As Ridge snuggled with Brooke on the couch, he couldn't help but think of Katie. Why couldn't he stop thinking about her? It was bad enough he had been neglecting Brooke by stressing with Taylor over Steffy's love life, but now he couldn't stop thinking about her sister, and his baby with her. Maybe he should just tell Brooke what had happened and beg for forgiveness.

"Ridge honey, aren't you glad that after everything, we're still together?"

"It is quite miraculous, but my love for you could endure anything."

This made Brooke giggle. "So, what about our wedding plans?"

Wedding plans? Ridge could not focus on wedding plans at a time like this.

"I was thinking that we could have a huge ceremony this time. To symbolize that this is the last time I'll get married and this time it will never end." Brooke fantasized.

"Brooke, why do we need a huge wedding? Why can't it just be the two of us and RJ?"

"Ridge!" Brooke exclaimed, "What about Eric and Stephanie?"

"I suppose my parents could come."

"I want Katie and Donna there too. I guess that would mean Bill too. What about Justin? I think he and Donna need to get back together. Hope, Liam, Rick, and Bridget will have to come as well."

"If we invite all those people, we have to invite my family too. Felicia, Kristen, Thorne, Taylor, Steffy, Thomas, and Caroline, and that makes for quite a large crowd."

"What's your problem with having a big wedding? I want to share our love with the entire world."

"Logan, I have a lot to deal with at the company right now. Things would be much easier if we could just have a quiet ceremony."

Brooke looked shocked, "What's going on with the company?"

"I'm debating on if we need a new line in case the news of 'Hope's not so perfect wedding gets out'. What if I gave Steffy and Thomas a line together?"

"I don't think you should give Steffy a line because she was the one that made Hope's wedding imperfect!" Brooke exclaimed. She was very anti-Steffy at the moment.

"I don't want to talk about this." Ridge said and he got up and walked out of the room.

/\/\/\/\/\

Steffy looked at Bill with the most heartbreaking look he had ever seen. He kissed her forehead, pulled her close, and held her. He could have sat like that forever with Steffy in his arms. Steffy felt like she was going to be sick. The heartache that pounded through her was almost unbearable.

"But I didn't open my eyes for you. I opened them for Liam, someone who doesn't even love me!" Steffy untangled herself from Bill and started to pace. "I can't believe I wasted all my time on him! He doesn't love me as much as he loves Hope and I knew it all along. But I just had to get my heartbroken, I just couldn't stay away. I've wasted my entire life longing for people that either don't love me or don't love me enough."

She wanted to cry. She wanted to scream. She wanted to break something. She wanted to call Liam and yell at him. She never wanted to see Liam again. She wanted to give herself to Bill. She wanted Bill to be hers. She wanted to turn back the clock and fix it all.

"Look at me" Bill stood up and looked Steffy square in the eyes. Her astounding green eyes were the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. "You have not wasted your life. You still have a full life in front of you. Don't throw it away because some people got you down. Liam didn't realize what a rare, unique woman he had." Bill was trying to make her feel better. He never wanted to see Steffy miserable.

"Why can't I do anything right? Everything I've ever done, I've messed up."

"You've done the right things. Everything that ever happened to you led you here, led you here to me." Bill kissed her, not knowing if it was the right thing to do.

"Yes it did." Steffy told him. 'Why not?' Steffy thought, getting her heart broken one more time wouldn't kill her. Steffy kissed him again, wanting someone to love her so badly.

/\/\/\/\/\

Thomas and Caroline rode back to Caroline's house in silence. After Thomas cussed out Bill the entire way to the car, he had nothing left to say. Caroline didn't know what to say. Her uncle was clearly seeing someone else. Was it her obligation to tell somebody?

"Cari, don't tell anybody about what we just saw. You can't, it will stir up too much trouble. I can't have Steffy be even angrier at me right now."

"I'm not going to," she told Thomas. "It's not my place to say anything to anyone."

"See," Thomas smiled, "that's why I love you."

/\/\/\/\/\

She couldn't stop kissing him. He couldn't stop kissing her. They couldn't stop loving each other. It was an undeniable connection, a magnetic force, too strong to resist.

Bill was able to pull himself away from Steffy for a moment. "I have to ask you a question."

Steffy looked at him, wondering what was so important that it could interrupt their lips.

Bill unfolded his hand and showed Steffy what he had been holding.

"Why do you have my necklace?" Steffy asked, curious to how he got it.

"I could ask you the same thing." Bill told her.

"You gave me that necklace, it's mine now."

"I remember. I just want to know why you still have it. I figured you threw it out your window," Bill smirked.

"I wanted to have a piece of you to hang onto."

Bill was touched that Steffy had kept his gift after all he had done to her. But he wasn't about to let Steffy know that.

"You know what I think?" Bill asked, acting spontaneously, maybe even recklessly.

"What does Dollar Bill think?"

"I think you should wear it." Bill told her and was thoroughly amused by the look on her face.

"Are you crazy? I can't wear this! Everyone would know what's going on between us!"

"What is going on between us?" Bill asked her as he pulled his shirt back on.

"Hell if I know. I don't think we should be flaunting it though. Imagine what your wife would do."

"I'd rather not. While you figure out what's going on between us," Bill dropped the necklace into Steffy's palm, "I have to get back to my house. It's getting late and I don't want to raise any suspicion."

Steffy's face fell. "Steffy, don't make me feel guilty, you know I have to go home sometime."

"You told me once that this was your home," Steffy whispered and looked at the floor. She couldn't bear the thought of him leaving. Bill checked his watch.

"Maybe I've got a few minutes to spare," he smiled, "So, what can we do in a few minutes?"

"I've got an idea."

And for the next few minutes, their lips never separated.

/\/\/\/\/\

"Hello?" Ridge answered his cell phone.

"Hey dad," Thomas said, trying to keep his voice level. "Caroline and I dropped by Steffy's place a while ago."

"Is she ok? Was she alone?" Ridge asked eagerly, truly caring about his daughter.

"Yes dad, she was just fine and she was by herself."

Caroline flinched as Thomas lied straight to his dad. Caroline hated secrets.

"Thank goodness," Ridge said, relived.

"She was pretty upset dad; she might not want to talk to you for a while." Thomas said, feeling better that this part wasn't a lie.

"I know she's mad at me. But I have a surprise for her when she comes back around."

"What is it?" Thomas asked.

"Ah, I can't tell you Tom. But you'll find out soon enough. Love you son."

"Love you too." Thomas hung up the phone.

Ridge had made his decision, going against what his fiancé had told him to do. He didn't want to make Steffy's life any harder than it already was. Steffy was getting her wish.

/\/\/\/\/\

It had been more than a few minutes.

"Steffy, I need to get home."

"But I'll miss you," Steffy knew she was acting immature, trying to have Bill all to herself, but so what if she was selfish every now and again? Hope was selfish all the time, and look at her now, she got the guy.

"I'll miss you too, but it's well past midnight and Katie's going to get worried."

They walked to the door in silence, both not wanting to say goodbye. Steffy gave him a long goodbye kiss in the doorway, to which Bill happily obliged.

"Don't forget me," Steffy said, just loud enough for him to hear.

"I couldn't if I tried."

/\/\/\/\/\

Thomas kissed Caroline goodbye on her front porch.

"Do you know how cliché this is?" laughed Caroline.

"Oh Caroline, don't make me leave, I love you!" Thomas said dramatically.

Caroline couldn't stop laughing whenever she was around Thomas. He was perfect for her. They had been going steady for a while and Caroline was beginning to wonder when Thomas was going to pop the question.

"Get a good night's sleep Tommy. I can't wait to see you tomorrow at work!"

"Sweet dreams, my beautiful."

/\/\/\/\/\

Brooke refuse to talk to Ridge after she overheard him confirm with Eric on the phone the Steffy would indeed be getting a line. Ridge didn't understand why she was so upset. 'Steffy ruined Hope's wedding, and almost her life,' was Brooke's excuse. After their fight, Brooke stormed off to bed and threw Ridge's pillow onto the couch. Ridge hated when Brooke was mad at him over little things. It just didn't make sense. Ridge stepped out onto the balcony. He knew it was a long shot.

Surprisingly, she picked up on the first ring, as if she had been waiting for him to call.

"What are you doing up at this hour?" Katie asked.

Ridge felt better the instant he heard her voice, it felt so good yet so wrong at the same time.

"Brooke and I had a fight. Now I'm outside talking to you."

"Brooke made you go outside?"

"No, she implied that I couldn't come in the bedroom."

"Come over to my house, it's not too far. Bill isn't home and I don't think he will be any time soon."

"I don't know Katie, it's awfully risky-,"

"Come on Ridge! Live a little! If my husband comes home you can sneak out the back!"

"Ok," Ridge reluctantly agreed and quietly left the house.