Shortly after her second marriage to John Abbot, Jill wanted to have a baby, though John felt that he was too old. But Jill managed to get pregnant, and John insisted she have an abortion while he got a vasectomy. Jill couldn't do it, and gave birth to William "Billy" Foster Abbott, whom John eventually accepted and came to love. Jill's affair with Jed Sanders, due to John's later impotency, caused their second divorce, which resulted in a bitter custody battle over Billy and a stroke for John. Billy grew up in Genoa City with his best friend Raul Guittierez, enjoying sports and Boy Scouts, and received very little attention from his mother Jill. Once John recovered from his stroke, he and Billy moved to New York City where Billy went to boarding school.

John and Billy returned to Genoa City in time for his sophomore year of high school. Raul, Brittany Hodges, Mackenzie Browning, J.T. Hellstrom, Rianna Miner, and Billy were friends as they attended Walnut Grove Academy. Billy bragged of his experience in New York City with drinking, partying, and girls. Billy began dating snobby rich girl, Brittany Hodges. One evening, J.T., another expert partier, invited everyone to a party at a house at which he was house-sitting. Raul showed up in time to save his best friend Billy's life when Billy suffered alcohol poisoning and collapsed in the snow, as neither Brittany nor J.T. were willing to call 9-1-1 and risk getting themselves in trouble. At that time, Mackenzie and Billy did not get along at all. But she stayed at his bedside and prayed that he would be all right. That was the start of what became thier high school romance.

Billy swore off alcohol after his near-death experience. Billy and Brittany were supposed to be a shoe-in for king and queen of the junior prom, but when the votes were counted, Billy and Mac were crowned instead. Only then, when they danced together at the prom, did they realize how much they cared about each other. Unfortunately Jill noticed, much to her horror, that her son could be smitten with Katherine Chancellor's granddaughter. Billy showed up later at the Chancellor estate, where he and Mac told each other how they felt about each other and kissed. Jill began threatening to find runaway Mac's mother if she became involved with Billy. So Mac and Billy began meeting in secret in the Abbott children's old playhouse. He gave her an opal ring to seal their love.

Billy, Brittany, Raul, and Rianna were chosen as the Glo by Jabot Kids as a promotion for the new Jabot teen line. Mac assisted Phyllis Summers running the website featuring the kids. Brittany discovered that Billy was involved with Mac, so arranged for Mac to walk in on her and Billy "making love." Billy was drugged and Britt was faking it, but Mac believed what she saw and it broke her heart. Billy tried to defend himself, but couldn't remember what had happened.

J.T exposed that it was set up for Mac to see, but no one realized that Billy had been drugged. Brittany felt hurt, but eventually took Billy back. Raul realized that Mac was no longer interested in him and split up with her, moving on to Rianna. Mac and Billy began being drawn to each other again, but it wasn't until Jack arranged for Billy and Mac to be trapped in an elevator at Jabot that they realized that they truly belonged together. Although Billy did his best to be a jerk to turn Mac away "for her own good," they eventually reconciled and became a couple again. Jill made peace with it, once she realized what a bad choice Britt had been for Billy.

Things went fine for Billy and Mac for several months. He helped her to admit that she had run away from St. Louis because her stepfather Ralph had molested her, and her mother refused to believe it. Senior year began, and a holiday series of the Glo by Jabot website added J.T. and Mac to the Glow Kids. The format changed to Jabot where a boutique opened which was run by the kids. Billy's niece, Colleen, was falling into drugs and hanging with the wrong kids in New York City, so she was banished to her grandfather John's in Genoa City. Billy helped his father by keeping an eye on her at school.

After the holidays, Billy realized that he was ready for more from his relationship with Mackenzie. When he shared his feelings with her, he tried to avoid pressuring her, but he couldn't accept her insistence that she was not ready and needed to wait. As a result, the two of them broke up but stayed friends. Then Mac's stepfather, Ralph, showed up in Genoa City and began stalking her. He coerced Mac's mom, Amanda, into helping him steal from the Chancellor Estate. Amanda let him into the mansion while everyone was at the prom, but Mac returned home unexpectedly and, much to her horror, was met by Ralph.

Billy arrived as Ralph was about to molest Mac again, confronted Ralph, and whacked Ralph over the head with a fireplace poker. Thinking he had killed Ralph, Billy took Mac to hide out at their special place, the old Abbott playhouse. Thinking they were doomed, Billy and Mac realized they still loved each other. Ralph kidnapped Katherine after she returned from chaperoning the prom, and tied her up in a motel room. Ralph, disguised as a cop, talked Raul into telling him places where he might find Billy and Mac. Meanwhile Larry Warton found and rescued Kay.

Ralph showed up at the playhouse after the kids had left, but found them at a campsite where Raul and Billy had played as kids. Ralph knocked Billy out by whacking him over the head with a rock and grabbed Mac, but Larry showed up in time to rescue her. Larry and Ralph fought, and just before the police arrived, both ended up going over a cliff to the lakeshore below. Ralph came-to and tried to kill an unconscious Larry with a rock. Scared away by the arrival of the police, Ralph disappeared into the bushes. Larry recovered with minor injuries and major thanks from Billy's mother Jill for saving her son's life. Because Jill had video evidence that Amanda had stolen Jill’s jewels, and after nearly getting both her own daughter and Jill's son killed, Amanda agreed to leave town if Jill would drop the charges.

After all he went through that summer, Billy decided he needed to do more with his life than go to college, so he left for Louisiana to help Mac's father, Brock, build houses for the poor. He and his mother Jill shared a tearful parting, although Jill felt that Billy was making a mistake. Mac and Billy parted tearfully as well, declaring their love and promising each other it was not the end of them. Mac left Genoa City that fall to attend Northwestern University. Both Billy and Mac returned to Genoa City for Christmas, and decided to attend GCU and share a loft apartment with Raul and Brittany. By spring Billy had proposed, and Mac and Billy were to be married with Raul Gutierrez as best man and Colleen Carlton as maid of honor. But when it was revealed that Jill's actual birth mother was Katherine Chancellor, their lives were shattered when they realized that they were cousins. Mac and Billy both left town on their own, devastated by the news.

Billy spent a year working on the hurricane Katrina disaster recovery in New Orleans, then some time as a bartender at Sammy Seagull's Sandpit Bar and Grill in Miami. He returned to Genoa City in 2006 to attend his father John's funeral. Jill and Katherine encouraged him to stay and claim his legacy as both a Chancellor and an Abbott by learning the business of Chancellor Industries and Jabot Cosmetics. Billy relented and began attending GCU as a business major and working his way up at Jabot from the mailroom. It turned out that Billy had a bad gambling habit, and that he still owed some bookies in Miami a lot of money, so when no one would give him any money, he stole and pawned an antique scrimshaw from the Chancellor estate. Kay discovered it and told Jill and Jack, so they gave him a job as NVP/Jabot Liaison for House of Kim, and shipped him off to Hong Kong.

Billy returned in 2008 as "Liam", who showed up on the arm of Amber Moore at Daniel Romalotti's art showing in New York City. Billy said he used the name Liam to pick up chicks, was over his gambling addiction, and traveled the world, often to Los Angeles where he hung out with the stars. Much to Daniel’s dismay, Billy proceeded to buy all of Daniel's drawings of Amber that had not already sold. Daniel, still not over Amber and never a fan of Billy, was concerned that Billy was a player and would break her heart.

Chloe Mitchell had legally changed her name from Kate Valentine before she arrived, pregnant, in Genoa City. Chloe told her mother, Esther, that a guy who was selfish, arrogant, and unfaithful broke her heart and that she would never love anyone else again. But Chloe tricked Cane into believing her baby was his and into marrying her. From flashbacks it was obvious that Billy was the father of Chloe’s baby and that Chloe had set up their first meeting in New York City. They had an affair, she had gotten into his email and discovered that he had cheated on her which broke her heart, and then she had stalked him. Yet Billy was still her occasional “booty call,” up until she discovered that she was pregnant.

Billy reunited with his mother Jill and finally met her other son, his half-brother Cane. Billy's other half-brother Jack convinced him to move back to Genoa City and help him get Jabot back into the Abbott family, and get back at Cane for usurping his life, by going to work at Jabot again. Cane invited Billy and "his girlfriend" over for drinks to get to know him and his new wife Chloe, unaware that his ex-wife Amber was Billy's girlfriend, and that Chloe had a past with Billy. Billy confronted Chloe the next day accusing her of just wanting to bag a Chancellor. Billy tried to convince Cane that he didn't mind that Cane took over Jabot, and Cane talked Billy into taking the director of marketing position, with emphasis on the new teen line Starblaze.

A Jabot shareholders meeting was called after Katherine Chancellor's supposed death, and to Jill’s shock, Gloria and Jeff Bardwell and Billy Abbott, with the majority of Jabot shares and proxies from Traci and Ashley, announced their takeover. Jack was present, and Jill reminded them that he was still legally banned from having anything to do with Jabot. Total confusion about who was in charge was calmed when Ashley Abbott arrived and announced that she was once again the rightful CEO of Jabot.

Cane and Chloe were getting along well in anticipation of their baby. But one day Lily stopped by, and during an argument with Chloe, Chloe fell from a ladder and had to be taken to the hospital. Her baby was okay, but she was confined to bed rest with rare occasions on her feet. During her hospitalization, Billy got a nurse to admit that Chloe's due date was incorrect, and realized that he was the father, but he said nothing to Chloe.

Billy found out that Lily Winters was trying computer dating, so he became a guy online who called himself Sonny Crawford, whom Lily became quite enamored with. They finally met, and Lily was shocked, then thrilled that Sonny was Billy.

Jeffrey, Jill, and Jack each wooed Gloria who was in jail for product tampering at Jabot, to sell her Jabot shares, and said they would drop the charges, but she sold them to Victor Newman instead. Ever plotting against Jack Abbott, Victor offered Jabot to Jill if she would seat Billy as CEO, then all the Abbotts could stay on board. Jill accepted the offer and justified Billy's appointment to Cane because he was an Abbott.

Lily and Billy were getting serious so they went up to the Abbott cabin at Twin Lakes to be alone. But Billy felt he had to confess to Lily that Chloe's baby was his before going any further. Lily was shocked and accused Billy of plotting with Chloe to break up her and Cane. About that time, Chloe walked in the door of the cabin, and before she could join the conversation, went into labor. Unable to drive out due to a storm, Billy had to turn and deliver his daughter while being talked through it by Dr. Olivia on Lily's cell phone. Then Cane showed up after walking in past the roadblocks, intending to tell Lily he loved and wanted her no matter what. The baby was fine, but Chloe was hemorrhaging and passing out, so they constructed a litter and carried her and the baby down to the waiting ambulance.

Later in the hospital, Cane started asking questions about why they were at the cabin, and Lily threatened Billy that he had better step up, tell Cane the truth, and claim his daughter. Billy went off to get drunk in a bar while Chloe almost died from blood loss and septicemia. Billy's brother Jack gave him good advice to fess up, confiscated his car keys, and left Billy at the bar. Then Sharon showed up, also drunk, so Billy and Sharon hooked up and spent the night together in her room at the Athletic Club. The next day, Chloe confessed to Cane that her baby was not his, and Billy walked in to verify that he was the reluctant father. Cane exploded at them, including Lily for not telling him after she had found out the night before. Cane shouted at them all that the baby was his and he was not going to give her up. Later Cane signed the birth certificate naming himself the father and naming the baby Cordelia Katherine Valentine Ashby.

Chloe admitted to her mother, Ester, that her baby was not Cane's. Then when Billy showed up, Esther realized that he was Cordelia's father. Unknown to them, Cane had contacted attorney Michael Baldwin to get custody of Cordelia. Billy also contacted his friend, attorney Rafe Torres, to see what his rights were too. Since Cane was divorcing Chloe and they had nowhere to live, Esther brought Chloe and her granddaughter home to the Chancellor estate, and Jill offered them space in her wing so she could be closer to her granddaughter. After slugging Billy when he showed up at the estate to see Cordelia, Cane explained the situation to Lily's father Neil, then asked Lily how she would feel about marrying him and raising Cordelia together. Cane and Lily reunited, and Cane had Chloe served with full custody papers.

Meanwhile Billy, who was supposed to be the doting father living with Chloe and Cordelia, was having an affair with his brother Jack's not-yet-divorced-wife Sharon. After Chloe realized that he was with another woman when she needed him, she moved back to the Chancellor estate with her mother. Phyllis caught Sharon and Billy together and threatened to tell Jack and Nick about their affair. Later, Sharon broke down, phoned Billy, and called things off.

Jack arrived and Sharon fell into his arms, ashamed and troubled. Jack asked Sharon to return to him, and he would forgive her anything. Sharon asked him to just keep her safe from the rest of the world, and Jack promised that he would. They made love and Sharon moved back in with Jack. Meanwhile, Billy showed up with flowers for Chloe and smooth-talked her into giving him another chance. But Nick and Noah were both perplexed with Sharon’s flakiness when only days later she inexplicably decided to move back to the athletic club.

Jill informed Billy that she was replacing him with Cane as Jabot CEO due to his lack of maturity, although Billy could still be in charge of Jabot's international sales division. But Billy quit on the spot, and told Jill that she would never see Delia again. Cane was thrilled when Jill told him that she was reappointing him to the CEO position at Jabot. Later, Jill fired Jack and Ashley, telling them they were living in the past and unable to embrace new ideas. Jack told Ashley not to worry, once Katherine was proven alive she would reinstate them, and she did.

After spending the night with Sharon, Billy married Chloe to be able to fight Cane for custody of Cordelia. Jack was best man, and having no available friends, Chloe asked Sharon to stand up for her. Sharon accepted, but couldn't look Billy in the eye and go through with it, so Colleen took her place. Just as the ceremony ended, because Brock had let her know that Katherine was alive after all, Mac showed up at the Chancellor mansion. Meanwhile in the next room, the results of Brock's blood test proved that he was Kay's son, and that Jill was not Katherine's daughter after all, which meant that Billy and Mac were not related either. Their reactions to the news made it quite obvious that neither had ever gotten over the other. Chloe was concerned for her marriage since Mac was staying on in Genoa City to help Kay get back into her old life. Just prior to the hearing, Cane dropped the custody suit so Cordelia would never grow up without a mother like he had.

Eighty-year-old Katherine married Patrick “Murph” Murphy in the Chancellor garden in a service officiated by her son Brock. Afterward Billy and Cane had to drag Jill out while she raved at Kay. Later, Mac kept resisting Billy’s advances, and when he grabbed and kissed her, she slapped him. Chloe saw it, kissed his smarting cheek, and took him home.

Billy was at odds with Jack, and went looking for a position at Newman but found none, then Jack asked him to be Co-CEO of Jabot, and he accepted. Billy was upset when Cane bought Billy’s favorite escape, Jimmy’s Bar, but was elated when Cane hired Mac as a waitress, so Billy began spending even more time there, avoiding Chloe. Billy kept lamenting about their missed opportunity for happiness, and Mac kept reminding him they had both moved on.

On Memorial Day 2009, Kay and Murphy threw a barbeque around the Chancellor pool with Esther, Billy, Chloe, Delia, Mac, Amber, Nina, and Jack in attendance. Later Sharon, Neil, Tyra, Kevin, and Jana arrived. Raul Guittierez surprised everyone when he walked in. After reuniting with Billy and being introduced to Kay's new husband, Murphy; and Billy's new wife, Chloe, and their baby, Mac walked in and she and Raul embraced and passionately kissed. Mac had earlier revealed that there was someone she had worked with in Darfur, and that their year long relationship was "serious, but didn't work out" -- and it turned out to have been Raul. After Billy reluctantly gave them his blessing, Raul asked Mac to marry him and return to Washington, D.C., with him. Billy and Chloe went home. Billy was obviously distraught, and they fought.

After Phyllis overheard Sharon tell Nick that she was pregnant, Phyllis lambasted Jack for letting it happen. Because Sharon said that Jack knew everything and he’d forgiven her, Phyllis asked Jack how he could forgive Billy for being one of the possible fathers. Jack was shocked to find out, and he later attacked Billy for it. Sharon admitted to Jack that Billy might be the third possible of father of her baby. Jack was understanding and loving, even though it ruined his relationship with his brother; he insisted that he wanted Sharon and the baby no matter whose baby it was. Sharon made an appointment for a paternity test.

Meanwhile, the more time Mac spent with Billy, the more she doubted her future with Raul. Chloe saw it coming and got Raul to return from D.C., but when he did Mac told him that she was sorry, but the engagement was off. Billy and Mac were about to make love when Chloe interrupted with the news that the paternity test on Sharon's baby was about to be received. Mac did not take the news well that Billy might be the father of his brother's wife’s child, and left. But Mac realized it had happened when they were not together, and after seeing Billy talking to God about answering his prayers despite all his sins, Mac decided that Billy was still the man she loved.

Sharon got the paternity test results back and was ecstatic that she and Nick were expecting the daughter Faith that Cassie had predicted on her death bed and again in Nick's dream.

Billy and Mac faked being mad at each other at Kay’s Fourth of July party, however both made excuses and met at the Athletic Club to finally make love after all those years apart. But they were interrupted by a phone call telling them that Kay had suffered another mini-stroke and had been rushed to the hospital by ambulance.

After Cane was exposed as not being Phillip Chancellor, Cane sold Jimmy's Bar to Mackenzie, and he decided to leave town. But when Mac heard that Lily was in the hospital with ovarian cancer, and about to undergo surgery, she tracked down Cane, persuaded him not to leave, and stashed him in Murphy's trailer home that Billy had just bought as a rendezvous for them. Whenever Mac and Billy met there, they had some intimate moments and memories, but always seemed to get interrupted by something before they could finally make love after a six-year wait.

Katherine determined that Cane was a good man; she forgave Cane and asked him to stay in Genoa City. Billy was livid that his "fake brother" was once again the favored son and grandson. Thanks to a comment from Cane, Billy made Jill admit how Victor had coerced her into firing everyone at Jabot, stealing the Abbott family company away from them, and putting Billy in charge as a figurehead. Billy reacted by interrupting the Newman board meeting and exposing Victor’s part in this in front of Ashley.

After Mac admitted to Chloe that she and Billy were now together, Chloe began divorce proceedings. But when Billy and Chloe met to sign the divorce papers, Billy started remembering the good times in the past, and backed out making excuses. So Chloe decided to use Chance to make Billy jealous and stay with her and Delia. Billy went back and signed the next day, but Chloe never did, and they remained legally married, though separated. But after Chance was stabbed trying to stop a robbery, Chloe realized how much she really cared about Chance and signed the papers.

Jack and Billy were concerned about Ashley’s emotional condition and tried to talk her into leaving Victor, but she refused. After they learned that Victor had brought back Patty Williams and turned her into Mary Jane Benson with plastic surgery and a new background to get back at Jack, Billy practically kidnapped Ashley, but she returned to Victor on her own. Once Ashley was finally convinced that Victor was behind Patty's reign of terror, resulting in Victor's own granddaughter Summer being hurt, Victor's dog Zapato being killed, and Colleen Carlton’s near-death from drowning, Patty’s fragile mental state being worsened, and Ashley's own torment by Patty, Ashley packed to leave and wrote Victor a goodbye note. Then Billy arrived telling her that Patty Williams had shot Victor, and they left for the hospital together. Victor was in critical condition and had surgery to remove a bullet from his heart.

Ashley confronted Victor about all the trouble that he had caused which sent him into heart arrhythmia. But his heart was too far gone, and only a heart transplant could save him. Tests confirmed Colleen was brain dead, and Traci finally made the heart-breaking decision to take her off life-support. All of Colleen’s friends went to say goodbye including her best friend Lily. Colleen’s uncles Jack and Billy and half-sister Abby had a hard time comprehending it all. Then Traci and Steve were told that Colleen was an organ-donor, and Nikki had the nerve to intrude to request Colleen’s heart to save Victor. Jack and Billy protested, then Jack reconsidered and agreed since Victor had basically saved his life with Patty. Victor and Colleen turned out to be a match, and Traci agreed to the transplant despite Billy ranting about how Victor was responsible for “Cee Cee’s” death and certainly would not have approved.

Billy arranged a celebration of Colleen’s life instead of a funeral, with red balloons, and everyone wearing bright colors. Victoria arrived and read a letter from Victor full of thanks and gratefulness. Traci, Jack, Ashley, Abby, Neil, Kay, Kevin, and J.T. gave eulogies about what they remembered most about her. At the end, everyone released red balloons to “An Angel’s Lullaby,” sung by Beth Maitland, the actress who played Traci. Colleen was buried next to her father, Brad, her kidneys were donated to a 16-year-old girl, and her corneas to a father who had never seen his children.

Billy made a surprise move by resigning as Co-CEO of Jabot and buying Restless Style magazine/webzine from Nick and Phyllis using a loan from Ashley. Phyllis was reluctant, but decided that it was no fun anymore without Nick, and she could spend more time with Summer if she went back to work at Newman. In retaliation for Colleen's death, Billy’s first issue became an exposé of Victor Newman's role in it, and pointed out that after all that, Victor had been kept alive by the donation of Colleen's heart. The article also detailed Victor’s part in the failure of a bank in Grand Cayman. Victor took it rather calmly, while Ashley was livid when she realized that Billy had spent her money to vilify the father of her children. Victor visited Colleen’s grave, bought Nikki a ring, and left Faith a video of his version of his life story, then Victor and Nikki said their goodbyes and left for a cardiac rehab center in Belgium. Meanwhile Billy discovered Victoria's affair with Deacon and exposed it on the Restless Style website. Nick tried to kick the magazine out of his building, but it was not legal. The SEC investigated and ordered Victor to repay the Cayman bank depositors, including Jill, Gloria and Jeffrey, for their losses.

Mac wanted to help Lily and Cane by being a surrogate mother for them, but Billy refused to let her do it. Billy was not happy when Mackenzie volunteered and began looking into the legal ramifications with Michael Baldwin. Mac got a physical, and told Cane she was ready, even though Billy did not want her to do it. Mac and Billy broke up, and Mac became pregnant with Cane and Lily's child. Billy went to jail when he refused to name his source for a story, then fired Chloe when she told the authorities who the source had been, which she only did to get him out of jail for Christmas.

Meanwhile Billy's life was spiraling downward again into drunkenness as he watched Chance take Billy‘s place with Chloe and his daughter, Delia, and after losing the love of his life, Mac. Then an end-of-2009 visit from his dead father, John, began to turn Billy around after John showed him what the future would be like with Billy dead if he kept it up. He cleaned up the magazine’s reputation and mended fences with Jack and Mac, although Mac remained wary of him. When his mother Jill was fired from Chancellor, Jill talked Billy into hiring her at Restless Style, and they wrote a story to expose Tucker for paying off Alexander Thomas, the Cultural Minister of Yugoslavia with a Griffin painting worth millions to promote a band 25 years earlier, which had launched Tucker's career.

Although they were sworn enemies, Billy Abbott was spending a lot of time bantering with Victoria Newman, especially since she and J.T. had decided to divorce. One day Billy grabbed and kissed her and got a smack across the face for it. But eventually Billy’s charm won her over and they became lovers. Victor saw Victoria and Billy getting along too well at the annual charity masquerade ball and threatened Billy, so Billy left and returned in another mask, and they continued to spend the evening together. They eventually ducked upstairs to a room and were making love when a gas explosion rocked the Athletic Club. They quickly dressed and made it outside separately.

After the explosion, Victoria’s half-brother, Adam, was found dead in the basement. Because a fancy European pen found at the crime scene was determined to be the murder weapon that had stabbed Adam in the heart and was traced to Victoria, she was arrested for the murder of Adam. Meanwhile, J.T. was granted full custody of Reed when Victoria did not show up for the custody hearing. At Victoria’s arraignment, Billy interrupted proclaiming her innocence because she had been in his hotel room at the time of the murder, but Victoria refused to admit that it was true. Meanwhile Jill was reporting the latest Newman scandal on the Restless Style website, and was Twittering updates, for which Billy later fired her. The murder charge against Victoria was later dropped.

Victoria’s appeal for custody of Reed was lost when Tucker reported to the court that Victor had kept J.T. from arriving in time. To top it off her divorce decree arrived later, so to get away and forget their problems, Victoria and Billy took the next plane to Kingston, Jamaica, with no luggage or plans. They joined a Jamaican wedding party on the beach where rum and Billy’s teasing and charm made him the life of the party. Billy made Victoria laugh and smile again as he told everyone about their love/hate relationship. Deliriously drunk, they got married too. Back in Genoa City, Mac, J.T., and Reed went for a drive in his GTO and ended up at a drive-in movie watching The Three Stooges and eating nachos. Mac and J.T. began to realize that they had more in common than ever before, and the old spark was still there. As J.T. said, “The stuff you never see coming, is exactly what you want.”

Billy’s friend, Rafe, invited his friends to a party at Jimmie’s Bar to celebrate the opening of his private law practice. On his arm was his new boyfriend, Tyler. Billy and Victoria attended but kept their distance from each other. Abby had been trying to coerce Billy into funding and publicizing her television reality show “The Naked Heiress”, but when he refused Abby shouted congratulations to them on their marriage, then played their Jamaican wedding video on her phone when no one believed her. J.T. and Mac were appalled to think that Billy and Victoria had run off together, gotten drunk, and ended up married. Victor was furious when he was informed and got Michael involved. Michael discovered a Jamaican law that invalidated the marriage because it had occurred after 8:00 p.m., and Billy and Victoria reluctantly parted, saying what a bad match they were anyway. But, unable to resist each other, they continued to meet for fun and sex, and finally admitted that they loved each other.

Because Tucker’s snooping into his business dealings was making Victor suspicious, Victoria traveled to Japan for her father with a rare gift to ensure their deal with Mitsukoshi department stores remained intact, and Billy tagged along. Just before Victoria left for her meeting with Mitsukoshi’s representative, Tucker and Ashley greeted her and Billy in the hotel bar. After returning to Genoa City, Billy found on the Internet that the gift, which he had peeked at, was a priceless antique gun. Tucker made a deal with Jill to find out what the gift had been in exchange for a detective to get more information on Jill’s real parents. Guessing Billy’s password, Jill found the gun in his web search history, and gave the information to Tucker. Tucker confronted Victor with it hoping he could leverage Victor into giving up the Newman cosmetics line, but instead Victor went to the authorities and explained the illegal gift. Billy fired Jill when he found out what she had done, and he and Victoria made up once she realized it had not been Billy who told Tucker about the gift.

Victor continued to interfere in Victoria’s romance with Billy, continually reminding her that Newmans and Abbotts did not mix well. Victor threatened to let her take the fall for the illegal gun gift, and made her choose between him and Billy. Victoria chose Billy and handed in her resignation. Victoria pondered where to go after she moved out of the ranch, Billy asked her to move in with him, and she accepted. They celebrated by getting tattoos, Victoria’s on her lower back saying “Billy Abbott” and Billy’s on his shoulder saying “Victoria.” But the tattoo artist had a heart attack and was taken away by ambulance leaving Billy’s tattoo unfinished. To his dismay, his shoulder said “Victor”. (Later when Victor saw it, he paid another tattoo artist to finish it.) As much as Victoria was committed to her new life with Billy, waking up that first morning and realizing that she was living in a double-wide with no room for her stuff, not to mention her son when he would visit, she and Billy decided to go house hunting.

They called the realtor and were assigned a new agent, who turned out to be Gloria Bardwell. Gloria showed them a house that was redone exactly like the house in one of their favorite old television shows, Father Knows Best. With rooms for both Delia and Reed, Billy and Victoria fell in love with it, and bought it on the spot. They had just moved in when Billy was shocked to see a pregnancy test kit fall out of Victoria’s bag. While she took the test, Billy went to Jimmie’s Bar for a stiff drink. Mac overheard his circumstances and sent him home to Victoria. Then the spirit of his dead father, John, made Billy realize that he really loved Victoria. So Billy went home and presented Victoria with an engagement ring before even hearing the test results, and she accepted his proposal. Victoria took another test, and rushed down the stairs shouting “We’re pregnant!” not realizing that her parents were there in the living room with Billy. Nikki was thrilled for them, but Victor was livid.

Billy and Victoria wanted to get married the next day, but since they could not get a license, they planned a trip to Las Vegas. When Nikki heard, she pulled some strings with her friend, Judge Anderson, and got them a license. Judge Anderson officiated at the impromptu ceremony in Victoria and Billy’s front yard. But just as the vows were being exchanged, Victoria was arrested for violating the laws governing foreign gifts. As she was being dragged to the police car, Judge Anderson quickly finished the vows, and they were officially married. Attorney Vance Abrams took her case, but Victoria spent her wedding night in jail. Victor visited the following morning and admitted that he had turned her in for her own good, and offered to have the charges dropped if she would get rid of Billy. Victoria declined, told Victor he would never again be a part of her life or her children’s, and returned to her cell. Vance got Victoria released on bail, and Victor finally relented and admitted to the authorities that Victoria was delivering the gun under his orders. After Tucker overheard Victoria still refuse to forgive Victor, he offered her an executive position with Jabot. The newlyweds sealed their marriage by having wedding rings tattooed on their ring fingers by the same tattoo artist, now recovered from his heart attack. (They later got matching 1950’s style rings.) Following another shouting match with Victor, Victoria had pain and lost their baby at seven weeks. That same day J.T. and Mackenzie found out they were expecting a baby of their own.

Mac received a job offer from a non-profit in Washington, D.C., and they decided it could be a new start for them both with J.T. working there too. J.T. and Mac packed to move, and J.T. gave Victoria the news that he intended to take their son Reed with them. Victoria threw a fit and J.T. reminded her that he had full custody. Victoria conferred with both Michael and Vance, who told her she had no legal right to stop them. Hearing the news, Katherine decided J.T. and Mac needed an impromptu wedding that very day. With the help of Chloe and Kevin, some strings pulled by Katherine to get a license, and Mac’s father Brock arriving to perform the ceremony, they were married at the Chancellor Estate. Paul was the best man, and Lily the matron of honor. Billy and Victoria attended the ceremony, ironically each extending their ex-husband and ex-wife good wishes for a happy life together. Then after Victoria bade a tearful goodbye to her son, J.T., Mac, and Reed left for Washington D.C. driving the GTO off into the sunset.

Billy and Victoria continued to try to have another baby, but were disappointed month after month. Christmas 2010 arrived, and Victoria looked forward to a visit from Reed. But when J.T. called Billy to report that Reed’s flight was grounded, they worked out a plan for J.T. to drive Reed to Philadelphia, and for Billy to pick him up when he arrived in Genoa City to surprise Victoria.

Victoria was devastated when told by her doctor that there was little chance that she would ever have another baby, so Billy was determined to get her one. He contacted Primrose DeVille, niece of infamous baby broker Rose Deville, and paid two million dollars for a newborn baby girl (who unknown to anyone, was the abandoned child of Daisy Carter and Daniel Romalotti). Retro-TV-lovers, Billy and Victoria, named the red-haired baby “Lucy”, after Lucille Ball. The more Daniel looked at baby Lucy, the more he was convinced that she was Daisy’s baby. Torn as to whether or not to tell anyone, Daniel grabbed a misplaced pacifier to find out for sure. The DNA results proved that Lucy was Daniel's daughter. Daniel continued to see Lucy, looking at her in awe and calling her the tiny girl with the big secret.

After Kevin asked Jana to move out of his apartment, she found a better job as Lucy Abbott's nanny, and moved into the garage apartment behind Billy and Victoria's house.

Victoria and Billy chose Abby to be godmother to Lucy, and unable to decide between Nick or Jack as godfather, they asked them both. At the last minute the priest discovered that Lucy's birth certificate was not the original, because it was missing the state seal. Billy went back to Primrose who stamped it with a Wisconsin stamp, and the Christening went on as planned. Victor even showed up but stayed out of sight.

Jana confessed to Billy how she had been tracking Daisy's baby through a baby broker for Kevin, and Billy realized that Lucy was actually Daniel and Daisy's baby. He called Primrose, who assured him that there was no way that Jana could discover the baby's identity through her. Daniel caught Kevin and Jana researching Prim's bank account number list that Jana had photographed, so while Kevin wasn't looking, Daniel ran a magnet over the laptop, erasing the hard drive.

While visiting Jana at Billy and Victoria's, Agnes (the woman who had found Daisy's baby dropped off at a church) spotted the outfit she had bought for the baby at a thrift store among some donations of Lucy's that Victoria had ready for pickup. Jana merged the pieces of Billy's shredded bank statement to verify his account number to Prim's list, and was delighted to prove that Lucy was Daisy's baby. But Victoria arrived home before Jana could tell Kevin. Daniel confessed to Billy that he had DNA test proof that Lucy was his daughter. Although Daniel wanted Lucy to stay with Billy and Victoria, he and Billy agreed that they needed to stop Jana who was getting too close to discovering the truth. The next morning, Billy and Victoria awoke to discover that Lucy and Delia were missing, and so was Jana. Alerts went out that the children were kidnapped, and all the Newmans and Abbotts joined the police search for Jana and the children. Chloe tore into Billy about the many times she had warned him about Jana's instability and danger to their children.

Jana called Kevin to meet her at an abandoned daycare center. When he arrived, Jana handed Lucy to Kevin and informed him that she was his niece. Once Kevin understood that Billy was the person who had bought Daisy's baby, he was relieved that she was in good hands. But delusional Jana told Kevin that Lucy belonged with them, that they could reunite, leave town, and become a family together. Kevin calmly praised Jana for her devotion to him, and told her that he wanted to be with Jana and start their own family, so they needed to return the children. Jana agreed to take the children to St. Mary's church, and Kevin text-messaged Billy with their location. But when Kevin refused to leave the children alone there, Jana realized that Kevin had tricked her and pulled a gun on him. So Kevin left with Jana to keep the children from being harmed. Murphy and Kay were at the church praying for the children's safe return when they heard Lucy's cry. They found the children as police sirens were heard approaching. Chloe, Victoria and Billy arrived with the police and reclaimed their children. Once home and safe, Billy confessed to Victoria that Lucy was bought on the black market, and that Daniel and Daisy were her real parents. Billy had to get Daniel to assure Victoria that Lucy would always be theirs.

Once Phyllis found out that Lucy was her granddaughter, and remembering what it was like living her life without her child, Daniel, she decided that Lucy needed to be with her real family. Lauren and Daniel both objected, fearful that Daisy would hear about it, return, and demand her parental rights. So with Michael and Rafe's legal help, they arranged a private meeting among all parties, and Phyllis was convinced to agree to let Billy and Victoria keep Lucy, provided that she would see Lucy one weekend a month, that Lucy would know Daniel was her father, and that Phyllis would be involved in major decisions in Lucy's life. Meanwhile, Chloe sued Billy for custody of Delia, citing the fact that Billy had bought Lucy on the black market. As the private meeting was coming to a close, a CPS social worker arrived, having found out Lucy was a black market baby through Delia's custody paperwork. Although the adoption papers that Billy gave the social worker appeared legitimate, there had been no background check or social worker involved. Even though Daniel claimed to be Lucy's father and substantiated Billy and Victoria's right to his daughter, Lucy was taken from them until Daniel's claim could be verified with a DNA test. When the test came back positive, due to the ongoing pressure from the Abbotts and his mother for Daniel to keep her, Daniel left to get Lucy, promising them that he would decide what to do once she was safe.

Daniel finally decided to allow Billy and Victoria to adopt Lucy, he relinquished his parental rights, and the adoption was made legal. Phyllis was livid, and wrote a Restless Style blog about Lucy and condemning Daisy, hoping to smoke her out. By doing so Phyllis had disobeyed the court's gag order, and she was fired by Billy. Daisy returned, and Phyllis hired attorney Leslie Michaelson to arrange for Daisy to turn herself in and petition the court to get back her parental rights. Leslie pointed out that Daisy was only accused of the crimes, and that both Victoria and Billy had recently been arrested as well, that Victoria had lost custody of Reed, and Billy's ex-wife was suing for custody of Delia. So Daisy was given back her parental rights, although Phyllis was given temporary custody of Lucy, because Daisy was in jail. Feeling guilty, Billy moved out leaving Victoria in tears, and camped out drunk at Jimmy's bar. Reed, who was staying with Victoria, received ironic news of the birth of J.T. and Mac's baby boy, Dylan.

Nick went to talk some sense into Billy, and found him living in his mobile home again, drunk and gambling on horse races. Billy said he was through with being an upstanding husband and offered to sell Restless Style back to Nick. Nick had papers drawn up and bought it back, then offered Phyllis the opportunity to work with him again, and she took the job.

Chloe and Billy's testimony about Billy's bad habits and run-ins with the law left Billy without a prayer of keeping joint custody of Delia. Then Victoria testified on Billy's behalf about what a devoted father he was. Billy went to thank her afterward, but she let him know that nothing had changed between them. Later Billy was finishing a drink at Jimmy's Bar, and was propositioned by a hooker. Billy turned her down, she begged for a ride home, so he gave her a hundred dollar bill to take a cab. But outside Jimmy's, as the hooker joined him in the street, Billy was arrested for solicitation. Chloe was awarded sole custody of Delia, and Billy was given only limited supervised visitation. Victor was later seen paying off the hooker for a job well done, as Billy went home to Victoria's loving embrace. They talked, and Victoria expressed her fear for Billy and his self destructiveness, and her regret for what had become of them. Late that night Billy showed up at the Chancellor estate to see Delia, but Chloe refused and sent him away. Billy got drunk, wrecked his car, and ended up in the hospital. Jack brought Billy home to a birthday party at Ashley and Tucker's, and Ashley tried to convince Victoria to attend and give him the vintage painting she had commissioned of the two of them. But Victoria declined. Ashley made Billy his favorite cake, and gifted him their father John's ring in hopes that it would be a reminder to lead a better life.

Billy returned home to pack his things and found the painting of himself and Victoria in her playboy bunny outfit and its dedication to him for "bringing out the goofy" in Victoria. Victoria walked in and they talked about how much they needed each other and ended up making love. But afterward, while she was making coffee, Billy left and was seen on a plane flying out of town. Victoria was devastated when she learned from Ashley that he had left her and had gone back to Hong Kong. Weeks later, Chloe received a Jade bracelet for Delia from Billy.

Billy's daughter, Delia was diagnosed with acute myelogenous leukemia, and needed a bone marrow transplant to recover. Everyone in Genoa City was tested with no matches, and Victoria and Jack were intent on finding Billy to help, hoping that he could save Delia's life. Hearing that Billy had left Myanmar, a country in Southeast Asia, Jack left town to find him. Meanwhile, Victor had found Billy in a jail cell in Myanmar, and made a deal with him to negotiate his freedom if he promised to never see Victoria again. Billy told Victor to go to hell. Victor told him about Delia's condition, and that Billy might save his daughter's life if he was a match. Victor returned Billy home to his trailer and coerced Kevin to agree to pose as the donor of Billy's blood sample. Billy snuck into the hospital unrecognized, wearing a hooded sweatshirt, to see Delia. Delia told Chloe that her daddy had been there, but everyone assumed it was a dream. The blood sample proved to be a match for Delia, so Victor arranged, with Michael's help, for a doctor to harvest the bone marrow from Billy and lead everyone to believe that it came from Kevin.

Meanwhile, Victoria continued to believe in Billy, and emailed him that she loved him and would forgive him if he would just come home. Billy received Victoria's emails on his laptop at his trailer, and wanted to go home to Victoria. But Victor kept him in hiding by threatening to reveal Billy's crime that had gotten him thrown into prison. Victor planted the seed in Billy's mind that Victoria was moving on with Sam, the veterinarian who was living in their garage apartment. Billy went to see her, arriving just after Victoria had injured her ankle, and witnessed Sam carry her upstairs. Billy poured out the booze that Victor brought to him, and told Victor that Delia needed him, so he wanted to keep himself the best that he could be to save her life.

Billy snuck out of his trailer to see Katherine who was unconscious in the hospital after having a stroke. Cane saw him leaving and followed him home, but Billy made him swear not to tell anyone that he was in Genoa City. After Delia had chemotherapy, Victor arranged with a doctor for Billy to donate the bone marrow for her transplant, and they prepped Kevin to know how to act as if he had been the donor. The transplant was successful, Delia was expected to make a full recovery, and Victor arranged for Billy to be gone from their lives in a few days. Meanwhile circumstances kept happening which kept Victoria from signing the divorce papers that she had Michael draw up. When the time came to leave, Billy refused to go until Victor showed him a damning video. Billy led Victor to believe that he had left town, but instead he holed up in a room somewhere.

Victoria threw the annual Halloween party at Jimmy's bar in Billy's absence and got very drunk. Meanwhile Billy showed up at the hospital dressed as Santa Claus to see Delia. Delia did not recognize him, and he enjoyed some time with her. Billy then showed up at Jimmy's Bar, in time to see his drunken wife thank everyone for coming, although she knew it was not as good without Billy, like everything in her life. Nick took her home, and after he left, Billy helped her get inside and to the couch where he kissed her. She recognized him but passed out. Billy was disappointed to find the signed divorce papers on the coffee table.

Billy convinced Cane to help him clear his name so that Billy could get his life back by finding Chelsea Lawson, a girl Billy had gotten in trouble with in Myanmar. Cane asked Ronan to help, but authorities in Myanmar had nothing on her or Billy. Billy came to the conclusion that Victor either had him locked up or paid someone off to say he had not been. After Cane agreed to go to Myanmar, Billy read an article online about innocent westerners being targeted there who were accused of crimes and imprisoned, but Cane would not be deterred. Ronan got Cane a visa, and Billy promised to send Cane a photo once he stole it from Victor. Billy convinced Kevin to help him hack into Victor's computer, they retrieved the photo of Chelsea, and sent it to Cane to track her down. Chloe called Kevin to let him know that Delia was in remission, and Kevin shared the good news with Billy. After Kevin had left, Victor tracked Billy to his hiding place and informed him he would personally see to it that Billy left for good this time.

Meanwhile in Myanmar, Cane was asking a bartender about Chelsea, and later received the photo which was of the bartender. The owner of the bar later told Cane that she had taken money from the till and disappeared. Victoria became convinced that Billy was in trouble and unable to contact them, so she and Jill decided to go to Myanmar and find him themselves. Inquiries and bribes at the American consulate disclosed that Billy had been imprisoned for illegal drug trafficking, but was there no longer. Then a guy at a bar told them that Billy was in hiding, to follow him to the dock in back, where he attempted to abduct them, but they were rescued by Cane. Cane told Jill and Victoria that he had followed them there, and they boarded a plane back to the U.S. together. Victoria got bumped from her connecting flight from New York City, and Cane and Jill went on ahead. Cane assured Jill that Billy was alive and well.

Meanwhile, Billy befriended Tank, the guy that Victor was paying to accompany Billy and make sure he stayed at a monastery in New Deli, India. They got as far as New York City, where Billy convinced Tank to let him go. Victoria and Billy found themselves both waiting in Finn McGee's airport pub. Victoria spotted him and hugged and kissed him, excited that he was alive, and asking where he had been since his release. Billy told her that he was setup in Myanmar, and admitted that it took him awhile, but that all he wanted was to come home to her and Delia. Victoria said that he never should have left, and Billy admitted that he didn't feel worthy of her or Delia. With all flights grounded, they found themselves in a hotel with adjoining rooms. Unable to stand it any longer, they each opened the doors between them, embraced, and ended up making love. Billy admitted that he had been the Santa who had kissed her, and had donated the bone marrow that had saved Delia's life; and told her about the deal he had made with the devil - Victor. Meanwhile Kevin was admitting the same to Chloe.

Flying home together, Billy anticipated seeing his daughter while Victoria was readying herself to give her father hell. Billy tried to confess to about the girl in Myanmar, but Victoria told him that it if he truly wanted to be with her, they could get past it. Fearing it would only renew Victor's vendetta against him, Billy tried to convince Victoria not to cut ties with Victor again. Billy and Victoria arrived at the Chancellor estate just in time for Thanksgiving dinner. Everyone was overjoyed to see him, as Billy picked up and hugged his daughter Delia, then turned around to find Victor there as a guest. After Victor hastily excused himself, Billy told everyone that he had been setup and imprisoned in Myanmar, then had trouble getting back, leaving out what Victor had done. Later, Victoria confronted Victor who claimed that keeping Billy from her was for her own good, and that perhaps she should ask Billy what he had done in Myanmar. Victoria told Victor that she had forgiven Billy, and that their love was something Victor would never understand, the way he had never forgiven Nikki or his children for anything. Victoria resigned from Newman and told Victor she was done with them both, for good. Billy and Victoria celebrated his homecoming by hanging over the fireplace the painting which Victoria had commissioned of her and Billy in their "Heff" and playboy bunny costumes.

Victoria received the paperwork showing that their divorce had been finalized, but they promised each other they would remarry. Jack offered Billy a job at Jabot, but after Nick had just fired Phyllis, Billy and Victoria were successful in talking Nick into selling Restless Style back to Billy instead.

Phyllis approached Billy, letting him know that she was working with Ronan and Nick on the murder case, which would make a nice exclusive for Restless Style.

Everyone was waiting at the church for the groom at the Christmas Eve wedding of Kevin and Chloe, with Victoria as matron of honor, Michael as best man, and Delia the flower girl. Kevin phoned Chloe and called off the wedding, telling her he needed time to think. Rather than waste everything, (with Chloe's permission,) Victoria and Billy decided to get married again instead, with Chloe as maid of honor. Kay sent Nikki a text message to join them, and she left Gloworm drunk. Nikki arrived, remarkably sober, just in time for the wedding and was welcomed with open arms. After the lights went out, things were looking ominous, but after the arrival of good omens, Judge Anderson and Victoria's runaway dog Keely, the ceremony was held by candlelight, and Victoria and Billy were married once again – vowing that this time would be forever. Chloe gave them her honeymoon too, which was coincidentally in Jamaica, where Victoria and Billy had been married the first time.

Meeting Sebastian and Rene in Jamaica, the couple whose wedding they had crashed, they were surprised, and saddened for themselves, to see that the couple already had had a baby. Later, after Victoria got a call that the adoption agency had a mother who had chosen them to adopt her baby, they left for home.

Chelsea Lawson showed up just after they arrived home on New Year's Eve, claiming that Billy, going by the name Liam, had raped her in Myanmar. She showed them that she was pregnant and claimed that it was his. Billy told Victoria that he was picked up by Chelsea in a bar where he had gotten very drunk. He admitted that they had danced together with him dreaming of Victoria, and that they had kissed. Then she spiked his drink, and when he woke up, he was surrounded by police with heroin planted in his bag, and taken to jail. Billy claimed they did not have sex, and that she was trying to con him. Chelsea promised a DNA test as proof. Billy admitted to Victoria that he didn’t remember everything from that night, but if the baby turned out to be his, it was from consensual sex, not rape. Victoria said that she believed him, but realized the adoption they had come home for was not going to happen.

Chelsea began parading her belly around town to anyone who would listen, including Adam, and showing up a Jimmy's bar in front of Billy and Victoria and their friends. Billy booked her a hospital room and arranged a DNA test, which unfortunately proved that Billy was the father. Chelsea admitted to Billy that she had worked in Myanmar helping the police fill their quotas, and that she and Billy had had consensual sex. Luckily Billy thought to tape her confession, and played it for Victoria. Billy proposed that he fight for custody of the baby, and Victoria agreed that she would rather raise a child who was Billy's, since she didn't seem to be able to have one herself. When they saw Chelsea ordering a burger and a beer, they asked her to live in their garage apartment where they could make sure ate right to look out for the baby. Chelsea readily agreed, then made a phone call assuring someone that the rich suckers had taken the bait.