Jessica was born in September, 1982 and immediately was thrust into a dangerous situation when ex-cult member Allison Perkins abducted the baby from her crib at Llanfair. The Buchanans breathed a collective sigh of relief when Jessica was returned, unharmed, by Allison's mother.

Jessica has been involved in several "hot" dramas over the course of her young life. As a youngster in 1990, Jessica accidentally set fire to Llanfair, destroying the family home. In June 1995, Viki's alter, Tori, set fire to Llanfair, without realizing that Jessica was upstairs in her bedroom. With Llanfair burning, Tori made a hasty exit only to hear Jessica's screams. Upon hearing her daughter's cries, Viki's real personality surfaced, and saved Jessica from the scorching flames.

Jessica's world was shattered when her parents split up in 1993. Heartbroken when her father moved out, Jessica held her mother's lover, Sloan Carpenter, responsible for destroying her family. Throughout 1993, Jessica felt alone and neglected. The troubled teenager went through a tumultuous time of confusion and rebellion. Once the epitome of sugar and spice, Jessica began smoking, drinking, and stealing to revolt against her heavy-duty family upheaval. In 1995, Jessica met her future boyfriend Cristian Vega at a dance party in Angel Square, located "on the other side of the tracks" in poverty-stricken East Llanview. Cris, a young Hispanic artist who was no stranger to poverty and violence, hit it off immediately with the pretty blonde, and was shocked to learn that she was the same Jessica Buchanan who lived in the big mansion on ritzy Regency Drive. Both sets of parents opposed Cristian and Jessica's budding relationship. When Jessie and Cris were caught in the heat of passion, Jessica's father, Clint and Cris' mother, Carlotta, forbid the two from seeing each other.

The older, more experienced Cristian wanted to make love with Jessica, but she wasn't ready. This caused the youngsters to break up numerous times throughout 1996 and 1997, but they always found their way back to each other. They may come from two very different worlds, but Cristian and Jessica can't stay away from each other.

In the spring of 1997, Jessica offered Cristian a shoulder to lean on while his brother Antonio was on trial for the murder of Carlo Hesser. When Antonio was exonerated, Cris and Jessica rendezvoused at Viki's mountain cabin. To save her relationship, Jessica was determined to give in and make love with Cris, but once again, she backed down, unwilling to lose her virginity. Soon after, Jessica was disheartened when Cristian suggested that they should see other people. Hurt by his harsh words, Jessica asked another boy, Darcy to the prom, but when Cristian showed up at the last minute, she was forced to choose between the two young men. To Cristian's dismay, she chose Darcy - though her feelings for Cris never faltered. He remained the number one person in her heart, the boy she loves dearly, but in Chris's own words, they are on "different paths."

Today Jessica and Cristian are seemly back on track, but will the beautiful Roseanne-Cristian's "friend" and Jessica's new stepbrother Will change all of that?