SHANE ROBERTS and
VICKY HUDSON

For his part, Shane was plagued by dreams and impressions that seemed to belong to someone else. He was also targeted by Jake McKinnon, who saw him as a gold-digger who was trying to steal Vicky away from him.

When Shane lost his eyesight temporarily in a freak accident, it was revealed that he had received Ryan Harrison's corneas in a transplant operation the previous year. Vicky now knew why she was attracted to Shane, and Shane realized that Vicky was the face and voice he had been dreaming about. To placate her, Shane dredged up all of Ryan's memories that he could, an act which seemed to purge them from his system.

During the ongoing renovation of Vicky's house, Vicky and Shane tried to understand their growing feelings for each other. Vicky was unsure whether her feelings were based on her desire to keep a part of Ryan alive, or whether she genuinely liked Shane for himself. Shane found himself falling for Vicky, and was desperate to prove to her that he was not Ryan reincarnated.

When Shane finally revealed his feelings for Vicky, she was more than willing to test the waters of a more serious relationship. Shane got defensive when Vicky began pressing for more intimate details of his past life. She was perplexed as to why he didn't want his photograph appearing in the paper, and why his birthday was such an agonizing ordeal. Shane was torn between his feelings for Vicky and the need to maintain his secret. Eventually he promised her he would tell her everything if she would agree to come away with him. She agreed, but their getaway was wrecked when his truck blew up and Vicky received a serious head injury.

After her quick convalescence, she persisted after Shane's secret, which he had once more bottled up. Fed up with his evasiveness, Vicky journeyed to his home town of Crockett, Texas, to uncover his background. The man she learned about, Bobby Reno, was unlike the gentle man she had known in Bay City. When she came across the yearbook photo of the real Bobby Reno, Shane was revealed as Shane Roberts, an escaped convict sentenced for execution for the murder of a patient in New Orleans.

Shane explained that he was on the lam for a murder he didn't commit, but he clammed up when it came to revealing whom he was protecting. The law quickly caught up with Shane and he was carted back to death row. Vicky worked with Jake to uncover the true guilty party, and together they brought proof of Shane's innocence and were able to stop the execution in the nick of time.

Once the news of Shane's survival made headlines, his wife Lila crawled out of the woodwork. She followed him to Bay City and quickly singled Vicky out as her main source of competition for Shane's feelings. She didn't have to work hard to drive a wedge between Vicky and Shane. Shane had fed Vicky too many lies, and she was distrustful of anything that came out of his mouth. Lapping up Lila's lies about Lila and Shane's current relationship, Vicky broke it off with Shane.

Vicky took up with Jake on the rebound, but from the look in her eyes every time she looked at Shane, it was painfully clear how much she still loved him. Vicky and Jake continued to get closer, and Lila did everything she could to further the distance between Shane and Vicky.

Vicky finally proposed to Jake, but Shane refused to believe that Vicky would marry a man she did not really love. Everytime he ran into her he would feel a connection to her, and based on her reaction, Vicky felt it too. Vicky's refusal to admit to her feelings just propelled Shane in his pursuit.

In the fall of 1997, Shane developed a fatal blood disease. As his time ran out, his desperation increased. Desperate to free herself from him, Vicky admitted that though she loved him, he was not the man for her. Later that day she and Jake were wed, despite Shane's last-ditch effort to win Vicky's love.

Vicky's emotions went on a roller-coaster ride upon learning of Shane's fatal disease, and, very soon after, learning he would live after all. One night in February of 1998, Vicky visited Shane where he was conducting research at the Love lodge in order to bring him vital information. While there, the mood became romantic and they kissed. With nothing to prevent her from making love to Shane, Vicky came to the realization that Jake was all she ever wanted. Shane accepted it, and offered to drive her to her car down the road. During the drive he told her, "I love you, Vicky. Nothing is ever going to change that. I'll love you for all eternity." Moments later they hit an oncoming car. Shane shoved Vicky to safety, but he was mortally injured in the crash and died later at the hospital. Vicky was very hurt to have lost Shane and at his casket begged him to forgive her.