”So, do you have any recommendations?”, Nick asked as he looked up from his menu.
”I love the salmon”, Brooke told him, as she speculated on taking it herself.
”Can I take your orders?”, a waiter asked as he approached.
”2 salmons”, Nick said.
”And to drink?”
”2 ice-water”, Brooke answered.
”Thank you”, the waiter said and left their table.
”Was that alright with you?”, Nick asked.
”Yes.”, Brooke smiled.
”I hope you don´t intend to go to the office later”.
”Why not?”, asked Brooke.
”Curiosity killed the cat…”, Nick warned.
”Oh, I wouldn´t want to take that risk”.
”Smart, lady”.
”But can you give me a little hint?”
”Because you like living dangerously?”
”Exactly”.
”Well, I can say so much, that I don´t know myself yet what I will come up with”.
”Those were original plans. I think I like them already”.
”Let´s face it, no one really knows what´s in store for us until it actually happens. Let´s just live in the present and see where the future takes us?”
”Sounds like a plan to me”.

A middle-aged woman came back to consciousness. She was all covered with blood and her body ached, but she would survive. She looked ahead of her and saw nothing but chaos. Crashed cars and smoke everywhere. Her first reaction was to reach her cell-phone. She called 911, but there had already been calls there and help was on the way. So she made another call.
”Shannon? It´s mom.”
”Hi mom, what´s up?”
”I´ve been in an accident, but I´m fine”
”What? What happened?”
”An accident on the highway. A serial collision. There seems to be a lot of cars. Maybe 20.”
”Oh my God! How bad is it?”
”It seems bad. Help is on the way.”
”Are you injured?”
”A little. But don´t worry, sweetie. I will be all right. I think I might need to go to the hospital, so can you meet me there later? I don´t think this car will hold up much longer.”
”Of course, mom. I´ll go there right away. Cedars-Sinai?”
”I think so. I´ll call to let you know if I´m taken to another hospital. I love you, Shannon”.
”I love you too mom.”
The two women hung up.

In another car, Stephanie and Thorne were unconscious. Stephanie started waking up, slowly. She, too, was badly injured with cuts and bruises. She had a nasty head-ache from colliding with the steering-wheel. As she opened her eyes, she remembered what had happened and directly looked to her right to see how Thorne was doing. He was still unconscious. A car was blocking his side of the car and the window had broken into thousands of pieces. His face was covered with blood. Stephanie realized it was bad, really bad.
”Thorne?”, she called out several times as she tried to break free from her belt. Her left leg was stuck and she could barely move, and if she tried, it hurt too much. She reached over to check if Thorne still had a pulse. At first, she couldn´t find any, but as she moved her fingers, she found a weak pulse. What a relief. But as she checked his breathing, she froze. Thorne wasn´t breathing! She struggled to break free when a man started to open the door on her side. She helped the best she could and soon, the door opened.
”Please, help my son. He isn´t breathing!”, Stephanie said. The man jumped inside the car in the backseat and sat behind Thorne. He pushed down the seat and soon started mouth-to-mouth.
”Is he breathing?”, Stephanie asked after 3 quick tries. She was starting to panic, thinking she might lose her son. She took Thorne´s left hand in hers and quietly begged him to hand in there.
”No, he´s not”, the man said and kept trying.
”Thorne, don´t die! Please God, don´t let him die!”, Stephanie begged.
”Nothing yet”, the man said and kept giving Thorne air.
”Thorne, don´t leave me. You hear me? Don´t leave us!”
”He´s breating”, the man finally said.
”Oh, thank you! Thank you!”, Stephanie was so relieved, but she was literally shaking.
”But he´s not out of the woods yet. Where´s that damn ambulance?”

Brooke and Nick had ended up taking a walk on the beach. They were almost back at his car when Nick was hit with a volleyball in the back of his head.
”Sorry, man”, a young man in his early 30´s said as he run up to them.
”Are you sure you should be playing beach volley? If you can hit me all over here, then you guys must really stink!”, Nick said modestly.
”If you´re so good yourself, why don´t you show us how to play?”, the guy said cocky.
”My pleasure. Brooke, come on!”, Nick said as he took Brooke´s hand and pulled her with him.
”What? You don´t expect me to play, do you?”
”You have to, or we´ll be uneven teams”, Nick smiled.
Brooke took her place on the opposite team as Nick was in and just thanked God she had changed out of her clothes she had worn at Café Russe 2 hours earlier. She was only playing for Nick´s sake. Nick served the ball and the game was on. Nick was just as good as he had make himself out to be, which didn´t surprise Brooke one bit. Brooke joined the game herself when a ball headed her way and she was able to get it over the net. As the game continued, she started enjoying herself very much. And she wasn´t half bad at beach volley. Brooke hadn´t played for 23 years, but somehow she hadn´t lost much of her touch. But Nick was unstoppable. Together with a younger man and woman, they ruled. They won by 8 points. The younger man from before, Bobby, congratulated Nick on the victory.
”Not bad for an old man”, he said.
”Who are you calling ‘old’? I just crushed you like a little bug, junior”, Nick teased.
”I wouldn´t say that, I was just letting you win”.
”Oh, give it up, Bobby!”, a young woman cracked up.
”Fine, fine. You´re the champion, Nick”, Bobby said gracefully as Brooke laughed with him.
”Thanks for teaching Bobby to play”, Will said as he poked Bobby in the stomach with his elbow.
”My pleasure. Hope we can do it again sometime”, Nick said. “Right now, I will take this lovely lady home”.
”See ya later, Nick, Brooke”.
Nick and Brooke walked back to his car.
”I have to admit it was fun”, Brooke said.
”Since when is beach volley not fun?”, Nick asked.
”I thought we were too old to play with those guys. But you were terrific. When did you learn to play like that?”
”I´m a sailor, aren´t I? I can play in my sleep. But I enjoyed giving them a run for their money.”
”Not only did you give them a run, you made them broke!”
”I wouldn´t go that far, but thank you. It´s always nice to get an ego boaster.”
”So, where are we going now?”
”Back to your place. I was thinking we could spend the rest of the afternoon by the pool. I think it´s time for Hope to start taking swimming lessons from a pro”.
”Swimming lessons? She´s 1 year old”, Brooke chuckled.
”Never too early to start”.

Rick got out of the shower. He quickly dried his hair with the towel and then tied it around his waist. He opened the medicine cabinet and took out his roll-on. After getting himself ready, he took up his wedding ring to put it back on his finger, but he hesitated a while. He looked at it and remembered his vows to Amber, and hers to him. And then all the mistakes they had made in their young marriage. Did he really want to put it back on? He decided to do so, and no one would ask him about it yet. But as he was starting to put it back on, he accidentally dropped it in the sink. At first, he went quickly for it. But it was lost.
”Down the drain… Is this a sign?”, he asked.

”Sir, you can´t go there, it´s not safe”, a fire fighter told Eric as he was trying to pass the yellow tape they had put up around the accident site.
”Can you tell me if my wife and son are there. Stephanie and Thorne Forrester? Are they at the hospital?”, Eric asked.
”I can´t tell you that”.
”Why the hell not?”
”Because I don´t know. You´ll have to talk to someone else.”
”Who?”
”The police chief is over there”, the fire fighter said as he pointed to a man to his left, talking to a few colleges.
”We need to move it, otherwise we´ll not get him out. Carlson, take Johnson with you and get it done. We don´t have much time.”, the fire chief said to his men and the police chief.
”I´ll take the truck”.
”Yes, do that. First, move the black Toyota.”
Eric walked over to them as he tried spotting the blue-grey BMW he knew Stephanie and Thorne was in.
”Sir, you can´t be here”, the police chief told Eric.
”I just need to know how my wife and son are doing”.
”Name?”
”Forrester. Stephanie and Thorne Forrester”.
The man looked through his papers. He couldn´t find their names there.
”Sorry, they´re not on my list. What car are they in?”
”A blue-grey BMW”.
”That´s the car we´re trying to get into now.”
”How are they?”, Eric asked again, frustrated, almost angry, not getting the answer to.
”The woman is injured, but she is conscious which is a good sign. The man on the other hand is in critical condition. We´re trying to get them out of the car. Sir, I realize what you must be feeling. But you can´t go over there. You´ll have to stay clear, or you´ll just make the situation worse”.
”Thorne…”, Eric said worriedly. “How serious is it?”
”I can´t tell you that. All I know is that it´s urgent. Can you repeat their names?”
”Thorne Forrester and Stephanie Forrester”, Eric said as the police man wrote down their names in his papers.
”Thank you. I have to ask you to step back now, sir. I promise, we´re doing everything we possibly can to save their lives. If you have some people to contact, I suggest you do it now.”

Ridge was sitting by his desk at Marone Industries, working. Suddenly, he got the chills for none apparent reason. He dropped his pen and stopped working. His eyes drafted to a picture of himself, Taylor and their children he had on his desk. He picked up the framed photo and took a long look at it. The phone started ringing and he placed the picture back on the desk to answer the phone.
”Ridge Forrester”
”Ridge, it´s dad. Listen, there´s been an accident.”
”Accident?”
”Your mother and Thorne have been in a car accident. I´m here right now.”
”How are they?”
”I don´t know. But it doesn´t look good.”
”Oh my God. What hospital?”
”I imagine Cedars. Why don´t you call the others, I´ll try get hold of Macy”.
”Okay, dad. Call me if you get any more news!”
They hung up and Eric called over to Spectra. He was surprised when it wasn’t Darla who answered, as usual.
”Spectra Fashions”
”This is Eric Forrester, I need to speak to Macy Forrester”
”I´m sorry, Mr Forrester, but she´s out. She´ll be back in a few minutes. Can I take a message?”
”Tell her Thorne Forrester has been in an accident and will be taken to the hospital.”
”Yes, I´ll give her that message”, the new secretary said and hung up.
Darla showed up at Spectra to collect her things.
”Eric Forrester just called. His son has been in an accident”, the woman informed Darla.
”Thorne?”
”Yes”.
”Oh no!”, Darla said as she looked worried.
”How are you?”
”I need… I´ve got to go”, Darla said as she hurried off.

CJ and Bridget was up in his apartment, drinking some coffee and small talking.
”So, now that you have given up Ridge, is there a chance for me?”, CJ asked.
”Why? Don´t tell me you´re interested in the fruitcake that had feelings for her former brother!”
”Yes, but she´s no fruitcake.”
”If there is a chance…? Do you think there should be?”
”I most definitely think so”, CJ said as he leaned over for a kiss. Bridget backed away quickly as her cell-phone started ringing on the table.
”I should get that!”, she said as she did.
”Bridget, it´s Ridge. Mother and Thorne have been in a car accident.”
”What?”, Bridget asked chocked.
”It´s pretty bad. Can you come over to the hospital?”
”Yes, I´ll be right there”, Bridget said and they hung up. “CJ, I´m sorry, I have to leave. Stephanie and Thorne have been in a car accident.”
”Go”, CJ told her and she was soon gone. CJ sighed as he sat down on the sofa. So close!

”Look, she´s a natural!”, Nick told Brooke. He was in the pool, holding Hope up. There was a big grin on the little girl´s face as she waved her arms up and down from the water to the air.
”How adorable!”, Brooke smiled with pride. She was working on her tan in one of the chairs.
”She really is. She´s lucky she takes after her mother and not her father”.
”You´ve met Deacon?”, Brooke asked surprised.
”Once. He came by Marone looking for Massimo, but found me instead.”
”Just like me. Although I was looking for Ridge – and I pretty much doubt Deacon was wearing a teddy”.
”Thank God for that!”
”Actually, it´s pretty sexy with men in ladies underwear…”, Brooke smiled.
”That look… Forrester didn´t pose in a teddy in some kinky sex game, did he? Nah, don´t tell me. I don´t want any details, please!”, Nick said as Brooke just laughed.
”No, not Ridge. Whip Jones, my former husband”.
”Whip? With a name like that, I can actually understand it…”
”Whip is short for Whipple”.
”Well, that´s sooo much better than ‘Whip’… Tell me, was his parents S&M freaks?”
”Oh, God no! Whipple is a family name. Actually, I don´t know where it came from… Anyhow, he had the perfect thighs. He looked very sexy in black lace…”.
”I don´t think your daughter should be hearing this”, Nick played prude as he protected Hope in his arms.
”I think she´s too young to understand. How about you? Would you dress up in black lace?”
”Not on your life!”, Nick laughed.
”Well, a girl can´t have everything, can she?”.
The phone rang and Brooke excused herself to get it as Nick continued playing with Hope in the pool.
”Logan, it´s me.”
”Ridge… I thought I told you not to try anything. This morning was already a try.”
”No, Logan. I called to let you know that mother and Thorne have been in car accident. It doesn´t look very good.”
”Oh, God… I´m so sorry! I´ll be right over.”
”Thank you, Logan”
”Hey, hang in there. They´ll be alright.”
”See you in a while”
Brooke went back to the pool. Nick immediately realized something had happened.
”I need to go to the hospital. Thorne and Stephanie have been in an accident. Can you take Hope while I´ll get dressed?”
”Sure”
”Thank you, Nick. You´ve been wonderful”, Brooke said as she hurried upstairs.

Eric was getting more and more impatient. He only recalled the terrible argument he had with Thorne and Stephanie when the collision happened.
”Why the hell did I start an argument?”, Eric berated himself.
Another ambulance drove away as he suddenly spotted two ambulance men rolling Stephanie away on a stretcher. Eric quickly walked over there.
”Stephanie? How are you?”, he asked concerned.
”I don´t know…”, a barely conscious Stephanie answered. The paramedics had locked her head to the stretcher, in case her spine or neck was somehow injured and she had a bandage around her head. She seemed to be in a worse condition than she really was, as her clothes were torn and she was all bruised up.
”Are you going with us?”, a paramedic asked Eric.
”No, you have to stay. You need to find out how Thorne is, please”, Stephanie told Eric.
”Okay, I´ll stay. You hang in there. I am not going to lose any of you”, Eric said as he laid a comforting hand on hers. Soon, the ambulance drove off with her as Eric watched them go. He turned back to the pack of cars and said a silent prayer for Thorne. As he watched the fire fighters trying to cut open the roof of the car, Eric remembered the day when Thorne had called him “daddy” for the very first time.

Eric remembering…
Eric walked through the doors of his house and greeted by a very pregnant Stephanie. She was holding a young blonde boy in her arms who was playing with her hair.
”Hi Sweetheart”, Eric greeted his wife with a tender kiss. “And who do we have here?”, Eric reached over to Thorne and lifted him into his own arms. He placed a kiss on the boy´s forehead and quickly smelled his hair. Thorne stared his father into his eyes and put a finger into his own mouth.
”How was your day?”, Stephanie asked.
”Long… But I did get the chance to talk to Jacques St. Pierre. He´ll be coming to the showing and he promised a whole side in Elle.
”That´s terrific!”
”I have a good feeling about this showing. I think we´re finally getting somewhere.”
”I´m sure we are. You´re designs are just fabulous. Aren´t they, Thorne?”. Thorne just stared as he took out his finger from his mouth and dried it off on his clothes.
”Huh? Do you think daddy will succeed, Thorne?”, Eric asked as he smiled at the child.
”Daddy”, Thorne said.
Eric was stunned. He looked up at Stephanie and with a look, he asked her if he had really heard correctly.
”Did you say ‘daddy’?”, Stephanie asked Thorne.
”Daddy”, Thorne said again.
”You did!”, Stephanie said astounded.
”Daddy´s here. Hi…”, Eric said to Thorne as he lifted him up to his face and looked lovingly at him.

Back to reality…
”Daddy´s here, Thorne”, Eric said. He dried off the tears in his eyes and smiled at the memory. His eyes went back to the BMW, which was not cut open and it was empty.
”Thorne?”, Eric asked out to no one. He tried locating his son in the crowd and suddenly, he felt as though his heart stopped beating. He saw a paramedic pulling up a sheet over someone´s limp body. “No… Thorne!”