I come from a family of doctors. My parents, Bill & Laura are both doctors, as is my older brother Mike Horton. When my mother was institutionalized (the first time), my dad put me in the care of my grandparents Tom and Alice Horton. Despite a slight rebellious streak, my childhood and teenage years were typical ones, as was my relationship with my boy-next-door high school sweetheart Frankie Brady that ultimately wasn't meant to be.
While studying journalism in college, I got an internship at the Salem Spectator and immediately found chemistry with the devilishly charming Jack Deveraux, the editor-in-chief. Despite warnings from friends and family to stay away from the villainous Jack, I found myself recognizing a good in him that others missed. Jack and I have enjoyed a tumultuous relationship ever since and our first marriage led to the birth of our daughter Abby.
When Abby was diagnosed with Aplastic Anemia, Jack blamed himself and left us. It was then that I got involved with Peter Blake, who destroyed my family and ultimately put Abby and me in grave danger. Peter conspired to have my mother, Laura, re-institutionalized because she was onto Peter's scheme. Later, when Peter kidnapped Abby and me, it was Jack to the rescue with deadly results. Jack shot Peter and everyone believed Peter to be dead. Once Jack was exonerated, we left Salem for Africa.
My reunion with Jack didn't last long and I soon left Africa for Ireland, with Abby in tow, and eventually made my way back to Salem with Jack arriving a short while later. Our relationship was as rocky as it had ever been, but we all moved in together at Jack's suggestion.
However, I now had my eyes on a man I had met in Africa, Colin Murphy (Shawn Brady's nephew). Jack tried desperate (and often underhanded) measures to win me back, including pretending to be gay. Ultimately, I kicked Jack out of the house and assumed Editor-In-Chief duties at the Salem Spectator.
No matter how many men I became involved with, I couldn't shake my feelings for Jack. However, circumstances involving my cousin and best friend Hope Brady's kidnapping brought Colin and me closer than ever, until I learned of Colin's involvement with the DiMeras - and Hope's disappearance. I reteamed with Jack to expose the truth, but was forced to sleep with Colin when he threatened Jack's life. Later, Colin was murdered leading Jack and me to suspect each other, though neither turned out to be the murderer. The ordeal crystallized my feelings for my first true love and I proposed to Jack dressed as Santa Claus, echoing Jack's method of proposing to me ten years prior.
We remarried in a ceremony that included our daughter, Abby, and it was broadcast live on our talk show "In The House." The bliss was short-lived however, as the Salem Stalker soon attacked Jack, leaving him brain dead and on life support. In the hardest decision of my life, I chose to take Jack off life support - and Abby blamed me for her father's death. Not knowing that Jack was actually still alive, I was excited to learn I was pregnant - a last gift from my lost love. This was about the time Patrick Lockhart arrived in Salem. I let him stay in the guesthouse and he quickly became my shoulder to lean on.
When I began receiving cryptic messages from Jack, I became convinced my husband was still alive. Despite my difficult pregnancy, I agreed to go on a plane with a suspicious pilot to meet him. I survived a terrifying plane crash, but was reunited with Jack and gave birth on the mysterious island. During the perilous escape from the island, Jack was once again (incorrectly) presumed dead, a cruel twist of fate that left Abby, baby Jack Jr. and I alone again.
No sooner had I tried to move on with my life, than Jack reappeared in Salem a few months later, having escaped where he was being held in Europe. He was thrilled to finally spend time with his infant son and to see Abby and me; however, he was also suffering from a rare and fatal disease. Jack ended up missing after his car went off a bridge into water, and he was presumed dead, for a third and final time. Worried about my happiness and well-being Jack tried to set my old boyfriend Frankie up with me after his death, and the plan worked due to my desire to carry out Jack's "final" wishes. Abigail, our daughter was convinced Jack was still alive and opposed the relationship.
Jack shocked everyone in June by returning to town with his long thought dead amnesiac brother Steve Johnson. Jack's disease was cured, and after solving one last mystery, Jack and I reunited and left for London with our toddler son to head up the London Spectator office.
