Talia arrived on the scene in 2006 as a Llanview police officer investigating an arson in which a man had been killed. She began working closely with Detective Antonio Vega, with whom she formed and easy friendship and shared her experiences as a member of New York City Police Department on duty in Lower Manhattan on the day of the September 11 attacks. In late March 2007, Talia, Antonio and Acting District Attorney Evangeline Williamson figured out that the string of arsons plaguing Llanview were being perpetrated by a white supremacist group known as "One Pure People." Talia, whose last name is of Syrian ancestry, is gassed by OPP in May 2007 along with Antonio's Latino brother Cristian Vega, African American Evangeline and Jewish District Attorney Nora Hanen. All survived the attack with few ill effects except Evangeline, who was left comatose. The investigation finally revealed celebrity baseball player Tate Harmon to be the ringleader behind OPP. Talia managed to shoot and arrest him before he murdered several hostages.

In her personal life, Talia had developed a secret crush on Antonio, her commanding officer, who in the summer of 2007 announced his divorce from Jessica Buchanan. She even became close to his family and his young daughter, Jamie. But Talia was determined not to let on how she felt, believing that Antonio was reeling from the end of his marriage and that any romantic tension would ruin their friendship as well as their professional relationship. She even faked a relationship with another man briefly to hide her growing attraction to Antonio. Talia spent the Thanksgiving 2007 holiday with Antonio and his family and shared a sensual dance with him in his mother's diner. Talia then impulsively kissed Antonio and confessed her feelings for him. Antonio, still hurt after his divorce, rebuffed her advances politely. Their personal and professional relationship quickly began to disintegrate, and after a few awkward exchanges at work, Talia requested a transfer to the quiet neighboring township of Cherryvale. Antonio and Talia argued over her transfer, but Police Commissioner Bo Buchanan reluctantly agreed to her request.

Antonio soon realized that he was only waffling about his feelings for Talia out of fear of being hurt again, and decided he could not pass up this opportunity for true love. On New Year's Eve, he raced to meet her at the bus station, taking her in her arms and passionately kissing her. Talia agreed to give Antonio a second chance at pursuing a tentative romantic relationship, and happily decided to stay in Llanview. Unfortunately, when the two officers returned to work, Bo informed Talia that despite her change of heart, the work transfer was final and she was expected to report to Cherryvale immediately. Talia and Antonio resolved to continue their long-distance relationship as best they could on their "off-hours," but their work schedules proved more and more incompatible. Talia eventually managed to switch places with Antonio's new partner and transferred back to Llanview, resuming her romance with Antonio.

Their relationship quickly seemed put to the test, however, after Bo Buchanan was ousted and replaced as police commissioner by renegade former FBI agent Lee Ramsey. Antonio seemed to remain loyal to Ramsey, while Talia and Detective John McBain did not trust him. After it appears that Talia and John have slept together, Antonio and Talia publicly break up within ear shot of Ramsey and other officers. Antonio more than ever was brought under Ramsey's wing. However, it turned out that the breakup had been a ruse concocted by Talia, Antonio and John to entrap Ramsey. Commissioner Ramsey enlisted Antonio in his plot to steal the Crown Jewels of Mendorra, while they were in police custody, but he was murdered in June 2006 before he could be brought to justice. Tina Lord, who had been masquerading as the Mendorra princess, ended up with the jewels, but soon found her life in danger when Jonas Chamberlain, the U.S. ambassador to Mendorra, came looking for them.

Talia then inexplicably aided Jonas Chamberlain in kidnapping her roommate Sarah Roberts, who was Tina's daughter. Soon Antonio and Cristian discovered that Jonas had both women; they and Tina accompanied Jonas back to Mendorra in order to make an exchange: Sarah and Talia for the Crown Jewels. Talia and Sarah were being held in a jail cell beneath the royal palace when in walked Carlo Hesser, who it turned out was the real mastermind behind the kidnappings. He had disappeared from Statesville prison with the help of corrupt Lee Ramsey.

Talia as it turned out was Carlo's youngest child; during her early childhood, she had lived under Carlo's tyrannical rule, tormented by her demented siblings, Johnny Dee and Charlotte. Eventually, Talia had escaped from Carlo with her mother. Taking her Syrian stepfather's last name "Sahid," Talia had eventually gone into law enforcement for the express purpose of repudiating all the evil done by Carlo, and in the hopes of eventually bringing her father to justice. Carlo intended to force Talia to marry Jonas, the true heir to the throne and Carlo's puppet. Talia protested and stalled, but went through with the royal wedding on July 31, 2008, to save Antonio and her friends from harm. Talia stayed behind as her friends returned to Llanview, but soon Antonio, Cristian and Sarah returned with a plan to free Talia. They drugged Carlo and Jonas and staged them in bed together, just as Talia lead a team of reporters to "discover" the scene on live television. With a protesting Carlo and Jonas arrested for fraud, Talia and the others left Mendorra. After Christian turned up missing on the connecting flight, Talia learned that Carlo had escaped from prison. Talia vowed to kill Carlo if she got the chance again.

Carlo had Cristian locked up in a Columbia prison, where he had been exchanged with another prisoner, Ray Montez. Cristian managed to get out with the help of Vanessa Montez, Ray's wife, who said she only wanted his help in getting out of the country. Cristian agreed to bring Vanessa and her step-daughter, Lola, back with him to Llanview. Before he left Columbia, Cristian managed to call Sarah and tell her that he was alive but the line went dead before he could tell her he was on his way back. Antonio and Talia traced the call to Columbia, and they and Sarah booked a flight to Columbia so they could locate Cristian. While at the airport awaiting their flight, Talia, Antonio and Sarah were stunned when Cristian got off the plane, along with Vanessa and Lola. Ray happened to be at the airport as well, prepared to take his niece Langston Wilde back to Columbia. Vanessa shot him at the airport, and Talia administered First Aid until Ray could be taken to the hospital.

Things returned to normal for Talia and Antonio, who was promoted to lead detective after John McBain resigned while investigating the mysterious woman being held in Todd Manning's home, who turned out to be Marty Saybrooke. Antonio and Talia were called to Todd's home after John discovered Marty and subsequently beat up Todd, and Todd was taken to the hospital and later arrested. Talia interviewed Marty at the station, who recounted in detail the hell Todd had put her through. Talia then was assigned to watch over Lee Halpern, Marty's nurse, who was one of the key witnesses prepared to testify against Todd in his trial. Lee got nervous after her cover was blown, however, and she hit Talia over the head and escaped, only to wind up stabbed to death in Todd's home hours later.

Antonio, meanwhile, left town for a few weeks and Talia explained that he was on assignment. When he returned in March 2009 he told Talia that he was working to track down her father Carlo Hesser. Talia pleaded with him to let it go, but Antonio said he needed to bring Carlo to justice to end that chapter in their lives. He told Talia he was leaving again but would return shortly. He left daughter Jaime in his mother Carlotta's capable hands and left for parts unknown.

In April 2009, Talia and fellow officer Oliver Fish went to Dorian Lord's home looking for John McBain, who had been set up to look like a serial killer. Talia went around the back of the home and was confronted by the real killer, who stabbed her and left her in the pool. John pulled Talia's lifeless body from the pool but she was already dead. Hearing the news, a mournful Antonio returned to pay his last respects to Talia before taking his daughter and leaving town once again.