2006: Innocent Emma McDermott was whisked away by her mother, Anne McDermott, to Pine Valley to escape her pedophile father, Terry McDermott. They sought shelter with Erin Lavery in her brother, Ryan Lavery’s apartment. Ryan became very protective of the McDermott’s. Terry was killed when Jonathan Lavery caught him trying to molest Lily Montgomery.
Dixie Cooney kidnapped Emma thinking she was her long lost daughter, Kate Martin. Four years ago, Annie had gone to Dr. Greg Madden to conceive a child. Greg had also stolen Dixie’s daughter, four years ago. Dr. David Hayward falsified a report stating Emma was Kate. The courts demanded a DNA test. Only, Emma’s DNA did not match Annie’s, but Annie remembered giving birth to her. Emma was taken into foster care.
Ryan and Annie discovered Annie had a rare genetic disorder called chimera, which gave her two independent strands of DNA. Annie was able to prove Emma was her daughter, and she came home right before the holidays.

2007: Emma learned Ryan was more than just a family friend: he was her father. Annie had gone to sperm bank. The sample had been Ryan’s. Annie and Ryan were already on the fast track of love. They decided to marry at Wildwind. After the ceremony, the police arrived. Emma was afraid they had come to take her back to foster care. In reality, Ryan’s last wife Greenlee duPres had failed to file part of their divorce papers, making Ryan a bigamist. Ryan quickly cleared up the clerical error and Emma had her new family, complete with a little brother, Spike Lavery.
Emma went on a picnic with Little Adam Chandler and his mother Babe Carey. Babe met up with her friend Wes, who was actually Annie’s sociopath brother Richie Novak. When Annie found out Richie was in town, Annie was frantic to find her daughter. Annie had been estranged from her family since Richie caused an accident that left her father, Walter Novak, deaf. Though Emma was beginning to heal the rift between Walter and Annie, she wanted Emma as far away from Richie as possible.

2008: Emma was heartbroken when her father suffered retrograde amnesia and forgot who she was. Emma was unaware what Ryan’s condition was doing to her mother. As Ryan relived his life and re-fell in love with Kendall and Greenlee, Annie began to act erratically. Her fragile mental condition was compromised after Annie killed Richie to protect her family and friends from his sociopathic behavior.
Annie took Emma and left Ryan to move into Chandler Mansion. Ryan and Annie’s bitter custody battle culminated when Ryan found a gun in Annie’s room. Annie had taken Adam’s gun to kill Greenlee. But, she had labor pains. Annie miscarried her and Ryan’s second child.
Annie sent Emma on vacation with Di Henry to the Pine Keys. Only, everyone in Pine Valley thought she had been kidnapped. Emma almost died in a church fire. After Annie’s plot came to light, she was sent to Oak Haven Sanitarium.