Brooke laid back in her hospital bed subdued. She felt numb. Her precious little baby was gone. Alexandria Maria Victoria Roberts was no more. That's what she was going to name her little girl. Her plans of giving her ballet lessons and taking her to the little children theater to watch a production of Snow White vanished. It wasn't going to be. Everything was shattered. And what was more, her marriage was over. There was nothing left anymore for Brooke knew all about Alex's affair with Sherri Morgan. She saw it with her own eyes. She had been meeting with a client in Malibu when spotted the pair laughing and talking while sitting outside a cafe. Brooke would have been angry if she not had noticed how much happier Alex looked with Sherri. It was at the moment she felt like a failure. She could not possibly make Alex that happy. It was part of the reason she thought she was in love with Ridge when he had kissed her on her cheek. She was reaching out again for someone she knew loved her. Again turning to Ridge for love. When she found out she had been pregnant, she was overjoyed. A baby was a gift. A special gift that would bring them happiness and bring them close again. Now that was over. The baby was gone. There was nothing left anymore. Nothing. She was going to contact Connor and get the annulment papers drawn wanted out as soon as possible. No point in waiting six months for a divorce to be finalized. The sooner she made a break from Alex the better. She hoped Alex would be happy with Sherri. As for herself, she would be content in her life by herself. She had her children. She had her adorable grandchildren. She had Forrester Creations. That was enough for her. There was as small knock at her hospital room door. She looked over and saw her sister Donna standing there and managed a small smile. "Hey."
"Hey." replied Donna walking in. "I know this is a stupid question but how are you? You okay?"
Brooke nodded. "I'm fine."
"I'm so sorry Brooke. I know how much this baby meant to you. If there is anything I can do.." Donna knelt down to her bedside. "I mean it. I'm here for you. Whatever you need."
"Thank you." said Brooke. "I appreciate that but I'm going to be okay. I have my children and my grandchildren."
"And Alex." said Donna.
Brooke shook her head. "No I don't have Alex."
"What are you talking about? Brooke he knows that this was not your fault."
"I'm not talking about that. My marriage being over has nothing to do with me losing the baby so to speak."
"What do you mean?"
"Alex was having an affair."
"What? That's crazy, Brooke he loves you."
Brooke shook her head. "No. He loves Sherri Morgan."
"Sherri Morgan? The movie producer?"
"That's the one." sighed Brooke. "I saw them together. He looked so happy with her. Way more happy than he was with me."
Donna shook her head. "No...that's not possible. He's crazy about you. You can work through this..."
"No we can't.
It's over. I'm going to have the marriage annulled. He's free to be with Sherri. I'm not going to stand in his way."
Donna took her sister's hand. "You sure about this?"
"Yes. I am. Very sure. It's what I have to do."

Jill's apartment in Vegas

"No!" shouted Jill wringing her arm free from Jason's grasp. "You can't order me around! I'm not going to "get rid if it". This a baby. It's real."
"Like you give a shit." sneered Jason. "What kind of mother are you going to be? And how do I know it's really mine and not one of your many "clients" that you screw."
"It's yours." Jill said with venom in her eyes.
"You going to teach it to turn tricks like you?" Jason asked viciously.
Jill raised her hand and smacked him hard across the face. "You bastard."
Jason carefully rubbed the side of his face and stepped towards Jill. She backed away. "Get out of here!" She ordered. "Get out!"
Jason raised his fist and it landed on Jill's left eye and she was knocked off her feet. He menaced towards her again and Jill scrambled away. He kept coming towards her with a murderous look in his eyes.
"Get out!" Jill yelled again. "Get out! Get away from me! Leave me alone!"
Jason lunged at her and his fingers clasped around her throat. Jill gapsed trying to break free. Jason continued to squeeze with a crazed look on his face. Jill kicked with all her might her hands struggling to get him off of her. Her eye went to her red purse laying on the floor. She reached over to get it and her fingers got hold of the strap. She pulled it closer and reached in for her gun. She quickly pulled it out and fired a shot. Jason's hands became lose as his body was in shock and then fell backwards on the floor.
Jill was shaken as she sat there on the floor. She managed to stand up and still holding the gun in her hand. She stood over his body tears in her eyes pointing the gun should he make a sudden move.
Jill then stooped down and carefully went to check for a pulse and found none.
Wiping her tears, she went to the phone and dialed. "Hello? 911? My name is Jill Butterfield...I...I think I killed...my friend...He was...he was angry at me...He tried to kill me...I found my gun and I...Yes...I checked his pulse I didn't find one. Um...228 Gayle Street, Apt 303. Yes...I will. Please hurry..."
Jill hung up the phone. She sunk down on the floor and hugged her knees to her chest sobbing.
The police arrived about seven minutes later and she gave them her statement. She told them about how she met Jason and his whole plan to destroy Bridget and Deacon's happiness and again gave them an accurate account of what happened. How she told Jason about the baby and how he became violent and angry. They took Jill down to the station where she was checked out by a doctor who took note of the marks on Jill's throat and the bruise on her eye and the bruises on her arm.
Jill sat for what seemed liked hours while the
police interviewed her neighbors who stated they did hear an argument and Jill screaming for Jason to leave and the gunfire. One neighbor who lived in the apartment below Jill, heard a scuffle and what sounded like someone gasping for air. Everything was consistent with what Jill had told them.
She didn't know how this was happening to her. What has become of her life? How did she get to
this point? How could she get involved with someone like Jason? He was shit.
Bridget was smart to not want to get involved with him. She wished she would have been that smart. What the hell was she thinking going along with this insane plan of Jason's? Why did she have to try and take away Deacon's club? How could she have treated him so coldly?
A well-dressed woman hurried into the police station wearing an expensive cream colored suit. Her expensive pumps clicked on the floor as she went up to the desk. "I'm Jessica Blackwell. I'm hear about...my son...Jason..." She dabbed her eyes with a white handkerchief.
"Yes Mrs. Blackwell, Sgt. Clark is waiting for you in his office. Right down
the hall." The woman said.
Jessica thanked them. She turned and saw Jill sitting there in a tight red dress. Her blonde hair messed up, make-up smeared. A dark bruise around her eye. She walked up to her.
"Are you Jill Butterfield?"
Jill looked up and stared back at her. "Yes."
"You want to tell me what is going on? Why did you shoot my son?"
"I'm sorry Mrs. Blackwell. I swear...He was trying to kill me. His hands...I just wanted to
get him off of me...I'm sorry...I know you hate me..."
Jessica shook her head. "I don't hate you. I'm angry but I don't hate you. My son had problems."
"He did?"
"Yes but he had them under control...I thought...I thought he had a handle on things. I guess I was wrong."
"I'm sorry."
"I know." Jessica then turned and headed down to Sgt. Clark's office.

Bridget & Deacon's place

Bridget was sitting outside on the patio when her cell phone rang. Hoping it was her mother, She quickly reached over and picked it up. "Hello?"
"Bridget, hello it's Jessica Blackwell, Jason's mother."
"Oh...Hi..what's going on?"
"Jason is dead." Jessica responded.
"What!" said a shocked Bridget. "What happened? How..."
"He was shot. He got into a violent confrontation with Jill and she shot him. Please come down to the police station. I'll explain it all there."
"Sure...okay...I'll be right there." Bridget hit the button on her phone and set it down. Jason was dead. Shot. Violent confrontation with Jill. Her head was spinning. She got up from her chair and headed inside. She spotted her husband at the pool table. "Deacon I have to tell you something."
"What? You're leaving me for Tom Cruise? Forget it. He can't have you." He said as he made a shot.
Bridget shook her head. "No Deacon this is serious. It's about Jason."
Deacon stood up. "What about him?"
"He's dead."
"Dead?
How...what..."
"Jill. She shot him. He got into this violent confrontation with her and she shot him. I don't know all the details. His mother just called me. We have to get down to the police station."
Deacon set his pool stick down and walked over to Bridget. "You okay?"
"I guess so. It's all just so...I don't know..."
Deacon placed a kiss on her forehead. "I love you baby." He said. He took her hand and the two headed to the car and down to the police station.

L.A. Hospital.

Donna brought Brooke something to drink from the hospital cafeteria and handed it to her.
Brooke took a sip and laid her head back on the pillow.
"So have you talked to Alex about all this?"
"Not yet." replied Brooke. "But I will. Soon."
"Are you angry about the affair?" asked Donna.
"No I'm not angry. I'm hurt. But I told you. I'll be okay. Really."
Donna sighed. "Brooke you don't have to put on this brave front..."
"I'm not.."
"Brooke.."
"I'm not." insisted Brooke. "It's what I have to do. I'm not saying it's not painful but I have to end this marriage."
"End this marriage?"
Brooke looked and saw Alex standing there.
He walked in. "What do you mean end this marriage?"
Donna patted Brooke's hand. "I should go. I'll talk to you later." She kissed the top of her sister's head and quietly left the room.
"What is going on?" asked Alex. "Why do you want to end our marriage?"
"I know Alex."
"Know what?"
"Don't play dumb with me." She said sternly. "I KNOW."
Alex nodded. "I see. And how long have you known?"
"A while." replied Brooke. "I saw you with her. You looked so happy."
"Look Brooke I love you. I swear I do. I ended..."
"No Alex. You don't love me. Not the way you do her."
"Brooke I swear I didn't mean.."
"Spare me the speech Alex." said a tired Brooke. "I don't want to hear it. I'm going to call Connor and have this marriage annulled."
"Annulled?"
"Yes. The sooner the better. I'm not going to play seconds Alex. You love Sherri more than you do me. I could see that. I'm not stupid. I don't need you staying married to me out of obligation. You are free to be with her."
Alex sighed. "I don't get a say in this? You are just making up your mind about our marriage."
"Alex if we stayed married you are going to go right back to her again. You are going to be miserable and you are going to seek her out and it will start over again. I'm not going to sit back and let you hurt me again. This is the best way. You can have a life with her. I will be just fine."
"Is this about Ridge? You still in love with him?"
Brooke shook her head. "No. It's not about Ridge. It's not about me being in love with Ridge."
"Oh really? Then explain to me Brooke why you reached for him before?
Why you grabbed onto him when they were taking you to the hospital. And a few weeks ago about you telling me how you thought you were in love with him because he kissed you on the cheek and you felt something. Face it Brooke. It's not about Sherri and me. This is about Ridge. You are looking for an out to be with Ridge."

Vegas police station

Bridget entered the police station with Deacon. The few details that Jessica told her were still in her head and she had several questions. They were ushered to Sgt. Clark's office. Bridget looked over and saw Jill sitting there on one of the chairs not saying a word, looking shaken up. Her eyes then went to Jessica standing by the window of the office.
"Hello Mrs. Blackwell." She greeted.
Jessica turned and nodded. "Hello Bridget."
"I'm sorry about..."
Jessica put her hand up. "I know." She said.
Deacon turned his head towards Jill. He had no emotion as he saw her. She looked cheap and trashy. Nothing compared to Bridget's sweet beauty. He turned his attention back to Bridget.
Jill noticed the icy glance from Deacon and didn't care. She deserved it. She was cold-blooded when she was with him. Using him like that. Her life was in shambles now and it was all her own doing. She could have had Deacon but she blew it. Jill was keenly aware of the way he was when he was with Bridget. She saw it. He loving glances, the kisses, the way he held her. He was in love with Bridget. And to think she could have had that if she hadn't been such a bitch. Jason's words rang in her head. What kind of mother would she be? She had no idea. Most likely an awful one. Probably would screw the kid up worse than he way her stepmother screwed her up.
"What happened?" asked Bridget of Sgt. Clark.
"Mr. Blackwell and Ms. Butterfield got into a violent confrontation. It was sparked by her telling him she was pregnant."
Bridget's eyes went wide and she turned to Jill. "You're pregnant?"
"Yes." responded Jill. "I am. And yes Jason's the father. I told
him I was pregnant and he got made. Really violent. Told me to get rid of it. I
told him I wasn't going to do that. I couldn't do that. He got angry and he tried to strangle me. That's when I got the gun from my purse and shot him."
"I can't..I can't believe it." Bridget sat down on a chair. "I knew Jason was up to something...I didn't know he would..."
"Mess around with me?" finished Jill. "Yeah I know. Shocking. He wanted to tear you two apart. I went along with it because he was going to pay me handsomely for it. Am I proud? No I'm not proud but I went along with it. I needed the money."
"I see." said
Bridget crossly. "So you didn't care if I got hurt or if you hurt Deacon yet again."
"No I didn't." said Jill honestly. "I didn't care. I admit it. I was selfish and cruel and cold-blooded. I wanted Deacon's club. I wanted to make it something more than it was. But this whole experience..Jason being so violent...I know it's sound cliche but it did open my eyes. My life is shit and it's my own fault. I told Jason when I found out I was pregnant that I wanted out of the plan. I didn't want to be a part of it. That made him more angry. I..I don't know what to say except I'm sorry."
"Sorry?" scuffed Deacon.
"You're sorry. Funny how you never used those words when I found you screwing around with another guy."
"I know. I should have been sorry then and I am. I am sorry I hurt you Deacon. I swear I'll stay out of your life. I won't bother you or Bridget again. I have to get my life on track. I promise you will never hear from me again."
"What about your baby Jill?" asked Jessica. "My grandchild."
"You don't want us around." said Jill.
"Yes I do." said
Jessica. "Jill despite the things you have done, that is still my grandchild. I want to be a part of it's life."
"What are you saying?" asked Jill.
"I'm saying that I want you to move to L.A. and work for me."
Jill shook her head.
"Thanks but no thanks. I can't move to L.A."
"Yes you can. Jill..you said you
want to get your life on track. I can help you do that. I can give you a job at my magazine. Get you a decent apartment you can afford. Please. I want to have my grandchild."
Jill was silent and then spoke up. "I want this child to have it's grandmother. I want it to have a good life. But what am I going to tell him or her about its father? How I'm responsible for killing him. It will hate me.
I'll hate myself."
"I won't let that happen. Jill I know that you were acting out of self defense. Look I told you my son had problems. He was a paranoid schizophrenic."
Bridget was stunned. "What? I never knew that."
"It's true." said Jessica. "I thought he was doing better. He seemed to be. His treatment was going well, his doctor said he was making progress...I don't know what happened."
Bridget began to tear up. "It was me. It was my fault. I drove him to..."
"No No." Jessica said firmly. "It was not your fault. Don't you even think that."
"I met Deacon and fell in love with him and he couldn't handle it. I should have been more..."
"Bridget honey listen to me. Don't you think for one second that you did anything to cause this. It wasn't you." Jessica said taking Bridget's hand. "You didn't do anything wrong. Please don't blame yourself."
Deacon pulled Bridget to him. "I love you." He said to her.
"And I will never be sorry for meeting you and loving you."
Bridget looked up at him. "I love you too Deacon. And I'm not sorry I met you. I just feel
like.."
"You have nothing to feel guilty for baby." said Deacon. "You were honest with him. You never lead him on. He knew where he stood. That you did not have any romantic feelings for him."
Bridget nodded. "You think so?"
"I know so. Baby please don't blame yourself."
Bridget put her arms around Deacon and held him tight resting her head against his chest. Deacon kissed her again. "Come on baby, let's go home."
Bridget nodded and the two headed out.
Sgt. Clark turned to Jill. "You are free to go too Ms. Butterfield however we will be in contact with you once we get the medical examiner's report."
"Okay thank you." Jill stood up and walked out of the office.
Jessica followed. "Wait Jill." She said.
Jill stopped and turned.
"Please think about what I said. I really want you and this baby to be a part of my life. Please please think about it."
"I will." replied Jill.
Jessica stood back praying that she wouldn't lose her grandchild. It was hard enough losing her son. Her baby. She should have known! Why didn't she! She shook her head.
She couldn't think of that now. She had to think of a wait to convince Jill to move to L.A.