"She's stable for now," Bill told Steffy as he wrapped his arm around her only to be shoved away. She was managing to fight him off quite well on her injured leg. "Steffy did you hear—"
He was met with a slap before he could finish his question. He knew she was mad, but until now he had miscalculated her anger. She was staring at him with so much disdain he would have thought he'd actually pushed Katie to her near death fall.
"Steffy," he tried to reason with her. "You have to give me the chance to explain." They'd been in silence the whole ride over and now he knew he needed to clear the air.
"Now you want to explain?" She snapped. "I asked you one thing. One damn thing, Bill. I asked you to be honest. I asked you to not make decisions without me, and you clearly lied to me, again."
"I didn't lie. Listen to me, baby," he grabbed her hand. "Okay, maybe I lied, but I promised you I would never let anything bad happen to you again, but ever since you got with me there has been nothing but trouble. I wanted..."
"You wanted to control the situation! You're not God and you don't get to make these choices. She's my sister, Bill. I don't have to explain what having a sister means to me."
Bill reached for her and she backed away. "No. Stay away from me."
He walked closer and was finally able to calm her down enough to pull her to his chest. His heart was beating rapidly, he hadn't thought things through. "I know I was wrong. I apologize."
"She's my sister," Steffy cried against his chest. "I just met her and now they're saying... I already lost a sister."
"I know, and I'm sorry. She's your sister, but sweetheart, you can't replace Phoebe with Katie. It's not the same thing. I doubt Phoebe would ever do the things Katie has done."
Standing with his back against the wall Bill was able to hold Steffy until she relaxed in his arms. Her tears were soaking his shirt, but all he could think about was the inevitable truth that she was right. He'd made the decision to sit down with Liam and her mother on his own. He'd also thrown Katie out before hearing her side of things. Now he just needed to tell Steffy everything he'd learned.
"I'm sorry," he whispered to her. "Can we sit? I need to tell you a few things."
Bill gripped her hand tightly, and she nodded at him. "I'm sorry for yelling at you."
"Don't be." He swiped a tear away from her eye with his thumb. "I went to a sit down like I said, but the only business I discussed was you. Steffy I'm so in love with you I can't see straight, and I wanted...no, I needed to see this through for you."
"I just want you to talk to me," she sniffled. "I'm not a child and I can handle so much more than you think I can."
"You're one of the toughest people I know. You're so strong, but when it comes to you I'm not. I get so weak when you're near me. I can't breathe, and I'd do anything to make sure I never have to see you cry. It makes me feel like I'm failing you."
"You're not. I was failed a long time ago, my dad..."
"Steffy, my dad did this. All this." She looked confused and he explained further. "Finding Katie and making sure she ended up here was all him."
"For you? He doesn't like me, so it makes sense he would try and break us up." she said quickly.
"No, for you. For you dad, hell your whole family. She was brought here to destroy you. It was never about me or my relationship with Katie. Me being here was a huge surprise to her, but she knew he was my dad and that her being here would hurt you."
"She's angry. She wanted to get back at my dad."
"She wanted to ruin you, Steffy. She and Liam were stealing from the company and making it out to look like it was Brooke. She knew this could ruin you, but she didn't care. She was sabotaging you and her all at the same time."
"I know." Steffy nodded.
"She told you?"
"She didn't have to. The way she talked, I pretty much figured it out. I didn't know about your dad, but nothing he does surprises me at this point. He really hates my family, huh?"
"Yes. He hates your dad and apparently your grandfather, but he won't get the chance to screw with you again. I'm done and I'm going to rein hell on him."
Bill stood, pacing the floor and Steffy called out to him. "Bill, what she did, it's not a thought I haven't had. I've hated my dad at times. I've wanted to hurt him so badly he couldn't repair the damage, and I don't have to tell you the thoughts I have about Brooke."
"The difference is you didn't do it. You didn't set out to ruin your own family's business."
"But I could have. I never told you this, but before I took over the business and Brooke was more involved I leaked something on her."
"Leaked something?" Bill scratched his head.
"Brooke has always been toxic, she's always had secrets and I knew a lot of them. No one knew who Hope's dad was until... until I told the world."
"I remember hearing about that. It was why she got removed from the board at Forrester, right?"
"The scandal could have ruined our company, and I did it out of spite. She'd ruined my family, my mom was hardly around because of her. I missed my mom and I blamed her. I wanted to ruin her life."
"You ruined her professionally." Bill pulled her to him as he settled into a seat. "She deserved it and more. I didn't know you had it in you."
"When it comes to her I don't ever think straight. I hate her, Bill. It's like I have this indescribable rage and I act irrationally like..."
"Like a child who watched her life being ruined by that succubus. I wanted to make this all better for you. I didn't want you feeling this way."
"Feeling this way is good." Steffy wiped her teary eyes. "It's excellent even."
"I don't understand."
"When I'm feeling this way, this caged in, is when I fight the hardest. It's when I thrive."
"You don't have to fight alone." He kissed her hair. "I'll always fight for you."
"And now I have to fight for her." Steffy nodded her head toward Katie's room. "She has no one to fight for her but me. I won't abandon her because she's not some picture perfect person. We've all made mistakes."
"She doesn't just have you. As long as you have me she has us."
"There is a part of me that's scary, Bill. I want you to be sure you know what you're getting into."
"There is a part of me that's scary," Bill admitted.
He held her until he felt her drifting off. She looked peaceful, and he welcomed the change. She had been all over the place before that. She'd taken in a lot of information about herself and her family this afternoon. So had he.
Liam had gone into detail about his scheming with Katie. He'd figured out her plans with his father and blackmailed her into making him the head of Forrester when it was all said and done. Katie had been who Liam was meeting all those Wednesdays he'd been watching him. He wasn't cheating on her. No, he was betraying her on a whole other level.
Steffy's heart was fragile, Bill knew this to be a fact. He had found a way in, deeper than he thought anyone had ever been, and he knew how hard it was to reach her this way. He'd done it and he knew it was a feat worth cherishing. She was worth cherishing. Liam was an idiot to put a company and power over her. She was power personified. Steffy could get him to do anything with just a look.
Kissing her head once more, he held her tighter against him, wondering when he'd ever felt so whole before. He hadn't. With her love he'd felt so full. So important. So holding her to his chest he made a promise. A promise to never back down when it came to her, and when the opportunity arose, he seized it.
"Who the hell do you think you are?!"
"Round two," Bill sighed, wishing he could contain his anger for just a second, but the promise to himself and God to make Ridge Forrester sorry he was ever born flared in his mind. He couldn't pull back.
"Taking care of your daughters." Bill stood, careful not to wake Steffy.
"My daughter is fine," Ridge hissed. "I only have one daughter!" He yelled the last part and Steffy's head shot up. "One daughter!"
Steffy stumbled to her feet behind them just in time for Brooke and Hope to come rushing through the entrance. And like something out of a bad movie, Amber and Taylor walked in, further heightening the tension in the room.
Bill saw Steffy open her mouth, but as always she was stifled by Hope. "Mom, why did we have to rush down here? Who the hell is this Katie girl?"
"No one," Ridge answered quickly, and Bill felt his temper boil over.
"No one? No one?! She's your damn daughter, a person you gave life to and you're ignoring her? But why should I be surprised? You've treated Steffy like she didn't exist for years, but I'm here to tell you it ends now. If you can't treat both of these girls like they exist then you will cease to."
"Are you threatening me, Spencer?"
"I'm promising you that I will end you if you don't learn to treat the children you actually fathered like they matter."
"Steffy matters to me, but that girl in there, she's..."
"She's my sister," Steffy interrupted. "You would think in all these years you'd learn to trust me. Katie has the same blood type as Phoebe," Steffy sniffled. "And just like her Katie's blood type is the same rare type as yours. Me mom and Thomas are all A negative. I wasn't a match for her, but you are. She needs blood. That's the only reason why I called you."
"I can't help her." Ridge shrugged.
"You can't or you won't?" Steffy crosse he arms.
"Both," he answered quickly. "I don't know this girl and you'd be better off if you forgot this whole thing."
"Forgot it and let her die? She has no one!"
"And that's the way it should be," Hope declared. "I already have to deal with you. If she dies it's not dad's fault."
Slap. Amber and Taylor had been quiet up until now. Apparently Amber could no longer hold her peace. "Don't you ever mention death and my best friend in the same breath again. You're nothing but a worthless pole sucking whore."
"Don't you talk to my daughter that way," Brooke voiced her opposition.
"And don't you speak to mine that way," Taylor pulled Amber out of the way. "I raised this girl like my very own and you won't take that tone with her. You and your daughter need to learn some manners, and I'm definitely the person to beat them into you."
Taylor scanned the room and her eyes landed on Ridge. "You know what you're doing is wrong. You already abandoned this girl when she was a child and now she needs you. Get your raggedy ass in there and donate however much blood she needs. If they have to bleed you dry it's what you will do for your child."
"Taylor," Ridge tried to reason.
"I don't want to hear it. I knew you were a liar and a cheat back then, and now I know you're worse than I ever could have imagined. If you weren't the father of my children I'd stab you in the heart right now."
"Taylor, please. You don't understand. I never meant for any of this to hurt you. I thought I did what was best all those years ago."
"Giving your daughter away? Don't you dare blame this on me. I was the one who was faithful to you while you made a fool of us. You better get back there and save this girl and after that be prepared."
"Prepared for what?"
"Test me and see. You will never hurt my children again. You will never hurt that girl again. You know, Liam tried to tell me you didn't know, but I knew you better than that. I knew you were the scum I assumed you were when he told us about this daughter."
"She's a messed up girl!" Ridge roared. "She showed up on my doorstep pregnant and asked me for money."
Bill's ears perked up at this part. He wasn't aware that Ridge had already met Katie before now. "She told me I was her father and that her foster parents had abandoned her at fourteen and she needed money from me. I know a lie when I hear one."
"She wasn't lying," Bill advised. "She has been on her own since fourteen. If she asked you for anything it means she really needed it. Katie isn't some extortionist, and yes she's messed up, but I assume it's because of you two." He pointed at Ridge and Brooke.
Bill thought Katie flipping out on him before was because she was obsessed with him, but the more he thought about it, he realized she snapped at the thought of losing someone else in her life. She was used to losing things. He would make sure she didn't lose anything else.
"I don't know that girl!" Ridge seemed to be trying to convince himself as much as the rest of the room.
"She has your daughter's eyes," Bill acknowledged a thing about Katie that he hadn't realized until spending countless hours staring into Steffy's gorgeous eyes. Maybe it was what had drawn him to Katie before, her eyes reminded him of the woman he'd fallen madly in love with.
Studying Ridge's face, Bill saw something flicker across it. Pain and possibly sorrow. He felt bad.
Ridge pushed past the group, headed to the lab, and on the way he paused at Katie's room. He stared at her for a second before walking away and the room was left with nothing but the thickening silent conflict. Brooke stated at Katie's room and Steffy shook her head.
"You have some nerve. Why are you here?" Steffy seemed to be having a hard time with Brooke's presence.
"She's my daughter too. I wanted to make sure..."
"You wanted to make sure of what?" Steffy spoke loudly. "You wanted to make sure she died and didn't inconvenience your life any further?"
"She was never supposed to be here."
Tears wet Brooke's eyes and Steffy threw her hand up. "Just go. Leave her alone. She's better than all three of you and you will never have to worry about her again. I have this. Leave."
Her voice was eerily shaky and rough at the same time, but Bill could tell how serious she was. She didn't blink while looking at them and a chill passed through the room. Brooke looked intimidated and Hope cowered in the corner.
"Leave now." Steffy was calmer with this delivery, but never strayed from her cold demeanor.
After a few quiet moments Brooke spoke. "Tell Ridge I'll see him at home."
"Don't hold your breath," Steffy sniped. "I'll never do anything for you again."
Brooke walked a few paces and stopped. "You knowing she existed would have ruined your childhood. I didn't want to do that."
"You didn't want to ruin yourself. Stop trying to kid us. You were sleeping with my grandfather, uncle, and dad consecutively, and a baby would have slowed down the revolving door in your bedroom. You're a whore, Brooke. A dirty disgusting whore and I'll make sure the world knows it."
"You would risk your father's good name?"
"Screw you both," Steffy spat out.
Brooke left moments later, and all Bill could do was watch Steffy as she shivered. Her arms were covered in goosebumps, and when he touched her she didn't even face him. She was frozen in place, staring at Katie.
"Baby." Bill ran his hands down her arms. "Can I do something?"
"Make sure my dad or that whore doesn't get near my sister."
"Guards?" Bill probed.
"Around the clock." She nodded.
"I'll make some calls."
Bill pulled out his phone only to shove it back into his pocket upon hearing screams. Katie was finally awake and thrashing around in her room. Steffy got to her as quickly as she could with the cast slowing her down, and Bill and Amber were by her side. Taylor remained outside the door, Bill figured this was all too much for her. She hadn't said a word since threatening Ridge.
Katie was agitated and pulling at the tubes around her and Steffy was able to calm some of her movements.
"We're here, Katie, no need to be afraid."
"No, you have to to. He's going to get me. I don't want him to get you too. I'm sorry, Steffy. I'm sorry I lied to you."
"It's okay," Steffy assured her. "I'm here now and we're going to make sure you're okay."
"He pushed me." Katie was trying to climb out of bed when Bill stopped her. "No! Don't touch me! I know he sent you. I know... he doesn't want me to have this baby. I know he told you—"
Katie's eyes rolled into the back of her head and her body went limp. Bill was screaming for the nurses and doctors while Steffy just stared. She didn't speak or move. This scared him. He was watching her change right before his very eyes. She spoke about her fragility once, how close it was to the surface, now he realized he'd just watched her shatter. Now nothing but stoicism remained. Reaching to pull Steffy out of the way of the staff working on Katie, he got a glimpse of her eyes. Glassy and clouded by nothing. This wasn't good.