Everyone thank you for the responses. I really appreciate them.

Stephanie waited for Massimo to come around to her door with the umbrella. She hadn't wanted Massimo to come with her, but with weather like this she was glad he had insisted on coming. What was Brooke up to? She wondered as Massimo opened the door for her. Ridge and Taylor were happily married, as were Macy and Thorne. They were finally free of Brooke, although now that she and Eric were separated… She prayed that Brooke had gotten her hooks back into Eric.

Stephanie and Massimo made a quick dash to the porch and rang the bell. Stephanie prepared her game face as Brooke opened the door.

"Stephanie, Massimo, please come in," Brooke said as she stepped back to allow them inside.

"Brooke," Stephanie and Massimo both said with equal disdain.

Stephanie was surprised to see the whole Logan clan assembled. Now she was really concerned, whatever Brooke had to tell them must be very important.

"Storm, Donna, Mick, this is Massimo Malone," Stephanie said casually.

Massimo nodded. Donna and Mick returned the nod. Storm, on the other hand, stared Massimo down and moved closer to his sister, as if to protect her.

"And you of course know, Beth and Stephen," she continued.

Massimo looked at Stephen with disgust and tilted his head at Beth. Both Beth and Stephen remained silent.

The tension in the room was palpable. Brooke hoped everyone maintained their cool. She lightly rubbed Storm's back. He turned slightly and gave her a grin.

The doorbell rang again and she went to answer it. The rest of the Forrester family rushed in as she opened the door.

"Hello," she greeted the group.

"Brooke. Logan." They replied as they took off they coats and collapsed their umbrellas.

Little Eric leaped from his mother's arms into his grandmother's.

"Grandma!" He screamed.

Brooke held him tightly. Burying her face into his neck, she inhaled all of his precious toddler smells. This was all she had left of her son, his namesake.

"Grandma, where's Hope?"

"She's upstairs sleeping, but Xavier is here."

Little Eric clapped his hands happily.

"Why don't you go upstairs and play with him until Grandma comes to get you," Brooke suggested.

"Can we watch Vegtales, when you come?"

"Yes, we can watch Veggie Tales." She answered. She kissed the top of his head and put him on the stairs. She stood and watched him until he disappeared from sight.

She slowly turned to face the living room and the group of family, friends, and foes that awaited her. Closing her eyes for a moment she took a breath then marched forward.

"Brooke, I hate to be rude, but why are we here? I hated leaving the kids on a day like this and Catherine has plans," Taylor said.

"Taylor, shut up and let my sister talk," Katie responded.

"Katie, please," Beth pleaded then turned to Taylor, "I'm sorry, Taylor. She's not feeling like herself today."

"Mom, don't- -" Katie stopped in mid-sentence from the piercing looks she was getting from Storm.

Taylor nodded, accepting the apology.

"Thank you all for coming today. I'm sorry it was such a nasty day- -" Brooke started before being interrupted.

"Brooke, I'm sorry, but shouldn't you wait for Ric and Bridget?" Eric inquired.

The Logan family collectively held their breaths and trained their eyes on Brooke.

Brooke shook her head. "What I'm about to tell you is about them."

"We might be separated, but I'm not going to allow you to talk about- -" Amber inserted.

Brooke held up her hand. "If you would let me speak first, then you can have the floor, Amber." She looked around the room to acknowledge everyone's vow to remain silent until she finished. "Thank you. Yesterday, Ric and Bridget took a ferry ride to Catalina and on the way back that night, the ferry sunk."

Gasps and screams were heard throughout the room.

"No, this is a lie," Stephanie said shaking her head. "Who told you this Brooke? Because it's a lie, a horrible lie." She clutched Massimo's hand. "Mass," she whispered.

Massimo squeezed her hand back.

"No, Stephanie, it's not a lie, unfortunately. The police officers came late last night or rather early this morning. They haven't found Rick and Bridget, but they have found the bodies of the captain and his first mate." Brooke responded to Stephanie's question.

"Are they still searching for them?"

"Are you sure they were on the ferry?"

"Maybe they went somewhere else."

Questions flew at Brooke from all across the room. "They've been searching all night and now due to the weather they've called off the search until conditions improve," Brooke stated calmly.

"We'll get the best divers in the world," Ridge said pulling out his cell phone.

"They are already on the job," Storm answered.

Ridge looked at Storm suspiciously.

"Ex-Navy Seals and an elite team of search and rescue divers. I will leave no stone unturned to find my niece and nephew." Storm growled at Ridge.

Throughout the living room discussions and crying could be heard.

Tony walked up to Brooke. "Brooke, my heart breaks for you," he said as he embraced her.

Kristin joined in the hug, "Brooke, I'm so sorry."

"Thank you both," Brooke said stepping out of their embrace.

"I will remember them in my prayers tonight." Tony said before he and Kristin made room for the approaching Eric.

"Brooke," Eric cried with tears flooding his eyes.

"Don't give up hope, Eric," she whispered to her ex-husband as she held him as he cried for his lost children.

Stephanie observed Eric and Brooke, and then she turned to Massimo. "Massimo, those kids are out there. We have to find them. I love Rick and Bridget like they are my own."

"Don't worry, I'll take care of this." Massimo assured her and walked out of the room.

"Brooke, why are we just finding out about this now?" Taylor questioned.

"No, kidding. Ric and Bridget have been missing for over twelve hours," Macy continued from where Taylor left off. "After all your years spent trying to be a Forrester, you didn't call and inform us, like a real Forrester would have. Were you trying to get your petty revenge against us because Ric and Bridget are what you'll never be a true Forrester?"

"Macy!" Thorne yelled.

"It's fine, Thorne. I can answer that. The police called me, Macy, because I'm their mother. Not you, Stephanie, Taylor, Kristin, or Felicia, but me. So first and foremost my children are Logans. You should be glad I even called your house because my only duty was to call my children's father and that's it." Brooke replied. "The only reason anyone else is standing in this room is because Ric and Bridget loved them."

"Logan, Macy, arguing isn't going to solve anything, so enough. We're a family and we need to act like it." Ridge shouted at them.

"You're right, Ridge," Brooke concurred.

"Of course, you would agree with him," Macy said.

Brooke pointedly ignored Macy's last comment and turned to Amber. "Amber, do you want to help me break the news to Little Eric?"

Removing her face from Taylor's shoulder, a sobbing Amber shook her head.

"Okay, as soon as I hear anything more, I will call," Brooke said to the group and left the room.

"Was that the queen dismissing us?" Macy asked in a snotty tone. "That is just like Brooke, selfish to the core."

"You cannot stand in my daughter's house and disrespect her. Thorne, please take your wife home." Beth said.

"You can't ask them to leave?" Stephanie informed Beth.

"I can and I did." Beth announced.

"My son bought and paid for this house," Stephanie argued back.

"Which he gave to Brooke with the title and deed in her name," Beth took a breath. "I think it's best if everyone leaves," she said looking around the room. She walked to the front door and opened it.

Ridge walked towards the entrance and picked up his and Taylor's coats. "I agree."

Taylor slowly walked Amber to the door. "Amber, Eric, why don't you two come home with us," Taylor suggested. Amber nodded meekly and copied Taylor as she put on her coat.

"Thank you, Taylor," Eric said softly.

One by one the Forresters filed out the door. Thorne paused next to Beth.

"I'm sorry, Beth, please rely my apologies to Brooke," Thorne said sincerely.

"Don't apologize for me, Thorne," Macy yelled.

Beth nodded. "Just take care of your wife."

Thorne ushered Macy to the car.

Ridge watched his father escort Taylor and Amber to the car, he then turned to Stephanie. "Mother, let's go."

Ending her standoff with Beth, Stephanie huffed, "I won't forget this."

Beth glared at Stephanie, "Neither will I."

Massimo aided Stephanie with her coat. "Come, Stephanie, this isn't the time or the place."

"Yes, Mother, for once Massimo is right," Ridge agreed.

With great reluctance, Stephanie exited the house with Massimo.

"I'm sorry," Ridge apologized on his mother's behalf.

Beth acknowledged his apology with a slight nod.

"Tell Logan to call me if she needs anything."

Storm stepped up to the door and simply said, "Thanks, but she won't," and closed the door in Ridge's face.

Brooke had Little Eric on her right side and Hope on her left. They laid on Brooke's chaise with the doors leading to the terrace wide open. They took in the torrential rains, the dark gray clouds, and the volatile ocean.

"Daddy and Aunt Budge are out there?" Little Eric asked pointing to the water.

"Yes."

"It looks scary, Grandma."

"I know, but Daddy and Aunt Budge are strong."

Eric nodded in agreement. "Daddy's the strongest ever."

Brooke nodded in agreement.

"Are they coming back?"

"I hope so." Then quietly under her breath she added, "They'll be back one way or another."

Lightening flashed and Little Eric and Hope burrowed closer to Brooke and under the blanket, as they watched the waves intensely, as if they expected Ric and Bridget to rise out of them at any moment.