"Sorry to disappoint you, big brother, but I don't think you're capable of murder," Brooke tells Storm. Brooke tells him she'd like to go to bed and Storm bounces up and down and blurts out, "Oh come on, just go ahead and ask me. I know you're dying to." Brooke wants to know what he thinks she wants to ask. "Ask me if I shot Stephanie Forrester; if I set dad up to take the fall," he replies.
Storm shows Brooke the ring and says, "So you really believe I have a ring that looks like dad's [and] that means I could be the killer?" Brooke tells him no, he couldn't pick up a gun and kill anyone any more than she could. She walks away and he tells her, "Good, I'm glad you feel that way because when I first showed you I still had the ring, you kind of had this look on your face." Brooke's voice cracks as she replies, "I was upset about how dad disappointed you in your senior year by not showing up at your championship game." He asks if that's all it was -- sympathy. She says they have all had issues, but he's been incredible this past week, just like he was when Stephen left in the first place.
Brooke turns and asks to see the ring and he hands it to her telling her it's the same stone and color as their father's but a different date, 1981 instead of 1962. She points out that it has Water Polo on one side and a swimmer with his name, "Stephen," engraved on the other. He remarks it's because their mother wouldn't let him have Storm engraved. Brooke asks why he doesn't wear it on his finger now, especially as he's getting along better with their father and he tells her no. Then he thanks her for believing in him, and how it's meant the world to him and she tells him family as always meant the world to him. As they embrace, he tells her it still does. She walks him out and he promises her that "justice will be done" as he leaves. Brooke goes over to her desk and removes the photo from the shooting. She checks it out and then blows out the candles in the living room.
Stephanie calls Eric to check and see if he made it back to his hotel alright. She tells him she had a Christmas tree delivered and how she wishes he could've stayed so they could have trimmed the tree together. Eric tells her not to overdo it and to get one of the kids to help her. Stephanie tells him she's glad he's safe, wishes him good night and hangs up. Ridge walks in and surprises her and she is thrilled he stopped by. He gives her a hug and kiss and tells her he just wanted to make sure she didn't wash away. She smiles, tells him they don't live in flood territory and why is he out so late, then smiles and says she knows he still cares.
Stephanie offers Ridge refreshments and he comments about the tree and offers to help decorate it. She jokes about him helping her fix her mistakes. They sit together on the sofa and she is frustrated as she tells Ridge that she has apologized every which way she can, what is she supposed to do just accept that things will never be the same for any of them. Ridge tells her after seeing her in the hospital bed; it drove some things home for him. He knows that she would never intentionally hurt anyone, including Brooke. He tells her why bother to spend your life being mad and carrying grudges. She asks him if he's going to forgive her. Ridge tells her that he can't forget the damage that has been done but he is trying to move past it, after all she is his mother. He tells her he loves her and she tells him she loves him too and they hug. She thanks him and tells him she's changed and he tells her he believes her. Stephanie comments how she wishes Eric could see it as well.
Ridge takes out two ornaments for Stephanie that RJ and Hope made for her. She laughs and says how adorable they are and starts reminiscing with Ridge. She feels down and says she's not sure she can do it, as it won't be the same without Eric. She walks to the tree and hangs Hope and RJ's ornaments and says maybe if she starts decorating the thing, the house won't be so depressing. Ridge walks to her and tells her to keep her chin up, it's the holidays a time for miracle and maybe she'll get a miracle of her own. She smiles and hugs him.
Donna shows up at Eric's hotel room with a package. She tells him she just came from the County Jail visiting Stephen and apologizes as she starts to cry. He asks her, "For what? Being real?" She tells him she believes her father is innocent and he thinks he is guilty and they are just going to keep rehashing it; she wishes she could find out who really shot Stephanie. He tells her no matter what happens, he'll always be there for her; she can always come to him. She laughs and says, "What would I do without my honey bear?" He chuckles and says he hopes they never have to find out as he kisses her cheek.
Donna has Eric turn around so she can show him her surprise. She takes a small Christmas tree from her bag and sets it on the table and then has him open his eyes. He turns and sees the tree and frowns. Donna asks him what is wrong. He tells her it's nothing; it was a sweet gesture and the room needs some spirit. Donna asks again what's going on and he tells her about visiting Stephanie and then her phone call about the tree. He reminisces about their traditions and Donna walks up to him and tells him that he and his wife had traditions and severing those ties would be painful but then reminds him of how Stephanie would disrespect him and put him down. He tells her it's easier sometimes to remember the good times, like the holidays. He worries about letting someone down for the holidays because his children and grandchildren will all be at the house celebrating. She tells him the only way he will disappoint her is if he doesn't stay true to his heart.
Stephanie has the decorations for the tree and takes out Eric's stocking. She reminisces about past Christmases together and, at the same time, Eric is reminiscing in his hotel room as well. Donna walks up to him and shakes him out of it and they hug. He tells her she's had a helluva day and she replies, "Endless. Anytime I'm not with my snuggle bunny." They both chuckle. He tells her he's glad she's happy and she says she never knew that word until she met him. She tells him he is her oasis, the place where she puts peace and she treasures him for that as they kiss, then hug and Eric looks conflicted as he looks over her shoulder.
Brooke walks into the police station to see Detective Charlie Baker. He tells her visiting hours are over and she tells him she wants to see Jake's video. He tells her to refresh his memory and with a firm voice she replies, "You know what I'm talking about. I need to see that footage tonight and I'm not leaving her until I do." Brooke and the detective review the footage and Brooke is upset she still cannot read the inscription on the ring. She believes that it is possible that someone who knew the intimate details of her father's life could be setting him up.
Detective Baker tells her that they have a solid case against Stephen and is surprised that Storm didn't tell her of the new evidence. He informs her that they had an expert look at the photo and they measured it to Stephen's hand and without a doubt, it is his hand in the photo. Brooke asks for a copy and he gives it to her but tells her no matter how many times she stares at it, it's not going to change. Detective Baker walks her out and comments about how hard it is to accept this and she replies, "Knowing a relative did attempt murder, yes. Yes it is." As she thanks him and walks away, a man reading a paper listens in and when Brooke leaves, he puts his paper down and reveals his identity. It's Storm.
At home, Brooke informed Katie that storm owns a class ring that is identical to their father, Stephen's class ring. Brooke showed Katie the photo of the shooter that she had obtained from the police. Katie did not believe that Storm could have shot Stephanie.
Brooke enlightened Katie, that if Storm were in his right mind he would never hurt anyone; however, Storm was extremely upset over their father's abandonment. Brooke further explained that she believed it was in the realm of possibility that Storm shot Stephanie to set up their father.
Meanwhile, Ridge advised Eric to go to Stephanie's to help with Christmas decorations. Eric asked Ridge to explain to Donna that he had to leave to go to Stephanie's. While Ridge waited for Donna, she dressed in a Santa Claus negligee. Donna went out into the other room to entice Eric with her outfit. To Donna's surprise, it was Ridge's lap that she landed in instead of Eric's. Ridge and Donna both laughed, then Ridge became more serious. He told Donna that Eric had gone to help Stephanie. Ridge told Donna that he did not believe that Donna could make Eric happy.
At Stephanie's, the Christmas tree was removed from the house while Eric was there. Stephanie advised him that she is donating the tree to the homeless shelter. Stephanie told Eric that in effect she was canceling Christmas at her home. Stephanie claimed that she wanted to be alone for Christmas. Eric did not believe her.
Back at Brooke's house, Storm arrived and noticed the photos that Brooke had obtained from the police. Brooke asked Storm point blank if he shot Stephanie in an effort to set up Stephen. Stephen was surprised by Brooke's question, but he did not answer her.
Felicia shows up at Stephanie's and is shocked to find the tree gone. Stephanie tells her she donated it to the homeless shelter because she just can't do it. Felicia thinks it's a side effect from her medication so she goes to call the doctor but Stephanie stops her and tells her she's fine. She tells Felicia "This is what happens when someone shoots you, tries to kill you and your husband leaves you. It doesn't leave you with a lot of warm fuzzy feelings."
Felicia tells Stephanie that Eric will be there. Stephanie tells her he won't and for her to not go to him as she doesn't want anyone there out of some sense of obligation as she's not someone's Christmas Charity. Felicia tells her she sounds like Sally and Stephanie replies, "Sally won't be here either, she has the right idea. She's in St. Tropez with all the Beach Boys." Stephanie tells her to go to Ridge's for Christmas and Felicia tells her no way, she's not spending the holidays with Brooke and her sisters. Felicia tries to get her to change her mind but Stephanie tells her she wants to be alone for Christmas.
At the County Jail, Stephen is brought into the visitor's room and finds Stephanie waiting for him. She tells him she needed cheering up and knowing that the man who tried to kill her is worse off than she is has lightened her mood. She tells him the only thing she wants for Christmas is his confession and wants to know if he would like to avoid causing his children the pain of a trial. Stephen accuses her of trying to save her own "precious" reputation by not letting what she did to Brooke come out. Stephanie tells him if he confesses she'll do everything in her power to get the DA to give him a plea bargain. He tells her Storm is going to defend him and he couldn't ask for a better man to come to his defense. Stephanie stands up and tells him that when the jury convicts him, she will make sure he goes to the worst penitentiary in the state and Stephen watches her leave.
At Brooke's, Katie watches and listens as Brooke begs Storm to tell her if he shot Stephanie and framed Stephen. Storm tells Brooke that Stephen blamed him for not protecting Brooke when she was attacked and asks her why she didn't come to him right away and let their father blame him. He tells them he knew what Stephen was doing in trying to become their "protector" again, how they were falling for it and starting to trust him again. Frustrated, Storm tells them Stephen was taking them away from him, they were going to get hurt and that's why he did it. He walks to the couch, puts his hands up and says, "I did it" then sits down. Shocked, Brooke and Katie look away with tears streaming down their faces.
Brooke walks up to Storm, squats down near him and tells him it was good he told them. Storm is holding a pillow crying, telling them he didn't mean to do it but he was angry about what Stephanie did to Brooke and Donna and she was going to get away with it. He gets up, paces and reminds them of the threats Stephen made to Stephanie. He tells Brooke and Katie how he had everything he needed, the gun, the ring and the camera. He turned the camera on, put the ring on and waited behind the curtain. He heard Brooke and then Donna come in and confront Stephanie and then he had his moment and fired; he knew by using the ring everyone would assume it was Stephen. Katie sits on the sofa crying and tells him that he couldn't be sure Jake would show her the footage. Storm tells her he knew he would see it eventually and would turn it in to the police. He tells them both that it would have been the perfect crime, but now they know.
Katie cries and asks him to tell her he's making it all up. He tells her he's not, he shot Stephanie; he even mentions how he used the police as his alibi. Brooke asks how and he replays the scene of the shooting. He tells them he called the police station and talked to Detective Charlie Baker. Mid-conversation, he asked the detective to hold on a minute, put the phone down, put the ring on, opened the curtain and took his shot. When he was done, he picked the phone back up and finished his conversation with the detective. Brooke reminds him how they were all questioned and any one of them could have been taken to jail. Storm tells her he made sure the evidence pointed to their father and how Stephen played right into their hands. Brooke asks if he is suggesting they let Stephen be prosecuted for a crime he didn't commit and Storm tells them yes, he has a good lawyer. Katie tells him that Stephen is innocent and Storm tells her, "Dad may not have shot Stephanie, but he's not innocent."
Katie and Brooke try to talk some sense into Storm and he tells them, "This is justice" and Brooke tells him it's not. She tells him that they need to figure out what to do next and Storm tells her there is nothing to do. Brooke tells him he has to confess. Crying, Katie tells him not to make them choose and Storm tells her they don't need to choose, they just need to keep quiet. He tells them he protected them for years and how it's time for them to return the favor. He tells Brooke that it is time for her to step up now and protect him and begs her not to send him to jail.
In Eric's hotel room, Steph and Donna have yet another encounter with Donna laying into Steph for trying to hurt Eric by canceling the family's get together for Christmas. Donna blathers on about how she and Eric are in love and that they will be happy forever. She wants Stephanie to accept that, but Steph accuses her of drinking and says he'll never leave his family, and she smugly leaves. When Eric returns, Donna whines that Steph just left and she clearly wants Eric back. Donna says she knows that Eric loves her, but Donna can't compete with the history that he has with Steph. She wants him to confirm that he wants to spend the rest of his life with her and not Stephanie.
Brooke and a tearful Katie argue with Storm that their dad needs to go free, but he pressures them to stand behind him rather than Stephen. The sisters give Storm a group hug, but tell him he must tell the truth. The Logan siblings head to jail, and Katie runs to hug her dad now that she knows he is innocent. Stephen wishes Storm a happy birthday and thanks him for being his lawyer. He shares that Steph stopped by to accuse and belittle him. The siblings tell Stephen they know who framed him and who shot Steph. The trio drag out sharing the news with the girls not wanting to tell Stephen – they want Storm to do it. Storm admits that Jake's video camera was used to catch Stephen warning Steph to leave his family alone, and to see the high school ring on tape – "a ring like this," he says as Storm shows his dad his own school ring. Stephen asks where he got it because it is a key piece of evidence, and as he closely examines it, he notes the year on the ring is 1982 – it's not his own ring, but rather it is Storm's. A confused Stephen is stunned as Storm admits he set up his dad. "I shot Stephanie," he said coldly.
In the county jail, Stephen is shocked Storm set him up. He tells Storm how upset he is; how he trusted him and thought things were different between them but he was wrong and it's his fault, he did this to Storm. Stephen tells him he's not mad at him for any of it, he blames himself. Katie tries to talk to Stephen but he tells her it's about time he accepted responsibility for what he's done. Storm tells Stephen that he is responsible and is ashamed for what he did. Stephen replies that he had no idea the damage that he had done until this situation. He turns and tells a tearful Brooke and Katie about Storm's letter and how he read it 100 times but finally convinced himself he had nothing to offer and took the cowards way out and didn't come home. Storm replays the last few seconds of the game for Stephen and tells him he wondered if he was there; that he made a million excuses for Stephen but realized he wasn't coming. He also tells Stephen he decided he was through with him, but he let the rage fester inside him until it became a cancer and it got out of control.
Stephen acknowledges to Storm that he was more of a father to the girls than he ever was. Katie tells Storm she never realized how hard it was on him. Storm is crying but wonders why Stephen doesn't hate him for what he did. Stephen tells him he could never hate him but his leaving was far worse than what Storm did. Storm tells Stephen to stop saying he left and tells a shocked Katie and Brooke that he ordered Stephen to leave. Stephen tells the girls that Storm told him he was a lousy father and husband; he wasn't doing his job, and was too wrapped up in his stuff and couldn't make a commitment so he needed to leave. He also told him to grow up and finally act like a man.
Storm cries as Stephen tells him that he is going to support him like he should have done all along. Storm tells Stephen that once he gets out of jail, he should just keep going and never look back. Stephen shocks his children by telling them that he is going to confess to shooting Stephanie. All three of them try to talk him out of it but he turns to Storm and tells him he will do this for him because he deserves a better life than the one he gave him. Storm asks Stephen if he is sure he wants to do this and Stephen tells him he is 100% sure, that he will do this and protect him. They both hug and tell each other that they love each other.
In Eric's hotel room, he tells Donna not to doubt them; that things will be different this time. As they share a kiss, there is a knock on the door and Eric opens it to find Ridge standing there. He asks to speak with Eric alone. Donna offers to leave but Eric tells her to stay as she is a big part of his life and his children need to start accepting that. Ridge tells Eric that he, Felicia and Thorne all talked and plan on spending Christmas with Stephanie and Eric's being there will make all the difference. He then turns to Donna and says "Unless you have a problem with that Donna." Donna tells them both that all she wants is for Eric to have a wonderful Christmas and she won't stand in his way. She tells Eric that she hopes one day his family accepts that they are together and she'll be welcome too but if he wants to be with his family, to go and she'll be thinking about him. Both Ridge and Eric thank Donna and she replies, "My pleasure."
After Ridge leaves, Donna and Eric sit on the floor drinking eggnog and he hands her a gift. She opens it, laughs and tells him it's a "honey bear" just like him. He points out the "collar" and she realizes it's a diamond necklace, thanks him and tells him it's lovely. Eric tells Donna right after Christmas he is going to ask Stephanie for a divorce and give Donna an engagement ring and commit to her. She gets excited, hugs and kisses him but Eric gets this odd look on his face. He tells Donna that he is much older than her and when things aren't so new between them, he's worried she'll break his heart and leave him for someone younger. She touches his face and promises him she would never break his heart as they seal the promise with a kiss.
