1997:

Returning from a trip to New York City, TransGlobal Flight #149 crashes and leaves only a few survivors - Brooke, Jim, Edmund and Maddie. Brooke desperately tries to save Maria's life but Maria chooses to have Maddie saved instead. Maria then falls over a cliff, still trapped in the plane, but her body is never recovered. Brooke and Mateo pressure the NTSB and the airline for answers about the plane crash and vow to find out the truth. Jim Thomasen helps Brooke through their ordeal of the plane crash, but Brooke is unaware that he is Laura's worst nightmare.

Maria's memorial service is held. Edmund blames Brooke for Maria's death, which is a crushing blow to Brooke. The guilt of not being able to save Maria eats away at her and Edmunds anger at her only makes her feel more responsible.

Brooke is finally able to come to terms with her feelings of guilt over the crash of Flight 149. TransGlobal flights are grounded. An employee blames Adam for TransGlobal's problems and later Adam feels he is responsible for the deaths on Flight 149. As he battles his conscience, he learns that Liza was aboard a TransGlobal flight that had to make an emergency landing.

Years earlier, a desperate Laura had posed for lewd photos and Jim had been the photographer. Laura tells Jim that she only posed for the pictures because she needed the money for her mother. Tim Dillon tells Laura that her pictures are on the internet.

Brooke vows to use all of her resources to find the man who took Laura's pictures.

Ricky returns to town and asks Jim for more money. Jim tells Ricky that he only wants Brooke's money as Brooke distances herself from him. Jim threatens to break off his fling with Brooke. Brooke and Jim grow increasingly closer with Brooke becoming dangerously dependent on him.

Ricky kidnaps Laura, the man she had posed with in the pictures. An anonymous caller tips Brooke off and she finds Laura's nude pictures. Brooke receives a ransom note demanding that she not notify the police. Brooke decides not to call the police and tells Jim that she will get the money and make the drop herself. Jim saves Brooke from Ricky and chases after him. Hero Jim brings Laura home to Brooke, but later it is revealed that he was in on the kidnapping. Laura tells Brooke about how she knew Ricky from the photo shoot and the reason she posed for the pictures.

Alone, Laura and Jim declare a truce as they decided to keep their secret to themselves. Jim thanks Ricky for making him look like a hero again and they split half of the ransom money. Ricky vows to tell Brooke everything if Jim does not hand over some more money. Jim settles his business with Ricky, who later collapses from a drug overdose.

Derek phones Brooke and asks if Laura can identify Ricky, who has been brought into the emergency room. Laura identifies Ricky as her kidnapper, but he then dies. Derek questions Laura about Ricky, who Derek says may have been killed.

Brooke opens up and tells Jim that he is the only man she wants in her life. Jim plots to get Laura to leave Pine Valley so that she'll offer no interference in his relationship with Brooke.

Adam offers Tempo to Brooke, who will only accept the offer if she can share it with Edmund and Jim. Alone, Edmund suggests that Brooke find out more about Jim before co-owning Tempo with him.

1998:

Brooke finds a suitcase in Jim's closet that matches the one said to have carried plastic explosives on Flight 149. Brooke confronts Jim about his suitcase.

Jim makes up a story about a loan shark wanting him dead and that the loan shark planted the bomb in his suitcase. Brooke wants to believe him, but she has her doubts and sends Mateo out to dig up dirt on her boyfriend.

Jim catches Mateo and Hayley poking around a New York bar asking questions about him. He has a crony send them to a vacant lot so that they can be silenced, but the couple eludes the thugs sent after them.

Phoebe becomes suspicious of Jim and asks Edmund for his thoughts on Jim.

Jim confronts Brooke about squealing on him, but she silences him by accepting his proposal.

Jim visits Mateo and Hayley's apartment and plants a bug. He overhears them planning to continue their investigation into his past and decides that they need to be silenced once and for all. Mateo and Hayley are nearly killed by carbon monoxide gas, but Edmund's arrival forces Jim to help rescue the couple. Hayley pulls through, but Mateo slips into a coma. Mateo starts to have visions of Hayley in danger, visions that will soon begin to come true.

Dimitri finds evidence that virtually proves Jim was the one who brought down Flight 149. The shady character had been a suspect in an arson case in New Jersey where explosives matching those aboard Flight 149 had also been found.

Joe tells Hayley that Mateo might remain comatose for the rest of his life. Mateo is then discharged from the hospital and sent to Chandler Mansion for care.

Edmund pays a visit to one of Jim's cronies and learns that Jim had dabbled in explosives once before. Jim catches up to Edmund, clobbers him, and locks him in a dank room at an undisclosed location. Jim later pressures Brooke into moving up the wedding date.

Brooke finds papers that show that Jim has taken an insurance policy out on her and Edmund's lives. Jim handcuffs Edmund in an underground storm sewer so that the incoming tide will cause him to drown. Edmund manages to free one hand, but is easily overpowered by Jim. Dimitri tracks Jim and overtakes him.

Phoebe is sent to Juanita Ramsey's house so that she'll be out of Jim's reach. Tad comes face to face with the Mike Roy look-alike and gets a hint as to Edmund's possible whereabouts.

In the viaduct, Edmund and Dimitri find themselves in serious trouble as a storm sends seawater into the chamber.

Brooke lures Jim to Stuarts gallery and confronts him with an "exhibit" of his pornographic photos.

Dimitri frees Edmund from the aqueduct. Tad rescues the two men. Mateo speaks Brooke's name and is able to "see" Brooke while shes with Jim. Brooke confronts Jim at the gallery with a gun. Jim taunts her and says shes not woman enough to pull the trigger. As he turns to leave he tells her he is going after Jamie. She shoots him in the back. Dimitri rushes to the gallery as Brooke holds the gun that killed Jim. Brooke confesses to PVPD.

Faced with a murder trial she might not win, Brooke goes on the run with Jamie, but Tad is able to convince her to return to Pine Valley. Brooke goes on trial for murder and her future looks bleak. With some secret maneuvering from Tad, however, Trevor and Belinda are able to paint Jim as a child pornographer and Brooke is acquitted.

During the trial Brooke and Dimitri grow closer, much to Edmunds chagrin. The two brothers stand by her throughout her trial. She and Dimitri decide to remain just friends.