>> Finn: Uh-- Douglas wrote--
wrote down your name? >> Steffy: Believe me,
I am just as shocked as you are.
>> Finn: Th-- this was supposed to be a custody
hearing. Thomas convinced the court to let Douglas
choose who he lives with, so-- >> Steffy: Yes, and he
chose me. Us. >> Finn: Is this for real?
Steffy, you-- your nephew's very sweet, I know he loves
spending time here with Kelly and Hayes, but--
>> Steffy: Now, he wants to live with us. He wants to be
part of our family. >> Hope: Steffy? Why did
Douglas choose Steffy? He's-- he's grown up with us.
I'm his mom. >> Liam: Yeah. And you always
will be. That hasn't changed, and it's not going to.
>> Hope: But that was the entire point of going to
court, Liam, was to finally-- >> Liam: I know.
>> Hope: Get rid of the confusion around where
he belongs. >> Liam: I know, okay. Just--
Listen-- listen for a second. Things didn't go our way,
but they didn't go Thomas's way, either.
And this isn't over. >> Hope: It's my fault.
>> Liam: It's n-- no. >> Hope: Mm-hmm.
>> Liam: It's not-- it's not your fault.
>> Hope: Yes, it is. >> Liam: Douglas loves you.
He loves us. He made that so clear, Hope.
>> Hope: Douglas is still a little boy,
and we're the adults. We're his parents. I mean, how--
how did we agree to let him choose his
own guardian? ♪♪
>> Liam: It wasn't your idea to let Douglas choose,
it was Thomas's. He's the one who pushed the issue,
he's the one who set up the meeting, and besides--
We had a really good reason for being confident Douglas
would choose us. >> Hope: So what? Now this is
karmic payback? Punishment for being
overly confident? >> Liam: N-- It's not-- No!
It's not karma, it's not punishment,
it's just us trusting Douglas to know what he needs,
that's it. >> Hope: Yeah, well, now
we have to trust his aunt to take care of him.
>> Liam: Yeah! For a little while, though. I me--
Steffy doesn't want this. She doesn't wanna take
Douglas from us. She told us that.
>> Hope: Yeah. I know, she was just as stunned
as we were. >> Liam: Right.
>> Hope: And I get why she felt like she couldn't say no.
>> Liam: Exactly, 'cause it-- No-- nobody here wants
Douglas to feel rejected at this moment in his life.
That's why. That's why Steffy agrees.
Maybe it is a good idea that he stay with her for
a little while. ♪♪
>> Steffy: I know it's shocking.
>> Finn: No, it's-- it's-- it's confusing. Douglas has
devoted parents. Hope and Thomas both wanna
raise him. >> Steffy: But he wants
to live with us. >> Finn: Why? What happened?
Did Thomas and Hope get into it at the courthouse?
>> Steffy: No. No, nothing like that. The things they
said were actually quite touching. It's obvious
how much they care about him. >> Finn: You know, see,
I thought for sure Douglas would choose to stay with
Hope and Liam. >> Steffy: I-- I was certain
Thomas was giving his son away.
>> Finn: Well, to you, apparently.
>> Steffy: Nobody expected this. I know it's a lot to process.
I told Douglas that we would talk more, but first and
foremost, we need to figure out if this is something
we can do. What do you think? How do you feel about Douglas
living with us? ♪♪
>> Liam: Yes, obviously I agree the best place for
Douglas is here, with us. >> Hope: I agree.
But Steffy clearly doesn't. >> Liam: That's-- that's not
what she was saying, though. >> Hope: Yeah, she thinks
it's best if Douglas stays with her for a while.
>> Liam: Yeah, for a while! For a little while.
And it's because none of us want Douglas to feel rejected,
not because she thinks that you and I aren't capable of
caring for him. Everyb-- Everybody knows how much
he means to us. >> Hope: Yeah. But just
the fact that he wants to go live with someone else.
I mean, why? Why did he choose Steffy over us?
>> Liam: I don't know. >> Hope: Part of me really
wants to ask him. But I know how that would come across,
and Douglas just needs to feel unconditionally loved
right now. >> Liam: Yeah.
>> Hope: That doesn't matter, what he says or does. It--
Nothing will change that. >> Liam: Right. Right.
And that-- and that we're his family,
and this is his home. >> Hope: Yeah. Well, maybe
it won't be. What if it's not what he wants?
I mean, we only just got him back, Liam.
>> Liam: Th-- This isn't permanent,
it-- it's-- it's just that we're all
blindsided by it, and there's a lot to sort out.
>> Hope: Well, the priority needs to be Douglas.
>> Liam: Yeah. >> Hope: No, but we need
to do what's best for him. >> Liam: Yeah. And you know
something? Steffy feels exactly the same way.
She-- she loves Douglas, but she didn't walk in
to court thinking she was gonna walk out his guardian.
>> Hope: Look, I-- I understand that Steffy is
in a difficult position. I mean, no one wants Douglas
to feel abandoned or unloved, but at the same time,
does that really mean that we just have to blindly
go along with whatever he wants?
♪♪ >> Steffy: Should have seen
Douglas's face, asking if I didn't want him here.
>> Finn: I get it, Steffy, okay? It's just...
this is not a simple decision. >> Steffy: I told him that.
I tried to explain. But I was completely caught
off guard. Thankfully, the judge and Liam took
Douglas out, so Hope, Thomas and I could talk.
>> Finn: How did Hope take it? >> Steffy: She was
beside herself. >> Finn: I bet.
>> Steffy: At first, she wanted me to say no,
but then she realized what this could do to Douglas,
how it'd make him feel. And as his mother,
she doesn't want to cause him any pain.
>> Finn: Even if that meant letting him go?
>> Steffy: She agreed to let Douglas decide. I'm not
saying she deserves this. She's devastated.
>> Finn: Well, I'm sure she was certain that he would
pick her. >> Steffy: I don't know why
he didn't. There must be a reason.
My gut says, "Trust that." But I needed to talk to you
first because this isn't just my decision.
So, what do you think?
I know it's a lot. Totally unexpected.
>> Finn: Look, Douglas is a great kid, and I hate that
he's having to make these grown up decisions,
and that his dad has put him in this awful position.
Again. But this--
this isn't about Douglas needing a place to stay, okay?
We would be putting ourselves and our family right in the
middle of his parents' drama. Steffy, we have been
through so much. And thankfully, we are okay.
We are healthy. We are secure. And I am incredibly grateful
for that. I was-- I was just telling my mom
how blessed I feel. And how you, Kelly and Hayes
are everything that I could have ever wanted.
>> Steffy: I feel the same way.
>> Finn: Well, I don't want anyone or anything
to disrupt that again. >> Steffy: So, you're saying
having Douglas here, that could disrupt things--
>> Finn: Uh, uh, uh, no-- Douglas, he is a sweet,
sweet little boy, and I love having him around, and I know
how much Kelly and Hayes love having him.
But he's not our son. And he's not alone in
the world. This-- this isn't... like when he lost his mom,
and Hope stepped up and adopted him.
Douglas has a stable home. All right? He has devoted
parents. And he has Thomas. He isn't a perfect father,
but Hope and Liam more than make up for that.
So tell me you understand, tell me you hear what
I'm saying. ♪♪
>> Hope: Why? Why did I listen to Thomas?
What-- what on Earth was I thinking?
>> Liam: Hey, I know-- I know hindsight is 20/20,
but you're talking about this as if it was a gamble.
It was not a gamble. Douglas told us he would
rather live with us and Beth. >> Hope: Oh, Beth.
How are we going to explain this to her? She
views Douglas as her brother. >> Liam: Yeah, and--
and Kelly is her half-sister. They don't live together,
but they couldn't possibly be any closer.
>> Hope: Except he won't be here.
Liam, you know it won't be the same. And Beth,
she is so attached to him. You know she's going to be
devastated if he leaves here again. It was already so hard,
having to explain to her why Douglas was over at
Eric's, and we had to keep reminding her that it was
just temporary, only this time,
it might not be. It feels like
our family's getting torn apart. >> Liam: Hey. Hope.
Can you look at me? Please, look at me.
Nothing is getting torn apart. Douglas could be on the moon
and he'd be just as connected to us.
That is-- that is family. That's what family means.
>> Hope: Beth and Douglas are children. And they need
to feel secure. They need to feel safe,
and they need to feel protected, and what have
we told them? We told them that harm would never
come to our family. >> Liam: We-- Harm will not
come to our-- That's not what this is. Wha--
This is us feeling unprepared. It was a surprise, right?
And there's a lot to sort through. That's-- that's all
this is. >> Hope: Yeah, well you heard
the judge. She wants us to go along with what Douglas asks.
>> Liam: Yeah, I know, but you-- you also know that
she knows this is more complicated than packing
a suitcase. >> Hope: Can't even think
about that. Going into his room
and not seeing him there. Not being able to hear him
reading Beth a bedtime story. No more new projects on
the table, or muddy shoes at the door.
Douglas going to live with Steffy just feels like
it's creating this giant hole, not only in our family,
but in my heart. >> Liam: I know.
♪♪
>> Steffy: I will never take you, our love, and our family
for granted... because honestly, I am--
I didn't really believe in-- in miracles, until today.
Seeing you there at the church.
Did you know that you were coming back to me
and our family? I love you.
>> Both: I love you. >> Finn: I love you so much,
Steffy. Forever. [ both murmuring ]
[ Steffy sighing ] >> Steffy: Kelly and Hayes
fell asleep watching a movie. They're in bed now.
>> Finn: I could have helped. >> Steffy: Oh, no. It was--
it was easy. I hear you regarding
the whole Douglas situation. I get it.
>> Finn: Look, and-- and I sympathize with Douglas,
having Thomas as a father. >> Steffy: I do believe
Thomas wants to do better. >> Finn: Hun, Douglas isn't
ready to give him that chance yet.
>> Steffy: I think that's one of the reasons Douglas
looks up to you. The compassion he feels.
You're the kind of man people look up to. Trust.
>> Finn: Well, I'm glad I can be that for him.
>> Steffy: Can't be surprised that he wants to spend time
with us. >> Finn: Yeah, but living
here, that's-- that's different.
>> Steffy: But we said he's always welcome.
>> Finn: And he is. It's just, Steffy,
we are not his parents. >> Steffy: But he can rely
on us. I-- I'm not saying he can't count on Hope, or--
or Liam. He can. And he loves them with all his heart.
And despite everything Thomas has done to mess up
their relationship, I know Douglas loves him too.
I just feel like it's a lot. Maybe he--
maybe he needs a break. >> Finn: Break?
>> Steffy: Yeah. Okay. What if Douglas lives with us
temporarily? He's a little boy, he's gonna miss his mom.
And once he gets it out of his system, he's gonna
want to go back home. So, what do you think?
Are you willing to open up our family to Douglas for
a little while? ♪♪
>> Finn: You wanna let Douglas stay for a while?
>> Steffy: I suggested it to Hope so Douglas
feels heard. Hey, once he realizes
he wants to go home, he can. We would have to meet with
the judge again to straighten everything out. Just,
Douglas is such a sweet, innocent little boy.
I don't want him to feel rejected or unwanted.
I'm not saying he's gonna live with us permanently.
We don't have to decide tonight. We can sit with it.
Think it over, and if you wanna meet with Thomas,
Hope, and Liam, we can. You have a big, loving,
generous heart. I know there's room in there
for Douglas, too.
♪♪ >> Hope: I get it, I get it.
Douglas doesn't want to be fought over.
>> Liam: I don't think it's that. I think it's more
that he doesn't want to hurt you or his dad.
>> Hope: All right, Liam, we're the adults here.
We're the ones who should be taking care of him.
He shouldn't be worrying about us.
>> Liam: I know, but... it's Douglas.
You know how he is. >> Hope: So what, he thinks
he'd just be happier living over at Steffy's,
and more secure? >> Liam: I, uh, well--
I, you know, he's been spending a lot of time over there.
Maybe he just feels comfortable. >> Hope: Liam,
this is his home. >> Liam: I'd-- Hope, I'm not--
I don't want him walking out that door any more than
you do. I'm just saying. >> Hope: Okay, so then
we shouldn't let it happen. >> Liam: No, no. We have
to let it happen. We have to. Because we promised him
we would respect his decision. We renege on that,
he's never gonna trust us again.
And you understand that. >> Hope: I understand that.
Doesn't mean I have to like it, or that makes it
any easier. >> Liam: I know, I know.
But think of it this-- May-- maybe, maybe Steffy's thought
here is-- is a good one, which is you think long term,
he comes over to her place, he has like a little
mini-vacation at Aunt Steffy's, it's like party time, right?
We see how he likes it. But he's still a kid.
And in a few weeks, he's gonna get homesick,
and he's gonna want to come back.
>> Hope: Only what if he doesn't?
What if he doesn't want to? What if he stays, Liam?
It could be just like the hearing all over again,
where we assume we know the outcome. And then,
it backfires. Like, Liam, uh-- Douglas is just as much
a part of me as Beth is, and I know I didn't give
birth to him, but I love him just as much. He is my child
in every way that counts, and...
I can't lose him. He's our son, and--
and I can't lose Douglas. I can't.
♪♪