Laura definitely was still written as an ingenue in the 90s and early 00s. She was still written like that in 2006 and 2008. The writers really didn't start moving her out of that catgegory until 2013.
Remember my friend, you missed almost all of the 90s. You missed a lot of great writing, great acting, and L&L romance. Tony was definitely still playing a romantic anti-hero well into his 50s, and Genie was still playing Laura the Ingenue, even as a mother. She was written as the object of obsession, passion and salvation for Luke, Stefan, Scotty and even Stavors from 1993-2002.