When JR returns home after running off to join the Merchant Marines after his mother's death, he surprises everyone by presenting to them his new wife, Babe Carey (Alexa Havins, later Amanda Baker), a pretty blonde he met in San Diego. Tad discovers that Babe seduced his son Jamie (Micah Alberti, later Justin Bruening) the very night she and JR returned to Pine Valley, and begins to investigate her. He locates her mother, Krystal Carey (Bobbie Eakes), and brings her to Pine Valley. Tad is helping Liza with her Adam problems, and she is finding that her feelings for Tad were returning, and he is feeling some of the same in return, so he is soon involved with both Simone and Liza. With Krystal now in town and involved in the JR/Babe/Jamie triangle, she starts butting heads with Tad. Their fights always seem to turn into hot passion. Tad is dividing his time between three women. When Jamie calls him on how "caddish" that is, Tad breaks it off with all three. His constant association with Krystal makes her too hard to avoid. Tad and Krystal become a couple.