroom; he had whipped up a quick breakfast and hoped that she would try to eat something. Caspian had convinced her to take a small nap stating that she couldn’t help Bridget if she was tired herself. He found Brooke still asleep on top of her bed with a small blanket covering her. He sat on the side of the bed for a moment watching her sleep. She had been through so much in the last month or so, she really didn’t need an extra drama but he knew if they were going forward in their relationship, which they were, he would no longer keep secrets from her. Caspian gently woke Brooke and offered her coffee, which she readily accepted. “How long have I been asleep?”
“Not more than a half of an hour or so.”
“Good. I didn’t want to sleep that much.”
“I made your breakfast, so at least eat something. The last thing we need is for you to fall out because you aren’t taking care of yourself.”
“Thanks” She took a bite of the omelet. “This is seafood.”
“You don’t like it?”
“No, I was just wondering when you had the time to go shopping for seafood.”
Caspian winked, “I have my ways.” When Brooke raised an eyebrow at him and he feed her another forkful of omelets. “I went to the grocery store while you were resting.”
Brooke sipped some of her coffee. “Did you eat already?”
“Yes and I called to office.”
Brooke knew that Caspian had opened up an office in L.A. “Am I taking you from your business?”
“No. My personal office isn’t finished. Besides, Bella can take control of anything that I need to do today.”
“Bella?” Brooke stooped chewing. “Your sister. She’s here in L.A?”
“Yes.”
“Why haven’t you told me that she was here? I wanted to meet her.”
“You will. Between everything going on lately there hasn’t been time for you too to meet although Rick met her when he stopped to see me. In fact…well he at first thought that she was my lover. It took a while to convince him that the very attractive woman in her nightclothes in my penthouse was really my sister.”
“Oh no. What did Rick do?’
“Nothing. He was just trying to be a protective son. In fact I sort of blame Bella, she was playing games and decided not to speak English.”
Brooke squinted. “Your sister sounds like an interesting woman.”
“That she is.”
“Well, I want to meet her...” Brooke brightened. “I know…I’ll have a dinner party and we will invite your sister. Of course this will be when Bridget’s all better.”
Caspian’s heart warmed that she wanted to meet his sister. “I think that would be a wonderful idea.”
“Do you think that your sister will like me?”
Caspian smiled. “You don’t have to worry about that. You make me happy and that is all that is going to matter to her.”
“Well it matter to me. I know how important your sister is to you.”
“If you want a dinner party than that is what we will have.”
Brooke finished eating her omelets while Caspian made a few calls to his office. She quickly picked through her drawers and pulled out a pair of dark blue bikini panties with matching bra, white Capri pants and a dark blue stretch shirt with cuffed sleeves. She quickly dressed and pulled her hair back in a ponytail, using her hair as a band to hold it. At a last though, she put on the ankle bracelet that Caspian had given her months ago and slipped on a pair of Anne Klein dark blue mules.
Caspian took Brooke’s empty plate down to the kitchen and cleaned it as well as the kitchen when the doorbell rang. Caspian opened the door to find an older gray man with slightly thinning gray hair in a blue colored suit; the man’s smile wavered for moment, as he was confused. “Can I help you?”
“Yes…ah…Is Brooke here?”
At that moment, Brooke came down the stairs and when she saw the gray hair man her smiled brighten and she ran toward him. “Daddy!”
Stephen Logan laughed as he caught his daughter and hugged her tightly. “Hey my little girl.” Stephen let her go for a moment. “Now, let me look at you.” Stephen studied his daughter, it amazed him on how more beautiful she was as the years went by. She looked so young and full of life. “You look beautiful.”
“Oh daddy, you always say that.”
Stephen nodded and then turned his attention to the man in his daughter’s foyer. There was something impressive about the man wearing the lightweight cream-colored sweater and tailor made cream-colored pants. It wasn’t the clothing that was impressive; instead it was the look in the man’s eye. “I’m sorry Brooke but I haven’t met your friend.”
Caspian held out his hand. “Mr. Logan, it certainly an honor to meet you. Brooke has often spoken of her wonderful father.”
Stephen held out his hands and shook Caspian’s hand. “Dad, this Caspian.” Brooke put her arm around Caspian’s waist. “He is very special to me.”
“Well… I don’t know what to say. Brooke I thought that you and Thorne….”
“Thorne and I are over. Daddy please understand that.”
Stephen wasn’t sure about his daughter’s love life, it changed so often. “Honey if Caspian makes you happy than I’m happy for you.”
“Good daddy. But I have the feeling that once you get to know him you’ll love him just like I do.” Brooke took Stephen by the arm and walked him toward the sofa. “Daddy, where is mother?”
“She had a phone call to make, she is still in the rental car making a call to Paris.”
“I’m all finished.” Beth stated as she walked through the door. Beth Logan was a petite beautiful older woman wearing a burnt orange suit that almost matched her auburn colored hair that was cut in a daring short style. “Hi honey.”
Brooke hurried over toward her mother and hugged her. “Mom. I’m so glad that you and daddy are here.”
Beth smiled at her daughter and hugged her again when she noticed a man standing next to the fireplace mantel. The brilliant smile left her face. She pushed away from Brooke for a moment. “Honey…who is this?” Beth’s heart raced in her body. She had thought that this man was out of her daughter’s life.
Brooke stepped toward Caspian. “Mother, this is the man that I told you about. This is Caspian Deangleo.”
Caspian stepped toward Beth Logan. “Ms. Logan, it is a pleasure to meet you.” Caspian reached out to take Beth’s ice-cold hand in his and he raised it to his lips.
Inside Beth was screaming. She didn’t want this man’s hand on her. This was the man responsible for the death of her baby. He had killed Lark and now he wanted Brooke.
Caspian felt the eyes of Brooke’s mother on him again. He didn’t quite understand why Beth Logan reacted to him in such a manner but it was clear to him that she didn’t like him with her daughter. Her body language made her dislike very obvious. But why? He’d do his best to figure out and try to allay her fears that he would not hurt her daughter.



Scott slowly opened Bridget’s hospital door and found Ridge resting in a chair next to Bridget. Ridge opened his eyes and was surprised to see Scott. “Scott. Hey.”
“Hi Ridge.” Scott was glad that Trudie had come over to talk to him. During their conversation she mentioned Bridget bring in the hospital. He had no idea that Bridget had been hit by a truck until she had told him. “I…uh...I came to see how Bridget was doing.”
Ridge looked over at Bridget who had been resting. “She’s doing better. Tired though. She had a long night.”
“Yeah. I heard. I just wanted to see how she was doing.” Scott murmured as he stepped into the room. His eyes couldn’t leave the hospital bed where Bridget lay. She looked so small and fragile. “How could this have happened to her?” Scott picked up one of Bridget’s hand, which was bruised. “She draws with this hand. Have ever seen her work? It is so amazing. She had more talent than anyone her age should have.”
Ridge’s jaw tightened as he watched Scott. The way that he talked about Bridget and touched her hand, there was something more to it. But what? He liked Scott, the boy was talented and was on his way to being one hell of a designer but he was also on his way to becoming a notorious playboy, now Ridge didn’t dislike him for that but Ridge didn’t want Scott playing around Bridget. “Yeah, I’ve seen her work. She is talented.”
“Yes, she is.”
Ridge stroked his chin. “Tell me Scott, when did you have a chance to see any of Bridget’s work.”
“We’ve run into each other from time to time at Insomnia. She showed me her work. She also told me about her wanting to join the Montez Art Institute. She’s really excited. She isn’t sure that they are going to take her but I know she’ll get in. They’d be a fool not to want her, anybody who wouldn’t want her would be a fool.”
Ridge noticed the way that Scott said his last statement and he didn’t like intimacy of his tone. “Well, I’m sure that Bridget would appreciate your visit and your gift.”
Ridge nodded to the little bag that Scott held. “Got a little sketch pad I know she’s hurt but she loves to work. That is the pure artist in her.”
“Yes, she certainly is pure.” Ridge stated.
Scott understood Ridge’s meaning. “Ridge…”
“Listen. I like you Scott. You are a great designer and good man and talented just like our Bridget. You have a great deal ahead of you as well as she does. That something that you have in common however Bridget is much younger than you not to mention naïve. She is so young that she’d confuse innocent attention for something more than what it is. I’d hate for that to happen.” Ridge was silent for a moment before he spoke. “She’s too young Scott.” There was a knock on the door and Taylor popped her head in. “There you are Ridge. I’ve been looking for you.”
“I was just sitting here with Bridget watching over her while she slept. I sent Rick home for a break although he’ll probably be back soon. I was just talking to Scott but we are finished. Aren’t we Scott?”
Scott noticed the meaningful look that Ridge gave him. The message was very clear, he wanted him to stay away from Bridget.



Rick opened the door to Eve’s bedroom. She was asleep laying in only a pair of soft white bikini panties while her long luscious hair rained across her face and down toward the floor. She was so beautiful and more than that she was kind. Last night he had silently relied on her quiet strength, she had been there for him. Trying her best to make him feel better was the only thing that had been on her mind. Rick was blessed that he had her in his life. Rick knew that he wanted to be back in an hour, he was going to rest next to Eve, take a shower and then head back to the hospital. Rick quickly stripped out of his clothes until he was naked and then crawled into bed with Eve. He pulled her close to his body spooning her and gently cupping her breast with both of his hands. He then sighed heavily and buried his face in Eve’s sweet smelling hair. Eve slowly woke up when she felt Rick slid up next to her. Eve smiled softly as her finger lightly grazed Rick’s knuckles, which cupped her breast. “How are Bridget and Eric?” She asked in a sleepy voice.
“They are both doing better. Bridget is still sore but she had this heart to heart with dad and I think that it is going to make a difference.”
“Good.” She rubbed her backside against Rick. He became hard.
“Stop that honey. I only have an hour before I go back.”
“Sorry.”
Rick kissed her neck. “We can play later, go back to sleep. I love you Eve.”
“I love you too.” She whispered. In no time the room was silent as the young couple slept spooning together.



Stephen couldn’t believe the long-winded tale that Brooke had told he and Beth. The fact that Eric and Stephanie had tried to steal Bridget from Brooke to Eric’s heart attack and then of course Bridget’s accident. He felt a great deal of gratitude for Caspian Deangleo. The man had not only saved Bridget, but he had helped Brooke fight against those Forresters. “Well I for one want to thank you for all the things that you have done for my daughter. For years those damn Forresters have been doing their best to hurt my baby girl.”
“Daddy…” Brooke tried to interrupt.
“Now, now. Don’t defend those people. For years I’ve watched how badly that they have treated you as if you were nothing. You made them millions of dollars and all they could do is threaten you or blame you for every bad thing that happened to their lives. Not to mention the way that Ridge and Thorne have treated you.”
“Dad, lets not get into that.” Brooke stood up.
“Why not? You are always protecting them after every nasty thing that they have done to you. I still can’t believe that they would pull a stunt like this one. Using my granddaughter like she was nothing, when I get my hands on Eric.”
“Dad, Eric had a heart attack.”
“That is too good for him.”
“Don’t say that especially not in front of Bridget and Rick. Now don’t get me wrong, I haven’t completely forgiven Eric or Stephanie for what they have done but right now I’m just glad that he is alive and Bridget is doing better.”
“Well, the lot of them should have been thrashed a long time ago.”
“I agree with your father. This reeks of Stephanie and I never thought that she’d even stoop so low.”
“And what did those whinny babies Ridge and Thorne do? Nothing. I suppose they defended their mother’s actions.”
“No they didn’t. They didn’t know. No one did.”
“I have to agree with you, Mr. Logan. The Forrester men are no men at all. They have no back bones nor do they do know how to protect their women and their women’s honor.” Caspian stated quietly. Beth had listened to Brooke’s tale however she felt differently than her husband, as glad that she was that Caspian had helped her daughter she was scared by how deeply he and Brooke had connected. It was clear by their connection that they had gotten close and were clearly lovers.
“Protecting women is that important to you.” Beth asked quietly.
“Yes.”
“And you plan to protect my daughter?”
Stephan and Brooke were both surprised by Beth’s tone but Caspian was more than willing to overcome Brooke’s mother opinion. “Yes. I hope to help protect her. But I have learned to understand that I can’t control your daughter, nor do I want to. I will do my best to protect her when she needs it and stand beside her side at all other times.”
“And who is going to protect her from you.”
Brooke gasped at her mother comment. “Mother, what has gotten into you?”
Caspian looked at her from almost hooded eyes. “It’s alright. I can understand your mother’s concern, after all she doesn’t know much about me and our romance has occurred quickly.”
“Too quickly.”
“Mother, that is enough.”
“Beth, please stop.” Stephen said. “What has gotten into you? Haven’t you heard what Brooke has been telling us about this man. How he was the one to help keep Stephanie and Eric from stealing Bridget and using her for her stock. Not to mention how he helped Bridget last night.”
“I’m not saying that I am not grateful for his deeds, however there is a price for everything that you do. I just don’t want the price to be Brooke.”
“The price, mother, was my love. Caspian has earned it and not for what he has done for me and my daughter but for himself.”
Beth was quiet as she watched Caspian kiss her daughter. She ignored her husband’s disapproving look. Watching him with her daughter sent chills up her spine. The man who was responsible for her daughter’s death was now sinking his claws into the heart of Brooke. She would never all that to happen. She’d find a way to get this man out of Brooke’s life. She would not lose another daughter to this man.



Bridget opened her eyes to find Scott sitting next to her bed. “Hey…”
“Hey you.”
Bridget did her best to sit up slowly. “How long have you been here?”
“I don’t know for about 20 minutes or so.”
“Just watching me sleep.”
“Watching you is a beautiful thing.”
“Now I know that you’re lying. The last thing that I can be at the moment is beautiful especially with this face.”
“No, you still are beautiful. Bridget…what in the world where you thinking running into the street like that?”
“I wasn’t. I didn’t mean for that to happen I was just so upset about dad. We had this big argument and he told me the real reason that he had wanted me. He wanted me for my stock.”
“What?”
“My mom, she set it up that I own Forrester stock when I reach a certain age. Dad thought that he could gain custody of me and in turn get the stock. When I found that out I felt like I didn’t matter. Then he had this heart attack and I just wanted him to live and I’m glad that he’s all right. I promised god that if he got through all of this that I’d forgive him and I will but…but I won’t ever forget. I can’t. I wish that I could but deep down I’ll always remember that I was the child that he only wanted because of stock.”
“Bridget, don’t think about that right now. You need to focus on getting better.”
“I am. But I had to say that being in the hospital does have its advantages.”
“Only you could say that. What kind of advantages?”
Bridget picked up her bear. “I guess sometimes you find out just how much you mean to someone.”
“And that someone would be?”
“Ridge. He and I had this wonderful conversation and it like old times.”
Scott didn’t say anything. He knew how important Ridge was to Bridget just like he knew that Ridge has suspicious about Bridget and Scott’s relationship. Scott knew that Ridge didn’t like it but as much as he respected Ridge it wouldn’t stop him from being near Bridget. He cared a great deal about Bridget and he wasn’t ready to let go of her. He could surmise Ridge’s objections but Ridge was Bridget’s brother and not her father, he simply didn’t have a say in the manner.



Stephanie had listened intently to her husband’s words as he spoke to her. “Eric are you sure, it might be too much today.”
“No. Stephanie. Please I have to do this. I owe her this much.”
“But…”
“Sweetheart, I’ve got to tell Bridget how I feel.”



“Beth, can you tell me what in the world has gotten into you?” Stephen asked his wife as she unpacked their bags in the guestroom that Brooke had given them.
“I don’t know what you are talking about.” Beth said as she hung up her clothes.
“Beth, you treated that man downstairs like he was public enemy number one.”
Beth refused to look at her husband instead she focused on unpacking. “I did not.”
“Yes you did and honey I want to know why.”
“I want to know why you are ready to just hand our daughter over to some man you met over an hour ago.”
“What are you talking about? I’m just making conversation with the man.”
“My god, you are falling all over the man. You are eating every word that he has to say like it was candy. Don’t think that I didn’t notice how nice you are being to that man. I don’t remember ever being this kind to any of Brooke’s boyfriends the way you are being with this man.”
“And why not? The man cares a great deal about your daughter. Not only that, he has stood by her and protected her from those horrible Forrester. God, for years they have been harassing our daughter. Their treatment of her is deplorable. For years my little girl has had to handle the likes of Stephanie Forrester and I’ll be the first to admit that I wished that I had been a better father to her, I wished that I could have protected her from the likes of all the pain that she has been through. I couldn’t Beth. I wanted too but I couldn’t. You can’t blame me for being happy that Brooke has finally finding a man who is not a Forrester. Besides, have you looked at our little girl? She’s happy. When was the last time that you saw her that happy.”
“God Stephen. I see that she is happy but how will that last. I don’t trust this man and I have the feeling that he is going to hurt daughter badly.”
Stephen grasped his wife’s hands. “But why? Why do you feel this way? Caspian has done nothing in fact he…”
Beth away from Stephen. “Just stop it! The last things that I want to hear from you are praises for Caspian Deangleo. Do you understand me? I don’t want to hear another word.” Beth stormed out of the room slamming the door behind her leaving Stephen confused.
“What in the world is going on?”



“What in the world is going on with my mother?” Brooke said more to herself than to Caspian. “Honey I’m so sorry for my mother. I’ve never seen her treat anybody like this before, normally my mother is so warm and kind.”
Caspian wrapped his arms around Brooke. “It’s okay honey. Tension are high with everything going on.”
“But it doesn’t make sense the way she is acting.”
Caspian had wondered what he had done to make Brooke’s mother dislike him but at the moment the last thing Brooke needed to do was to worry about her mother reaction to him. “She doesn’t know me. She meets me all of a sudden for the first time and she finds out that I’m your lover. She is just worried about you. She doesn’t want you jumping into another relationship.”
“Maybe you are right. Maybe my mother is just worried.”
“It doesn’t matter at the moment, all that matters is Bridget and you.”
“You are so right. She’s going to be so happy to see them. They are going to ride over with me.”
“Alright. That will leave me time to pick up those items that you put on that list for Bridget.”
“Have I told you how much I love you?” Brooke said huskily as she wrapped her arms around Caspian’s neck.
“I’d love for you to show me.” Brooke pulled Caspian’s lips down to hers. With infinite slow burning passion their lips met. Caspian pulled Brooke’s body up against his, his body was aflame with need as his tongue slid into Brooke’s mouth tasting her sweetness. Brooke opened her mouth wider as Caspian’s tongue stroked against hers. Caspian groaned against Brooke crushing his mouth against her while he lifted her off of her feet and backed her up enough until they ended up on the sofa. Brooke loved the feel of his body pressed up against her and gasped as his hands gently cupped her breast. Brooke arched more of herself into his waiting hands while his mouth placed gently yet simpering kisses on down the slope of her throat.
“You taste so sweet. I wish that I had time to spend hours kissing you and other hours exploring your body. Brooke bit her lip and groaned at the thought before she heard a noise on the stairs that jarred her memory. Caspian groaned in protest as she gently pushed him away.
“If you keep that up…”
“I know.” Caspian pulled Brooke up in a standing position. “I had better get going because you have a great deal to do on that list.” He bent down to kiss her lips once again before he headed to the door. Brooke waved as he left to hop into his E-Class BMW Sports Utility Vehicle. Brooke watched as he drove off and then closed the door behind her as she smiled. Caspian made her feel like a teenager. Beth watched from the stairs as her daughter laughed like a teenager. She had seen her daughter with Caspian and was scared to death. It was too late already; her daughter had fallen in love with the man.



Thorne felt a strange object next to him. He had been in the throws of an incredible dream. He and Brooke were happily married and they were celebrating their first wedding anniversary. Thorne rolled over on his side and was surprised to find Kimberly sleeping next to him. His first instinct was to bolt from the bed and leave her lying there but something stopped him. Hell, he had created such a mess with his life but it wasn’t his life that he had to think about, there was Kimberly’s as well. He hadn’t treated her kindly in fact it seemed that all that he did was treat her badly. He had taken advantage of her, hell he had raped her, taking her innocence and gotten her pregnant. Worse, he had married her for all the wrong reasons. He didn’t love her. He never would but lately he had blamed her for everything that had happened to him. He had blamed her for getting pregnant when it wasn’t her fault. He could hardly look at her without feeling some sort of resentment toward her and it was wrong. It was time for him to take stock in his life. Thorne slipped out of the bed and sat on the edge of the ottoman cupping his head. He couldn’t make any of this mess up with Brooke, he couldn’t make it up to Kimberly but he could make it up to his child. Thorne thought about his father and how he had spent most of the night by his bedside. Although he was angry for what his father had done to him and Venice and with Bridget, it didn’t mean that he didn’t love him. He loved the type of father and man his father had been. His father had put aside his own wants to be a father to them. His own father had been in love with Beth Logan, Brooke’s mother but when his mother had found herself pregnant, his father did the right thing. He married her and was a husband and a father. Thorne wasn’t sure if he’d ever be a husband to Kimberly, she was too young and their relationship could never go back to what it was. That was more or less his fault but he owed her and the baby. So he was going to make a fresh start, he’d give all his love to his child and when he felt Kimberly was strong enough they’d amicably divorce but he’d see to it that she’d get a heavy settlement and he’d be a good father. Thorne pulled on a robe and went over toward the bed where he wife rested. He gently put his hand on her stomach. His child rested there and he’d give his child all the love that he had always wanted. Thorne took his eyes off of Kimberly’s flat stomach and then stared down into the face of the mother of his child. Kimberly had lost everything, her father, her mother and Macy. Thorne decided that he’d try his best to be there for her for at least during the pregnancy, he owed her that much. After all, as much as he loved Brooke, and god did he ever love her, she simply didn’t need him but Kimberly did. As if she understood that he was thinking about her, Kimberly opened her eyes. “Thorne…Listen I’m sorry for crawling into bed with you I was just so…well I was lonely.”
“Hey…it’s alright. I was just getting ready to head back to the hospital. Would you like to come with me?”



Bridget was wheeled into Eric’s room in the hospital. Stephanie nodded toward the nurse who brought her in. “Thank you. I know that this is probably against hospital rules but it was very important to my husband that he speak with his daughter.”
Bridget was wheeled in next to Eric’s bed. “Daddy?”
Eric opened his eyes and when he saw his daughter he smiled. “Bridget.” He said weakly.
“How are you feeling?”
“Much better now that I’m seeing you. Look at you. Honey I’m so sorry that you were hurt.”
“It’s okay. The bruises don’t hurt that much.”
“No, honey that isn’t what I’m talking about although I very worried about you when Stephanie told me what happened. What I’m talking about is that pain that I caused you.”
“Dad, don’t worry about that.”
“No honey I do worry. And…” Eric said sadly. “I caused you a great deal of pain. What I did was wrong. Trying to take you from your mother wasn’t all about the stock…I know that it seemed like that was all I ever wanted was company back and I was willing to do anything to have that. And I was…and I was such a fool. You see, I thought that I could have it all. The stock and you…”
“ME?”
“Yes, you. I was so upset with your mother because she was willing to let you go to Paris. You were my little girl and the thought of you leaving and going to Paris upset me so much. I thought that I could stop you from going and….” Eric sighed.
“Daddy, this is too much for you, we can talk about this later.”
“No, Bridget we can’t. I have to say this now.” Eric lightly grasped his daughter’s hand. “I was so wrong to put my need for a company in front of my need to be a real father to you. I’m so sorry. I’m sorry for hurting you baby. I promise you that I’ll never take you for granted ever again. When I get better, I’m going to do everything in my power to try and to make it up to you.”
Tears filled Bridget’s eyes. She knew that her father was hurting. Maybe she had been wrong. Maybe she could forgive him as well as forget what happened. “Daddy, you don’t have to make anything up to me.”
“Yes I do baby. I have a lot to make up to you. Not just for what I did but also for a lifetime of fathering that I somehow missed. I’ve been so caught up with the fact that I knew that your mother could handle things so well with you that I stepped back and I shouldn’t have. You see, when I look at you. I realize that the wonderful woman that you’ve become has nothing to do with me. It has everything to do with you mother. I don’t always give her the credit when I should but I promise you that I will for now on. I also promise to never use you again. I love you Bridget.”
There was not a dry eye in that room for as Eric talked to Bridget like magnet; the room had become filled with his family. Eric looked up and saw his wife, his daughter Kristen who was standing next to Sam. There was his son Rick who was holding his own son, little Eric. His son Thorne who stood next to his young wife Kimberly, Ridge and Taylor. Then standing in the background in the doorway with tears in her eyes was Brooke. Eric smiled. “Come in Brooke. I want you to hear what I have to say.” Brooke stepped into the room to stand next to Rick who put his arm around his mother while he held Eric in the other. “You are all here. All of the people that I love and cherish. We are all standing in this room together and we are family. My father wasn’t the wealthiest of men but he was rich in love. Growing up he made us believe in family and it was the most important thing in life. I used to think like him but somewhere along the way I lost that. I lost family because I let them go. I made the company more important than them. I made my need for revenge and to control issues more important son…” Eric looked directly at Thorne. “I’m sorry, son.”
Thorne who had tears in his eyes, smiled. “It’s alright dad. I forgive you.”
Eric turned his attention toward Kristen. “I should have made you come home a long time ago baby but I promise that there is an open door for you and for Sam.” Kristen smiled and looked at Sam who took a hold of her hand and gently squeezed it.
“Thank you daddy. I’ve always known just how much you loved me.” Then he looked at Rick. “I didn’t try to be the type of father to my younger children the way that I should have. I should have been there for you more Rick…you and Bridget are important pieces in this family. I love you both.”
Eric turned his eyes to Brooke. “Brooke. I’m so sorry for what I did to you. It wasn’t fair or right. You are the mother of my children and you’ve been a wonderful mother. I knew that there will be times that we don’t see eye to eye and when it comes to the company we don’t but that didn’t give me the right to do what I did. I used our daughter to try to hurt you. That was wrong and I’m sorry. I’m sorry because I only hurt Bridget and Rick but I hurt you and YOU are FAMILY. You’ve always been family and you’ll always be family.” Brooke felt Rick squeeze her arm as Eric spoke, tears filled her eyes because deep in her heart Eric had said the words that deep down she really wanted to hear her whole life. Brooke wasn’t sure if she’d be able to just make amends, she had done that so many times with them, however for her family she’d be willing to try a little.
Eric held his hand out toward his wife. “Stephanie, you are the rock that this family is built on. I love you. I know that I’ve made some decisions that have upset you and I’m sorry.”
“It’s alright honey. We will work through everything. Together.” Stephanie bent down and kissed Eric.
“I know that we will because we are a family. And we’ve got to start acting like one. We have to depend on each other. Care for each other and forgive each other for our mistakes.” Taylor looked at Ridge. “We are only as strong as our weakest link. If there is anything that this heart attack has taught me is that we have to stop letting petty arguments, opinions and old hatred get in our way. We Forrester. We are a dynasty. We are strong and ALL of us are family. All of us have to depend on one another. I’m a blessed man and not because I’m famous or because I’m rich or own part of a FAMILY owned company. Instead, I’m blessed because all around me is the people I love and who love me. It’s time that let go of the past and start anew, right here. I want you to treat each with infinite care and kindness, I want there to honesty and trust. More than anything I want us to bond together and be a real family.” Brooke looked at Stephanie. Kimberly looked Thorne. Thorne looked at Ridge. Taylor looked at Brooke. Ridge looked at Rick. Bridget looked at Taylor. Rick looked at Eric. Kristen looked all around the room. They all felt the weight of Eric’s words. “I want you to make a promise to me that from now on you’ll put family first.”



Brooke wheeled Bridget into her hospital room, which was filled with balloons and flowers. Bridget was surprised but when she saw her grandmother and father she was filled with glee.
“Grandma!” Bridget cried as her grandmother hugged her. “What are you doing here?”
“Now, did you think that we’d let our beautiful granddaughter stay in the hospital and not come?” Stephen said.
Bridget’s faced brightened. “Mom, why didn’t you tell me?”
“I wanted it to be a surprise to you.” Brooke said laughing. Brooke noticed Scott and was surprised to see him. “Scott, what are you doing here?”
Stephen slapped Scott on the shoulder. “This young man here was a great deal of help.”
At that moment, Rick opened the door carrying trays of food and what looked to be presents followed by Caspian who was carrying trays as well. Caspian winked at Bridget he handed her a cup with a straw. Bridget sipped out of the cup and laughed with delight.
“It’s your favorite old fashioned vanilla shake with homemade whip cream. It came from Palemoon Café.”
“That’s my favorite place.”
“I know that, your mother told me.” Caspian said as he handed Bridget an envelope.
“What’s this?”
“Open it and find out.”
The room was silent as Bridget opened the envelope. She gasped as she read the contents of the letter. “How, how did you do this?”
Caspian smiled. “I have my ways.”
Brooke looked at Caspian. “What did you do?”
“I got in mom! I got into the program in Paris!”
“Did you?” Brooke looked at Caspian.
“No, I had nothing to do with this. She got this on her own. However I had something to do with the tour the Institute in two months, where Bridget can take a few friends and her mother to see where she will be living. All expensive paid by me and they will be staying at a little Villa that I own, if it is alright with you.”
“Oh my god. You didn’t?”
“It was nothing Bridget. For you and your mother. I’d just about do anything.” Caspian said to Bridget.
Rick clapped and turned to his grandfather. “This man sure is something.”
“He sure is. I like. I like him a lot Rick.” Stephen watched as Caspian kissed his daughter.
“Well, lets start passing out the food while the doctors aren’t looking.”



Brooke headed out of the hospital room followed by Rick. “Take these plates upstairs to Thorne and Kimberly. And don’t forget Stephanie’s”
“Are you sure that you don’t want me to poison it for you.”
“No. But thank you honey. By the way Rick, where is Eve?”
“She had to work mom. I went by her place earlier. She wanted to come but I knew that if she were to miss another night that her boss would fire her. She’s missed a lot of time because of me.”
“I understand honey.”
Brooke looked back into the hospital room where her daughter was surrounded by friends and family. Connor and KC were eating and laughing, for they had stopped by an hour ago they were talking to Kristen and Sam. Brooke had to laugh to herself, just like Ridge, it seemed that Kristen had excellent taste in women. It must be a Forrester trait. The only person who didn’t seem too happy was her mother. Brooke noticed how her mother kept staring at Caspian. Brooke wondered what that was all about. She headed toward Bridget’s room to find out when the doctor stopped her. “Mrs. Forrester, we need to talk.”



It all came back to Eric like a dream. “You made your decision daddy?”
“Yes…I’m going back.”
“Good. They are going to need you.”
“I want to thank you for helping me.”
Angela smiled. “You didn’t need my help daddy…but they are going to need you. Besides I’ll be here when it’s time.”
Eric frowned. “When what is time?”
“When it’s time to meet the right person. You weren’t supposed to be here, I told you that. That is why you got a second chance. I’ll be here to meet the right person when the time comes.” Angela looked up as if the wind was speaking to her. “It will be soon. I’ll see that they will be alright and loved here.”
“What are you saying? Are you saying that someone is going…going to die?”
Angela moved her head to the side. “It’s time for you to go. Just remember to love each member of your family as if it were their last days.”
Angela then disappeared.



Brooke walked toward Bridget’s room where family and friends were on shaky legs. She stood in the doorway looking. How could this have happened? It didn’t make sense, she had told the doctor to do the test all over again. Caspian looked up and saw Brooke, instantly he knew that there was something terribly wrong. He put down his plate and headed to her. “Brooke, what is wrong?”
Brooke suddenly fell apart and almost lost her footing when he caught her body next to his. “Brooke, baby what wrong, you are scaring me.”
Tears filled Brooke’s eyes. “Something has happened…it’s Bridget.”
“Bridget? Bridget is fine.”
“No. She isn’t.”
“Yes she is.”
“The tests. The tests…the doctor wanted to speak to me. Eric isn’t healthy enough to deal with this…so he came to me.”
“What is it?”
“Bridget…she’s sick.” Tears poured down Brooke’s cheeks. “My little girl is sick.”
“She’s healthy Brooke.”
“No she isn’t. She has leukemia. She has leukemia and if she doesn’t get a bone marrow transplant my baby…could die! My god. I could lose my baby if one of us isn’t a match for her.”

 

·        Note, there is no chapter 85. I missed numbered. The next chapter will be 86.

 

Chapter 86 (Test Results)
Pierce had used his contacts to find that Microtech, the computer company owned by Caspian and Isabelle had opened offices in L.A. He hoped that Caspian would at least to agree to inform him about his sister’s whereabouts, he needed to know where she was in order to make a start. He loved Isabelle. Time apart had proven that to him. There wasn’t a day that didn’t go by in which he didn’t think about her. Precious memories invaded his thoughts. In all of his years he hadn’t thought of a woman who complemented him more than her. When he was with Isabelle, his life was full of color and zest. Sexually, she had made him explore things that he had never considered. Being with her was a truly orgasmic experience for him, but it was more than the sex. However it was the mental connection that thrilled him. Simply put she knew how his mind works; she was well-read, loved art and music like him. Together they discussed so many topics and he loved to hear her position from everything from America’s political structure to her positions on the latest in the world of psychology. Never in his life had he felt for a woman what he had felt for Isabelle.

Isabelle studied the latest in demographics in the newest prototype chip that the Paris office was using. She was thrilled with the latest test results and was sure with the newest addition of the L.A office, they would not only be able to enhance it but also market it in the U.S. She quickly reviewed the notes written in Caspian’s handwriting, which he had faxed earlier during that day. He wanted more preliminary tests run as well as a full in depth study as the marketing structure in America. Through the expansion of their company, they would no longer be taxed on exporting their product, therefore on that alone, they would make a profit. Caspian was a wiz when it came to business; he used the same tactics that he had used as part of the “ family” in business. He was in total control, yet he showed respect for those who worked for him and in turn they offered him their loyalty. Isabelle knew where as her brother seemed to be loved by those they worked with; those same people hated her. She was often called “The Ice Princess”, but Isabelle didn’t care, she wasn’t there to be liked. She was efficient with her job, she ran a tight ship and didn’t like excuses about shoddy work. Whereas her brother often used a mixture of charm and power to get what he wanted, she in turn used dominance. Isabelle took the demographics and headed toward her office, she became so engrossed in what she was reading she didn’t play attention to her surroundings. That was a huge mistake.

Pierce was waiting in the office. He asked to see Caspian and was expecting him when Isabelle walked into the office. At first, she didn’t see him and he was allowed a moment to stare at her. Although it had been a little more than three weeks, they had been the longest weeks of his life. She looked so beautiful, with her flawless makeup, her hair upswept with light gray silk ribbons weaving in and out of her hair. She was wearing a lightweight sleeveless gray dress with a cuffed turtleneck color and a matching sheer scarf. The dress was so light to the touch; he could clearly see the pinpoints of her nipples from her full breast. Her legs were a long and sensual as he remembered and he couldn’t help put to remember when they were wrapped around his waist.

“Isabelle,” he said her name as a gentle whisper that floated across their room. Her scarf fell off her shoulders and on to the floor. Pierce bent down to pick it up and then brought it to his nose to inhale the soft scent that was her.
Isabelle’s blue eyes turned toward him, her face became a cold mask, which he couldn’t read. She then leaned down next to her desk. “What are you doing here Pierce?”
“Isabelle…” Pierce walked toward her. “God, Bella, I’ve missed you so.”
“Now that you’ve seen me. What do you want?”
“What do I want? How can you ask that question? You know what I want. I want answers.”
Isabelle moved away putting the table in between them. “What do you need answers to? I thought that I explained it all in the letter.”
“You call that an explanation? You just left. You ended our relationship with no goodbye.”
“I ended our liaison with one another.” Isabelle sat down leaning back in her chair. “I was honest with you from the start. What we had wasn’t a relationship. Surely doctor, you know in order for one to have a relationship, one must have feelings. When you started to develop certain feelings for me, it made matter complicated. So, I ended it.”
Pierce frowned. “That’s your explanation?”
“Yes. Pierce you really disappoint me. It was sex. Nothing more.”
“We spent time together. Quality time and that was way more than sex.”
Isabelle pulled out some paper work. “Alright. I’ll admit that we did spend a great deal of time together out of the bedroom. That time was one that I did enjoy but you ignored the cardinal rule, you developed feelings for me.”
“Isabelle, it wasn’t just me. I know that you were developing feelings for me as well. Don’t you see that is why you pulled away.”
“I didn’t pull away from you.”
“The hell that you did.” Pierce became upset and took the papers that she had been studying and threw them in the corner of the office.
Isabelle looked at him calmly. “That wasn’t necessary.”
“Stop lying to me Bella.” Pierce grasped her hard by her upper arm and pulled her toward chest. “Stop lying.” His breath came out in choppy breaths. “You felt for me. I saw, it was there in your eyes. You are so afraid of feeling of allowing yourself to be loved by a man. But you don’t have to be afraid of me. I’d never hurt you. Bella, I love you.”
Isabelle licked her lower lips and ran her hand down Pierce’s suit until she found the evidence of his hard member. “You are right about something, I did feel something.” Her hand moved around his shaft through the confines of his pants. “I felt a thrill. The great Pierce Peterson, the doctor of sexual responsibility, yet you were willing to do anything, if I asked.” She whispered so close to his lips, her mouth coming so close to his. “You are hard right now, all that anger, all that bend up sexuality.” Her hand started to squeeze him and a shock of erotic delight filled him. “If I kept it up, would you come in your pants? Ruining your 800-dollar suit? Don’t you see, that is what excited me so much? Knowing that I had a man like you? One who was of a moral pillar, one which couldn’t be tainted, yet with me you could.” She ran her hand up and down his shaft. “We could have done such exciting things together. There were so many things in bed that I wanted to do for your…or at least, to you. I think that you would have liked a little dominance, maybe you’d let me tie you up or…” Isabelle gave him a wicked smile. “Maybe for your birthday, I would have given you what most men want but are afraid to ask. Tell, me what would you have said with a little ménage a trios? How is that for sexual responsibility?”
Pierce pulled her hand away from his shaft and pushed her away. “Don’t….don’t you dare make what we had out to be some sexual game.”
“It was.”
“It wasn’t.” Pierce looked at her with disgust in his eyes. She was so cold. “Don’t do this.”
Isabelle shrugged her shoulders. “Don’t do what, tell the truth? That’s all it was. I wanted to see how far you’d go with me. It would have been fun but you ruined it. You allowed feelings to enter into what we had therefore I had to cut you lose. I told you from the beginning, that it was only sex.”
Pierce ran his fingers through his hair. “What happened? What happened to you to make you so afraid of loving someone?”
“I think that it is time for you to leave.”
“No. You aren’t going to push me away like you did in Italy.”
“Our conversation is over. I’ve given you that closure that you needed. I’ve moved on. I suggest that you do the same.”
“I know what you are doing. I’ve seen it countless of times. You are hiding behind your pain. Tell me what happened. Let it go, let me help you. And for god’s sake, let me love you.”
“I’m not one of patients who you have to save. Tell me does it make you feel better to think that I need some saving? You surround yourself with people need you. They bring you’re their problems and you make it all better. I wonder why you feel the need to help so many others…” Isabelle circled the table. “Maybe you should look at your own life because you even start diagnosing mine. Now go along…run off. Go to Bailey and cry on his shoulders about how depraved I am. Or, maybe you’ll go to Taylor Forrester; she’ll listen to you. If your looking for sympathy here, you’ve come to the wrong place.” Isabelle pressed the intercom. “Jenna, I need you to get security to escort Dr. Peterson out of the building. “
“Bella, don’t do this.”
“Listen. Bella please don’t do this…” Isabelle mocked him. “My god, you’ve really sunk to a new low. Even if I were interested in you again seeing like this makes you look pathetic. For god’s sake, be a man and not bitch. Don’t ever beg it makes you look spineless.”
Her words were cruel and hit their mark. The door opened and two strapling security guards came into the office. Pierce looked at the woman who he had loved. “It’s alright, I’m leaving.”
“Pierce…” Isabelle said as looked out of the large bay windows giving him her back.
“Don’t come back. If you do, I’ll forced to hurt you and then you’ll see what kind of person I really am.” Isabelle heard the door close behind her and she let of a full breath and closed her eyes. She had hurt him and she had done it on purpose. He had to stay away from her for she had nothing to offer him. Nothing but pain and death.



The Forresters were gathered in the one of the hospital rooms, all except Stephanie who had finally been convinced to go home for a while to get some rest. They had no idea why they had been summoned here.

Brooke splashed water on her face in an effort to cover her tear stained cheeks. She finished wiping her face and then stared into the mirror in the bathroom. She had to pull herself together. She had job to do and didn’t want to let her daughter down this wasn’t the time for crying or falling apart. She had to be the model for her family and most importantly, she had to be strong for Bridget because her baby was going to need her.

The door to the waiting room opened and Caspian stepped inside. Ridge frowned when he saw him. “Deangleo, what are you doing here?”
Caspian ignored Ridge’s comment. He didn’t have time to deal with Ridge’s petty jealousies at all. Taylor however frowned. “Ridge, this isn’t the time. Or at least I don’t think that this is. I can still see. You are doing the same thing. Worry about the man in Brooke’s life.”
“Taylor, you don’t understand, it isn’t like that.” He looked over toward Caspian who was standing next to Rick. “That man took 10% of our company.”
“From what I understand, your father made an agreement with him. If anyone is to blame for him being involved, it would be Brooke. After all she is the one who bought him into your family’s lives. But that isn’t the issue. The issue is you.”
“Me?”
“Yes, you. Ridge if we are going to get things back on track, there are going to have to be a great deal of changes and the first one is with Brooke.”
“Doc, you aren’t on the kick again. There isn’t an issue with Brooke.”
“No. You are right. For once we agree. Brooke isn’t the issue, you are. Your relationship with her. For whatever reason, you’ve decided that HER business was YOUR business.”
“Logan and I are friends.”
“Just like you and Morgan.”
“I can’t believe this. I thought that we weren’t going to do this anymore.”
“No, we aren’t.” Taylor squared her jaw. “This situation with your father brought a lot of things to the surface. I do love you. As angry and hurt as I am at what you’ve done I still love you. However that doesn’t mean that everything is all forgotten. I’m not a fool and I can’t live like that. I’ll remember your betrayal but I’ll try to get past it for you and for OUR family but there are going to be some changes. The first is Brooke. Whether you know it or she knows it doesn’t matter. There is this bond thing between you. Maybe it is because I didn’t give the chance to get over your marriage before we married but it’s been years and Brooke from my standpoint is trying to move on. Whether it be your brother, this man or pope for all that I care, it doesn’t matter. She doesn’t matter. I’m your wife and I come first. I won’t stand by and say nothing. You have to like the man that Brooke is currently screwing…changes are that sooner or later, he’ll be gone. But you won’t have pissing contest in front of me. It’s disrespectful to me and I won’t have it.”
When Taylor made an effort to move away from her husband, Ridge stopped her. “Doc…I’m sorry.”
“I don’t want your words Ridge. I want action.” Taylor implored her husband with her eyes. “I’ve been through so much. You humiliated me in public. That videotape will be forever be in my memory…”
“I never meant for that to happen. I swear that I didn’t know that Morgan did that…”
“Well, she did Ridge. That shows you about what kind of person that she is. She tried to ruin our marriage with that tape. I know that she was behind that tape being showed and I’ll never forgive her for that or having your child. The baby…”
“Dylan…”
“Dylan is an issue that we will deal with. I don’t need to see you worried about Brooke or causing trouble in her relationship with this man. I need for you to be concerned about YOUR family and YOUR children and me. I have to come first, not Brooke.”

Caspian had studied Taylor Forrester with interest as she spoke to Ridge. He had heard a great deal about her from Brooke and had found the conversation relieving. It seemed that Taylor had decided to give Ridge another chance yet she was laying down some conditions about his obsession with Brooke. Normally, he would have agreed initially with Taylor. Ridge Forrester had enough on his plate with a wife, children and another son by Morgan however Brooke was going to need Ridge at least his bone marrow.

Brooke entered the room followed by Dr. Levine. “Hello everyone, I see that Brooke called all of you as I asked.”
“If you don’t mind, can you tell us why we were called here.”
“We are here for Bridget.” Dr. Levine said the to the room full of concerned family members. “We are here because during our tests we found that Bridget has leukemia.”
“Leukemia” Rick looked at his mother.
“Yes, she has acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) is the most common form of leukemia in children and is highly curable with conventional chemotherapy however Bridget will need a bone marrow transplant. Approximately 30 to 40 percent of ALL patients who undergo an allogeneic BMT while in second remission are cured of their disease. Bone marrow is the spongy tissue found in the cavities of the body's bones where all of the body's blood cells are produced. Every type of blood cell in the marrow begins its life as a stem cell. The stem cells then divide and form the different cells that make up your blood and your immune system... These include white cells that fight infection (leukocytes), red cells that carry oxygen (erythrocytes), and platelets, which are clotting agents. Without bone marrow, and the disease-fighting blood cells it produces, your immune system will be severely impaired and you will have little defense against even the most common infection. Truthfully, our best chances is Allogeneic transplant in which the donating the bone marrow or stem cells is a genetically-matched family member usually a brother or sister.
“Why a brother and sister and not a parent?”
“Brother and sisters are unique. They share similar genetic makeup where as a parent gives some only share some of the genes, sibling however make better matches. Now there are cases in which we use an unrelated allogeneic transplant where as the person is not related to the patient. Chances of finding an unrelated compatible donor from the general population depends on the uniqueness of your tissue type. Genetic and ethnic background can also affect the likelihood of finding a donor. So, we are first going to use the resources that we have. And from talking to Ms. Logan, we find that there is you. Bridget is related to all you as a sister although Rick you may be a better chance of being a better donor than your brothers and sister.”
“Because Bridget and I are full brother and sister?
“Yes, because of that. However, half siblings are often used as donors as well. Ridge, Thorne, and Kristen may be her half siblings but one of you may be a match for Bridget. We are going to need you all to be tested as a possible donor for Bridget.”
“You can all be tested.” Brooke stated. “It’s just that Rick…you have a really good chance of being a match with your sister. “Of course we all want to help Brooke.” Thorne said quietly. Brooke looked at him for a moment and smiled. “I know that you would.”
“Doctor, what can we expect? Does Bridget know yet?” Ridge asked seriously.
“No, she doesn’t know yet. Ms. Logan wants to tell her tonight.”
“She’s just getting over an accident, shouldn’t Brooke wait?”
“No Mr. Forrester.” Dr. Levine said. “Facing the prospect of a transplant can be devastating, evoking feelings of dread, panic, and helplessness. Coming to grips with the idea that you may have a life threatening disease while simultaneously dealing with a tremendous volume of information and new medical jargon can be mind-numbing. As you face the transplant and the most serious questions of life, it is common to feel overwhelmed by emotions. However lying to Bridget won’t help her. She’ll have her mother and the support of the family for this. Bridget won’t have to go through this alone.”
“She is correct. Bridget is going to need to support of her family.”
“And a therapist, honey.” Taylor said as she touched Ridge’s arm. “This will be an emotional time for. She’ll need to express her anger, her feeling of fear. It’s strange because sometimes things like these give people a new lease on life.” Taylor came over toward Brooke and put her arm around her shoulder. “There are many books, articles and research websites that can help not only Bridget, but you Brooke.”
“Brooke smiled weakly at Taylor. “Thank you. The doctor gave me some information right now I’m just numb.”
“As I explained to Ms. Logan, before we are lucky. Bridget's health isn’t failing and she hasn’t feeling the effect of the disease, which is a good thing sign. We don’t want to wait until she feels ill, we want to try to find a donor and proceed as soon as she recovers from her accident. There are however some precautionary actions that we are going to work with Bridget. We want to reduce hereditary fats to less than 30% of total caloric intake, have her eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables daily, particularly citrus fruits, green leafy vegetables, and carotene rich vegetables such as carrots and squash. Increase her intake of certain fibers such as wheat bran. Her mother already states that she doesn’t smoke or consume alcohol. Is that true?” The doctor asked Rick. “No, mom was right.”
“I was making sure. Sometimes siblings know more than parents.” The doctor smiled. “I have a teenager too. With that said, we want Bridget to maintain her weight within normal range and minimize her consumption of salt-cured, salt pickled, and smoked foods. Reduce or cut your consumption of red meat. Protein alternatives include seafood, skinless poultry, legumes, low-fat dairy products, and tofu.”
“That is no problem. I can cook anything for her.” Brooke added. “Good. Now I want to say that right now we are lucky. A successful transplant requires the patient be healthy enough to undergo the rigors of the transplant procedure. Age, general physical condition, the patient's diagnosis and the stage of the disease are all considered by the physician when determining whether a person should undergo a transplant. Bridget is in good physical condition considering everything. Although she will have to recover from her accident. “So, what is the procedure for looking for bone marrow?'
“Regardless of whether the patient or a donor provides the bone marrow used in the transplant, the procedure used to collect the marrow, the bone marrow harvest, is the same. The bone marrow harvest takes place in a hospital operating room, usually under general anesthesia. It involves little risk and minimal discomfort. A needle is inserted into the cavity of the rear hip bone or 'iliac crest' where a large quantity of bone marrow is located. The bone marrow a thick, red liquid - is extracted with a needle and syringe. Several skin punctures on each hip and multiple bone punctures are usually required to extract the requisite amount of bone marrow. There are no surgical incisions or stitches involved - only skin punctures where the needle was inserted. There is a little discomfort but it’s it is worth it. The pain will be similar to that associated with a hard fall on the ice and can usually be controlled with Tylenol.”
“So, basically, we will be stuck in the ass.” Rick said. Brooke couldn’t help but to smile at Rick. She knew her son was doing his best to use humor lighten the load. “Yes, it looks like you are going to be stuck in the butt. In allogeneic BMTs, the bone marrow may be treated to remove 'T-cells' to reduce the risk of graft-versus-host disease. Once that is done, a day or two following the chemotherapy and/or radiation treatment, the transplant will occur. The bone marrow is infused into the patient intravenously in much the same way that any blood product is given. The transplant is not a surgical procedure. It takes place in the patient's room, not an operating room. If we find a donor, it should run smoothly. Admittedly, it can take as long as a year for the new bone marrow to function normally. Patients are closely monitored during this time to identify any infections or complications that may develop but this does work.”
“It does. I had a patient who went through the same thing Brooke and she is just fine.”
Thorne spoke up. “But right now you are only looking for a donor?”
“Yes, we don’t need to harvest any marrow from anyone except for the person that we single out as the donor. At least two tests are used to determine whether a patient's and donor's HLA-types match. The first is a blood test that can detect antigens at the HLA-A, -B and -DR loci. Secondary tests, such as the mixed lymphocyte culture (MLC) test, are used to assess whether or not the patient's and donor's bone marrow interact adversely. Newer tests such as DNA typing will make HLA-typing more precise in the future. DNA testing has already revealed that antigens once thought to be identical may in fact have as many as 10 different variations or 'microvariants. We are going to use the newer test along with DNA to help find a donor.'
“That is why we need you. We need all of you to take DNA test to see if you will match Bridget.” Brooke looked around the room and felt Caspian come behind her and just touch her back. It was his way of helping her get through this mess. “She needs your help. Can we count of you?” Kristen came forward and hugged Brooke. “Of course you can. We love Bridget. Brooke we would do anything her.”
“Brooke you have to know that you can count on us. I know that I’ve let you down in the past but I promise that I won’t let you down now. I’ll get tested.” Brooke nodded. “I know Thorne. I know that you love her.”
“She isn’t the only one that I love.” Thorne whispered. He saw the look of sadness on Brooke’s face. “Sorry…I didn’t think.”
“It’s alright Thorne.” Brooke said. “It happens.”
“When can we get started the testing?” Ridge asked. “Well, we can start today if you’d like and if the lab is open.”
“That will be great.” Rick said. “I want to get tested today.”
“I’ll set the lab up. It will take some time of course but we can start today.” Brooke hugged Rick. “Honey, thank you.”
“Mom what are you thanking me for. Budge is my sister. I love her. I want to save her.” Rick held his mother and looked over at Caspian. He saw the pride in the man’s eyes and it made him feel good. He was scared. Not about the testing but scared for his sister. He loved Budge. “We will save her mom. Budge isn’t gong to die. She’s going to beat this, after all she is your daughter.” Brooke nodded as kissed her son on the check. “I used to comfort you and here you are, comforting me.”
“I’m not the only one, mother. You’ve got the family. We support you. And you have Caspian.” Brooke looked over her shoulder at Caspian. “Yes, I do have his support and that means the world to me.”



Isabelle couldn’t focus on her work so she left her office. She took a long drive down the coast until she came to the home that she had bought. She had already received the keys and the decorators had started their work but she didn’t care. She went out toward her back and looked down from her patio down at the sea below. Her life was what it was, there was no use wishing that it wasn’t something else.



Bridget was on cloud nine when her mother came back into her hospital room. Although some of her guests had left for Connor and KC had gone back home, Sam decided to check into Kristen’s hotel and Scott had to go back to Forrester to do some work, she was having a ball listening to her grandparents’ latest gossip about Paris.
“Mom, you got to hear this, grandpa got a sports car.”
Steven nodded. “A red one.”
“Dad, that isn’t like you.”
“I think that your father is going through a midlife crisis. Just make sure that you don’t start looking at underage women.”
“No chance in that Bethy.” Steven kissed his wife on her check. “I’ve got you and I don’t want anything else.”
Brooke smiled weakly at her parents. Beth squeezed her husband’s hand when she noticed a look on Brooke’s face.
“What’s wrong?”
Brooke quickly smiled at her mother. “Nothing…I just explain to you later. Mom if you don’t mind I want to talk to Bridget alone.”
Beth hesitated for moment there was something in Brooke’s eye that concerned her.
“Honey are you sure?”
“Yes.”
Steven and Beth left the room while Brooke sat on the edge of her daughter’s bed. “Mom, what is it? Is it dad? Did something happen?”
“No honey, your dad is fine. Nothing happened to him.”
“Good, I was getting worried. I can’t the last couple of days that I had. I just got home from Hawaii and all these happened. I know that you are probably worried about my relationship with dad. Don’t be. Of course it will never be like you and me but I forgive him. I know that he is sorry. So, don’t worry. Okay?” Bridget took her mother’s hand with her good one.
“Instead I think that we need to focus my acceptance into the art program. I know that you are going to worry about me being gone from you but I’ll be fine. Besides you’ll get the chance to see Paris when we go. Now, don’t tell Rick, but I see what he sees in Caspian. I’m not saying that I know him or anything cause we he just met. But, he was nice to you and he did try to save me. So, I’ll give him a shot even if he isn’t Ridge.”
The irony of the situation hit Brooke. Any other time she would have given anything to hear Bridget say something like that but now she’d give anything for her daughter to be all right. Brooke inhaled a deep breath. “Bridget, there is something that I’ve got to tell you. It’s about your test.”
“What test?”
“When you had your accident they ran blood test on you and…they found something.”
“What did they find?”
“They found some cells that didn’t belong.”
“Cells? Like in…”
“In cancer.” Brooke squeezed her daughter hand tightly.”
“Cancer…”
“Yes honey. You have cancer.” Bridget was in shock; she couldn’t believe what her mother was saying.
“The test, they made a mistake didn’t they?”
“No honey, there wasn’t a mistake. You have a cancer called acute lymphocytic leukemia.”
“Leukemia.”
“Yes.” Brooke watched her daughter very closely looking for a sign that she truly understood her.
“Well, this is certainly unexpected.” Bridget took in a deep breath and then slowly exhaled. “So, what are we going to do? How are we going to fight this thing and win?”
Brooke was caught off guard by Bridget’s calm manner. Her daughter looked as if she had just been told that her pizza order had been mixed up and not something as serious as leukemia. “We are going to fight this, aren’t we mom? It isn’t too late for that is it?”
“No Bridget, it isn’t too late. There are options that we have. We will sit down and discuss them. And you are right honey, we are going to fight this and we are going to win.”
“I know mom. It’s time to batten down the hatches.”
“And dig deep.” Brooke said with strength in her voice. “We will beat this Bridget. I’m not going to let anything happen to you.”

Rick opened the door to Bridget’s hospital room. “Hey.”
“Hey” Bridget said.
Rick sat on the edge of her bed. “How are you really holding up?” Rick knew his sister; he knew that she was scared.
Bridget stroked the bear that Ridge had given her. “I’m fine.”
“Budge, you don’t have to lie to me. I know that you are hurting.”
“She knows too, doesn’t she?” Bridget said referring to their mother.
“Yeah.”
“I couldn’t fall apart not when she was being so strong.”
“She is strong and so are you. But it’s okay to cry.” Rick took his sister gently into his arms not wanting to hurt her injuries. “It’s alright to be scared. I promise not to tell anybody.”
Bridget felt the warmth of her brother’s body and in that moment she knew that she could let go. She had meant everything that she said to her mother but she was scared. Scared that although her mother may do her best to try to save her it may not be enough. Afraid of being sick and then dying in front of her mother. Tears started to wield up in her eyes and Bridget cried. She didn’t really cry for herself but she cried for her mother.
Rick felt the tears to sting in the back of his eyes. His whole life was his mother and his sister. It wasn’t that he didn’t love the rest of his family it was just Budge and his mother were more important than anyone, they were his real family.



Taylor had driven home from the hospital with a heavy heart. As soon as she got home she went directly to her children’s playroom and kissed them. She squeezed them so tight Thomas complained. She had been so blessed with three healthy children. Her heart went out to Bridget and Brooke. No matter how she had felt about Brooke in the past, she didn’t deserve to go through that type of pain.



Brooke stayed with Bridget until she finally fell asleep. She and Rick had talked and he had failed to mention that Bridget had cried in his arms. Brooke had spied the moment between brother and sister yet she said nothing. Rick and Bridget had always clung to each other even when they were children and even now on the cusp of adulthood, they still did. Brooke had told her parents the horrible news about Bridget and the testing that would have to be done. Dr. Levine had set up appointments with Rick, Kristen, Thorne and Ridge for the following morning since the lab was overbooked. Brooke couldn’t help but to remember the days that she had worked in the very same hospital as a lab technician doing the type of testing that had been done on her daughter. Tomorrow the test would be done to see if Rick or one of the others were a match for Bridget. Brooke believed that Rick was their best chance since they were fully blooded brother and sister. Beth came into the room and sat beside Brooke. “Honey, why don’t you go home? It’s late and you’ve hardly rested in two days. Go home and get some rest.”
“I need to stay for Bridget.”
“You need to go home and take care of yourself. It’s late and you are tired.”
“Where is Rick?”
“He left. He has a long day.”
“Caspian left too?”
Beth didn’t want to think about that man. “Yes, I think that he left an hour ago.”
Brooke smoothed out a piece of Bridget’s hair. “She was so strong but inside I know that she’s scared.”
“She’s trying to be like you. You’ve been strong for so long.”
“She’s my little girl. I can’t lose her mom.”
Beth tried not to let the pain in her heart be heard in her voice. She was very frightened for her granddaughter and for Brooke. She only knew too well what it was like to lose a daughter. “Losing a daughter is a horrific thing. You aren’t going to have to go through that Brooke. Bridget is going to be just fine.”



Rick hung up the phone. He had called his uncle Storm as well as his aunt Katie and Donna. They’d be here as soon as possible. Rick cupped his face the wear and tear of the day’s events touched him. He needed something gentle and sweet. He needed his Eve.



Brooke ran through the rest of the night’s events without real thought. She had driven home in a daze and started on dinner. She had entire family to cook for yet no one was around. She made a simple Cesear Salad and lasagna and left it to chill on the kitchen counter top. She took a shower and put on her nightclothes before she headed down to her study. Turning the computer on, she started a search database. She wanted to find everything that she could about acute lymphocytic leukemia. Hours later she was still reading until her eyes hurt. She hadn’t paid attention to the arrival of her parents or to the fact that Rick had yet to come home. She was just worried about her daughter.



Jordan munched on the last of his bag of Lays Potato Chips when he finished down loading the information. “Here.” He handed the folder to Lien, the cute Asian woman that he a major crush on.
“Is this all the information?”
“Yeah. There is plenty more it coming. Is Mr. Deangleo still around?”
“Yes. He is using. Ms. Deangleo’s office.”
“Do you know who has lymphocytic leukemia?”
“No but it must be someone really important. He has been up there for hours reading and making calls.”



The pounding at the door made Charlie hurry to the door. The last thing she wanted was for Dylan to wake up when it had only been a half of an hour after she had finally gotten his to sleep. “I’m coming. I’m coming.” She hurried to the door and opened it.
“Would you mind? I just got Dylan to sleep. He doesn’t need you waking him up.”
She frowned at Ridge however her frown chanced to a face of concern when she saw the look on his face. “What’s wrong?”
Ridge looked tired and worn out. “Is it your father?”
“My dad? No he is doing better.”
“...So are you going to tell me what has brought you here at? 11:30 at night?” There was distinct cry from the other room. “See, I told you.” Charlie disappeared and then returned with his son. She handed him over to Ridge. “He is your son, after all.”
Ridge took his son and cooed at him to make him go to sleep. “You’re a natural.”
Ridge looked up to find Morgan standing in the other doorway. Morgan noticed how close her sister and Ridge was standing. She also noticed that Ridge had been looking at her sister in her white silk nightgown.
Ridge frowned at Morgan’s attire. Morgan was wearing a leopard print sheer nightgown.
“Are you expecting company?”
“Why are you jealous?” taunted Morgan.
“Morgan, I’m sure that Ridge isn’t here for that? Or are you?” Charlie said sarcastically.
“Actually, I’m here for two reasons. I’m here to see my son and I’m here to talk to Charlie.”
“Charlie, why do you need to talk to her?”
“Because of Bridget.”
Charlie sat down. “Bridget, that is you sister?”
“Yes. She is Brooke’s daughter. She has been diagnosed with lymphocytic leukemia.”
“Ridge. I’m sorry.” Charlie’s disposition normally wasn’t warm however her face became warm as she reached out to Ridge.”
“Charlie, you are an oncologist. I need for you to tell me everything that you can about this disease.”
“Of course I’ll tell you everything you need to know.”
“I want more than that. I want you to take Bridget’s case.”
“Ridge, I can’t do that.”
“Why not? Charlie, the one thing that I know about you are that you are highly intelligent and proficient in your field.”
“Ridge, I mainly deal with women with ovarian cancer, not lymphocytic leukemia. There is a difference in the cancers and different types of treatment. I can’t help Bridget as far as being her doctor, however I can help your family understand the treatment that she will have to go through.”
Ridge was willing to take any extra help that he could get. The new of Bridget’s disease had rocked him to his soul. He loved Bridget. She was like one of his daughters; he couldn’t imagine not having her around.



Caspian slipped into Brooke’s bedroom and found her sitting in one of her comfortable chairs. She looked up at him with her tired eyes. He took her hand in his and sat in the chair opposite from hers. “How are you holding up?”
Brooke sighed.“ As well as to be expected I guess. I know that I have to be strong for Bridget; I don’t have time to fall apart. As you can see, I’ve been reading all about her cancer.”
“We must think alike.” Caspian handed Brooke the folder that he had his employees to look for. Brooke opened the folder. “One the top are the names are the best doctors dealing with Bridget’s kind of cancer. I’ve already made a few calls and we can have Dr. Stewart here within a day or so.”
“Dr. Stewart?”
“Yes, he the leading doctor on research about lymphocytic leukemia. He can be here to consult on Bridget’s case as soon as he fixes some of his loose ends.”
Brooke moved rubbed her arms and stood up. “I don’t know. At this point, it’s a dream. A bad dream, which I know, is real. I just can’t think right now. I can’t think past the test.”
“Honey, that is natural. You are worried and have been through a lot the last couple of days.” Caspian put his arms around her. “Why don’t we let this go for tonight. You need some rest.”
“I can’t let it go Caspian, this is my daughter we are talking about. I need to read and find out more.” Brooke picked up the folder, which Caspian took, quickly out of her hands.
“You have had enough for one night. You aren’t going to find any answers being tired and stressed out. Brooke you need some real rest then you can go back to reading and deciding which doctor you want to take Bridget’s case.”
Brooke knew that Caspian was making sense. “I don’t want to sleep too long. I have to check on Rick, he wasn’t saying much but I know he is hurting.”
“Why don’t you let me talk to Rick while you rest? In the morning you both can talk about your fears.” Caspian kissed her on top of her head.
“Will you come back? I don’t want to be alone.”
“My love, I’ll always be here for you.”



Eve finished serving her table when Stacey came toward her. “Eve, your boyfriend is looking for you.”
“Rick?”
“Yeah. You had better hurry up, you know that Frank is going to be pissed.”
Eve, sighed, lately she had been getting slack about her absences from work. She wiped her hands and headed to the employees' common room. “Rick? Is everything alright with your dad?”
“Yeah, dad’s fine but umm... it’s Bridget.”
“Bridget?”
“She has cancer.” Tears filled Rick’s eyes. “My baby sister has cancer and might die.”
“Oh my god Rick…” Eve took him in her arms holding her tightly.



Taylor heard the front door close. “Ridge?” She walked over toward the front. She had been worried it was late and he hadn’t come home. Every since they had received the news about Bridget, Ridge had been distance.
“Doc…” Ridge held Taylor tightly to his body. “God, Doc. I need you. I need you so much.”
Taylor saw the pain in her husband’s eyes. She knew that Bridget was very important to him. “It will be alright Ridge.” Ridge’s mouth came down on hers. Taylor gave herself up to the kiss. She too needed to feel connected, it had been so long. Ridge’s moved down her exposed neck from the robe that she wore. His hands made quick work of the robe and soon she wore nothing put a silk nightgown. It wasn’t until his hand drew the gown from her breast and he had taken it into his mouth that Taylor pulled away. Ridge groaned loudly.
“Ridge, I want this.” Taylor said with heavy breaths coming out of her mouth. She pulled the gown back into its place. “But, not like this. Not with you hurting and feeling pain. It’s a pattern. One that I used to ignore. When you grieve or become upset, you use sex to solve your problem or help you feel better. I want something more for us this time. When we make love again, for the first time since our split, I want it to be about us and not your pain.”
Ridge was astounded by her words. He had never realized that he had made sex a way to make things up to her or to shut out his pain. “Taylor, I’m so sorry.”
“Ridge, it’s alright. As long as we don’t make the same mistakes.” She took his hand.
“Why don’t we talk about your feelings about Bridget and after that go to bed, together. I’ve missed you. I missed having you next to me.”
“Doc, I’m so sorry. I’m sorry about everything. And as soon as this issue with Bridget is resolved I want us to go away. As a whole family. You, the kids and me. I want our live back. What do you say?”
Taylor smiled. “I think that it would be wonderful. We need to get back on track. You, me and the kids.”



Brooke opened her eyes when she felt a warm body next to her in bed. Caspian’s arms wrapped around her and she sighed with contentment into the darkness. He was naked next to her, he brought her next to him and quickly slid her nightgown over her and then settle her back on top of him. He said nothing, he didn’t need too. He just held her tightly to his body. He felt Brooke’s lips as she placed gentle kisses on his chest. His shaft grew hard against her stomach yet he only held her. He made no move to be the aggressor however he allowed her hands and mouth to explore his body. He felt her capture his pen*s in her small hand, stroking up and down his shaft rubbing against head of his member. “Brooke, you don’t have to do this, I just want to hold you.”
“But I need you. I need something to make me forget, if only for a moment.” She whispered against him. Caspian laid back and allowed Brooke to take control on his body. He understood her need; she was running off of a myriad of emotions. They were silent as she moved over him, sliding her body down on his pen*s. She was so tight, hot and wet. Brooke was deafly quiet as she moved up and down on him. He hands cupped her breast, while his fingers pinched at her nipples before he pulled them into his suckling mouth. Brooke cried out as his tongue played at her breast while he thrust up into her waiting heat. The pace between them wasn’t hurried for he was only concerned in fulfilling her need. It was slow and forceful as she moved down on him. His mouth played on her breast as he moved in and out of her. Brooke closed her eyes and then used the bed frame to support her as she rode him until she found oblivion. Caspian held her as her body shook with her orgasm however, he did not find his own, for this wasn’t about him, this was for her. Brooke’s muffled cries of passion changed and suddenly they became tears of despair. He had been waiting for this, for her to let go. He pulled her body down on top of him, still hard inside of her warmth. He held her as she cried tears of pain for the daughter she desperately loved. “It’s alright. Just let it go.” Caspian held on tightly to her as she cried herself to sleep in his arms.

The following morning brought back the reality of the situation ahead of. Brooke woke early. She didn’t have the heart to wake Caspian from his slumber since he had been up the last two nights for her. Brooke took her shower and dressed in red pants and a matching lightweight red sweater top that exposed her arms and tied at her shoulders. She kissed a sleeping Caspian goodbye before she headed to the kitchen. There, she found her parents already up. Brooke quickly cooked a large breakfast for them to eat although she ate little more than fruit. She then headed straight to the hospital. She stopped by to check on Bridget who was eating her own breakfast with her new diet for an hour before she headed toward Eric’s room where she knew that she would find Stephanie. Stephanie had been talking to a nurse when she finally noticed Brooke in the room. “How is he doing?”
“He is sleeping, as you can see. However he is doing better. Now Brooke, what do you want?”
“Stephanie, believe me, I don’t want to disturb you but I need to talk to you.”
“Not now Brooke, besides I can’t think of anything that you’d have to say to me. I think that we have already said enough.”
“It is important. It’s about Bridget.”
“Bridget?”
“Yes.”
Stephanie followed Brooke out of the room. “What is wrong with Bridget?”
“The test that they ran yesterday. They found something.”
“What is something?” Stephanie was impatient. “Just spit it out and stop being melodramatic.”
“Stephanie, just shut up. This is hard!”
Stephanie saw the look on Brooke’s face. “You're serious aren’t you? What is wrong with Bridget?”
“Stephanie, she has leukemia.”
“No” Stephanie looked as she had the wind knocked out of her.
“I know that it is hard to believe but she has it. Yesterday, the doctor found out when they did the blood test.”
“You are just telling me now.”
“You had had an exhausting yesterday, we all had. I thought that you’d want to get some rest before I told you.”
“Eric doesn’t know.”
“No and with his health….”
“He can’t know. Not right now with his health just starting to improve. He can’t be under stress and this would do that.”
“I know, Stephanie, believe me, I know what this can do to a parent.” Brooke sat down in one of the waiting chairs and cupped her face. “I hardly slept all night.”
“Well, what are they going to do?”
“The doctors want Bridget to have a bone marrow transplant.” Brooke sighed heavily.
“I told Bridget yesterday and she was so strong and positive. She was impressive.”
“Well, she’s an extraordinary young woman.” Stephanie said with assurance.
“I guess that is one thing that we agree on.” Brooke said with a little surprise. “Who would have thought?”
“Well, we both love that little girl. No matter how I’ve felt about you, I’ve always loved Bridget. She’s a Forrester, which means that she’s a fighter. Just like her father and…I suppose…” Stephanie rolled her eyes. “Just like her mother.” Stephanie sat down next to Brooke and surprisingly held Brooke’s hand. “You are not alone in this.” Brooke looked at Stephanie in a mixture of awe and surprise. “I’m here to support Bridget and to support you in this matter.”
It took a moment for Brooke to speak, she had never thought the day would come which Stephanie would be kind and compassionate toward her but then again even after all she had done to her over the years, Stephanie had indeed loved Bridget. “Thank you Stephanie. Bridget and I will need all the support that we can get.”



Ridge finished of his breakfast in a hurry. “Taylor, I’ve got to go.”
“What time are you being tested?”
“In an hour.”
Taylor frowned. “I’m so sorry that I can’t make it.”
“Doc, it’s alright. I’m sure that Bridget and Brooke will understand.” Thomas had come down with a temperature in the middle of the night and still wasn’t feeling well. Ridge kissed Taylor on the lips with a long languid kiss. “Thank you Doc. Thank you for giving me another chance and for letting me come home.”

Brooke watched as the Dr. Levine finished taking Bridget’s blood, then she used an instrument to scrape a little tissue off of the side of Bridget’s mouth. “This is for the DNA testing.”
“I thought that you did that with the blood.”
“We are going to use your blood to see which of your siblings is the better match, the DNA test is part of the newer tests as well.”
Brooke smiled at her daughter. “See, that wasn’t so bad, was it?”
Bridget squeezed her mother’s hand. “No, but it isn’t the other test. It isn’t chemotherapy either.”
Brooke sat down next to Bridget. “No it isn’t. But we’ve talked that about honey. How lucky we are that we found your cancer before you start to feel sick. I know that having the chemotherapy isn’t something to look forward to, but it is necessary. It’s for your health.
“I know mom. I guess that I sound vain. Worrying about pain and my hair.” Bridget touched her hair.
“No…honey. These are your feelings. You are allowed to have them. I’m know that you are scared.”
“That I am but I have you mom. I have the family behind me. If some of my hair falls out, I’ll just wear wigs. It will be cool, maybe I’ll get one of those hot pink ones.”
“Hot pink huh?” Brooke fingered a piece of Bridget’s hair. “Now that would be something.”
“Knock, Knock.” Stephanie knocked on the door and opened it. “Hey.” Stephanie smiled when she saw Bridget. “You are just the person that I wanted to see.” Bridget looked at her mother to see her reaction, however her nodded and winked at Stephanie.
“Come on Stephanie. We were just having a conversation about hot pink wigs.”
“Hot pink, kiddo?” Stephanie winked at Bridget. “I was thinking lime green or how around one of those funky scares that people are wearing now a days.”
“You mean like J-Lo?” Bridget said with a giggle.
“J-Lo?”
“Jennifer Lopez. All the girls want to be like her.” Brooke added.
“Oh. Then by all means that is what we must have.”
Bridget shook her head. “I can’t believe this.”
“What?” Brooke and Stephanie said in unison.
“You two. You are getting along.”
“Well, I’m tell you a secret.” Stephanie whispered. “You mother and I are calling a truce for right now.”
“Because of me?”
“Well, Stephanie and I do not have one thing in common. We both love you more than we dislike each other.”



Brooke found Rick as he headed off the elevator with Eve. They hugged and chatted for a moment. “Well, I’m going to head to the doctor for testing.”
“I’m going with him for moral support.” Eve said. “I can’t stay too long. I’ve got class. I’d miss it but…”
“Eve, don’t worry. You have done enough. You’ve been there for my son and that is more than I could expect.” Brooke put her arm around her. “You never had to apologize to me.”
Eve blushed. Brooke was always so sweet to her. “Well, I do have something that I want to give to Bridget.”
“She’s in her room with Stephanie.”
“Stephanie?” Rick gave his mother surprised look.
“It’s a long story.”
“Go ahead Eve. I’ll catch up.” Eve headed to Bridget’s room. Now mother, tell me the truth is Stephanie giving you a hard time.”
“No, surprisingly she isn’t. She loves Bridget just like she loves you so we are calling a temporary truce as she put it.”
“Well, that’s good. You have enough on your mind without having to deal with her comments. So, where are grandma and grandpa?”
“They are on their way.”
“And Caspian?”
“I left him asleep at the house but he’s probably up by now.”
“And on his way.”
“I think that he had business to attend to.”
Rick laughed. “Even if his whole building were on fire, he’d be here. Right now his business comes in second to you. He’ll be here.”
“You sound so sure.”
“You aren’t”
“No, it’s just…nice. To come first. He understand that although I wish I could do the same, you and Bridget come first with me.” Brooke frowned. “Honey how are YOU holding up with all of this?”
“Last night was tough but Eve was there.”
Brooke nodded took her son’s hand as they walked. “She’s a special girl, isn’t she? I really like her.”
“And I really love her mom. Really love her.”



Sara lay amid the beeping sound of the machine that was helping to put morphine into her system to numb out the pain that the cancer was causing her. Michael came into the room; his friend was on her last leg and didn’t have much time. He had hoped to have some information on Sara’s daughter Angel but they found nothing. He had even hired a detective to look for her, the only thing they had was dead end. Angel had disappeared and it seemed that nobody had any records on the girl since she was sixteen. The only thing that he had on her was a bank account, which hadn’t been touched in three years. That along with amount of money in the account concerned Michael, where in the world did a girl so young get money like that? Angel had well over 200,000 dollars in a savings account. The money was just collecting interest for nobody had made a deposits or withdrawals in the last three years. With that kind of money, Angel wouldn’t have had been doing anything legal and with no one knowing where she was or where she went, Michael was afraid that Sara’s daughter was dead.



Eve handed Bridget a small box. She had come into the room and Stephanie Forrester had given her some privacy with Bridget. “What’s this?” Bridget asked.
“Well, I figure you’ve been going through a lot the last couple of days and maybe you need a good luck charm to help you out. I’m letting you borrow something that belongs to me. It’s the only thing that I took with me from my childhood.”
Bridget opened the velvet box and found tiny gold bracelet that had a what looked to be a solid gold heart on it. One the heart there was tiny writing, but it was in a language that Bridget didn’t understand. “Wow, this is beautiful. Eve I can’t take this, besides it wouldn’t fit my wrist. It’s too small.”
“Yes, but not to small for your bear, see.” Eve but the bracelet on the bear. “Rick told me about it. This is a gift for you to keep as a charm until you get better. Once you get better you gotta give it back. It’s the only thing that I have from mom.”
“Well, then Eve, I don’t want to take it.”
“You aren’t taking it. You are just borrowing it. For good luck.”
Bridget used her finger to trail over the tiny letters on the gold heart. “What does this mean?”
“I don’t know. I never did. I asked my mother once or twice but she never told me. When I left, this is the only thing that I took with me.”
“Thank you for lending it to me.” Bridget hugged Eve.



Ridge opened the door to the doctor’s office to find Kristen waiting. “Hey Kris.” Ridge kissed his sister on the cheek. “Have you been tested yet?”
“No, but I’m next. Dr. Levine is in there with Rick.”
“Has Thorne been in yet?”
“No... But...”
Thorne walked into the office. “I’m here.” He kissed his sister and nodded toward his brother. “Hey Ridge.”
“Hey” Ridge patted his brother on his back. “We are just waiting.” The door to the doctor’s office opened and Rick came out followed by Dr. Levine.
“Good to see all of you here, who is next?”



Caspian hugged Brooke from behind her back. Brooke leaned back against him allowing herself the comfort of his arms. He kissed on of her shoulders gently with tiny kisses as a sigh escaped from her lips. “Tired?” He whispered.
“Tired of waiting. I guess that I shouldn’t complain.”
“Don’t worry so Brooke. I’m sure that Rick is going to be a match for Bridget. Besides it will be some time before Bridget will even be ready for chemo.”
“Dr. Levine said that she wants to recover from her accident first. But I want to know that Rick is going to be a match that way I can breathe easy.”
Caspian kissed her on top of her head. “You didn’t sleep that well last night. You woke up a couple of times.”
“I’m sorry…”
“Shhh, don’t you dare apologize. My main concern is you and Bridget.”
“I just want Bridget to be safe and well. That is all I want.”



Bridget fingered the bracelet that Eve had given her. Everyone had been so kind and caring to her. Her grandparents had spent the last hour playing Boggle with her or watched her draw. Her mother had been in and out of the room as well as some of her friends from school. Although she liked the attention, she needed some time alone. She hadn’t told any of her friends about the cancer, she wasn’t ready to do so. Scott had called and said that he was coming over and she asked him not to come until later because she was tired. She wondered what she was going to tell him. They were starting a relationship. She didn’t know how he was going to react to the news that she had. She already was too young for him and a virgin. Now, she had leukemia, how would be able to deal with that. More importantly, how would she?



Isabelle finished her walk around inspecting every aspect of the newly refurbished building that would now be the L.A offices of Microtech. After yesterday’s mishap with Pierce, she planned on focusing her attention on business. Although the offices didn’t have all amenities as their offices in Italy, Paris or in Japan, it still would allow them to be able to do business and make a great deal of money at the same time. The hiring offices had been working in overdrive all week in order to fill position as well as find the top consulting person in the United States. What had originally become an opportunity to allow Caspian to be closer to Brooke became an opportunity to corner the market in L.A.
Only the brightest and the best would be employed by them. They had employed the methods that had worked for them Europe and “stolen” employees from any would be competition with 30% pay raises, the best medical and benefit packets available as well as some stock options. They had also used their sources within the underworld to find some of their best workers. Isabelle had called on an old associate in Vegas to help her find out the latest in world of hackers in order to find the just “right” people to work for her, in her experience it was those who were considered of off brand types with their hacker lingo and their cocky attitudes about what systems that they could get in and out of who did their best work for their company. Isabelle had a unit already set up for what often was a group of young and highly skilled individual who often worked late at night since their offices were open for 24 and or who had the ability from their homes as long as they didn’t use secure information. Still, Isabelle needed to find the right person for working on their latest software. In her office was the files on ten possible people, she had already singled out three people yet she needed a forth. For the project that she had in mind, she had already set aside Jonathan Rodger, Eboni Jennings and Nicolette Jones. Each individual seemed to have the right credentials for what she wanted based on the information for the interviews conducted by her panel. The interviews had been videotaped and she had planned on watching them personally. Not only had the individuals had their background checked, the applicants had to take an exclusive test using tracking software which Caspian had developed. It was the last person that she was looking for that gave her pause. For he didn’t live in L.A., he lived in New York and he was only 17 not yet 18 but based on Intel, he had the potential to become of the brightest geniuses in computer technology. Isabelle wanted Cory Hunter for the last position. On the desk laid the dossier on Cory. He was the top of his class and had worked on creating his own decoding program and has high SAT scores. She knew that colleges such as MIT were looking to enroll him however she wanted him to work for her and was more than willing to not only pay him but pay his tuition for UCLA or any university if he’d be willing to work for her. She looked at the well dressed African American male smiling in the picture for a moment before she slid his photo back into the folder. She then opened up the other docie for Nicolette Jones, there was little on the young woman’s background. She had had her investigated; it seemed that the woman had been in and out of the social service system. She had no known parents and had even been arrested once or twice for assault and has suspected for hacking into FBI’s database and transferring funds from corporate companies into an off shore account, however they had nothing on her. The young woman didn’t have any family nor did it seem that she had any friends, which gave her pause. People who had connections could easily get up and move at any time, this concerned Isabelle. She liked to have something or information to hold over people and no with connection was different. Yet, she liked the work that she saw from the information displayed from the young woman, she okayed for her to be hired. Unlike the other doceas, there was no picture of the young lady and for a moment she wondered what had happened with the photo, when the door to her office opened.
“Ms. Deangleo. There is a woman to see you.”
“I have a meeting with the division heads at 12.” Isabelle had to cover a meeting originally meant for her brother since he was at the hospital with Brooke. Caspian had called her earlier during the day to let her know what was going on with Forrester family, there had been something in his voice and Isabelle wondered what had happened. Caspian told her that he’d come and talk to her later. She had wondered what it was that was bothering him for he had told her earlier the pervious day that Bridget was all right. Isabelle looked at personal assistant. “Tell, who ever it is that I’ll have to speak to them at another time. I’m busy.”
“But...” Her assistant stopped when she was fixed with one of Isabelle’s steely gazes that intimidated most people.
“Give them my message.”
At that time the door opened and an elegantly coiffed and dressed woman wearing a silk gray dress and matching gray fur wrap stepped in the doorway. “Bella it is in a matter of importance.”
Isabella’s mask stayed the neutral, not displaying a sign of surprise of seeing her mother. She then turned her attention to her assistant. “That will be all.' To her mother, 'A fur wrap in L.A. Aren’t you making a fashion faux pas? Fur in L.A, that isn’t like you.” Olivia stepped into the office, taking in the large slanted windows that displayed downtown L.A. The office reeked of her daughter’s style with a large hint of Japanese influence with its jade and black hues, the costume made silk sofa to the precious jade figures that were artfully displayed. Olivia also noted the stunning portrait of her daughter that graced the wall. The portrait was dark and haunting as it captured her daughter’s piercing yet cold blue eyes.
“That is interesting. I’ve never known you to be egotistical enough to have a self portrait done.” Isabelle slid from behind her desk looked as elegant as her mother in her dress. The dress from the front looked severe, for it had a high neckline and short capped sleeves that only touched the sides of her shoulder, the waistline was tight being pulled tight against her body while the hem was one a quarter length skirt, however the back was daring, for in the middle of her back there was a diamond shape of material cut out of the back leaving a large portion of her back exposed. The only hint of color was the ruby and diamond earrings that Isabelle wore. Olivia couldn’t help but to note how attractive her daughter was and that made what Isabelle did with her life even more of a shame. “Mother, Caspian had the portraits commissioned, there is one of me in my office and another of him will be placed when his office is finished.”
“He isn’t here?”
Isabelle raised her perfectly arched eyebrow at her mother. “Surely you know that he isn’t here, otherwise you wouldn’t have made it past security.”
The coldness in her daughter’s voice ate away at Olivia. “I wanted to talk to you about your brother.”
“So, you came to L.A? I believe that your phone does work doesn’t it?”
“Bella, do you always have to be so difficult?”
“Now mother, it wouldn’t be fun if I weren’t so difficult, now would it?”
Pain washed over the Olivia’s face. “You are never going to forgive me, are you?” She whispered.
Isabelle felt nothing as she saw the pain on her mother’s face. “No I won’t. So, let us dispense this contrite conversation. Why don’t you tell me why you are really here in L.A?”
“Alright. I miss you.”
“We don’t have a relationship. Besides, the word miss implies feelings of some sort. That I don’t have.”
“Bella, can’t you just give a little?”
“I’ve already answered that question mother. In fact…” Isabelle touched the clock on her desk. “You have two minutes to tell me why you are here before I have you thrown out. And before you go crying…remember I’m the one with compassion compared to Caspian when it comes to you. He WON’T be happy to find that you are in L.A, especially if you are going to make trouble.” Isabelle closed in closely toward her mother. “Tell, me. Are you here to cause trouble?”
Olivia heard the hidden threat in her daughter’s voice. To know that she had created this monster had filled her with dread. If only she could turn back the hands of time and change the past. Her daughter wasn’t always like this; her daughter had once been a loving person with a heart. Olivia straightened her shoulders looking her daughter square on in the face. “Don’t threaten me Bella. It isn’t becoming.”
“It isn’t a threat mother. Why would I threaten you?” Isabelle went toward the tea service that her assistant had brought in and poured herself a cup of tea. “Why are you here?”
“Your brother. Why has he moved his offices here?”
“Why do you think?”
“It’s about Brooke Forrester, isn’t it?”
“She’s his lover.” Isabelle took a sip of tea. “More than that, he loves her.”
Olivia watched her daughter. “The way that he loved Lark?”
“Sometimes, I think more. It’s deep.”
“It’s dangerous. He is going to be deeply hurt.”
“And you care?”
“I love my son. I love you too but you won’t let me show you.”
“Time is up mother.”
“Bella, please. It’s only going to be a mess when the truth comes.”
“What makes you think that it will?”
“The truth always comes out, surely you know that. He’s going to be hurt so badly. How do you think that Brooke Forrester is going to react when she finds out that she looks like Lark? She will feel betrayed and lied to. How could any woman not be?”
“He loves her.”
“Regardless. She won’t believe it. Bella this is a tragedy waiting to happen. My god, he was married her sister and….”
“What?” Isabelle cut off her mother. “What did you just say?”
Olivia paled. God, she couldn’t believe that she had made a slip up like she did.
“Nothing…I just.”
“Her sister.” Isabelle’s eyes narrowed. “You just said her sister.”
“It was a mistake.”
Isabelle thought for a moment. Two women. Identical…of course it made sense.
“Sisters...Lark and Brooke?” Olivia moved toward the door when her daughter cornered her. “No, you aren’t going anywhere mother. You are going to tell me everything that you know about Brooke and Lark. Or so help me god, you’ll regret it.”



Dr. Levine summonsed Brooke into her office. Brooke asked Caspian to go with her for moral supports. The two entered Dr. Levine’s office. “Ms. Logan…”
“Please call me Brooke. After all you are doing your best to help my daughter.”
“Alright, Brooke. As you know we did the test to see if Rick would be a donor for Bridget.”
“And…” Brooke clasped her hands together.
“He is a match….”
“Thank god.” Brooke smiled. “I knew it.”
“Brooke, Rick is a match but he can’t be a donor.”
“What? Why not? I thought...”
“Rick’s medical history. Rick has one kidney something that I wasn’t aware of until I got his chart.”
“One kidney, that shouldn’t matter.”
“But it does. The kidney flushes out the toxins in the body. Rick is currently working with one, which makes any type of surgery a risk for him. I can’t allow Rick to donate to Bridget. I’m sorry Brooke.”
Tears filled Brooke’s eyes. “There isn’t any way that we can work around this?”
“No, I’m sorry. I know that you wouldn’t want to risk the health of your son. Would you?”
Brooke sighed. “You are right. I won’t risk Rick’s health. You are sure that he can’t do it?”
“I can’t let him. I’m sorry Brooke.”
Caspian took Brooke’s hand. “Doctor, what about Ridge or Thorne or Kristen?”
“Brooke, that is where we have another problem. Through DNA testing, Thorne and Kristen are way off the mark. They don’t match at all. In fact…” She sighed. “I don’t know what I’m going to tell you this, but they aren’t siblings to your daughter.”
“Excuse me? That’s impossible. They are her siblings.”
“No, they aren’t Brooke. In fact, I double-checked the DNA. In fact, Rick and Bridget aren’t fully related siblings. They are half brother and sister.”
“Are you sure? It seems that you’ve made a mistake.” Caspian said with authority.
“I know that this is very confusing to you but test don’t lie. Based on the DNA test that we ran, it’s impossible for Kristen, Thorne or Ridge to be siblings to you daughter. In fact Bridget results show some certain matches with Ridge”
“I don’t understand what you are saying.”
“I read in Bridget’s file that there was a question about Bridget’s paternity when she was six years old.”
“Yes. Ridge was thought to be Bridget’s father but there was this mess and it came out that Eric, not Ridge was her father.”
“By looking through the our tests, I believe that your original tests results were correct.”
Caspian leaned forward. “What are you saying?”
“DNA testing has come a long way in just a small amount of years, from our test it very well probable that Ridge is Bridget’s father. That would explain why Kristen and Thorne aren’t matches and Rick has the markings of a half sibling. Rick gets some genes from you Brooke. Bridget shows marking that look to come from Ridge. The irony of situation is that regardless of Rick’s status for Bridget however his own health risk are involved.”
“Ridge?” Brooke looked at Caspian. “Oh my god. What does this mean for Bridget, if Ridge is her father?”
“I suggest that we be sure first. I need to run a series of paternity test but it won’t take much more than a half an hour if we have Ridge’s permission and yours of course.” Brooke was in total shock. The whole situation was incomprehensible to her. “Brooke, I’m sure that this is shock to you but for her heath, we need to know who her father is. Ridge as I know has other children, it is a real possibility that one of those children are a match for Bridget.”
“Brooke?” Caspian walked over toward her. “I know that this is shocking and disturbing but you’ve got to find out.”
Brooke nodded. “Yes. Dr. Levine run the paternity test.”
“We need Ridge Forrester’s permission before we can do the test.”

Brooke stood at the door to Ridge and Taylor’s house. They had found from Bridget, whom Ridge had visited, that he had gone home to check on Thomas who was still suffering from a fever. Caspian put a hand on her shoulder. “Are you alright?”
“I just needed a minute. I just don't believe this. I remember all those years ago, I wanted nothing more than anything and to find this out now, it’s just overwhelming. But I can’t even focus or think about how this is going to effect Bridget emotionally right now I just need for Bridget to have a match.”

Taylor hurried to the door as it rang; she was surprised to find Brooke and Caspian standing. “Brooke? Come on in.” They followed Taylor in. “How is Bridget? Ridge said that he saw her earlier.”
“She’s doing better than I expected it. Taylor, I don’t think that you’ve been formally introduced. Taylor this is Caspian.”
“Ms. Forrester.” Caspian said.
“Mr. Deangleo. I’ve all about you from my husband.”
“Surely, you shouldn’t believe everything that your husband says, do you?”
Taylor wasn’t sure what to make of the comment. “What can I do for you? Is this about Bridget? Is Ridge a candidate for a donor?”
“Taylor I just want to speak to you and Ridge together.”
Ridge came down into the living room; he frowned when he saw Caspian. “Brooke, what is going on?”
“Ridge, the doctor did the test.”
“What were the results?”
“Rick matched Bridget but because of his one kidney, he can’t donate.”
“But they can look at Ridge, Thorne, Kristen and Felicia.” Taylor said.
“They might have…but there was a complication.”
Ridge saw the look on Brooke’s face. “What complication?”
“DNA showed that it is probable that you and not Eric are Bridget’s father.”
Taylor felt as if the floor left hit her. “What did you say?”
“Ridge may be Bridget’s father.”
“That isn’t possible. We did those test all those years ago.”
“The test could be wrong.” Brooke said.
“You would like that wouldn’t you?” Taylor said angrily.
“Taylor...”
“No Ridge. Years ago she paid that doctor to change those paternity test. It was her fault that we had to get them done again. Now, this mess all over again.”
“I am not to blame for those tests. I didn’t pay that doctor off all those years ago.”
“Yeah, we knew how much you wanted Bridget to be Ridge’s baby.”
“That’s enough.” Caspian said to Taylor. “I’m not going to stand here and let you attack her. Her daughter is sick, Bridget has cancer.”
Ridge put his arm around Taylor. “Doc, I know that you are upset but we can’t get into this. This isn’t Brooke’s fault. She didn’t change those tests years ago.” Ridge tried to kiss Taylor but she pulled away. “Honey, I’m sorry.”
“For whatever it is worth, I’m sorry too Taylor. I know that you’ve been through a lot.”
Taylor lips trembled. “What does Ridge have to do?”
“He has to take a paternity test.”

Taylor paced back and forth in the doctor’s office. The last half an hour had been nerve wracking. It had to be a mistake. She wanted Bridget to have a donor. She wanted her to get well, but she honestly, she didn’t want Bridget to be Ridge’s daughter.

Beth looked at her watch. Brooke should have gotten the news on whether Rick or the others were a match. Something was wrong. She opened the door to leave the room when she ran into Stephanie Forrester.

Dr. Levine received the results from the paternity test. She walked out to her waiting room area. There she found Brooke, Caspian, Ridge and Taylor Forrester waiting to hear the news. “I’ve had them do the tests three times to ensure that there were no mistakes this time. There was 100% match.”
Taylor bit her lip before she spoke up. “What were the results?”
“The tests reveal that Ridge Forrester is the father of Bridget Forrester.”

 

Against All Odds Chapter 86 Review {Test Results} Brooke tells the family that Bridget has leukemia. Dr. Levine tells Thorne, Kristen, Ridge and Rick that they could be possible candidates to Bridget since they are her siblings. Brooke and Stephanie call a truce until Bridget feels better. Pierce goes to see Isabelle, however she treats him horribly and he leaves. Olivia comes to L.A and warns Isabelle that Caspian will be hurt by his relationship with Caspian and lets it slip that Lark and Brooke are sisters. Dr. Levine tells Brooke that Rick matches however because of one of his kidney he can’t donate. The doctor stuns Brooke and Caspian by telling them that they think that Ridge, not Eric, is Bridget’s father. Ridge takes another paternity test and it comes out that he is Bridget’s father.

Against All Odds Chapter 87 ( Reunion)

Brooke sat in the courtyard of her home staring at the view from her patio. She had had another restless night and finally had gotten up since tossing and turning did nothing to help her problems. The previous day’s events filled her thoughts mostly the test results of Bridget’s paternity tests. After the test results had been given and it was proven that Ridge, not Eric was Bridget’s father, Brooke and Ridge had both been so shocked. At that point and time neither of them had said a word, what could they say? Each of them had just looked at each other and then they had left. Brooke knew that Ridge was just as confused if not more than her. Brooke really couldn’t focus on Ridge or Taylor at the moment; her thoughts were solely on her daughter. How was this entire thing going to affect Bridget? Brooke cupped her head in her hands covering her face.
“ Brooke?” Beth walked out in the courtyard. She was alarmed at daughter’s appearance. Brooke was wearing a robe, however her eyes were red and puffy, she looked pale and her long hair lay in strings.
Brooke looked up. “ Mom, what are you doing up so early?”
“Honey, I’m still on Paris time.”
“ That’s right. I’m sorry.” Brooke stood up and bit her lip.
“Brooke are you going to tell me what is going on. And before you start telling me that everything is alright, I want you to know that I didn’t believe that story about the test results not being in.” Beth stood next to her daughter. “ Brooke, what happened? Ever since I saw you last night, you’ve been distant and even more worried than before.”
Brooke’s bottom lip quivered as a tear ran down from her eyes. “ The test did come in. Rick would have been a match but because of his one kidney, he can’t be a donor for health risk.”
“ Brooke surely either Ridge, Thorne, Kristen or even Felicia can be a donor.”
“ They can’t be a donor for Bridget. Mom, yesterday the test revealed a lot more than that. The test revealed that Ridge is Bridget’s father.”
Beth shook her head. “ Brooke did you just say that Ridge is Bridget’s father?”
“ Yes.”
“ Brooke, how could something like that be true?”
“ I don’t know. I guess that there was a problem with the test that we took all those years ago. The test results were wrong.”
“ How can you be so certain?”
“ Because Doctor Levine did the three times and they all stated that Ridge, not Eric, is her father.”
Beth’s hand shook as she reached out to her daughter. “ Brooke…honey…”
“I can’t believe this. All those years, all those lost years. I know that I haven’t always made the best decisions in my life. I never expected my life to be perfect but I only wanted one thing for my children, their happiness.” Tears feel from Brooke’s eyes.
“ My children were the most important things to me. I would have done anything for their happiness especially Bridget's.”
“ I know that honey.”
“ All those years ago when I told Bridget that Ridge wasn’t her father, it was the most painful thing in my life. You know how much she adored him.”
Unshed tears filled Beth’s eyes as she nodded. “ I know she did.”
“ She’d wait for him to get off from work, her little nose pressed up against her bedroom window watching for him.” Brooke wiped one of her own tears. “ We told Rick and Bridget that we were going to get married again, she was so happy. So that day when the Eric dropped the charges against me, she thought that her family was going to be reunited. I had to tell her that there was a mistake, that Eric was her father. Her face. Her little face was full of so much pain and hurt but there was something else…something in her eyes that died.” Brooke’s hand began to shake as she pulled her hair back from behind her ears. “ And she’s never been the same since.”
“ Honey, that wasn’t your fault that there was a mistake.”
“ Everyone thought that it was. Everyone thought that I was responsible for the mess up the first time.”
“ Brooke…”
“ Even you. You thought that I might have changed that test.” Brooke said bitterly.
“ Honey, I was so wrong to think that you’d hurt Bridget like that. Surely, you know how sorry that I am for thinking that.”
“ It didn’t even matter, I mean for a while did but what people thought about me have very little because all that matter to me was my little girl.” Brooke licked her lip and closed her eyes to those torrid memories. “ That day, I took her father away from her surely as if killed him or better yet, killed the light of my daughter’s life.”
“ Brooke, going back to that painful time isn’t helping Bridget. She turned out to be a wonderful girl.”
“ She turned out to be a girl in a great deal of pain mother. Her dreams ended and began with Ridge. Her whole life has been filled with the dream of having him back as father. She has done some things that I haven’t approved of in order to have him back. You remember how upset she was when it was proven that Thomas was Ridge’s child, she distraught when he left. She blamed me because once again I had taken her father from her.”
“ That was out of your hands. How were you to know that Taylor would tell Ridge about Thomas after she said that she wouldn’t? I was disappointed in you Brooke, but you suffered.”
“ So did Bridget. That the point, my daughter has been through so much in her small amount of time on this earth. But to find out this, to find out that the last eleven years of pain that my daughter has gone through wasn’t necessary. My god, my daughter hasn’t been the same since and it was all for nothing. I hurt my daughter. I’ve seen the pain and despair in her eyes and I put it there for nothing. It was all for nothing…” Brooke’s voice faltered as her mother took her into her arms.
“ Don’t do this to yourself Brooke.”
“ How can I not mom?”
“ Because Bridget is fine. She’ll get through this.”
Brooke pulled away from her mother. “ But she won’t get those years back. She won’t get back the years that she lost or the tears that she shed. For eleven years she has been cheated out of her father.”
“ She had Eric.”
“ But they never connected, not really. He tried but she always saw Ridge as her father. A father she never had. It killed me to see her in pain. I never wanted her to feel hurt, sad or disappointed and that was what she felt. And I knew deep down that I caused her the greatest pain that she ever experienced.”
“ It wasn’t your fault. There was a mix up.”
“ A mix up that never should have happened.”
“ But now that the truth is know, Bridget is going to okay. She loves Ridge and she loved you. You can’t blame yourself for this debacle. You aren’t to blame for what has happened to Bridget.”

Caspian poured himself a hot cup of coffee. “ Do you want to tell me what has you in this quiet mood like this?” Isabelle said to her brother as she came into the breakfast room wearing a soft pale pink satin robe. “ Is it Bridget?”
“ It’s Bridget. It’s Brooke. It’s Ridge.”
“ Ridge?” Isabelle took the cup of coffee her brother had poured for her. She took a homemade chocolate muffin off the tray. “ What does he have to do with Bridget? Is he a match for her?”
“ No”
“ Then Rick was?”
“ No, Rick had certain complications because of his one kidney. The problem is Ridge Forrester and the fact that he and not Eric is Bridget’s father.”
“ Ridge is her father.”
“ Yes. It seems that there mix up with the paternity test, they had taken all those years ago.”
“ The situation, I take it, is a mess.”
“ To say the least.” Caspian sighed. “ Brooke has been very quiet but it is disturbing her a great deal.”
Isabelle sipped her coffee. “ And Ridge Forrester, how is he taking the news of his newfound fatherhood?”
“ He was shocked and confused as Brooke. However, I can tell there was a little joy in his eyes. He has always cared for Bridget and was hurt that she was taken from him. Now, he has his daughter back.”
“And his wife, Taylor?”
“ Taylor, she hasn’t said a thing but it was in her eyes. She’s very upset about this news.”
Isabelle raised an eyebrow at her brother. “ I’m not surprised. Morgan and Ridge’s child was one thing but Bridget is another. Bridget is a living-breathing symbol of love that Brooke and Ridge shared. She’ll be threatened.”
“ By what? Ridge and Brooke aren’t together. Even if Ridge is a pampas overbearing ass when it comes to Brooke, why would she be worried? Brooke and Ridge are over.”
“Yes, that is because you are assured of your place in Brooke’s life. You know that she loves you. Taylor isn’t confident. Being married to Ridge, having to compete with a mother and an ex-wife that he hasn’t truly gotten over. This will likely kill poor Taylor.”
Isabelle ate some of her muffin.
Caspian eyes narrowed. “ You don’t sound very sorry for her.”
“ Are you?”
“ I’ll reserve my pity for her until I see how she deals with Brooke.” Caspian leaned down and kissed his sister on her cheek. “ I’ll see you later I need to stop by the office and then go to Brooke’s. As much as I can’t stand Ridge, I know that he and Brooke need to talk.”
“Hmmm”
“ What?”
“ You’ve curved your jealousy streak.”
“ Brooke is an extraordinary woman. If I were to be jealous of every man who wanted her, I’d be forever be upset. Jealousy, my sister, will drive you mad. I’m secure that my love for Brooke is stronger than anything that she ever had with Ridge.”
Isabelle was relieved to hear that her brother felt that way. Caspian was a passionate man. He felt love deeply as well as anger and hate. Although her brother had mellowed, an enraged Caspian was a very dangerous Caspian.
“ Caspian, there is something I need to tell you.”
Caspian stooped at the door looking. The sunlight poured in through the window bathing him in light. Isabelle noticed how much that he looked like their father. He looked handsome wearing a metallic gray shirt that was had the first three buttons open, black slacks and metallic gray shades. His hair had been freshly cut and his tan looked so perfect that it looked like it had come out of a bottle. “ Yes.”
“ It’s about Olivia.”
Caspian frowned. “ What about her?”
“ I’m giving you full warning. She’s in L.A”

Taylor sat on the bed in her bedroom looking at the photos in her album. She touched her wedding photo. She had been happy that day, little did she know of all the pain and the sorrow that being married to Ridge would bring. However, she still loved him. Taylor looked at more photos of Ridge and her children. Taylor closed the photo album. Now there were two more children that belonged to Ridge. First, there was Dylan and then Bridget. She couldn’t believe the test results proved that Ridge was Bridget’s father. How did this happen once again? How was it possible that once again, the test results were wrong? Ridge had been very quiet during their drive home but deep down she knew that he was happy to have Bridget back again as his father. She had woken in the middle of the night to find Ridge looking at some old videos of he and Bridget. Taylor’s heart clenched. She had never known that Ridge had videotapes of he and Bridget. She had watched him as he watched those videos. He had always wanted Bridget to be his and now, it looked like he had gotten his wish, he and Brooke. Taylor frowned. This had been the one thing that Brooke wanted all those years ago. She finally had gotten what wanted.

Stephanie handed Bridget a colorful box. Bridget took the box. “ What is this?”
“ Just a little something that I thought that you’d like to have.” Stephanie said with a smile. “Your father and I wanted you to have it.”
Bridget opened the box to find silver plated photo alum. “ Wow, this is beautiful.”
“Open it.”
Bridget opened it. She found pictures of her and Eric when she was a child. Each of the photos were labeled. Bridget sighed and cooed as she went through the photos of her and Eric, her and Stephanie, her and Rick, Ridge and she smiled even harder when she found some pictures of her and her mother. “ Where did you find them?”
“ Well, your mother and I don’t always get along but she does take a nice photo.”
Bridget nodded as she found a picture of a birthday party of Ridge’s when Bridget had been 4. They had been at Eric and Stephanie house by the pool. Brooke was smiling in a gray bathing suit with pigtails while she held Bridget in her arms. Ridge had been laughing in front of a colorful cake. There were a few more photos of the party and Bridget saw one in which both Stephanie and Brooke had been laughing at each other.
“ WOW. Look at that?”
“ What?”
“ You and mom. You both are smiling.”
“ Yes, I guess that we were.”
“ I kinda have memories of Ridge and mom’s first marriage. You used to come over all the time and you and mom got along with one another.”
Stephanie rolled her eyes.“ We did seem to get along with each other for a moment. I loved spending time with you. We used to go to the park. To the zoo, you and your brother.”
“ We used to draw all the time. I think that I remembered that.”
“You always loved it. You were so talented. Ridge and I used to talk about you all the time.”
“ That was when I thought that you were my grandmother.” Bridget whispered.
Stephanie’s hand stilled on the photo. “ Honey…”
“ It’s all right Stephanie. Even though I wasn’t your granddaughter anymore, you still cared about me.”
“ I loved you. I still do.”
“ I know Stephanie.”
“ I’m sorry Bridget.”
“ Sorry, for what?”
“ For the hurt and the pain that you felt when I tried to take you from your mother. I didn’t think about how if would affect you. For that I’m sorry.”
Bridget smiled. “ Thanks Stephanie. I needed that.” Bridget hugged Stephanie hard.

Megan strode down the busy hallway of Forrester toward Eric’s office. Although it was early in the morning, they were swamped and overworked. Thorne walked into the office.
“ Megan.”
“ Thank god you are here. I need your help.”
“ With what?”
“ There is a problem with International.”
“ What kind of problem?”
“ Well, Ricardo quit.”
“ What? The line is almost finished and up for production.”
“ I know. But there was some kind of personal problem. They are a designer short and you know that they can’t hire without the okay of Eric, Ridge or Brooke. With everything going on Eric and Brooke can’t take care of it.”
“ What about Ridge?”
“ I can’t seem to reach him. So, you have to go.”
“ What?”
“ Thorne, if we don’t get another designer to finish that line, the company is going to lose money.”
“ I understand that Megan, but I don’t take care of the design aspect of the business.”
“ Yes, but you are a Forrester and you have an eye. Thorne, you can do this. I know that you can. Besides, that isn’t our only problem. We are having problems with our London distributors, you have to fix it as well.”
“ Megan, my father is in the hospital.”
“ And this company needs you. With Bridget being sick, Brooke can’t go, your dad can’t go. Ridge is dealing with Taylor and the kids. Take the trip, take your wife if want. But you’ve got to go, there isn’t anyone else.”


Trudie handed Rick a stack of pancakes. “ Here you go”
“ Thanks True.” Rick poured syrup on the stack and dove in. “ Aren’t you going to eat some.”
“ No. No, I’m on a no carb diet this week. It’s fruit and yogurt for me after my run.” Trudie said as she twisted her hair up in a topknot. “ So, how is Bridget doing?”
Rick stilled. He had asked Eve not to tell anybody about Bridget’s illness, he wondered if she had told Trudie. “ She is doing better.”
“ I’m glad. I know that getting hit by a truck isn’t something that she wanted for her summer. I’m just glad that she and your dad are alright.” Trudie put on her tennis and piped up her running gear. She wore a sports bra and a pair of gray running shorts. “ I’ll see you later Rick.” Rick nodded and finished off his pancakes. He thoughts were filled with his sister. He had hoped that the test results would have shown that he was a donor for his sister but his mother stated that the test results weren’t in. He loved Bridget so much and he wanted to be the person to save her life. One thing that he knew was that life was too precious. He found Eve asleep in bedroom. He sat down next to edge of the bed and watched her. Boy, was she beautiful. As he watched her, she started to move and talk in her sleep. His joy in watching Eve sleep turned to concern as she spoke.
“ No. No..Don’t..” Eve moved more in her sleep. Tears started to fall down Eve’s cheeks.
“ Please don’t…”
Rick was so alarmed that he reached out and touched Eve. She jumped in her sleep cowering away from Rick for a moment before she realized where she was. “ Rick…” She struggled to catch her breath. “I’m sorry.”
Rick noticed that her hands were shaking so badly. He cupped them in his. “ Eve. What happened?”
Eve pulled her hands away from Rick’s. “ I’m fine. It was just a bad dream. That’s all.”
She crawled out of bed and headed toward the bathroom to run a shower.
“ Eve, that was way more than your average nightmare. Look at you, you are shaking.” He tried to reach out to her but Eve shoved his hands away from her hard. “ No! Don’t touch me!”
Rick was taken aback by this new behavior. Eve was normally warm and caring. He had never remembered her yelling at him. Eve turned away for a moment before she turned back to Rick. Instantly her face softened. “ Rick, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean snap at you. I just need a minute to myself.”
“ Eve, what’s wrong.”
“ Nothing. Just a bad dream. Please just let it go.”
“ No. I can’t. I love you baby, what’s wrong?”
“ Let take a shower. Okay?”
Rick sighed and them complied. He loved Eve and could easily see that she was distraught. He wanted to know why.”

Beth handed Brooke cup of tea. Brooke sipped the hot brew. “ Thank you, mom.”
Beth kissed Brooke on the top of her head. “ No problem. So, what does this implication mean for Bridget’s heath?”
“ Well, as you have figured out neither Thorne, Kristen or Ridge can donate for Bridget. However that leaves Ridge’s children. Thomas or the twins could be a match for Bridget.”
“ How does Taylor feel about this?”
“ I don’t know. I know that she loves her children and she isn’t happy about Ridge being Bridget’s father but I don’t think that she is going to have problem with one of them donating to Bridget.” Brooke pulled her hair behind her ear in a nervous gesture. “ Bridget needs a donor. Taylor has three children. Surely one of them are a match for her.”

Nico finished off her coffee and smoked a cigarette while she waited. She looked at her watch, she didn’t have much time. She had to get to work at Microtech. She rubbed the heel of her ankle; she was wearing new pair of black high-heeled shoes she hadn’t had the chance to wear out just yet. Her companion finally got there and sat down next to her after she waited ten more minutes. “ It’s about time, I’ve been waiting for the last twenty minutes for you.”
“ I certainly think that this is worth the wait.” Her companion handed her an envelope.
“ Here are your instructions remember to shred them when you are finished.” Nico took the envelope. “ Don’t screw this up.”
Nico frowned. “ I know what you I’m doing. I’m a professional.” Nico stood up. She looked every bit the part in her black pants suit with the wide black slouch belt and her black sheer blouse with darkened pockets over her breast. “ Unlike you, I know how to get the job done. And done right.” Nico got up, put the envelope in her bag and headed away when her companion uttered the word. “Bitch”. The only reaction Nico had was to smile while she slid on her shades.


Eve dried herself off and wrapped the towel around her as she headed to her bedroom.
Rick was waiting for her in her bedroom. “ Do you want to tell me what was going on?”
“ It was just a nightmare. I’m sorry that I over reacted the way that I did.”
“ Eve, I have a feeling that there is more to it than a nightmare.”
“ Rick, why don’t you let it go?”
“ Just like you let go the issue of me and Grant?”
Eve stopped putting lotion on her body and stared at Rick. “ Rick…It was just a dream.”
“ A dream that had you shaken up so much.”
“ Eve. I love you so much, more than I have ever loved another woman. It hurt me to see you so upset as you were. It was more than you just being upset, you were scared.”
“ I was reliving a memory.” She said softly. “ My mother’s boyfriend.”
“ Your mother’s boyfriend? Eve are you telling me that…”
“ No. He never touched me. He wanted to. He made lude remarks and stared at me.”
Rick felt what was close to rage fill. “ He did what? Eve, are you sure that that bastard never touched you?”
Eve saw the concern in Rick’s eyes. “ Yes. Honey. He never touched me. He just scared me. I’m alright.”
Ridge pulled Eve into his arms. “ Thank god baby. The thought of another man putting his hands on you makes me sick. Especially some animal.”
Eve heard Rick’s words and fear filled her heart. There was no way that she could ever tell him about her past. He’d never understand and he’d stop loving her. She’d protect her secret at all cost.



Michael looked over Angel’s finical records once again. “ It just doesn’t make any sense.”
“ What?” His sister Melissa said.
“ Angel’s bank records. The girl had over 200,000 dollars in her bank account. She during her last deposit she was around 19. At 16 she disappeared from the social services system.”
“ Have you talked to her case worker?”
“ Yes. They gave me the address of her last home. I’m going to check on it later today.”
“ So, you are leaving?”
“ I don’t have much time.”
Melissa shook her head. “Do really think that she’s alive?”
“ I have to believe it for Sara’s sake.”
“ Even if she is alive, there isn’t anything legal that a 16 year old can do that would give her that kind of money. Besides, she hadn’t touched it at all in the last three years. What has she been living on, if she is still alive?’
“ I don’t know. But I got to be sure. Sara doesn’t have much time. If her daughter is alive, I’ve got to find her.”

Kristen snuggled closer in the arms of Sam as they lay together in bed. The early morning rays rained through the windows of their hotel suite. “ Good morning sleepy head.” Sam said as she kissed Kristen’s bare shoulder.
“ Mmm. I missed this.”
“ Missed what?”
“ Laying here with you like this.”
Sam smiled. “ You say that every time I go away.”
“I know but this time I really mean it. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate you dropping your assignment to be with me.”
Sam titled Kristen’s head. “ Where else would I be Kris? You are my family. You know that.”
“ I know.”
“ So, what don’t you tell me what is really bothering you. Is it your father?”
“ I’m still worried about dad but it isn’t him but he is doing better.”
“ He certainly looked better yesterday.”
“ He did. Too bad my mother is still avoiding me.”
“ You knew that was going to happen.” Sam snuggled closer to Kristen. She inhaled Kristen’s soft sweet scent. “ Maybe you should have told her about me. It was an unfair advantage, she didn’t know about me. She have had her suspicious but she didn’t know.”
“ She could have known if she were involved with my life.” Kristen sat up and moved her long blonde hair out of her face. “ I spent a lifetime making decisions that my mother wanted me to make. I’m not going to apologize for having you in life or for being a lesbian.”
“ I’m not asking you to do that. I know how I feel about this. But, you have to be fair. I know that you poured your heart out to your mother and she turned away. Just give her another chance. It took my mother to understand my lifestyle.”
“ Tammie is wonderful.”
“ She is now. But imagine her shock at finding out that her perfect 18-year-old daughter was dating a woman her age. She wanted to kill me back then. In time she came around and saw that I was happy and that was more important to her. But it took time.”
“ My mother has had years.”
Sam shook her head no, her cinnamon colored hair bounced around. “ You haven’t her time to really accept who you are. You lied and pretended and went to New York and saw me.” Sam threw back her head with a laugh. “ You just couldn’t say no to me.”
Kristen leaned down and placed gentle kisses upon the slope of Sam’s neck.
“ How could I? You were the most beautiful woman in the entire place. Kristen said before her lips found Sam’s. Sam’s mouth opened slowly to accept Kristen’s tongue as she pulled her on top of her body.
“ I was good looking wasn’t I.”
“ Yes, you were,” murmured Kristen as she moved down Sam’s body.


Ridge walked out to the French doors out toward the courtyard to find Brooke. He couldn’t help to notice the subtle changes that Brooke had made with the new patio future and the variety of flowers. He had always loved this courtyard just like he had loved this home. “ Brooke?”
Brooke turned around. She had showered and changed into a pair of low rider jeans with a white button down shirt with capped sleeves from the gap. She had twisted her hair up with a tan colored clip and wore a simple pair of diamond studs on her ears.
“ Ridge, hi.”
Ridge made his way toward her. He handed her a cup of coffee. “ Picked it up from Starbucks. A Mocha Latte. I know how much you loved them.”
Brooke took the coffee. “ Thanks.” Brooke took a sip. She looked at Ridge from the corner of her eyes. “ How are you holding up?”
“ I don’t know. The whole entire thing has been so overwhelming. One minute I’m worried about Bridget and the next, I find out that I’m her father. I can’t believe this. All I can think about is all the years that I lost. All the years that I should have been in her life being her father. All the Christmas, birthdays..All the regular days of her life. I missed it all.”
“ You’ve been in her life.”
“ I don’t call what I’ve been to Bridget as part of her life. I missed her so much. There were so many things that I wanted to show her, to teach her. I wanted to show how I became a designer just the way that dad showed me.”
Brooke smiled for a moment. “ I remember you telling me that when we were married. She certainly gets her love of art from you. Her stubbornness as well.”
“Are you sure that she doesn’t get it from you.” Ridge gripped the railing. “ I feel so cheated Logan. I feel like I’ve been in a coma and now have awakened. There are so many things that I want to do with her. I missed her growing up. I missed it all.”
“I’m sorry. I’m sorry for what this has done to you and for what it has done to Bridget.”
“ I promise you that from now on I’m going to be the father that Bridget never really had. She’s my little girl and I love her.”
“ I wouldn’t have it any other way, Ridge.”
Ridge put his arm around Brooke and brought her head to rest on his shoulder. He kissed the top of her head. “ Thank you Logan.”
“ For what?”
“ For being understand. For being a wonderful mother to our daughter when I wasn’t there.”

CJ was changing the menu at Insomnia when he saw Trudie drinking water out of plastic bottle. It looked like she had just taken a run. Boy, he had missed her. Missed the way she made him laugh. Trudie turned and looked at CJ when she turned CJ stopped her. “ Don’t go.”
“ Why not? You’ve made it plain how you feel about me.”
“ True, that is not true. You know that I care a lot about you. I haven’t felt that way about any girl not sense Becky.”
Trudie knew that it was hard for him to talk about Becky. She smiled softly. “ Did you really miss me?”
CJ coked his head to the side. “ You know that I did.”
“ What did you miss the most?”
CJ's eyes naturally moved down to Trudie’s large breast. Trudie started to laugh. CJ turned red. “ That isn’t what I meant. I missed you.”
“ Well, you were the one who was mad at me.”
“ I didn’t like you lying to me.”
“ I’m not lying to you. Why can’t you just believe me? Macy left you an entire coffee shop why is it so hard to believe that my brother left me money.”
“ It’s not that I don’t believe you.”
“ You don’t.”
“ True, it’s just. You start talking about getting a new place and spending time with Deacon…”
“ Deacon? My god, Scott was right.”
“ About what?”
“ Your jealous.”
“ I am not jealous.”
“ You have no reason. I’m not jealous of Amber or even Becky and she had your heart.”
Trudie slowly fingered CJ’s hand. “ Baby I miss you. You are my man, not Deacon. Deacon and I are friends, that’s it. He was helping and I want him to continue helping me but only as a friend. As far as the money….”
“ Don’t worry about the money. You are right. Macy did leave me the business. I shouldn’t get upset that about your money.”
“ So, what are you saying?”
“ I’m sorry True.”
Trudie smiled as she launched herself at CJ, capturing his lips with her. CJ hoisted Trudie up in his arms. “ I’ve missed you.”
“ Well, why don’t you have someone open you coffee shop and take upstairs to show me just how much you missed me.”



Isabelle hated not telling Caspian the entire truth about what Olivia had told her. Keeping secrets from him wasn’t something that she normally did. Only two other times had she kept something from her brother and both times it had to do with Lark. It was an irony that it was another secret connected to Lark that she was keeping to herself. Isabelle couldn’t believe that her mother had known all the time that Lark and Brooke were sisters. Olivia had blamed her for this mess, stating that if she hadn’t gone looking for Brooke none of the mess would have occurred. Caspian would never have fallen in love with Brooke nor would he be likely to be hurt. But now, it was a mess. Isabelle didn’t normally agree with her mother however the entire situation was most likely a horrible mess. It was one thing to think that Brooke and Lark looked alike but to know that they were twin sisters, changed everything. If Brooke ever found out it would destroy her relationship with Caspian. She would never accept falling in love with the man who had been married to the twin sister that she had never knows. In fact, Brooke’s entire world would be thrown into a tizzy. It would no longer be about looking like Lark, however it would be about a sister she had never met and a father she had never known. Telling Caspian would only put him more in the middle, he wouldn’t feel comfortable holding onto a lie that big, especially now he saw Bridget’s predicament. Isabelle had decided to not to tell her brother about Brooke and Lark’s connection.

“ So, how has Taylor taken all of this?”
“Truthfully, I don’t know at this moment. I haven’t really talked to her this morning.”
“ Oh..”
“ Brooke, it isn’t like I didn’t want to but its just hard.”
“ She’s upset.”
“ It isn’t that she’s upset she’d just overwhelmed a great deal. She will come around after she has some time to think. It was that she wasn’t prepared. Yesterday, when she made that remark about you, she didn’t mean it.”
“ Maybe she didn’t mean it. Maybe she did. It doesn’t matter to me because I can somewhat understand her feelings. You have ANOTHER child.” Brooke turned to look at Ridge. “ I know that there are so many things going on in your life. I know that this has to be hard on Taylor but I need to know. How do you and Taylor feel about getting your children tested as a possible match for Bridget?”
“ Brooke, don’t worry. As soon as well tell Bridget and the doctor is able, the children will be tested.”
“ Are you sure that Taylor won’t mind.”
“ Mind? No of course not. Bridget is my daughter. My flesh, my blood. She needs a transplant and she’ll have one.. I’m not going to let Bridget die, not when she has so much to live for and we have so much catching up to do.”
“ She’ll be ecstatic you know. This has been a dream of hers for such a long time. She never wanted anything except you.”
Ridge took Brooke’s hand. “ Expect for you and me together.”
Brooke nodded. “ Yes, she wanted us together. But that was more or less the case because she wanted you as her father. Now she has that, but at cost?”
“ Brooke, don’t you worry. Bridget will be fine. We will see to it that OUR little girl is healthy again. I promise you that.” Ridge kissed Brooke on her head while Beth watched them through the glass of her bedroom window.
Steven came from behind her and frowned. He didn’t like the looks of Brooke and Ridge.
“ I never thought that I’d see this again.” Murmured Beth.
“ What?”
“ Brooke and Ridge like that. Look at how they are clinging to each other.”
“ Beth where are going with this?”
“ Brooke and Ridge have lost a great deal of time. Not only with their daughter but also with each other. I can’t help but to wonder what this revelation will mean not to just Bridget with one another.”
“ You can’t be serious? Are you saying that you want our daughter back in love with him?’
“ Back in love. She has always loved Ridge.”
“ Yes, to a point where our daughter has been unhappy. Have you forgotten all the pain and heartache that he has caused her? How many times have they tried to make it work in order for Brooke to be left out in the cold? Have you also forgotten that Ridge is married?”
“ Yes, he is married but his marriage is on its last leg. Taylor has hardly forgiven Ridge for the affair that he had with Morgan and now this? Taylor has always known how much Ridge has loved Brooke. It will only be a matter of time before that marriage is over.”
Steven frowned. “ I can’t believe you. You have our daughter get caught up in that mess of Forresters again.”
“ I’d rather her be happy and safe!”
“ She IS happy or least she was happy with Caspian.”
“Caspian? You don’t know a thing about this man.”
“ I know enough. I know that he helped our daughter. I know that he loves our daughter and he saved our granddaughter.”
“ Well, you only know what he wants you to know. You don’t know damn thing. You know NOTHING! That man isn’t good enough for our daughter and I’m going to do EVERYTHING in my power to see that her relationship with that man ends.”

Sam and Kristen were eating breakfast in their suite lounging in their robes. “ What time are you going to the hospital?”
“ I’m going to go over and sit with dad.”
“ Are you going to try to talk with your mother?”
“ You are still on that topic.”
Sam ate another forkful of her waffle. “ I think that you should try. Listen, if it doesn’t work then it won’t…but you and your mother might make a connection.”
“ I don’t know.”
“ Kris, you’ve got to stop being scared of rejected.” Sam made a face like she didn’t quite believe her.
“ I’m not. Well…maybe a little. Okay, I’ll give it a shot but that doesn’t mean that I’m not going to bend over backwards when it comes to her. I love my mother but I don’t always like her. This mess with Bridget and company and the stock. It has her written all over it.”
“ You don’t think that the near death of your father has changed her at all?”
“ I don’t know. It remains to be seen. With mother, you never can tell.” Sam kept her mouth closed. She had heard the stories from Kristen about her mother, maybe she hadn’t changed but there was always a chance that she did.

“ Well, kiddo, it looks like you have a great deal of admirers.” Stephanie said looking at the room filled with balloons and flowers.
“ Well, mom brought me the lilies. Caspian gave me the basket full of chocolates, something that I can’t eat right now. Ridge gave me the bear. Eve gave me the bracelet on the bear.” Stephanie leaned forward.
“ That is beautiful. That’s Rick’s new girlfriend, right?”
“ Yes, she’s really great. Better than that Kimberly.”
“ Kimberly? I thought that you liked her?”
Bridget made a face. “ I used to but…”
“ But what honey?”
“ I guess the fact that she did everything she could to get Thorne and to hurt my mother.”
“ Everything she could? What do you mean by that? Bridget, are you talking about her affair with him?”
Bridget thought for a moment about telling Stephanie the truth about what Kimberly had done. Stephanie may not like her mother, however she knew that she loved Thorne. Would she want her son married to a woman who had tricked Thorne into marriage even if it were with her help. “ Stephanie…”
A nurse came into room. “ Hello”
Bridget eyed the nurse suspiciously. “ You not here for anymore blood or tissue samples are you?”
“ No. Not today. I’m just here for your meds.”
“ Tissue sample.” Stephanie asked. Thoughts of her questions about Kimberly fled from her head.
“ For the DNA. They DNA testing in order to find a match.”
“ DNA. In bone marrow test.”
“ Mom explained the entire thing for me. It’s part of the test that they take in order to find a compatible donor. They just scraped the tissue from inner side of my mouth. They did the same thing for Ridge, Thorne, Rick and Kristen.” Bridget noticed that Stephanie turned pale. “ Don’t worry Stephanie, it didn’t hurt.”

Bridget was looking at picture in her photo album when her mother and Ridge walked through her door of her hospital room. “ Hi. Just the two people that I wanted to see.”
Bridget scooted over and showed them a picture of all three of them smiling during an old family Christmas. Brooke’s hair had been shorter and she was wearing white. Ridge had given Bridget the doll that she so desperately wanted. “ Do you remember that day?”
Brooke looked at Ridge. “ I sure do. Ridge you had just given me a diamond necklace the shape of a heart.”
“I remember that.” Ridge said as he looked deeply in Brooke’s eyes. “ I had wanted you to wear it on our wedding day.”
“ I never got a chance to wear it.” Brooke said as she looked at the picture. “ Where did you get all of these photos?”
“ Stephanie. It was a present.”
“ Mother did this?” Ridge looked at the album. “ I can’t believe it. This is wonderful.”
Bridget smiled. “ It’s pretty neat.”
Brooke agreed. “ Honey, why don’t you put this aside.”
“ We need to have another talk. This isn’t good is it?”
“ Well, it depends how you look at it.”
“ What do you mean?” Bridget became alarmed. “ What happened?”
“ Honey, calm down. It’s just..” Brooke looked at Ridge.
“ What is it?”
“ Bridget. Do you remember when we did those paternity test when you were around six.”
Bridget frowned. “ Yes, I remember.”
“ Well, it seems that there was a mistake.”
“ A mistake. I don’t understand.”
Brooke cut in. “ Bridget, yesterday when we had your test done, they DNA testing as well and the proved that you aren’t Eric’s daughter.”
Bridget turned pale. “ My god. What are you staying?” Bridget had tears in her eyes. “ Are you telling me that there was some sort of mix up? Are you trying to tell me that I’m not your daughter?”
“ No!” Brooke touched Bridget’s hand. “ No! Honey, not that kind of mix up. Bridget what the test stated was that you are…”
“ You are my daughter.” Ridge said.
Bridget blinked for a moment. “ What did you just say?”
“ I said that YOU are my daughter.”
Bridget was quiet for a moment when she looked toward her mother. “ Ridge…Ridge is my father?” Unshed tears were shinning in Bridget’s eyes.
“ Yes.”
“ Are you sure?”
“ Yes. They did the test three times. It proved that Ridge, not Eric is your father.”
Tears fell down Bridget’s face. Ridge and Brooke where alarmed. Ridge felt is heart constrict. He knew that this would be shocking to Bridget, but somehow he hoped that she’d be happy.”
“ Bridget…I’m so sorry that you are upset.”
“ Upset? You think that I’m upset.”
Brooke looked at Ridge. “ You aren’t?”
“No. I’m not upset.”
“ Honey, why are you crying?”
“ Because I’m happy. All of these years. I wished. I hoped and prayed. I prayed you’d come back to me.” Bridget looked at Ridge. “ I always hoped that this would happen. That one day you’d come to me and tell me that the whole thing was a big mistake. That you were my real father. And now, my dream finally came true.” Ridge hugged Bridget feeling tears in his eyes. “I love you daddy.”
“ Oh princess. I love you too.”
Brooke watched crying to herself as her daughter clung to Ridge. As if he knew Ridge looked up at Brooke and held out a hand toward her. Brooke came toward them as Ridge enfolded them in his arms.

Taylor stood in the hospital corridor watching Brooke, Ridge and Bridget through the window. Caspian made his way up behind Taylor. She turned and looked at him and he saw bitterness in her eyes. “ Well, it starts now.”
“ What?”
“ The on going saga of Brooke and Ridge. Don’t too comfortable with current position in Brooke’s bed.”
“ Mrs. Forrester, I’m not afraid of Brooke’s past with Ridge. It’s over. Nor am afraid of being replaced in her bed or in her life as you so rudely have put it.”
“ You just don't get it do you? Bridget is a bond between them. A living-breathing testament of their love or at least Brooke’s undying love for my husband. You’ll be like all the rest. James, Connor, Grant. She threw them all over for Ridge. She’ll throw you over too. Just wait and see.”
Taylor walked away from Caspian and away from the sight that she knew would be permanently etched in her brain.

Stephanie sat in the quiet chapel of the hospital. Bridget’s words had chilled her to the bone. DNA testing. She had never thought of that. If they did the test, would it prove that Ridge and not Eric was Bridget’s father? If it did, what would that news do to her family? To Eric? To Ridge? TO Ridge and Taylor’s marriage? Right now Brooke was involved with that horrible man, Caspian, but for how long. As much as she hated Brooke’s involvement with him, it was better than a Brooke and Ridge paring. Still, there was nothing that she could do if the matter would arise. Still, there was a chance that Rick would match instantly and there would be no need for testing. Tears stung in the back of her eyes. She had made a decision years ago to change fate. It robbed her of a grandchild however it gave her Ridge a chance to have a life free of Brooke. She had done it for her child. She had done it to protect her children but for the first time Stephanie had wondered if she had done the right thing.

Dr. Levine studied the information in the folder. “ This states that Christopher Hastings was the medical technician to do Bridget Forrester’s paternity test all those years ago.”
“ I need to talk with him. I can’t understand why the test results showed that Eric Forrester was the father of Bridget Forrester. Clearly, Ridge is the father. There is a 12 point match here stating that 100%. The whole thing makes no sense but I do know that I full scale investigation done. This hospital messed up greatly and I want to know why.”

 

Chapter 88 (Blatant Truths)
Brooke left Bridget alone with Ridge. She had seen that they had wanted some quality time together. She couldn’t blame them after all they had a great deal of time to make up with one another. She headed to Dr. Levine’s office and talked to the doctor about Bridget’s options since Ridge was her father.
“Brooke, Bridget’s options are pretty much the same as they were before. Her half sibling could easily be a match for her. As soon as it settled, the children need to be tested.”
“I’ve already spoken to Ridge and he doesn’t feel that is going to be a problem. He has three children with Taylor.”
“I need for Ridge to agree for me to have their medical history. After the problem with Rick, I make sure that none of the children can be ruled out ahead of time.”
“Are there any risks because they are so young? I wouldn’t want anything to happen to his children.”
“No. Babies are used all the time for these procedures.”
“Babies?”
“Sometimes a donor can’t be found and some couples have opted to have another child to create a match for a child with a preexisting condition.”
Brooke had read something like that before. “My god.”
“Brooke. I assure you not to worry. Before you start, lets get Ridge’s children tested to see first. Right now, I have Bridget’s T-cell counted.”
“And?”
“Well, since we originally tested they haven’t decreased. I’m pleased with that. She is starting to heal from her accident, which lessens her chances of illness. That is my main concern. Keeping Bridget from getting any type of illnesses while we wait. Her meds will help her fight any potential illness such as the common cold which may not seem like a matter of concern however could be one if she doesn’t have enough while blood cells to attack the virus. In my assessment, she is progressing well. With constant supervision, we will know if there were going to be any serious changes in her heath. Although their will be certain side effects from the medication and the chemo. “
“What kind of side effects?”
“Brooke, I want to go over this with you and Ridge, if you don’t mind waiting. It might make it easier to have someone else to support you. You and Ridge…do you have a good relationship?”
“Yes. Although we haven’t been romantically involved in years, we are close friends.”
“Glad to hear that. Sometimes it is difficult to wait.”
“Waiting. That is the horrible thing about this. I’m not sure how parents go through this.”
“Brooke sometimes, it worse than this. Sometimes people can’t pay for the transplant therefore they can’t even get on the transplant list.”
“I know. Seeing the move John Q brought that reality out.”
“Yes, that movie was very close to reality in some circumstances. Hospitals do have certain programs set up in order to help people who can’t afford transplants for their children.”
Dr. Levine sat down next to Brooke. “I know you are worried. And it is understandable. Bridget’s T-cells and white blood cells aren’t as high as we’d like them to be. However she got a lot going for her. She eats well and had started the new diet. She also had a good frame of mind, which helps. I’m not saying that it is all mind over matter however a good frame of mind does wonders.”
“I hope so. Out of all my different characteristics, I hope my children get that from me.”



Taylor had to get away from it all. The more she tried the more it seemed that the situation got worse. Watching Brooke, Ridge and Bridget through the window of Bridget’s hospital room had brought back painful memories to her. She remembered having the same feeling when Brooke had invited her and Ridge to have dinner with her when Bridget had only been a couple of weeks old. Brooke had worn a floral dress and had dressed Bridget in a matching baby outfit. Over dinner Brooke had preened and cooed over her baby and Taylor remembered the feelings of being an outsider when Ridge had presented Bridget with the Forrester heirloom, a silver rattle that had been passed down to the first Forrester child of each new generation. She had remembered the feeling of pride when Thomas had been given that heirloom as the first grandchild; it has somehow vindicated her feelings of helplessness that she had felt all those years ago. But now it was back. She was once again the outsider. She had thought that Morgan having Dylan was bad enough but this was four times as worse. With Brooke and Bridget pulling at Ridge, it was almost too much for her to bear.



Rick had watched Eve while she had dressed hoping that she would open up to him. She hadn’t said much more about her dream or about her mother’s boyfriend. She came out of the bedroom dressed in a pair of tan colored linen Capri cut pants, which she cuffed, a white button up shirt was only buttoned partially so he could easily see the expanse of her flat tanned skin of her stomach. Her hair was twisted up in a clip while string of long hair fell across her shoulder. “Eve. I wish that you would open up to me about your experiences more.”
“Rick. There isn’t much to say. My mom’s boyfriend made a pass at me and she dumped me. That is all there is to it.” Eve put her dishes away and got out her book bag.
Rick caught her hand in his and pulled her toward him. “Eve. I’m just startled about all of this. You’ve never talked about it. In fact you hardly say a thing about your childhood.”
“There isn’t anything to say. It wasn’t the proudest moment of my life to say the least. I don’t want to get into it. I survived. That is all that matter.” Eve quickly kissed Rick on his lips and headed toward the door. “Baby, I’ve got to go to class. I’ll see you later at the hospital. I’ll drop by to see Bridget. Let yourself out.” She left the apartment very quickly. The last thing she wanted to answer were any more questions from Rick.



Stephanie was heading back to Eric’s room to share lunch with him when Caspian. The nerve and the audacity of that man to come here day filled Stephanie with resentment. Caspian felt the distinct eyes boring into his back and he turned to see Stephanie Forrester looking at him. Caspian looked the bitter old woman up and down with exasperation. How he couldn’t stand her all of the trouble that she had caused Brooke throughout the years.
“Stephanie.” He said callously.
“What are you doing here?”
“I’m here to support Brooke and Bridget.”
Stephanie snorted. “You don’t give a damn about that girl.”
“Don’t ever question my commitment to Brooke or Bridget. I love Brooke and Bridget is a sweet young girl. Her health is my main concern.”
“I hope that you don’t expect me to believe that drivel.”
Caspian put his hand on his chest. “Stephanie. You wound me. Now, if I were you, I’d run along and tend to your husband. I’m sure that he needs you.”
Stephanie eyes narrowed. “Don’t you utter one more word about my husband. You think that I forgotten what you have done to him and our company. It was your taking his stock that caused him to have that heart attack.”
“I’m not to blame for what happened to your husband. Maybe stress and guilt is or maybe your own actions. As far as your precious company, if you haven’t tried to steal to Bridget from Brooke I wouldn’t have bothered to reclaim my stock. However since you decided to go up against Brooke, you sent a certain ball in motion. So…” Caspian leaned forward. “I took something that meant a great deal to you. A piece of your company.”
“You think that I’m going to let you get away with stealing part of my company.”
“You don’t have a choice. There is nothing that you can do. Legally you have no leg to stand on. I hold all the cards.” Caspian crossed his hands over his chest. “You can try to fight me. But I’m used to battles and like you I don’t play fair. If you were smart, you’d leave Brooke alone and accept defeat graciously. Because there is nothing that you can do to anymore to hurt Brooke. However, there is great deal with I can do to you. How do you think that your husband would take the stress of seeing you arrested? ”
“Arrested?”
“For attempted murder or how about conspiracy to rape.”
Stephanie balled up a fist. How dare he bring up that dreadful CD? “ You wouldn’t.”
“Watch me. I’d love nothing better than to drive you into the dust. But right now you are being considerate to Brooke and Bridget, so I’ll leave you alone. For your sake, I expect that your truce with Brooke to last a long time well beyond Bridget’s health concern.”
“How dare you order me around? I will not be bullied.”
“Oh, I think that you will. Because a woman like you always have secrets. I’m willing to spend a great deal of money, time and effort to dig them up and to destroy you. I have the resources. Surely, you’ve seen that yourself. Now, if you will excuse me. I have to see Brooke.”



Charlie asked the nurse to point out Bridget’s room. Ridge had asked her to meet him at the hospital in order to talk to him and Brooke. As much ash she didn’t agree with him most of the time, she did admire the way that he seemed to be committed to his sister.
Charlie arrived at Bridget’s room and had to stop and smile at Ridge sitting close to his sister and talking to her. She knocked at the door and stepped in. “Hello”
Bridget looked from her father toward the door. An attractive red headed woman in a white wrap around sleeveless top and matching dress slacks. She wore gold hoped earrings and a slender gold necklace with a dress stood in the doorway. Ridge turned.
“Charlie. Thank you for coming.”
“Dad? Who is she?”
Charlie looked perplexed. Dad? She was confused at why Ridge’s sister called him dad. She however just smiled as she came toward Bridget. “I’m Charlene…although my friends call me Charlie. I’m sort of friends with Ridge.”
“Charlie is an oncologist. I asked her to come and talk with your mom and me.”
“Are you going to be my doctor?”
“No. Bridget. I specialize in ovarian cancer. However, there are some things that I thought that your mother and father should know.”
“Like what?” Charlie looked at Ridge for a moment. “You don’t have to sugar coat things for me. I’m 17 and I can take the truth.”
“Bridget…” Ridge stated.
“I know that you are worried but I’m strong. I can deal with this. I have no choice. It’s my disease and I need to know what to expect.”
Charlie smiled. “I certainly see that you are a mature young lady.” Charlie said as she sat down. “Well, I need to see your chart and consult with your doctor however I see that they have already given an IV to help you fight bacteria and common illness. Your main concern is to stay healthy, have a good frame of mind and a good diet. However you have to know there will be times that you will feel sick Bridget.”
“But I don’t feel sick now.”
“That’s normal, but the meds with make you sick to your stomach. You might have a hard time keeping food down, you will vomit; have diarrhea and some stomach cramps. They will make sure that you don’t get dehydrated. You will become tired. Sleep a great deal. You might use some of your beautiful coloring and depending how long it takes for a donor, you might have to be placed in a bubble.”
“A bubble.” Bridget frowned. “Why?”
Ridge had felt uncomfortable with Charlie’s explanation. “I think that you need to stop.”
“No. I need the truth. Why the bubble?”
“If your white blood cells drop to a level, they won’t be able to protect you from something simple such as a cold. They would want you to stay well. But, that is only in extreme circumstances and right after you have your transplant.”
“Will I be in pain?” Bridget asked with trepidation in her voice.
“What’s going on here?” Brooke asked from the doorway. She had heard her daughter’s question and she didn’t like it at all.
“I asked Charlie to come and confer with us. She was talking to Bridget.”
“I wanted to know the truth mom. What I can expect.”
“Bridget honey…”
“No. I know you. You’ll worry and lie to protect me. But I need to know what to expect. I’m not a little girl.”
“I know that you aren’t. You are a young woman.”
“I’m glad that you said that. Now…Charlie. Will I be in pain?”
“I’m not going to lie to you Bridget. There will be some pain. They will give you something for that but I don’t you need worry about that now.”
“How bad is the pain?”
“It’s minimal.” Charlie said lying. She wasn’t about to scare the girl for she knew that people had different thresholds for pain. It could very well become painful for Bridget.
“Honey, I don’t even think that you will get to the point in which you’re in pain because you have siblings who are all ready to donate to you.”



Taylor was so consumed with her thoughts that she hadn’t noticed Stephanie when she found a place to sit and drink her coffee in the cafeteria. It wasn’t until her mother-in-law had sat down across from her that she noticed her. “Stephanie.” She said with iciness in her voice.
“Taylor, sweetheart, are you alright?” Stephanie was naturally surprised at her daughter-in-law reaction to her. “Did something happen?”
“If something did happen. Why would you care?”
“How can you ask that? You are like a daughter to me. When you are upset, so am I.”
“When I’m upset. You really have some nerve.” Taylor stated as she pushed herself away from the table.
Stephanie stood up and caught Taylor’s arm. “What are talking about?”
“How can you ask that? Don’t you remember the last conversation that we had? The one in which you blackmailed me?”
Stephanie waved her had as if she were swatting the subject away. “Taylor, that was a misunderstanding. I regret what I did. That shouldn’t even matter because you and Ridge seemed to have worked your problem out.”
“So that means what!”
“Listen. You need to calm down.”
“No! You need to get the hell out of my life.”
“Don’t you dare speak to me like that! What has gotten into you?”
“You. Your meddling. You know what? All those years I thought you cared about me and loved me.”
“I did. I still do. You are like a daughter to me.”
“Is this how you treat your daughter? With blackmail and threats when she doesn’t fall into line. Oh, that is right. That is how you treated Kristen.”
Stephanie’s looked as if she had been slapped. “Don’t bring my daughter into this conversation. That is low of you Taylor.”
“Its not lower than what you were trying to do to me. You threatened my children when I didn’t fall into line.”
“I just wanted you to think about what you were doing. You were too upset to think rationally.”
“No. You wanted to control everything. To control me like you’ve done for years.”
“I haven’t tried to control you. I only wanted to help you.”
“Where you helping me when tried to scare me into doing what she wanted. If it had come from anyone else but you I could have dealt with it. But to know that you’d hurt me when I loved you.” Tears filled Taylor’s eyes. “My mother died and when I met you, it was like god had given me another mother in you. I thought that you really loved me.”
“I do. Taylor”
“When I fall in line but when I don’t. I become enemy just like Brooke.”
“Honey. You are nothing like that slut. I love you.”
“You have a funny way of showing love.”
“I was trying to protect you….” Stephanie interrupted.
“No, you were trying to protect Ridge. You covered for him.”
“He made a mistake and was very sorry but I wasn’t just protecting him. I was protecting you and my grandchild.”
“From what?”
“From Morgan. God, this is what she and Brooke wanted. They wanted to see your marriage to fail.”
“This has nothing to do with Brooke. God, as much as I can’t stand her….this has nothing to do with her.”
“She had that taped played at Rick’s party to humiliate you.”
“You know what Stephanie. A long time ago...Maybe I would have thought that but I don’t know anymore. But what I know that I trusted and loved you and turned your back on me. My mother. My friend. My ally, you were all those friends and you stabbed me in the back. You threatened my children and I will never forgive you for that. Never.” Taylor snatched up her purse. “But take heed. You won’t have time to think about me. You are going to have enough on your plate with latest with the on goings in this family.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Oh…I’m not going to spoil all the fun for you. I’ll let you find out on your own” Taylor spat as she stormed away from her mother in law. Stephanie felt as if she had been hit by a freight train. In all her years she had never seen her daughter-in-law this livid with her.
She couldn’t believe that she would dare to yell at her after all she had been trying to protect her son, her grandchildren and even Taylor. She really hadn’t planned on telling Ridge about James and Taylor, she had only used that as a ploy to make Taylor take Ridge back. Besides her plan had worked. As much as she wanted to make amends with Taylor, she had other things on her mind at the moment. Like Taylor’s cryptic message. What did she mean by it. Dread filled her. Could it be possible that her dark secret had somehow come to light?



Brooke thrust opens the outside door to the hospital. “Damn it!” Tears brimmed in her eyes. When Bridget had asked about her being in pain, it almost ripped out her heart. Ridge had told her earlier about asking Morgan’s sister to come and talk with them but she hadn’t expected the myriad of questions that Bridget would ask. She couldn’t bare the thought of her daughter, her baby girl, in pain. Suddenly a warm pair of arms wrapped around her body and she was turned around. At seeing Caspian she cried out his name.
“Oh god, Caspian.” Caspian held her tightly. After his run in with Stephanie he had come outside to make a few calls and then had headed back upstairs in the hospital to look for Brooke. He had finally seen her heading outside when he came to her aid. Caspian buried his head in the crock of her neck and hushing her with smooth comforting words. Brooke calmed and allowed herself to feel the security of his arms. Caspian tilted her head up and kissed the tears on her cheeks.
“Baby, what’s wrong?”
“It’s just Charlie. She’s the doctor that Ridge had come to talk to us. She talking to Bridget and she talked about the type of pain that she could be in. I guess that I just lost it. I don’t want her to be in pain.”
“Hush. Hush…Brooke she isn’t going to be in pain.” Caspian kissed her on the top of her head. “We are going to see to it. She’ll get the donor and she’ll be all right. Alright?”
Brooke let out a large sigh as she pulled away. “I guess that I’m over reacting.”
“No. You aren’t. You love your daughter. No real mother would want to see her child in pain. You are concerned.”
“Bridget seems to be stronger than I am.”
“You have a mother’s love. It’s natural to worry.” He cupped her face. “You love your children.”
“I just wish that I could donate.”
Caspian frowned. “Aren’t Thomas or the twins going to do that?”
“I asked Ridge. He said yes, but I’m quite sure that Taylor is naturally concerned. They are young.”
“But Bridget needs a donor, young or not. One of Ridge’s children will be the key to seeing that Bridget get well.”



Thorne reviewed all the information that Megan had given him. Although he was very worried about Bridget and his father, a part of him once he started to read the information about what he needed to do was a little thrilled. It was about time that he started to be involved with the business aspects of Forresters, besides being in charge with materials. Thorne had potential, he knew it and maybe this was the way that he could show it.



Charlie waited for Ridge to hang up his cell phone before she approached him. “Did you reach Taylor?”
“No.” Ridge put his cell phone in his back pocket. “Katherine says that Thomas was feeling better so she came here to the hospital. However, I don’t see her.”
“Well, she may have visited your father.”
“Yeah.”
“Do you mind me asking you a personal question?” She asked as they walked down the hall.
“It’s about Bridget’s comments isn’t it?”
“I noticed that she called you dad. Ridge what is going on?”
“It’s a long story. But basically through testing, it was found that I’m Bridget’s father.”
Charlie wore a shocked expression. “You’re her father?”
“Yes.”
She looked away for moment and lightly chuckled. “Well, you certainly know how to makes the ordinary things such as fatherhood exciting.”
Ridge made a face. “Come on. Let me get you a coffee while I explain it to you.”
Charlie looked at her watch. “I would to Ridge. But I have an appointment.”
“An appointment?”
“Yes. Well I guess you should know. I’m thinking about working here at Memorial.”
“You are?”
“Morgan needs help for right now. She needs someone stable in her life and although I can clearly see that you are doing your best to be a good father to Dylan. Morgan needs someone to keep her…”
“Sane.” Ridge said sarcastically.
“Hey. She’s a good person.”
“Well, you’ll have to excuse me if I don’t sing the praises of your sister.” Charlie made a face. “What?”
“That is just like you Forrester. She didn’t create Dylan alone. It does take two.”
“Yeah but…”
“No buts Forrester. What done is done although, I still would like to know what happened to my sister during the last few weeks of her pregnancy.”
“You can’t be on that again.”
“Yes I can. My sister was missing Ridge and no one seems to know where she was or what she was doing. She didn’t have any bank transactions so where did she get her money to rent a house. It just doesn’t make sense.”
“Charlie. Listen I don’t know what Morgan was up too. All I know is that she caused a lot of trouble and got 5% of Forrester stock from me. You know what? I don’t even have time to speculate with this. I’ve got other things on my mind. The first of which is to get my daughter well.”
“That I understand. So, I presume that your children will be tested?”
“Yes.”
For a moment, Charlie wanted to ask Ridge how Taylor was doing dealing with the latest development but she changed her mind. “Well. I wish you luck and I’m willing to help your daughter in any capacity. She’s a special girl. Very strong and very beautiful.”
Ridge beamed with pride. Brooke had done a fantastic job with their daughter. “She is, isn’t she? Charlie, can you do me a favor and keep Bridget’s paternity a secret. We hadn’t told the family yet and even when we do, we don’t want too many people knowing with the media and all. Bridget has enough going on.”
“I can do that.”
“That means Morgan as well. At least for right now.”
Charlie nodded. “I see no reason for her to know at this point. I’ll keep quiet Ridge.”
“Thank you Charlie. For being there for me and Bridget.”
Charlie only smiled slightly. “Well, I’m not doing it for you. I’m doing it for your daughter. Being a child of Ridge Forrester has to put to a slight disadvantage.” She said as she strolled off. Ridge let out a sigh of relief; he had meant everything he had said. Charlie had certain been a godsend for him.



Taylor hesitated for a moment before she knocked on the door. She wasn’t sure if she were making the right decision by coming here but she felt that she had no other choice, she desperately needed someone to talk to. Someone who would not condemn her for her feelings. The door opened and she was taken from the large foyer into the spacious living room by servant and told to wait. Taylor paced nervously back and forth refusing an offering of something to drink. She had tried her best to get her thoughts together when Isabelle came into room.
“Can I offer you a drink?”
“No. I already told...”
“Tomas…”
“Yes, well I already told Tomas that I don’t want anything to drink.”
“Very well then.” Isabelle as she poured herself a drink. Taylor watched her noting that the woman looked somewhat more conservative than the woman who has met her in the restaurant wearing leather. Isabelle wore a black blouse that had ruffles at the end of her quarter length sleeves and down the front where her buttons were buttoned along a sleek black skirt with a pair of black slide ones. Isabelle took her glass and lounged on the black Japanese Chaise. “So, why don’t you tell me why you’ve decided to call me once again? I thought after our last conversation that you had decided to work things out on your own.”
“I did. Ridge and I worked on our marriage.”
Isabelle sipped more of her drink. “If that is the case, why are you here?”
“This isn’t really about my marriage to Ridge. Ridge is trying or least I thought that he was.”
“What made you take him back?”
“What?” Taylor asked a bit admitted.
“The last time we talked, you were very upset with you husband about his affair with Morgan and their child together. I’m wondering what happened to make you change you mind.”
“I’m not here to discuss that. Ridge and I made up.”
“Why are you so defensive about it?”
“I’m not defensive. I’m not here about that. Ridge and I…”
“Taylor if you can’t be honest then there is no reason for this session. Surely, you know that. How can you connect with your patients if they aren’t willing to be honest with you? You can’t expect me to help you if you aren’t honest with me and yourself.”
Taylor’s blue eyes widened. “I’m honest with myself.”
“Are you? Because from where I’m standing, you aren’t. You’ve been playing a façade of the perfect wife and doctor and maybe even mother. I’m wondering how long you can keep it together.”
Taylor bit her lip for a moment before she let out a large sigh. “You want the truth.”
Isabelle nodded. “Yes I do. I’m here to help you. I can only do it with the truth.”
“I was blackmailed into staying with Ridge.”
“Blackmailed?”
“By who?”
“My mother-in-law, Stephanie Forrester.”



Bridget was working on the charcoal sketch with no real interest. She was afraid that is she didn’t do something to keep her mind occupied; her mind would go back to her conversation with Charlie. The effects of disease were chilling. If she didn’t get a donor, she’d be very sick. Worse case, she’d die. “Well, god. I know that I’ve done some horrible things but I’m trying my best to make up for them. I got Ridge back. My dad and my mom and brother. Please, don’t take me away from them. Please.”



Brooke and Caspian were still sitting outside of the hospital talking.
“I called Thorne and Kristen. I left and message for Stephanie. And I think Rick is back at the house.”
“What time are you planning this meeting?”
“Seven. I think that it is best to get this over with as soon a possible.”
Caspian nodded. Telling everyone the truth at one setting was better. Brooke a great deal to deal with. “I think that is good.”
“Especially with my family coming in. Mom says that Katie and Donna are due in and Storm I thought would be here by now.”
“Don’t worry, he should get here.”
“What are you going to do about Eric?”
“I don’t know. With his heart, I just don’t think that this is the time to tell him that Bridget isn’t his. It’s sad because as much as we don’t always see eye to eye, but he loved Bridget. He will be very hurt. I’m going to let Stephanie and his children decide when to tell him.”
“Stephanie…” Caspian remembered his little run in with her earlier. The woman was bitter and he still was going to keep a close eye on her. The woman was a snake, she would have act docile and then strike when she saw a weakness.
“I don’t want to even think about how she’s going to act. She was so thrilled all those years ago when it was found that Eric and not Ridge was.” Brooke stood up and rubbed her shoulders as if she were cold. “I’ll never forget that day. The look on Ridge’s face and look of victory on hers. She had come to my house with Eric. Ridge had been gone almost all night. I was a mess. Eric took the kids saying that they were having a play date. Then Stephanie started in on me. How I was a slut and liar. How I’d do anything to get Ridge and now the truth had finally come out. She said that she was going to see that Rick and Bridget have the family that they needed without me. She said that I was out of the family. I’ll never forget that feeling.” She said in a whisper. “They just left me alone in the house that Ridge and I had made our home. I just felt so alone and lost. I just lost it after that. I had an emotional breakdown. Stephanie used that to try to take my children from me.”
“Baby…my god.” Caspian cupped her face. “I wish that I had been there for you. You shouldn’t have had to go through that all alone.” At that moment, he wasn’t sure if he could hate Stephanie Forrester more. The woman had spent her life trying to destroy Brooke. He knew that she’d never stop if given a chance.”
“Those days I was alone. My mother and father didn’t say out loud but they thought that I changed the test. To this day, I never understood how that letter got into that book in my library. It didn’t make sense. None of it did. I never bribed any doctor. I wouldn’t do that to my daughter.”
“I know that you wouldn’t.”
“Isn’t it funny. People who had known me for years didn’t believe me I know you would have.” Brooke kissed Caspian lightly on the lips. “That is one of the things that I love about you. You believe in me and trust me. I don’t have to be anyone but myself with you.”
“That is because I love you.”
“I know and it seems like a gift. A precious gift that I’ve been given.”
Ridge found Brooke and Caspian sitting and talking in waiting room. He glowered at Caspian. “Deangleo”
“Ridge.” Caspian said standing up giving him a cold stare.
“Please you two. Don’t start.”
“I’m not doing anything Logan.”
Caspian heard Ridge’s nickname for Brooke and shook his head. How he couldn’t stand Ridge Forrester. “What do you want Ridge?”
“I’m here to speak to the mother of my daughter. Now if you would please excuse us. We have to discuss our daughter.”
“What is it? Is this about Bridget? Is she all right?”
“She’s fine Logan. But we need to talk about tonight.”
“Caspian already knows about tonight.”
“So, what ever you have to say Ridge, you can say it in front of me.” Caspian interrupted.
“Not like it is any of your concern.”
“Ridge, that is enough. It is his concern. Caspian is in my life and your concentration shouldn’t be on him but on our daughter.”
“Damn it Logan. Can’t we have a conversation without him looming over you at every step? My god the way he acts about you it’s down right obsessive Logan.”
“Obsessive? Why because I try to protect and care about the woman I love not leave her to verbally attacked the way that you did for years.”
“No obsessive because you hover around her as if she can’t have a thought or even speak without you standing there.” Ridge looked at Brooke. “Logan, clearly you can see that this man is taking over your life.”
Brooke turned toward Caspian. “Honey. I’ve got to talk to Ridge maybe it would be best if I did it alone.” Ridge gave Caspian a superior look. Caspian hesitated for a moment. Ridge, he knew was going to try to get him out of Brooke’s life.
“Please.” Brooke said with employing eyes. She couldn’t alienate Ridge. He was more than her friend; he was Bridget’s father. Brooke leaned forward and whispered please in Italian. Caspian’s heart swelled. God, she knew how to get to him. He didn’t know how to say no to her even if he wanted to.
Caspian leaned forward and kissed Brooke on lips gently. “I’m going to the office. I’ll talk to you later.”
“Thank you.” Brooke’s whispered.
Ridge grinned, he was glad that Caspian was leaving he hated that man with a passion.
Ridge’s smile turned into a frown.“ Ridge. That is enough.” Brooke sighed. The last thing that she could take was a battle between Ridge and Caspian so she had sent Caspian away. “I’ve already explained to you why he is here. He is here to support standing and me by my side. Something that I haven’t had. Something that you never did for me.”
“That isn’t fair Logan.”
“No it isn’t but it’s true. So I want you to stop.”
“Brooke, that man isn’t right. Surely you can see it.”
“I see a man who loves me. A man who puts me before everything else in his life.”
“Logan. I didn’t mean to...”
“I know what you meant. I want it to stop. I love him. I don’t question who you love even after the pain that they have caused me.”



Dr. Watts finished up his 3 o’clock class. “Eve, I want to talk to you in my office.”
Eve cursed mentally. She hadn’t been paying attention to her work like she should have. Her thoughts had been erratic all day. “Dr. Watts, I’m sorry for my lack of attention.
“Eve. I’m not sure what lack of attention that you are talking about but I wanted to speak to you about a program that I submitted your name for.”
“Program?”
“Yes. Eve, you are one of the best students that I have seen in a long time. Your business proposal that you turned in was top of the line. More and more I see that if you continue on this path, you are going to do far. Now, I have a friend who is looking for someone like you with Huntington Publications. They have a new internship program.”
“Huntington Publications. They are that book publishers, aren’t they?”
“Yes, they started out as that but they have become so much more in the last three years. They have bought out the rights to large magazine such as Vibe, Vogue and a few more. Currently, they had opted for the right for the future Harry Potter books and publications along with the movies. They also have an opening in their marketing division, which I think that you would be interested in. This position would take you to their home offices in London.”
“London.”
“Yes. All of your living expenses would be paid for. You will be given a place to stay, a company car and you can finish out the rest of your credits at Oxford Business School.”
Eve was floored. She had never expected this. “All of this is part of this program?”
“Yes. Your name was submitted and you were decided to be the person to fill this position.”
“What are you saying?”
“I’m saying that if you want it. The position is already yours if you want it. Congratulations Eve.”



Isabelle handed Taylor the glass of Chianti. “So, from what you have told me is that you took your mother-in-law blackmailed you into staying with you husband because of a letter that you had written years ago about a sexual relationship that you had with James Warwick.”
“Yes.” Taylor took a sip of wine. “But that isn’t why I’m here.”
“Of course it is part of why you are here. You are upset nonetheless. Stephanie was like a mother to you, wasn’t she?”
“Yes. But…”
“And she betrayed you. Your years of friendship. The respect that you had for her. The trust that she’d be there. She threw it all away. She protected Ridge and covered up his lies and his affair with Morgan Dewitt and when you needed her to at least understand you, she didn’t. She sided with Ridge and treated you as if you were the enemy. It had to have hurt Taylor.”
Taylor swallowed painfully. “Yes. It did. It did hurt.” Tear started to build in her eyes. “I loved Stephanie. She like having a mother, protector and ally in one person. She understood me.”
“And when she betrayed you, how did you feel?”
“I felt abandoned. It was like I was on my own. When the whole situation with Ridge came out, I lost so much. I lost my husband, my baby, my marriage and Stephanie.”
“You haven’t gotten them back yet.”
“No. I got my marriage back.”
Isabelle rested her head against the back end of the chaise. Did you really?”
“I told you. At first the only reason that I took Ridge back was because of Stephanie and the children but after Eric’s heart attack. It was different. I wanted Ridge back so I’m trying.”
“What I see is a woman who is covering up her feeling. I’m not saying that those things didn’t happen. Yes, you took Ridge back. But you didn’t deal with your issues. Not did you deal with YOUR feeling with Ridge or Stephanie. You didn’t deal with you feelings about anything, you just let him back. You haven’t dealt with the betrayal that your mother-in-law dealt you either. You’ve been treading water. And you can’t deal with any other issues until you deal with those. You need to be honest to your husband and deal with issues that caused your marriage.”
“I’m trying. But I don’t think that this is a good time.”
“Well, then you’ve relegated yourself with be a victim. A role that you’ve been playing such a long time.”
Taylor took offense to Isabelle’s statement. “I’m not a victim.”
“Taylor you’ve been playing one. It used to work well for you but it doesn’t anymore. For your own words, Ridge and Stephanie see you as the innocent. The wife who needs to be protected from the Morgans out there. But now, YOUR protector has turned on you. You are lost. You’re a mother and now it is time for you to turn the tables on everyone. It is time for you to give up your role as a victim. It is time for you to be strong and determined to never be at the mercy of Stephanie or Morgan or even Brooke.”
“Brooke? Why did you mention her?” Taylor asked suspiciously.
Isabelle’s back was turned so Taylor missed the look of cunning that graced her beautiful face. “I’ve read about her. I mentioned her because your husband works with her however,” Isabelle turned to study Taylor. “Is there a reason that you are concerned about her?”
Bridget, Ridge and Brooke’s imagine flashed inside of Taylor’s head. Yes, she had a real concern about Brooke however she was tired and didn’t want to deal with that issue at the moment. “I don’t want to talk about Brooke right now.”
Isabelle took out a cigarette from a gold case and then lit her cigarette. Taylor watched as the smoked billowed around her as if in an ethereal manner. “Maybe that is for the best. I think that you’ve spent far too much time with being preoccupied with others instead of yourself, your thoughts, and YOUR needs. It’s time that you no longer became anyone’s victim.” Isabelle crossed her legs. “I empower women to stand on their own feet to no longer become a victim to men.” Isabelle saw a question flash in Taylor’s eyes. She chuckled softly. “No. I don’t hate men. I have needs for them and although women can be the most erotic creatures I had distinct need for certain equipment that only a man can provide. So, you are “safe” with me. However you have to decide if sessions with me is something you really want.” Isabelle was silent for a moment. “They won’t always be comfortable or easy. However I’ll teach you to be honest and no longer afraid of anyone.”
Taylor wasn’t sure. Isabelle was certainly unorthodox in her manner but she was tired.
Tired of being Ridge, Stephanie and Brooke’s victim. “I don’t want to be victim anymore.”
Isabelle stood. “Good for you Taylor. Now, I have a feeling that there are other issues that you have going on in you life however you priory your marriage. The first thing you have to do is deal with your issues with you husband. Starting today…”
“I can’t, you don’t understand…”
“I understand that you are always putting other people first. When do YOU come first? Are you going to wait to everything is safe? You haven’t dealt with Morgan or Dylan or Ridge. Start today. I know that your father-in-law is doing better, so start tonight. Have a real conversation with your husband. Be honest about your feeling. Let him know how you are really feeling. Let his digest it. Let him know how you feel about. You have to come first. Not anyone else, but you. Once you start doing that, everything will begin to get better. He may not like it at first, but you’ll feel better and you’ll work on your issues and then the marriage will get better.”
“What about Stephanie?”
“She isn’t an issue at the moment, unless you want her to be one. Truthfully, I can’t see any reason for her to be one. She isn’t involved with you marriage. Your marriage consists of Ridge and you. I wouldn’t worry about Stephanie. She can’t really hurt you.”
“How can you say that? She blackmailed me.”
“Yes and you learned something from it didn’t you? You learned that you can’t trust her. You also learned that you are going to have to depend on yourself. However, I seriously doubt that she would have told Ridge about your past relationship with James. She had nothing to gain from it; instead she only used that bluff to get you to do what she wanted. Now that she has you and Ridge back together, she won’t pressure you anymore. However you can see her for what she is. That means that you have the distinct advantage.”
Taylor frowned for a moment. She didn’t really want to have the advantage. All she wanted was for things to go back the way that they had been. However, she doubted that it could be possible. After all, Stephanie had drawn the line in the sand. She had chosen Ridge and had even been willing to destroy her if it meant she was in the way. “You are right. Stephanie isn’t an issue. I am. I haven’t been honest with Ridge about my feelings. I can’t build a life with him if I’m not honest. I’ve spent so much time thinking about him and Stephanie and Brooke and even Bridget. I have to come first and so do my children.”
“It seems that you have made a decision.”
“I have. I’m going to start being honest about my feelings. I’m going to make my marriage to Ridge my number one priory above all things.”
“Good.” Isabelle stood. “I think that we have done enough for today.”
Taylor collected her purse. “I’ll call you for another appointment.”
“I think that you should make it for early next week. I want us to continue to develop.”
Taylor nodded when Isabelle reached out and gently grasped her hand. “You aren’t alone in this. Just remember that. I promise to be here for you.” Isabelle said with a brilliant smile and a gentle tone.
“Thank you.”
“You are more than welcome.” Isabelle walked Taylor to the door and when it closed her false smile faded from her face and her hard mask. It had almost been too easy. “Yes Taylor, I will most certainly help you.” Isabelle picked up the glass that Taylor had been drinking out of. “Help you achieve my goal. My god, you made it too easy.” Isabelle stated her herself with the most cunning look upon her face.



Eve put her backpack in to the locker and locked it. She had come the Haven House, a place where throw away teens and runaways could go for a place to stay with meals, cots doctors and classes for learning certain skills. Eve never told anyone but she went and volunteered time one a week at the place. It was her way of giving back after all she was a throw away kid herself. Greg, the black African American man came into the workroom wiping his hands.
“Hey Eve glad to see that you are here. We’ve got a new teen. I think that you are just the person to help her. I’ll warn you that she is feisty and in a bad mood.”
“Alright.” Eve finished putting her things away and headed toward the recovery room. There a young teenaged girl who looked to be 15 years old was sitting there eating a sandwich. The teen’s blonde hair looked greasy and dirty, her clothes looked worn and three sizes too big however as Eve could see the natural beauty within the girl. She knew that the large sweatshirt, baggy jeans and the baseball hat gave her a male appearance; a strategy to keep unwanted passes away. The girl’s distrustful eyes found Eve. Eve sat down across from her. The girl moved sitting back against her chair. “So. Let me guess. You are here to shrink something or me. Well, you are wasting your fu(king time.”
“I don’t think that I’m wasting my time. I’ve got the rest of the afternoon.”
“Good, because I don’t have anything to say to you.”
“I think that you came here for a reason.”
“The free food.”
Eve nodded. “Pretty good. Better than the slop that they have in trashcans. It beats stealing and you also get a place to sleep without worrying about being hassled mugged or raped. Right.”
“What? Did they teach you that in your psychology class or something? Tell me rich girl, what the fu(k would you know about it?” The girl jumped up and banged on the door. “I know that in order for me to stay in this place I’ve got to talk to someone but not you. Hey!” She screamed. “Get me somebody else. Anybody but this fu(king Bitch!”
“You think that I’m rich?”
“Yeah. I know ya types. You feeling kinda down about all the bucks that daddy has left you, so you come down here slumming. That way when you go out with your fancy boyfriends you can tell about all the poor misfortune souls you helped. Well, I won’t be your little charity case.”
“Well. You are smart aren’t you?”
“Yeah I am.”
“But not smart enough to identify one of your own.”
“One of my own.”
“Another throw away kid. One who knows about eating out cans because you are too scared to go back into the foster home where fat ass son of a bitch wants to stick his pecker into you. One who found others on the streets like her and made a friend who told her what she stay with her and boyfriend but when she moved it she found out her body was the cost for having a home. I know all about it. The gritty sex, the money, the drugs.”
The girl stopped pounding on the door when Eve started to speak. “The X, the cocaine and the heroin. I know about the world of finding veins in between your toes or in between your thighs to get high. There is nothing that you could tell me that I don’t already know about because I lived it all. And I pulled myself out of something worse than what I just told you about.”



Rick was walking from the kitchen eating a turkey sandwich from the turkey that his grandmother had made earlier when the doorbell rang. Not too long ago, he had gotten in and had taken a quick shower. Coming through the back way, he put on a pair of long chinos shorts and had his shirt over top of his shoulder of his naked chest; he opened the door and instantly stopped eating when he saw who the visitor was. Quickly trying to finish the remains of his sandwich in his mouth, he swallowed with difficultly. “Ms. Deangleo.”
“Well, if it isn’t young Rick Forrester.” Isabelle said with a smile. “Do you mind if I come in?”
Rick couldn’t help himself but to find himself at a loss of words while studying the stunning and stylish Isabelle. “No, please come on in.”
Isabelle walked past Rick as he watched her in awe. He at times still found it unbelievable that she was Caspian’s sister. To him, the two looked nothing alike. Where as Caspian was dark, Isabelle’s skin almost seemed like porcelain, Caspian hair was jet black where as Isabelle’s hair was one of an auburn shade that couldn’t be found in a bottle, Caspian’s eyes were a dark piercing grey, Isabelle had cobalt blue eyes that sparkled like gems. However the two seemed to have an Italian accent as well as impeccable taste in clothing. Currently, Isabelle wore tailor made cream colored pants with a matching cream colored long sleeved blouse that had such a daring neckline that plunged so far down it barely concealed her breast, especially because of the long dangling diamond necklace that she wore was resting between the luscious globes. Her hair was swept up in a tight bun surrounded by a diamond-studded hairpin, her makeup, as usual was flawless. Isabelle looked around Brooke’s house. “Very nice.”
“Yeah...Well. Mom has excellent taste.”
“Yes, I’m sure that she does.” Isabelle said as took peek out at the French doors before he turned toward Rick. “Now Rick. I don’t want to take up too much of your time. However I’d like you to pass on a message to my brother. It seems for once that I can’t find him and he doesn’t have his cell phone on.”
“Most likely because he is in the hospital with my mom and sister.” Rick supplied.
“That, I figured. By the way, I am sorry to hear about your sister. I believe that I had some orchids sent over for her and chocolates.”
“That was nice of you especially because you haven’t met her yet.”
“She is going through a difficult time. From what I hear, she is however showing a great deal of class and strength. I respect that.”
Rick made a face. “Yeah, the whole thing is rough but Bridget is a fighter.”
Isabelle head titled to the side for a moment. “You love her very much, don’t you?”
Rick sat down in the plush chairs across from the sofa. “Growing up it was pretty much me and Budge against the world. Plus mom. At school, we would get teased and stuff because of our mother and her different relationships. When I was young it bothered me. See, when Ridge lived with us, I called him dad. For such a long time he was in our lives. I remember one time me and CJ got into this fight at baseball practice because he was teasing me that my father was actually my brother and I didn’t know the difference.”
“That had to be difficult.”
“It was at times but I got over it. My mom, yeah she’d had a pretty complicated love life but she was always there. When the rest of my peers were raised by a bunch of nannies and stepmothers, Budge and me had mom. No matter how hard she worked, she always had time to drive us to practice, go to our school meetings, plan trips with us, go to movies or hanging out for pizza. No matter how tired she was, she still helped up with our homework and projects and when we were little, she’d read to us every night. We’d go horse back riding and do so much stuff together, after a while it didn’t bother me anymore the whispers.”
“What kind of whispers?”
Rick looked down as if he were embarrassed. “They whispered that she was a whore.” Rick’s face became hard as granite. “But I didn’t care. I knew the truth.”
“What truth was that?”
He studied her face for a moment. He couldn’t put his finger on it but there was something about Caspian’s sister that he really liked. Maybe it was that she treated him like an adult in a way. As much as he loved his mother, and he did, she would always see him as her little boy. “The truth was that those bitches were jealous of her. See, it wasn’t the students as much as their alcohol social hopping mothers. They were jealous and eating alive with it. My mom was beautiful and more than that, it was natural, not store bought or cosmetic surgery beauty. It was like yours...”
Isabelle smiled a slight smile for a moment. “Thank you Rick. But you’ll learn that beauty isn’t everything.”
“Well, I certainly learned that. Kimberly was beautiful and she was a snake.” Isabelle said nothing about that comment and just listened to Rick. “But it was more than my mother’s beauty. She was fantastic in business. Everything she did in that area turned to gold. I often think that they wanted her to fall flat on her face.”
“She is powerful in her own right.”
“Yeah, she is. But it was also her sexuality. She wasn’t afraid of it.”
“Making love is an art. Did you know that in most European countries, especially the ones in the Middle East, teach their youth about the art of pleasuring both the man and the woman?”
Rick wasn’t sure what to say about a comment like that. “No, I didn’t know that.”
“Yes, often for the young ladies they are introduced to the Kulma Sutra.”
“And the men?”
Isabelle crossed her legs for a comment and innocently touched the diamond chain that hung in between her breast. Rick’s eyes instantly went to the exquisite skin that lay between those soft globes. “They employed Courtesans, mostly an older experienced women to show them how to give and receive pleasure.”
Rick swallowed as he felt the stirrings of desire course through his body. He didn’t totally understand it but on a level he was attracted to her. He was embarrassed by it. She was his mother’s age and he was in love with Eve. Now for the first time, he understood how his friends could look at his mother with desire.
Isabelle watched as the pallor of Rick’s face changed. She leaned forward to touch him gently on his face. “Are you alright? I’m not embarrassing you with the subject matter, am I?”
Rick moved his face away from the warm heat of her hands. She was way to close to him and with those eyes he was deftly afraid that she’d be able to tell that he was aroused. Mentally he cursed himself. Was he weak like his father and brothers? He had seen how lust had ruined them, most recently Thorne. Although he had cheated on Kimberly with Eve, if he were to admit it to himself, he’d admit that he had been falling in love with her. He loved her more than anyone. How could his body become hard at a mere touch of his mother’s lover’s sister? Rick looked away. “Yeah I’m fine.”
Isabelle moved back. “Maybe we should change the subject.” She paused for a moment.
“I can sorry that you had to go through all of that ridicule Rick.”
“It’s okay. Ms. Deangleo.”
“Isabelle is fine.”
“Well…yes…Anyway. Bridget was the one who had it really bad. For years she thought that Ridge was her dad and everyone knew it. When it came out that dad was her real father, she was really teased. Kids snickered and made remarks about our mother not knowing who she slept with. Some kids even made sickening remarks about my mother and me. Saying that I had better watch out because my mother likes all Forrester men.”
“Children can be cruel.”
“Well, that was disgusting. I got into a fight with Joshua Wilkins for that. I beat the shit out of him.”
“Good for you. You defended your mother and your honor.”
Rick laughed. “I wish that I had you around then. I got into trouble for fighting.”
“Your mother punished you?”
“She didn’t understand why. I never told her. Budge and me never told her about held the shit that kids said about her or us. We didn’t want to hurt her. She had enough on her mind.”
“So you protected your mother and your sister.”
“Yeah. I tried. Budge was having such a hard time then. She loved Ridge so much and when he was proven not to be her father, she kinda blamed mom. Hell, they all blamed mom.” Rick ran his fingers threw his hair. “I heard Stephanie and my dad talking once about it. They blamed her but I knew that no matter how much my mother loved Ridge; she wouldn’t have bribed a doctor. She loved Budge too much to screw her up like that.”
Isabelle thought about Caspian had told her about Bridget’s test. “I agree with you Rick. I don’t think that your mother had anything to do with that. No matter what, mothers…real ones always put their children first. You were very lucky to have a mother like Brooke.”
Rick laughed. “You know you sound like Eve.”
“Eve?”
“My girlfriend. She says that all the time. Her mom wasn’t the best. She basically threw her over for a man. Her boyfriend I guess. Eve doesn’t talk about it much but it hurts her.” Isabelle saw the tick on the side of Rick’s face. “Whenever I think about that bastard…”
“The boyfriend?”
“Yeah. That sicko. He tried to touch Eve...”
“Sexually?”
“Yeah. I didn’t even know it. She never talked about it until this morning. She had a nightmare…she was shaking….she was scared. I saw it in her eyes.”
Isabelle’s face became blank. “It is horrible thing. To be touched by someone when you are young and innocent.”
“Eve swears that he didn’t touch her. Apparently her mother sensed things…but instead of getting rid of him. She dumped Eve. Just left her as if she were trash. Her mom left with the boyfriend.”
“Sometimes women chose love over family. Some women shouldn’t be mothers.” Isabelle said with a voice so cold and bitter is could have frozen the room in which she sat. Rick was about to ask Isabelle a question she stood. “I have to go Rick. Can you please tell my brother that I am leaving L.A. I’m home to Italy for a day at the most. If he needs me, call me.” She collected her cream colored purse that matched her sleek high heeled shoes.”
“You are leaving?”
“Don’t worry Rick. I’ll be back.” She opened her purse and handed him a card. “Here.”
“What’s this?”
“Call this number and tell them you’re a friend of Isabelle. This will give you access to my plane and the woman on the other end will plan a nice weekend for you and your Eve.”
Rick was stunned. “Why?”
“I like you Rick. You are a good son and most especially a brother. It is very important to look out for your little sister” She touched his face gently before she moved in so close to him that her lips almost touched. “It is really a shame.”
Rick could actually feel his whole heart beat speed up. “What?” He asked breathy.
Her eyes bore into his. “That you are Brooke’s son. That you are way too young for me. “That you are in love with your Eve.” Isabelle licked her lips. “Because it that weren’t the case…” she whispered. “I’d take you with me to Italy and teach so things that only a courtesan could teach you about your body, about sexual pleasure, about pleasing a woman.” She moved in slowly to touch her lips to his softly while her tongue sneaked out of touch his lips for a brief moment before she moved away. “But, since I can’t I’ll help you reach your potential as a man in business.” Isabelle backed off and opened the door. She then turned to look at Rick for moment.
“Why?” He asked stunned.
“I really do like you. I don’t LIKE too many people.”
“Why do you like me?”
“Caspian.”
“Caspian?”
“Caspian had a sister. He adored her the way that you adore your sister. He’d do anything for her just like you would for Bridget. You remind me of how he was with his sister.”
Rick looked confused. “I thought you were his sister.”
“I am. But this sister was very different from me. She was like your sister. She was bright, smart and full of life. When someone took the light out of her, Caspian protected her.”
“What happened to this sister of his?”
“She died. When she was 16.”
“WOW…I’m sorry but I’m confused…you like me because I remind you of your brother?”
“Yes. That is part of why I like you. Besides you have a certain charm. You are also are determined and with the right mentor will be fierce in business…like my brother.” She saw something in Rick’s eyes, shook her head mentally…it seemed that American were caught up in those sexuality kick. “Don’t get me wrong. I love my brother but there is no incestal relationship there. The sexual part with you…that is me wanting to teach you how to be a man in the bedroom. Caspian was taught the old ways…have him tell you all about Cassandra. She taught him everything he knew, that was also part of learning to be a real man. You’ll have to make due without that part…” Isabelle looked him up and down. “It is a shame however. I would have liked that part. So, until we meet again young Forrester. Lesson one. When someone is willing to give you something for free, always ask why because nothing is free.”
“Alright why?”
“I like you. And for every nefarious deed I plan, there should be a couple a good ones. Karma does come back. So, therefore, I’m going to help you to become a force to reckon with.”
She headed down the front step toward the limo when he called out. “But what if I don’t want to be a force.”
“Good answer Rick. Never let anyone know just how much you want something. But you and I both know that you do. After all you are your mother’s son. Call the number Rick, have a good time with Eve. I’ll see you when I get back.” She slid into her limo feeling quit happy with herself. She had meant everything that she had said. There was no trick or no ulterior motive. She saw Caspian in him. She respected the way he supported his sister and mother. She even liked the way that she wanted to help his poor girlfriend who seemed to have lived in horror. Isabelle didn’t believe that bullshit about never being touched by the boyfriend. Something happened. When one had nightmares like that, something happened. She hoped that Rick would the man for his love that Benito couldn’t be for her and Pierce would never be. She was going to do two things in L.A besides helping her brother; the first would be to build up Rick Forrester and the other to destroy Taylor Forrester’s marriage. She knew, that she could easily do both.



Storm Logan had arrived at his sister’s home around 5 o’clock. His mother was there to greet him and catch him up with the latest with his niece’s health. One hour later, his sisters, Donna and Katie, arrived. Finally, Brooke arrived at her home. Brooke quickly hugged her brother. “Storm. I’m glad that you could make it.”
“Brooke. I’m just sorry that it has taken me this long to get here.”
“Don’t worry. I know that you are busy and tabling your work just to get here.”
“Yeah. I wanted to go and visit Bridget but mom said not too. Why?”
Brooke sighed. “I called a family meeting. I need everyone to be here. There is an issue that I need to deal with.”
“What issue?” Storm leaned forward. “Brooke why is there something else that you need to tell me?”
“Storm. Just wait.”
Storm frowned. He felt like there was something more to it than he knew but he tabled it because he could wait. “So, why don’t you tell me about your new boyfriend.”
“Yeah Brooke.” Donna said as she came into the room. “After speaking to Rick. I hear it is pretty hot and heavy. He is rich, Italian and not married. I can’t wait to meet him.”

Storm stood in the doorway when the distinguished looking man showed up at the other side.
“Hello, you must be Caspian.” Storm shook his hands. “I’m Storm…”
“Brooke’s brother. It is nice to meet you.” Caspian stepped into the house after him.
“How was you drive down?”
“Not bad. Traffic. It was easier than trying to catch a flight. Besides I had a litigation matter that I had to finish this morning.”
“I read about you in the paper when you represented Carol Simmons. Fantastic Legal work.” Storm was most proud of that case. Carol Simon’s husband had bought land offered up his company to build a house on. Unfortunately the company knew that they were dumping chemicals in a nearby pond which water was filtered out toward the underground well the Simmons used. Her husband became ill with tumors as well as her children who got cancer; the company hadn’t wanted to pay the medical bills. So, Storm had represented Carol Simmons as she sued the company, in the end she was offered 15 million dollars.
“Thanks, I try my best. Besides there is nothing worse than a company who tries their best to harm the people who work for them. No offense. Brooke told me that you own your own company, Microtech, right? That is a huge company; our company uses some of your software. It had really worked wonders.”
“Thanks and no offense taken about your comment. I agree with you totally. As an owner of a company I think that it is imperative that we look out for the needs of people working for us. Trying to sell you employees tainted land that causes the death and illness of families is abhorrent. They deserved to be sued.”
Storm nodded with appreciation. He liked the conviction in this man’s voice.
“Caspian.” Brooke smiled as she came in from outside. Storm watched as her sister’s face light up. “I thought that you were going to the office.”
Caspian kissed Brooke holding her tightly. “Did you think that I’d let you deal with alone? I just picked up my work and I’ll finish it later.”
“Caspian, you’ve spent so much time with me the last couple of days, your company…”
“Don’t you dare do that? My company is fine. Bella has taken up a lot of my workload, so don’t worry. As long as you need me. I’ll be here by your side.”
Rick came down the stairs. “Speaking of your sister, she stopped by.”
“Bella stopped by here?”
“Yeah. She told me to tell you that she is going to Italy for a few days, I guess but she’ll be back.”
“I still can’t believe that I still haven’t met you sister in all this time.” Brooke said.
“You’ll meet her. Bella is memorable character.”
“Yeah.” Rick blushed. “Your sister is certainly that.” Storm noted the look on Rick’s face and wondered what it was all about. He was going to have a talk with his nephew.



Stephanie paused outside of Brooke’s home; her drive was full of all different types of cars. It seemed that everyone else had arrive for this family meeting that Brooke had called together. She needed a moment in order to get herself straight. She wondered why this meeting had been called; she was sure more than ever that her secret wasn’t about to come out. If Ridge had been shown as Bridget’s father, something would have been said at the hospital. However both Brooke and Ridge had visited Bridget and neither had said anything. She was sure that this meeting was about Bridget’s donor. Rick had to be the match. Stephanie rang the doorbell to the house. Beth Logan answered the door. Stephanie frowned, yesterday she and Beth got into a confrontation about Brooke. She couldn’t believe the gall of the woman to carry on about her daughter when her own husband was suffering. Stephanie had swatted Beth away like she was nothing more than a fly. “Stephanie.” Beth said coldly.
“Beth.” Stephanie said as she pushed through the doorway. She didn’t have time for that woman’s antics. She wanted to hear the news and get back to nursing Eric. Her husband seemed to be improving and in a couple of days, she wanted to take him home. Stephanie noted that all of the Logan family was present along with Ridge, Kristen and that horrid Caspian. The doorbell rang again and Thorne came into the house and Stephanie pierced him with her eyes. “Where is Kimberly?”
Thorne looked annoyed at his mother. “Mother, I don’t think that this is the place for Kimberly. She’s home resting. I believe.”
“Because of Brooke?”
“Yes. She’s been through enough stress hasn’t she? Brooke doesn’t need to see Kimberly.” He said as he passed by to talk to Kristen who was laughing at something Storm Logan was saying to her. Stephanie looked at her daughter for a moment and felt a pang of regret. Kristen had been coming everyday to sit and talk with Eric however the moment was marred because she had insisted on bringing that horrid woman with her. Stephanie had done everything in her power to help her daughter get over her feelings of inadequacy with men yet this woman had found a way to corrupt her daughter.
Kristen walked over to her mother. “Mother.”
“Kristen.” Stephanie murmured. Whatever else was going to be said was cut off by Brooke who had come into the room from upstairs. “I want to thank all of you for coming.” Brooke looked around. “Ridge. Where is Taylor?”
“I tried reaching her on her cell phone but she isn’t picking up. I know that there was this seminar that she wanted to go to. I’m thinking that maybe she went since Thomas was doing better.” Ridge said however he was concerned. Bridget was foremost on his mind and he couldn’t understand Taylor disappearing like the way that she did. “We will have to deal with this on our own Logan.”
“Deal with what?” Storm asked.
“Yeah Mom. Is this about Bridget’s test? Was I a match?”
Brooke looked at Ridge who nodded as he moved to stand next to her. “Honey. Dr. Levine did the test and you would have been a match to your sister however because of your one kidney, you can’t be a donor to her.”
“I don’t understand what does one kidney have to do with anything if I’m a match for Bridget.”
“Honey, only having one kidney puts you at risk.”
“I don’t care about me being at risk. This is about Budge. I love her. I want to save my sister.”
Caspian put his hand on Rick’s shoulder. “Listen. I know that you want to save your sister. You love her, but you can’t do this Rick, no matter how much you want to do it. Think about what it would do to your mother if anything were to happen to you. She can’t take that risk that something could happen to you.”
“Rick. I won’t put you at risk.”
Kristen stepped forward. “So that just means that one of us can donate to Bridget, right?”
“That would have been the case if everything went accordingly however that isn’t the case.”
“Brooke, what do you mean that isn’t the case.” Thorne asked. He looked at his brother and sisters. “Dr. Levine said that one of us could easily be a match for her.”
“I know that is what she said however during the testing we found out something.”
Stephanie stepped forward. “What did you find?”
“We found that Ridge, not Eric is Bridget’s father.”
Brooke’s words reverberated around the room. There was an auditable gasp and then a deafening thud as Stephanie’s body hit the floor.

 

 

Chapter 89
Kristen, Caspian, Thorne, Beth, Rick and Brooke stared in horror as Stephanie’s body hit the floor. “My God, mother!” Ridge ran over toward his mother as Thorne followed.
“Rick, call the hospital.” Rick stood in shock to stunned to move. Brooke gasped in horror looking at her mother.
“Not again. Not Stephanie too. Hasn’t this family had enough?
Donna ran to the phone when Stephanie’s eyes fluttered open. Ridge let out a sigh of relief. “Mother you gave us a scare.”
Stephanie moaned for a moment. “What happened?”
“You took a spill mother. You were upset.”
Caspian’s eyes narrowed as he watched Ridge help his mother sit up. Something was a miss.
Stephanie stared up into Ridge’s face. “Upset about what?”
Kristen poured a glass a water and handed to it Ridge. “I think that it was Brooke and Ridge’s announcement. It must have upset you. The shock of it.”
Stephanie sipped the water. While Thorne asked Donna to call the doctor. “Don’t do that I’m fine.”
“What if you had a mini-stroke?” Thorne said. “We aren’t going to take any changes. Let’s get your doctor’s here.”

Ridge walked down the stairs. “How is she?” Brooke asked.
Ridge put his hand on Brooke’s shoulder. “The doctor says that she is going to be alright. I just think that it was the shock and everything that has happened. Thorne is sitting upstairs with her but I think that she is going to be alright.”
“I don’t know about anybody else but I need a drink.” Uttered Donna.
“Me too.” Kristen said.
Donna headed to the kitchen“ I’ll get something.”
Storm walked over to his sister. “How are you holding up with all of this?”
Brooke shook her head. “It’s so confusing. I mean. Stephanie aren’t friends. She has done some things that I will never forgive her for lately.”
“You mean with Bridget?’
Brooke’s eyes went to Caspian for a moment as she remembered the night from Rick’s party. A shutter ran through her body. “That is part of it.”
Storm looked worried. “But that’s not all of it is it? What has she done to you?”
Brooke rubbed her arms. “It doesn’t really matter at the moment. All that matters is Bridget.”
“Mom, how did this happen?”
Rick had been silent but it was the question that everyone had. How could this have occurred?
“Yes Brooke, Ridge? How did this happen?”
Brooke shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t know. I guess that the second paternity test that we took was wrong.”
“But how? The first test was wrong.”
“No, it seems that the first test were right.” Ridge said. “Bridget is MY daughter, not dad’s.”
“Does dad know?” Kristen looked at her brother.
“No, he doesn’t. With the heart attack we didn’t want to add stress to what he is going through. But Bridget does know.”
“How does she feel?”
“I bet she is thrilled.” Rick stated.
“Rick, how can you say that?” Kristen said with horror.
“Because she loves Ridge.” Rick sat down on the sofa. “None of you lived with Bridget but I did. When Ridge was taken away from her, she wasn’t the same. She was sad. I used to hear her cry in her room.” Rick bit his lips for a moment. “I wanted to take her pain away.”
“Oh honey...” Brooke put her arms around Rick.
“I remember the look on her face when we told her that I wasn’t her father.” Ridge said with emotion on his voice. “She was just a little thing. Her little eyes had tears and I could see that she was in pain. I hurt my daughter.”
“Ridge, you weren’t to blame.” Brooke stood and hugged Ridge. “You weren’t to blame at all for what has happened.”
“The question is who is?” Caspian uttered while he watched when Brooke ended the hug Ridge kept his arms around her. “Who is responsible for this mess?”
“The hospital I presume. I’m not sure what happened.”
Beth shook her head. “I can’t understand how something like this happened twice at the same hospital none the less.”
“Obviously, that hospital staff is incompetent.” Stephanie said as she came down the stairs followed by Thorne. “I can’t believe that they could make a mistake like this.”
“Mother maybe you should go back to lying down.”
“No. I’m all right. Just tired. Ridge, are you sure that this is true?”
“Stephanie has been done three times. It is clear. Bridget is Ridge’s daughter.”
“Well, you’ll have to understand why I’m skeptical. This is the second time that the test has been questioned.”
“Well, Stephanie. I told you when that first letter showed up at my house that I never played that doctor off.” When Stephanie said nothing Brooke became angry. “I didn’t pay her off. If she hadn’t died she could have told you that I never paid her to change that test.”
“I don’t know what you did.”
“That’s enough mother. Brooke didn’t pay to have that test changed. She’d never do that to Bridget. Only a monster of a mother would do that to her daughter.” Ridge defended Brooke. “Brooke loves Bridget.”
“I just think that we need answers.”
Caspian had watched Stephanie with interest. “That I agree with Stephanie. I think that it should be investigated. Everything.”
“You shut up! You have nothing to do with this. If I didn’t know any better I’d say that you had something to do with this new development.”
“Mother! That’s enough. Do you hear yourself? You have a granddaughter who has suffered. Can’t you think about her?” Kristen looked Brooke. “I’m sorry for the way that my mother has treated you. For the way that we all did.”
The room was silent until Steven spoke up. “I think that the important thing here is Bridget. She’s the one that has suffered the most with this. She lost her father and has grown up very confused. We need to let her know that she is loved.”
“Bridget isn’t the only one who suffered. Both Ridge and Brooke have. They lost what they had together. Have you all forgotten that they were to be married when all this mess occurred? They were happy.” Beth looked at her daughter. “You were planning your wedding, it was to happen in a few days.” She turned toward the others. “Brooke had had designed her wedding gown herself, don’t you remember Steven.”
“Yes. I do. Bethy.”
“Brooke you were so ecstatic. This whole house was filled love. The love that you and Ridge shared and it was all over within a matter of one letter. Left in its play was distrust, fear and a lot of pain.” Beth looked at Stephanie. “Then the doubts set in with the prodding of one overbearing mother.”
Stephanie put her hands on her hips. “You aren’t blaming this on me are you?”
“You were the one that couldn’t let it go. Brooke said that she didn’t change those test. Ridge said that he believed her. But you went to Eric with all of your thoughts.”
“It isn’t my fault that your whore of a daughter spread her legs for both my son and my husband in a matter of days and didn’t know what impregnated her.”
Katie gasped at Stephanie. “That’s enough Stephanie.” Caspian came out of the corner that he was standing in. “We aren’t going to do it tonight or any other night. Certainly this isn’t the time to air any dirty laundry is it?” Stephanie saw the cold calculated look in the man’s eyes. Beth looked from Stephanie to Caspian as well as Kristen. Something was amiss.
Thorne didn’t like the way that Brooke’s lover was looking at his mother but he too was found his mother’s comments to be abhorrent. “Mother. This isn’t the time. Brooke isn’t to blame for this. The focus shouldn’t be on the past; it should be on the future. Brooke, what does this mean to Bridget as far as her health is concerned?”
“Well, it means that Bridget can’t use you, Kristen or Felicia as a possible donor.”
“What about Ridge’s children?”
“I’m going to have Thomas and the girls tested.”
“Hopefully one of them will be a match as Bridget. We just have to wait and see.”
Storm took a drink off the tray that Donna had fixed. “How long?”
“I don’t know. I know that Ridge has to talk to Taylor about it.”
“Logan, don’t worry about that. Taylor wants to help.”
“She may not be too excited about her little children going through surgery.”
“Brooke may be right.” Stephanie added.
“Mother. They are my children just like Bridget is my daughter. Her life is at stake and I going to do my best to see that she has everything that she needs.”
“I wasn’t saying that you weren’t but going on.”
“Has anyone thought about what this is going to do to dad?”
“Kristen. Your father has to be told and we will help him through it.”
“How?”
“He is going to lose a daughter. It just isn’t fair.”
“None of it is Kristen. None of it is.” Brooke said as she looked at Ridge. “We have all lost something. Bridget lost her father. Ridge lost his daughter. Eric is going to lose out. Worse of all, Bridget could lose her life…” Brooke looked away for a moment willing the tears to go away however Ridge lightly touched her on her face.
“She won’t Logan. I won’t allow anything to happen to our daughter.” Ridge pulled Brooke into his arms and held her while her eyes closed. Four pairs of eyes watched Ridge holding Brooke. Stephanie, Thorne, Caspian and Beth. Beth was the only person who looked pleased.



Isabelle’s flight had allowed her time to rest and collect her thoughts on her newest agenda. She had smile at the memory of how Rick Forrester had looked at her when she had kissed him. Oh, she knew better than to play with that young man the way that she did however she couldn’t seem to help herself. She had meant what she has said, she wanted to help him. Maybe it was because she wanted him to reach his potential; she knew that he had it. She had checked on young Rick Forrester. He was doing exceedingly well in his classes, he was well liked by his peers and she knew with the right sort of direction that Rick could be a powerful man. Why not? Rick had Brooke’s blood in him and it seemed that the young man took after his mother and not his weak willed father. Yes, teaching Rick Forrester to become aggressive, hungry and powerful would be a great deal of fun. It was too bad that he did have a girlfriend that he loved, he was very cute and she would take a delight in bedding him. Alas, she wouldn’t touch him in that manner. She was quite sure that Momma Brooke would be livid if she were to play with her son and however Isabelle didn’t want to open that can of worms. Isabelle finished off her Regis Cabernet and laid her head back against the cushion. This trip to Italy wasn’t something that she had originally planned however it was something that she had to do. She knew that she didn’t have much time to act. Within the next hour, her plane landed.
“Mrs. DeAngelo, your car is waiting for you.”
Isabelle put on her sunglasses. “Thank you Renard.” Renard handed Isabelle her briefcase that she asked for earlier and watched as the elegant woman made her way down the stair of her plane. Finding her car, she slid comfortably in the back seat. Her driver started the limo and took her to the only person besides her brother who wielded any power over her. The only person who could help correct the damage that could destroy lives. She was going to see Grayson Delana, the head of the “ family”.



Storm helped to load up the dishwasher with the glasses. “I can’t believe all of this. Bridget is Ridge’s daughter?”
Donna shook her head. “I know. Years ago Brooke would have done anything to have this news but now? My god. Her life would have been so different if this news had come out years ago.”
“Different. You mean she’d have a life with Ridge.”
“I hate to say it but maybe Brooke and Ridge would have been happy and they most likely would have had children together.” Donna put the other dishes away.
“Don’t utter that Donna.”
“Why not. I know that I’m not the only one thinking it. Ridge and Brooke loved each deeply. They have a history and a connection that was utterly destroyed with a lie. Now their child together is suffering and it maybe Bridget wouldn’t be if they had been allowed to be together.”
“Just don’t let anyone hear you say that.”
“I don’t have to worry. Everyone is gone. Thorne took Stephanie home. And Caspian got called away for something. Mom and dad are going to visit Bridget. They figure with the new news that she might need cheering up. She gained a father but she lost a donor I’m going to wait to see her tomorrow. Besides he wanted to see how she was coping with losing Eric as a father.”
“I know but there is no point in saying it Donna. What might have been is over as far as Brooke and Ridge are concerned. Ridge is married and Brooke has moved on to a man who isn’t a Forrester.”
“Speaking of men who aren’t Forresters. What do you think of Caspian?”
“I guess that I should be asking you that question. I noticed you looking at him.”
“He is a very handsome man.”
“Well, I will say one thing for him. I liked the way that he shut Stephanie up.”
“There aren’t too many men who can do that is there?”
“No. There isn’t.” Donna laughed. “Did you see the look on her face? I thought that she was going to explode.”



“Oh god…yes…right there. Uhh, that feels so good.” Brooke moaned as she leaned her head back. “Ridge, I forgot how good your hands were.”
Ridge laughed as he continued to knead the muscles in Brooke’s neck.
“God Logan you are really tense.”
“Uh huh.” Brooke sighed for a moment. “I’ve been dealing with a lot.”
Ridge’s fingers rubbed the muscles at the base of her neck with precision for a few more minutes before Brooke pulled away and collapsed on that sofa. “I’m sorry that mother acted the way that she did.”
“You aren’t to blame. I can’t expect that her to jump for joy about what we told the family. She stills thinks that I to blame for this. But I really don’t care. All I can think about is Bridget and Eric.”
Ridge pulled Brooke toward him until her head rested on his shoulder. “Dad is going to take this pretty hard.”
“I know. Eric and I don’t see eye to eye but I know what Bridget means to him. It will hurt him.”
“I know.” Ridge said as he held Brooke’s hand tightly.
Brooke looked up into Ridge’s face. “You do don’t you. You know what it is like to lose a daughter. For that, I’m so sorry.”
Ridge touched Brooke’s face gently. “I know Brooke. You know I couldn’t help but to think about what Beth said.”
“About what?”
“About how things would have been if the first test had been proven right. We would have been married. We would have been happy.”
“I guess it is hard not to think about it. Back then we wanted nothing more…”
“…than each other. I should have you married to hell with the test.”
Brooke wasn’t sure what to say about that. It had happened so long ago. She slowly pulled away from Ridge’s fingers. “Well, we did what we thought was best.” Brooke stood up and walked toward the French doors to look outside at the night.
“I hurt you Logan.” Ridge said as he came from behind her. “For that I’m so sorry.”
“It’s alright. You didn’t know.”
“I should have believed you.”
“You did up until your mother talked then…there was doubt. I saw it in your eyes. I wanted to clear it up for you so no doubt about Bridget or me.”
“Because you knew that you were innocent. You knew that you didn’t change the paternity test.”
“No Ridge, I didn’t change the test. I’d never do that.”
“I know Brooke. I’m sorry for everything.”
Brooke sighed. “It’s the past and with everything that Bridget is going through with it just doesn’t seem to matter.”
“But it does Brooke. It matters to me.”
Brooke sighed. “Ridge I can’t think about it right now. All my mind can focus on is our daughter.”
“She is special.”
“Yes she is.”
“And beautiful.”
“Don’t forget talented. Her work is amazing. That is why she going to Paris.” Brooke paused for a moment. “She was so excited about going to that school. You should have seen her face when she got the letter to say that she was accepted. That plus the trip that Caspian set up for her.”
“Caspian set up a trip for Bridget?”
“Yes. A trip to Italy staying at his villa for her and some of her friends. Of course it was before we knew about the cancer. Still, it was a wonderful gesture.”
“I’m sure that is was.” Ridge said sarcastically.
“Don’t start Ridge.”
“I didn’t say anything Logan.”
“It was in your voice. I know that you don’t like him.”
“Really, I wonder why? The man has stolen 10% of my father’s company. He acts as if he were a part of this family imposing at ever turn.”
“First of all, he has rights to that 10%. It’s his legally. Second, he is in my life Ridge. I want him around. It’s nice to have a man who not only loves me but stands besides me when things get rough.”
“That isn’t fair Logan.”
“Please Ridge. Every time I messed up in some sort of way, you ran.”
“That isn’t true.”
“It is. You know it. Besides, you never been nice to any man that I’ve been involved with. You didn’t like Connor.”
“That snake got you 51% of our company. Besides, he was arrogant.”
“What about James?”
“He wasn’t right for you. He spent too much time analyzing you.” Ridge tilted Brooke’s head up. “Besides he didn’t have passion. I’m quite sure that he didn’t please you in bed.”
Brooke ignored that comment. “Well, what about Grant?”
Ridge gave Brooke amused look. “You only married him to get back at me. Besides, I don’t want to speak ill of the dead.”
Brooke crossed her arms over her chest. “Thorne?”
Ridge was silent for a moment. “Well, Thorne was different.”
Brooke nodded. “Yes he was. Thorne was very sweet and caring. He would have made a good husband if he hadn’t had that affair with Kimberly. If things hadn’t gone so badly. But things weren’t badly and we’ve gone different paths. Thorne has a new baby on the way, regardless of what I think about his scheming little bitch of a wife, I can’t discount that baby. No matter how much I want to.”
“Brooke what are you saying? Are you saying that if it weren’t for the baby that you’d be with Thorne?”
“No. Ridge. Thorne and I are over. I loved him Ridge but there is no looking back for Thorne and me.”
“Then what did you mean?”
“Nothing that I want to get into with you. Ridge, I think that whatever problem you have with Caspian, you need to get over it. He isn’t going anywhere. He’s in my life to stay.” Brooke leaned forward and kissed Ridge on the cheek. “Now, we have a long day tomorrow and I have some work to do besides I’m sure that Taylor is waiting for you.”

Brooke shut out the lights and was heading upstairs when she noticed a flicker of light outside. Ridge had left a half an hour before and she had showered and changed into a robe. Brooke opened the front door and stepped outside. “Hello” Everybody was gone. She walked hesitantly until she wandered into her garden. What she saw made her stop and her heart flutter. Right down below off from the marble steps that lead the greener of the garden in the nestled of the trees was Caspian. He looked like he belonged on one of those romantic novels. He was wearing a soft white shirt, a pair of light blue jeans with bare feet holding a lily in his hand. All around him were flickers of candle light from the candles that had been set up all around. On the grass lay a tray of grapes, strawberries with cream and chocolates along with a bottle of Cabernet. Light music played all around them. Brooke smiled. “What are you doing?’
“I’m planning a picnic.”
“At night?”
“It was meant to be romantic.” Caspian moved across the grass up the stairs to the patio that Brooke was standing on and took her hands as he led her down the stairs. “I thought that after tonight’s meeting with the family that you needed something special.”
Brooke allowed Caspian to lead her to the hammock, which he gently placed her on.
“Now I know where you went earlier when you got “called” away.”
Caspian opened the bottle of wine and poured it in the glasses. He handed Brooke her glass and then climbed up upon the hammock leaning back next to her. “Yes, well I figured that I could stay and becoming steadily angry about the way that you were being treated or I could plan some down time for us.”
“Is that why everyone is gone?”
“Well, I talked to your dad and your brother. They were willing to help. Your mother and father won’t be back until late. That gives us time to spend together.”
Brooke sipped her wine and then leaned down to place her glass on the grass. She then lay back looking up at the stars. “Wow, this is wonderful. A hammock, it is perfect.”
“I thought that you would like it.” Caspian murmured as he kissed her on the top of her head.
Brooke turned to face Caspian their bodies intertwined. “You do know me.”
“I know that you were under stress.” Caspian leaned down and picked up a strawberry and dipped it into the cream. He lowered it to Brooke’s mouth when she took a bite of it. Brooke chewed softly as the delicious strawberry and cream filled her mouth. Caspian then lowered the strawberry again to her mouth and watched in delight as she chewed.
“Taste good, doesn’t it?”
“Yes it does.”
Caspian eyes darkened with passion and delight. “Can I taste it?”
A wave of butterflies hit her below her stomach as well as a stirring in between her legs.
“Yes” Brooke’s breast rose and fell. “You can taste anything you want.”
“Good.” Caspian leaned down and licked a bit of cream off the corner of her bottom lip. He then dipped his fingers into the cream and brought it to Brooke’s mouth. “Lick it off.” Caspian watched as Brooke opened her perfect lips and suckled his finger into her mouth. Her tongued swirled around his finger as she sucked off of the cream off of it. Her mouth was so luscious and lovely. He pulled his finger from her mouth and traced her bottom lip. “Such lovely lips.” He murmured as he lowered his head and kissed her. His tongue slid into her mouth again and again to lick the roof of her mouth and suckle her tongue. She tasted so sweet. She was sweet. Brooke’s hands roamed until his shirt and caressed his muscular chest. He caught her hands with his, his.
“No. Baby. Tonight it just for you.”
“If it is, then I want you to take your shirt off. I want to see your wonderful body.
Caspian moved off the hammock and unbuttoned his shirt slowly to reveal his muscular chest. Then, he knelt on the grass turned Brooke so her legs hung off the end of the hammock. He then touched Brooke’s thighs and slowly slid the silky material of the robe upwards. Caspian smiled. “No underwear? Just the way that I like it.” He then lowered his finger into the cream to scoop up the white cool substance and then gently opened Brooke’s thighs and took his time coating her nether lips with the cream. Brooke whole body ached as his fingers covered her with the cream while stimulating her at the same time. His fingers stimulated her while his eyes bore into her. Brooke watched him as he covered her with delight. She tried to suppress her moans of desire as she watched him. It was erotic to watch him as he touched her with her thighs spread open to him. After he finished, he suckled the cream off his finger. Then he used that same finger to slowly penetrate her. Brooke tilted her hips forward as his finger filled her. Her eyes closed as with passion.
“You are so perfect, even down here you are so beautiful.” He then slid another finger inside of her. Brooke cries filled the night air as Caspian moved his fingers in and out of her body. Brooke spread her legs wider when she felt the hot air of his mouth just before his tongue slid across her nub of desire. Brooke’s whole body shook with fever as Caspian took another lick. “You taste so good. I want more.” He then stoked her nub again with his tongue. Then he leaned forward, his head between her legs, tasting her. Using his tongue to trace the cream off of her lips while his fingers still moved in and out of her wet heat. Brooke bit her lips to keep her cries down, his mouth gave her so much pleasure she wasn’t sure how much longer she could hold on. Caspian has licked off all of cream and latched his mouth on her nub. Suckling lightly he sent shiver after shiver through her body until Brooke’s body began to shake with an oncoming orgasm, knowing this, he slid his wet fingers out of her and then slid his tongue inside of her to taste her while she came. Brooke’s whole body shook as she grasped Caspian head afraid that he’d move his head and mouth away from her. Caspian didn’t move his mouth; he didn’t want too, she tasted sweet. Brooke collapsed against the hammock when her orgasm ended.
“Oh my god.”
Caspian licked his lips and the untied the sash of her robe leaving her bare and beautiful.
Caspian dipped his finger in the cream again. “I’m not done. We are just starting.”



Nico didn’t have much time. She had quickly finished most of the work that she had been given for the day. Microtech would most defiantly keep her busy with it’s projects, it was too bad that this wasn’t the only reason that she here. Looking around, she cleared her screen and started the task that would help her get all the answers that she needed.



Isabelle was shown into the elegant mansion, which was hidden in the hills and behind the huge gates and the finest security system that even her brother hadn’t even been able to break into. Isabelle was told that Grayson was currently in a meeting and was shown into the sitting room. Fresh cut bouquet of flowers graced the room the lilac colored room with the soft French loveseat and matching couch. Soft lilac colored window dressing trimmed the borders of the French doors and the windows, while the small alcove had a small table with what looked to be the latest book that Sofia was reading along with her reading glasses. The soft contours of the room filled Isabelle with a sense of peace. This room was one that Sophia, Grayson’s wife had decorated. The French doors were open and the aroma of the scent filled the pleasant room. Isabelle noticed the family photos gracing the tables in their silver frame. There were pictures of Grayson’s daughter Francesca and her two children, and some of his wife Sophia when she had been younger. A recent photo of Sophia and Grayson on their yacht in the Mediterranean. Then, there was a picture of beautiful picture Donetella’s Fury in her wedding dress. Isabelle picked up the photo with lackluster. Donnetella was one of Grayson’s goddaughters; he had been a friend to her father just as Grayson had been friends with her own father. Donnetella was a very beautiful yet cunning and spoiled woman who had used her position of being Michael’s wife to rule over people. Isabelle had never liked Donnetella. She had once been betrothed to her brother when they were children. As a child and a young woman Donnetella had a cruel streak, ruling over servants like a tyrant and treating them as if there were nothing more than her personal toys, however it was something other than that. Caspian needed a woman who would be an asset to him, who could inspire warmth and love, who could be his lover, his wife and equal. Donnetella was too interested in power to be able to stand beside Caspian; she would try to use her brother’s power to become dangerous. In some ways Donnetella was too much like her to be a wife to him. Isabelle knew that she could be cold and heartless however she didn’t want a cruel bitch to be married to her brother. Donetella’s need to control and her own machinations was enhanced when she had married that weakling, Michael, however as insane Michael was, the power the he wield was nothing compared to what Caspian had had when he was in the family. It certainly was better that Caspian ended his “relationship” with her. Truthfully, Isabelle knew that she and Donnetella would have had come to blows if that bitch had married her brother. It would have been a huge power struggle between the two women. Isabelle knew that Donnetella blamed her for Caspian pulling out in fact she believe that the woman had even been jealous her Isabelle’s relationship with Benito. It was an irony that it was Isabelle who had killed Donetella’s pawn of a husband. Isabelle’s fingers touched the photos lightly until she came to a photo of a handsome Italian young man who looked to be in his twenties. “Salvatore.”



KC took the spicy ribs out of the oven and placed it next to the homemade cornbread. She only had the roasted vegetables to take off the grill and then she was done. Alex walked into the large ranch style kitchen and pulled a stool up to the counter. She popped one of the stuffed mushrooms that KC had cooked as an appetizer into her mouth. “Girl, don’t you know that I wish that I could cook like you. I’d say a great deal of money on expensive restaurants.”
KC took off her apron leaving her in a pair of short demin shorts and a white halter-top.
“You didn’t grow up with my mother and grandmother. In my household, everyone knows how to cook. Even my little brother.”
“There you go again. You little brother isn’t so little based on that picture you have of him in your office.”
“He is to me.”
“I know that I’m going to have to run an extra couple of miles on the treadmill or I’m going to gain a lot of weight eating those ribs.”
“Just make sure that you leave a few for Connor. He loves them.”
Alex nodded as she drank her mineral water. “Where is that handsome fiancé of yours?”
“He is working late tonight. He has a deposition to finish before we go to New York.” Kay poured herself a glass of Cream Soda out of the fridge. “He isn’t the only one working himself to death. You know I been working all sorts of hours as Forrester.”

“Because of Eric Forrester’s heart attack?”
“The whole family has hardly been at work. Ridge and Brooke are constantly gone. I can understand Brooke because of Bridget but since Eric is doing better, I thought that I’d see Ridge. In fact, I had to cover one of the production meeting for WOW campaign.”
“You did?”
“Yeah. I was surprised that they didn’t have someone from the business department do it but Brooke said that since it I’d been heading up the WOW myself as head designer, she wanted me to handle it.”
Alex finished setting the table. “It seems to me that you sound like you liked it.”
KC sipped her soda. “I did. Normally I design and the production department handles everything but was fun. I certainly enjoyed it. Giving my ideas and okay for what I thought the line should be.”
“What did Brooke say?”
“Well, Megan had the heads give her the notes from the meeting. We will see what she says.”
“And if she liked them? Are you going to ask to be more involved with the line?”
“I don’t know.” KC but the roasted veggies of the plates along with the ribs. She licked her fingers. “Oh…this would make grandma proud.”
“I think that you ought to ask Brooke. From the way that you talk about her, she is a real woman willing to fight against the male dominated industry. If you ask her for more responsibility with the line, she might agree to it.”
“I just might ask Brooke when I get back.”
“The infamous trip to New York. Are you ready or shall I say, is Connor ready?”
KC sighed as she played with her diamond ring. “As ready as he is going to be.”
“Are you scared?’
“Oh my family? No. But nervous. Mom, can deal with it but dad…”
“The last thing your father wants is a white son-in-law.”
“You know how straight forward that he can be. I always respected him for that. He was a great father and he is fantastic husband to my mom. But I know that this something that he is going to have a problem with.”
“So what are you saying?” Alex asked between forks full of food. “Are you having second thought?”
“No. I love Connor. I love the life that we are going to have together. Connor is worth it.”
“Let me ask you a question. Connor’s mother really taking this?”
“I’ve met her twice and she has been wonderful. At first, I thought it was an act but it isn’t. She says that her son has been so unhappy for so long so has seen how happy that I’ve made him. She is thrilled.” KC laughed. “It’s funny. Most people think that it would be Connor’s mother who has the problem and not my family. Little do they know the truth?”



Grayson had just finished taking a meeting with Karl Wong when he was told Isabelle DeAngelo had asked to take the meeting with him. This new surprised and delighted him at the same time, after all from his informants both she and Caspian had gone to America to open up a set of offices there. Grayson instantly asked for Bella to be shown in to his library. He wanted to see Bella, her father had been his godson and her welfare as well Caspian’s meant a great deal to him. From the start, however, he knew that Isabelle was very different than the other women in their family often he wondered if he had stepped in and had her and Olivia to come and live with him when Sonny died whether things would have turned out different for everyone involved. Isabelle was quick witted, smart and very cunning as well as beguiling. If only she had been a man, she would most certainly would be in running to head the family. It was in her blood. He had most certainly had a soft spot for her and her brother. Caspian had been his hope for the family for he was aggressive, dominant and intelligent but Caspian had a heart and having a heart could be dangerous. When his father had gotten shot down in front of him, things changed, Caspian had to run his household. Yes, the world had toughened Caspian over the years but deep inside. Caspian had to make his bones. Another member of the family wanted to move on Sonny’s holdings in the American and European Casinos and his business deals with the corporations so Caspian had to take care of them himself. He had to prove to all the other members of the family that he was strong and was ruthless. That, coupled with the killing that he committed to save Isabelle from her rapist changed Caspian forever. Grayson has known that the young powerful man was dealing with a lot. Caspian had learned not to trust too many people however he knew that Grayson would look out for him. Grayson sighed. He wasn’t a bad man; he had done things in order to protect his family and the legacy however as time went on he was getting older and he wanted a simpler life. He had dreamed that Caspian would take over being the head of all the families however when Caspian’s wife died something inside of Caspian changed. He had done something that no one had ever done; he asked to be out of the “family.” It had been tricky, for Caspian had enemies but “family” had discussed it and Caspian gave up his holdings financial holdings and divided up his territory for peace. He had invested his own money and created a huge computer empire. As showing respect to the family, he gave an annual fee to the family of millions of dollars of respect and to also keep them out of the companies working. With everyone’s beak wet, Caspian and his company were left alone however they were still “protected”. Nobody would dare make a move on him or his sister and live. It was an unspoken rule, Caspian and Isabelle was off limits.
The door opened and Isabelle, who was a vision in cream, was shown in the door. Grayson smiled as he stood. “Bella”
Bella smiled, her whole face lit up with beauty. “Hello Grayson.” She took his hand and kissed his ring before she handed him a box. Grayson laughed. He was diabetic and Sophia had outlawed his favorite chocolates and smoking. Isabelle had snuck him his treats.
“Bella, thank you.” Grayson took the chocolates and placed it in his desk drawer for later. He took both of her hands in his. “You look so beautiful. I see that America agrees with you.” He said as he took her to his sofa.
“America is interesting. It doesn’t have the beauty of Italy however it does have its advantages. How have you been doing Grayson?” Isabelle hadn’t seen him since that indent with Michael Fury.
“I’ve been doing well. However I don’t think that is the reason that you have come.”
“I do care about you.” Isabelle said in a serious voice as she touched Grayson on his hand.
Grayson knew that it was difficult for Isabelle to say such a thing to him just as he knew that she meant it. “I know Bella. You were always one of my favorite goddaughters.”
Isabelle nodded because in her heart she knew that he was true.
“And next to my brother, have been one of my favorite people.” She said truthfully. “How could I not care for a man who has looked out for my brother even when he asked to leave the family.”
“I knew that he was not happy here. Lark’s death did something to him. I only hope his choices can give him the peace that he so desperately wants.” Grayson said as a servant came in and placed two glasses down and poured wine into them. Grayson waited until the servant left before he spoke. “Tell me why you are here.”
“Grayson, I need you to do me a favor.”
He smiled at her gently and touches her hand. “Anything for you Bella.”
Isabelle paused for a moment as if she were in thought. “I need to use your connections.”
“My connections, why not your own?”
“Because my people knew Caspian. I need information that cannot get back to Caspian.”
This was new. To his knowledge, there was very little that Isabelle kept from her brother.
Grayson was silent. “What is this that you don’t want getting back to your brother? Does it have something to do with the arrangement that you and I made years ago?”
Isabelle looked down and for a fleeting second a look of melancholy surfaced on her face.
“No. That arrangement is still on. This has nothing to do with that. However, I need some information collected without my brother’s knowledge.”
“This sounds serious Bella.”
“It is.”



Caspian coated Brooke’s nipples with cream while he fed her chocolates at the same time. Brooke laid back and swallowed the mixture of liquor and chocolate when his mouth lapped at the cream on her breast and in between her breast with his warm tongue. His mouth found her nipples and suckled the cream off of her. Brooke moved against him pressing more of her breast inside of his mouth. Caspian took his time with her. He played with her breast, caressing them with his hands. He poured wine on her breast and took his time licking the droplets of it off it. By the time he was finished Brooke had already experienced another orgasm. Caspian stood and then unbuttoned his pants and stepped out of them and his black underwear. There he stood proudly, with his large erection in front of him. “I want you Brooke. My love, I need you so much.”
Brooke bit her lower full lip. “I love you so much. Take me Caspian. Take me right now.”
Caspian put his hands on Brooke’s hips and picked her up. He turned and then lay back on the hammock pulling her on top of him. “You take me.” He put her hand on the silky heat of his pen*s. “Put me inside of you.” Brooke’s legs straddled the hammock and Caspian’s huge thighs. She then slowly lowered herself on him. Inch, by inch, by inch, by inch, she impaled herself on him. The cords of Caspian’s neck stood out as he hastily breathed in and out. “That’s it baby. You are so wet and tight.”
Brooke could hardly utter as sound as her eyes closed when she finally took all of him.
She was still for a moment adjusting to him. Caspian instantly showed concern. “Are you alright?” Brooke nodded for a moment and bent down to take Caspian lips with her own.



“What is wrong Bella?”
“My brother is involved with a woman named Brooke Logan. He is in love with her and happier with her than I’ve seen my brother in a long time. However there is a problem.”
“Does this problem have anything to do with the fact that she looks like Lark?”
“You’ve heard.”
“I’ve seen pictures of this woman. She is a dead rigger for Lark.”
“Yes, for a reason. Lark and Brooke are twin sisters.”
“Twin sisters.” Grayson frowned how is that possible?”
“My mother told me an interesting story about how Lark’s father had an affair with a woman named Beth Logan, Brooke’s mother. Based on what she has told. Beth Logan had twin girls, Samuel Huntington took Lark while Beth Logan took Brooke.”
“The two girls are sisters and your brother was married to one and in love with the other.”
“Yes. It is complicated. Brooke has no idea that she looks like Lark let alone that they are sisters. She believes her father is a man named Steven Logan, not Samuel Huntington.”
“What does Caspian have to say about this?”
“He wants to tell Brooke that she looks like Lark however he hasn’t. He has no idea that Lark and Brooke are sisters. They were born the same year however Lark’s birthday is different than Brooke’s. I guess the Huntington’s gave Lark the birthday of the day that she was given to them or maybe Samuel wanted to cover up the connection. However if my mother has this information it could only be a matter of time before it comes out. She wants Caspian and Brooke to end their relationship. I can handle my mother, however I need to get documents that connects Brooke and Lark.”
“You are playing a dangerous game Bella.”
“It isn’t a game, I’m trying to protect my brother.”
“From the truth?”
“At the moment I’m not sure if I’m going to tell him. He is happy with this woman. You should see him Grayson. The light is back in his eyes. She has made him live again.”
“This woman who looks like his wife. How much of his love for her has to do with that?”
“He doesn’t love her for that. He truly loves Brooke for herself. She so different. She full of fire, passion and is almost as clever as him.” Grayson stood up. He rubbed his chin and sighed.
“Lying to your brother is that necessary? He can certainly deal with the truth.”
“It’s not that he can’t deal with it but it’s Brooke. It could destroy what they building together.”
“Bella, I have to wonder if their relationship isn’t doomed. I’ve checked up on this woman. Her past alone is a disgrace. The woman has slept with three men in the same family and has children with one of them. That is applauding. She has been married countless of times. We don’t believe in such things. I’ve seen the adds to her Bedroom Line, she was in lingerie for the world to see. In my eyes she is no better than showgirl with lots of money. I don’t think that she is worthy of your brother.”
Isabelle wasn’t truly surprised by Grayson’s opinion. “Grayson, you know that I’d be the first one against it if I thought that she wasn’t worthy of my brother. Yes, her past is scandalous but what is that compared to what we all done. Brooke is not showgirl. The woman is highly intelligent, she loves her children and she loves my brother.”
“What about her marriages?”
“Only one of them was legal. Besides, my brother doesn’t care about that. She has been taken advantage by the men in that family. Caspian loves the woman she is and from what I hear, she is incredible.”
“She doesn’t know about our lifestyle. That was a problem that Lark had and in the end Caspian was torn.”
“I have to agree with you but Caspian is no longer involved with the family if he were then Brooke would not be the woman for him, but he is no longer involved with the business nor is his life at risk. He loves her.”
“Loving Lark almost destroyed him.”
“I think that loving Brooke has opened him up. With her, Caspian will finally be free.”
Grayson’s eyes bore into Isabelle’s blue ones. “That is what you have always wanted.”
“Yes.”
“Will you be able to live with that? You love your brother how will you be able to give him up?”
Isabelle fingered her empty glass for a moment. “I love him enough to let him go.”
“You aren’t responsible Bella. Caspian had to make him bones to become a made man.”
“Still, the blood of Hugo is on his hands.”
“Caspian has killed others Isabelle. Don’t make your brother out to be something other than what he is.”
“I know who he is. And what he is capable of if pushed but I also knows that he has a heart.”
“He can never really truly leave the family. No is ever free.” Grayson said sadly. “But, I will help you.”
Isabelle kissed Grayson on the check. “Thank you. I knew that you’d help me.”
“Will your mother be a problem?”
“No. I’ll handle Olivia. She’ll keep her mouth shut.”



It has taken at least an hour but it seemed that all her hard work was paying off. Isabelle’s personal records that were housed in Micro Tech’s system came up on the computer screen when suddenly an employee came through the door. “Hey”
Nico quickly shut off her computer. “Hi”
“Listen, a couple of us are going down to Danny’s Bar. Do you want to come?”
“No. I got some work to finish up.”
The man looked a little disappointed. “All right. Maybe next time.” Nico watched as the man left before she turned on her computer screen. Nico was just about to go back to work when is if the personal files had a virus, it started to disappear off the screen.
“Damn it!” The system has a runner. The timer was set and she had let the records stay idle for more than a minute, a back up system had triggered an alarm and she was locked out. It was going to take her enough time to try to outwit the system to keep an alert from going to Isabelle Deangleo. If Isabelle got wind of someone sneaking around in her personal files, the last thing that she’d be worried about was getting fired.



Ridge parked his car. Brooke’s car was still in the drive. Good, he thought, he needed to talk a little more. Ridge rang the doorbell a couple of times and waited for Brooke to answer however he didn’t get a response. Ridge sighed. Maybe Brooke had already gone to bed, before he left she had said that she was going to get a bath and talk to Bridget. He thought about going to find the fake rock that he knew hid the key but he changed his mind. Ridge decided that he wasn’t ready to go back home so he took a walk around the back and headed to the garden. Ridge was caught up with his thoughts of finally having Bridget back as a daughter for a moment that he was caught off guard when he heard a moan. Ridge stopped to listen. He heard it again. Perplexed, he went toward where the sound was when he heard a groan, however it didn’t prepare him for the sight that greeted him. He almost couldn’t believe his eyes at what he was seeing. There Brooke was, naked, her bare breast with her ripe nipples displayed. Her head thrown back while her mouth was creating the most sensual of cries while she was astride a muscular equally naked Caspian. Brooke’s body was moving up and down on Caspian in the most erotic fashion while Caspian steadied her body on the swinging hammock. Ridge was rooted to the spot; it was if he couldn’t move. He watched as Brooke arched her back, and moved harder on top of her lover. Her cries of passion want filled the night’s air. Ridge’s eyes zeroed as Caspian sat up, steadied the hammock with one hand and took her breast into his waiting mouth. “Yes…Please…Fu(k me harder.” Brooke cried. Ridge was shocked for he had never heard her speak that way to him. He couldn’t seem to move, not even when Caspian stood up with Brooke’s body still impaled on him to lay her down on the grass on her back. He watched in awe as Caspian moved in and out of Brooke body, his bare buttocks moving and naked body glowed in the candlelight. Ridge watched as he pumped in and out of Brooke with finesse while she seemed to take pleasure in every minute of it. He saw the look of possession on Caspian’s eyes as he stared down at her. He heard the man’s groan of desire as he uttered something in Italian to Brooke. Brooke body met each of his thrust with one of her own, her nails biting into his skin. Her cries, the ones that she used to make for him when they were married, echoed and he knew that she was about to find an orgasm. “Caspian” She whispered harshly. Something inside of Ridge snapped and he knew that he had to leave. This was the mother of his child. His best friend. His ex-wife on the ground, in the grass with her thighs spread getting a most royal fu(king from some other man. He didn’t want to see it. This was never something he ever wanted to see again. It was wrong; she shouldn’t be like that, with Deangleo of all people. He hurried out of the garden to his car.



Caspian groaned loudly as his seed poured into Brooke and he collapsed on top of her. His breath came out in a harsh sounding. Brooke on the other hand was too sated to move. She just caught her breath and then laughed. Caspian rolled off of her and took her into his arms.
“What’s so funny?”
“Just this…us.” Brooke waved her hand like a fan. “My god. What you do to my body is amazing.”
Caspian lowered his head to breast kissing them lightly. “You are amazing woman.”
He then picked he up and carried her back over to the hammock. Oblivious of his naked body, he got a small blanket from the chest that was sitting next to the tray and covered her before he lay down next to her on the hammock. Brooke cuddled in his arms.

“Tell me a story.”
“What?” He chuckled. “What kind of story?”
“A romantic one.”
“Alright. I’ll tell you one. This, by the way, is a true story.”
“Hmm. I like those even better.” Brooke said sleepily before she yawned.



Taylor heard the front door open. Finally Ridge was home and they were going to talk. She had had all evening to think about the issues that they needed clearing up. Taylor took a deep breath and walked into the living room to find Ridge taking a drink.
“Ridge?”
Ridge turned his head and looked at his wife. His beautiful wife. He needed her. He needed to be inside of her. Without warning, he seized Taylor’s lips with his own. He suckled her lower lip into is mouth and stroked her while his hands cupped her buttocks. Taylor would easily feel Ridge’s erection through his pants. “Taylor, I need you. Please.”
Taylor groaned and she slipped her tongue inside of her husband’s mouth. She gasped as Ridge bent his head and took her breast into his mouth through the hot silk that that she wearing. God, it had been so long since they had made love to one another. Taylor thought about what she wanted and needed. She pulled her lips away from his.
“Ridge…please.” He hand cupped her between her legs and Taylor felt the heat explode develop in between her legs. Taylor pulled herself away. “No! Don’t do this.”
Ridge had become frustrated. “Taylor please. I just need to be with you.”
“Ridge, please not right now. We have issues to deal with before we make love.”
“God Taylor. I just want to be with you.”
“I know Ridge but we need to talk. We haven’t since you found out that Bridget was your daughter. I want to know how you are feeling about it.”
“Taylor, you’d know how I felt if you were around. I tried reaching you but you weren’t around.”
“Well, I needed time to think. This revelation was difficult on me.”
“Difficult? Taylor I got my child back.”
Taylor looked away for a moment. “I know. And I know you are happy.”
“You aren’t?”
“It’s not that I’m not happy for you. It’s just…I feel like it’s another child. You now have two children with other women.”
“Bridget isn’t the same as Dylan. Don’t get me wrong. I love my son. But with Bridget it’s like I’m getting my little girl back. You don’t know what it feels like to lose a child.”
Taylor couldn’t believe that he could be so insensitive. “Actually I do. Remember the night that I found out that you had a baby with Morgan, I lost our baby.”
Ridge cursed. “Taylor. I’m sorry.”
“I guess that baby doesn’t count.”
Ridge took Taylor into his arms. “Of course it does baby.” He kissed the top of her head. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it. When I lost Bridget it hurt me.”
“I know Ridge.”
“That’s why I’m so happy. I have my daughter back. She’s a part of my life and I’m going to be the type of father that I’ve always dreamed of being.”
“I know that you want to be everything to be a good father to Bridget but you have to be realistic.”
Ridge stepped back. “Realistic? What do you mean?”
Taylor bit her lip for a moment. “You have a lot on your plate. Bridget, Eric, Dylan and I feel that the children are coming last to everything.”
“You aren’t”
“But I feel like we are. Even if you wanted to give Bridget 100% of your time, you can’t. Ridge, Bridget is your daughter but she doesn’t need you like we do. Our children have been suffering. Thomas and the girls, we hardly see you and you I we have so many issues that we need work through. Our marriage has taken a back seat to everything going on as well as our children.”
“Taylor. I’m sorry if you see things this way. You are so important to me and you are right we haven’t spent as much time together as we should have. But since I’ve been home, I spent as much time with children. They are doing better surely you see that. And Bridget as a part of our family, the children will have an older sister.”
“Ridge. I’m not sure if Bridget would want to be an older sister to our children. She’s hardly spends any time with them now.”
“Well, that is because it was difficult for her.”
“And you think that all of that is going to change?”
“Yes. I do. Bridget is my daughter.”
“She’s not a little girl. She’s 17 and soon she’ll be Paris living her life.”
Ridge looked at his wife as if he were seeing her in a new light. “I’d see you’d like that wouldn’t you.”
“Of course I would. I want Bridget to be well enough for her to live out her dreams. I’m just saying that in zest to be a father to her you have a realize that you can’t get those years back and while you are trying, you might be missing out on your children’s lives.”
Ridge shook his head. “I’m trying. I’m trying my best don’t you understand that. What about what I’m going through. I got my daughter back and I might lose her. God! Tonight, I needed you to be with me at Brooke’s.”
“Brooke’s? You were at Brooke’s. Oh my god. Why didn’t I see it?”
“See what?”
“See that is the reason that you came home all amorous. You wanted to make love because you were around Brooke. Let me guess that what has gotten you all hot and bothered.”
Brooke’s naked image popped into Ridge’s mind. The way she looked, sounded and so uninhibited when she made love.
“Taylor, tonight. We had a family meeting about Bridget. Me, Thorne, Kristen, Brooke, mother, Caspian and the Logans. Tell me, what was so arousing about that? You know what? I’m sick of all of this?” Ridge strode to the door.
“Where are you going?”
“Out. I need time to think. You talk about your needs but what about mine. I need somebody. Hell, I need you during this time in my life but all you think about is what I’m not giving you. What I’m not doing for you and our children when I’m doing the best that I can. You know what, I can understand you being a little jealous about Brooke but MY DAUGHTER, Bridget. That I can’t understand.”
Taylor was stunned that Ridge would just walked out. “Ridge wait!”



Brooke lay in Caspian’s arms as she listened to his story. Caspian had told a heartbreaking story of a Don who had fallen in love with a village girl. The girls’ family had died so the entire village took her on and loved the young girl. The girl was sent to the Don’s house to send an offering from the village when he saw her. The Don took the girl and they became lovers, however fate stepped in. The girl was happy until she found out that the Don was betrothed, it broke her heart. The Don told her that it didn’t matter if he took a wife that he’d never touch her and that he’d always love the village girl. Because she wanted to be with him, she stayed, however the Don’s wife was upset that the estate was run by the village girl and the Don’s heart belonged to her. When the Don was sent away on a business trip the jealous wife poisoned his lover. The Don came back and killed his own wife and he cried over his lover’s dying body but something happened, when she was dying, the Don made a deal with the gods. “What kind of deal?” Brooke asked.
“He offered his life for hers.”
“No” Brooke gasped.
Caspian kissed her fingertips. “Yes. The gods accepted and they took his life.”
“He gave up his life for her.”
“Yes, he knew that if she died that he’d die as well.”
“However the gods played a trick on him. They took him and changed him into a wolf.”
“A wolf.”
“Yes, he was allowed to stay in the hills near the home. There he watched over her day and night. He noticed that she was grieving and didn’t want her too, so he asked the gods to grant him another wish. He wished for another man to come into her life.”

“Why? He loved her so.”
“He loved her enough to let her go. He didn’t want her to grieve for him forever, instead he wanted her to find happiness.”
“Did she?”
“Yes. A rich merchant came to the village and fell in love with her. And although the girl never loved him the way that she loved the Don, she married the merchant.”
“And the Don?”
“He spent his life as a wolf watching over her for the rest of his days.”
Brooke sighed. “That was so sad. I thought it was supposed to be a love story.”
“It was Brooke. That was a story of true love. To give up the woman you to another man so she can be happy and safe. That is real love.”


Olivia walked back and forth in her hotel room. She needed to see her son but he wouldn’t see her. Meanwhile the situation with Brooke was becoming difficult to handle. Her son was falling in love with the young woman and in turn was going to hurt himself deeply. The entire situation was tragic. It could end only in one way. She had to take action. She picked up her phone to make a phone call.
“Hello, this is Olivia.”
Olivia looked impatient. “No, it is a matter of importance.”
“Meet me at Café Ruse within an hour. I think that we have a problem that we could help each other with.” Olivia listened to the other end of the phone for a moment before she hung up the phone. She picked up the photo of Lark and her that she had since she Lark and her son were married. “Oh Lark. If only you hadn’t died. I can’t allow my son to stay involved with you sister. It will only end badly and then Caspian may be lost forever.”

 

Chapter 90 (Family Gatherings)
Brooke finishing reading file that she request on KC’s meeting with the promotion department on WOW line. KC had come up with innovative ideas of to launch the line. Right now, interest was extremely high and the designs were hot. Within two months or so, there would be the fashion show. One of KC’s ideas was commercial for WOW promoting it to the public beyond their normal ads. It had worked for other fashions houses, still Brooke wasn’t sure since Forrester had never done a commercial on any of their lines. However the idea certainly had merit and it was something that if was to be done needed to be acted on before the show. Brooke sighed; the show itself was another issue. They had yet to chose a venue after all, they wanted this line to stand out and the Forrester run ways wasn’t enough, Brooke wanted something special and unique to Forrester just as the line would be to Forrester. Megan knocked on the door and came in as she handed Brooke the finical reports that she had asked for. Brooke noted that Megan had been looking spectacular lately. She had a new haircut and had been dressing in the jazzy new clothes. Today Megan had on the cutest pink suit that had a daring neckline. She wondered if Giovanni had something to do with it since currently, the two of them had been dating. “I circled the ideas that the promotion team came up with. I really liked their suggestions, especially commercial idea. Have the research and development team to work up a report of the age demographics that we are trying to reach if we crate a commercial.”
“You liked KC’s ideas?”
Brooke closed the file. “I loved them. She had a brilliant mind. I’m going to have to talk with her when she gets back from New York. More and more she is standing out as a leader of this line.” Brooke thought for a moment. “I’m seriously thinking of giving her more free reign in not only the design aspects with along with the business end as well. She is brilliant and has vision. I’m seriously thinking about using her ideas as well as giving her bases to expand her purposes in this business.” Brooke remembered KC’s dream of one day having her own design house on day. KC was remarkable and Brooke couldn’t help but to knew instinctively that one day the designer would do so. Brooke liked KC a lot. As a person was wonderful, smart, funny and she made Connor happier than she had ever been before. As a designer, she was talented, innovative and fresh. Brooke knew that designer wanted to learn more about the business end and she didn’t mind if she did. Brooke knew that with vision, drive and backing, KC would go far. She couldn’t begrudge KC’s want to learn the business. “I hear that KC and Connor are visiting her parents in New York.”
“Yes. KC’s a little nervous though.”
“Because her parents might not be so willing to have a white son-in-law.”
“Yeah.”
“Connor’s a good man.” Brooke said. She crossed her legs causing her cream colored silk skirt with the matching V strand halter-top to ride up her legs. Brooke’s hair was swept up into a gold clip that matched the gold-hooped earrings that she wore. “I think that once they meet Connor, they will change their mind. Black or white Connor is a really good man. KC’s parents will see that.”
“I hope so. I’ve never seen him this happy.”
“I know. I’m glad because I could never have made him as happy as her. I’ve always felt a little guilty about the way that Connor and I ended.” Brooke stood and put the file away in the cabinet. “He has been a good friend and lawyer. My god, he got me this company and for years it seemed that he wasn’t going to find the perfect woman. That year that he lived in New York, I knew that he dated but he didn’t find anyone special enough. Who could thought that that trip to Paris would change our lives?”
“That the trip that you met KC, right.”
“It’s also the trip that I met Caspian.” Brooke paused for a moment then giggled.
“What?”
“An elevator. What would have happened if I hadn’t stepped into that elevator and gotten stuck. I’m glad that I did. Because of Caspian, I was able to deal with Thorne situation so much better. Not to mention the way that he helped me with Bridget.”
“Speaking of Thorne. Brooke, are you really over him?”
“I still love him and care a great deal about him. But I’ve learned to accept the truth. What he had is over. He is married now. True, I don’t like his scheming little wife in fact there are times that I wish that…” Brooke remembered the night of the Rick’s party. If Thorne only knew that his scheming little wife had set her up for rape, he’d kick her out. The only reason that Brooke hadn’t told Thorne was because she wanted to keep Stephanie in line regarding Bridget’s custody and because Kimberly was pregnant. Still, she had the CD and large part of her wanted to play it for him.
“You wish what?”
“That I could tell Thorne about the woman he married.”
“I think that he has an idea.”
“I feel guilty. After all, he married her to protect me. If it hadn’t been for me...”
“Brooke, it isn’t your fault. I’m sorry but Thorne brought some of this on himself. He is the one who had an affair with her.”
“True.” Brooke said sadly. “Still, he married her to protect Bridget and me. I just wish that I could free Thorne.” It smarted that she had the ability yet at this time she couldn’t bring herself to do so. “Speaking of Thorne. I hear that he is making an impression in Pairs. Jean Claude called me and told me how he solved the Brooke’s Bedroom problem. In fact he is working out a deal with our distributors there. I began to think that Eric has done Thorne a disservice by not utilizing him in business. Thorne is intelligent, charming and people like him. Thorne speaks fluent French, he has a quick mind for numbers.” Brooke smiled. “Remember that time that we were having problem with distributors in Milan? It was Thorne, nor Ridge or Eric who solved the problem. He came up with the swimwear party to promote the Men’s Line’s swimsuits as was as well as promoting the party on the Internet.”
“We got the second highest hits in Forrester history next to the ones we’ve been getting on the Internet for information regarding the WOW line.”
“See. Thorne is amazing is business. I think that we should utilize Thorne in a different capacity at Forrester. I will run that idea by Eric and Ridge.”
Megan handed Brooke a file. “Here is the file that you wanted. “It seems that the Brooke’s Bedroom latest pieces have sold out in all the bouquets in Paris, New York and Nevada.”
Brooke nodded. “I know, Ridge did a fantastic job.”
“Not to mention those pieces that Morgan did. In fact Brooke, her pieces out sold Ridge’s.”
“They did?” Brooke took the reports and skimmed read it. “WOW.”
“Yeah. The red teddy was red hot. I’m surprised that you didn’t buy it.”
Brooke smiled. “Who says that I didn’t?”
“Is that the reason that you came back to work with that smile on your face a couple days ago?”
Brooke remembered the night that she had shared with Caspian a few nights before. It had been romantic gesture and Brooke loved every minute of it. Brooke had needed a worry free night and he knowing what she needed had given her. “Let’s just say that I didn’t need the teddy however I think that it will be something that I could use in the future.”
“Well, speaking of Morgan, she wants to talk to you. She’s called twice today.”
Brook sighed. “She wants her job back.”
“I think so.”
“Tell her that I will see her tomorrow.”
“Are you going to let her come back?”
“I’m not sure. She did great work and she’d be an asset to the company however I want to talk to Ridge.”
“That is a switch. A long time ago you wouldn’t have cared what Ridge thought.”
Brooke fingered a picture of Bridget. “Well, things have certainly changed.”



Paris
“I’m telling you Thorne, you should have been there last night. That party as Raymond’s was fantastic. The food, the music and ahh, the French women.” Jean Claude kissed his fingers to his lips. “All the women were asking for you.”
Thorne laughed. “I’m sure that they were.”
“They were. They think that you are so charming. The women at International all have been talking about you. They think you are very sexy, no?”
Thorne had noticed that the women had been more than a little attentive. Truthfully, Thorne had loved being in Paris. He had felt a thrill go through him has he had negotiated in the business meeting. Gone where the normal sweaters or comfortable clothes he wore and replaced where the suites created in the Men’s Line. Currently he wore a charcoal colored suit with a metallic gray tie. “Yes, the women have been attentive. However, I’m not interested.”
“Ohh, it has something to do with that young nubile wife of yours, doesn’t it? I’ve seen pictures of her, she is very beautiful.”
At the mention of Kimberly, all the joy went out of Thorne. He felt quietly at leaving Kimberly but he couldn’t help but to be excited about leaving to do something other than being at Forrester. “Yes she is beautiful.”
Jean Claude leaned forward. “I am good with the ladies. But you, you are lucky. First that sexy CEO of our company. My god, I won’t tell you how many men have dreamed of bedding her. You were a very lucky man. And now you have a very young and beautiful wife to fulfill your needs and a baby on the way. You are a lucky man.”
Thorne wondered if Jean Claude would think that he was lucky if he knew what kind of marriage that he really had. He wasn’t happy. How could he be with Kimberly? They had nothing in common. She was in college with teenaged friends while he was much older and needed mature conversations. He needed a wife who could stimulate him, sexually, intellectually and on all levels. That was what Brooke had done for him. She stimulated him on all levels and made him feel such joy. He didn’t love Kimberly. He cared about her and for her he would try but he felt nothing. He was glad that she was seeing James for therapy, he had been through enough. All he could do was to be there for her until the baby was born after that, he’d see that she had everything and divorce. Thorne sipped more of his cocktail. “Yeah, I’m a lucky man. Let’s not talk about my personal life.”
Jean Claude figured that maybe didn’t like to talk about his marriage. “Alright. What about going with me to a new club that is opening tonight. You can’t say no.”
Thorne thought about going to his empty hotel room. That was the difficult part about being in Paris. The memories of the last time that he and Brooke had been there filled his brain. They had stayed here in this hotel, making love and making plans together. He missed Brooke so much. He missed seeing the look of love spread across her face as she woke. He missed her laugh, her endless sense of humor. God, he missed them. He was jealous of Caspian Deangleo. The man had come in and replaced him in Brooke’s life. The man was down right obsessive about Brooke. He was always there, lurking, watching. Thorne hated the man. The fact that he had somehow gotten Forrester stock galled Thorne. It was about Brooke, binding her to him. The man had dug in deep and Brooke thought that she was in love with him. It hurt him deeply that she could so easily forget what they had hurt him deep down he didn’t think that she really had forgotten but was hiding her feelings. Still, it was time for Thorne to stop looking at the past. There was nothing that he could do to change what had happened between he and Brooke. He couldn’t change the past nor could he change the fact that he still loved Brooke.



L.A
Stephanie had the house readied for Eric. The kitchen was stocked with all of his favorite foods, or at least the ones that he could still eat. He was on a special diet, which restricted him. The doctor had ordered that Eric take these stress-relaxing classes to help him stay calm. Well, she wondered how calm her husband would be when he find out that Bridget had cancer let alone wasn’t his daughter. That secret was out of the bag. She had never thought that another test would reveal the truth but it did. Ridge was spending a great deal of time with Bridget, which she understood but now that Bridget was out of the hospital and home, that mean that he was spending a great deal of time with Brooke. Bridget’s health worried Stephanie and for the first time, like the last few days, she questioned whether or not she did the right thing. Bridget, her granddaughter needed a donor. Stephanie prayed that one of Ridge’s children would be the match that she needed. Not matter what she had done the reasons behind her actions had been because she wanted to protect her family. She picked up a photo of Bridget that was in the living room. Bridget had grown into a beautiful talented young woman. She was full of life and brought joy to the family. Stephanie prayed to god daily that Bridget would find a donor.
Stephanie knew that Bridget’s cancer wasn’t the only problem that she had but the questions regarding Bridget’s paternity as well. Stephanie had been shocked to find out that her secret had been exposed, she thought fast and came up with the idea of faking her “faint”, by then attacking Brooke and questioning the results any possible suspicion was thrown off of her. Still Beth Logan and her speech about Brooke and Ridge made Stephanie sick. She had no idea who had planted that letter in Brooke’s library and didn’t care. Brooke and Ridge were over, dead. That relationship was doomed from the start. Still, she was worried that the truth would come back. If it were to come out that she had changed that test, her family would never forgive her. Never. She had one thing to do to ensure that her secret never come out.



Taylor stood in the back the packed conference room. She had just spent the last hour listening to Pierce Peterson give the most dynamic speech. It had been over a year since she had last seen him. Pierce was the most wonderful man and he had been a good friend. It did Taylor’s heart good to see him inspire so many other people. As the showroom thundered with applause, Pierce moved off the stage. A couple of people shook his hands and talked with him as he moved throughout the room, it wasn’t he saw a vision in blue that he stopped. Taylor Forrester stood in a blue suit that matched the color of her beautiful eyes. “Taylor”
“Hello Pierce.”
Pierce went toward Taylor and kissed her on the cheek. “It is so good to see you.”
“It’s good to see you too.”
Pierce ushered Taylor down the hallway. “Listen do you have some time?”
“Yes. I don’t have to pick up Thomas from preschool until an hour or so.”
“Have a late lunch with me. I’d love to catch up with you.”
“I’d love too.” Taylor followed Pierce outside where a car was waiting for him.



Eric smiled as he looked at the photo handed to him. “My isn’t he charming?”
“He certainly does have that certain Forrester charm, doesn’t he?”
“That he is.” Eric looked the other photos of the baby. “He is a beautiful baby.”
“He has sparkling personality. You should see him peeking at things and holding his head up. He is just wonderful.”
“You sound like an excited mom.”
Charlie face softened a bit. “Well, an excited aunt. I love Dylan. He has brought joy into my life. For so long all I had was my work. Don’t get me wrong, I really enjoy my job but there is nothing like having a little life depending on you. It just wonderful to have something other than myself and Morgan to be concerned about.”
Eric nodded. He remembered meeting Charlie when she had been a teenager going to school with Ridge. Charlie had once had some project or something that brought her to the house. Eric remembered how funny it had been when Ridge couldn’t charm his way into getting Charlie to agree with him. Instead, Charlie had spent the time one upping Ridge. “How long are you planning to stay here in L.A?”
“At this point, it’s an extended stay. I’ve been given an offer here and I’m going to take it. The last few days I’ve been dealing with the paper work and in a couple of weeks I’ll have an office here.”
“How does Morgan feel about this move?”
“I think that at first she wasn’t sure about it however she does need help raising Dylan.” When Eric gave Charlie a pointed look. “Is it because of Ridge?”
“No. Ridge comes by to see Dylan. He has taken over the bills. He gave her the condo, paid it off so she doesn’t have to worry about having a place to stay. I know that Ridge has a lot going on with his other children and Taylor. As much as I might not like to admit it, Ridge is doing his best.”
“You still don’t like my son?”
Charlie gave Eric a knowing look. “I’ll tell you a little secret. I’m not too thrilled about Ridge’s actions as a husband or my sister’s underhanded actions either. However, Ridge is growing on me.” Charlie pinched her finger together. “A little. You can keep that photo to put in your album.”
“Please, bring him by the house. I want to get to know my grandson.”
“Are you sure that you want me too. I know that your wife might not like it.”
“Nonsense, Dylan is family. He is a Forrester, isn’t he?”
“Yes he is.”
The door to Eric’s room opened and Kristen came in carrying a sketchpad she stopped when she saw Charlie. “Charlie?”
“Hi Kristen.”
“Oh, my god. It’s been ages. I haven’t seen you since that charity dinner at The Green Room. What are you doing here in L.A?”
“Morgan is my sister, remember?”
“You know what? I can’t believe that I forgot that. It’s certainly good to see you. We are going to have to get together to catch up.”
“I would love to.” Charlie stood. “I think that I had better get going. I’ve got talk the Chief of Staff.”
“Don’t forget when I get out of here. I want you and my grandson to come for a visit.”
“I won’t forget Eric.” Charlie nodded goodbye before she left the room.
Eric looked at his daughter. “I didn’t know that you and Charlie knew each other.”
“We met at a Charity dinner. She did a seminar on Ovarian Cancer. She’s as brilliant as she is beautiful.”
Eric blushed while Kristen smiled at her dad. “What? I can appreciate a beautiful woman, can’t I?”
“Of course you can honey.”
“I know. You’ve know for the last three years about me gay but it takes time, doesn’t it.”
“A little.”
Kristen sat down next to her father’s hospital bed. “I know that when you found it was a shocker for you.”
“Not really Kristen. If I look back, there were many signs.”
“I tried my best to hide them. Of course I hid from you the most.”
“Why?” Eric shook his head. “I should have been a better father to you. I should have been the type of father who you could feel comfortable to talk with.”
“Daddy, don’t be silly. You’ve been a great parent to me. It was because I loved you that I hid who I was. I loved you so much that I didn’t want you to be so disappointed in me.”
“Sh, sh...Don’t do this to yourself. I love you Kristen, nothing you could ever do would disappoint me.”
Tears filled Kristen’s eyes. “Daddy. Thank you so much.”
“I want you to be happy and I can certainly see that Samantha does that.”
“She does.” Kristen wiped a tear. “I just wish mother would see that.”
Eric knew of the tension between his wife and daughter had grown over the years. Stephanie and Kristen had never been close, they didn’t see eye to eye. More than that Stephanie didn’t agree with Kristen’s lifestyle. Eric knew that it was hard, it had been difficult for him to come to terms with it but he wasn’t willing to lose his daughter. He loved her and he wanted to be a part of her life. Samantha is a part of Kristen’s life. Eric couldn’t change whom his children were involved with but he really couldn’t pick anyone better than for Kristen than Samantha. Eric had first meet Samantha three years ago. He had taken an unexpected trip to see a friend of his, Richard who had been in the hospital. After stopping to see Richard, he had stopped by Kristen’s Penthouse and was surprised when Samantha clad in a robe answered the door. She had invited him in and Eric couldn’t help but to notice the air of intimacy in the air as well as pictures of Samantha and Kristen together. It wasn’t until his daughter had come into the living room that his perceptive eyes noticed the way that she had looked at Samantha and then him. He saw something that seemed like fear in Kristen’s eyes. Instantly, Eric had known the truth. He and Kristen had a long talk, a talk of truths that day and all of his daughter’s fears had come out as well as the truth. In the end of his trip, Eric had held his daughter and told her that he accepted her and her lifestyle. “You’ve got to give your mother time. It is difficult for her.”
“Because I’m ruining the family name. I’ve been through this before with her.”
“It’s a shock for her.”
“She’s had years to get over it or to at least to try to accept it.”
“She’ll come around. I’ll see to it.”
“No. Daddy, you have enough to deal with.”
“Like what?”
“Like your health.”
“I’m doing better than I have in a long time. It’s like a like a weight has been lifted.”
“It is?”
“Yes. Sometimes with a crisis, matters become clear. This heart attack has given me a new focus on life. My focus for such a long time was on the business.”
“It was your brainchild.”
“Yes, but it wasn’t as important as family. My family is the most important thing to me. My children are my future. I see that. I want this family to come together and rely on each other.”
“We are daddy, you should see how everyone is rallying around Bridget.”
“Bridget. Why?”
Kristen panicked for a second. “It’s just, she took this pretty hard, you know…your heart attack.”
“God. I didn’t want that. I know that she has been worried. She was visiting here almost every day to see me. She was so quiet yet I see something in her eyes.”
“It’s probably her just being worried about you.”
“You think? I just can’t shake the feeling that is something other than that.”
“I think that you are worrying about nothing. Bridget…well, she’s going to be all right. Just like you are daddy.”
“Well, you are correct about that. I’m going to be all right and I’m going to put this family first.”
“Well, one thing for sure is that this family needs you. We all need you.”



Scott looked over Brooke’s shoulder as she studied his latest designs. “Well, what do you think?” Brooke currently had been studying his designs without saying a word.
“Well…” Brooke said with a scowl. “I think that they are…” A large smile spread across her face. “Wonderful. They are magnificent.”
“Really? Yes!” Scott picked up Brooke and hugged her. Brooke laughed.
“You can put me down.”
Scott put Brooke down. “Sorry. It’s just…”
“You were pretty excited and I can understand why? Your designs are better and better.”
“KC’s helped a lot.”
“She has hasn’t she?” Brooke looked at the design of a back pants suit with a black dinner jacket with matching tight pants with a flared overskirt. It was daring and everything the WOW line represented. “This is fantastic, I think that I’ll be getting this one off the rack.”
“I thought so.” Scott laughed. “I kinda thought, what would my mother wear. So, this idea came to me. You and my mother are a lot alike.”
“Well, normally I’d be offended but Lauren is no ordinary mother.”
“No. She isn’t.”
“And you aren’t an ordinary designer either. I know that so many things are going on here and you’ve certainly proved yourself a designer. Thank you for all the work that you have done.”
Praise coming from a woman like Brooke Forrester meant a lot to Scott. “Thanks, Brooke.”
“No. Thank you and not just for what you’ve done for this company but what you have done for Bridget.”
Scott stopped looking at Brooke. Did she know the truth about his feelings for Bridget? He had been going to the hospital every night to sit and talk with Bridget. Lately, she had been very quiet and he wondered if something was wrong. Had she told her mother about their feelings for one another? “ Bridget?”
“Yes. My mother and father has told me that they had seen you stopping by to see her. I really didn’t know that you and Bridget knew each other.”
“She’s been around here and there and we’ve talked.”
“Really. I didn’t know that.”
“Yeah. She and I have a couple of things in common.”
“Like what?”
“Well…we both like art. We both had mothers with colorful…lets say relationships. And we both kinda grew up without our fathers in a way.”
Brooke’s eyes narrowed. “Bridget told you…”
“How she thought that Ridge was her father. I know how much she cared about him and don’t get me wrong, she told me how much she loves Eric but deep down I think that her heart lies with Ridge.”
Brooke didn’t know what to say. It amazed her that Bridget had even voiced her wants with Scott, she had never really talked about Ridge with her. Originally, she had thought that maybe Bridget had told Scott about being Ridge’s daughter, but she hadn’t. “Bridget told you that?”
“Yeah. She didn’t mean anything by it.”
“No. It’s not that it’s just surprised by it, that she told you how she felt. That isn’t like Bridget.”
“I ahh…I think that she needed someone to talk to.”
Brooke’s eyes narrowed for a moment. “That probably it.”
“Well, I got to get going.”
“A hot date?”
“Date, no…just work.”
Brooke watched Scott as he left wondering when he and Bridget had the time to get close. Could it be that there was more to Bridget’s friendship with Scott that met the eye? Bridget had mentioned a while ago that she had a crush on someone. Scott was handsome, charming and a girl like Bridget would no doubt find him more than attractive. Brooke shook her head. “Stop being silly, Bridget would have told you if she had a crush on Scott. Besides, Scott has his pick of young women, Bridget is too young for him.” Brooke’s mind went to her daughter. She picked up a photo of her daughter that was on her desk. “Bridget, my baby. I want so much for you.”



Kimberly was in a pissy mood. Marla, one of her friends grimaced while Kimberly threw another pair of pants on the floor. “Ughh. Another pair that doesn’t fit.”
“Kimberly, you’re pregnant, you are expected to gain weight.
“But not like this.” Kimberly said with a pout.
“Well, it’s not like you look great, you do. But you aren’t going to stay thin forever. I mean just think about it, you are going to have a baby.”
“I know that.”
“Well…you shouldn’t worry about your weight.”
Kimberly sighed. “You are right. I can buy new clothes when the time comes.”
Marla was worried, Kimberly was self centered at times and wondered how she was going to deal with a baby. “Kimberly, how much does this have to do with Thorne being away?”
“Nothing! Its has nothing to do with my incredible husband.”
“Incredible? Kimberly, he doesn’t spend anytime with you. Whenever I come over here, he’s not home or he in the study or something. You guys never go out. It’s pretty oblivious that he doesn’t seem to care.”
Kimberly’s eyes narrowed. “That isn’t true. My husband loves me.”
“Are you sure? Because where I stand from that isn’t true.”
“He does! He’s just gone on business and it’s that bitch’s fault. She can’t stand to see Thorne or me happy. She is spitting mad that I’m having his baby and not her! She’s done everything that she has to undermine me. She fired me as a lead model.”
“Well, you did have an affair with her boyfriend. Did you really think that she was going to keep you around?”
“I made that fu(king company a lot of money.”
“Well, they suspended the line. Trudie is the new lead model of Forrester.”
“That whore. Please, only Brooke would find that tramp appealing. But it doesn’t matter. I’m going to find a way to handle Brooke one way or another. I know that she got rid of my husband to keep him from me.”
Marla didn’t say another word. She didn’t mention that Thorne could have taken Kimberly with him to Paris with him if he wanted to. She kept her mouth shut, lately since the Forresters had this family meeting and she wasn’t invited, Kimberly had been acting crazier than ever.



Taylor finished off her lunch with Pierce. When the waiter came around with the dessert tray and offered Taylor dessert. Taylor shook her head, “Please, I don’t think that I can eat anymore. I’m full.”
Pierce sipped an Irish coffee, “Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
“Well, it was worth it to see that smile on your face.”
“I don’t know maybe it was the good company it was strange laying all of my problems on you.” Taylor looked away with embarrassment. “I’m sorry.”
“Taylor, please don’t see it that way. You’ve gone through a lot. With Ridge, his son and now this Bridget issue.”
“It’s a lot.” Taylor gave Pierce a look of mirth. “I know that you must be saying I told you so.”
Pierce drummed his fingers on the table. “I would never do that.”
“I know. You were always supportive of me. I missed that.” Taylor smiled at Pierce. “I missed you.”



Brooke grunted as she carried four bags into the front door with her. She had come home early to spend time with her daughter. “Bridget!” Brooke yelled. It wasn’t until she was unpacking the grocery bags that Bridget showed up wearing a pair of worn bell-bottoms jeans and white baby doll shirt. “Hi honey.”
“Hi mom. Do you need help?”
“No. Just sit down and relax. I’m going to get dinner ready.”
“Dinner, mom it’s only 4 o’clock. What are you doing home this early?”
“Spending time with my daughter.”
“You mean baby sitting.”
“I am not.”
“Yes you are.” Bridget got off her stool. “Mom, I know that you love me. I love you very much but you need stop treating like I’m a china doll about to break.”
“I am not.”
“You are too. You watch every move I made. You don’t want me to help teaching at the kids at the University.”
“Your arm is still hurt.”
“But I can help. Besides, It’s not the point. The point it that I have an illness. It doesn’t have. I need you to treat me the regular way that you always do. Yell, at me or something because I can’t fight this if I think that you are treating me like its days.”
“Oh honey. That’s not what I’m doing. It isn’t your last days, honey you have your whole life in front of you.”
“Then treat me like it mom. Treat me like I have the rest of days. All right?”
Brooke nodded. “I promise you that I will. I’m sorry if you think that I’ve been too overprotective it’s just that I love you so much. I want you to have everything.”
“I know.”
“Well, I need you to promise you me something.”
“Okay. What?”
“I am here to help with everything. Eric’s heart attack. Your cancer and finding out that Ridge is your father, you have been through so much. I just want you to know that I’m here if you need to talk or to cry or anything.”
“I know. You are the one thing that I’ve always been able to depend on.” Bridget hugged Brooke tightly. “I love you.”
“I love you too.”



KC and Connor were stuck in New York traffic. “Well, we are certainly here in New York. The noise, the people, the traffic.”
Connor looked over at the woman that he loved. “You missed it didn’t you?”
“Yeah. Don’t get me wrong, L.A has certain advantages but there is something about being at home. I can’t wait to get to my parents’ house. I know that Nana has cooked a feast that you aren’t going to believe.” A sigh of wistfulness filled the air. “It’s been ages since I’ve stepped over that threshold but I can’t wait. My nana, my mom and dad.”
“Don’t forget your brother.”
“Believe me, I haven’t forgotten him.”
“He’ll love you.”
“It’s just your mom and dad that I’m going to have to worry about.”
“Not my mother. She’s knows how much you mean to me, it’s just dad.”
“Well, I’m up to it.”
KC gently touched Connor’s hand. “Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For coming with me. For becoming part of my family.”



Bridget finished helping her mother put her groceries away while her mother showered. She had meant everything she had told her. Brooke had to stop treating her like she was dying because it scared her. Deep down, Bridget was scared but she was strong. She had so much to live for, yet coming to grips with your own impending death was something. Bridget had thought more about talking to the counselor that Charlie had suggested, she needed someone she could be honest with. Her mother didn’t need anymore stress than she already had. Brooke was obsessed with reading all the materials that she find on leukemia, just as Bridget had. Bridget had to know everything that she was going to experience. Bridget and Rick had stayed up to the wee hours of the night talking about Bridget’s fears as well as her feeling about the knowledge that Ridge was her father. No matter if Rick was her “half” brother, he’d always be the closest of all of her siblings. The entire thing was strange, now she had two other brothers and two sisters that she needed to get to know. Then, there was the issue of Eric, she loved him but he wasn’t her father, he was her grandfather. “God, this ought to be a soap opera.” Bridget took out a peach flavored Snapple and was heading upstairs when the doorbell rang. Bridget opened the door and was pleasantly surprised to see Ridge standing outside with Thomas, Phoebe, and Steffy.
“Ridge? What are you doing here?”
“We come to play!” Thomas yelled.
Bridget smiled. “Come on in.” Bridget smiled even fuller when she realized that Ridge had on a baby sack with Dylan.
Bridget cooed. “Oh, he is so beautiful.”
Ridge took out a pair of coloring books and crayons. Steffy and Phoebe squealed with delight as they took the books. Bridget smiled down at them. “They are wonderful. They love to draw, don’t they?”
“Yes, they do. It must be a family trait. All of my daughters have it including you.”
Thomas pulled on Bridget’s pants. “Bridget will you plawy with me?”
Bridget smiled. “Of course I will Thomas.” She kissed her brother on the top of his head.

Brooke looked down into Dylan’s cute face as he suckled out of the bottle trying his best to get ever drop of milk. “My god, he is such a beautiful little thing, isn’t he.”
“He takes after his father. I see that he is charming you.”
“That’s because he is well behaved, unlike his father.” Brooke whispered.
“What do you mean? I always behave.”
“Sure, you do.” Brooke cooed at the baby. “Where’s Bridget and the children?”
“They are upstairs, she pulled out shoots and ladders for her and Thomas. The girls are playing with their dolls. You know Logan. I was surprised that you still have that playroom set up.”
“Little Eric plays in it. So it’s well stocked.” Brooke looked at Ridge. “You know, this was a very pleasant surprise. Bridget is very happy that you came and that you brought the children.”
“They have to get to know each other and relate to one another.”
“That’s true.”
Brooke shifted Dylan to her shoulder when he finished the bottle. “It’s also good to see you behaving normal again.”
Ridge looked at Brooke. “What do you mean?”
“You have been acting funny the last couple of days. Staring at me funny and then looking away when I looked at you. Cutting our conversations short. Glaring at Caspian…well maybe that is normal. So, do you want to tell me what is going on?”
Ridge wasn’t sure what to say. Sometimes when he looked at Brooke, he saw her the night that she was having sex with Caspian. How could he tell her that it bothered him to see her like that when she had no idea? “It’s nothing Brooke. It’s just that I’m a little stressed.”
“Is it you and Taylor? Are you two having problems because of Bridget?”
“We are having some speed bumps but it doesn’t have anything to do with Bridget, it’s more or less about me.”
Brooke put Dylan down in his carrier. “Is that why you are here with the children instead of being at your home?”
“Taylor is still against the children finding out that Dylan is their brother.”
“What does your therapist say?”
“Karima says to gently introduce the children to Dylan. They don’t understand the connection between us.”
“So, in essence, you are introducing all of your children.”
“Maybe.”
“Well, I think that it is a good idea. They are brothers and sister and they should know each other. I’m glad that you feel comfortable enough to bring your children here. I guess in a weird way, we are a family. A very strange one but still a family.”
Ridge looked down at his son and then at Brooke. He heard the children playing upstairs. Yes, they were a very strange family but somehow it felt right.

Bridget spotted her parents sitting on the sofa laughing. Her mother looked younger than ever in her pair of form low rider jeans and pink T-shirt that had a picture of Marilyn Monroe while her father looked just as handsome sitting next to in blue jeans and a white shirt. They were a handsome pair and just as breath taking together as they have been years ago. Bridget knew better than to get her hopes up about them as a couple, those days were over. Ridge was married to Taylor and working things out and her mother was with Caspian. Still, seeing them like this was nice. Bridget came down the stairs. “Ridge, Thomas mentioned you have their bathing suits in their bags.”
Brooke looked at Ridge. “You do?”
“Yeah, I was going to take them to the beach.”
“Well, we have a perfectly good pool and kids are talking about swimming. I’d love to play Marco Polo with them. I’m a great swimming.
“I know.”
Bridget nodded. “It was you who taught me.”
Ridge touched Bridget’s face. “Yes, it was me.”
“So dad…can we go swimming.”
“Are you sure that it isn’t too much for you.”
Bridget groaned. “You are sounding like her. Of course, it isn’t too much. I’m a Forrester and we are made a strong stuff especially the Logan Forresters.”
Ridge hugged Bridget and looked at Brooke. “So, are you up for a game Logan?”
“Well, I’m one hell of a Marco Polo player.”



KC opened the door and stepped into the foyer of the house that she had spent her childhood in, the smells of a home cooked meal along with the sounds of Ella Fitzgerald greeted her. She had loved growing up in the marvelous Brown Stone house in the heart of Manhattan. KC stood walked into the living room, where some of the black and white photos that she had taken were still hanging next the autographed charcoal picture of an African girl carrying a basket, an original by Tom Feelings. KC was so caught up in her childhood memories that she didn’t hear the humming that followed her grandmother.
“Well, looky here. Get your butt over here girl and give me some sugar.” KC face lit up as she hurried over to hug her grandmother.” Ruth, a heavy set African American woman in her late 80’s with the most beautiful sparkling brown eyes hugged KC hard. Ruth stepped back. “Girl, let me take a look at you.” Ruth gave her granddaughter the once over looking at her to see if anything was amiss. Ruth frowned. “You are too skinny. We’ve got to get some meat on your bones. That comes from eating all those fancy French Dinner that leaves you starving all night.”
“No Nana, I happen to like French food.” When Ruth frowned KC hugged her grandmother again. “Now you know that I don’t like it as much as I love your cooking.” KC inhaled. “I think that I smell something now.”
Ruth hit her granddaughter on her hip with a dishcloth. Her whole body jiggled when she laughed. “Well, you know that I’ve got some fixings for you. But before you do that, I want to see this man that you are bringing home. Where is he?
“Connor was parking the car.”
Ruth peeked out the window for a moment. “So, tell me girl. What is he like? His he tall, smart, dark and handsome like your grandfather?”
KC shrugged. “His is tall, handsome, and very intelligent.”
“MmHmm. I know that look Katherine Colleen You are up to something girl.” KC knew that she was in trouble; her grandmother used her given name. Now you tell me. What is it that you are hiding?”
“Nothing.”
“Don’t lie to me child. Not what is it?”
KC shook her head. “I never could get away with anything from you, could I?”
“No. So spit it out.”
“Before you start, mamma already knows about Connor. He is everything that I’ve told you but there is something else you should know about him.”
“What is it?”
“Connor’s white.”
Ruth dropped KC’s hands in surprise and took a step back. “Lord have mercy. You don brought a white man to this house with YOUR daddy.”
“Nana. Daddy has white friends.”
“Yes he does but that doesn’t mean that he going to want you to be involved marry one.”
“Marry?”
“Yes, Katherine. I’m old, not blind. I can see that ring on your hand.” KC groaned, she only was called her given name when she got into trouble. “You brought trouble with you this trip.”
“Nanna, I expect you to be fair.”
“Hmm.” Ruth shook her head. She knew her son and she knew that there was going to be hell to pay. Her son didn’t think that anyone was good enough for his daughter but this latest development was certainly going to change the perspective on KC’s homecoming.
“Well, girl. Do you love this man?”
KC hid her smile. “Very much. So, please be his ally”
“I’ll have to judge him myself.”
“I know that you’ll love him.”



Rick put little Eric in the water and watched him splash around with Phoebe. The last thing he expected when he came home was a cookout, but he quickly changed into his trunks and changed little Eric as well. Rick studied his sister. He loved Bridget very much and seeing her look happy and full of life did something to him. Rick knew that the cancer issue was eating away at Bridget no matter how strong she acted. He knew that she was scared of telling her friends for fear of how they’d react but he had told her that if they were her real friends, that they wouldn’t mind. All, he wanted was his sister to have the type of support that she needed. That, and a donor, if she got that then everything would be perfect in the world.



Nichelle Hunter walked out of her stunning office of the Upper East Side of New York. Wearing the latest in fashion, strapless black wrap-around dress that was tied with a small leather belt with a pair of high black wedged shoes. Nichelle looked fabulous with a flashy “Pixie” haircut with tipped copper highlights, perfect makeup and a body that she worked out hard to get, the 56-year-old woman looked at least 14 years younger. Nichelle was late but it couldn’t be helped, she just hoped that she would beat her husband home. The last three days has been somewhat tense in her home. She had told her husband, Kurt that KC was dating and living with a lawyer named Connor Davis. Then, she had told him the big news, that Connor was white. Her husband, as expected, hit the roof and the two of them ended up getting into an argument. Nichelle had called her husband on his pigheadedness and told him that he had better get his act together. Their daughter had chosen and he had better get over it. Kurt had lamented how he couldn’t believe that KC would want to be married to a white man. Nichelle reminded Kurt that they lived in New York and interracial couples were often out and about in New York and nothing new. Nichelle had argued that some of her clients were such marriages and things were just fine. Although Nichelle understood her husband’s long winded, loud objections, she knew her daughter. Although she had been engaged once and had that torrid night with Jackson, she didn’t fall in love too easily. If she said that she was in love with this lawyer, then she was. Kurt was going to have to deal with it. “Nichelle, you had better get a move on, you said that you wanted to meet your husband at his office by 7p.m and it’s already 6:30.” Cierra, her twenty-eight year old assistant said to her. “The cab is waiting down stairs for you.”
Nichelle picked up her wrap and put it on. Taking her briefcase, took the latest designs for the Gaffey’s home in the Hamptons. “Thank you Cierra.”
“Good luck with your family dinner.”
“Thanks.”
With the traffic being what it was it took Nichelle a half an hour to reach her husband’s office. Kurt was still on the phone when she walked in. She studied her husband of 37 years of marriages with mixture of delight and mirth. Her husband, no doubt, was an attractive man. He stood at 6’1, with a bulky muscular frame dressed in a handsomely made Olive suit with matching vest. Kurt was going against the no smoking rules in office and puffing on a cigar. Kurt looked up and put the cigar out when he saw his wife. Damn, that woman looked good. Kurt took his wife into his arms. His deep baritone voice murmured in her ear. “Why don’t play hooky from dinner?”
Nichelle accepted her husband’s wondrous kiss as he found the crook of her neck.
“Now, you know that that is my spot.” Nichelle said with a sensual voice. “Now, you know that we’ve got dinner with our daughter tonight. She’s probably already at the house.”
Kurt sighed. “The dinner’s tonight.”
“Don’t act surprised. You know that it is tonight. Avoiding the issue isn’t going to make it go away. So, we have better head home because your mother is going to be upset if we are late especially because she spent all day cooking dinner.” Kurt looked at his wife; she had the no-nonsense look on her face. “Baby, we most certainly can finish this later tonight but we’ve got dinner waiting.” Lovingly, Nichelle cupped his face. “Baby, I know that this is hard on you but we’ve got to support our daughter. This man is in her life and we have to find out about him. Now, from what KC says, he is wonderful.”
“KC used to think that Jackson was wonderful.”
“Jackson. Where did that man’s name come from?” Nichelle poured her a glass of water.
“Jackson had us all fooled.”
“I should have beaten him to a bloody pulp.”
“And what would have done? Nothing. I admit I’m glad that KC didn’t marry Coron however the way that Jackson hurt her was uncalled for. You have to admit that anything is better than him. Just give this man chance. Let’s see what he has to offer our daughter before we judge him.”



Ridge put the steaks on the grill. Brooke and he decided to turn this into a full-fledged cookout with the kids. The splashing in the water got his attention as he watched as Brooke played with Steffy helping his daughter with her flotation devices on her arms in the pool. Brooke looked amazing in a little red bikini, her breast full, her body toned. “She’s beautiful, isn’t she?”
Ridge looked up at Beth as she handed him the shrimp that he was going to grill on the grill. “Yeah, Logan has always been a beautiful woman.”
“She’s good with your children. I remember how she had always wanted a house full of them.”
Ridge remembered how he and Brooke had talked about wanting a house full of children when they had first been married. “She did, didn’t she?”
“Tell me. Has Taylor taken to your son the Brooke has taken to Dylan or the rest of your children?”
Ridge frowned. “Beth, what are you getting at?”
Beth shrugged her shoulders. “Nothing. I just wondering, just like I know that have been for the last couple of days. What would your life be like if you had know the truth, that Bridget was your daughter. This could still be your house.”
Ridge was uncomfortable with where this conversation was leading. “Just think about it. She never moved. She never left the place that you bought for her. The place where you two shared so many wonderful memories. No relationship that she has had has ever fulfilled her the way that her relationship with you did. Surely you see that.”
“Beth, you’ve got to stop this talk. It doesn’t do Brooke or me any good. I’m married to Taylor and she’s with…” Ridge grimaced. “She’s with Caspian.”
“That man isn’t worthy of my daughter.” Beth said with bitterness. “He will never make her happy, not the way that you have. Deep down inside. Look at them.” Beth pointed his children and Brooke. “Look at your beautiful daughter, see how she is with her brothers and sisters.” Bridget looked just as beautiful as her mother in a pink bikini; she was helping Thomas hit the volleyball in the water. “Can’t you see, that this is your family…”
“That’s enough Beth!” Stephen came up behind his wife. “You said enough tonight. Ridge knows that his family is with his wife and all of his children. In fact Ridge, why don’t you call YOUR wife and ask her to come over to join us.” Steven grasped his wife tightly around her arm and walked her back into the house. Beth glowered at her husband. “Just what in the hell do you think that you were doing out there?”
Beth pulled away angrily. “I wasn’t doing anything.”
“Yes you were. I heard you. I heard the things that you were saying to Ridge out there about Brooke and the kids. Why are you doing this? Why would you even put thoughts into his head like that?”
“I’m looking out for my daughter.”
“The hell you are! Ridge is the last man that she needs to be mixed up with. It has taken her years to get away from him and now you want to get him back in her life! Bethy, you are going too far!”
“I’m not going far enough! Ridge and Brooke have a daughter together and Bridget needs them together.”
“No she doesn’t Bethy. Have you taken a good look at the girl? She has everything she wants. She has a mother and she has the father, don’t push for something that she isn’t going to get. Ridge is married and he is going to stay that way. Our daughter has finally gotten those Forrester men out of her life, don’t invite Ridge back in.”
“I’m not doing that. I’m helping Ridge to see thing clearly. He and our daughter belong together.”
Steven looked at his wife with amazement. “How can you say that? Why would you want our daughter to be in that painful mess again? Battling Stephanie and Taylor. Because you know that Taylor isn’t going to hand Ridge over to her.”
“Taylor isn’t even here.”
“Well, she needs to be here. These are her kids and her family. It isn’t Brooke’s. And you know what Bethy, I don’t see Brooke asking for it.” Steven sighed. “Honey, something is going on with you. What is it? Why are you acting like this?”
“I’m not anything. I’m just protecting my daughter.”
“From what?”
“Never mind.” Beth turned away. She couldn’t tell Steven the truth, god how she wished that she could. Steven turned his wife around. “Tell me, what is bothering you. I know something is wrong. You can’t sleep at night, you are tossing and turning. You aren’t relaxed, you’ve been disappearing.”
“I’m just stressed. Bridget is sick and I’m worried about her.”
“No, it isn’t that. Beth, I’ve known you for years and I’ve never seen you like this. First you have been on this kick about getting Thorne and Brooke back together and now you’ve been making comments about Brooke and Ridge. Why are you doing this?”
“You want to know that truth?”
“Yes, I do.”
“I don’t like Caspian. I think that he is going to hurt my daughter.”
“Why would you think that? The man has been nothing but supportive to her. He’s been loving and kind. Can’t you see what he had done to our daughter?”
“You being snowed. That man in the devil and I am not going to hand him over my daughter for anything.”



Ruth opened the bubbling pot of hot collard greens that was simmering on the stove. She had cooked a King’s Ransom of hot collards, cornbread, fried chicken, ribs, string beans, corn on the cob and her homemade peach cobbler. She turned her attention to Connor Davis who had helped her shuck the corn. She had spent the last hour giving him a taste of her food and grilling him about his job as well as his intentions to her granddaughter. She didn’t, however have to ask him how he felt, it was all there right there in his eyes. She saw the way that he looked at KC and although there was the natural lust, since her grandbaby was wearing a barley there red dress with long capped sleeves, a matching red bled and a very short hem yet it was the look of tenderness that he gave her that Ruth recognized. Her own husband, Lewis, looked at her in many years. Connor was an intelligent man, handsome and from what is seemed, devoted to KC. Connor had eagerly offered to help Ruth, yes it brought him brownie points but she wondered if those brownie points where going to be enough for her son. She doubted it. No matter how many ears of corns he shucked, no matter how large the ring he gave KC or all the remodeling he’d do or even money he’d start putting aside to see that KC one day got her own design house. Connor Davis was a white man, something that was difficult for her to swallow and was going to be damn near impossible for her son to accept. Ruth’s eyes rose to the she ceiling. “Lord, I know that I call on you often but tonight I’m going need an extra dose.”



Taylor had the checked the chocolate soufflé once again, she had made it for Ridge. For the kids, she made them personal pan pizzas with all of their favorite topping. The last couple of days had been stressful for her and Ridge. She didn’t want things to be like that anymore. She wanted to connect with her husband and her children. She wanted them to relate to one another like a family. Taylor had planned a family dinner for her, Ridge and the kids. Soon dinner would be ready and everything would be perfect. She had Katherine to help her to set the table up near the pool and get the kids swimsuits ready. They’d eat and then take a family swim. Taylor knew that Isabelle was correct; she had to put her needs and their children’s needs first. All she had to do was to help Ridge see things her way. Ridge needed some nudging.
“Okay Taylor. Everything is set up besides the pool. The decorations and the kids favorite chocolate cake.”
“Thanks so much. I know that everything looks great.”
“I think that the children are going to like it when they get home.”
Taylor looked at the clock. “It’s getting late. Did Ridge tell you where he was going when he picked the kids up?”
“No. He just mentioned that they were going on an adventure. He did look for you.”
“I had a seminar to go to. Then I met up with an old friend. He helped to see that I needed to spent some time with my husband.”
“Do you want me to wait around?”
“No. I’m sure the kids and Ridge will home soon. Go and enjoy yourself.”
“All right. Good night Taylor.”
“Goodnight.” Taylor sat down at the kitchen table. “Pierce, this was you idea. I hope that you are right.”



Connor studied the photo album of KC’s family. “Wow, you were amazing back then.”
KC leaned over Connor and touched a photo of her when she was in high school; she had won an art competition. “My parents were pretty proud that day. I was an honor.”
Connor pulled KC into his lap. “The first of many.” He nuzzled her neck with his lips.
“I think hat you were biased.”
“But I’m right.”
KC wrapped her hands around Connor’s neck. “Maybe counselor.”
Connor peeked around KC. “Do you think that it is safe?”
“I think so. Nana went upstairs beside; I think that she liked you. The fact that you complemented her cooking gave your bonus brownie point.” KC’s lips hovered above Connor’s a moment before it lowered to lightly used her tongue to trace his bottom lip before Connor opened his mouth for a passionate kiss. KC sighed her tongue stroked inside of Connor’s mouth lightly.

Kurt opened his front door, placing his briefcase down before he helped Nichelle out of her wrap. He hung it up in the closet and took off his hat. Nichelle gently rubbed her husband’s baldhead, which he had shaved clean off years ago. It was sexy and Nichelle loved it. Kurt almost purred with his wife’s attention, while she kissed her husband passionately. Kurt’s hands moved down to cup his wife’s bottom bringing her body next to his. “Hmm Mmm” The couple looked up and saw Ruth standing on the top of the stairs. “You all had better stop that and greet your daughter and her lawyer.”
“Mom, don’t you have anything better to do than to spy?”
“No. And you had better stop talking to me like that. You are too young for me to put over my knee.”
Nichelle smirked. “Tell him Mamma.”
Ruth smiled at Nichelle. “Let’s go and see your daughter.” The Hunters went down the hallway and turned right past their spacious living room until went right and then walked into their spacious kitchen to find their daughter on the lap and in the arms of a handsome man. Kurt frowned deeply and crossed his arms and cleared his throat. Connor heard the sound while KC pulled her lips from his. Connor helped KC up gently lifting her out of his lap and placing her on the floor. He found a KC’s father and mother standing in the kitchen. If the situation weren’t serious, Connor was sure that he’d find the entire thing funny. He was 40 years old however he felt like he had gotten caught necking with as girl just as he had been when he was 16. This wasn’t a good start but he wasn’t going to let Kurt Hunter’s scowl get the best of him. If he could deal with the mighty Stephanie Forrester, certainly he could deal with Kurt Hunter.
“Mom, Dad, I missed you.” KC hugged her mother and then her father before she smiled at Connor. “Mom, Dad. This is Connor.”
Connor stepped forward. He could certainly see where KC got her looks. Her father was a handsome man where as her mother looked more or less like an older sister than her mother. KC certainly got her flair from her mother. “Mr. and Mrs. Hunter. It is nice to meet you.”
Kurt frowned. “You might want to wipe my daughter’s lipstick off your lips.”
KC rolled her eyes. “Daddy, be nice.”
Connor took out a handkerchief and wiped his lips. Nichelle stepped forward and took Connor’s hand. “Ignore my husband he’s been caught plenty of times with my lipstick on him. Connor it is good to meet you.”



Ridge watched Brooke holding his son. She was fabulous with Dylan; she had changed him, feed him and played with him. Finally, she had put his son down when he needed rest. Brooke turned to look at Ridge. She put her hands on her hips. “So Forrester are those burgers ready? Because the children are hungry.”
“Stop getting the way of a master as work.”
“Just finish the burgers. I know I am starving.”
“That’s because of all that swimming I’ve done. The kids are pretty rough but I think that I can handle them.”
Rick walked by eating chips. “Ridge, are those burgers done yet?”
“See” Brooke said with a laugh. “I’m not the only one.”
Ridge pulled a piece off the steak and held it out to Brooke’s lips. “Here Logan, maybe that will shut you up, it’s almost finished.”
Brooke bit the steak. “Mmm, just the way that I like it.”
“Believe me, I haven’t forgotten.”

Bridget watched Brooke and Ridge. They looked so good together. She bit on her lower lip. “What’s up Bridget?” Rick stood next to his sister holding Little Eric.”
“Nothing. I’m just watching them.”
“Who?”
“Mom and Ridge. Just look at them.”
“Budge…you aren’t thinking.”
“No…not anymore.” Bridget looked at Ridge and Brooke again. “It’s just seeing them together, laughing with one another. It’s been so long.”
“Yeah it has been. But they are just friends, nothing more Budge. You should know that.”
“I know.”
Rick gave his sister a knowing look. “Are you sure because I know what having them together would mean to you.”
“Rick, the last thing on my mind is any schemes to get mom or Ridge back together. I’m through with them. No more scheming. No more at all.”



Kimberly knocked on the door and waited for an answer. “Yes.” A maid answered.
“I’m here to speak to Stephanie.”
“Mrs. Forrester is busy right now.”
“Well, I’m daughter-in-law. I need to talk with her, so get out of the way.” Kimberly pushed passed Helen.
Stephanie was sitting in talking when Kimberly burst in. “Stephanie I need your help with…” Kimberly’s voice trailed off as she found Stephanie handing a check over to Trudie. “What’s going on here?”



Sam was sitting in a strapless black dress sipping a Martini in Pedro’s finest Italian restaurant. Sam smiled at Kristen and stood quickly to kiss on her lips. “Tell me, how was your day.”
“Full. I went to see day.”
“Is that why you have a pensive look upon your face.”
Kristen shook her head. “No, that isn’t it.”
“I know that this is hard.”
“You know how much my dad means to me.”
Sam nodded. “Of course I do, why else would I drop everything to be by your side. I know that having him in your life means a great deal to you. I just wished that somehow he could have come to New York more to visit.”
“Well, maybe he doesn’t have to.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Brooke’s made me an offer.”
Sam laughed. “Don’t tell me that she’s moving on to Forrester women.”
“No. Brooke likes then tall, handsome and male.”
Sam stroked Kristen’s hand. “Good. So, what kind of offer has she made you?”
“She has offered me at job at Forrester Creation.”
“Forrester? I thought that you were happy with free lancing?”
“I am or at least, I was. But it’s an offer at Forrester.”
“You’ve never wanted to work there.”
“I didn’t before but things are different. My dad needs me and the company, with dad out of commission it needs me to.”
“So, what are you saying?”
“I want to take the job. I want to stay here in L.A”

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