ABC.com character bio:

Krystal Carey raised her daughter Babe with the mantra: "We deserve the best and together we can get it." Self-reliant, confident, sexy and fun, Krystal usually had a man on her arm, but her daughter has always been her first priority. When Babe called and revealed that she had married JR Chandler and was living in the lap of luxury, Krystal was proud of her "baby doll." In an attempt to get more information on Babe, Tad Martin visited Krystal in Texas (where she was residing) with tales of Pine Valley. Krystal decided to accompany him back to Pennsylvania. She was shocked to learn that Tad's son Jamie was claiming Babe was pregnant with his child. Despite Babe's admission to Krystal that she slept with Jamie and the baby was possibly his, Krystal vowed to fight for her daughter's happiness-which Babe felt was with JR. Babe also confessed to her mother that she had never annulled her marriage with Paul Cramer, and thus her marriage to JR was invalid.

Tad, concerned for both JR and Jamie, knew that Babe was keeping a mysterious secret. Determined to get to the truth, Tad decided to charm Krystal in hopes she would give it up. Fully aware of Tad's intentions, Krystal cozied up with him in an effort to protect Babe's secret. The two started sleeping together, but deeper feelings quickly developed. When Tad learned that Babe had never annulled her marriage to Paul, Krystal convinced him to keep quiet, for JR's sake. She began to have the annulment officially processed. Tad, in an effort to set a good example for Jamie, decided to stop "playing the field" and told Krystal, Liza Colby and Simone Torres (whom he was also sleeping with) that they could no longer be involved. Krystal accepted this, but it was clear she and Tad shared a deeper connection.

Babe, along with fellow expectant mother Bianca Montgomery, was trapped in a cabin during a storm. There, Bianca gave birth to a baby girl (Miranda), which Babe helped deliver. Bianca then passed out, and Babe managed to get hold of Paul, who helped deliver Babe's son. Right after delivering, Paul drugged Babe, and gave her son to his childless sister, Kelly Cramer (of One Life To Live). Paul staged a helicopter crash and told everyone that Bianca's baby died in the crash, and that the baby girl was Babe's child. Bianca, who passed out, and Babe, drugged into delirium, couldn't deny.

Babe and Bianca were rushed to the hospital. Krystal was suspicious once she learned Paul was piloting the chopper that crashed, and privately wondered whether Babe's child had died and Babe was given Bianca's daughter. Tad voiced a similar suspicion, and decided to do a DNA test to find out the truth. Seeing Babe's deep love for her baby girl (now named Bess), Krystal switched the DNA test labels. The test results came back, and Tad told Krystal that they proved that Bess was indeed Babe's daughter. Only Krystal knew that Bess was really Miranda, Bianca's child. Krystal loved Babe so much that she didn't want her to experience the grief of losing a child, so she kept quiet about the truth and privately mourned her grandson. Krystal felt guilty for allowing Bianca to think that her own daughter had died, but was comforted by Babe's determination to have Bianca in the Bess's life.

Babe eventually learned Krystal's secret and grieved for her dead child. Babe told Krystal that she couldn't face the possibility of telling JR their child was dead and taking away Bess, whom JR loved so deeply. Babe, wracked with guilt, chose her husband over Bianca and kept up the ruse that Bess was really her daughter.

Tad and Krystal had begun to date again, and she found herself falling in love with him. Her own guilt and fear that Tad would discover the secret prevented Krystal from getting too close to Tad. Tad began to wonder why Krystal would pull away, and questioned if she was hiding a secret.

David Hayward learned the truth about Bess's parentage and confronted Babe and Krystal, threatening to tell the authorities. To buy enough time to get out of town, Krystal impulsively told David that he couldn't turn Babe over to the cops because she was his daughter! Krystal quickly explained that she and David had a one night stand years ago and Babe was the result of the union. David found it hard to believe, but agreed to a DNA test to quiet Krystal before he turned them in to the cops. David was shocked when the test proved he really was Babe's father. David shared the news with Krystal and Babe, and Krystal recalled that she really did have a drunken one nighter with David. David, who was close with Bianca, was forced to make the decision to tell Bianca the truth and send his own daughter to prison, or protect Babe.

While David was grappling with his choice, Babe almost died from a drug overdose. JR, in hopes of getting custody of Bess, had drugged Babe's drink to get her to sleep with Jamie and thus prove her an unfit mother. Babe refused to accept that JR hated her, despite everyone telling her otherwise. David and Krystal worked together to find out JR's true intentions and they grew closer, a new bond existing between them now that they shared a daughter.

Babe came to accept that JR didn't love her and prepared to tell Bianca the truth about Miranda. Krystal supported Babe, but steeled herself for Tad's wrath. Tad proposed to Krystal, but she didn't give him an answer, knowing the truth about Miranda would answer for her. Krystal was shocked when Babe didn't immediately tell Bianca the truth, but privately revealed to her mother and David that her son was alive.

Krystal listened as Babe explained she had encountered Kevin Buchanan, ex-husband of Kelly Cramer, with his son Ace. Babe had an instant, maternal pull towards the boy and soon learned that he was born the same day Babe's baby died, and that Paul's sister was his mother. David performed a covert DNA test which confirmed that Ace was Babe's son. Unfortunately, the test also revealed that JR was the father of the baby (not Jamie, as Babe had hoped).

Babe, Krystal and David were faced with a dilemma. To come forward and claim Ace would mean Babe's role in the baby switch would be revealed and she would go to jail, insuring that the vindictive JR would gain custody. David and Krystal worked closely trying to find a way to reunite Babe with her son and place Miranda with Bianca, all while keeping Babe devoid of any criminal charges. Tad grew more and more suspicious and demanded to know what secret Krystal was keeping. Krystal, frustrated and knowing Tad would inevitably dump her, turned down his proposal and the two broke up.

Babe came up with a solution of her own when she kidnapped Ace (whom she renamed James) and went on the run with Jamie. Tad learned the truth about the baby switch and blasted Krystal for keeping the secret for so long. Furious, he told her that there was no future between them. Tad prepared to tell Bianca the truth, but David stopped him by revealing that to open up the truth about Miranda would start a domino effect that would lead to Jamie's suspicion in the kidnapping of Ace and Paul's murder. To protect his son, Tad remained silent. A guilt ridden Krystal accepted Tad's cold treatment as just punishment.

David and Krystal learned that Babe was planning on telling Bianca the truth at a charity concert Bianca and JR were attending in Florida. They traveled to Florida, where Babe revealed that she also told Bianca about James, so it was likely that JR would be after her and the baby. Babe said a tearful goodbye to Krystal, the two knowing full well they might not see each other for years. David comforted Krystal, and made his romantic intentions known.

Krystal was dismayed to learn that Bianca did not experience a true reunion with her daughter, but had slipped into a coma after falling off a balcony. Krystal and David visited Bianca at the hospital, where they encountered the wrath of Bianca's mother, Erica Kane. Erica knew of Krystal and David's role in keeping Miranda and vowed revenge as soon as her daughter woke up. Bianca did recover, was reunited with Miranda, and Erica promptly had David and Krystal arrested.

Krystal was released on bail and worried about Babe's safety when she learned that JR discovered his son was alive. Babe and Jamie were caught and arrested for kidnapping, along with Tad (who was trying to shuttle them out of the country). Despite the charges against her, Babe was determined to fight for custody of her son. Krystal supported her and told Tad that she was prepared to offer a deal to the D.A.: She'd take a jail sentence in exchange for the withholding a child charges against Babe and David be dropped. Tad was moved by Krystal's willingness to sacrifice herself for her daughter. Tad told her that he judged her too harshly, for he had also made poor choices and hurt people to protect his son, as Krystal did with Babe. The two kissed, the feelings between them very much alive.

At the custody hearing, the kidnapping charges against Babe, Jamie and Tad were dropped thanks to the testimony of Kelly Cramer. Bianca agreed to Krystal's offer of a deal and the charges for keeping Miranda were dropped against Babe and David. Krystal prepared for jail, but prayed that Babe would get custody of her baby boy. JR was awarded custody of the baby (now called Little Adam), and Krystal was shaken, but prepared to take her sentence of ten years in prison with her chin up.

In jail, Krystal was harassed by other prisoners. Fellow prisoner Di explained to Krystal that the women resented Krystal for keeping a mother from her child, as they were all mothers being kept from theirs. Tad attempted to stop the harassment, but Krystal told him that he needed to stay far away from her. Her feelings still very strong, she didn't want Tad to feel tied down to someone in prison.