At Forrester, Zende flashed back on imploring Nicole to decline the surrogacy. Nicole arrived and wondered if he was mad at her. She had left him abruptly the day before, but she said she just couldn't because of the surrogacy. He wasn't upset about the day before. He admired her for her choice, but because they were a couple, he wanted her all to himself.
Nicole claimed that Zende did have her all to himself. Zende told her that he could already feel the decision separating them, and it didn't seem to change her mind. Nicole was sorry she'd disappointed him, but she'd promised her sister. She didn't want to go back on her word, but she didn't want to lose Zende either. He apologized for putting more pressure on her.
Nicole claimed that Zende got to have a voice, but as he'd said, it was her decision. She reasoned that it didn't have to matter between them, but he asked how it wouldn't matter. They had something amazing that Zende didn't want to lose. "So we won't!" Nicole asserted.
Nicole suggested that she and Zende go through it together and take care not to let the process swallow them. She asked if he'd meant it when he'd said the baby wouldn't be a deal-breaker. Zende said he'd promised to try to hang in there, but she'd be pregnant with another man's child. She claimed to understand that there was only so far their relationship could go due to a decision he was against. She knew it wasn't fair to do or to ask him to wait.
Zende said that he wouldn't go anywhere, and they'd figure it out. Nicole asked him to promise to tell her if it got hard or if he needed space to wrap his mind around the changes. She asked if they'd be okay, and he said they would. Nicole told him that she had to go to another appointment because the time was right with her cycle. "Wait a minute. You can get pregnant today?" Zende asked.
Nicole claimed it took more time than that, but they were starting that day. Zende asked if she was really sure about it. She said that having the baby for her sister was a gift to herself, too. Zende realized that she was really doing it, and she said she wanted to have their baby. He told her that she was crazy, and he might have to get a little crazy, too. The two hugged.
At the mansion, Rick and Maya's parents sat with the couple and discussed the surrogacy situation. Julius felt that someone had to take Nicole into consideration. Rick replied that he and Maya had, but Julius didn't think so. Julius told Maya that she'd weathered the hard times, but Nicole was just starting out and needed protection. "From me," Maya assumed.
Vivienne said Julius wasn't saying such, but Rick and Maya were asking a lot of Nicole. Julius said the couple should tell Nicole they'd find another surrogate.
Brooke ascertained from Rick and Maya that the tests were done and Nicole was onboard. Brooke and Eric understood the Avants' concerns about Nicole's age and relationship. Rick and Maya insisted that they hadn't pressured Nicole. Vivienne reasoned that Nicole felt beholden to the couple. Vivienne stated that Julius wasn't eloquent; however, she didn't disagree with him about the surrogacy.
Julius asserted that it had been selfish of them to even ask. Maya asked if Vivienne felt that way. Vivienne believed Maya was only seeing it from her own viewpoint, and having the child would stop Nicole's life for a year. Vivienne said Nicole could lose Zende, and broken hearts could last a lifetime.
Rick relayed that it was Nicole's decision, and no one should pressure her. Julius stated that he'd say what he wanted to his daughter. Julius was certain that no man would hang around while his woman blew up with another man's child. He believed that, as soon as the word got out that Nicole was out of commission, girls would crawl all over Zende, and Nicole would be lucky if he remembered her name.
Vivienne stopped Julius so she could have her say. Vivienne explained that, in her generation, women weren't taught to find their authentic selves. They were taught to marry a strong, God-fearing man to lead their families. She said she'd done it, and she'd let Julius lead her family -- to the detriment of Maya. Vivienne had found her voice, and she was determined to fight for her other daughter, Nicole.
Vivienne admitted that she was worried because no one but Nicole had to sacrifice. She said that pregnancy didn't happen in a vacuum, and mothers loved the babies before the babies were born. Brooke agreed, saying that Nicole might become attached and begin thinking of the baby as her own.
Vivienne added that gestation was a physical and emotional strain, and she wondered what would happen if they learned it was the only baby Nicole could ever have. "Oh, I think you're asking too much," Vivienne said in a sad and grave tone. Julius told them to mark his words that nothing good would result from it.
Julius said Maya had always been self-centered. Maya groaned, but he told her to wait a minute because he wasn't calling her out or judging her. He said he was only making a comparison. He noted that Maya did what she had to do to be comfortable in her skin and without concern for consequences. He discerned that Nicole wasn't like that; she was softer and a giver.
Vivienne added that it was the reason that Nicole wouldn't say no to Maya. Julius felt that Maya was taking advantage of Nicole's qualities. Maya shook her head. He relayed that Maya might not be aware of it; but she was doing it, nonetheless. Vivienne thought it was natural for Nicole to feel beholden to Maya for what Maya had given her. "But to give you her body?" Vivienne asked.
Julius said Maya couldn't ask Nicole to do it; it was outrageous. Rick asked his parents to weigh in. Brooke said she would do anything for her sisters, including carrying a child, and the young Nicole was old enough to make her own decisions. Brooke approved and lent her support.
Eric said no one could predict how it would alter Nicole's life; however, she was well beyond the age of consent, and no one could stop her from doing what she wanted to do. Eric agreed to be there for Nicole and the couple no matter how it turned out.
Maya told Julius that his concerns were valid, and she promised that they'd thought about them all. She insisted that she and Rick hadn't pressured Nicole. Maya was grateful to live as her authentic self and that Nicole would help her have a child with her genes. It was the greatest gift, and she felt they'd be crazy to turn it down. Maya hoped Julius still wanted the family to be whole, even in light of their expanding family. Maya left the room before he could answer.
Later, Vivienne and Julius were alone. Julius called her his number-one girl. She said he hadn't said that in a long time. She didn't know what to do because they couldn't get their babies to do what they wanted them to do, and the girls weren't babies anymore. Maturity was just a number to Julius, and to him, Nicole would always be his little girl.
With Nicole in Los Angeles, it was harder to protect her, in Julius' view. He felt that Maya should protect her little sister, not take advantage of her. Vivienne didn't see Maya as taking advantage. Julius wasn't shocked that none of his "girls" agreed with him. He believed that he could still get Zende to help him stop the foolishness.
At the doctor's office, Rick asked if Maya was okay. Maya said she hadn't realized how strongly her mother felt about the procedure, but unless Nicole backed out, they'd go ahead. Maya was surprised that her mother had been so expressive and assertive and believed Vivienne was changing.
Maya said her parents thought she and Rick were being selfish and unfair. Rick said it had been tough to hear. Maya understood it and reasoned that they were asking a lot.
Dr. March and Nicole arrived. Maya and Rick made sure Nicole knew she didn't have to do it if she wasn't ready. Maya said she didn't want to cost Nicole her first relationship. Rick added that they were grateful that she'd even considered it. Nicole stated that Zende was on board.
Zende arrived. Nicole was surprised. He said she was going through a big change, and he needed to be there for her. Nicole conveyed that his support meant everything to her. "Let's make a baby!" she said to everyone.
At the doctor's office, Rick, Maya, Dr. March, Nicole, and Zende gathered together to celebrate that Nicole would have a procedure that would hopefully result in her carrying a baby for Maya and Rick. Maya and Rick made sure Nicole knew she could still back out if she wasn't ready.
Dr. March told them that everything was ready, and the procedure would take just minutes. Maya asked if it would be painful for Nicole, and the doctor answered that Nicole might have some cramping.
Nicole looked at Zende, and he nodded his approval. Maya was convinced it would happen on the first try. The doctor had warned them that it could take several attempts. Maya gushed that she would never be able to repay Nicole.
Nicole wished their mom and dad could be more understanding. Maya noted that their parents didn't know the procedure had been scheduled. Maya admitted that she had been with their parents and Rick's parents at the Forrester mansion earlier. She acknowledged that their mother was also against it.
Nicole was surprised that their mother had sided with their dad. Maya passed it off as their mother agreeing with Julius because she had to. Nicole looked unsure. Maya thanked Nicole for her huge sacrifice.
Rick chimed in his thanks to Nicole and Zende. Rick added that it was important for all of them to support Nicole "to get through this confusing time." Maya reminded everyone, "We're all in this together. We're a team." Maya announced that Nicole and Zende would get on with their lives after the journey had ended -- and they would "be even stronger."
Maya thanked Nicole again. She shared that she had "never in a million years" felt that she would ever have a baby that would have her genes -- "and it's all because of you." Nicole wished that their parents could be there with them.
At the mansion, the Avants discussed the surrogacy situation with Brooke and Eric. Julius insisted that it was wrong. Eric and Brooke said that Nicole was an adult, but Vivienne argued that Nicole was young and was going to ruin her entire life. "Whatever we do, we got to come together as a family and stop this," Julius said.
Vivienne agreed. She pointed out that she knew Rick and Maya would be wonderful parents, but she didn't understand the rush. She added that there were other ways to become parents that did not involve Nicole as a birth mother.
Vivienne felt there was no way that Nicole could "hand over that baby" and watch the baby grow up, knowing she was the mother but would be nothing more than an aunt. She shook her head and agreed with Julius that Maya was foolish to think the arrangement wouldn't hurt Nicole.
Eric and Brooke listened carefully and said that Maya and Rick had told Nicole she could back out at any time, but Julius and Vivienne said Nicole felt she had to make up for everything Maya had missed out on in her younger years. Vivienne and Julius again questioned the rush.
Brooke and Eric defended Rick and Maya. They said that Rick and Maya wanted to get started on parenting. Julius argued that it was a mistake. "I feel it in my bones," he said. He added that Zende would bolt halfway through the pregnancy when it had all become real, and then Nicole would be heartbroken.
Eric and Brooke respected the Avants' opinion, and they noted that Nicole might need to hear the reality of the situation from her mother. Vivienne agreed and suggested that she and Julius would take the girls out to dinner and discuss it. Brooke piped up that it might be too late because the appointment had been scheduled at the clinic for that afternoon.
Julius and Vivienne panicked. Julius tried to call Nicole to see if she was at work and discovered that she was not at Forrester. He called her cell phone, and Nicole answered but refused to talk to him. Eric and Brooke gave Julius the address of the clinic, and Julius and Vivienne hurried off to stop the procedure.
At the clinic, Zende offered to get some candy for Nicole. She asked him to stay with her, and he promised he would stay but not during the procedure. Nicole agreed. Rick and Maya discussed names. Maya suggested Violet, and Nicole suggested Nicole if it was a girl and Nicholas if it was a boy. They all laughed, and Rick and Dr. March left to fill out paperwork.
Julius and Vivienne entered. Nicole told her father to stop interfering. She insisted that Julius had to leave, but her mother could stay. Julius refused. "We are not letting this happen," Julius said. Vivienne agreed it was a mistake. Nicole was surprised her mother had such strong feelings. "I'm worried about you," Vivienne said.
Maya said Nicole was old enough to make her own decisions. Julius and Vivienne told Nicole she didn't need to feel indebted to Maya. Vivienne said she knew Rick and Maya would be wonderful parents, "but not this way. ... Please don't do this. There's got to be a better way," Vivienne said.
Maya demanded that her parents stop ordering everyone around. She felt they were trying to control everything the same way they always had. Dr. March entered along with Rick. Julius looked at the doctor. "This will not be happening. Will it, Nicole?" he said. Nicole looked pensive, and Maya looked defiant.
At the Forrester mansion, Brooke and Eric discussed that they were excited about having another grandchild -- one that was local. Brooke promised to visit every day. They agreed that Maya and Rick would be "spectacular parents." Brooke wondered if they should call Rick to warn him that the Avants were on the way, but Eric said they should let the Avants work it out with their daughters. "It's out of our hands," Eric said.
At the clinic, the Avant family argued about Nicole becoming a surrogate while Dr. March looked confused. Nicole argued that she understood what she had decided to do. Everyone looked at Dr. March, and she said she could not discuss her patient with the patient's parents. She left, giving the arguing Avants some time alone.
Maya asked her father what more there was to say. "Don't you at some point need to let us all live our own lives?" Maya demanded. Julius acknowledged that his girls might not respect everything he had said and done throughout their lives, but he knew the surrogacy was a bad decision. Nicole noted that she often disagreed with him, but she had not been as hard on him as he had been on her throughout their lives. Julius begged Nicole to listen to Vivienne if she would not listen to him.
Vivienne said she supported both of her girls, "but not like this." Nicole added that she was not calling anyone wrong, but she explained that they would all have feelings they never thought they would. Maya started to argue, but Vivienne scoffed.
Vivienne added that Maya had forgotten about how first love felt. She added that Maya wanted Nicole to put her first love on hold. "First love is like no other," Vivienne said. Julius agreed. He asked Maya how she would like it if Rick had asked her to put her life on hold while he went off to have a baby with someone else.
Julius begged Zende to tell them how he felt, and Zende insisted he supported Nicole. Julius responded. "You have no idea what you're doing." Zende respectfully answered that he believed in Nicole and what she was doing. Julius warned that when Nicole started nesting, Zende would be dreaming if he ever thought he would be first on her mind. Julius told Nicole that he was trying to keep her and Zende together. Julius emotionally said he didn't want to stop fighting for her.
Nicole challenged both her parents to remember that they hadn't known what married life would be like, and they had known nothing about parenting when they'd gotten started. "Stop telling me I don't know what I'm getting into," she said. She added that she and Maya would give them a grandchild. She begged them to be her parents "because I'm going to need you." She wanted their trust and support. "I can't have the stress on me or the baby," she added.
Vivienne promised they would give their love and support to Maya and Nicole. "Stubbornness -- it's a curse. Why couldn't you two have been more like your mother?" Julius asked.
Julius promised to keep his mouth shut because he didn't want his children to hate him. "I know you love me," Nicole said to her father. "I do love you," he said. They embraced. He kissed her and left to get the car. Vivienne said Nicole could not expect them to pretend they weren't worried. She kissed Nicole and Maya." I hope things turn out just the way you think it will," Vivienne said.
Dr. March returned. "Are we proceeding?" she asked. "We are," Nicole answered, and Maya and Rick breathed a sigh of relief. Zende hugged her.
Rick, Maya, Zende, and the doctor left for a few minutes to allow Nicole to change then Rick reentered. He said that they should have involved Zende earlier. Rick reminded Nicole that she could change her mind and leave, and they would all still love her. Nicole said that Zende loved her, and he was a guy who was willing to wait. Nicole wanted "a love like you and Maya." They had been tested, and their love lasted. Nicole called Rick a "wonderful man, patient, protective, and generous.
"I wouldn't be doing this for anyone else," Nicole said. Dr. March entered with Maya and Zende. Zende and Rick left before the procedure started. Maya and Nicole held hands. Nicole teased Maya about getting used to being called "Mom." The doctor told Nicole she would feel pinches, and she did. In minutes, the procedure was over. Rick and Zende returned.
Dr. March said Nicole needed to remain lying on the table for 15 minutes. The doctor added that everything had gone smoothly. She reminded Nicole not to be intimate with anyone. She left. Nicole was glad that Zende had stayed. He kissed her. "I love you," he said. "I love you too," she said.
Rick and Maya gushed that Nicole had done it. They all became tearful after Maya said that Nicole had made all her dreams come true. Zende kissed Nicole and said he had to return to work.
At the Forrester mansion, Eric and Brooke discussed the Avants' situation and that they had been in a race against time. "I hope they can find some common ground," Brooke said. She wondered if Nicole had second thoughts or would become too attached to the baby.
Eric encouraged Brooke to move back into the house to be closer to the baby. Brooke laughed. "I have a home," she said. He announced that he'd promised himself he would not inquire about another relationship with her if she ever gave up on Ridge, but he wasn't doing that yet.
Julius and Vivienne returned and dished to Brooke and Eric about their encounter with Nicole, Maya, Rick, and Zende. Vivienne thought it had pulled them closer as a family, but they hadn't gotten the results they had wanted.
They all agreed Maya and Nicole were no longer children. Julius maintained it was a "perfectly avoidable train wreck that will pit my girls against each other for the rest of their lives," he said.
Vivienne said they had done all they could. Brooke said it could take more than a few tries, but Julius was tired of discussing it. Julius wanted one of Eric's famous martinis. Eric went to make the drinks.
At the Spencer house, Katie prepared for work, but the shirtless Bill didn't think they needed to rush off to work so fast. After joking that he'd get her in trouble with the boss, Katie said it was nice to have extra time with him and Will. Bill replied that when everyone at Spencer did their jobs, he didn't have to spend as much time doing his job.
Bill felt that if he'd changed his attitude about work sooner, his niece wouldn't be married to and knocked up by Forrester, a man who'd made his daughter the president but made his son beg to be on the design team. Bill wondered how Thomas had gotten on his father's bad side.
Katie felt that people might wonder the same about Bill and Wyatt. Claiming it was a different situation, Bill said Wyatt was where he should be -- keeping one eye on his father's investment and the other on his crazy mother.
Bill planned to be vigilant as long as his family was mixed up with the Forresters. Katie thought Bill's feelings were admirable and sexy, but she was sure everyone was well. Bill insisted that he'd always be leery of dealings with Forrester, and it was his duty to look out for his family.
In the CEO's office at the onset of a meeting, Steffy couldn't believe that Caroline's baby bump had just popped out of nowhere. Steffy wondered why Maya and Rick weren't there. Ivy said they and Nicole would be at home that day, and Wyatt figured they wouldn't see Nicole until the baby arrived.
Caroline thought it was wonderful of Nicole to be the surrogate. "Kid sister carries brother-in-law's baby. How heartwarming," Quinn bit out. Ridge said that the story, in the wrong hands, could be trouble. Wyatt stated that if Bill chose the story, he'd want an exclusive. Ridge said Bill wouldn't get it.
Liam noted that a spotlight on Maya was a spotlight on Forrester. Ridge said it was a distraction. Quinn assumed that meant Ridge and Caroline wouldn't be talking bout their baby. Steffy stated that there was nothing controversial about their baby. Ridge said they wouldn't talk about it because it was a family matter. Liam pressed the issue because highlighting the family was good for business.
Thomas asserted that his father had asked them to drop it. Wyatt countered that it made sense from a promotional standpoint. Thomas snapped that Wyatt was getting the Forrester family mixed up with the Spencer family. Ridge told everyone to move on, and he asked the group about the lingerie line.
Wyatt conveyed that Ivy was no longer modeling. The team decided that they had enough pieces for a showing. According to Caroline, couture was almost complete. Quinn's department was almost done, too, and she attributed it to Ivy's return. Ivy remarked that it would have been a short-lived return if Thomas hadn't saved her on Halloween. Wyatt scowled.
Ridge said that lingerie, couture, and jewelry were what the new line would be about, and that was all he wanted to see in the press. "Do I make myself clear?" he asked. Liam asked if they really wanted to repeat a transgender misconception by asking Maya not to publish her story.
Ridge felt that Liam had a point. Thomas asked if Wyatt had already leaked it to Bill. Wyatt told Thomas not to drag him into it. Liam felt that it was worth considering, and Thomas countered that it was if they were selling magazines. Liam said he was thinking of Forrester, not magazines. "While still being a Spencer," Thomas concluded.
After the meeting, some of the staff exited, and Caroline reminded Thomas that she was a Spencer, too. Steffy asked why he'd gone after the Spencers, and Ridge insisted that everyone working there was a part of the "Forrester family." Thomas clarified that not every employee was an actual Forrester -- something Liam and Wyatt seemed to have forgotten.
Thomas wondered who "he" thought he was to question Ridge. Ridge replied that "he" was their vice president, who did everything Ridge asked him to do. Thomas believed Liam was working an angle to further Bill's empire and added that the brothers were Spencers.
"Okay. Again -- I'm right here," Caroline exclaimed in defense of Spencers. Thomas said she was different because she was married to Ridge and had a Forrester growing inside her. Ridge and Caroline exchanged looks, and Ridge said that he and Caroline had an appointment to go to regarding the baby.
Steffy told the couple not to let her brother's bad attitude run them off. She reminded Thomas that the families were already entangled --especially due to the new baby. Thomas claimed he didn't have a problem with the Spencers, but "the boys" had gotten too comfortable at Forrester. Thomas said the company was a Forrester legacy, and they had a duty to protect it, unlike the Spencers.
Thomas felt it was his and Steffy's job to make their father and grandfather proud. He claimed that he'd lost sight of it and had made mistakes; however, he'd moved past them. Thomas wanted to make sure the company's future was in the right hands. Caroline said it was a good idea to leave all the negativity in the past and move forward.
Ridge and Caroline left. Thomas daydreamed about Ivy. Noting his look, Steffy asked who the girl was. She warned that it had better not be Charlotte. Thomas said he'd learned his lesson and wouldn't be with a girl whom Ridge didn't approve of.
Steffy insisted that she knew when her brother was involved with someone. Ivy arrived to thank Thomas again for saving her. Steffy's glance shifted between Thomas and Ivy.
In the design room, Liam and Quinn listened to Wyatt mimic Thomas and complain about Thomas taking shots at the Spencer brothers. Quinn agreed that the boss's son had taken shots at them. Liam concluded that Thomas was frustrated about feeling wedged out. As evidence, Liam cited that Ridge and Caroline were having a baby, Ridge had made Liam vice president, and Liam was dating Steffy.
"Of course you're going to make it about you!" Wyatt replied. Liam smugly asked if Wyatt thought it was about him. Wyatt was certain of it, and Liam reasoned that Thomas probably did have an issue with both of them. Quinn could see why and wondered what Thomas did besides sharpen his father's pencils. Wyatt felt the vendetta against him was personal.
Quinn asked what Wyatt had done to Thomas. Wyatt said it was whom he had in his life. "Ivy?" the quizzical Liam and Quinn asked in unison. Wyatt asked them if they knew what had happened at the Halloween party.
Quinn said Charlie had strung the lights with gum and shoestrings. Wyatt added that one of those lights had almost fallen on Ivy, and Thomas had been there to save her. Wyatt said Thomas had been eyeing Ivy. Quinn asked what Ivy had to say. Wyatt said Ivy was grateful, and he admitted that he was, too, because Ivy could have been hurt.
Quinn asked if Wyatt would have preferred if Charlie had saved her. Wyatt said it would have been better. He claimed not to be jealous, but to him, it felt like Thomas was just always there a lot for Ivy. Looking up from his phone, Liam asked if they were still on the Ivy and Thomas thing.
Wyatt insisted that he had a feeling. Wyatt said he trusted Ivy, and Liam stated that Wyatt just didn't trust Thomas. Agreeing, Wyatt said he was trying to figure out what Thomas was up to.
"He's a Forrester. Yuck! It doesn't even make any sense," Wyatt complained. Wyatt said that there was no line or boundary Thomas wouldn't cross, especially when he saw something he wanted. Wyatt claimed that Thomas just took things, but Wyatt wouldn't let it happen. Glaring at Wyatt, Liam stated that he hated people like that. "Shut up," Wyatt replied.
At the loft, Caroline rubbed her belly and asked why they'd stopped off there. Ridge asked her to take note of the tranquility. He said he'd taken her to their quiet place to reset and breathe. "We're going to see our baby," he said, and they kissed.
Ridge and Caroline agreed that the doctor's appointment was important. Ridge promised to be there for all of it, and he said they and the baby were a family. Caroline began to say things hadn't happened the way they'd planned, but Ridge stopped her. He said things rarely did, but they were there and would always be there. He stated that he'd be with her in good times and bad and in sickness and in health.
Ridge and Caroline kissed. Ridge put his mouth near Caroline's stomach. He told the baby about a princess who'd lived on an island in the east. She'd moved west and met an old, broken knight who hadn't been able to do his job anymore. The princess had fixed the knight, and the knight had vowed to take care of her. "And that's what he did," Ridge concluded, and the song lyric, "love's masterpiece," played.
In the CEO's office, Ivy thanked Thomas for saving her from the falling light at the party. Steffy rendered awkward expressions as Ivy and Thomas joked about Ivy requiring his presence in case disaster struck again. He decided that he needed to save Ivy from something else -- a Spencer man.
Ivy asked if Thomas would save his sister once he was done saving Ivy from Wyatt. Thomas replied that some people were beyond help. Steffy asked for time alone with her brother, and Ivy decided to leave them alone to hash it out. After Ivy had gone, Steffy exclaimed, "Really? Ivy?"
Steffy said Thomas didn't have to admit to it because she'd seen how he'd oozed with charm. He claimed that charm was what he did, and he and Steffy had learned it from Ridge. Steffy didn't see it as harmless flirting, and she was upset that Thomas liked Ivy after what Ivy had done to her. He said Ivy had been confused and grieving, but Steffy told him not to get involved -- for his own good.
Thomas said Steffy sounded ridiculous, but Steffy insisted that he needed to hear it. In her view, he'd made bad decisions regarding women, and she warned him not to make another one. Thomas didn't know what she was talking about. Steffy said he was going after unavailable women.
Thomas wanted an explanation for "unavailable" and told Steffy not to say anything about Ivy being some "unrelated, distant cousin." He claimed there was no blood relation. Grossed out, Steffy said she hadn't even been thinking about it. She claimed that he went after women who were off-limits.
Thomas asserted that he didn't, but Steffy named Charlotte, the emotionally unavailable Hope, and Caroline. He conceded about Charlotte, quibbled about Hope, and said he'd been with Caroline in the past, before Ridge. Steffy said Ivy was with Wyatt. Thomas claimed not to see a ring on Ivy's finger. Steffy said it was more than dating, but Thomas dismissed it because there was no ring.
Thomas didn't take the Spencer brothers seriously and asked why Forrester accommodated them. "First off, Liam is my boyfriend," Steffy responded. She added that Bill owned part of the business, so whether or not Thomas liked it, the Spencers had a voice there. Thomas quipped that they'd ride their twelve and a half percent for all it was worth because Wyatt and Liam were scared. Thomas disparaged the prestige of the publishing industry and said the brothers would rather be at an established clothing company.
Noting that Thomas was changing the subject, Steffy flipped it back to Ivy. He said Steffy was getting ahead of herself, and it was just a little flirting. He claimed to be attracted to Ivy but not pursuing it. He asked Steffy to put aside her issues because there was nothing wrong with innocent flirting.
Pam interrupted to remind Thomas about his checkup with the doctor. After ascertaining that nothing was wrong with her brother, Steffy bitterly said he could leave, and she was done with him.
In the design office, Liam and Wyatt made fun of the way Thomas had talked about them in the meeting. Wyatt said Thomas needed to get over it because the Spencers were in the building, and Wyatt wouldn't let Thomas undermine his job or relationship. Wyatt didn't know if Thomas was interested in Ivy or going after her for fun. He called Thomas a spoiled rich kid who took what he wanted, but Wyatt vowed that "the little mini-Ridge" wouldn't get away with making moves on Wyatt's girlfriend.
In the corridor, the intern Christine gave Pam copies of recipes for Pam's baking club. Pam reviewed them and noted that the intern hadn't bothered to copy them straight and that she hadn't enlarged them, either. Christine took the criticism constructively, and Pam invited her to the club meeting that night. Pam also complimented Christine's sweater and suggested pairing it with pearls, but Christine bashfully replied that she could never look as good as Pam.
Christine left, and Ivy arrived, looking for Wyatt. Pam said he was in the design room -- "the Spencer lounge" -- with Liam. Pam didn't know why the brothers couldn't just work at Spencer. Ivy joked that it was because the Spencer receptionist was a terrible baker, and Pam grinned.
Ivy went into the design office and noted tension in the room. Liam and Wyatt claimed it was no big deal, and they were decompressing. She assumed it had to do with Thomas. She stated that Thomas' comments had been a little unnecessary. Wyatt said they'd been a lot unnecessary. She responded that it was Thomas' family business, and Wyatt asked if she were defending Thomas.
Ivy didn't necessarily agree with all Thomas had said, but she felt he'd given the Spencer brothers some perspective. Liam quipped that the perspective was that Spencers weren't allowed at Forrester. Ivy thought Liam was going overboard, but Wyatt said he knew exactly what Thomas was up to. Ivy asked what Wyatt meant, and Liam decided to let the couple talk alone.
Liam left, and Ivy asked what was going on. Wyatt told her that Thomas was hitting on her, and Wyatt didn't like it. Guessing it had to do with Halloween, Ivy said Thomas had been saving her life, not making moves on her. Wyatt was grateful for the rescue, but he was a little "pissed" that he hadn't saved her. Ivy said he would have if he'd been there.
Going over the events of the night, Wyatt concluded that Thomas had put James up to the shaving cream prank so Thomas could be alone with Ivy. Wyatt went on about Thomas complimenting her and taking shots at Wyatt, but Ivy replied that she hadn't noticed it at all. Wyatt wished he hadn't cared about his car so much that night. He wanted to be the one who'd been there for Ivy.
Ivy sad Wyatt was already there for her, and she didn't need a light to fall on her head to know it. Wyatt half-heartedly agreed. She kissed him and shook her head as she hugged him.
Back in the CEO's office, Steffy and Liam kissed and discussed how glad they were to work together. Steffy wanted to schedule a meeting to discuss a topic in Rick's email, and Liam said that, speaking of meetings, he needed to go on record about the meeting earlier.
Liam stated that Thomas had been out of line. Steffy said it was more than Liam knew. Liam asked what she meant, and Steffy said Thomas was interested in someone that he shouldn't be -- Ivy.
In Dr. Li's office, Caroline wore patient garb and reclined on the observation table. Ridge held Caroline's hand, and Dr. Li cooed that it was always great when the father-to-be got involved. Caroline relayed that the morning sickness had abated, and she wasn't having cravings.
The doctor ordered her to get on it; she said Caroline had the hard part of growing Ridge's baby, but she had to get him working, too, because fathers liked to feel involved. The couple expressed that Ridge was involved, and Dr. Li called him the proud father-to-be. Ridge agreed that he was.
While waiting for the doctor, Ridge teased Caroline about the gel being cold. He felt she'd survive because she was strong. She was glad Ridge had experience with pregnancies and could be with her from the first ultrasound to cutting the umbilical cord.
Ridge said experience didn't matter, and nothing would prepare her for seeing the baby on the monitor for the first time. He couldn't wait to see her face light up at the sight of their baby.
Jerry arrived to start the ultrasound because Dr. Li had a patient in labor. She remarked that Dr. Li would be back because there were hours to go in the labor. Caroline warily repeated the statement. As she readied the gel, Jerry said it was why it was called labor, and Caroline told Ridge to prepare for her death grip. Jerry said Caroline would curse out Ridge, because he was the one who'd done it to her.
Jerry put the gel on Caroline's stomach and rubbed the wand over it. Caroline and Ridge watched in awe as the baby appeared on the monitor. Caroline gasped upon hearing the baby's heartbeat. Dr. Li arrived to take over.
In the corridor, Thomas exited the elevator and told a hospital staff member that he'd see her later. He passed an exam room as Dr. Li was entering it, and he saw a glimpse of Caroline and Ridge inside the room as the door closed behind Dr. Li. Jerry exited the room, and Thomas slipped up to the door before it closed. He saw the baby on the monitor and watched Caroline's expression.
Caroline smiled at Ridge, but her eyes darkened when she saw Thomas in the doorway.
