The couple Denise Foxworthy and Dash Nichols
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A great misunderstanding occupies Dash Nichols' mind almost continuously. He does not understand that, even though he was recently found innocent by the city court, some of the population still believes him guilty of rape. Worse, some of his former Blue Sky Brigade associates, such as Jenny and Karen, still doubt his innocence.

Misunderstanding again with Julia Capwell's behavior that he does not understand. After their first night of passion, Dash had no doubt about their love. Very quickly much in love, perhaps too much in love, Dash already imagined himself living with Julia. He had even bought an engagement ring. How can Julia imagine, and with absolute certainty, that their second night of love was a rape ? A rape... No, he is not a rapist, he knows that.

Misunderstanding again, when Julia kidnapped him to make him confess his crime. Because, it is obvious, Julia remains deeply convinced that he raped her. Even in this terrible and violent face to face, he had not managed to make her doubt, to make her hear his position, and to show her the strength of his love. Quite the contrary, because, curiously, those dark hours in Julia's cabin have cracked his own certainties. Doubt then entered him, awakened by the strength of Julia's convictions.

Misunderstanding again and again when, at the turn of a conversation with Augusta Lockridge at the Oasis, he learns by mistake from her that Julia has started therapy with a psychiatrist. Dash's world is still wobbling and almost collapsing. He, a former doctor, thought that his declaration of innocence by the court would erase all traces of this ordeal, as if after having cured a patient, this latter could not present after-effects of his disease. An illusory hope, of course. So, to silence his misunderstandings and also to find answers to his doubts, Dash spies on Julia to discover the identity of her psychiatrist and to discover what Julia delivers in the privacy of an office.

From Dash to Nick...

Dash leaves his observation post to go to a bar next door to Dr. Denise Foxworthy's office. While he is sitting at the bar, a brunette woman sits next to him. Dash looks at the psychiatrist and naturally engages in conversation with her. The exchanges are fluid, both being guided by the charm of this moment, allowing a fragile bond to be forged between their beings. Several times, they will meet at the bar, exchanging banalities, but which over the course of meetings make them slip into more intimate moments. Quickly, Denise is seduced by Dash, whose smile and freshness allow her to erase the shadow of the men she sees in her patients' speeches.

From appointment to appointment, a real attraction is woven between the young psychiatrist and Nick, a carpenter. Nick is the pseudonym used by Dash, not to seduce her at first, but to discover Julia's confidences during her analysis sessions. Denise, meanwhile, is really attracted to Nick. Slowly, however, Dash, as Nick, is seduced by Denise's kindness and simplicity. Their emerging relationship has to deal with many constraints : the presence of Augusta around Dash, like a black shadow but also a pink, sensual shadow that could succumb to Dash's charms; the presence of Julia in their bar which serves as a setting for their meetings; the presence of Flame Beaufort, who spies on Dash for Mason Capwell.

After these few meetings at the bar, they decide to arrange a real appointment. Dash picks up Denise from her office before taking her to a restaurant for a romantic evening. During the evening, Denise is charmed by Nick. Even though he has a good time, Julia's memory often haunts Dash's mind. An urgent professional call puts and end to their evening, while they were dancing : Denise must leave because one of her patients was raped by her husband. This appointment ending abruptly, they agree to another appointment the next day.

This new date is not without surprise, because Dash discovers that since the beginning of his relationship with Denise, Flame spies on him. This latter has posed as his girlfriend to the bartender. Dash is surprised when he finds out that Flame is spying on him, but he is even more surprised when he finds out that the person behind it is Mason Capwell. In parallel, Augusta has discovered that Dash is dating a woman and she is ready, if Julia agrees, to try to find out her identity to warn her that she is dating a rapist. At this moment, Julia is far from imagining that Dash's new girlfriend is the woman to whom she confides her fears, her doubts and also her anger.

From the beginning, Julia's shadow has been hanging over their relationship. Dash's mind remains steeped in Julia's memory. Julia who loves him, Julia who accuses him, Julia who seeks revenge. In Dash's mind, the behaviors and desires of Julia and Denise overlap. And one day he kisses Denise with passion, this latter suddenly feels embarrassed by the ardent kissing of "Nick". She is shocked by a thrill of fear. Fortunately, a phone call from Julia puts an end to this embrace.

Then, from appointment to appointment, Dash invites Denise to his home, where they spend a very pleasant and very romantic evening. Flame's sudden arrival with a bottle of champagne hastens the end of the evening. Denise leaves "Nick"'s boat, intrigued by this invading neighbor. On leaving another appointment, where Denise sings to impress "Nick", Dash leads Denise on his boat, where she gives herself over to his kisses and caresses. Dash's awakening is tense, because Augusta, who spends her time spying on him, bursts into the boat to talk to his conquest. During their arguments, Dash finally understands - and Augusta too - that she is not insensitive to his charm. Rescued by her sister, Augusta leaves the boat. And, as Dash insists again so that she admits he did not rape her, Julia advises him to contact her therapist, Denise Foxworthy.

...From Nick to Dash...

The cat and mouse game with Augusta makes it clear to Dash that he truly and sincerely loves Denise. Thanks to Denise (even if he approached her for the wrong reasons), he begins to detach himself from Julia's memory and to consider a relationship with her. With this new certainty, Dash agrees to tell Denise the truth, certain that she will know who he really is. He joins Denise at her office and confesses the whole truth. His first name is not Nick, but Dash. He is Julia's Dash. In front of him, Denise undergoes Dash's lies as an assault. It is a violation of her person, her work, her feelings... Hurt, she orders Dash to leave her office and not to look for her again.

The woman is wounded by having been betrayed by a man in whom she had placed her trust. The professional she is, is upset that she did not know how to read the true personality of "Nick" and to have been charmed Dash's smile, words and body. How could she not see beyond ? This reality makes her understand that she is a woman like all the others... And, perhaps more seriously than anything else, she feels unable to know whether Dash is really the man that Julia portrays. Denise has one solution. She calls Augusta and Julia to her office. Augusta discovers the face of her sister's therapist and realizes with stupor that she is the woman who is dating Dash; she is the woman she saw making love with Dash on his boat.

Denise confesses the truth to Julia with real grief. She firmly declares that she can no longer be her therapist. Too many barriers and boundaries have been crossed. Denise confesses her affair with Dash in pain. She has no secrets about herself and Dash, even though the main argument for her defense is that she did not know. He had introduced himself to her as Nick, not Dash. She also feels betrayed. Julia feels betrayed in her flesh, in what she has almost more intimate; she feels doubly betrayed : by her therapist who abandons her and by the woman who sleeps with her rapist. She is devastated. Dash's arrival puts an end to their discussion. In Denise's office, the tension is at its peak.

In the center of this group of women, Dash feels judged by them. He takes advantage of this final confrontation to once again claim his innocence. He tries to convince Denise and Augusta, because with Julia, he unfortunately knows that it is a lost cause. Once again, he explains. Again he argues. Julia leaves the room, emotionally exhausted. Dash does not give in and repeats that he did not rape her. He explains that Julia has constructed this whole story to deny the feelings she has for him. This rape story is her way of making excuses for their first time. If a part of Denise thinks these words can be right, she breaks all relationship with Dash. She demands that he leaves his office and does not try to see her again. Denise puts an end to her relationship.

The ties between Denise and Julia and also those between Denise and Dash are broken. Denise voluntarily disappears from the lives of the Santa Barbara inhabitants. Julia is left alone with her grief. Dash is left alone with his uncertainties. Julia and Dash will need more time to overcome their trauma... The Denise Foxworthy interlude in Dash's life will have allowed him to start his path towards recognition of his act, which will lead him to get a second chance and to be loved again...

Long is the road to redemption for Dash. Step by step, he must face anger, guilt, to admit that he has indeed raped Julia. Denise is the first step towards not only recognition of his crime, but also forgiveness. The final pardon will be granted by Katrina Ruyker with whom Dash will build a normal relationship. Of the various rapists who have crossed the city of Santa Barbara, Dash occupies a special place : excuses and pardons have been constantly put forward, as if to erase the horror of his act. It is thus almost a double personality that is offered to Dash : that of a rapist (with Julia), then that of an ideal man (with Katrina). This orientation chosen by the producers and writers was based on the need to keep Timothy Gibbs in the cast.

Text written for this site by Lilian

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