The Professor sat in the dim light of his living room. Textbook securely between both hands, he sighed. Months of reading and studying and he still wasn't halfway up to date on the scientific exploits of the last fifteen years. More than anything it was disappointing. While his colleagues can all recall where they were the night they watched men land on the moon, he could only tell when he read about it. Medicine, technology... was anything at all the same as he left it in 1964?

Having had the opportunity to work on boats, robots, missiles, radios, transmitters, spacecraft even, along with building contraptions to better life on the island out of next to nothing, it was disheartening to know those endeavors were minor to the rest of the world. Time managed to move so quickly and so slowly at the same time. Even the students changed. He had one, maybe two kids who expressed a genuine interest in their lessons. The rest were there because they had to. Or worse, there for his 'celebrity' status.

Grateful as he was to be back in the real world, sleeping on a mattress and eating foods other than coconuts, mangos, and fish, coming home came with an empty feeling. Ego got the better of him over the years. The other castaways marveled in his expertise. He was left to figure things out. If it failed, he could blame it on lack of resources and location. And succeed or fail, he was held in high respects. Now he felt he should be a student rather than a teacher.

The phone rang as he turned to the next page. He thought a few seconds before answering. The dean was still harassing him to make appearances at alumni meetings among other events. It was late, he noted as he looked at his watch. Too late to talk business. Maybe he was safe.

"Hello?" he answered once the receiver reached his ear.

"Hi, Professor..."

His hand slipped from the page when he heard the voice on the other end.

"Mary Ann?"

"I know it's late," she said, almost shyly. "I hope I'm not disturbing you."

"Not at all! Wow, it's wonderful to hear a familiar voice."

Mary Ann smiled from her end. "Likewise."

Surprised by her soft tones, he asked, trading his enthusiasm for solemnity, "Is everything all right? You sound a bit glum."

She perked up, though he could tell it was forced. "Oh, everything is fine. Missing everyone, you know?"

The Professor agreed. "That's been the hardest part."

"Seeing Gilligan and the Skipper the other day made me realized how 'island sick' I am."

"I never thought I'd say it, but I've felt the same way."

"I'm glad it isn't just me," she said, her tone genuinely lightening.

"Not at all."

There was a pause before she spoke again. "Did you happen to get my letter?"

"You know what, I've hardly looked at my mail the last couple of weeks. Scanned for bills and that's about it."

"Really? You're always so efficient."

"Most of my mail consists of requests to speak or make an appearance somewhere or other. Many from the same people. I took the time to decline at first, now it's piling up. I apologize."

"Actually," she said, "I'm relieved."

"How come?" he questioned.

"It's a long story."

"Oh?"

"I don't want to keep you up or interrupt anything important."

Sitting back, the Professor said, "I've just been reading. Obviously, this letter was important enough for you to call."

"It's not the only reason," she said.

"I'm getting the feeling it will be faster for me to get up and find the letter."

"Very funny."

"I'm listening," he said.

First taking a breath, Mary Ann began. "Remember my fiancé, Herbert?"

"Yes…"

"Turns out he really had waited for me all these years. When I called him while we were all still in Hawaii, a part of me figured he wanted to wait to have a proper conversation face to face."

"…And?"

"As I said, he really did wait for me. So, we set a plan for the wedding."

The Professor took a few seconds before responding. "You're married now? Is that what you wrote to tell me?"

"Yes and no," she said. "I wrote to tell you I was getting married and when."

"When?"

"A little over a week ago."

"Oh… I wish I'd known." He cleared his throat. "Congratulations."

Mary Ann couldn't help but chuckle. "Your enthusiasm is overwhelming."

"Mary Ann," he said, trying to laugh along with her but failing. "Even though a part of me knew, or assumed… Well, that doesn't matter now. I wish you all the happiness in the world."

"I didn't marry him."

"You didn't?" he questioned.

"No. I didn't love him. Thank God for Gilligan and the Skipper showing up. See, turns out Herbert and my friend Cindy got close over the years. Why he waited for me while he was in love with her I don't know. But since he waited, I felt trapped. Herbert's a nice man but I'm not the same person I was fifteen years ago nor is he. We were still kids as far as I'm concerned. I couldn't picture myself as his wife. So he married Cindy instead."

"What do the Skipper and Gilligan have to do with this? Did no one else show up?"

"They didn't know I was getting married. They just happened to come by the same day as the wedding. Cindy confided in the Skipper, though they knew something was up because I couldn't stop crying. They managed to stop the ceremony. It was quite a scene really." She laughed at the memory.

With ever-increasing relief in his voice, the Professor said, "With Gilligan, I imagine it was. Still, there's still something I'm not understanding."

"Which part?"

"The letter you sent to me. You said Gilligan and Skipper didn't know about the wedding. Was I the only one you told?"

"Yes," she admitted, a certain strain in her voice. "I wanted to surprise everyone at Christmas. Given our past… I felt I needed to tell you."

"I see."

"That's why I said I was relieved you hadn't opened it. When I never heard from you, I was afraid you were angry."

With a serious amusement in his voice, he said, "I can't deny I was taken aback when I thought you were telling me you're now married, but we knew our affair on the island couldn't go on forever."

"It still was an affair, consecutive or not. A serious one at that. I know if the situations were reversed-" She stopped short when she heard what she was saying.

The Professor smiled. "By any chance, were you hoping I'd come and stop the wedding?"

Her failure to respond served as an answer.

He continued. "I don't know what I would have done, Mary Ann. I wish I could tell you. I never liked knowing there was someone was back home waiting for you – even a chance – I can say that much. Now that we're here, though… we lead different lives."

"I know we do," her voice shook.

"Are you all right?"

She took a moment to try and steady herself. Every time she opened her mouth, her eyes filled with tears. Knowing her emotions were out of control as of late, she surrendered to the truth. "No, I'm not."

"Mary Ann…"

She went on. "I don't know what to do with myself. I always envisioned myself getting married and starting a family should I ever make it back to Kansas. There isn't much else for me to do in this town. I miss all of you so much. You guys were, you are, my family, blood or not. No, it wasn't the greatest life there with all its dangers and limitations. I am grateful to be home and with my family and friends I thought I'd never see again. It's been nice not having to be in survival mode. But at the same time, that's all I've known for the last fifteen years. I had a purpose on the island. Now nobody will let me do anything. I'm lucky if I can help make sandwiches for lunch."

Unsure of a response, the Professor said awkwardly, "Christmas will be here before you know it. A few months away. You're going through a belligerent transition now. It won't last forever. In the meantime, I'm always a phone call away."

"I appreciate it, Professor." She was crying now.

The Professor sighed, feeling helpless. He didn't like the distance of a phone call much himself.

"Is there anything I can do?" he asked eventually.

"No," Mary Ann answered. "Like you said, it's nice to hear a familiar voice. And I'm glad to know you never read the letter."

"I apologize again."

"You don't need to." She was calmer now, though a trace of sadness still lingered. "I'm sorry to get emotional."

"Don't be," he said. "I feel bad you're having such a difficult time."

She almost laughed. "Silly, isn't it?"

"Not at all. I do sympathize. Of course I miss everyone, too, but there were also facets of living on the island I took for granted."

"Such as?"

"Solitude, for one thing," he began. "I have to stay after hours at school if I want to get anything done. Then there was the added challenge of locating and determining chemicals and components found on the island. Some of the elements I worked with are hard to get in my possession here. There was probably a time I realized the rarity. I miss the help I had with my experiments on the island, as well."

Mary Ann smiled at this, even though she figured he said it for her benefit. "I miss scavenging, too."

"Can't say our escapades were most often successful…"

"No, I'm afraid not."

There were a few more seconds of silence before the Professor spoke again. "What I said before – about the wedding, I mean – maybe I would have been upset."

"Please," she said, not wanting to be pitied. "You don't have to."

"I mean it. I still care deeply for you. I always will no matter what. That's not to say the others aren't as important, but you're the one my mind automatically goes to. Natural given the intimacy of our past relationship, you understand. But I think if I put that aside, you would still be the one I miss most."

Choked up again, Mary Ann replied, "I certainly miss you the most."

"Maybe…"

"What?"

The Professor shook his head. "It's nothing. Letting emotions get the better of me, too."

"Please tell me," she pled.

"Really," he said, "I started speaking without first considering my words. I wish I could say that maybe you and I could reevaluate our relationship. Had it not been for Herbert, things might have worked out differently. I don't know. Even with him aside, we both knew other issues that arose whenever we contemplated permanency. The difference in our age, different aspirations… now we live on opposite parts of the country. I… I don't think we would be able to work everything out. Not without one of us making major sacrifices."

When she didn't respond, he added, "I want to say none of that matters. I want to say I'll hop on a plane and figure the rest out later. Believe that. It isn't wise for us to make any life-altering decisions over the phone, especially when we haven't spoken since we left Hawaii."

"I know," was all she could say.

"… I want nothing but happiness for you."

"I want the same for you."

"All of that said, I don't regret anything that happened between us on the island. I remember my time with you fondly."

"I don't regret it, either," Mary Ann said. "Not for a minute."

"Promise you'll call? I'll call, too, if you don't mind the hour. As I said, I tend to work late."

"Absolutely. Don't worry about when you call."

With a breath, the Professor asked, "Are you going to be all right?"

"Yeah," she answered. "I feel kind of silly now, getting so upset and all, but I'm glad we talked."

"Me, too. And don't feel silly."

"Before I hang up…" she said, "I have one more question."

"Yes?"

"Do you think, unless you feel it isn't appropriate, I could see you again? Before the reunion at Christmas, I mean. Just to visit."

Refreshed amusement in his voice, the Professor said, "You mustn't sound so guilty, my dear. Of course. You're welcome anytime. Otherwise, I'll have to wait for school break or a long weekend."

"It's easier for me to go there," she said. "Don't worry about it."

"Then anytime."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm positive."

"I'll keep that in mind."

"Take care of yourself, all right?" He couldn't help but sigh. He'd let her down. Not only now, but when they parted in Hawaii, not providing any closure or private farewell to the romance they'd so well kept secret. He regretted not opening his mail. Maybe it would have been enough to shake him from his scientific trance. If nothing else, he could have made things right instead of waiting for her to call him in tears. Though their interludes came and went, nothing ever came to a definitive end. To suddenly be rid of that prospect… he shook his head. He really did miss her. More than he planned to admit aloud.

Her soft, "I will," broke him from his thoughts. "You as well."

"I love you," he said.

"I love you, too."

The receiver lingered at his ear a moment, making sure she wasn't going to say anything else. When he heard the click at the other end, he too hung up, staring at the phone and recounting the entire conversation. A sudden loneliness swept over him. This was the first conversation he'd had that didn't involve work or retelling the tale of his last fifteen years. A brief visit from Gilligan and the Skipper hardly sufficed. Even still, talking to Mary Ann was different. It always was.

He picked up his book again, opening it to find the page he neglected to mark. He stared at it once located, reading the same paragraph a few times not retaining any of the words on any attempt.

"Useless," he said aloud as he shut it again.

He should have kept her on longer, he thought. He should have ended on a more positive note. Was saying 'I love you' too much? Not that it was the first time he'd uttered the phrase. But did she take it the wrong way? She couldn't have… then again, he wasn't sure himself in what way he meant it.

A knock sounded at the door. As he did when the phone rang, he glanced at his watch. More than half an hour had passed since then. Again, his mind went to the dean. It was only a matter of time until he harassed him at home. Or worse, Ms. Ainsworth. Wouldn't a visit from her make the evening just perfect? He had to roll his eyes at the thought.

When the Professor opened the door, he didn't see the dean nor Ms. Ainsworth. He saw Mary Ann, eyes shining and a small smile hiding the nervousness he could feel radiating from her.

"Too soon?" she asked.

For several seconds, he could only stare at her. A dozen questions swept through his mind. How did she get here so fast? Where had she called from? How long had she been in town? Why didn't she come and see him right away? Why didn't she tell him she was here? And so on.

Her hands trembled when he didn't answer. She watched his eyes as they shifted back and forth. She'd never seen him so dumbfounded. Then, as she opened her mouth to speak again, he reached out and took her in his arms. Her bag slid off her shoulder and onto the floor as he kissed her.

"Thank God," he mumbled into her lips.

She wound her arms around him tighter, deepening the kiss as tears fell from her eyes.

"I missed you," Mary Ann said when they broke.

The Professor closed the door behind them, keeping one arm firmly around her waist. "And I you."

The end.

At some point, I may do a continuation of this story if I can figure out a full plot. For now, I'm keeping this as a one-shot in case I don't get around to it (I have several other MAP ideas I want to try first). If I do continue, I'll continue here rather than a new story like I did for 'Lost and Found'. Thanks for reading!