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Babe was rushed to the hospital, where Krystal and JR gleefully told the
unconscious Babe that she had given birth to a healthy baby girl. Paul
soon visited Babe and confirmed Krystal and JR's assurances --she had a
baby girl. Babe, with a hazy memory of the birth thanks to her infection
and Paul's drugs, believed this. Krystal privately worried that Babe's
baby had died and Bess was really Miranda, a situation that Paul surely
created. Krystal's boyfriend Tad Martin shared her suspicions, and
performed a covert DNA test to get the truth. Krystal, fearful that her
instinct was correct and wanting to prevent Babe the pain of losing a
child, switched the result labels. When the results were read and Bess was
proven to be Babe's daughter, it confirmed for Krystal that Bess was
Miranda. Krystal kept the truth from Babe.
Krystal managed to get the annulment from Paul finalized. Babe suggested
to JR that they renew their vows at Bess's christening, which would mean
that Babe would be legally married to JR. A vindictive Liza Colby revealed
to JR that Babe had lied about her annulment to Paul and that it had only
been recently processed. Unbeknownst to Babe, JR was furious and decided
to raise Bess by himself. Realizing the best way to do this was to marry
Babe (and then prove her an unfit mother), JR kept his true feelings
hidden and agreed to renew his vows (and legally marry) Babe.
Babe eventually realized her son had died and that she had Miranda. Torn,
Babe feared telling JR the truth, knowing that the loss of his beloved
Bess and his unborn son would be devastating. Her love for JR was so great
that she chose him over Bianca. Ironically, Babe didn't realize that JR
was plotting against her to get Bess for himself. Babe made Bianca Bess's
godmother, and told Bianca that she would always be a huge part of Bess's
life. According to Babe, Bianca would be Bess's mother, just as much as
Babe was. Bianca was touched at the generous gesture of her friend, while
Babe drowned in her own guilt, resolute in her determination not to hurt
her beloved husband.
David Hayward soon discovered the truth about Miranda and threatened to
tell the authorities. Krystal, in a desperate attempt to buy time to leave
town, told David that he couldn't turn them in to the cops, because Babe
was his daughter. To quiet Krystal, David agreed to a DNA test with Babe.
Krystal told Babe she lied to David, and made plans to leave town, urging
Babe to deny any knowledge that Bess was Miranda. Babe and Krystal were
shocked when David came back with the results that proved that Babe truly
was his daughter. Years ago, Krystal and David had a drunken one night
stand at a party, and the result was Babe. David cared for Bianca and
wanted Miranda with her, but felt he was given a second chance to be a
parent (his infant daughter died the previous year). He didn't turn Babe
over to the police.
In an effort to get Babe to sleep with Jamie as fodder for sole custody of
Bess, JR drugged Babe's drink one night in hopes of lowering her
inhibitions. Babe ended up overdosing, and nearly died. David tried to
convince Babe that JR drugged her, but Babe refused to believe it. She
loved JR, and couldn't believe that he would hurt her. It would have made
keeping the truth from Bianca all in vein, something Babe couldn't face.
Babe and David began growing closer, but clashed as he was determined to
prove JR's true colors.
Jamie was also determined to prove that JR was trying to harm Babe.
Despite her protests, Babe was touched by Jamie's devotion and concern.
When Jamie was stabbed after trying to get information from JR's possible
drug dealer, Babe began to realize that maybe her husband did hate her.
She confided in Bianca, and they set up a scheme to test JR's true
feelings. They made it appear as if they were having an affair, which JR
discovered. JR reacted gleefully, telling Babe he hated her and would use
her extramarital affair to gain custody of Bess. With no reason to keep
Miranda from Bianca, Babe prepared to tell her the truth when David told
her that JR had whisked Bess away to a secret location. To tell Bianca the
truth while Bess was away would risk JR fleeing with the baby, never to be
found again.
Tad and David eventually found Bess, and Babe gathered her strength to
tell Bianca everything. She got lost in a storm and ended up in Llanview,
where she encountered Kevin Buchanan (ex-husband of Kelly Cramer) and his
son Ace. Babe felt an instant, maternal connection to the boy. Talking
with Kevin, she learned of Ace's connection to Paul and became convinced
that Ace was her son. Rushing home to Pine Valley, Babe shocked everyone
when she said she wanted to reconcile with JR, for Bess's sake. Later,
Babe privately confided to David and Krystal that she suspected that Ace
was her son, stolen by Paul Cramer at birth. Babe wanted to reclaim her
son and give Miranda back, but David warned her that to do that, she would
only be incriminating herself and would end up losing Ace. David did a
covert DNA test on Ace, which proved that he was Babe's son, but it also
confirmed that JR was the father. David told Babe that he would think of a
plan that would allow Babe to have her son, get Miranda back to Bianca all
while not incriminating anyone but Paul.
Jamie became suspicious of Babe's sudden decision to reconcile with JR.
Knowing that her change of heart came while she was in Llanview, Jamie did
some digging, and slowly put the pieces together about the baby switch.
Jamie confronted Babe, who admitted everything, including her desire to
return Miranda to Bianca. Jamie surprised her by telling her he understood
and suggested that they kidnap Ace and go on the run. Babe agreed to the
idea, touched by Jamie's support. The two grew closer.
JR was also suspicious of Babe's change of heart, and doctored a security
tape that made it appear as if Babe and Jamie had tried to pay off someone
to kill JR. JR threatened to turn the tape over to the cops and send Jamie
to jail unless Babe signed over custody of Bess. Babe signed away Bess as
she made her preparations to leave town and tell Bianca the truth. Bianca
questioned Babe's decision to give up custody, but Babe assured her friend
that everything would make sense in the end and that Bianca would always
be part of Bess's life.
Babe and Jamie left for Llanview, where they kidnapped Ace. They began a
life on the run, adopting the names Brad and Kate Anderson. Babe renamed
Ace, calling him James, after Jamie. Babe believed Jamie should have been
Ace's father. Feelings between the two deepened.
Prior to leaving town, Babe had left notes for JR and Bianca, which
revealed that JR and Babe's son had died and that Bess was Miranda. JR got
his first, read it and refused to believe it was true. Before Bianca could
read hers, he burned her letter. Babe soon realized that Bianca did not
know the truth, and decided she needed to tell Bianca face to face, to
make sure nothing went wrong. She called Bianca and told her to make sure
that JR and Bess accompanied her to the Miranda Montgomery charity concert
in Florida. There, Babe would meet up with Bianca. Bianca assumed that
Babe was going to kidnap Bess away from JR, and gladly supported her
friend.
In Florida, Jamie distracted JR while Babe got Bianca alone. There, she
confessed that Bess was Miranda. She told Bianca the whole baby switch
saga, including that her son was alive and that Babe had kidnapped him.
After some disbelief, Bianca realized Babe was telling the truth. Furious
with Babe for deceiving her for so long, Bianca slapped her and ordered
her out of her life.
Jamie, Babe and baby James went back on the road, fearful that Bianca or
Jamie's father Tad told JR the truth about his son being alive. Later, Tad
informed them that JR did not know about James, but that Bianca had
slipped into a coma following a fall from a hotel balcony. Jamie and Babe
prayed for Bianca's recovery.
Kelly Cramer, who had been searching for the kidnapped Ace, caught up with
Babe and Jamie. Kelly had come to realize that her son was stolen at birth
(not given up by a mother that didn't want him, as Paul told her), and
realized that Babe was his biological mother. Kelly tearfully bid goodbye
to Ace/James, promising to keep Babe and Jamie's secret.
Babe was thrilled when she learned that Bianca had woken up from her coma
and was reunited with her daughter. However, Babe knows that Bianca might
tell JR his son is alive and fears JR finding her.
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