Max and LeeAnn�s passion heated up Llanview.

In the aftermath of Johnny�s demise, a very pregnant Tina was both terrified for the safety of her family, and also guilt stricken�believing that she was the cause of the escalated feud between the Buchanan�s and Carlo Hesser. Shamed, Tina fled to Texas, where she went into labor during a blizzard. Cord followed Tina and announced, as he assisted in the delivery of a daughter, that medical tests had proven that he (and not Johnny) was the father of the child. Elated, Cord, Tina and their newborn daughter, Sarah Victoria Roberts, returned to Llanview and remarried yet again.

For having been the one to kill his son, Viki continued to be a target of Carlo�s wrath. Carlo intimidated Gabrielle assisting him in his evil plans, instructed her to slip a potent drug into Viki�s drink that would turn her back into Niki Smith. Gabrielle, though, decided that she couldn�t go through with it. Instead, she prepared to testify against Carlo in court. However, when Carlo threatened her son�s life, Gabrielle remained silent; Carlo remained free, while Gabrielle was sentenced to fifteen years in Statesville Prison. Carlo eventually followed through with his diabolical scheme; though he arranged for Viki to revert into Niki, Viki was able to exert enough control over her alter ego to prevent Megan�s murder. To his embittered chagrin, Carlo�s scheme had failed! Carlo, beaten for the moment, vowed to make his enemies pay!

Ashamed and disheartened to learn of his wife�s indiscretions, Max broke up with Gabrielle. Their divorce became final upon her incarceration. Max became fond of LeeAnn Demerest, the naive young daughter of DuAnn, the midwife who birthed him. DuAnn was aware of the secret that Max was not really Asa's son, and planned to use the information to her own advantage. Eventually putting his animosity of Asa aside, Max embraced his purported heritage; changing his name to Buchanan. Renee tried to hide the secret from Asa by allowing herself to be blackmailed by DuAnn, who threatened to tell the truth. When DuAnn was killed, Renee went on trial for murder. Julia Medina eventually confessed to the crime. Upon learning the truth, that Asa hadn�t sired him, a disillusioned Max returned to his original last name�then proceeded to leave Llanview; returning to his roots in Texas to sooth his tortured soul.