Erica Kane may have had to bid farewell to her only son recently, but she'll soon be welcoming home the baby of the family. After a year away from All My Children, Emmy winner Eden Riegel (Bianca Montgomery) is headed back to Pine Valley. Unlike her previous short-term engagements, this time around Riegel is expected to stay for a much longer period of time.

When Eden Riegel assumed the role of Bianca in July 2000, she became the fourth actress in seven years to tackle the role of Erica Kane's youngest child. What's more, Riegel was immediately thrust into a front-burner storyline: Bianca's coming out. For the next five years, the young actress was front and center in nearly all of the show's major plots. It was that constant on-screen presence that led Riegel to four Daytime Emmy nominations in four years. On her fourth try, powered by a remarkable performance in a baby swap storyline, Riegel snared her first Daytime Emmy win in the Outstanding Younger Actress category.

After leaving the show in May 2005, Riegel returned for a series of pop-ins in 2005 and 2006 before being lured back to the show in October 2006 for a short-term engagement. In April 2007, as had been the case in May 2005, Riegel's Bianca was written out of town with a new love interest.

When Bianca returns to town this time around, she will have a brand new "someone special" in her life and a big surprise -- Bianca is pregnant! And wait until everyone finds out who the "father" is. For more on Bianca's new girlfriend, click here.

Since leaving All My Children last year, Riegel has been keeping herself quite busy. The actress has been starring in an online soap opera called Imaginary Bitches, written by her husband, Andrew Miller. In addition to his role as head writer, Miller also serves as series creator and director. The web series has earned rave reviews and featured cameos by numerous daytime personalities.

Riegel's return is said to be as a contract player, though the her contract is not long-term. Riegel is expected to remain in Pine Valley for just four months as a way to minimize the off-screen time of actress Alicia Minshew. For more on Minshew's exit, please click here.

Riegel makes her return appearance on October 17, just as a major event shakes up life in Pine Valley.

Photo Credit: Dan J Kroll/Soap Central