In the Forrester studio, Zoe and Xander kissed. Xander said Zoe sure knew how to get a guy to see things her way. Zoe knew that he was having doubts and wanted to do what was right for Hope. Affirming it, Xander said he did -- even with Thomas' threats looming over them.
It made Zoe uneasy that Xander wanted the best outcome for Hope when it meant the end for Xander and Zoe. In his view, it didn't have to mean that, and he didn't understand why Zoe didn't think something had to be done for Hope's sake and for Beth's.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to eavesdrop," Emma said as she strode into the area. Zoe asked where Emma had come from. Emma claimed that she hadn't been hiding and hadn't heard anything they'd been saying. While inventorying model props, she'd heard their voices and had decided to let them know that she was also there.
Zoe said that she and Xander had to get back to work. Emma asked if everything was okay with them. Zoe claimed that they'd just had a little disagreement, and Xander chimed in that it happened sometimes. "Okay, bye," Emma replied awkwardly, and she left. Zoe waited until Emma was gone and whispered, "If she would have heard you say Beth's name..."
At the cliff house, Steffy and Liam made beach day plans for the girls. Steffy noted that she'd heard Liam spending his first night as a single man, roaming around the house in the late hours. Liam admitted that he was no longer used to the house noises. He felt dislocated in time. Steffy asked if it was enough that he was where Hope wanted him to be. He wondered if it had been a mistake to send Hope pictures the previous night.
Katie and Bill arrived unannounced. Bill said that if no one knew he was coming, no one could tell him not to. Bill doted on the girls. Liam said that it was nice to see Katie and Bill together. "Likewise," Bill responded, referring to Steffy, Liam, and the girls.
Katie and Bill had arrived because Katie thought there might be some hatchets to bury. "Preferably not in my skull, even if I deserve it," Bill quipped. Bill stated that he'd contributed to the demise of Steffy and Liam's marriage. Liam responded that Bill had apologized, and no one was asking him to do it again.
Bill said that there had been no fixing the wrongs he'd made, but starting with Katie, Bill was putting his family back together. To Bill, it looked as if Steffy and Liam were on the road to doing the same thing. If it happened, Bill hoped that they'd let him and Katie be a part of it.
Later, Bill and Katie stood up to take off. Steffy and Liam said they didn't have to rush off. Liam stammered about needing to fix something and went into the kitchen. Katie followed him. Alone with Bill, Steffy tried to explain that Liam's mood had nothing to do with Bill. Bill said that Liam didn't know how much he needed her. Deciding to take the statement back, Bill stated that Liam was there, which meant he did know.
In the kitchen, Katie told Liam that she'd thought he and Bill had made progress, but it looked as if it was hard for Liam to be around Bill. Liam affirmed that they'd made progress, but it was the first time he'd been in the same room as Steffy and Bill in a long time. Before, Liam could just walk away and go home, but he didn't have a home to go to.
Katie asked if Liam felt uncomfortable there. Liam felt comfortable, but he didn't think he should. She replied that he hadn't let Hope down. Liam stated that he hadn't fixed it, either. In Katie's opinion, some things couldn't be fixed. Referring to what Bill had gone through the other year, Katie said that no one could have fixed it; Bill had needed to work through it himself.
Katie explained that Bill had found his way back to his family and fallen back in love with her and their child. Liam thought that it was ironic that falling in love with their child had led to the end of his and Hope's marriage. Katie said the only thing that had felt right to Hope was giving him back to his daughter, and he might feel the same way some day.
Later, Bill and Katie presented gifts for the kids. There was a hairbrush for Phoebe and gourmet cookies for the six-toothed Kelly. Liam joked about whether Bill could eat with six teeth. Betting that Bill could, Liam said he was amazed by the unexpected things Bill did, like being there that day to face Liam and Steffy.
Liam figured that he and Bill would have a falling-out every few years. He told Bill that, while babysitting, Bill could not distract the girls with shiny toys while he was on business calls. Katie promised that Bill would manage that. Liam announced that he was about to say something he'd never thought he would. He thanked Bill for showing up there.
Bill began to make promises, but Liam didn't want any more promises. He said that if Bill did what he said he would do, they'd be good. The father and son hugged.
In Brooke's cabin, Brooke arrived. Hope was frustrated because she couldn't find the adorable picture of Phoebe that Liam had sent her. The photo reminded her that Liam was where he needed to be. Brooke wondered if Liam really needed to be there and said he didn't think so.
Hope insisted that the girls needed Liam, and Douglas needed her. Brooke felt that Douglas was special and blossomed around Hope; however, Brooke wanted Hope to be cautious about Thomas. Hope thought Thomas was the last person she needed to be concerned about.
Brooke guessed that she'd misunderstood seeing Hope in Thomas' arms the previous night. Hope replied that she'd been having a bad night. Brooke decided to tell Hope something she might not have discovered on her own yet. "Any man happy to be there for you in your bad moments will more than likely reward you with more of them," Brooke stated.
Hope didn't get what Brooke was trying to say about Thomas, Brooke's stepson. Brooke noted that she'd known him longer and had been in closer range than Hope had been. She asked if Hope was really going to play naive about him. Hope admitted that Thomas had feelings for her. Chuckling, she said she could hardly hold that against him.
Brooke pointed out that Thomas loved showing up unannounced with Douglas and loved to make plans for Hope and Douglas. In Brooke's view, Douglas was innocent, "but his father..."
Hope felt that Brooke was reading too much into it and insisted that Douglas visited because he wanted to. Hope said he drew pictures for her and gave her notes and flowers. It was sweet, in Hope's opinion, and not a conspiracy. Brooke pointed out that notes and flowers weren't child-like impulses. Hope asked what Brooke was suggesting.
Brooke advised her daughter to be cautious. She said that Hope didn't remember everything about Thomas, who wasn't the most stable member of the family. His sudden attachment to Hope really worried Brooke.
At Brooke's house, Thomas flashed back to deleting Phoebe's photo from Hope's phone. Ridge snapped Thomas out of it, saying that Ridge had daydreamed a lot, too. Thomas asked when Ridge had stopped. Ridge claimed that it had been when he'd gotten everything he'd wanted. Thomas replied that he might get everything he wanted, too.
Ridge said that depended upon what and whom Thomas was dreaming about. Thomas stated that he thought about Hope, who was single, all the time. "For what? A day?" Ridge replied, referring to Hope's marital status. Thomas insisted that it would happen for him and Hope someday, and he asked if he could have Ridge's support.
Ridge questioned whether it was too early for Hope to have a new man in her life. Thomas claimed that he wasn't new, and turning to him would be the most natural thing in the world for Hope, who'd already said she wanted to see where things would go. He wanted to move his generation forward and believed that it began with him and Hope.
Thomas believed that there had to be a better way for his and Steffy's children to grow up than the way he and Steffy had. He believed that their girls had their father, and Douglas would have a mother. It was all Thomas needed, and he didn't feel he had to chase an impossible dream, because, in his mind, life had placed everything right in front of him.
Thomas asked if Ridge could see how easily Kelly and Douglas losing their parents could be mended. Ridge stated that Hope had lost her daughter, which might be beyond mending. Thomas brought up Ridge's past talk of destiny leading him to Brooke. Thomas finally understood it and said destiny was something one could see and taste.
Ridge decided to give his son a word of advice: All the things that people worked for could be taken away in an instant, but destiny would always be there when one was ready to claim it.
Ridge left the room, and Thomas began to daydream about being in the cabin. In the dream, he was kneeling before Hope with an engagement ring. He said he'd loved her since they hadn't been much more than children; they'd had to go their separate ways, but they'd found each other again. He couldn't let her go. Opening the ring box in his hand, he asked her to marry him.
As the dream continued, Hope sprang onto her feet and accepted. She claimed that she'd always wanted it, but she hadn't known how to say it. She felt that he'd been very patient in waiting to hear the words that she'd always wanted to say. "I love you, Thomas. I love you so much," she uttered. They kissed and sank down onto the sofa together.
Thomas snapped out of the dream and gazed out the window to view the cabin. "It won't be long now, Hope. I've waited long enough."
At Brooke's house, Brooke and Ridge kissed on the sofa. She was enjoying his mood and asked if his smile was permanent. He replied that it could be if Thomas continued to step up the way he had been. Ridge appreciated the time Thomas was putting in at Forrester and the way he was moving forward. "That's new for him," Ridge stated.
Brooke hesitantly responded that Thomas was focused. Ridge believed that Thomas knew what he wanted for himself and for everyone else, too, and was ready to take on a leadership role. In Ridge's view, it was about time.
Brooke was sympathetic to what Thomas had gone through, and she commended him on the things he'd accomplished at work and with his son. Brooke was just leery about the way that he'd latched onto Hope. Ridge scoffed and drank a beer. Brooke insisted that Thomas had become really focused on Hope, and that worried Brooke. It was a little obsessive, in her view.
Ridge asked if Brooke thought that Thomas' feelings for Hope were unhealthy. Ridge thought that Thomas was merely grateful for Hope's dedication to Douglas. Brooke stated that she wasn't accusing Thomas of anything, but she and Ridge both knew that Thomas had had some "issues" in the past. Ridge claimed that Thomas had dealt with them.
"But now, he seems to be focused and fixated on Hope," Brooke added. She added that their children had been through some things. Ridge stated that they could help each other. Brooke thought that would be great. In fact, if Hope and Thomas could be just friends, Brooke wouldn't even talk to Ridge about it. However, Brooke couldn't ignore what she was seeing. In Brooke's view, it wasn't healthy, and Hope was vulnerable.
At Forrester, Thomas flashed back to learning that Phoebe was really Beth and to kissing Hope after she'd asked if seeing where things would go could be enough for him. He smiled like a teen in love and called Steffy to see how Liam's first night back at the cliff house had been.
Steffy said it had gone well, but she made sure Thomas understood that Liam had been in the guest room. Thomas was adamant that Liam was where he was meant to be, and she and Liam would be raising the girls together. Quipping that Thomas thought he knew the future, Steffy sardonically asked if he thought he'd be raising Douglas with Hope. He said that if it was up to him, it would be that way already.
In Brooke's cabin, Hope flashed back to losing Beth and ending her marriage. She pulled out the drawing Thomas had passed off as Douglas', and she smiled to herself. She received a call from Thomas, who wanted her to meet him at the office. He claimed to be on the verge of something that could have a monumental impact -- for the better -- upon everything. Hope became too curious to stay away, and he said he'd see her soon.
Later, Hope arrived in the Forrester CEO's office. There, an enthusiastic Thomas greeted her, expressing excitement about infusing HFTF with her vision. He had a prototype gown to show her. Hope asked if they were waiting on the model. "She just arrived," he replied, gazing at her. He wanted Hope to try on the dress that he'd put his heart into.
As Hope changed behind a screen, she asked if Thomas had made the dress for her. He said he couldn't imagine anyone else wearing it for the first time. She didn't think she'd do it justice. Hope walked from behind the screen, wearing a fitted, sparkling gown with a pleated skirt that pooled on the floor. It was grayish white and had cut-out shoulders with pleated sleeves that were attached to the bodice like fish fins.
Thomas asked what Hope thought. Hope claimed that every detail of the gown was perfect. She thanked him for doing it for her. He said that she was worth it. In his mind, the design captured her strength and vibrance. It was the beginning of a new adventure, and he vowed to get her out of the cabin and back into life. He said they could do it together, and he'd be with her each step of the way.
Gazing in the mirror at the see-through gown, Hope said it was exactly what she'd needed. Thomas assumed that she meant she'd needed for her collection. "And in life," she replied. The excitement was what she needed. It was like the excitement she felt with Douglas. She hoped Thomas knew how important Douglas was to her.
Thomas affirmed that he and his son would be there for Hope. He was dedicated to HFTF and said he could see himself stepping up, "being lead designer, CEO." He revealed that he and his father had had a good talk, and he believed that they finally understood each other. He'd told his father about the amazing future he'd seen for everyone, but especially for Hope.
Thomas felt that Hope had sacrificed a lot for the children, and he wanted to be there to support her. He said the company would be a success. He stated that she had a hot new lead designer. Hope laughed as he imagined that she'd one day take the catwalk as the spokesmodel for HFTF again. He urged her to see it. Hope gave in, saying "Okay, I do!"
Thomas exclaimed that nothing could stop them. Hope called Thomas crazy, and he replied that he was crazy about her. She didn't know how to thank him. "I do," Thomas uttered, and he kissed her. Hope pulled away, and he assumed that she hadn't been expecting that.
Hope said that they'd been talking about work. Thomas stated that whenever he was near her, he wanted to put his arms around her and tell her how he felt. He said that he had the engagement ring and was ready to give it to her whenever she was ready. Shaking her head, she replied, "Thomas, I have explained."
Thomas stated that Hope had said she wasn't ready. Hope added that she wasn't sure she'd ever know what "ready" looked like. She didn't know if she'd ever stop wondering what her life would have been like if Beth had lived. Thomas replied that Hope could have a new life. Hope looked away. He said it wouldn't be the same, but it could still be good.
Thomas stated that he might be moving too fast. He had made mistakes in the past, but loving Hope wasn't one of them. He didn't want to hurt her. Hope told him that he'd been encouraging and positive, but she could tell there was something else. She sensed that he was bothered by something, and she asked him to tell her what it was. "You can be honest with me. You know that, right?" she asked.
At the Forrester mansion, Flo and Wyatt prepared for a day at the beach. Flo was surprised to learn that she and Wyatt would be having it at Steffy's house, not at his beach house. Wyatt stammered, saying that he'd thought it would be good for Flo, who hadn't seen Phoebe in a while. He murmured that it could be good for everyone.
Flo didn't know if she was prepared for that. Wyatt knew that he'd sprung it on her, but he thought it was a good idea. He recalled that Steffy had said Flo could be a part of Phoebe's life, and he said that the changes in Flo's life meant she'd be spending time with Phoebe's family. He stated that it might be good to get to know them better.
Flo had thought it would be just her and Wyatt that day. She was worried that seeing Phoebe would open up issues that no one was ready to deal with. Wyatt said it would happen eventually, but Flo replied that she hadn't thought it would be that day. He offered to cancel. Flo asked if Steffy even knew that Flo was invited.
Wyatt assumed that Steffy knew and expressed confusion about Flo's hesitancy. He'd been under the impression that Flo and Steffy had clicked. Flo affirmed it, saying that she'd felt good vibes from Steffy. Wyatt assumed that Steffy had felt the same way and asked if Flo wanted to see the family she'd made possible.
Flo considered that Steffy was a good mom and that Liam being there was a good thing. Flo said that Phoebe was safe, but Flo still wondered about Phoebe's future. She decided that it might be a good thing for her to see how good Phoebe's life was.
At the cliff house, Steffy and Liam prepared to go on a picnic at the beach, and Steffy wondered if they should have invited Bill and Katie. Liam revealed that he'd invited Wyatt. Steffy thought it would be good to see him. Liam added that Flo, the woman Wyatt was dating, would be there, too. Steffy's smile faded a bit, and Liam asked if it was okay that he'd invited Flo.
Steffy was surprised and said Flo hadn't expressed any interest in seeing Phoebe since the adoption. Though Steffy was open to it, she was nervous about it because things had changed for Flo, who was no longer alone and had a big, supportive family.
Wyatt and Flo arrived. Steffy greeted them and noted that Flo hadn't been there since the adoption. Flo asked if the girls were there. Liam said that they were asleep. Steffy chatted about how much the kids had grown and how Phoebe had changed their lives. Flo stated that she was happy that Phoebe had found a loving family.
Later, Liam, Steffy, Wyatt, and Flo chatted about Bill spoiling the girls. Phoebe cried, and Steffy asked if Flo wanted to see the child. Flo agreed to see Phoebe, and Liam went into the other room to retrieve her.
Wyatt asked Flo if she was really up to it. In Flo's silence, Steffy said it wasn't a problem to get Amelia to watch the girls while they went to the beach. Flo said it was okay. She was just nervous because she really wanted what was best for Phoebe.
Liam carried Phoebe into the living room. He said they couldn't thank Flo enough for putting Phoebe in their lives, and he vowed to look after her as if she were his own. Steffy added that Liam was an amazing father to the girls, and Flo didn't have to worry because Phoebe had the life and family Flo had always wanted for her.
Flo became teary-eyed. Steffy asked if she was okay.
At Forrester, Hope and Thomas discussed their relationship and interactions with Liam. "Am I misreading you?" Hope asked. She wondered if Liam and Thomas were at odds. "Whatever it is, you can tell me. I'll understand," Hope said. She encouraged Thomas to be honest with her.
Thomas confessed that he couldn't imagine his life without Hope. He praised the ways she'd cared and reached out when Douglas and Thomas had returned to Los Angeles. Thomas said it was no wonder that Douglas loved her. "It's why I have always loved you," he said.
Suddenly, Xander and Zoe burst into the room. They apologized that they hadn't known anyone was in there because Pam hadn't been at her desk, and they were looking for Ridge. "The closed door wasn't a clue?" Thomas asked sarcastically. Zoe and Xander apologized and offered to leave. "Unless you want us to stay," Xander said to Hope.
Thomas laughed and told Xander he was "kind of weird." Xander ignored Thomas and asked Hope if she had seen Phoebe and Kelly recently. Thomas grew impatient, and Hope seemed confused, while Zoe was disturbed. Xander tried to salvage the conversation with how he had known how much Hope cared for the girls.
Conversation returned to Xander and Zoe looking for Ridge. Hope agreed that she had wanted to see Ridge, also. Everyone wondered why Hope wanted to see Ridge, and she explained that she had wanted to show him Thomas' new design for the Hope for the Future line that she was wearing. Hope pointed out that it was impressive. Hope prepared to leave, and Thomas encouraged her to return in a hurry. "I'm not done with you yet," he said. Hope, Xander, and Zoe looked at Thomas quizzically.
After Hope left, Xander wondered what Thomas had meant by his weird statement. Thomas replied that he had no intention of hiding his feelings for Hope. Xander tried to bring up Steffy, Liam, and Hope, but Thomas discouraged Xander from fighting Thomas on his idea that everyone would remain silent. "If you keep fighting me on this, you will regret it," Thomas threatened.
Xander and Zoe left, and Hope reentered and told Thomas not to get his hopes up for a relationship. Thomas said that having Hope in his son's life was important to him, and they could be a better family because of Hope. Hope shook her head. Thomas pressed that he wanted Hope in his life. "I want you, Hope," Thomas said. He explained that Liam and Steffy had moved on together, and Hope needed to move on with him and Douglas. Hope looked confused.
Hope felt that Thomas had come on a little strong. She said that she was still raw from ending her marriage, and she was not ready to make promises or commitments. Thomas reminded her that she would be soon and what a wonderful family she could have with Douglas and Thomas. "You seem pretty sure of yourself," Hope said. Thomas agreed and kissed her. She said it wasn't easy to move on from Liam.
Thomas stated that he didn't want to hurt Hope, but Liam was gone and so was Beth. He felt that she could still find happiness. He said he would be good for her, and she was too beautiful not to find happiness.
In another area of Forrester, Emma flashed back to her time in the spotlight, dancing and performing in a previous Hope for the Future fashion show. She paused and cataloged clothing and was hidden from view. A friend sent her a text message asking to meet, but Emma said she had to finish her work first. Emma was hidden from view, but she overheard Xander and Zoe enter and start a conversation about their encounter with Thomas. Zoe encouraged Xander to let it go.
Xander was angry and said he didn't blame Zoe because what her father had done was horrible. Zoe worried that what had happened was tearing Xander apart. "Please, let this go," Zoe begged. Xander refused and said that if Hope and Liam had known the truth, things would be different, and they would have their family back.
Emma listened intently while Xander insisted there had to be a way that he and Zoe could tell Hope and Liam the truth about Beth being alive and Reese's role in the scam to make Hope believe that Beth was dead. Emma was shocked and emerged from behind a clothing rack. She shouted that she wanted the truth. "You can't be serious!" Emma said.
Emma continued that it was "crazy impossible" because Beth had been stillborn. Zoe tried to stop the conversation, but Xander admitted the truth that Hope's baby was very much alive. Emma was shocked, and Zoe look conflicted.
At Steffy's house, Wyatt and Flo met with Steffy and Liam. Liam held Phoebe, and Flo stared at the baby. Tears came to Flo's eyes, and Steffy acknowledged that it had to be emotional, seeing the little girl that Flo had given up for adoption. Liam promised he would love Phoebe as his own. Flo continued to be tearful.
Steffy remarked that Flo was a member of the family -- after she had recently discovered that she was a Logan. Steffy promised she would never "keep Phoebe away from you." Steffy added that she couldn't be more grateful to Flo. Steffy thanked her and hugged her.
Liam asked if Wyatt wanted to hold the baby, and Wyatt agreed. They all teased that Wyatt was the crazy uncle. Steffy pointed out that a lot had happened in Flo's life since she had visited Los Angeles. Steffy said that she could see the family resemblance between Phoebe and Flo. Flo agreed. Steffy promised that Flo would always be part of Phoebe's life.
After Wyatt and Flo left, Steffy told Liam how grateful she was that Liam was with her, and she knew the girls "love having their daddy here." Steffy noted that their faces lit up when Liam sang to them and fed them. "They love you so much," she said. Steffy worried that Liam was thinking about Hope. He agreed. He confessed that he felt Hope needed to sort out her feelings, and he worried that Thomas was hovering around her. He didn't trust Thomas and didn't want Hope to trust him, either.
Steffy defended her brother and felt that he was helping Hope. Steffy turned the conversation to how hard it had to be for Flo because a mother would never forget the bond with her child, even if she had given the child up. Liam agreed.
At Wyatt's, Wyatt wanted to discuss that it had to have been difficult for Flo to see her daughter. Flo insisted that Phoebe was another mother's child, and Wyatt understood that Steffy was the mom, but he still admired Flo and assumed that she had to be affected by seeing her daughter.
Flo said she wanted to do something else other than discuss Phoebe. She kissed Wyatt, and they fell into bed. Afterward, Flo was grateful that she and Wyatt had found their way back to each other. She was also grateful for her new life and worried that it would somehow end. Wyatt said it would never end. Flo looked thoughtful.
At Steffy's house, Liam and Steffy were in the living room after putting the girls down. Liam sensed something was wrong with Steffy and joked that her house guest was already getting on her nerves. Steffy was happy that Liam was there and spending time with the girls. She was just concerned about his feelings toward Thomas.
Liam empathized with Douglas, but he didn't think the tragedy gave Thomas permission to use Douglas to get to Hope. Steffy stated that Thomas cared about Hope and wanted to let Hope know that he was there for her. Phoebe began to cry, and Steffy went into the bedroom.
Hope knocked on the door, and Liam greeted her with surprise. Hope said she didn't mean to intrude, but she'd wanted to see the happy family for herself. To her, Liam looked happy. Liam said that he was glad Hope had stopped by. "I miss you," he uttered. She replied that she missed him, too.
Steffy emerged from the bedroom with Phoebe. She was surprised to see Hope and guessed that Phoebe had known that Auntie Hope would stop by. Hope asked if she could hold Phoebe. Steffy gave the child to Hope, and Hope, Liam, and Steffy smiled at the baby.
Later, Hope, Liam, and Steffy sat down, and Hope held the baby on her lap. Steffy was glad that Hope had visited. Hope gave the baby to Liam. Steffy said that Hope was always welcome there. Thanking Steffy, Hope stated that she'd wanted to see the wonderful family. It gave Hope joy to know that Phoebe and Kelly had their parents together.
Liam remarked that Phoebe was a Logan, and he could see Hope and Brooke when he looked at the child. Steffy stated that the Logan gene was a wonderful one to have. Steffy decided to take Phoebe for a feeding in the bedroom.
Once Liam and Hope were alone, Liam asked if Hope was okay. He thought about her a lot and was wondering if it was hard for her to be there. Hope said she'd wanted him to be with the girls. He replied that he loved being there with the girls, but it didn't stop him from worrying about Hope. She didn't want him to worry about her.
Liam couldn't help it -- especially because Thomas was lurking around Hope. Liam stated that it was not okay for Thomas to use Douglas to pull at Hope's heartstrings. She replied that Liam was moving on with his life, and she needed to move on with hers. "With Thomas?" Liam asked. Liam questioned whether Thomas was trustworthy.
Hope replied that Thomas had made beautiful designs for her collection and had been supportive. She said she'd told Thomas that she was just trying to get through one day at a time. Hope conveyed that she still thought of Liam and how different things would be if Beth were there. She was sure they'd still be together. Liam pulled Hope into his arms.
In Forrester's studio area, Emma confronted Zoe and Xander after she'd heard that Beth was really alive. Zoe tried to get Xander to back her up when she said that they'd been merely wishing that Beth was alive; however, Xander replied that it was too late.
Emma didn't believe Zoe because Emma had heard something about a baby switch. When Zoe attempted to gaslight Emma into thinking she hadn't heard what she'd thought she'd heard, Xander stated that it was too late because Emma had heard them talking.
Emma became enraged and asked Xander what he and Zoe had said about Reese switching babies. Zoe tried to calm Emma down, but Emma demanded to know how it had happened and where Beth was. Xander answered that Steffy was raising Beth. "Wait. Phoebe? Are you saying that Phoebe is actually Beth?" Emma asked.
Emma asked how long Xander and Zoe had known about it. Zoe said Xander had just found out. "And you didn't go straight to Hope? What about you, Zoe?" Emma asked. Emma became even more upset when Zoe said she'd known for a few months. Zoe claimed she'd been trying to protect her father, who'd go to prison if the news got out.
Emma yelled that Reese deserved to go to prison for what he'd done, and Hope deserved to know the truth. She demanded to know why they hadn't told Hope. In their silence, Emma asked what was wrong with Xander. In her view, it wasn't who he was. Emma told him that he should have done the right thing and told Hope, who'd been nothing but kind to him.
Emma was angry about everything that Hope had lost at the hands of Zoe and her father. Determined that Hope learn about it immediately, Emma whipped out her phone. Zoe tried to take Emma's phone. Xander asked Emma to think about whether she should talk to Hope on the phone about it. Emma asked Xander who he was. She guessed that Zoe was making him keep the secret, and he was falling right in line.
Xander tried to say that the situation was bigger than Emma knew. Not listening to him, Emma shamed Zoe for keeping a secret like that. "I'm telling Hope right now!" Emma yelled and marched out of the studio.
In the CEO's office, Brooke arrived and was surprised that Thomas hadn't left for the day. Thomas said he was sketching another design for Hope. Brooke asked if Hope had asked him to do that. He answered that Hope hadn't, but her approval of his last design had inspired him. He only wanted the best for the line and for Hope.
Brooke assumed that Thomas' statement meant that Thomas understood that Hope needed room to heal. Agreeing, Thomas said Hope needed room to heal, and he was there to support her. He affirmed that he wouldn't hide his feelings, and he was in love with Brooke's daughter.
Brooke noted that she and Ridge had talked about Thomas' feelings for Hope and about the difficulties Thomas and Douglas were facing. Thomas said that his son was his first priority. Brooke replied that "this" seemed to be going beyond his concern for his son. She said they both knew that Thomas had had some issues in the past.
Brooke didn't want to get into the issues, but she wanted Thomas to give Hope some space to heal. She urged him to focus on his son, not Hope, who, despite separating from her husband, still loved Liam and was still mourning the loss of her daughter.
Thomas gleaned that Brooke didn't approve, but he reminded her that Douglas and Hope had really helped each other. Brooke replied that Hope and Douglas bonding through tragedy was one thing, but it was another thing for Hope to jump back into a relationship. Brooke was sure Thomas would agree with her on that.
Caroline's death had taught Thomas that life was too short to wait around for things that were right in front of him. He felt that he and Hope had been apart long enough to know what they wanted. "And you've been in love with her all of these years?" Brooke questioned. He stated that he'd kept it to himself because Hope had been with Liam.
"And you were with Sally and Caroline," Brooke countered. Thomas wished that Hope had accepted his marriage proposal in Cabo, but he assumed they'd needed all that time apart. Brooke asked if he thought it had become his and Hope's time. Thomas asserted that Hope's future was with him and Douglas, and Thomas stated that he'd do anything to make it happen.
Later, Thomas was alone, sketching. He started daydreaming about being with Hope in a place cloaked in veils. In his mind, they'd just gotten married, and it was the first day of the rest of their lives together. Hope said he'd returned to her life when she'd needed him the most, and he'd saved her from a man who didn't know true commitment. Hope stated that she was blessed to be his wife and Douglas' mother.
Thomas' phone rang, snapping him out of it. Zoe was on the line, frantic because Emma had heard Zoe and Xander talking. Zoe said that Emma knew everything and was on her way to tell Hope the truth about her baby.
In the corridor, Emma asked Pam where Hope was. Pam thought that Hope was either at Steffy's house or on her way home from there. Pam left for the night, and Thomas entered the corridor to ask if Emma was looking for Hope. Emma asked if he knew where Hope was. Thomas nodded and ushered her into the CEO's office.
Closing the door, Thomas warned Emma against getting involved. "You're in on this, too?" Emma exclaimed. He replied that he'd just found out about it and had wanted to go straight to Hope to tell her. Emma asked why he hadn't. Thomas stated that it was complicated.
Emma didn't think so. She asserted that Liam and Hope's baby had been stolen from them, and Steffy was raising their child. Emma asked if Steffy should know the truth. Thomas asked if Emma had seen Phoebe. "You mean Beth," Emma corrected. Insisting that he'd meant Phoebe, he said Phoebe was the child's name, and his sister was the child's mother.
Emma yelled that it wasn't true, and Hope was the baby's mother. Thomas ordered Emma to keep her voice down. Emma insisted that Beth was the baby's name, not Phoebe. Thomas told Emma that the baby was happy and thriving in a home with Steffy and Liam. Emma asked what they should do about the heartbroken Hope.
Thomas revealed that he'd take care of Hope, and he was planning a life for himself, Hope, and Douglas. Thomas said that Douglas had been through a lot, and Thomas wanted Emma to think long and hard about it. Emma didn't need to think about it. She declared that Hope needed to know the truth right then, and Thomas wouldn't stop her from telling Hope.
Grabbing Emma by the shoulders, Thomas shook her and rasped that it was his family, and she needed to stay out of it. "Don't push me, Emma. I am dead serious. You do not want to mess with me!" he threatened.
In Brooke's living room, Ridge excitedly ran down the stairs when he heard the front door open. He was expecting Brooke with their fried chicken dinner, but he saw Hope entering the house to retrieve coffee for the cabin. After they greeted each other, Hope informed Ridge that she'd just seen his granddaughters, and it had been important for her to see Liam and Steffy's family.
Ridge saw happiness in Hope's future if she would let it in. Hope, who found it hard to focus on the future, said she was just going day to day. He offered his and Brooke's support and added that there was someone else who'd do anything to help Hope get her life back on track. Hope looked inquisitively at him, and he said that the person was Thomas.
Hope asked if Ridge was saying what she thought he was. Ridge replied that he was just talking about what could happen when she was ready to open her heart again. Hope reasoned that Thomas had been supportive of her during her difficult time. Ridge said that she'd made a hard decision and had put the kids first. She replied that "they" were a lovely family. He told her that she could have a family, too, with Thomas and Douglas.
Ridge decided to back off, but Hope was flattered that he thought she could be the best thing for his son. Ridge said that he knew she was, and she gave Douglas what he needed. Ridge thought that something good could come of Hope and Douglas' tragedies. Referring to the way Hope looked at "him," Ridge sensed that it could be meant to be.
Hope said she'd always be there for Douglas, but she wasn't sure if Thomas was the one. She assumed Ridge probably wondered why she was hesitating when other women would snap Thomas up. Ridge replied that he knew way too much about that kid, and she was wise to confirm that Thomas had matured. Ridge believed that Thomas actually had matured, and he said that Thomas and Hope could be a power couple. Ridge believed that Thomas could give her the stability that she hadn't had before.
In the Forrester studio, Zoe was trembling with fear and berating herself and Xander for talking about the secret. Xander thought it might be for the best that Emma had heard. In his view, none of it was fair to Hope, who deserved to know the truth about her daughter.
Zoe hoped that Thomas could keep Emma from going to Hope. Xander wasn't sure that calling Thomas had been the right thing to do. Zoe insisted that she'd had to do it to protect her father. He rendered her a skeptical look, but she insisted that she'd done the right thing by calling Thomas, who wouldn't have a chance with Hope if the secret got out.
"And we should care about that because?" Xander asked. Xander called Thomas a jerk and asked why he should care if Thomas lived happily ever after. Zoe claimed that it would be that ending for everyone involved, but it all rested on Thomas getting through to Emma. Xander didn't think there was anything Thomas could do to deter Emma.
Xander thought that all he and Zoe could do was watch. Zoe quipped that Emma had gotten the last laugh. He asked what that meant, and she said Emma was getting revenge for Zoe ruining Emma's teen romance. Doubting Zoe meant that, Xander stated that Emma just wanted to do right by Hope. Zoe said that Emma was probably with Hope right then. "Unless -- God willing -- Thomas got to her first," Zoe concluded.
Zoe decided to call Hope to see if Emma was there. When Hope answered, Zoe stammered to give a reason for the call. Zoe wound up asking if she could borrow Emma for a project Zoe was working on and wondered if Hope had seen Emma. Hope hadn't but said it was okay for Zoe to put Emma on the project.
Upon ending the call, Zoe told Xander that Emma wasn't with Hope. Xander figured Emma hadn't arrived yet. "Maybe she changed her mind. Maybe Thomas changed it for her," Zoe replied.
Back at Brooke's house, Hope gazed at the family photos around the room. A song played, and she flashed back over her pregnancy, beginning with when she'd found out she was pregnant. She remembered her doctor's appointments and times with Liam. She recalled delivering the stillborn and sobbing as Liam held her and the dead baby.
In the CEO's office, Thomas and Emma were entrenched on opposing sides of the baby secret. Emma wondered what was wrong with Zoe, Xander, and Thomas for not going to Hope immediately. Thomas quipped that Emma would be the one with serious problems if she didn't shut up and do what she was told.
Thomas insisted that Hope would not learn about the baby secret from anyone. Emma asserted that he couldn't stop her. "Yes, I can. Don't make me," Thomas responded. She said that he was threatening her, but he'd never convince her to keep silent. Thomas told her that everything was falling into place. "What are you talking about? A baby is in the wrong home!" Emma exclaimed.
Thomas reasoned that Liam was in that home, and even though Reese had done something twisted, it had turned into a win-win situation. "And you're calling Zoe's dad twisted?" Emma replied. Thomas said he was close to getting a second chance with Hope, and he refused to let Emma interfere. Emma didn't know how Thomas could love Hope or try to have a future with her while keeping her from her child.
Thomas said he was giving Hope a child, his son. Emma yelled that Thomas couldn't just swap kids. In her view, if Hope wanted to be a stepmother to Douglas, it was fine; however, it would be in addition to mothering her own child, not instead of mothering her own child. Claiming that Emma didn't get it, Thomas exclaimed that Hope wanted Liam in the home with Steffy, raising Kelly and Phoebe. Emma said that it was because Hope didn't know that Phoebe was Beth.
Thomas guessed that Hope would never know the truth; however, Emma insisted upon telling her friend. He tried to say that Hope was Emma's boss, not friend; however, Emma said she'd tell Hope even if Hope were a complete stranger, because no parent deserved to go through what Hope was going through.
Thomas claimed that he loved Hope and would make her happy. Emma didn't believe Thomas could love Hope and keep her child away from her. Thomas said that Emma didn't know his feelings or how he'd tried to save Hope from Liam. He stated that Hope had almost married him. "Thought she turned you down? How is that 'almost'?" Emma quipped.
Thomas tried to get Emma to see that she'd be opening up old wounds and that everyone was where they needed to be. "Not Beth!" Emma insisted. Determined that it would end that night, she ordered Thomas to get out of her way. When he wouldn't, she yelled, "Move! Now!" He yelled back that she wasn't going anywhere.
Just then, Pam entered to ask Thomas an important question. As he told Pam that he and Emma were in the middle of something, Emma rushed out of the office and veered right as she went down the hall. Thomas tried to go after Emma, but Pam stopped him because he hadn't filled out her survey. He didn't have time for it, but Pam insisted that she needed to get a cupcake count for a baby shower that would happen the following morning.
Thomas didn't know what Pam was talking about, but Pam insisted that it would only be a matter of deciding what flavor he wanted. Thomas chose chocolate and slipped by Pam. In the corridor, he took a left, heading toward the elevators.
In her car on a dark road, Emma was preoccupied with thoughts of her run-in with Thomas. She pulled her phone from her purse, looked at Hope's digital contact card, but decided that she couldn't tell Hope over the phone. She put the phone down, deciding not to call.
Behind Emma's vehicle, the bright lights of an advancing car flooded Emma's car. "What are you doing?" Emma asked, glancing in her rear-view mirror. Emma continued remembering her assertions to tell Hope the truth and Thomas' warnings against it. Her eyes turned to her rear-view mirror to see the menacing car. Emma pulled out her phone and swerved as she text-messaged, "I'm on my..."
Without sending the text, Emma put her phone back on the passenger seat. A horn sounded, and the other driver's lights filled Emma's car again. Looking in the mirror, she asked what the person was doing. "Get off my bumper, you idiot!" she raged.
From the mirror, the camera showed Emma's eyes cut to the left side of her car. Her eyes bulged, and she swerved, struggling to keep control of the car. There was a crashing sound.
On the road, Thomas hopped out of his car and walked over to a busted guardrail. He glanced down into a ditch or ravine by the road and saw Emma's car, almost flipped completely over, at the bottom. He stared quietly and deliberately at the vehicle.
Inside the car, Emma gazed blankly ahead. Her life appeared to slip out of her, and her head collapsed onto the airbag and steering wheel.
