The Castaways have never celebrated Valentine's Day while on the island. They celebrated Christmas and Thanksgiving, and even Easter, but never Valentine's Day. Well, okay, they celebrated Halloween, too, because it was Gilligan's favorite holiday. Never Valentine's Day, though. February fourteenth was just another day. Ginger, Mary Ann, and Mrs. Howell were huge romantics, and even they didn't think of the day. This Valentine's Day, however, was different for one Castaway. That Castaway being The Skipper, Jonas Grumby. The Skipper woke up and saw what day it was, and realized that they never had celebrated this holiday on the island before. It made the Skipper feel sad, because he had no love. Sure, he wasn't the only one on the island who was single, but it still hurt. But it didn't hurt near as bad as knowing that the four youngest Castaways were in love, and didn't do anything about it. It was quite obvious that the Professor and Ginger had feelings for each other, as well as Gilligan and Mary Ann.

The Skipper was attracted to Ginger himself, but he wasn't in love with her. The Professor was. Valentine's Day would be the perfect day to have the younger Castaways confess their true feelings, but he knew how stubborn they were. The Skipper wasn't very good when it came to matchmaking, but he knew the Howells were experts at this kind of thing, so he decided to go and talk to them.

If anyone could get the four youngest Castaways together, it was the Howells.

THE PROFESSOR'S HUT

The Professor stood in his hut, working on one of his experiments, when he heard a noise. He turned and saw a small envelope was shoved under the door. He knelt down to pick it up. It said Professor on the cover. He opened it, and found an invitation.

You are cordially invited to a dinner party down by the lagoon this evening, Sunday, February 14th, at 7:00 P.M. Wear something nice. RSVP.

Mr. and Mrs. Thurston Howell, III.

The Professor smiled, remembering the time they were going to have the Howell Cotillion and the Skipper's invitation got lost, and the Howells got into a terrible fight. Hopefully, that didn't happen this time.

THE GIRLS' HUT

Mary Ann was making the beds, while Ginger was fixing her hair. Mary Ann looked and saw two envelopes on the floor.

"Ginger, look. We got mail."

She handed Ginger an envelope that had her name on it. They both said the same thing as the Professor's invitation. Mary Ann rolled her eyes.

"Hopefully, not another one of their cotillions. Remember what happened last time?"

The movie star laughed. "Oh, yes, I remember. The Howells got into a fight, and we ended up having a masquerade party in honor of the Skipper."

GILLIGAN AND THE SKIPPER'S HUT

The Skipper and Gilligan got their invitations as well. Sure, the Skipper knew everything that was going on, but if he didn't get an invitation, the others would think it was like last time, and they didn't want a repeat of what happened last time. Gilligan, as expected, was like a little kid, and figured it would be a huge party. The Skipper just laughed and rolled his eyes.

If only his little buddy knew.

THE LAGOON

Mr. and Mrs. Howell had everything set up exactly the way they wanted it. There were two different sets of tables. The moon was shining bright in the sky, and there were candles on the tables, as well as red checkered table cloths, and a small vase of flowers. There were plates, cups, and silverware. The Skipper was the first to arrive.

"It looks wonderful, Mrs. Howell! Do you think this will work?"

"Of course it will work, my dear Captain," said Mr. Howell, with a smile.

"Without a doubt," put in Mrs. Howell. "They were made for each other."

The Howells would be bringing the food to the tables while the Skipper played music on their record player.

Ginger and Mary Ann showed up together. Ginger was wearing her long, gold gown, with her beautiful red hair down. Like the time she tried to get the attache' case from the Professor's hut. Mary Ann looked beautiful as well. She had her hair in a ponytail, and was wearing the red dress she liked to wear at parties. The Professor and Gilligan then showed up together. Gilligan was wearing a black jacket that Mr. Howell loaned him, and the Professor was wearing his brown jacket.

"We're not sitting together," Gilligan asked, confused.

No one answered. The Howells showed them where they would be sitting. Gilligan with Mary Ann, the Professor with Ginger.

"Happy Valentine's Day," the Skipper said with a smile and a wink.

"That's right, it is Valentine's Day," Ginger said, her face lighting up.

The dinner was delicious! They had soup, salad, wine, grilled lobster, cut up pineapple, and chocolate cake for dessert.

The Professor was the first to realize what was going on. They were being set up! The romantic music, the seating arrangements, not to mention the holiday itself.

"Ginger, you do realize this is a set-up, don't you?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, the Howells and the Skipper are trying to get us together."

"You think so?"

"Absolutely. I mean, isn't it obvious?"

Ginger frowned. She honestly hadn't thought of that.

"You don't seem too happy."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, you figured that we're being set-up, yet, you seem horrified at the thought."

The Professor sighed.

"Goodness, no, Ginger. I like you. A lot. More than you can even imagine. It's just-"

"What?"

"Well, all right. I was wanting it to be a surprise. So was Gilligan. I've been in love with you for a long time, and I had planned on bringing you a huge bouquet of flowers and declaring myself to you, but the Howells and the Skipper beat me to it. Gilligan was going to tell Mary Ann how he felt, too, by taking her for a walk in the jungle."

The movie star was crying.

"Oh, Professor. I love you, too!"

MEANWHILE

"Would you like to dance," Gilligan asked Mary Ann.

"Of course."

They stood up to dance. So did the Professor and Ginger.

"Wow, those two can't stop looking at each other."

Gilligan nodded his head.

"Yeah. Professor must have told her."

"Told her what?"

"That he's in love with her."

Mary Ann's eyes widened.

"Come again?"

Gilligan gulped. Uh-oh. Was he supposed to say anything?

"I mean..."

Mary Ann just smiled. "It's okay, Gilligan. It was obvious from the beginning how they felt about each other."

"Yeah. I feel the same way about you, Mary Ann."

"You do?"

"Uh-huh. I love you. Well, I'm in love with you."

Mary Ann jumped into Gilligan's arms, almost knocking him down into the sand.

"Oh, Gilligan, you're wonderful! I love you! I love you! I love you!"

Back in the bushes, the Howells and the Skipper watched it all with huge smiles on their faces.

"Good plan, Captain," Mr. Howell said, patting the Skipper on the shoulder.

"Thanks, Mr. Howell. It wouldn't be Valentine's Day without a little romance, am I right?"

"Well, Thurston and I always forget Valentine's Day. It's always so close to our anniversary, that it just slips our minds."

"When's your anniversary again?"

"Tomorrow."

"Oh. Well, Happy Valentine's Day."

THE END