1995: Pine Valley native Pierce Riley returned to Pine Valley after a traumatizing ordeal in El Salvador. The ex-mercenary found refuge as a guest of Phoebe Wallingford in her Willow Lake Cabin.
Pierce found runaway teen Laura Kirk and former convict Janet Green living in a campsite in the woods. He welcomed the women into his home. They formed an instant family. Pierce found a kindred spirit in Janet. They both had a hard time talking about their pasts. Pierce and Janet began a passionate affair. Pierce was the women’s only contact with Pine Valley. While running errands in the city, he befriended Phoebe’s niece, Brooke English.
Pierce and Janet brought Laura to the hospital when she fell ill with appendicitis. Janet went missing, and Pierce went on a frantic search. He found Janet in an abandoned storage locker, being held at gunpoint by his old friend Trevor Dillon. Pierce was taken aback when Trevor told him about Janet’s past as one of Pine Valley’s most manipulative and calculating criminals. Nonetheless, Pierce was steadfast in his defense of Janet. Pierce successfully stopped Trevor’s tirade.
Knowing what Janet had done to Trevor and his family changed the dynamic of their relationship. Their newfound family began to come apart.

1996-97: Pierce left the cabin to begin working at Stuart Chandler’s gallery. Brooke enamored Pierce. Knowing that a relationship with Brooke would devastate Laura, Pierce tried to keep his feelings a secret. When Laura caught them in an embrace, Pierce left Pine Valley for Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Laura invited Pierce back to Pine Valley for a party celebrating her adoption by none other than Brooke. Pierce tried to rebuild his relationship with Brooke until the demons of his past caught up with him. Pierce had left El Salvador after witnessing the execution of his lover, Christina Vargas. Only, Christina was alive and imprisoned in an El Salvadorian prison. Christina needed Pierce’s help to find their daughter who was missing in El Salvador. With Brooke’s blessing, Pierce left with Christine for El Salvador.