During the summer of 2008, both Sami Brady and Nicole Walker found out that they were pregnant by E.J. DiMera. Nicole told E.J. about the pregnancy. E.J. was thrilled. Sami struggled with whether or not to tell E.J. because she was afraid to have Stefano be a part of her child's life. Still, she decided to tell E.J. But, on the day she went to the DiMera mansion to tell him, Sami witnessed a murder and was put into witness protection. While there, she decided that she could not tell E.J. about the baby.

In November of 2008, Nicole Walker suffered a miscarriage. Fearing that she could not salvage a relationship with E.J. unless she gave him a child, Nicole faked her pregnancy and began an elaborate scheme to find a "replacement" baby. Nicole learned that Dr. Baker, the doctor at a nearby clinic in Brooksville, knew of a pregnant teenager, Mia McCormick. Nicole demanded that Dr. Baker tell her where Mia lived. Dr. Baker refused, but Nicole stole the information.

Nicole called Mia and met with her. Mia explained that she had a scholarship to study dance in Japan, but had to put that on hold when she got pregnant. Since her ex-boyfriend (later identified as Chad Petersen Woods) was no longer in the picture, Mia wanted to find a good home for her baby. Mia also insisted that her baby go to a solid home because Mia was the daughter of a single mother who had many abusive boyfriends. Nicole insisted that Mia's baby would be taken care of. She even brought Mia to the DiMera mansion to show her where the baby would live. Eventually, Nicole even confessed to Mia that she had been faking her pregnancy since her miscarriage and that Mia's baby would replace the baby that Nicole lost. Mia finally agreed to give her baby to Nicole.

On January 27, 2009 Mia went into labor and called Nicole. Nicole rushed to Mia's apartment. Knowing that Dr. Baker was delivering Sami's baby, Nicole told Mia that she would have to deliver the baby right there in Mia's apartment. Mia gave birth to a daughter. After some hesitation, she told Nicole to take the baby. Mia said that she did not need to see a doctor, nor did she want to look at her baby. She just wanted to sleep. Nicole took the baby and left Mia alone. Nicole went to the clinic and blackmailed Dr. Baker into switching the babies. Nicole took Sami's baby home to E.J. Dr. Baker gave Mia's baby to Sami. Sami named the baby Grace.

Sami took Grace home with her, completely unaware that Grace was not her biological child. Sami started a relationship with Rafe Hernandez and agreed to let Rafe adopt Grace. But before the adoption was official, Grace fell ill. Her harmless fever turned out to be bacterial meningitis. There was nothing the doctors could do to stop the disease. Grace died on June 9, 2009.

Months later, the truth about Grace's paternity came to light. Chad and Mia were devastated and grieved for their daughter. Nicole was sent to jail for her crimes, although eventually pardoned by Governor Jim Ford. To date, Chad, Mia, and the Brady family continue to mourn and remember baby Grace.