At Spencer, Bill figured that Thomas had walked into Bill's office after the interview just to piss Bill off. Wyatt replied that it had worked. Bill said Thomas was lucky he hadn't left there in a stretcher for what he'd done to their family. Wyatt agreed but asked why Thomas was trying to get sympathy from Bill over someone killing Thomas' best friend.
Wyatt was following Vinny's case. Bill asked why after what the lowlife had done. Wyatt believed that Vinny had deserved to pay a price for playing God with Liam's life, "but to lose his life?"
Bill shrugged, saying, "Oh, well." Wyatt called the death brutal and said Vinny had been left on the side of the road. Bill murmured that Wyatt didn't know what had happened. "Neither do you,'" responded Wyatt. Bill told Wyatt to stop harping on it. He didn't want Liam or Wyatt -- or anyone -- devoting another moment to that loser.
Later, Bill looked at an unanswered message he'd sent Liam, asking if everything was okay. Wyatt asked if it was about the Tokyo deal he hadn't gotten a response on. Bill was sure they'd get back to Wyatt. Wyatt wondered if Liam knew something and asked when his MIA brother would be back at work. Bill said Liam was making sure everything went smoothly with Hope.
Wyatt believed everything would be fine on that front, and Liam wouldn't screw it up. Bill said his sons sometimes needed a kick in the pants to stay on the straight and narrow. Wyatt observed that Bill liked lumping his sons together. Bill said he'd never stop riding his Spencer boys, and they all got treated equally -- except Will, who could still be molded into a "mini-me."
Wyatt recalled that Bill wanted Wyatt to put Vinny out of Wyatt's mind. Bill said the sleazeball con artist shouldn't occupy any space in Wyatt's brain. Wyatt suggested that Bill take that same advice because Wyatt could see Bill's blood boil at the mention of Vinny's name.
Bill said he was tired of hearing about Vinny everywhere, like in the news and from Thomas. Wyatt remarked that Bill had also said Liam should forget Vinny. Agreeing, Bill said no one could bring Vinny back, and everyone should move on.
Wyatt wondered if Vinny was what Bill and Liam had been arguing about. Bill pretended that he wouldn't waste his time on that, but Wyatt assumed Liam might be the one talking about Vinny. Bill asked why Liam would do that, and Bill ordered Wyatt to give it a rest about Vinny.
Later, Wyatt assumed he and Bill would just sit in silence. Bill said it was because Wyatt couldn't talk about anything other than Thomas' loser friend. Wyatt countered that he could, and all Bill had to do was say what was off-limits. Bill named Thomas, politics, and anything else that might piss Bill off. Wyatt guessed Bill didn't want to hear about the leak in Wyatt's bathtub then.
Bill asked if he looked like a plumber. Wyatt decided he'd find his own plumber, and Bill warned Wyatt not to think about billing his father for it. Wyatt chatted about plumber reviews, and Bill flashed back to a conversation with Liam about keeping the secret while living with Hope. Suddenly, Bill hopped up and said he had to go.
Later, Wyatt paced around Bill's office. Flo found Wyatt there. She asked about the tub, but seeing Wyatt's expression, she wondered what was going on. Wyatt conveyed that he'd had a weird encounter with Bill -- after Bill had had a weird encounter with Thomas. Flo thought it was kind of peculiar that Thomas would visit Bill after the interview.
Wyatt said the vitriol between Bill and the Forresters had been years in the making, but it had been different that day. Bill had been all wound up about Vinny. "The guy who was just killed in the hit-and-run?" Flo asked, and Wyatt methodically nodded.
In the cabin, Hope said that Liam hadn't left Vinny to die. Liam replied that he hadn't made that decision, and he wouldn't have left Vinny there. "So, this is all Bill?" Hope asserted. Liam replied that it wasn't all Bill, and Liam was the reason Vinny was dead. She defended Liam, saying Vinny had appeared out of nowhere, and Liam hadn't meant for it to happen.
Liam said he'd watched Vinny take his last breath, and he'd seen the life leaving Vinny. Liam guessed that his brain had shut down, and he'd passed out. Hope insisted that it had been because Bill had put Liam in the car, had driven away, and had left Vinny for dead. She figured that was how it had gone and that Bill had been responsible for the cover-up.
Hope continued to put the cover-up all on Bill, but Liam said he'd been the one driving. He claimed that his eyes had been on the road, and he'd been paying attention. He imagined that it would be different if he'd just had a millisecond more time to swerve or brake.
Hope insisted that Liam had had an accident, but Bill was the one who'd turned it into a crime. Bill had been the one to leave and take Liam with him. Bill had made the decision for both of them, and Hope declared that it was all on Bill.
Hope assumed Liam had been far from the crash site when he'd woken up. Liam explained that he'd wondered why he'd been in the passenger seat. Neither Vinny nor EMS had been in sight. Liam had begged Bill to go back. Hope assumed that Bill hadn't complied. Liam said Bill had already gotten rid of Vinny's wallet and phone by then.
"What?" Hope exclaimed. She asked if Bill understood he'd made it worse. In her mind, it had been a freak accident, but leaving Vinny had been breaking the law. She asked why Bill would do that. Liam said Bill had told Liam that no one would believe Liam had hit Vinny accidentally the second Vinny had been released on bail for tampering with the paternity test.
Hope thought it had been just a terrible coincidence. Liam replied that Bill didn't think a judge or jury would buy it. Hope insisted that was the truth. Liam replied that he'd had motive, and the police would want to say Liam had done it on purpose. Hope assumed Bill thought he'd been protecting Liam, but she asked if Bill knew it could potentially destroy Liam's life.
Liam said Bill had just been trying to protect Liam. Hope asked about other evidence like clothes and the car. Liam replied that his father had taken care of all that, and the police hadn't found any leads yet. It made Liam feel worse.
Liam had hoped that he could stuff it down deep enough to move on with his life, but he'd been kidding himself, pretending that it hadn't happened or that it hadn't been his fault. "Well, it wasn't," Hope decided. He told her that reality was catching up to him. He didn't know how long he could keep it under wraps or how long it would be before the police solved the case.
Liam figured he could lose Hope and their family for decades. Hope repeated her claim that he wouldn't lose her. She'd known something had been wrong, but she hadn't expected what he'd revealed. He claimed he would have told her sooner, but Bill had been pressuring him to stay quiet. He figured Bill would be very upset.
Hope didn't care about Bill. She cared about Liam and couldn't believe he'd lived with it for so long. She was glad he'd told her and said he had nothing to be ashamed of. She said that he was a good man, and that was why it was torturing him. She figured that they each knew what had to be done. It was time, and the truth needed to come out.
Hope sat Liam down at their table. She believed that if not for Bill, Liam would have called the police. With a bleak expression, Liam agreed. Hope insisted that Bill had been the one who'd lost his head and had made bad decisions. Liam wouldn't put it all on Bill and said Liam himself could have gone forward sooner, and it looked really bad that he hadn't.
Hope realized that Liam and Bill were probably in trouble with the law, but she said Liam couldn't keep running. She could tell that it was haunting him, and they had to make the authorities understand what had happened. She told him it was how he could clear his conscience, and it started by doing the right thing. She asked if he knew that.
"Yeah," Liam responded with a sad smile. Liam knew that if he kept it bottled up, it would destroy him. He thanked Hope for still loving him despite what he'd done. Sobbing, he said that she and the kids were his world, and he dreaded the thought of not seeing them each day for the rest of his life. He guessed it was what he deserved.
"Not for doing something that wasn't on purpose," Hope said. She didn't know why Vinny had been in the middle of the road that night, but the police needed to hear the truth. She knew Liam was scared. She was, too, but the truth would set him free. Liam uttered that it was time.
Liam stood, and Hope said she'd go with him. She wanted to be by his side and wouldn't leave him. They hugged. Just as they ambled toward the door, it opened, and Bill filled the doorway with his imposing black-clad frame. "Where are you going?" he asked.
In Hope and Liam's silence, Bill asked Liam to say he hadn't done it. Hope said she knew about Liam's accident with Vinny, and she accused Bill of turning it into a hit-and-run crime. Bill roared that he'd been protecting his son, and she shot back that she was protecting her husband.
Hope asked if Bill could see what it was doing to Liam, who couldn't keep it locked away forever. Liam told Bill that it was over, and Liam was going to the police. Bill replied that Liam wasn't going anywhere, and Bill wouldn't let him go to the police. "You are not going to say a word to anyone else, do you hear me? Ever!" Bill yelled.
At Spencer with Flo, Wyatt was still puzzled over what was going on with Bill. Wyatt didn't understand why Bill would even care enough to get into it with Thomas and bash Vinny or why Thomas had wandered in there.
Wyatt hadn't thought Bill had meant to be a jerk while "bashing Thomas' dead best friend." Wyatt thought Bill had been acting overprotective of Liam, and Thomas was wrong if he thought he could say anything to Bill Spencer about Vinny aside from Vinny being a criminal. Wyatt thought Bill had been more aggressive than he'd had to be, but Bill would do anything for his sons.
Wyatt knew that Bill had a lot on his plate, between reconciling with Katie and Liam's messy life. Flo thought Bill should be happy that Liam was back with Hope. "That's the thing," Wyatt replied. Wyatt sensed more was going on with Liam and Bill, and they weren't telling Wyatt about it.
In Brooke's cabin, Bill asked what had happened to "taking it to the grave." Liam said he could barely function or live with it. Bill yelled that Liam should call Bill in that case, not confess. Hope said that what had happened to Vinny had been an accident, but Bill had turned it into a crime.
Bill reminded Hope that she hadn't been there and had no grasp of the circumstances; therefore, she didn't get to question him. Bill asked Liam if he wanted to go to prison. Hope wanted to know what Bill had been thinking to put Liam in the car and drive off. She yelled that Bill had gotten rid of the evidence. She accused Bill of turning Liam into a criminal.
Bill said Liam had been in no shape to talk to anyone, least of all the cops. Hope asserted that Bill knew leaving the scene of an accident was a serious crime. Gesturing to Hope, Bill asked if Liam saw why he should have kept his mouth shut.
Liam said not to blame Hope, and he'd never wanted to keep the secret. Bill asked if that was true, even though Liam knew it had been the only solution. Bill said Hope had Liam questioning everything, including Bill. Liam stated, "If we'd just stayed there, though."
"Your ass would be in jail, Liam!" Bill hollered. Bill added that Liam and Hope wouldn't have reconciled, and the kids wouldn't have their dad. "You two and your damn principles!" Bill seethed. He said they'd had it worked out, and he refused to let them go to the cops.
Liam couldn't do it anymore. The guilt was too much. Bill said Liam was thinking about it too much. Liam stated that he'd killed someone. Bill replied that Liam wasn't a murderer. Agreeing, Hope asked why Bill was making Liam act like one. Bill explained that the authorities would have seen Liam that way, and Bill was the reason Liam wasn't in a jail cell.
Hope countered that Bill's decision made Liam's life into a prison, and every moment with her and the kids had been tainted by the secret. Liam said the secret would poison everything. Hope stated that Liam wasn't Bill. Agreeing, Bill said Liam was better than Bill.
Bill felt that Liam and Hope just didn't get what a slam-dunk case the prosecutor would make out of it due to Vinny switching the paternity test results. Bill refused to let it happen. He wasn't a monster, but he'd protected his son. He'd done what he'd done because he loved his son.
Hope said she loved Liam, too, and the kids depended upon him. Hope believed that if Liam had confessed, the kids might have had a life with him, but there was a chance they could lose that. She understood that Bill had tried to protect Liam, but instead, Bill might have sealed Liam's fate. Liam said they had to stop arguing. He knew they were trying to protect him.
Hope murmured that lying wasn't the right answer. Through clenched teeth, Bill replied that lying wasn't always the wrong answer, either. Liam stated that Bill and Hope didn't want Liam to go to jail. Liam knew that Bill had done what he'd had to do, "but, Dad, I'm telling you -- I could have gone to the police on my own."
Bill said he wouldn't have let Liam then, and he wouldn't let Liam "now." Liam said it was his decision, not Bill's. Bill replied that it was the biggest mistake Liam would make, and it wasn't about right or wrong. "How can you say that?" Hope asked. Bill stated that there was a whole grey area in the world. Hope said the truth would clear Liam's conscience.
Bill reasoned that the truth could send Liam to prison until Beth was in college. Bill was sure no one wanted that. Bill got that Hope and Liam wanted to do the right thing, but sacrificing Liam's life for that dirt bag wasn't right. Liam said it wasn't about feeling sorry for Vinny. Liam wanted to be the man his daughters could look up to. "Through prison bars?" Bill asked.
Bill asked what Liam would tell his daughters about his absence on the holidays. Hope told Bill that he wasn't helping. Bill bellowed that he'd had it worked out. The car was across the world, modified to the point that it was unrecognizable and untraceable. There were no cameras, witnesses, or leads. The only thing that would get Liam arrested was Hope's bad advice and Liam's guilty conscience.
Bill said Liam hadn't run over a saint. Vinny had been a piece of garbage and a common thief. Liam asked if Bill thought Vinny had deserved to die. Bill rasped that Liam hadn't done it on purpose, and Liam hadn't even seen Vinny. Liam replied that they'd still left him there. "He was dead!" Bill insisted. To Bill, there had been no saving Vinny, but Liam could save himself.
Hope told Bill that she wasn't pushing Liam to do it. "You should be pushing him away, Hope! Stopping him!" Bill countered. He asked if she wanted to lose Liam and have Liam in prison for the rest of her life. In Liam and Hope's silence, Bill said it was a lot, and they were in shock. Bill decided that they needed to spend time together with Liam's daughters, because if they went to the police, it could be the last time they experienced it for many years to come.
Bill reminded Liam that the only reason Liam had even had that opportunity was because Bill had stopped Liam from walking out the door just then. He recalled how hard Hope and Liam had worked to get back together and asked if they wanted to give that up. Bill didn't want them to give it up. "Twenty-four hours," Bill asked. He begged them for that amount of time before they did anything rash. Liam slowly nodded.
In the design office, Paris was floored that Carter had slept with Shauna, but Paris was squealing happy that Zoe and Carter were back together. Zoe almost couldn't believe it herself. Zoe stated that Quinn had said to hang in there, and Zoe was glad she'd trusted Quinn. Zoe had seen the most amazing change in Carter, and she had to believe it had been due to Quinn.
Paris recalled that her sister had been relentless and determined, no matter what it had taken. Zoe had wanted to show Carter how much she loved him, and she'd become more confident and hopeful than ever. Zoe felt that she and Carter had a real chance at a future, and she wanted to yell it out all over the building.
Paris said to tell Donna, and Zoe's inbox would be full by the end of the day. Zoe really wanted to tell Quinn. Zoe had no idea what Quinn had said to Carter, but Quinn had to have gone all out.
In the CEO's office, Quinn was working when Carter entered, looking for Zoe. Quinn asked him to close the door. She wondered if things would be awkward between them. He hoped not. She said she and Eric were back on track, and Carter had reunited with Zoe. Quinn figured that the best thing she and Carter could do was pretend their time hadn't ever happened.
Quinn began to talk about what she and Carter had risked, but Carter said she didn't have to remind him. She loved Eric and felt good about how he was opening up to her. She wanted to be close to Eric again, "just like you and Zoe." Quinn stated that the future was her with Eric, and Carter with Zoe.
Carter said he and Quinn hadn't meant to let it get out of hand. Quinn recalled that they'd both struggled with the same longing and frustration. It had been a long time since they'd felt that connection. Carter had been everything to her, but she could get it from Eric at that point. She said Zoe would make an amazing wife. Carter wanted to be the man Zoe thought he was.
Quinn said whatever it had been was over. Carter stated that they shouldn't be talking about it. She didn't think she could take the chance of anyone finding out. He stated that they couldn't keep whispering about it at the office, and she couldn't go to his place again. Quinn thought they probably shouldn't be alone together, and Carter asked if she couldn't be alone with him.
Stammering, Quinn said that she could do it and was doing it at that moment. The problem was that they'd start talking about their feelings and what had happened. Carter guessed they should avoid that. She decided that they should act like normal friends. He asked if they were friends. She considered him a friend, and he said he felt the same way about her.
Carter began to say something about what they'd shared, but Quinn reminded him that they'd agreed to bury it forever. Just then, Zoe entered. She asked what was going on. In their silence, Zoe couldn't believe it and said Carter knew she'd wanted to be the one to tell Quinn that Zoe and Carter had gotten back together. Quinn said it was hard to keep good news a secret.
Zoe said she had thought of text-messaging Quinn but had decided to express her gratitude in person. Quinn didn't think that was necessary, but Zoe felt that, because of Quinn, Carter had given Zoe another chance. Quinn thought Zoe was giving Quinn too much credit. Quinn felt that the couple had something special. She was glad they were moving forward. Carter stated that there would be no looking back.
In the CEO's office at Forrester, Zoe felt that she and Carter were indebted to Quinn. Quinn said she'd had to step in when two people had undeniable chemistry. Zoe thanked Quinn for resorting to every trick in the book to get through to Carter. He smiled nervously at Quinn, and Quinn replied that she hadn't resorted to any tricks.
Zoe continued to gush about how well Quinn had done, giving Carter extra "prodding." Quinn thought that she was receiving too much credit. "I got lucky; that's all," Quinn decided. Quinn said the two had reunited because Carter belonged in Zoe's arms.
Shauna knocked and entered. She'd heard Quinn was in there. Upon seeing Carter and Zoe, Shauna tried to back out of the room. Asking Shauna to stay, Zoe felt it was time they talked.
Zoe wanted to talk to Shauna, woman-to-woman, privately. Carter opted to stay, saying it had taken two. Quinn wanted to stay, too, to ensure that it remained cordial and respectful between her friends. Zoe planned to keep it that way and didn't want to attack Shauna.
Zoe understood that she and Carter hadn't been in a committed relationship, and that meant Shauna had "technically" been in the right; however, Zoe was still hurt and surprised by it. It didn't make sense how Carter had turned to Shauna so quickly, and Zoe wanted to know how it had happened that Shauna had wound up sleeping with Carter.
Shauna concluded that it was a conversation for Zoe and Carter, but Zoe insisted upon hearing Shauna's perspective. Shauna replied that it had just happened and had been one of those things. Stopping Shauna, Carter said Zoe really didn't want to know, and he didn't want Zoe to have to go through it. Zoe claimed she could handle it and didn't think she could move on without hearing the other woman's side.
Quinn looked flushed as she flashed back to having sex with Carter. Zoe was sure she sounded crazy, but she said she'd been in bed with Carter. She knew firsthand how he made a woman feel, and she said Shauna did, too. Zoe asked if Shauna was willing to walk away from a man like Carter without putting up a fight.
Shauna didn't want Zoe to feel threatened by Shauna, who didn't intend to make any moves on Carter. Zoe asked if Shauna could really turn off any feelings she might have had for him. Zoe said she hadn't been able to do it.
Quinn stated that she'd spoken to Shauna and Carter, and they'd been up-front about it being a fling that wouldn't happen again. Quinn didn't think Zoe had to worry, and that was because Carter wanted Zoe. Agreeing, Carter said Quinn had made him realize how much he needed Zoe and the life they'd been planning. He said they just had to put the mistakes behind them and not dwell on them. He wanted a life with Zoe.
Zoe wanted that, too. Zoe asked if Shauna understood that. Shauna said she did. Zoe thought that was good because, even though Shauna had said it had been a fling, Zoe knew differently. Zoe stated that giving up Carter was harder than Shauna was letting on. Zoe declared that she and Carter were together again, which meant that neither Shauna nor any other woman would ever have her hands on him again. Quinn nodded and blinked.
In Brooke's cabin, Liam declined Bill's offer, and Bill was surprised that Liam couldn't give 24 hours to the biggest decision of his life. Hope said Liam was in "hell," and Bill asked what she thought prison life was like. Bill was trying to reach Hope and Liam. He urged them to spend the time thinking about their future, and he said he wouldn't stop them if they wanted to walk away from it the next day.
Bill wanted Liam to fully understand what he'd be giving up before he went to the police. Liam claimed to understand it, but Bill didn't think Liam would grasp it until the prison guards stripped Liam out of his designer clothes, conducted a full body search, and slammed the bars on him. Bill asked if that was the life Liam wanted. Bill didn't think it was and asked if Liam wanted Kelly and Beth to grow up visiting their convict father in prison.
Liam asked what kind of father he was right then due to the incessant guilt. Bill told Liam not to feel guilty over a drug-dealing criminal. Liam stated that Vinny hadn't deserved to die, but Bill said Liam didn't deserve to go to prison. Again, Bill urged Hope and Liam to take the time to think of what their lives would be like with Liam free or locked up.
Liam agreed to give Bill that much. Liam said he and Hope would talk it over, and by the next day, they'd know if they would go to the police or keep the secret forever.
After Bill had gone, Liam and Hope were in a quandary about what to do. They'd been sure before, but Bill had a good point. Hope said there was a chance Liam could be in jail for a long time and miss out on his daughters' childhoods. Liam didn't want to be a stranger to his kids, but he insisted that Vinny was dead because of him. Liam asked if that meant he had to go forward and admit what he'd done. Hope replied that they had to figure it out because it affected the rest of their lives.
Later, Hope made arrangements for Beth to stay the night with Donna. Liam said that if it was his last night at home, he didn't want Beth at Donna's. Hope said they couldn't talk about things with the kids there. Thomas had Douglas, which gave Liam and Hope the night to figure it out.
Hope stated that whatever they decided determined whether they'd see each other ever again. Liam didn't want to think about that or admit that it was possible. Liam didn't want to leave Hope, but he believed that Bill was right about the law not going easy on Liam.
Hope said it had been an accident, and Liam hadn't broken the law. Bill had broken it, according to Hope, when Bill had driven away and left Vinny on the side of the road. Hope claimed they wouldn't be having that conversation if Bill had called the police, and the decisions that Bill had made that night could cost them their family. "If I confess," Liam clarified.
Liam asserted that he couldn't spend the rest of his life knowing he killed a guy. Liam apologized to Hope again for putting her in "this" position. Hope replied that she'd said she'd be there for him, and she refused to let him go through it alone. He stated that a huge burden had been lifted from him when he'd told her, and he'd never keep anything from her again.
Being at home with the family had been like breathing again, but even still, it was there in the back of Liam's mind. He'd seen Vinny in the road and watched him take his last breath. Even when Liam closed his eyes, it was there and didn't go away.
Hope reminded Liam that they'd take their time and focus on their family. She said they'd take the night and focus on them. Hugging him, she stated that she wanted to hold him and never let him go again.
At Spencer, Wyatt titillated Flo with the idea of a romantic dinner that night. Flo liked the idea, but she didn't mind hanging out longer so that Wyatt could see Bill. Wyatt admitted that he did want to try again to get Bill to open up. Wyatt was certain something terrible was going on with Bill and Liam.
Bill arrived and immediately ordered everybody out. Wyatt refused to leave without getting some answers. Wyatt was worried about Bill, and Wyatt was also concerned about Liam.
Wyatt refused to let it go. Flo said she and Wyatt wanted to help. Bill stated that there was nothing they could do. Bill appreciated the concern but said there was nothing to worry about. Wyatt asked if Liam was fine. "As long as he doesn't screw it up," Bill uttered.
In Bill's office in the evening, Brooke arrived, and Bill hoped the dressmaker wasn't behind her. Ridge was still at work, and Bill said that was the best news he'd had all day. She asked if something was going on, but he told her she didn't want to know. She insisted that she did.
Brooke guessed Bill wanted her to butt out. Bill replied that he'd never say that. She told him that he could open up to her about anything. She wondered if it was about Hope and Liam. Brooke thought Bill should be thrilled that they were back together. Bill said he wanted to be.
Brooke questioned the way Bill had said his words, and Bill said he was being cautious. He hoped all the obstacles were behind Hope and Liam.
Bill asked why Brooke was there. Brooke wanted to talk about celebrating Hope and Liam. Brooke wanted to have a nice family party to honor the reunion. Brooke asked if Bill objected. Bill had no objections. He wanted their children to have a happy life together as much as Brooke did, and maybe more.
Later, Bill was alone with his scotch. He flashed back to the incident and to telling Hope and Liam not to go to the police. Bill drew his glass to his mouth and tossed back its contents.
In Brooke's cabin, candles shone all over the room. Liam handed Hope a glass of wine. She knew they were supposed to use the time to weigh their options, but she wanted to push it as far from her mind as possible and devote the night to their love. He did, too.
During dinner, Liam wasn't really eating. Hope didn't have an appetite, either, and started to suggest that they have a special dinner with the kids. She abruptly cut herself off, and Liam asked who they were kidding. He stated that they didn't need 24 hours. They already knew what they had to do.
After the dinner, Liam told Hope that they'd been over it and over it, but he wouldn't be able to function as a father, husband, and person while living with the secret. He claimed it had already destroyed some of his relationships, and he'd been distant and unaccountable. The kids didn't deserve it, and neither did Hope, in his view, so he'd go to the police in the morning.
Hope didn't want to lose Liam. He didn't want to lose her, but they had the night. He wanted it to be about their love and making the most of the time they had left. He said they had the night, and it could last forever if they wanted it to. They told each other that they were the loves of each other's lives, and Liam said there wouldn't be a moment he wouldn't think of her.
Hope didn't want Liam to talk that way. She said all they could be sure of was them and the moment. She needed one more night with her husband.
Liam and Hope began kissing. Slowly, he unzipped her dress, his kisses making a trail up her neck. The two lowered themselves onto the floor in front of the fireplace. Later, they lay on the sofa, wrapped in blankets, wishing they could stay there in each other's arms.
Hope wished the kids were there. Liam couldn't fathom losing his relationships with the kids over what he'd done. Hope assured Liam that he was a good man, not a murderer, and she told him not to lose sight of it. Liam replied that she always found the good in him and mustered the strength to stay with him, even with all the bad things he brought to her life.
Hope couldn't imagine her life without Liam in it, and she couldn't imagine him not being in Douglas, Beth, and Kelly's lives. Hope would keep the faith because she and the kids needed him. Liam felt that Hope was the compass that had guided him since he'd met her. He didn't know what would happen the next day, but he knew they'd be with each other, whether he was there or in a prison cell. They were a part of each other, and he'd always love her.
Hope and Liam tearfully kissed and clung to each other.
At Forrester, Ridge and Carter had a meeting. At the conclusion, Ridge thanked Carter and said Carter should have had that job years sooner after all he'd done for the Forresters, everything he'd done for Ridge, and how loyal Carter had been to Eric.
Ridge remembered that everyone had finally learned who Carter's mystery woman was. "Shauna?" Ridge asked. Ridge had never seen that coming and asked how it had started. Carter hadn't seen it, either, and he said it hadn't been some hot romance.
Carter revealed that he wasn't with Shauna. Ridge thought that was a shame. Carter explained that it hadn't been intended to last, and it couldn't have because he still had feelings for Zoe. Ridge asked what Carter was saying. Ridge asked when "that" had happened.
Carter didn't think it mattered when, but it had indeed happened. Ridge asked if the Zende conflict was behind Carter and Zoe. Carter said it wasn't, but people all made mistakes. Ridge countered that Carter didn't, and Carter murmured that Ridge didn't know him that well.
Ridge asserted that he knew Carter well enough to be best friends. Ridge wanted Carter to be happy, and Ridge was fine with it if it was Zoe. Ridge only wanted happiness for Eric, too. Carter asked if Eric had said something about Quinn.
Ridge brought up Eric's problem with what Quinn had done to Brooke and Ridge. Eric hadn't been able to make peace with it, but Ridge guessed something was in the water that had made Eric forgive Quinn, and Carter forgive Zoe. Ridge asked if it was what Carter wanted.
"Yeah, I had to," Carter replied. Ridge just wanted Carter, the best and most decent person Ridge knew, to be happy. Carter thought he was as flawed as anyone else.
Ridge joked that Carter had let his body go and reminded Carter that he had to put the time in. Chuckling, Carter said he had to go. As Carter left, Ridge thanked him again.
Later, Brooke arrived, and Ridge wondered why she'd had to see Bill twice in one day. She told Ridge about her idea to celebrate Liam and Hope. She'd wanted to talk it over with Bill. Ridge asked if they'd devised something. Brooke said they hadn't, and she'd gotten strange vibes from Bill. She was convinced that Bill had reservations about Hope and Liam.
In the design office, Quinn praised Shauna for thinking fast on her feet. Shauna had been thrown by all of Zoe's questions and didn't like how she'd impulsively claimed the affair; however, they couldn't risk anyone finding out it had really been Quinn. How Quinn had gotten herself in that mess in the first place was beyond Shauna.
Shauna wasn't judging Quinn, but Shauna didn't know how Quinn had let it get that far. Quinn grimaced. Shauna understood how great Carter was with his awesome body, but she said Quinn loved Eric. Quinn claimed Eric was her everything; she loved him and couldn't lose him.
Paris entered the room, and Quinn and Shauna cut off their conversation. Paris hadn't meant to interrupt, but Shauna seemed to be preparing to leave. Paris wanted Shauna to know that Paris was watching her. "Excuse me?" Shauna quipped. Paris announced that she was Zoe's sister, and she wanted Shauna to stay away from the reunited Zoe and Carter.
Shauna said that there was nothing between her and Carter, Zoe had nothing to worry about, and that was the end of the story. Paris told Quinn that she'd come through for Zoe, and whatever Quinn had done had really worked on Carter. Just then, Carter entered.
Paris said she'd just been talking about his reunion with Zoe. Paris asked if she was right about that and if Zoe was really the woman he wanted to be with. Carter said he needed Zoe, and he shouldn't have ended it before. It had been a mistake, and he'd never make it again.
Paris' phone chimed. Paris decided she had to go, but she thanked Carter for caring about Zoe as much as he obviously did.
Once Paris had gone, Shauna said Carter had handled it well. Carter insisted that he'd meant every word. He was back with Zoe, and it would stay that way. Quinn felt the same way about Eric, who'd given her the best life imaginable. Quinn wouldn't risk it again and told Carter that nothing could happen between them again. They had to keep the secret forever.
At Forrester, Brooke apologized for being late to work, and Ridge asked if it was because she'd seen Spencer again. She hadn't, but she'd still like to know what Bill's reservations were about Hope and Liam. Ridge guessed she thought something more was going on with Bill.
As Thomas entered, he affirmed that there was. He revealed that he'd seen Bill the other day, and the things Bill had said about Vinny had reminded Thomas of what an awful person Bill was. Ridge wondered why he was the only person in his family that understood nothing good ever came from Bill Spencer, and Ridge asked where Thomas had seen Bill.
Thomas explained that after his magazine interview, he'd stopped by Bill's office on impulse. Thomas wished he hadn't done it because all Bill had done had been to infuriate Thomas. Thomas didn't remember how the topic of Vinny had come up, but Bill had been full of contempt and disrespect about Vinny. Bill had acted as if he had wanted Vinny's killer to get away with it.
Brooke didn't think Thomas could expect much empathy from Bill. Thomas said Vinny had been trying to do him a solid, one Thomas had never asked for, but Vinny had just been being Vinny. Thomas had known Vinny better than anyone, and Vinny hadn't been a bad person.
Thomas got choked up and decided that he needed to drop Douglas off at Hope's. Brooke was surprised that Douglas wasn't already there. Thomas said he'd kept his son for another night, and Donna still had Beth. Ridge assumed Hope and Liam had needed another night together.
Brooke said Hope and Liam had a bright future ahead of them. Thomas said it was what Hope wanted, and he wanted it for her. Brooke asked if Thomas meant it, and he said that he did.
Later, Brooke was glad Hope and Liam were spending extra time together and keeping that spark alive. Ridge said he and Brooke knew a little something about that. "So many years together, Ridge, and I find you more attractive than ever," Brooke replied.
Ridge agreed. In fact, he'd just looked at himself in the mirror that morning and asked himself how he'd done it. He said he and Brooke were aging like fine wine. Brooke asked who was aging. Ridge denied it was they and said he'd meant Thomas, who was getting more mature by the day. Ridge was proud of Thomas, and Brooke said Ridge had every reason to be.
Ridge asked what Brooke had said. Smiling, Brooke stated that she was beginning to believe that maybe -- just maybe -- Thomas was really changing. Ridge wanted Brooke to say it again.
Brooke said she wouldn't start a fan club for Thomas, but she could see that Thomas was being consistent in supporting Hope and her decision to be with Liam. Brooke felt that it would be wrong of her and very stubborn if she didn't acknowledge the change in Thomas.
Ridge loved Brooke for it. He said Thomas had given her every reason not to trust him, but she'd left the door open and given him a chance to prove himself. Ridge said that was what he loved. He loved what was inside her. He appreciated it and her. He wanted peace and happiness for them and the kids. Brooke said she wanted to believe in Thomas again.
At Spencer, Bill tore into his office while making a call to Liam. It went to voicemail, and Bill ordered Liam to call to talk before he made a decision he couldn't take back. Wyatt arrived, and Bill told him to go away. Wyatt was looking for Liam. Bill checked his drawers and some folders and rasped that Liam was not there.
Wyatt replied that he'd meant in the building, and he didn't get why Liam wasn't working anymore. Wyatt wanted to know what was going on and if he could help mediate. Bill insisted that everything and everyone was fine. "Not everyone. Vinny's dead," Wyatt replied.
Bill couldn't believe Wyatt was about to start in with Vinny again. Wyatt was just wondering if Bill had heard any news and said there weren't any suspects. In Bill's silence, Wyatt guessed Bill didn't feel like dancing on Vinny's grave anymore. Bill stood up, stomped out a tap dance, and asked how that had been. Bill didn't feel sorry for the trash who'd screwed with Liam's life.
Wyatt agreed but added that justice had been about to be served. "And then, all of a sudden, he dies?" Wyatt said. Bill concluded that justice was a dish best served cold. Wyatt thought it was crazy that the one person who'd caused the paternity mess problem for Liam was dead.
Wyatt wanted to know if Bill had heard any updates about the investigation. "Why would I?" Bill asked. Wyatt stated that Bill had connections everywhere, and the police might not have told the press everything yet. Wyatt asked if the cops knew who'd killed Thomas' best friend.
Bill asked why he'd care about that investigation after what Vinny had done to Liam's life. Wyatt assumed that would make Bill more interested, not less. Bill roared that what he knew was that Vinny was dead, and Bill didn't want to ever talk about him again.
Alone later, Bill stared at his phone.
In Brooke's cabin, Liam ignored Bill's call. Hope asked if Liam would call back, but Liam already knew what Bill would say. Liam figured that Baker would take him into custody immediately. Hope asked if Liam was really prepared to walk into a police station and turn himself in.
Liam asked what Hope was saying. Hope understood how saying it out loud and taking accountability would make him feel as if a huge weight was off his shoulders. Liam said it would be nice to look himself in the mirror and not want to puke, and it was the right thing to do. Hope asked if doing the right thing was worth losing his family.
Liam said he thought they'd decided what to do. Hope replied that they had, but she did want to take as much time as possible to review every angle. Telling the truth was the right thing to do, but she asked if it was right to leave their children without their father. She said they really needed to think about it because the family needed Liam. She needed Liam.
"And then there's Bill," Hope said. Bill could go to prison, too, because the cover-up had been all on Bill, according to Hope. Hope asked what would happen to Will, Katie, and Spencer Publications. It was Bill's legacy for the family, and she asked if they really wanted to risk all of that "for -- " Sobbing, she figured she sounded like a terrible person.
Liam dismissed the idea that Hope sounded that way. Hope stated that it wouldn't bring Vinny back. Liam asked if Hope had started to agree with Bill about Liam not turning himself in. Liam understood that there was a chance he'd be arrested, and it wasn't just his future that it affected. He didn't know what the kids would think if he disappeared from their lives.
Sobbing, Liam said the kids would only know that he'd left one day and never returned. Hope wouldn't let the kids think that he'd abandoned them. Liam figured that Kelly would have Finn, who was a good man, but Liam wondered about Beth and Douglas. Thomas was present, but he wasn't the live-in father that Liam was. Liam wondered what kind of role model he'd be while in prison for years due to a hit-and-run.
Just then, Douglas ran in, with Thomas walking behind him. Douglas shouted that they'd just hiked up a whole mountain, and it had been awesome. Thomas corrected that it had been the hill at the Mulholland turnout, but it had looked really big to Douglas. Thomas sensed they'd interrupted something, and Douglas asked if Liam and Hope were okay.
Hope said she and Liam were just talking. Thomas decided to get out of their way. He was taking Douglas to hit balls. Douglas said he needed his glove. Thomas saw a Dodgers uniform in Douglas' future, and Douglas said Thomas was a good teacher.
Thomas was happy to see Liam and Hope together that way and congratulated them. Thomas had always wanted Hope to be happy. Douglas said that all he and Daddy wanted was for Hope to be happy. Douglas asked if Thomas and Liam would go to Douglas' game the next week. Liam wasn't sure, but Thomas said he would have a cheering section set up.
Liam thanked Thomas for being there for Beth and Douglas. Thomas figured Liam knew how much Thomas loved the kids. Liam said he knew. Douglas told Hope that he'd see her later. She replied that she'd be right there. Douglas asked if Liam would be. Fighting back tears, Liam stated that he was always with Douglas.
Thomas and Douglas left, and Liam sobbed. Hope knew it had been hard. She knew that telling the truth was the right thing to do, but she was scared. She didn't want to lose him. She said they'd just gotten him back. Sobbing, she asked if they really wanted to go to the police and risk losing each other and their entire family.
