Victor Newman's son Adam had wronged his family and others in Genoa City and had faked his own death to escape prosecution. After evidence was found that Adam was still alive and had probably setup a man named Richard Hightower to take his place and be killed, Victor got a crop duster pilot to admit that Adam had paid him to fly him to Ottawa. Victor demanded the pilot take him there too. Like Adam before him, Victor parachuted out of the plane, winding up at a bar, where he was befriended by bartender, Meggie McClain. Meggie flirted with Victor, but Victor let her know that he was taken, and spoke about his reclaimed love for his ex-wife Nikki back in Genoa City. Victor found Shaw Roberts, the thug who had helped Adam get out of Ottawa on a Portuguese freighter, but Shaw would not tell Victor anything. Adam received a phone call in São Paulo, Brazil, apparently from Shaw telling him that Victor had been knocked over the head after tracking Adam to the bar. Adam rolled over in bed to his old girlfriend Skye Lockhart, who supposedly was murdered and dismembered in Genoa City two years prior. Skye assured him that they had covered his tracks well. Adam wanted to leave immediately, but Skye reminded him of the upcoming poker score of a lifetime, and that they had bribed Brazilian officials not to extradite them if they were caught.

Back in Canada, Victor discovered a photo he recognized as Skye hanging on the wall of Meggie's bar with a message on the back which Skye apparently left there for Adam. Meanwhile at home, Victor's son Nick thought to ask the pilot if Adam had borrowed his phone. He had, and when Nick called the number that Adam had called, Skye answered. Because Nick was out on bail for murdering Adam and could not leave the country, Jack Abbott arrived in Ottawa just in time to rescue Victor from a sinking ship he had been trapped in by Shaw. Together, old enemies Victor and Jack went to Brazil to setup Skye and Adam posing as high rollers who were losing millions. Skye and Victor were the final players a high-stakes poker game – winner take all, including Adam. Victor won, and Skye led him to Adam. Victor forced Adam to return to Genoa City with them, leaving Skye behind with a briefcase full of cash. Back in Genoa City, Adam was arrested for conspiracy to commit murder.

Just as Nikki and Victor were celebrating how happy they finally were together, Meggie McClain showed up at their door from Canada with only the clothes on her back, and promptly passed out from exhaustion. She said that Shaw Roberts, the guy who shanghaied Victor, had shot up her bar in retaliation for helping him, so she had left town in fear for her life. Victor invited her to stay at the ranch with them, explaining to Nikki that he owed Meggie his life. But he hired Paul to look into her story. Paul took the job to help protect his friend Nikki from the woman who may have been a threat, but Meggie's story checked out. After seeing the way Meggie looked at Victor, Nikki let her know that Victor was off limits. Victor soon presented Nikki with an engagement ring while Meggie spied on them from the next room.

Meggie made herself at home in the ranch house with free room and board. She took advantage of Victor's offer to get anything she needed from Fenmore's and charge it to his account by buying expensive clothes and shoes. After Nikki called her on it, Meggie made apologies and agreed to leave. But later that day Meggie was confronted by Shaw Roberts, the thug from her home in Canada. Nikki intervened and rescued her, then decided to let Meggie stay on and to give Meggie a job as her personal assistant. Meggie proved to be very helpful, mostly scheduling Nikki's many volunteer activities, and they became friendly. But after Meggie offered Nikki a drink and was told that Nikki was a recovering alcoholic, she began spiking Nikki's sodas with vodka.

Victor sent Meggie to the Harvest Festival to give Murphy his donation for the cause. Murphy and Meggie recognized each other, and she dropped the check and ran. Murphy got in his car and called Victor to warn him saying he "would not let this happen again". Meggie got in the car, grabbed the phone out of his hands, and threw it out the car door. Murphy got so angry that he had a heart attack. Murphy reached for his digitalis, Meggie grabbed it away and threw them on the floor of the car, leaving him there to die. Later in the hospital as Murphy recovered, Meggie injected something in his IV that gave him another attack and a stroke. Just as Kay was about to make the decision not to put Murphy on life support, he opened his eyes. Unable to speak or move with "locked in" syndrome, Murphy's eyes focused on Meggie across the room.

Meggie continued to spike Nikki's soda and tea, causing Nikki to go to both Paul and Katherine for support and return to Alcoholics Anonymous meetings when she realized she was being drawn to alcohol again. But Nikki began showing up at Gloworm and getting drunk. One night, Gloworm bartender Deacon Sharpe, who had befriended Nikki at A.A., helped her home and began counseling her. But when Deacon spotted Meggie slipping Nikki drinks, he offered to help Meggie take down Nikki so she could get Victor for herself, if he would be well-compensated. Meggie told Nikki that she had noticed liquor had been disappearing from the bar, and that maybe they should let Victor know he had a thief on the staff. Nikki quickly said no, she would handle it herself. But Meggie made sure that Victor found out about it, Victor took the hint and asked Nikki if she was drinking again, causing her to run off to Deacon who faked going off the wagon with her. When Nikki returned home looking disheveled, Victor confronted her and ended up postponing their elopement.

Meggie accompanied Nikki to the hospital to see Murphy, causing his heart monitor to spike, and Nikki went for a nurse. Then Brock called to check on them and Kay and Nina left the room to get better phone reception, leaving Meggie behind. Meggie warned Murphy that he had better stop trying to use Morse Code to communicate with his eyelids, that she knew all his tricks from when she was married to Murphy's son. Nikki told Meggie to take her car home and hired a driver to take her to Deacon's hotel room where she began drinking again. But when she arrived home she and Victor made up and decided to get married in a couple of days. Meggie called Deacon to let him know they had to come up with something to stop the wedding, and fast.

The day that Victor and Nikki were to leave for Las Vegas, Meggie made sure to spike Nikki's tea during a wedding dress selection at Fenmore's. Afterward Jill found Nikki's glass and told Victor that Nikki had been drinking. Victor confronted Nikki which sent her running to Deacon's hotel room. After Nikki passed out, Deacon and Meggie arranged for Victor to arrive and find Nikki in Deacon's bed with him. Victor called off the wedding and checked Nikki in to Solidarity House for rehab. Then Meggie arranged for Deacon to be admitted there as well. When Nikki saw Deacon, she warned him to stay away from her. Meanwhile Meggie took over at the ranch, playing the faithful friend to "poor Victor".

Victor ran into Deacon outside Nikki's room and yelled at him causing a scene. When Nikki defended Deacon for helping her, Victor tore into her for always falling for a lowlife when things got tough, so Nikki threw Victor out. Deacon realized he cared for Nikki and told Meggie he wanted no part of her con anymore.

Meggie visited her safe deposit box for what were apparently the same drugs she used on Murphy's son, Francis. Meggie had made plans to drug Victor, fly to Las Vegas and get married; then afterward make sure that Victor died from a sexual enhancement drug reaction on his new heart, which would make her a rich widow. Meanwhile, Murphy had finally gotten through to Ronan tapping his finger with Morse Code to warn him of danger. All went as Meggie had planned. They returned to the ranch, and once Meggie had given Victor the drug, she got cocky, asked him how he felt and told him that he was about to die and make her a rich widow. But Victor suddenly came out of his stupor, grabbed Meggie by the hair, and told her he was on to her, and that he had tricked her into confessing her intention to murder him. Ronan and Heather walked along with Murphy in a wheelchair being pushed by a policeman, his eyes zeroing in on Meggie accusingly. Meggie squirmed while Ronan explained that Murphy had exposed her by using Morse Code. Heather informed Meggie that they knew about her reputation as a black widow and that she was wanted in several states for suspicion of murder. Meggie was arrested and taken to jail. Later back at the Chancellor Estate, Murphy was able to speak and told Kay, "I love you old girl."

Meggie was later extradited to Alaska, where they felt they had an airtight murder case against her and expected to get a conviction. Murphy later explained that his son Francis had been in a serious accident which left him in a vegetative state, and Meggie, as his wife, had signed the consent to take Francis off life support. After his son's death Meggie had collected the insurance money and left town.

In February, 2011, Meggie was returned to Genoa City's jurisdiction because Alaska could not make the murder charge stick. Deacon threatened Meggie that he would testify against her if she told Nikki about his involvement in keeping Nikki off the wagon. Nikki warned Victor that Meggie was back, but he blew if off, and let her know that Diane was moving in with him. Then after Nikki left, he called Michael and told him to make sure Meggie never went free. Nikki visited Meggie in jail and gave her hell for ruining Nikki's sobriety and her marriage, and nearly killing Murphy, then warned her to stay out of her life. Meggie kept calling Deacon and threatening to tell Nikki if he did not get her out of jail.

Desperate to get Meggie off his back, Deacon arranged a conjugal visit with Meggie in jail, where he took off the medical scrubs he had on under his clothes and an ID badge, telling her he'd seen an escape like it work on TV. Meggie put them on under her jumpsuit and later attempted to escape in them. But she was caught just outside the back door, following Deacon's tip to a guard.

After Meggie's urgent request, Nikki went to the jail and found Meggie in chains awaiting transport to prison to await her trial. Meggie disclosed to Nikki that Deacon had been in cahoots with her in getting Nikki to drink again. Deacon broke in on them, but was unable to convince Nikki that he really loved her. Nikki called Nick trying to find Victor, but Nick had to break it to her that Victor and Diane had eloped to Las Vegas. Nikki went to Gloworm looking to drown her sorrows in a drink and walked in on Victor and Diane's wedding reception. She left after making eye contact with Victor, then drank herself to sleep in her room at the athletic club. Deacon made several attempts to reason with her and slipped an AA inspiration card under her door, but Nikki remained determined to drink and feel sorry for herself.