Backstory and introduction Ava was first mentioned in July 2012 in a storyline where Tanya discovers a document of Cora's that reveals a "shocking family secret" that Cora has kept from her: a birth certificate that revealing that Cora gave birth to another daughter, Ava, that Tanya never knew about. Tanya confronts Cora and she tell Tanya that Ava died shortly after being born, but Tanya does not accept her explanation and is confused as to why Cora kept it a secret for so long. Speaking about the storyline, Mitchell told
Soaplife that Cora's parents forced her to give Ava up for adoption after her making her feel enormous "shame", revealing that Ava's father "was black and he left Cora before he knew she was pregnant. She was 18 and unmarried, and at that time, having a baby in her situation was a social stigma". Mitchell explained that Cora kept Ava a secret as she felt a great sense of guilt and she also wanted to "keep things as safe and uncomplicated as they could be". In the episode, Tanya and
Patrick Trueman (
Rudolph Walker) go to the school that Ava works at to meet her, though Patrick is reluctant to as he believes that it is not what Cora would want. Tanya pretends that she is enquiring about her son
Oscar Branning (Neo Hall) possibly joining the school and hopes to find the right moment to tell Ava the truth, but she panics and leaves instead. With both Ava and Cora unaware of their relationship, Cora invites Ava inside for a cup of tea. Ava's BBC profile explained that whilst Ava wants to keep her biological family at a "safe distance", Dexter enjoys bonding with Cora, which makes Ava uncomfortable. Perkins commented that she felt "really settled in" and bonded a lot with Best, adding that they often laugh together and call each other "mum" and "son". Speaking of Billy's interest in Ava, Perkins told
Inside Soap, "Ava has been by herself a long while, and I think she can't be bothered with relationships. But as the years go on and her son Dexter is growing up, she's thinking, 'Oh! I haven't got anybody'. So when she realises that Billy fancies her, she thinks, 'Why not? Let's just see what happens!'" When Ava tells Billy that she admires his closeness with his granddaughter
Lola Pearce (
Danielle Harold), he tells her that he is trying to make up for lost time, and this reminds Ava of Sam. In April 2013, it was announced that
Cornell John had been cast as
Sam James, Ava's former husband and Dexter's father. In the character's fictional backstory, Sam left Ava a little after she gave birth to Dexter, when he went to buy milk and never returned. The BBC profile also revealed that Sam got involved with many women, but he never got the same "deep connection" that he shared with Ava. Sam explains that he has been reflecting on his life after the death of his father and wants to build a relationship with Dexter, but Ava is not keen on the idea and warns him to stay away. The following day, Ava is "lost for words" when Sam reveals that he will be staying in Walford as he believes that their night together was "too amazing". Although she thinks that he should be honest, Sam persuaded Ava to not Dexter, but their son senses the tension and believes that they are going to split up. Perkins told
Inside Soap that she related to Ava's reservations, saying, "For me there would be no contest - I'd be like Ava and say, 'No way are you having his kidney!' Transplants aren't easy things, even if everyone thinks they are.". Dexter ends up donating his kidney to Sam, and although Dexter initially loses consciousness after the operation, the father and son both make a full recovery. This was reported on the same day that it was announced that new executive producer
Dominic Treadwell-Collins would be writing off four other characters; however, it was reported that Ava and Sam were always intended to depart at the conclusion of the Hartmans' transplant storyline and that Treadwell-Collins was continuing the story "as it was originally mapped out" several months ago and that their departures were not part of the cast "culling". A
BBC spokesperson confirmed that John and Perkins would be leaving the soap and wished them the best. In November 2013, Sam considers fleeing Walford as he finds his new life with Ava too much to cope with. It becomes clear that Sam is beginning to feel trapped again and he lies to Ava that he has a special day for her birthday planned; Ava and Dexter are worried when he is late to her birthday lunch, but he shows up with flowers, although he struggles to hide his "look of suffocation" when Ava talks about their future and panics when Ava suggests going on a family holiday. Realising that Sam has been lying to her since arriving and that he only tracked her down to get Dexter to donate his kidney, Ava asks Sam whether he really loves her after he insists that he stayed after the transplant due to her and Dexter meaning "the world to him"; however, the fact that he does not say yes to whether he loves her shows Ava there is no future in the relationship and so she orders him to leave. When Ava catches Sam about to leave, she gives him an ultimatum to either stay or to leave and never come back. Ava claims that she told Sam to leave as she did not want to be with him anymore, which makes Dexter angry and he blames her for Sam's departure. Dexter feels more guilty when Cora tells him that Ava gave up a job opportunity to be there for him and so he contacts the job to tell them that Ava has reconsidered. Ava then plans to leave Walford with Dexter, but at the last minute she tells him to stay in Walford with his friends. Ava's departure aired on 17 December 2013, where she departs Walford for her new job in Newcastle. ==Storylines==