Dotty arrives in Walford on Christmas Day with Nick to see her estranged grandmother Dot Branning (June Brown). Nick introduces Dot to Dotty and they quickly bond. Nick lies to Dot that he had promised to send money to Sandy on the condition that she named their daughter Dorothy after her grandmother, so that Dot will trust him and bond with his daughter; Dot does not know Dotty's real name. After spending the night, Dotty begs Dot to let them stay longer. Dot soon discovers that Nick is unemployed and he and Dotty have been living rough. Nick says he will either put Dotty into care or sell her to Dot. After serious consideration, she buys Dotty to get her away from Nick. Dotty learns that Dot has left all her money to Dotty in her will, and tells Nick. They plan to kill Dot to inherit the money, and trick her into thinking she is suffering from dementia. Eventually, Nick tells Dotty to give Dot an overdose of her medication, but, Dotty has a change of heart and gives the pills to Nick in his beer. When Nick learns of Dotty's double-crossing, he drags her to the café and holds everyone inside hostage. Dotty escapes with most of the others, but the café explodes, and in the commotion, Nick escapes. Suspecting that Dotty might be just as evil as Nick, Dot plants some tablets on the kitchen table while Dotty's back is turned. Dot leaves the room and spies on Dotty, who ignores the tablets.
