Pat Ashley arrived with a secret.

As baby Megan�s health continued to weaken, Joe began spending more time with she and Cathy�often neglecting Viki. One evening, as Viki babysat for Megan, she had a seizure. In a panic, Viki attempted to rush the child to the hospital during a violent storm. Along the way, Viki was involved in a terrible accident which killed Megan instantly, and left her into a deep coma.

The death of Megan sent Cathy�s already fragile mental state into a freefall. Although no one else blamed Viki for the tragedy, Cathy did. Convinced that Megan�s death was no accident, she swore to make Viki someday pay. Viki later awoke from her coma. Confided to a wheelchair, she racked with guilt. Wanting to make up for what she had done, she pledged to soon become pregnant in order to give Joe another child.

Newcomer Patricia Kendall was hired to work as an editor at The Banner. Pat arrived in Llanview with her nine-year-old son, Brian. Paul Kendall, Pat�s former husband (and a one time radical) was believed to be dead�and also Brian�s father. Pat, however, was keeping a secret. Years earlier, she had an affair with Tony Lord, the man who actually sired Brian.