MaryAnn Summers sighed in satisfaction as she looked at the newly completed hut the castaways had built for Ginger and her. She had stayed up all night, joining different people to help. Everyone had encouraged her to get some sleep and let other people take a turn building it, but she had declined. Besides, she had had fun taking turns building with everyone. Gilligan was sweet, but needless to say, they hadn't gotten much done for the hour and a half he was helping her. And Mr. and Mrs. Howell hadn't helped much either, but they were nice. Ginger had talked a lot, but mostly she was content to watch MaryAnn and talk about all the movies in which she'd starred.
The Skipper and the Professor had helped the most. The Skipper wasn't a very good conversationalist, but he had some good stories once she'd started him talking. He was also strong, despite his big stomach, from being in the Navy. However, at the end of the night, she had to admit, working with the Professor had been the most fun. She had been the top student in her advanced science class, and they had past away three hours, chatting about science. MaryAnn could hardly believe that she could talk so easily with the Professor, who, upon sight, she had noticed a weird fuzzy feeling all over.
However, now it was dawn, and after building the Howell's hut all day and spending all night building hers and Ginger's in an effort to beat the storm reported on the radio, MaryAnn was exhausted. But she couldn't stop or close her eyes, because she was the only one who knew how to cook an edible meal, and breakfast had yet to be made. She yawned, and then shook her head to keep herself awake. Maybe she could take a quick nap after breakfast. She took some flour left over from the S.S. Minnow, and made a pancake mix. They could all use a delicious breakfast after a hard night's work. She set that down, and then made a fire. Once that was warm enough she'd dollop the pancake mix onto the pan, but until then, it wouldn't hurt to sit down…except she had to do the laundry. Shoot (A/N:bang, ow!)! MaryAnn groaned but, nonetheless, went to go gather everyone's dirty laundry. "At least I don't have to do dishes," she thought to herself.
"Gilligan!" she called, looking around the huts. "Gilligan! Oh, there you are," she said, forcing a smile for the child-like boy. "Gilligan, would you do me a huge favor and go down to the lagoon and fill this tub with water for the laundry?" Gilligan took the tub.
"Sure thing, MaryAnn. I'll be right back."
"Thanks, Gilligan," she called after him. MaryAnn returned to where the fire was and felt a wave of nausea come over her. "That's weird," she thought. "I don't get seasick, and anyway, we're not sailing anymore. Maybe it was something I ate." She felt another wave of nausea. She put a hand to her head and felt herself fall over. The last she heard was the fire crackling, eating up the brush they used as kindling.
"Professor! Skipper! Help!" Gilligan ran through the forest back toward where the huts were. "Professor!"
"What is it, Gilligan?" a voice said from behind him. Gilligan skidded to a stop, and ran back to the clearing he had just past. There stood the Professor, closely examining the leaves of a tree.
"Professor! It's MaryAnn! She's just lying on the ground like this - " Gilligan spread out his arms and opened his mouth, imitating unconsciousness – "and I tried shaking her and everything and she won't move!"
"Where is she?" the Professor asked.
"Over here," Gilligan said, beckoning the Professor back to where MaryAnn was lying. The Professor knelt down beside her and began checking her vital signs. Her breathing and pulse were regular, and there wasn't any bump on the back of her head – yet. It could've been the sudden change in diet causing her muscles to be weaker, but just last night she had said she wouldn't mind living on an island like this with only these choices of food for the rest of her life. Last night – that had to be it. MaryAnn hadn't had any sleep for several days, first with the storm, then with the shipwreck, scouting out the island, keeping watch against anything that might be out there, and then building the huts all day and night.
"Oh, Gilligan. This is nothing. MaryAnn looks like she has simply overtaxed her muscles and adrenal glands, causing stress and fatigue to the rest of her body, however most especially to her pre-frontal cortex, thus putting her into a state of unconsciousness."
"Yeah, and she looks tired." (A/N: Ah, Gilligan)
The Professor sighed. "I just said that, Gilligan."
"Oh." The red shirted boy grinned sheepishly.
"No matter," his companion responded. "I'll take her to her hut so she can take a nice, long, comfortable nap." The Professor bent down and put one arm under MaryAnn's neck, and one under her knees. He lifted her and began to walk, carrying her bridal style to her newly built hut.
The Professor set MaryAnn down gently onto her bunk. He had conveniently run into Ginger on his way over, and she had agreed to stay out of the hut she and MaryAnn shared to allow MaryAnn a nice, deep sleep. Professor straightened out her legs and pulled a light blanket over her sleeping form. A smile appeared on his face; she looked so beautiful, so peaceful when she was asleep. She looked…so…agh! There wasn't an adjective to describe it! She looked…so…The Professor blushed at the word that came to mind. She looked so…kissable.
"No!" he thought. "This is MaryAnn! You can't fall in love with her!" The Professor sighed. She did look beautiful. Maybe just…a kiss on her forehead. Yes.
He leaned forward and gently brushed his lips against her forehead. "Okay, that's it, Roy," he told himself. He rose up off the side of her bed and walked to the door.
"Professor," a voice said as almost a whisper.
"MaryAnn," he said, whipping around and walking quickly back to her bedside. He took one of her hands. "You're okay. I mean, of course, I could tell you were only asleep but still, one worries that one's diagnoses is wrong and that something is actually terribly wrong, and that - "
MaryAnn, smiling, cut him off. "I'm fine, Professor. And I think it's cute that you were worrying about me." Her smile had grown wider as she had spoken and she gave a small, contented sigh. She lifted her hand to look at his, and began rubbing her small thumb along the back of his big hand.
"I love you, Professor," she said sleepily, letting go of his hand and turning away from him on her side, as if to go to sleep. The Professor froze. How could MaryAnn know what he had just been thinking not even a minute ago? But she wasn't well. Almost sick. She probably didn't know what she was saying. He would humour her.
"I love you too, MaryAnn," he said, smiling as he did so. MaryAnn turned sharply around in her bed, so that she was facing him. She appeared to be, suddenly, wide awake.
"How do you mean that, Professor? As more than a friend?" Her eyes watched his face, calculatingly, as thoughts raced across the front of his mind.
She did mean it – she was perfectly fine- she really loved him- yes! He felt elated – his heart was in his neck – MaryAnn loved him!
"Yes!" he said loudly, "Yes, I love you, I mean it, more than friends, oh MaryAnn," he said grabbing her shoulders, pulling her into a hug. "I love you," he said once again into her neck.
"I love you too, Professor," she said.
"Please," he said pulling back out of the hug, "call me Roy."
"Roy," she said, trying it out. "I like it. It suits you." She smiled.
"All right, MaryAnn," he said, getting up once more off her bed. "You need some rest. I can make breakfast. I saw you started pancakes, which is good, because it's about the only think I can make without giving anyone food poisoning." She smiled. He tilted his head against the doorframe. "So…I'll say good-night." He began to open the door.
"Roy," MaryAnn called at his back. "Don't I get a good-night kiss?" The Professor froze, and slowly retreated back to the hut, facing the door. It shut in front of him. He revolved on his feet.
"U-Uh-A-a-a g-g-good night k-kiss?"
"Yeah," she said beckoning him closer. He walked over. She tilted her head so that he had a better reach for her cheek. Slowly, he kissed it. She kissed his cheek, and then turned her head and motioned for him to kiss the other cheek. He slowly kissed that one too. She reached up and pressed her lips into his other cheek, but as she pulled away, she turned her head so that her lips lightly brushed his.
He stood there, frozen, bowing over her, his eyes locked onto hers. She still held herself up with her elbows, making them mere centimeters apart. As if in a daze, he leaned in and pressed his lips against hers. She took her arms out from underneath her and wrapped them around his neck, pulling him down. He pulled back slowly. His face was still very close to hers.
"You should really get some sleep," he whispered. He stood up, and began walking to her door. She saw from behind that his shoulders were tense, as if he didn't know how she felt about him after their kiss.
"Roy," she called, using the name as a term of endearment. He spun around, shoulders still tight.
"Yes?"
She smiled. "I still love you." The Professor sighed with relief, his shoulders visibly relaxing.
"Thank heavens for small miracles," he muttered under his breath. MaryAnn heard him and laughed, and then turned over and fell almost instantly asleep.