In 1982, Anna arrived in Salem with four-year-old Carrie in tow. She was there to find her husband, and Carrie's father, Roman to divorce him and leave Carrie in his care. Roman was shocked to find Anna alive, and that he had a child. Anna claimed that she had been forced into white slavery and kept prisoner on a yacht owned by European drug dealers. She also claimed Carrie was taken from her for six to twelve months at a time. Shortly afterwards, Roman and Anna divorced and Carrie began to spend time with her father.

Later that year, Carrie was used as a pawn in one of Stefano DiMera’s plots against Roman. A notorious crime lord, Stefano wanted to discredit Roman, an upstanding cop and ISA agent. Anna agreed to help Stefano as long as Roman was only discredited and not harmed. Anna was paid one million dollars to hypnotize Carrie and have her plant bogus deposit slips in Roman’s apartment to make it appear he was accepting bribes. Ultimately, the plan didn’t work. Carrie wasn’t harmed and Roman was cleared, but the ordeal made Roman swear vengeance against his new archenemy for using his daughter against him.

While Roman was undercover in 1983, Carrie was staying with Marlena when she slipped on some ice. She was knocked unconscious and broke her arm. Although risky because of his mission, Roman managed to visit Carrie, who would eventually make a full recovery.

In 1986, Stefano's plan to make everyone think that John Black was really Roman worked. However, Carrie had a hard time adjusting to the man who everyone believed was her father. When Carrie saw Marlena being affectionate with the new Roman she tried to run away, but was hit by a car. She remained in a coma for several days. Miraculously, “Roman” talked her out of it and afterwards they formed a strong emotional bond.

In 1987, Diana Colville saved Carrie's life when she was drowning. A year later in 1988, Carrie’s life was in danger again when she was kidnapped by Stefano. He held Carrie captive on a boat with one of Roman’s former associates, Orion. Roman soon rescued them both, but by 1990 Carrie had decided to leave Salem and spend time with her mother in Europe.

In 1991, Carrie returned home to find her stepmother Marlena wasn't really dead and John, who she had thought was Roman, wasn't Roman. The revelation blindsided Carrie because she had developed such a close bond with John, believing he was her father. Because of this, Carrie became somewhat rebellious and emotionally disturbed.

After meeting Lawrence Alamain in a bar, she developed a near obsession with him. Carrie, being confused emotionally, almost made love with Lawrence, but John arrived and forced her out of the bed. John’s actions touched her and Carrie began to accept the situation. However, shortly after, she made waves with Roman when she moved in with her friend, Jesse Lombard, who had recently been arrested for gun possession.

In 1992, Carrie fell in love with her neighbor Austin Reed. After Jesse moved out Carrie offered his old room to Austin's sister Billie, who had a drug habit. Carrie soon learned of Austin's plan to throw a prize fight and locked him in a mountain cabin. He was furious, but would eventually forgive her.

In 1993, Carrie became a finalist for "The Face of the ‘90s" contest by Bella magazine. Around this time, Austin began boxing again after taking some time off, and Carrie was at his side. However, Austin became involved with a man named Gus who ran a gambling ring. Gus tried to get Austin to throw a fight, but Carrie cheered him on and he won. Angry with Austin’s resistance, Gus threw a vile of acid at him one evening, but it hit Carrie's face instead and instantly scarred her. Although he arrived at the hospital with an engagement ring, Carrie asked Austin to stay away from her, though Austin didn't realize it was because Roman would arrest him for being part of the gambling ring if she didn't call things off.

Meanwhile that same year, Carrie's younger sister Sami returned to Salem and became infatuated with Austin. She made it her mission to keep him and Carrie apart. Lucas Roberts also arrived in town. He wanted Carrie for himself and teamed up with Sami to get what they both wanted.

By 1994, Austin and Carrie had resumed their relationship. They made plans for a romantic weekend at a ski lodge. However, Carrie was almost raped by Alan Harris, but when his plans were foiled, he then raped Sami. At the time of Sami’s attack, Carrie was away with Austin and gave him her virginity. When she returned, Carrie convinced her sister to press charges against Alan, but when she lost in court because of lack of evidence, Sami vowed revenge on her sister.

One night in 1995, Sami and Lucas made love at Titan publishing and Austin spotted them. He left depressed because he thought that Sami was actually Carrie, as Sami had borrowed one of Carrie’s outfits. Things broke off between them and Lucas tried to date her while Sami tried to get Austin to fall in love with her.

However, Sami and Lucas weren't able to severe the love between Austin and Carrie. Sami then drugged Austin and slept with him. When he told her the next morning he thought she had been Carrie and that he would always love Carrie, Sami ran away. Carrie discovered lipstick on Austin's pillow and he admits to having a one-night stand but does not say with whom. Carrie forgives him and they start to make wedding plans. Just as the couple is about to say their "I do's" Sami returns to announce she's pregnant with Austin's child. Carrie called off their wedding and Austin stood by Sami while she nearly died giving birth to their son, William Robert Reed.

In the months following and into 1996, Sami kept scheming again to keep Carrie and Austin apart. Eventually, she was caught by Austin's mom Kate and Carrie laid into her sister. Carrie and Austin promptly reunited and went to Paris where they planned to wed. But during their trip it was discovered that his son had been kidnapped. Conveniently, the woman who abducted Will sold him to a French couple and they soon found him. However, in order to get custody of their son back, Austin and Sami had to pose as a loving couple and got married to secure their chances. Carrie watched on with a broken heart as the man she loved married her sister in the wedding she had planned. Once back in Salem, Austin filed for an annulment and he and Carrie resumed dating

In 1997, Sami was almost killed when Austin ran her over with his car, twice. She survived, but had amnesia. Much to Carries' dismay, her family decided it was best for Austin to pretend to be Sami’s loving husband. However, Sami soon regained her memory, but hid that fact from everyone but Lucas. Meanwhile, Carrie had become good friends with Dr. Mike Horton. Sami and Lucas used this to their advantage and made it appear to Austin that Carrie and Mike were lovers. As a result, Austin and Sami became closer and so did Carrie and Mike.

In late 1997, Austin and Sami were all set to get married for real when Carrie burst into the church with explosive news. Carrie announced that, not only was Sami faking her amnesia, but Will was really Lucas' son and not Austin's. Carrie and Austin then wed in the ceremony originally intended for Austin and Sami. Sadly, things would not last for the couple.

Carrie spent most of 1998 arguing with her husband. Despite her love for Austin, Mike sensed that Carrie had married him to get the revenge on Sami for putting them through hell. Because of her arguments with Austin, who was spending a lot of time with Sami and Will, Carrie began to spend more time with Mike. She also changed her job from an advertising executive at Titan Publishing to director of public affairs at University Hospital.

Throughout the rest of 1998, Carrie’s career change brought her and Mike closer together. She even became his PR representative when he sought the chief-of-staff position. He won, beating out schemer Craig Wesley. Carrie's belief in Mike never wavered, although her job took her away from spending time with her husband. Mike and Carrie kissed for the first time on July 4, 1998.

Later that year, Sami was arrested for the murder of Franco Kelly, her fiancé. By 1999, she was put on trial for the murder and decided that she would rather have Austin be guardian of Will if she went to jail, rather than Lucas. That caused major tension for Carrie and Austin. Made worse, Carrie tried hard to fight her feelings for Mike while Austin ran off with Sami, after she was found guilty.

During 1999, Carrie and Mike weathered his sexual harassment trial, and it wasn't long before the two became lovers. Austin served her with divorce papers after learning of her infidelity. When Mike returned to town after a brief absence, he asked Carrie to marry him. She accepted and shortly afterwards they left Salem for Israel where he could be closer to his son, Jeremy.

In 2005, Lucas learned Carrie was back in the U.S. when he attempted to takeover a company named High Style. As it turned out, Carrie was the C.E.O. She admitted to him that she and Mike hadn't worked out, but she didn’t want go back to Salem. What she didn't tell him was that she had never stopped loving Austin. But Carrie was happy to see Lucas and grateful to him when he stopped his takeover attempt of the company she loved. They quickly rekindled their friendship, which caused his old feelings for her to reignite as well. Carrie finally returned to Salem with Lucas just in time for Christmas, and Austin was one of the first people she reconnected with.

Unfortunately in January of 2006, Austin maneuvered a hostile takeover of High Style without knowing Carrie was the C.E.O. Sami, however, knew Carrie ran the company and kept it from Austin to ensure a romantic reunion with Carrie didn’t happen. As it turned out, Sami had fallen back in love with Austin and was back to her old tricks. Her plan worked and instantly put a strain on Carrie and Austin’s budding reunion, but they were ultimately able to work through it and continued to reconnect.

Throughout 2006, Sami worked hard to ensure Carrie and Austin stayed apart, despite knowing they were still in love. When Sami stumbled upon Dr. Lexie Carver in the midst of an affair, she immediately blackmailed her into helping with her scheme. With Sami threatening to tell Lexie’s husband Abe the truth, Lexie was forced to say that Carrie and Austin could never have healthy children together because, if their DNA combined, the baby would have some sort of genetic defect and most likely not survive. This crushed Carrie who wanted to have children with Austin and she decided to peruse a relationship with Lucas instead because he was deemed a safe genetic match. Soon after, Carrie was told she was pregnant with Lucas’ baby and they wed.

With Carrie looking forward to motherhood and a life with Lucas, Austin renewed his connection with Sami, even though his heart remained with her sister. However, before he and Sami could wed, everyone learned that Sami had blackmailed Lexie into lying about the genetic defects. Soon after, Carrie learned she was never pregnant with Lucas' baby. With the truth exposed, Carrie and Austin began to sleep with one another. Soon afterwards, Lucas discovered them together and had their marriage annulled. Free to be together, Carrie and Austin wed and then moved to Switzerland in October of 2006.

In 2007, Carrie and Austin’s nephew Will moved to Switzerland to live them. He needed to escape his hectic life in Salem. He stayed with them until 2009. Since then, Anna reported that Carrie and Austin are trying to start a family.

Carrie and Austin returned to Salem in September 2011 for the dedication of the Horton Square.