At Brooke's house, Brooke talked to Donna about how heartbroken Hope had been when Thomas and Ridge had taken Douglas earlier. Donna was shocked that, when Brooke held up her left hand, there were no rings on it. Donna asked why Brooke would remove her wedding ring, and Brooke asked what the point of wearing it was if her husband couldn't be loyal.
Donna advised Brooke not to let Thomas tear her and Ridge apart. Noting that Ridge kept calling Brooke, Donna further advised her sister to listen to the messages or call him back. Brooke didn't see the point because Ridge wouldn't see Thomas for who Thomas was.
Donna suggested that Ridge might have changed his mind. In Brooke's mind, if that were so, Ridge would be there with Douglas. She felt that Douglas needed his family, not Thomas, who wasn't fit to be a parent. She didn't think there was a way to move forward until Ridge saw that.
Brooke felt betrayed. Donna understood that it was because Ridge was siding with Thomas, but she asked if Brooke wasn't doing the same thing with Hope. Brooke asserted that Hope and Douglas deserved to be defended, but Ridge didn't see it and thought his only loyalty was to Thomas. Brooke had once thought that Ridge would see the bond between Douglas and Hope and accept it. Instead, Ridge had severed it.
Donna and Brooke talked about how hard it had to have been for Hope and Douglas to separate. Brooke said that Hope would be strong for Beth, but Douglas, who didn't understand, was relying on the adults to make the right choices. Ridge hadn't been able to do that, and instead, he'd whitewashed Thomas' actions, regardless of whom Thomas had hurt.
A device chimed. Donna thought the sound signified another message from Ridge and urged her sister to reach out to him. Brooke didn't care and couldn't talk to him at that moment. She was scared of what she'd say and didn't want to make things worse. Donna didn't know what was worse than Brooke removing her rings. "If I say what's in my heart, I'm afraid Ridge won't talk to me ever again," Brooke conveyed.
Donna decided to let Brooke get some sleep. Brooke doubted she would and said she and Ridge never went to bed angry with each other. Donna remarked that Brooke could do a lot of thinking while staring at the ceiling. Brooke loved her husband and hated the rift between them, but she didn't know what else to do. She asserted that Ridge had to understand how important it was to her. She thought that, as hurt as she was, she and Ridge had to move past it.
At the mansion, Eric greeted Ridge, Thomas, and Douglas. Quinn was out of town, and to Eric, that meant it was time to have guys' night. As Thomas talked to Douglas about getting into a routine, Eric saw Ridge by the fireplace, staring at a picture of him and Brooke. Eric was dismayed by the adoption papers incident and asked what effect it would have on Ridge's marriage. Ridge showed Eric one of Brooke's rings.
Eric suggested that Ridge take it back to Brooke and work things out. Eric didn't believe that "this" was what Brooke wanted. Ridge asserted that Brooke couldn't have what she wanted.
Feeling that his place was there with them, Ridge sat with Thomas and Douglas and told them that it was time. Ridge said that Eric had taught him how to make a family stronger. Ridge promised to do everything within his power to be there for Thomas and Douglas and to help them both heal. Douglas climbed into Ridge's lap, and they hugged.
Upstairs later, Douglas, clad in pajamas, was excited about his new room. Eric and Ridge bade the boy and Thomas a good night, and Thomas tucked Douglas into bed. Thomas likened the house to a Forrester castle. Even though it didn't have stone walls or moats, he explained that it was fortified with family, which was all the protection they needed.
Thomas knew that there had been a lot of changes, but he believed that the newest one was good. He promised to be the father that Douglas needed. Thomas said the Forresters had to stick together and not let anything or anyone get between them. "But I want to go home," Douglas replied. Thomas said that was home. Douglas wanted Mommy Hope. He missed her.
Downstairs, Ridge left a message for Brooke, asking her to call him. Afterward, he resumed his conversation with Eric about Brooke's vendetta against Thomas. Eric didn't see it as a vendetta, but Ridge didn't know how else to describe her need to make Thomas pay by losing Douglas.
Ridge didn't want Douglas in the middle of it. He said that Brooke viewed Douglas' removal as him taking another child from Hope. Ridge hadn't intended it that way and exclaimed that the child was not Hope's. Eric noted that Brooke was taking a strong stand.
Ridge felt that she'd gone too far. He'd merely asked her for time to heal his family and get Thomas on his feet. Brooke saw it as a betrayal. He asked how he could, in good conscience, persuade Thomas to give up his child to Hope. Ridge pointed out that every father made mistakes -- except Eric. Eric asserted that Stephanie would have had a word to say about that.
What scared Ridge was that Brooke looked upon Thomas the same way that Stephanie had looked upon Brooke. Eric stated that Brooke had serious concerns about Thomas' behavior, and Ridge had had some, too, at one point. Ridge knew it but was convinced that Thomas was improving. He said that helping Thomas was making him the enemy in Brooke's eyes.
Eric didn't think that could be true or that Brooke looked at Ridge that way. Ridge replied that giving him the rings had been a pretty bold statement. Eric asked if Ridge was thinking that it could actually be the end of his marriage.
Later, Ridge had been drinking. Carrying a half-full decanter to the sofa, he asked if he could get Eric something. Eric advised his son to skip the drinks and go to bed. He thought things would look better in the morning. Ridge said it would be worse in the morning if he didn't hear from Brooke all night. Eric replied that Brooke needed time.
Ridge called it disrespectful for Brooke to say that Thomas was dangerous and that Ridge couldn't take his family to Eric's house. Eric stated that Ridge could remain there for as long as he wanted, but his home was with Brooke. Ridge didn't know about that. He didn't recognize the woman he'd married. He said she'd drawn a red line between herself and Ridge and Thomas.
Ridge conveyed that he and Brooke had made vows to each other, but the moment there had been hard times, she'd walked away. "Well, two can play that game," he decided, taking off his ring. Eric warned his son not to do that. Ridge said he couldn't make the marriage work alone, and he refused to abandon his boys, not even for the love of his life.
Eric didn't believe that Brooke and Ridge wanted to end their marriage. He felt that they just didn't know how to resolve the conflict between them. Eric urged Ridge not to give up. Taking the decanter, which was only an eighth full, Eric displayed it and said Ridge wouldn't find the answer in there. He urged Ridge to get some rest.
Ridge noted that Brooke still hadn't responded. Eric guessed that she was sleeping on it. He advised his son to do the same and said things would be clearer in the morning.
Ridge stumbled over to the guesthouse and undressed in the dark. He sat on the bed, and a woman began frantically and fearfully wheezing. She turned on a lamp, and she and Ridge hopped out of bed in unison. The woman was Shauna, who wore a gold, glowing facial mask. Once they recognized each other, each questioned the other about being there.
Shauna explained that Flo had "needed a night off," and Quinn had permitted Shauna to stay in the guesthouse. Ridge guessed that Quinn hadn't talked to Eric before she'd gone on her trip. Shauna pretended she was suspicious, but Ridge said he was serious and wanted to sleep. She replied that there was plenty of room in the bed, but Ridge didn't want to go that route.
Shauna reluctantly volunteered to leave. She groaned, unable to believe Ridge had seen her in the mask and frumpy pajamas. She didn't even know why she was leaving and asked if Steffy's house or the mansion was too cramped for Ridge. Shauna had thought his vacation from his wife would be over by then. Ridge stated that Brooke had taken off her wedding ring.
Observing his left hand, Shauna asked if Ridge's marriage was over. Ridge asked if she minded if he peeled off her mask. She let him do it, and he wondered if she put it on it every night. She noted that he hadn't answered her question, and again, she asked if his marriage was over. In response, Ridge kissed her.
At Brooke's house, Hope arrived to check on her mother after Beth had gone to sleep in the cabin. Brooke and Hope discussed how horrible it had been when Ridge and Thomas had barged in and dragged Douglas away from them. Brooke felt that the worst part was that Ridge couldn't see who Thomas was.
Brooke hadn't wanted to give her ring back to Ridge, but she felt that he'd given her no choice. She hadn't given up on her marriage, but she'd removed her rings to take a stand. Hope understood that, but she wondered if Brooke hadn't pushed Ridge too far.
Hope received a video call. It was from Douglas, who wanted to say goodnight. He greeted her as his mommy and asked if it was okay to still call her that. Hope affirmed it and said she'd wanted to wish him a good night, too. She held up Peanut Butter and she said the bunny wanted to say goodnight, too.
Douglas said that he wanted Hope to be his mommy. He liked being at his great-grandfather's house, but he wanted to go home. Hope asked if he'd told his father that. Douglas replied that he'd told his father that he wanted to be with Hope and Beth, but Thomas had said that Douglas couldn't.
Douglas stated that he missed Hope. Hope missed him, too, and told him that they would always be together, even when they were apart. She said that if he ever felt alone or scared, he could touch his heart and know that she was always there with him.
After the phone call had ended, Hope told her mother that she couldn't take it. She felt as if she were Douglas' mother, and she needed to have custody of him. Getting an idea, Hope began to muse about a way for her to protect Douglas and be his mother.
Hope suspected that she had almost talked Thomas into signing the papers before Ridge had intervened. She believed that she could get through to Thomas; she just needed to find a way to work around Ridge. She thought that if she spent time with Thomas and Douglas like a family, the way Thomas wanted it to be, she could eventually convince him to sign over custody of Douglas.
Brooke was upset at the suggestion that Hope spend time alone with Thomas. Hope stated that it was for Douglas. She believed that Thomas was hoping that she might forgive him for what he'd done to her and that he might still be hoping for the life he'd told her he wanted. Brooke stated that Hope had a life with Liam.
Hope pondered the idea of leading Thomas to believe that there was still a possibility for them. "By playing on his obsession with you?" Brooke asked. Hope suspected that Thomas was vulnerable to her. Though she didn't want a life with him and only cared for Liam, she didn't see another option to keep Douglas out of harm's way.
As Brooke expressed her concerns about Hope's plan, Hope received a call from Thomas, who'd wanted to let her know that Douglas had settled in well at the mansion. She took the call on speakerphone. Thomas claimed to know how hard it had been on her to lose Douglas, but Thomas felt that he'd had to take the child. Thomas didn't want to hurt Hope and said that he never wanted to hurt her again.
Hope ended the call and asked if Brooke had heard the love still in Thomas' voice. Brooke repeated that he was obsessed with Hope. Hope was adamant about going through with her plan, and Brooke asked what Hope would tell Liam.
Hope said that no one, not even Liam, could know. Hope felt that Douglas was her son and her hero, and she intended to save him from Thomas. Hope said she'd tap into Thomas' emotions and get him to sign over custody. "It will work. It has to work," Hope concluded.
At the Forrester mansion, Thomas arrived in the living room after working out in the mansion's gym. He thanked Eric again for letting him and Douglas stay there, but Eric didn't require a thanks. He said that Thomas was his grandson, and the house was his and Douglas' whenever they needed it.
Eric admitted that he was concerned about Thomas' past behavior. Thomas affirmed that Eric had every right to be. Thomas admitted that he'd done things he'd never imagined he would do and had gone to extremes. He said that he'd done it all out of love, and no matter what anyone thought, he still loved Hope.
Thomas wished there were do-overs and said he would have done things differently. Hope had been the mother that he'd wanted for his son, and in Thomas' mind, she still was.
Alone later, Thomas flashed back on moments he'd had with Hope. He picked up his phone to call her.
In the Forrester guesthouse, Ridge and Shauna kissed. He abruptly cut it off. She asked if she'd bit his lip or if the face mask had turned him off. As Ridge peeled off lingering pieces of the mask, she expressed embarrassment and said no woman in her right mind would want to be caught looking like that, especially by a man like him.
Shauna said that she could kill Quinn for not warning her that it could have happened. Ridge replied that Quinn hadn't known that he, Thomas, and Douglas would be there. Shauna said that if she'd known that "we would -- that you would --" She cut herself off and concluded that she just would have been more prepared.
Checking his left hand again, Shauna asked Ridge if his marriage was over. Ridge said that it was complicated, and he wouldn't lay all of that on her. She reminded him that she'd said she would always be there for him.
Shauna put a blanket over her head to cover herself in her embarrassment about how she looked. Ridge uncovered her and placed the blanket around her shoulders.
Shauna asked if the problem with Brooke had to do with Thomas. Ridge revealed that Brooke had drawn up adoption papers and wanted Hope and Liam to take Douglas from Thomas. Ridge didn't understand it. Shauna said that she was sorry. Ridge was sorry, too. He wanted his marriage and his wife but not at the expense of his son.
Shauna was empathetic, and she said it was admirable that Ridge didn't want to see a father and son separated. She stated that she and Brooke weren't different, and neither had been from money. Shauna had been a single mother who'd owned a small boutique in the casino. It hadn't been easy for her, but she claimed she'd done it because she'd had to.
Shauna stated that Brooke had taken a shortcut when she'd married Ridge. He'd given Brooke a life that she'd never lived before. "And for her to give all of that up? All I can say is that if it were me, I would gladly spend my days marveling at your talent and making sure you are a very, very happy man," Shauna concluded.
Shauna gushed about what kind of man Ridge was. Ridge said that he didn't want her to take it the wrong way, but he saw the same twinkle in her eye that Brooke had once had when she'd looked at him. He found it nice.
It was getting late, and Ridge decided that no one would leave the room. He conveyed that he needed a friend. Shauna bragged about her assets but promised not to take advantage of him. She decided that he needed kindness and tenderness, and those were things she could give him.
At Brooke's house, Brooke had folded a pile of clothes for Douglas, and Hope entered. Hope thanked Brooke for doing Douglas' laundry and said she had wanted to deliver the clothing to Douglas. She noted that he would be getting home from school soon.
Brooke wondered how Douglas' first day and night without Hope had gone. Brooke hoped Douglas hadn't cried himself to sleep. Hope agreed and wondered if Brooke had cried herself to sleep without Ridge and without her wedding ring. Brooke admitted it might have been a mistake to remove her rings. Hope agreed and recalled how "horrified" Brooke had been when Hope had done something similar with Liam.
Brooke agreed, but she recalled that Hope had been manipulated by Thomas. Hope noted that Brooke was refusing to be manipulated by Thomas. Brooke lamented that Ridge couldn't see what an unreliable parent his son could be. Hope agreed and said she might have a solution to stay involved in Douglas' life. She had met with an adoption attorney and had some options.
Hope explained that, in California, natural and adoptive parents could share custody of a child. Hope felt it was a step in the right direction to eventually get Thomas to agree to give her sole custody. Brooke was fearful, but Hope said she had been afraid for too long and wanted to take care of Douglas.
Brooke worried that Hope was getting in over her head and that Liam wouldn't like it. Hope admitted that Liam didn't know anything about her visit with an attorney. Brooke worried about Thomas' obsession with Hope, but Hope said Thomas only knew a fantasy version of Hope. "All I need is a signature," Hope said. Brooke said it didn't feel right that Hope was keeping secrets from Liam. Hope prepared to call Thomas to see if she could deliver the clothes to Douglas.
At the Forrester mansion, Thomas and Ridge discussed that Douglas would be getting out of school soon. Thomas had prepared a snack for Douglas. Ridge was ready to help himself to the food, but Thomas stopped him. Ridge wondered if Thomas needed help with anything, and Thomas said he was fine. The father and son discussed that Ridge had removed his rings after Brooke had removed hers. The discussion was interrupted when Thomas' phone rang. He noted that it was Hope, and Ridge advised him to be careful in a conversation with Hope.
Hope was friendly with Thomas in her call and said she had some of Douglas' things and wanted to deliver them if it was all right. Thomas said he was about to pick Douglas up from school, and they planned to meet at the Forrester mansion. Hope suggested that it was good for Douglas to see Hope and Thomas together and getting along, and Thomas agreed.
After Thomas had hung up, he shared the conversation with Ridge, and Ridge understood that Hope loved Douglas. He was suspicious of Hope's motives and bitter that Brooke had not allowed Thomas back into her house.
Ridge left, and Thomas and Douglas sat down for the snack that Thomas had prepared. Thomas asked about homework. Douglas said he had no homework but needed to practice some math skills. Someone knocked on the door, and Douglas asked who it was. Thomas playfully reminded Douglas that Eric's house was home to both of them, and Douglas was entitled to answer the door. Douglas ran to the door, and Hope entered. They embraced.
Hope said she had a special delivery for Douglas. She presented some clothes he had left behind and his stuffed toy Peanut Butter. Douglas reminded Hope that he had given Peanut Butter to her so she wouldn't be lonely. Hope said that Peanut Butter missed Douglas. They hugged, and Hope smiled at Thomas.
Douglas, Thomas, and Hope shared some time together and discussed a Halloween party that Eric and Quinn were hosting. Thomas said that he and Douglas had made invitations. Douglas asked Hope to attend, and Hope agreed as long as it was all right with Thomas. Thomas said it was fine, and Douglas went to the kitchen to get some milk.
Hope and Thomas discussed that it might be awkward, but Thomas said it would be fine. He went to grab an invitation for Hope, but he pulled out the folder with the adoption papers in it. Thomas looked sad, and Hope said that her mom had overstepped. Hope ripped up the adoption papers and told Thomas that there might be a way they could all co-parent Douglas without Thomas giving up parental rights. Thomas was happy to hear it. Hope said she felt there was a way that they could both be a part of Douglas' life. They smiled.
After Hope had left, Douglas drank milk and cuddled with Thomas. He asked who was prettier -- his mommy in heaven or Mommy Hope. Thomas responded that they both loved Douglas, and they were both beautiful. They agreed it was a tie. Douglas wondered if Hope would make it to the Halloween party, and Thomas said that Hope didn't say things unless she meant them.
Hope had returned to Brooke's house, and she and Brooke discussed that Douglas was adjusting. Hope said that Thomas had been on his good behavior. Hope confessed that she had pasted on a smile and told him that he wouldn't have to give up parental rights in order for them both to parent Douglas. Brooke still worried that Thomas was unstable.
Hope agreed, but she felt it was best to co-parent because it would make it easier to pursue sole custody in the future. Brooke wondered what Liam thought. Hope said she hadn't discussed it with him. Brooke advised against secrets, but Hope didn't want to involve too many people in her plan to get Douglas back. She felt that Thomas was cold and calculating, and she wouldn't let Douglas down.
At the guesthouse, Quinn met with Shauna, and Shauna thanked Quinn for her hospitality. Quinn worried about Flo being left alone, but Shauna said Flo had told her that she was hovering, so Shauna had felt it was best to get away for a while. Shauna worried that Eric wouldn't be happy if she was there. Quinn replied that with all the people traveling in and out of the mansion, he wouldn't notice.
Quinn said that Thomas, Douglas, and Ridge were all staying at the house. Shauna corrected that Ridge was staying in the guesthouse. Quinn said that Shauna was staying in the guesthouse -- not Ridge. Shauna smiled and said that there was some confusion, and then she continued to let Quinn believe it was more than that.
Quinn wondered if Ridge and Shauna had slept together, and Shauna shared that they had but not as lovers. Shauna admitted that she and Ridge had kissed. Shauna shared that Ridge wasn't wearing his wedding ring. She explained that Brooke and Ridge had argued about Thomas and how Brooke and Hope wanted Thomas to give custody of Douglas to Hope.
Shauna and Quinn understood that Ridge would be upset, and they agreed that Thomas might need help but wasn't a lost cause. Shauna said that if she and Quinn could raise normal children, Thomas might have a chance, as well. Conversation returned to Shauna's night with Ridge. Shauna teased that they'd had "mad, torrid conversation."
Shauna said that Ridge needed someone to talk to, and she had become his confidante. Quinn said that Ridge and Brooke "must really be on the outs." Shauna said that Ridge had compared her to Brooke, and she wondered what that meant and if it was good or bad. Quinn said it was a little of both. She confessed to having kissed Ridge in the past.
Quinn recalled that after she and Eric had gotten married, Ridge had been determined to get rid of her and figured he could seduce her and then tell Eric. She and Shauna agreed he was "so damn sexy." Quinn admitted, "I lost my head a little." She said it had only been a couple of kisses and then it had been over...and everyone in the family knew about it. She added that Ridge hadn't been married at the time. She said she regretted it, but she didn't.
After Quinn left, Shauna looked at the Halloween party invitation that Quinn had left behind. Shauna looked in a drawer to see if she had anything that could pass for a costume, and she flashed back to Ridge kissing her the night before.
At Forrester Creations, Ridge eyed a model in a dress and said he wasn't sure of the color. His phone rang, and the model could see it was his wife calling. She left, and Ridge answered Brooke's call. "So, now you'll speak to me?" he asked. Brooke answered that she missed him but had felt it was unwise to talk after they had been arguing. She wondered if Ridge and Thomas had found Thomas some professional help. Ridge said they were still looking. Brooke said he and Thomas had some decisions to make, and Ridge said he would not give up on his son.
Brooke worried that Ridge needed to look for treatment for Thomas as an emergency situation. She reminded Ridge that all she and Hope wanted was for Douglas to be happy. Ridge said he understood that what Brooke and Hope wanted was for Thomas to relinquish custody, "but it's not gonna happen."
At Eric's house, Douglas was excited about seeing Hope for Halloween. After sending Douglas to put on his costume, Thomas called Steffy. At her house, Steffy groaned and reluctantly answered the call. Thomas informed her that Ridge and Brooke had removed their wedding rings, and Thomas, Douglas, and Ridge were all together at the mansion.
Steffy reminded her brother that Brooke and Ridge always wound up reunited, but Thomas was sure that things were going "our" way that time. Thomas said that things were changing, and he and Ridge were designing together. He wanted Steffy to be a part of it.
Thomas added that Hope had reached out and wanted to spend Halloween with him and Douglas. Steffy asked where Beth and Liam would be. Thomas guessed that Liam wouldn't want to spend Halloween with him, and Thomas suggested that Liam might want his daughters to spend Halloween together.
In Brooke's cabin, Brooke and Hope, who was dressed as a cowgirl, talked about the great time that Beth had had with her parents at the pumpkin patch event. Beth was tuckered out, and Hope still intended to go to Eric's party to be with Thomas and Douglas. Brooke was concerned that Thomas would figure out Hope's manipulation. Hope believed that it was worth the risk.
Liam arrived, and Brooke headed to the main house. Later, she answered her door for Donna. Dressed as Sandra Dee, Donna said, "Tell me about it, Stud." Brooke giggled. Having met her goal of getting a laugh out of her sister, Donna turned to leave.
Brooke invited Donna inside for a bit. Brooke informed Donna that Hope had gone to Eric's house to see Douglas and Thomas. Donna flashed a surprised look, and Brooke hoped her daughter knew what she was doing.
Back at the cabin, Hope was glad that Liam had met her and Beth at the pumpkin patch. Upon seeing Hope still in her costume, Liam gathered that she really liked the outfit. Hope explained that she was going to Eric's party.
Liam expressed surprise that she'd actually leave him and Beth. Noting that they'd spent Halloween time earlier with Beth, who'd probably sleep the rest of the evening, Hope replied that she'd next spend time with Douglas. "With Douglas -- and Thomas," Liam figured.
Later, Liam rocked Beth, who was wide awake, not tired as her mom had predicted. He wondered how to entertain the child. Steffy called him and said that she'd heard that Hope had gone to see Douglas. Steffy invited Liam and Beth to the cliff house.
At the cliff house later, Liam had arrived with Beth. Steffy joked about how the girls could go trick-or-treating. Liam called Steffy out for being the one with a sweet tooth, and she thought it was crazy that he knew her so well.
Liam thanked Steffy for thinking of them, and Steffy said she'd figured that he'd felt some type of way because Hope wasn't with him on Halloween. Liam was worried about Hope's relationship with Douglas and said it might be clouding her judgment.
Steffy asked if she could do anything. Liam was just happy for the candy and company. Steffy, who was holding Beth, requested a baby swap, and when they exchanged girls, he realized that she'd wanted to do it because Beth needed a diaper change.
Upstairs back at the mansion, Thomas complimented Douglas' Dalmatian costume. Douglas asked if Mommy would like it, and Thomas responded that she'd love it. Thomas and Douglas were excited about Halloween.
In the guesthouse, Ridge arrived as Shauna primped in her costume. He was surprised that she was still there, and she said she was getting ready for the party. As he retrieved something from the closet, she posed herself on the bed. He returned with a helmet in hand, and she joked that they should take a nap together.
Ridge said he'd see her at the party, and he exited. Shauna topped her costume with a gold head scarf and told herself that anything could happen.
When Ridge returned to the main house, he grimaced upon seeing Eric and Quinn, dressed as Greek gods, smooching by the foyer table. Quinn joked that she and Eric did it naked on the sofa after Sunday brunch. Ridge made a mental note to avoid the sofa and Sunday brunch.
Ridge remarked that Eric hadn't told him about Shauna staying in the guesthouse. Eric replied that he'd just found out about it himself. Quinn was happy that Eric had gotten past what Shauna had done. Eric replied that he wasn't one to hold grudges. Quinn teased that Ridge should get to know Shauna, who was a lot of fun.
Later, the Forrester party had started. Ridge was dressed as Forrester hockey player number 87. Shauna expressed to him that she couldn't stop thinking about the way he'd kissed her. He claimed that it had been the other way around, and she said he could keep telling himself that. "Friends?" he asked, extending his hand. She shook his hand and agreed.
Douglas and firefighter Thomas arrived downstairs. Thomas took Quinn aside to thank her for her hospitality. Quinn said that it was his home, too, and she liked having people around. She noted that Shauna was staying in the guesthouse, a fact that surprised Thomas.
Quinn elaborated that Shauna and Ridge kept bumping into each other and were getting along. Quinn wondered where it could lead. Wherever it was, it was somewhere that Thomas would approve of. Thomas confided that, like Quinn, he was no fan of Brooke.
Hope arrived, and Douglas rushed over to hug her. Thomas told her that "someone" was really glad to see her, and he was also glad she'd made it.
Eric gathered everyone for a toast to having his family there. Ridge thanked Eric for opening his home and giving them a chance to work on their family. Shauna and Thomas expressed their gratitude, and Hope was glad that she got to spend Halloween with them, especially Douglas.
Ridge became uncomfortable as Hope expressed her love for Douglas. She vowed to always be in his life. The boy hugged her, and Ridge took him to get a treat before dinner.
Thomas pulled Hope aside to thank her for being there for Douglas; however, Thomas indicated that being in Douglas' life meant being in Thomas' life. Hope claimed to know it. She believed that he regretted what he'd done. She was ready to move on and focus on the future and their love for Douglas. Hope stated that Douglas benefited when they got along. Thomas agreed.
Donna was visiting Brooke at Brooke's house, where Brooke disclosed Hope's confidential plan to use Thomas' feelings to gain custody of Douglas. Brooke dubbed the plan risky but brilliant. Donna was worried that no one, not even Liam, knew what Hope was doing. Donna became leery of what Thomas, a man who didn't even understand human emotion, might do if he figured out Hope's ruse.
Brooke believed that Thomas had some type of chemical imbalance. Noting that Brooke had talked to doctors, Donna asked what the doctors had said. Brooke conveyed that they thought he needed more assistance than just talking to his mother, who needed help herself. Brooke stated that Ridge was enabling Thomas.
Donna doubted that Thomas was a good influence on Douglas. She hated that Thomas was driving a wedge between Brooke and Ridge. Brooke hated it, too. She wanted Hope's plan to work because, if it did, Douglas would be away from Thomas, and Ridge and Brooke could reunite.
At the cliff house, Liam and Steffy played with the girls and laughed about the fun they'd had trick-or-treating. Liam decided to let Beth take a nap with Kelly because Hope was probably still out with Douglas -- and Thomas.
After Steffy and Liam put the girls down, he noted that his daughters were sleeping together like old times. He hadn't expected to be there that night, and he thought he should probably go over to the mansion. Steffy told him not to spoil it for Douglas.
Steffy began talking about the adoption papers. She said that it was crazy that Hope and Brooke had expected Thomas to just hand over his son. Liam replied that even Steffy had to admit that it was a tough call. Liam rattled off a list of issues that Thomas had, but she still didn't think it was right that Liam and Hope were so eager to adopt Douglas.
Liam rendered a reluctant expression, and Steffy asked if he really wanted the adoption. Liam admitted that he didn't. He'd been surprised by Brooke's adoption papers, and he'd "pretty much" made it known. Liam hadn't had any idea that Brooke would take it that far.
Liam stated that Thomas had been in and out of his son's life and living with friends, making Hope the one true constant in Douglas' life. Liam guessed that Ridge had been there for Douglas. Steffy asserted herself as "being there" for Douglas. She said Taylor, Eric, and Quinn were, too, and that no one had abandoned him.
Liam reasoned that Douglas called Hope "Mommy Hope," which represented the boy's affinity for her. "Like -- that's weird. You don't think that's weird? That's weird," Steffy decided. To her, it seemed as if Hope was obsessed with becoming Douglas' mother.
The conversation changed to whether Liam would take Beth's candy with him. Liam permitted Steffy to keep the candy. Liam said he'd had a nice time. Steffy stated that she was glad he was there. He was, too, and concluded that it had been what he'd needed.
At the mansion, the adults cheered as Douglas won a prize for guessing how many pumpkin candies were in the pumpkin jar. Ridge remarked to Thomas about how happy Douglas was. Gesturing to Hope and Douglas, Thomas said it was what he'd always wanted -- Hope being a mother to his little boy.
Thomas sat with Hope and Douglas. The boy was happy that Hope was there. Thomas expressed that he was happy about it, too.
Shauna and Ridge observed Hope, Thomas, and Douglas. Shauna stated that Thomas seemed to be doing his best. She could see why Ridge had stood by his son. Ridge was glad to see that someone got it. Shauna made fun of Ridge's costume and suggested that he should have been a half-naked cowboy. He said she'd seen him half-naked. Shauna denied it.
Thomas announced that it was time for Douglas to go to bed. Douglas said that Hope would tuck him in. As the adults bade Douglas a good night, Shauna took Hope aside to say that it was sweet that she'd found peace with Thomas. Hope stiffened. Shauna hoped it meant that Hope could find it with Flo and that there was a chance for peace for all of them.
Douglas rushed up to Hope, and she took the boy upstairs to read him a bedtime story. Thomas watched them go then followed them.
Ridge walked Shauna back to the guesthouse. Shauna felt lucky to be invited to the party, but Ridge noted that she was a friend of Quinn's. Shauna added that she was also on Ridge's friends list. She offered him a drink, and they joked about how he'd wound up with his pants off the last time that had happened. He asked if she were sure she hadn't taken a peek.
Shuana promised that she'd been a gentlewoman that night. She kissed his cheek and wished him a good night.
Shauna uttered that Ridge didn't have to leave. The two kissed passionately. Shauna shuddered, snapping out of it. She realized that she'd been fantasizing, and she grinned to herself.
In Douglas' room, Thomas sent Douglas to brush his teeth. The boy left, and Thomas expressed to Hope that he'd always wanted Douglas to have a family and a mother. Thomas had many regrets. He said that if he could do it all over again, he wouldn't have screwed it up for Douglas -- or for himself and Hope.
Later, Hope and Thomas were in Thomas' room, and Hope was saying that Douglas hadn't even lasted through the first story. Thomas returned to the earlier conversation about his desire to take back what he'd done. He admitted that he'd gotten a little crazy. He said it was also crazy that he kept thinking about them and the kiss they'd shared when he'd first returned to town.
A flashback played of the unwelcome kiss Thomas had given Hope. Hope shifted awkwardly on her feet and recalled that they'd had good times together. The flashback of the "Baby Shark" scene played on the screen. Hope stated that she wanted to be in Douglas' life, and that was why she'd sided with her mother about the adoption papers.
Thomas replied that he couldn't just give away his son. Hope got it, but she figured that they at least agreed that her being a mommy to Douglas was a good thing. She suggested that they do "that thing" she'd talked about where he could give her rights without losing his own.
It wasn't a bad idea to Thomas, who didn't want Douglas or himself to lose Hope. Thomas wanted to know one thing before he considered it. He asked if she had feelings for him and if there was a chance for them.
In Hope's silence, Thomas caressed her arm and noted that she was being nice to him. He asked if getting rights to his son and being a mother to his son would make her happy. She affirmed that it would. He asked if she knew what would make him happy. He told her that she was beautiful, and Douglas could bring them closer together.
Hope replied that she and Thomas would work well together and co-parent as friends. Thomas replied that he wasn't talking about being friends. She said his name, and he requested that she hear him out. Thomas stated that if they'd been together in the way a man and woman should, things would be different. Hope told him that they were talking about Douglas.
Putting his hand on her hip and inching closer to her, Thomas stated that he was talking about Hope; he was talking about "us." He reasoned that she wanted Douglas more than anything. There was something Thomas wanted more than anything, too. Caressing her face, he said she could adopt his son if she stayed with him that night and made love to him.
Thomas told Hope that no one had to know. "You give me you, and I'll give you Douglas," Thomas proposed.
