Children
Kevin Lord Riley Buchanan
Father: Joe Riley
From Wikipedia: Kevin was played by Morgan K. Melis (1976–1981); Chris Cunningham (1981–1982); Jonathan Brandis (1982–1983); Ryan Janis (1983–1990); Mathew Vipond (1990–1991); Joey Thrower (1991–1992); Kirk Geiger (1992–1994); Jack Armstrong (1994–1995); Ken Kenitzer (1995); Kevin Stapleton (1996–1998); Timothy Gibbs (1998–2001); Dan Gauthier (2003–2010)
Written By: Nanci L.
Ever the precocious child, Kevin came into the world in a premature birth. His parents, Viki Joe Riley, were thrilled to learn Kevin did not suffer from the hereditary heart defect that plagued Megan, Joe's daughter with Cathy Craig. The first few weeks of Kevin's life were blissful for the Rileys. But that happiness did not last as Cathy, who had been slowly losing touch with reality, kidnapped baby Kevin. After many months of anguish, the Rileys had begun to lose hope when Cathy was found. Unfortunately, she had no memory of taking Kevin. Joe was sure his son was lost forever, but Viki refused to give up hope. Joe began drinking heavily and his marriage to Viki was in jeopardy. Eventually, Viki was reunited with her baby and soon she and Joe repaired the damage done to their relationship.
When Kevin was still a toddler, his father died of a massive brain tumor. A few years later, his mother remarried. Kevin and his younger brother Joey, were adopted by their stepfather, Clint Buchanan.
A teenaged Kevin got his first taste of young love when he met crime boss Carlo Hesser's neice, Stephanie Hobart. Hesser's hatred for Kevin's family made having a relationship difficult and Stephanie left town. Kevin soon found himself in the arms of his friend, Lee Ann Demerest. Friendship gave way to passion and Kevin lost his virginity to the older woman. Lee Ann however, still had feelings for old flame, Max Holden. Kevin proposed to Lee Ann several times to keep her from Max, but each time, she refused. Later, when Lee Ann became pregnant, not knowing if Kevin or Max was the baby's father, she accepted Kevin's offer to "do the right thing" and the two eloped. The new Mrs. Buchanan was growing more and more attracted to the new rebel in town, Jason Webb. Lee Ann gave birth to Kevin's son, Demerest "Duke" Buchanan, but couldn't deny her feelings for Jason. When Kevin found them together, he filed for divorce and won custody of Duke. Desperate to keep her son, Lee Ann fled town with Jason and the baby. Kevin turned to his friend Rachel Gannon, and by the time Duke was returned, his relationship with Rachel had taken a turn for the serious.
Kevin allowed Lee Ann partial custody of Duke. She moved home to Texas with the toddler in tow. Kevin continued to focus on his relationship with Rachel and his studies at Llanview University. He joined the Kappa Alpha Delta fraternity and moved into their house on campus. During the frat's "Spring Fling" party, Kevin noticed Marty Saybrooke drinking out of control. When she refused to let him drive her home, he took her to his room and left her to sleep it off. While in the room, Marty was brutally gang raped by frat brothers Todd Manning, Zach Rosen and a reluctant Powell Lord, Viki's cousin. Marty was unable to fully remember the events of that night and accused Kevin along with the three for her rape. Eventually, with the help of Nora Gannon, Kevin was exonerated and the guilty three were jailed. Kevin and Rachel realized the wanted different things from life and broke up.
When Viki was at her lowest point of suffering from DID, it was Kevin who first realized the depth of his mother's illness. Ever since he was a baby and she promised never to let go of him again, Kevin and his mother have shared a serious bond. Kevin, along with Clint, and his siblings, helped Viki fight and win her battle with DID.
Carlo Hesser sought revenge on Viki for her role in the death of his son, Johnny Dee. A son for a son was his plan as he forced Dr. Elliot Durbin to program Viki to kill Kevin. Viki's loving bond with her son proved stronger than the implanted suggestion and she could not bring herself to kill her son.
Kevin joined the Banner staff as an investigative reporter. He began a playful, flirtatious and competitive relationship with fellow reporter Cassie Callison Carpenter. Kevin fell hard for his coworker and pursued her relentlessly. While in Rio, investigating Carlo Hesser's "death," Cassie, who was attracted to Kevin, swore to never be unfaithful to husband Andrew. Kevin seemed to accept this and upon returning to Llanview, Cassie was jealous when he began an affair with Tea Delgado. Andrew forced Cassie to choose between himself and Kevin and she ran into Kevin's arms. Andrew divorced Cassie and took custody of their son, River. Kevin and Cassie were married. After a brief time of happiness, Cassie broke with reality after learning of Kevin's one night stand with Barbara Graham. Cassie's mother, Dorian, had Cassie hospitalized in Switzerland and her marriage to Kevin annulled.
Still "grieving" for Cassie, Kevin threw himself into his work. After the death of Mel Hayes, Kevin began working on Mel's last story with an informant known only as "Hamlet." Little did he know that "Hamlet" was actually Ben Davidson, the man with whom his mother was falling in love. Kevin and Ben got to know and trust each other while working together to rescue Viki from Hugo Monroe, a mob kingpin who was out to get Ben. Kevin found love again with Ben's sister, Grace, but once again happiness was short lived as Grace's life was cut short when she got in the middle of Kevin's grandfather Asa's vendetta against her brothers.
After Grace's death Kevin sought solace in alcohol for a short period. Kelly Cramer, Grace's best friend was also devastated at loosing Grace and the two found themselves growing closer as they tried to console each other. Gradually Kevin and Kelly found themselves strongly attracted to his brother Joey's fiance. Kevin confided in his mother who suggested that they be honest with each other. However both he and Kelly continued to deny their feelings. Eventually, Kevin pushed Kelly away in a very hurtful manner.
When Viki was diagnosed with breast cancer, it was Kevin she confided in, as she and Ben had become estranged. Kevin helped his mother fight and win her battle with cancer and find her way back into Ben's arms. On the very day he finally planned to heed his mother advice regarding his feelings for Kelly and tell her the truth, Joey and Kelly arrived in her hospital room to announce that they had eloped. Eventually Kelly confessed her feelings for Kevin to her husband. This revelation has caused a major rift between the two brothers who had always been each other's best friend.
Throughout his life, Kevin's relationship with his mother has been his one constant. They've always been close and held a tight bond of love, which has also become a bond of friendship.
Joseph Francis Riley Buchanan
Father: Joe Riley
Per Wikipedia: Joey Buchanan was played by Ryan Morris (1980–1985); John Paul Learn (1985–1990); Chris McKenna (1990–1993); Nathan Fillion (1994–1997, 2007); Don Jeffcoat (1997–2001); Bruce Michael Hall (2003–2004); Tom Degnan (2010–2011)
Written by: Lori L.
Shortly after his father's death, Joseph Francis Riley, Jr., his debut into the world. Though she was a fiercely loving mother to Kevin, Viki held a special closeness with her younger son.
>Maybe it was the fact that he'd never known his father, or maybe it was the fact that Joey was simply a very sensitive child but he held a special place in his mother's heart. The two spent much time together when as a young child, he suffered from asthma. When his widowed mother remarried, Joey and his brother Kevin were adopted by their stepfather, Clint Buchanan.
Teenaged Joey found himself in the midst of controversy when his friend, Billy Douglas, opened up that he was gay. Joey and Reverend Andrew Carpenter became confidants to Billy and helped him through his time of turmoil. This caused problems for Joey at home. As Clint battled his own demons and homophobia, his angry outbursts put a strain on his relationship with his son and his already troubled marriage. Viki stood by her son and was proud of him for standing up for his friend.
After returning home from studying in Italy, Joey took a summer job as a handyman for Dorian. Dorian found the perfect way to get revenge on her arch-rival Viki ... she'd seduce her son. Though, what Dorian never counted on was falling in love with Joey. Viki turned the tables, though. When suffering her final battle with DID, one of Viki's alters kidnapped Dorian, forcing her to break up with "her Joe" and marry con-man, David Vickers. Joey was heartbroken over Dorian's change of heart. But he soon found himself attracted to schoolmate Kelly Cramer, Dorian's neice! Kelly tried subtle games and manipulations to win Joey's heart, but he refused to be used again. However, he soon realized his feelings for Kelly were real and he rescued her from a fire aboard Dorian's yacht, where she'd been being held by David Vickers. Joey and Kelly left for Paris, where they embarked on a passionate affair. They returned to Llanview and moved in together. After a while, photographer Joey decided to move to Paris. When Kelly, under Dorian's influence, decided not to join him, he broke up with her by mail.
Joey returned from Paris determined to win back Kelly's heart. Kelly was in a new and exciting relationship with the wealthy Ian Armitage. Eventually, Ian persuaded Kelly to marry him, but before they could be wed, he was killed in a plane crash. Kelly later fell in love with and became engaged to Joey's cousin, Drew Buchanan. When Drew was killed in the line of duty, Kelly swore off love and romance. She embarked on a no strings relationship with Max Holden. Knowing she was in love with Joey, but still fearing love, Kelly agreed to marry Max. She left him at the altar when she realized she didn't want to be without Joey. Joey was devastated that Kelly was marrying Max, and spend her wedding night getting drunk at Crossroads, where he slept with Sophia Pelligrino. Sophia had set her sights on Joey after meeting Viki in the bar, where she came to see Ben. The following day, after searching for him all night, Kelly found Joey and told him that she couldn't marry Max because she loved him.
Sensitive Joey was hit hard by the news that his mother had cancer. He decided it was time to hold on to the important things in life and asked Kelly to marry him, right away. Kelly, who had been growing closer to Kevin since the death of his fiancee, her best friend Grace, sought refuge from her feelings and agreed to marry him. On the eve of Viki's mastectomy, Joey and Kelly eloped. Joey was completely in the dark about the attraction between his brother and his wife until a guilt-ridden Kelly confessed her feelings to her husband.
Joey sought solace from this betrayal and found it in his mother's recovery. No matter where Joey ends up in his romantic life, his relationship with his mother remains. The bond they share has given him strength and taught him the power of love.
While spending time in Europe, Joey came to a point in his life where he was searching for a higher calling. He felt led to enter the divinty school. In his final year, his step-brother, Andrew Carpenter, arranged for Joey to return to Llanview for an internship of sorts. He is now a Curate at St. James.
Jessica Eugenia Buchanan
Father: Clint Buchanan
Per Wikipedia: Jessica was played by Erin Torpey (1990–2003); Magdalena Andersson (1998); Bree Williamson (2003–12); Deanna DeVestern (young); Nadine Jacobson (2008 flashbacks)
After divorcing Clint during an early battle with DID, a healthy Viki agreed to remarry him. On the morning of their second wedding, Viki stunned Clint with the news that he was pregnant. Clint had adopted both Kevin & Joey, but the couple was thrilled to be having their first child together, a child who, at the time, Clint thought was his only natural child.
Clint's first love, Maria Roberts, came to town with their son Cordero. Wanting Clint to herself, Maria brought Tom Dennison to town. Tom was the spitting image of Viki's first husband, Kevin & Joey's father, Joe Riley, and Maria thought he could drive a wedge between Clint and Viki. Realizing that Tom could be Joe's long lost brother, Viki took him to look at some of Joe's old papers. Moved, and also upset by one of Joe's old love letters, Viki went into labor. Fighting a blinding storm, Tom rushed Viki to the hospital, where Jessica Ann Buchanan was born.
Happiness was short lived as Allison Perkins had been programmed by late cult leader, Mitch Laurence, to kidnap Viki's baby and make it look as if Niki Smith had done it. Maria discovered Allison's scheme and helped it along so that Clint suspected Viki had turned back into Niki and taken their baby. Viki was furious at Clint's lack of faith and once again, they split up. By the
time Maria convinced Allison to bring Jessica home, Viki and Clint's second marriage appeared to be over.
Eventually, the Buchanans found their way back to each other. Jessica was the apple of her parents eyes. A bright and precocious child, the beautiful little girl enjoyed a happy childhood. Jessica grew up close to all three of her brothers, and for an all too brief time, she shared a strong bond with her sister, Megan Gordon.
Lighting candles with her then sister in law, LeeAnn on halloween, a young Jessica accidentally burned down Llanfair. Both Jessica and LeeAnn escaped injury in the fire.
Viki saw the first signs of rebellion in her little girl when she divorced Clint and fell in love with General Sloan Carpenter. Jessica wanted no part of Sloan and was determined for her parents to get back together. Eventually, Jessica realized how much Sloan loved her mother, and she him, and she grew to accept and respect his place in Viki's life.
Jessica bonded with Marty Saybrooke, a young woman Viki had befriended. One night, while driving with Jessica and her cousins CJ and Sarah, Marty's car was involved in an accident with the police cruiser taking Todd Manning to Statesville, puting Marty, Jessica and the children in grave danger. Todd, in an uncharacteristic show of heroism, rescued them. Later, when it was revealed that he was her uncle, Jessica and Todd grew close, a very unlikely relationship for Todd.
Now in high school, Jessica met Cristian Vega, a schoolmate from Angels' Square. The two formed a friendship that grew into Jessica's first love. During her final battle with DID, one of Viki's alters, Tori, set fire to Llanfair with Jessica inside! Viki was able to re-emerge long enough to save Jessica, but once again, Viki's family home went up in flames.
Still reveling in the wonder of young love, Jessica made a stand and decided not to sleep with boyfriend, Cristian. She confided her feelings to her mother. Viki and Jessica's relationship has always been a close one. They share a strong and loving bond, uncommon to daytime. Jessica grew up with her mother's trust and respect, as well as her love and guidance, making her a bright, strong, independent young woman.
After seeing the closeness between Cristian and his childhood friend Roseanne Delgado, an upset Jessica turned to her new friend, Will Rappaport. Comiserating over their parents' quickie marriage, (Clint had married Will's mother, Lindsay) the teens got drunk and spent the night together in Asa's lodge. Hurt, mixed with alcohol, lead to Jessica giving up her plan to wait to have sex. She and Will soon discovered they were going to be parents. Jessica struggled with whether or not to give the baby up for adoption. Viki held her peace until Jessica made her own decision. She was thrilled when her daughter chose to keep her baby. During her pregnancy, Jessica grew close to the new man in her mother's life, Ben Davidson. She and Will learned their baby was a girl and decided to name her Megan Victoria. Jessica and Cristian reconciled and decided to marry and raise the baby together.
At their engagement party, thrown by Ben and Viki at Crossroads, Will and Cris came to blows and Jessica ran out. Alone, by the side of the road, Jessica doubled over in pain, she didn't notice the car coming at her. The driver, Dorian, hit Jessica and fled the scene.
Jessica lost the baby and her memory. She no longer remembered Cristian or their engagement. She and Will left town together to work through the grief of losing Megan. Eventually, she remembered Cristian, but she and Will had fallen in love.
Jessica lost the baby and her memory. She no longer remembered Cristian or their engagement. She and Will left town together to work through the grief of losing Megan. Eventually, she remembered Cristian, but she and Will had fallen in love.
She was torn between the two young men. Once again, she turned to her mother, who supported her through going on the run with both boys after Asa falsely accused Will of embezzlement.Jessica will undoubtedly go through many more adventures in her lifetime. One thing remains certain, she'll always be able to depend on her mother to love and support her and help her make her own way through life.
Soaps In Depth invited Erin Torpey's on-screen folks to reflect on the starlet's 10 years in Llanview. Here is what Erika had to say: "It has been my privilege and pleasure to have been Erin's 'mother' all these years. She was adorable, sweet and naive when she started here, and I'm happy to say she is still that. She never became a show business brat, and that is to her mother and father's credit. I love her like my own, and she knows it."
Megan Gordon Harrison
Father: Roger Gordan
Per Wikipedia: Megan was played by Jessica Tuck, 188-1992, 1993, 1994, 2004, 2012
Written By: Lori L.
After a stunning discovery that as a teenager she had married Roger Gordon, she was further stunned to learn that they had had a child together. She soon realized that she already knew Roger's two daughters and that one of them was her daughter as well. Sarah had come to town as a firm, but kind and gentle therapist who helped Clint deal with a temporary blindness. Sarah fell in love with Clint's brother, Bo and Viki had a soft place in her heart for the young woman. Could it be her? Sarah's sister, spoiled soap star Megan came to town with her show, Fraternity Row. Megan had a huge ego, and she and Viki clashed from the moment they met. Could it be her?
Viki discovered that her father had hired Roger's father to help him build Eterna, the perfect utopian society. Eterna was an underground city deep inside Llantano Mountain. Together, along with Michael Grande and Leo Cromwell, they searched for Eterna. Alone in Eterna, Roger confessed to Viki how they met as teens and that they had made love. One day, the entrance to Eterna exploded. Viki, seeing this and believing Roger had died, once again turned into Niki Smith. Niki gave birth to Roger's daughter and Victor hypnotized his daughter to forget both Roger and the child. Victor then paid Roger to leave town with the baby. Viki had found her daughter, but was shocked to realize that this young woman that she'd had such an adversarial relationship with, Megan, was her daughter.
Viki and Megan soon worked out their differences and developed a strong relationship, one of love and respect.After, Viki watched in horror as Megan was asked to assume a dual role on Fraternity Row. She would play her regular character, the straitlaced "Roxanne" and Roxanne's very wild twin sister, "Ruby Bright." Viki immediately saw that there were parallels to Ruby and Niki Smith and she was frightened for her daughter. But Megan rose to the challenge, even winning an Outstanding Actress award for the role.
After a brief fling with Max Holden, Megan found her true love, Jake Harrision. After freeing himself from a loveless marriage to Carlo Hesser's daughter Charlotte, Jake and Megan were finally married. They had a beautiful ceremony at St. James, where they planted a tree as a symbol of their union, on the lawn.
Megan, the celebrity, and the very independent Jake had their share of trouble as Jake fought to be the financial support for their family. Jake took a high paying job that took him far away from Llanview. Throughout their troubles, Megan leaned on her mother.
Megan and Jake had a storybook romance, and most stories end in tragedy. Soon, it was discovered that Megan had contracted Lupus. Megan was determined not to let the disease take control of her life. Jake was on the other side of the world, and Megan was depressed at the thought of the debilitating disease she was facing. Megan was hospitalized with kidney failure and found herself befriending fellow lupus patient, Marty Saybrooke. Marty's condition was different from Megan's, though serious it was controllable. Megan's only chance for survival was now a kidney transplant, and Viki decided to donate one of hers. The transplant didn't take and Larry informed Viki that her daughter was dying. Viki was determined to keep her daughter alive, at least until Jake could be located and brought home. While her family sat by her bedside and gave her hope with stories of their lives and loves, Andrew went to Jaba City to find Megan's husband. Andrew himself loved Megan, but he set aside his own feelings, knowing that Jake was the one thing Megan needed.
Megan knew that the end was near and asked her mother to tell her about Jake, she wanted to die hearing his name. Viki held her daughters hand and began to comply to her wishes as the door to Megan's hospital room opened.
Jake took his mother-in-law's place at Megan's side and they spent her last hours together. Jake only left Megan's side to allow his wife and Andrew to share a tearful good-bye. Jake, sensing that Megan wasn't going to hang on much longer, scooped his wife up in his arms and took her to the window. She looked out and saw the snow falling on the paper valentines hanging on their wedding tree, which Jake had transplanted so she could see it. Megan's heart was filled with love and a smile spread across her face as she succumbed to the ravages of her illness and died in Jake's arms.
Viki had less time with her eldest daughter than she's had with her other children, but they had true bond of love. Megan continues to be a very real part of Viki's life.
Head Writer Michael Malone knew why it would work – why, indeed, it was one of OLTL's great moment. “There is no more poignant story,” he said a year after the episode aired, “than the death of a young woman.” It has been every thus, from Juliet and Madames Bovary and Butterfly; right down to La Dame aux Camellia. Megan Gordon Harrison's death was foretold even before Malone began writing the show. “It was the first thing that I ever talked to Linda Gottlieb, OLTL's Executive Producer about.” Jessica Tuck was determined to leave the show, so Gottlieb and Malone planned the grandest send-off of them all. Although Tuck, herself, would have preferred AIDS, lupus was chosen as Megan's illness, as it provided, in Malone's words, “many psychological symptoms that give play for drama.” Megan went into the hospital for a kidney transplant (Viki was the donor), but her body rejected the organ. To keep her from slipping into a coma, friends and family gathered at her bedside, recalling good times and bad from their – and the show's – history. Ultimately, of course, all efforts failed, and on February 7, Megan slipped from this vale of tears, cradled in the arms of her husband, Jake.“Oh, I cried my eyes out,” Malone later said. “I cried reading the scripts, I cried at the screening. Jessica Tuck did an extraordinary job.”
Natalie Balsom Buchanan
Father: Clint Buchanan
Per Wikipedia: Natalie was played by Melissa Archer, 2001 - 2013
Source Wikipedia
Natalie Balsom and Seth Anderson appear in Llanview in July 2001, befriending Jessica Buchanan. Natalie later claims to be Clint and Viki's daughter; a DNA test confirms this. In 1986, Allison Perkins had kidnapped Natalie and replaced her with Jessica. Natalie and Jessica form a sisterly friendship, but when Natalie discovers that Jessica is in a romantic relationship with Seth, their feud resurfaces. A DNA test later proves that Jessica is also Viki's daughter. Mitch Laurence had raped a drugged Viki while she was pregnant with Natalie. Viki was unknowingly pregnant with fraternal twins. Dr. Walter Balsom, who had been in Mitch's cult, had stolen Jessica during delivery. Viki thought she had one child, and Mitch later sent Allison to kidnap Clint's child to swap Natalie for Jessica.
After settling in town, Natalie meets Jessica's ex-boyfriend, Cristian Vega. Viki's alternate personality, Niki Smith, returns in 2002 and pushes Ben Davidson, out of a window. He is left in a coma and Niki sees to it that Natalie takes the blame. Cristian is the only person to believe Natalie's innocence and takes it upon himself to find the real culprit. When Natalie is cleared, they begin a relationship.
Natalie and Cristian marry in 2003 and fly to Las Vegas so that Natalie can compete in a pool tournament. Antonio Vega (Cristian's brother) and Jessica go along to support them. Things go awry when Natalie is kidnapped by Walker Flynn, the brother of Mitch Laurence. John McBain, Antonio, and Cristian go to retrieve Natalie, but Cristian is caught by Flynn. Cristian takes Natalie's place and Flynn takes Cristian hostage. He is later presumed dead.
Natalie blames John for Cristian's death. John stays in Llanview to pursue the Music Box Killer. Natalie eventually forgives John and they become friends. John reveals that his first love, Caitlin Fitzgerald, was killed and he later learns that the Music Box Killer had also killed her under a different pseudonym. Natalie is distraught by the loss of Cristian and gets into a self-destructive relationship with Paul Cramer. John, mistakenly believing that Paul has slept with Natalie, indulges in flirtations with Evangeline Williamson and they began a physical relationship. This shakes Natalie and she ends things with Paul, but John tells her that he and Evangeline are no longer just casual. Natalie accepts this, but is heartbroken. Paul stalks Natalie, tries to rape her, and eventually is murdered. John breaks the law to make sure Natalie is cleared of the crime. Cristian returns in 2004 with no memories and is believed to be an impostor. He kills mobster Tico Santi and confesses to the murder, but later learns that he was brainwashed. He makes John swear not to reveal his true identity to spare his family from watching him go to prison. In 2005, Evangeline appeals his conviction, proving that he had been fooled into killing Tico, and Cristian is released. Furious over the deception, Natalie ends her relationship with John and asks Cristian for a divorce.
John and Natalie later reunite. When Natalie compromises evidence in the investigation into the murder of Spencer Truman to protect John, it affects their already struggling relationship. Natalie tells John that they should breakup. Natalie also quits her job at the police department and begins working for Buchanan Enterprises.
Natalie later meets Jared Banks and begins to fall for him, but is still upset when she sees John kissing Marty Saybrooke. John tells Natalie that he wants things to be right between them. They agree to still be friends and play pool together with John remarking, "Some of the best moments in my life involved this pool table." Natalie and Jared grow closer, but Jared is claiming to be the long lost son of Asa Buchanan. Believing that Jared is her uncle, Natalie is devastated. Jared reveals that he lied and they resume their romance. They hide the fact that David Vickers is the actual heir, but Dorian Lord exposes the secret. This causes a fight which results in the death of Jessica's husband, Nash Brennan.
Natalie and Jared get married in secret. Later, a stalker begins targeting Jessica, Natalie, and Jared. John is assigned the case after Jared is attacked and he begins to suspect that Jared is the one behind the stalking. Jared denies this, but John aggressively pursues Jared to keep Natalie safe. John is quick to believe that Jared is guilty. Natalie throws John off Jared's tracks so she can find out what really happened, and all is revealed when Mitch Laurence reappears. He confesses to having blackmailed Jared and holds a gun on him, Natalie, and Jessica. John and Brody arrive, but Mitch shoots Jared before surrendering. Jared dies and Natalie again blames John for not having listened to her about Jared. John is supportive of Natalie and, at Jared's funeral, comforts her when Mitch pops out of the coffin. Natalie learns that Mitch will not be charged for Jared's murder, and, in a mad rage, she stabs him. John sabotages the evidence of the attack, making it appear as though Mitch stabbed himself.
Later, Roxy convinces Natalie to write John a letter telling him how she feels. Natalie goes to see John, but sees Marty and John kissing and wrongfully believes that John chose Marty when John and Marty were actually saying goodbye. Natalie goes to see Brody, who is upset over Jessica believing that she is still in love with Cristian. They drink too much and end up having sex. Natalie tries to leave Llanview, but John goes after her. They reunite, but she keeps her one night stand with Brody a secret. Natalie and John consummate their reunion and a few weeks later, she discovers she is pregnant. Afraid that she will lose John, she keeps her affair with Brody a secret. Months later, a paternity test names Brody as the father of Natalie’s baby. Marty, who is bitter that John chose Natalie, begins to stalk her.
John proposes to Natalie. Natalie decides against telling John about the paternity test for fear that she would lose him. Later, Natalie holds Marty at gunpoint at the family cabin, but goes into labor. Marty delivers Natalie's baby and John arrives afterwards. John and Natalie name the baby Liam Asa McBain. John decides that he wants to get married, along with Brody and Jessica, on Valentine's Day, but the day is ruined when the truth about the paternity tests is revealed. John leaves Natalie. Brody and Natalie become closer, but Natalie discovers that Liam really is John's son and that Marty altered the paternity results. To keep the truth concealed, Marty pushes Natalie off a roof. The fall causes memory loss and Natalie does not remember that John is Liam's father. After sharing a kiss with John, she asks him for another chance, but John tells her that he has to respect that Brody is Liam's father and John can't just raise him as his own. Brody later finds out that Liam is not his son and keeps this from Natalie. Thinking that John does not love her, she accepts Brody's marriage proposal. Tina Lord discovers the paternity test and brings it to the wedding. Natalie cancels the wedding. John, who couldn't bear to see Natalie marry another man, had resigned from the police department and was headed to Seattle, but Natalie races to the airport to tell him the news.
Mitch Laurence escapes from prison and kidnaps Natalie and Jessica. John arrives to rescue them, but Natalie shoots and kills Mitch in self-defense. These events result in Natalie and John deciding to give their relationship another chance.
