Thanks to a furious and fiercely protective Stephanie standing guard, Rick was unable to make much headway with Steffy. Once he was gone from the beach house, Stephanie comforted Steffy with a hug. At Taylor's, Ridge wished Brooke would open her eyes where her son was concerned, but Brooke felt like he and Taylor had ganged up on her son. She also felt that Taylor was circling her marriage like a vulture and assured her she didn't have a shot with Ridge. After Brooke and Ridge left, Thomas dropped by on a break from his therapy. Taylor told him that Steffy was moving home because she and Rick were finito. On cue, the Stephs came home. Jubilant Thomas went to help his sister unpack while Stephanie caught Taylor up. They discussed the shaky state of the Ridge/Brooke union.

At Brooke's, Ridge wanted to table the subject of Rick, but the man himself strolled out of the kitchen with a sandwich and an attitude. This led to Ridge and Brooke arguing all over again and Ridge storming out (much to Rick's glee). Rick griped about "Mr. Pious throwing a hissy fit," and then blamed Mr. Pious for wrecking his relationship with Steffy. Back at Taylor's, she and Ridge revealed how Rick had let Thomas go free in exchange for Steffy's hand. Steffy was even more horrified than before! Steffy wished her father would stay the night, noting all they were missing tonight was Phoebe. Ridge agreed, but only if they got to watch "Attack of the Mutant Zombie Women." Back at Brooke's, she was heartbroken over Ridge and Rick's enmity affecting her marriage and Rick promised to stand by her. Alone with Ridge for a moment as everyone else went to the video store, Stephanie noted that being with this family was the happiest Ridge had ever been. "Her world revolves around that boy," Stephanie warned of Brooke and Rick, telling Ridge he needed to be willing to leave Brooke once and for all.