A/N A short story I came up with. The Skipper is NOT meant to be a bad guy. Just keep that in mind.
The have been on the island for a few months. Ginger and Proffy have their attraction and their flirtation.
Enjoy!

"Ginger I need your assistance." The Professor said as he approached the red headed movie star.

"What for?" She asked as she was picking fruit from a tree.

"A new invention of mine." He said taking her hand. "Come with me."

Ginger shrugged and allowed him to lead her to his hut.

"What did you invent?" She asked of him as they went inside.

"A new lip balm." He said handing her the little wooden pot. "I need you to try this and tell me what you think."

Ginger dipped her finger into the pot scooping up the balm. She smeared it on her lips. "Nice." She said. "What's it made of?"

"Fruit extracts." The Professor replied.

"It's wonderful." Ginger assured. "My lips feel nice and moist."

"Good. There is one more thing I need to find out."

"What's that?" asked Ginger.

"I need to see how this tastes." With that he pulled the starlet into his arms and kissed her passionately.

Ginger was startled but her arms went around him giving in to his kiss.

He let go a bit and she smiled at him. "Professor..Hinkley…." She purred. "What's your um..conclusion…"

"Sweet." He said kissing her again.

Ginger's arms went around him again. "Professor….Professor."

"Professor! Professor!"

The Professor grumbled as he was startled awake. He looked with irritation to see who had awaken him from one of the best dreams he ever had about Ginger.

His eyes went to a skinny sailorman wearing a red shirt and white hat.

"Gilligan." He said sitting up. "What brings you here?"

"We found something on the beach and we thought you would want to see it."

The Professor sighed. He was dragged away from kissing the beautiful Ginger in his dreams for something they found on the beach that most likely was not important at all.

"What did you find?"

"Well Ginger actually found it." explained Gilligan.

This perked the academic's attention. Ginger found it. Well if Ginger found it, whatever it is must be important.

"Okay. I'll be there in a minute." He said to Gilligan.

The young sailor nodded and hurried out.

The Professor refreshed himself and dressed in new clothes. Taking care that his hair looked just right. After all, Ginger found something and Ginger would be there to show him this very important object that she found.

He ran out of hut and hurried down to the lagoon where Ginger was standing holding something in her hand.

"Ginger." He greeted her with a smile. "Gilligan says you found something."

"I did." She said to him with wide eyes as if she found the most important object in the world.

"Let's see." He said looking down at her hands which he thought were the most beautiful delicate specimens he had ever encountered in his life.

She handed him the object and he looked it over. It looked to be a small wooden carving in the shape of a bird.

"What do you suppose it is?" She asked intrigued she would find something that she clearly felt practically held the key to the universe.

The Professor looked at the movie's stars green eyes thinking she was beautiful.

"A wooden carving. It's in the shape of an Agapornis."

"Professor!' Ginger exclaimed shocked at the word.

The man of science smiled at the movie star. "Ginger dear an Agapornis is a Love Bird."

"Oh." She replied. "Where do you think it came from?"

"It may have been carved by one of the tribe from the surrounding islands."

"Do you think it has any meaning?" Ginger asked a curious look in her eyes.

The Professor shrugged. "It being a Love Bird it could mean any number of things."

"Do you think they will come looking for it? You think it could be important?"

"It is certainly possible."

"Oh." Ginger said in a fright taking a hold of his arm. "Do you think they are head hunters? Will they be mad?"

The Professor allowed himself to enjoy the feel of Ginger's hands on him arm.

"Ginger dear I do not think you have to worry about any head hunters. Most of the tribes on the surrounding islands are peaceful. And if this carving meant something to them, I'm sure they would have come looking for it by now."

"You wouldn't let them get me would you?" She asked.

"Of course not." He said daring to caress her red hair. "I wouldn't allow anyone to harm you."

Ginger smiled. "You are so brave." She said. "Do you think they would mind if I kept it? It's awfully pretty." She asked letting go of his arm much to the chagrin of the Professor.

You are wonderfully pretty. The Professor thought to himself. "I doubt they will mind." He said placing the carving in her hand allowing himself a minute to keep holding it in his own before letting go.

"Thank you Professor darling." Ginger said giving him a kiss on the cheek.

He swallowed and felt flush for minute but enjoying the feel of her lips against his skin.

She eyed the carving as if she found an important prize. Ginger looked up at him. "Could you make this into a necklace for me?" One look into her emerald eyes, the Professor couldn't help but say "Yes of course."

Ginger followed him to his hut with the carving in her hand.

They entered the hut and the Professor looked through his belonging and found a black cloth cord.

Ginger watched as he carefully inserted it in the carving.

He got up from his chair and stood in front of her.

The Professor reached around her with his arms and tied the necklace on her.
He felt hot being so close to her. Wishing he could kiss her soft lips.

Ginger smiled up at him. "Thank you Professor darling." She said touching the carving with her hand.

She turned and walked out of the hut to show her new possession to Mary Ann.

The Professor left the hut and found her sitting at a table next to Mary Ann mispronouncing the name of the bird.

Mary Ann looked at her confused then Ginger explained it was a Love Bird which the farm girl thought was sweet.

The Skipper watched the movie star irked that she immediately went to the Professor over a silly carving.
He had knowledge of such things. He had sailed these waters for years and knew the islands. He the Skipper knew all about what carvings meant. But the beautiful movie star goes running to the Professor for an answer. He heard her tell Gilligan to quick get the Professor. He would know what it is she found. It bugged him.
He had a sneaking suspicion there was something between those two. The old sailor saw the way the Professor looked at the movie star. He saw the way the man of science reacted to how Ginger would treat him like he was the smartest man in the universe. If the Skipper argued with something the academic said, Ginger was quick to jump at him, telling him to leave the Professor alone.

And there was the way she would sometimes call him Professor Darling….It grated on his nerves.
Professor darling…can you help me with this….Professor darling….will you make some more of that wonderful soap….And then the Professor….calling her Ginger dear…Ginger dear….of course I will….Ginger dear I would be happy to do that for you…
He the Skipper called once called Ginger "sweetheart" and she balked at him saying she wasn't his sweetheart. But of course if the Professor called her that….

He hated being on this island. Why couldn't there have been four women on the boat?
Mary Ann couldn't be torn away from Gilligan. She hung around him all the time and the sailor appeared to thoroughly enjoy her presence. She was way too young for him anyway. Mrs. Howell was married. That left Ginger. Ginger who appeared to be smitten with that science man. Was there anyway possible to divert her attention away from the Professor to him? He doubted it.

"Professor darling said that he doesn't think the tribe would come looking for this but he would protect me if they did." Ginger announced. She smiled wrapping her arm around the Professor who was sitting next to her. "Isn't he brave?"

Yeah real brave. The Skipper sneered. Where was this so called bravery when they were on the Minnow fighting the storm? The Professor didn't do that. He the Skipper did.
No the Professor….The Professor was busy comforting Ginger during the storm. Holding her so she wouldn't fall as the boat rocked on the rough waves.

He was hating this crush Ginger had developed on the Professor more and more every day. They had only been on the island for little over four months and Ginger had stuck by the Professor's side a lot. She had been very frightened when they got shipwrecked and for some reason he seemed to bring her calm as she thought him being so smart, he would think of a way to get them rescued.

The Professor assured her they would be okay and that she could in fact adapt to island life and he would be more than happy to help her. He turned her into his lab assistant. She would assist him with all his experiments and inventions. Ginger seemed to enjoy it. The movie star even learned how to make some things on her own. Which gave her some confidence that she could in fact survive on the island. The movie star learned how to make her own shampoo. She even made her very own detergent for laundry.

The Professor had been very proud of her. Ginger went around telling everyone about the things she made. The others thought it was sweet. Ginger was a movie star and certainly not used to having to do things on her own. Granted the Howells weren't either but Ginger was used to be surrounded by people who would do whatever she asked on a drop of a hat. Mary Ann had used the shampoo and told Ginger it was wonderful and asked her to show her how to make it herself. Mrs. Howell was delighted by the perfume that Ginger had created. It was really just water and flower extracts but it had a pretty scent and worked just as well.

Now Ginger was sitting here praising the Professor about bravery and saying how he would protect her from any hostile tribe. The Skipper wanted to say that he too would protect her but what was the use and if Ginger fingered that damned carving once more…Thinking quickly, the Skipper spoke. "Ginger um..you know if that did come from a tribe….it is possible it could be cursed."

Ginger's eyes went wide and looked to the Professor. "Cursed? Could this be cursed?"

The Professor shook his head. "Ginger dear there are no such thing as curses. It's silly superstition. You are perfectly safe." He assured her.

"Professor I have been sailing these waters for years…I've seen all kinds of things…"

"It's nonsense." The Professor countered. "I don't see the need to upset Ginger over something that is utterly ridiculous."

"I wouldn't be so sure Professor." The Skipper said.

"Professor darling…what if the Skipper is…."

"He's not." The Professor said as he put his arm around the starlet. "I assure you. It's complete nonsense."

"Okay…if you say so." Ginger said feeling better. If the Professor said it was nonsense, it was nonsense.

"Come on Ginger." The Professor said taking the movie star's hand. "I have some an important experiment I need your assistance on."

Yeah I'll bet. The Skipper thought. Does it involve finding a way to slip your tongue into Ginger's mouth?

The Skipper watched as the two walked off to the Professor' hut.

Mary Ann gathered up the laundry basket and noticed the expression on the Skipper's face.
"Skipper what is wrong?"

"What does Ginger see in him?"

"The Professor?" Mary Ann asked.

"Yeah the Professor."

Mary Ann shrugged. "I don't know…maybe she thinks he's cute…So what? She's got a crush on him. What's the big deal? It's sweet."

"Sweet? You find the way she calls him "Professor Darling" sweet?"

Mary Ann frowned. "The Professor doesn't seem to mind."

"Of course he doesn't…he's probably in love with her too."

"So? Why does it bother you?"

"It bothers me because…well Ginger seems to skirt her responsibilities when she is with him."

"No she doesn't." Mary Ann stated. "Ginger does a lot. She helps me with the laundry…she does the dishes. She picks fruit to store in the food locker. And she also makes a wonderful version of lobster bisque. Yes it is not actually bisque but it's delicious. I've seen you eat more than one helping."

"Well the other day was her turn to gather the firewood and I saw Gilligan do it for her."

"Skipper, Ginger had a blister on her hand from helping me with the sewing. That's why Gilligan did it for her."

"Oh I see."

"Why are you being so hard on her?"

"No reason…I just…forget it…I have some things to do."

Mary Ann stood there wondering what this was all about.

Later that night

The girls were getting ready to turn into bed.

Ginger sat on her bed quietly before speaking. "Do you think the Professor is sweet?"

Mary Ann smiled. "You mean…Professsor…darling."

Ginger turned crimson a bit. "Oh hush."

The brunette laughed. "Ginger…we all know you have a crush on him."

"Well…do you think he's sweet."

"Not the same way you do but yes he is a sweet man."

"Do you think…I mean…we could be rescued and I wouldn't see him again.."

"Ginger." Mary Ann said sitting down next to her. "Is this more than a crush? Do you…do you love the Professor?"

"Maybe." Ginger replied. "I like being with him. He's the first..When we were on the Minnow…he didn't stare at my chest…He actually spoke to me. Like a person. It was nice. And he helped me cope with being on this island."

"So? What's the problem? He probably feels the same way about you. He never once protested when you started adding "darling" when you addressed him. He calls you "dear" all the time."

"But if we are rescued…"

"Ginger stop analyzing it. If you love him….tell him you love him…If we get rescued from this island, that doesn't mean you wouldn't see him again."

Ginger sighed. "He's so handsome.." She said with a dreamy look in her eyes. She recalled in her mind the way she felt when his hand caressed her hair.

"Then go tell him how you feel." Mary Ann said.

"Now?" Ginger said with wide eyes.

"Why not? Maybe he'll invite you to his hut and…"

"Oh shut up!" Ginger said hitting Mary Ann with a pillow.

"Go." Mary Ann said ushering Ginger out. "Go..go talk to Professor darling…"

Ginger turned hit the farm girl but the door was quickly shut. The movie star stuck out her tongue and walked to the lagoon.

She knew that the Professor was there setting the rescue fire they set every night to catch the attention of any passing boat or plane. She saw him gathering the wood in his arms.

Ginger carefully approached him forgetting she was wearing an orange nightgown she made out of bedsheets. "Hello." She said.

The Professor looked up and dropped the logs on the ground. He swallowed at the sight of Ginger in that..that…garment. "Ginger." He said his voice cracked. He then cleared it. "Ginger."

"Am I disturbing you?" She asked.

"No not at all." He said as he picked the logs up and put them in the fire pit.

He sat down on a rock. "What brings you out here?"

"I…I wanted to talk to you."

Ginger sat down on a rock next to him. "Um…I don't know how to say this…I…for quite sometime I...Professor…I…have feelings….for you."

She stared at him watching to see the reaction on his face. Any sign that he returned her feelings.

He moved closer to her taking her hand in his. "Ginger..I think you are…." Before he could finish his sentence…he heard a commotion. He turned and saw what looked like a canoe approach the shoreline.

A group of tribal people stepped off the canoe. Ginger was frightened and took a hold of his arm. He assured her it was okay and he walked to the tribe. "Hello." He greeted them.

"Hello." The tribal woman spoke. She was tall and thin with jet black hair. She could have been anywhere between 40 and 50. It was hard to tell as her features were like granite however she was very beautiful.

"What brings you to our island?" asked the Professor.

"My name is Lilly." The woman stated. "I am with the Kowaka tribe. We are in search of sacred carving."

"Sacred caving?"

"Yes. It is of Petra. Petra is a lovebird."

Ginger's eyes went wide. They wanted her precious carving!

The Professor gently squeezed her hand. "Well we did find a carving today. However it now belongs to Ginger. It means a great deal to her."

"Petra means a great deal to our tribe."

"I do understand that but surely another one could just as easily be carved."

Lilly's eyes narrowed a bit. "You disrespect Petra?"

"No." The Professor said quickly. "I am not disrespecting. I am stating that there is a way to resolve this matter without taking it away from Ginger. She adores the carving."

Lilly nodded. "I understand. It is very special. It brings love. Has it brought her love?"

Ginger nodded her head. "Oh yes…yes it has." She said putting her arms around the Professor.

Lilly smiled. "I see. That is wonderful. Many blessings to you."

"Thank you." Ginger replied still holding the Professor.

"Will you be marrying soon?" The tribal woman asked.

"Marry?" Ginger said. "Um…I….."

"Those who encounter Petra marry." She explained.

"I well…"

"We can have wedding on our island!" Lilly proclaimed. "It will be great honor!"

"Oh…I…" Ginger said not wanting to disappoint the tribal woman. "Sure…we can…do that…"

"Wonderful!' Lilly exclaimed. "It is settled! You come back to our island with us. We have big celebration!"

Next morning

"Married!" Mary Ann shrieked. "Married!"

Ginger nodded. "Yes…married."

The Skipper could not believe it. "Why did you agree…"

"Well." Ginger said. "I..I didn't want to…I just thought it was best to go along."

"All this over a silly carving?" The Skipper said.

"It's not silly!' Ginger said angerly. "Lilly said it brings love."

"And it brought you love?" questioned the Skipper.

Ginger glared at him. "I happen to be very fond of the Professor."

"Don't you mean Professor darling." The Skipper said sarcastically.

"What is that supposed to mean?" The Professor asked angerly.

"You know what I mean." The Skipper retorted. "She follows you around like a puppy dog."

"I'm not a puppy dog!" Ginger exclaimed. "I help the Professor all day. He needs my help."

"Sure.." The Skipper said rolling his eyes. "Needs your help. Exactly what kind of "help" do you give him Ginger?"

Ginger burst into tears and ran to her hut.

The Professor glared at the Skipper and took off after Ginger.

He went into the hut to find the movie star in tears.

"Ginger." He said taking her in his arms.

She sniffed and then spoke. " Do I annoy you?"

"Of course not." He said.

"Do you hate it when I call you darling?"

"Ginger you are free to call me whatever you want." He said holding her tight.

"Do you love me?" She asked.

The Professor sighed as Ginger pulled away. "You know how I feel. Do you feel the same way?"

Did he love Ginger? He thought of her night and day. He dreamed of her. He created useless experiments just so he could spend time with her. Loved the way she would don a pair of specs and pull her hair up and wear one of his shirts as a lab coat. He thought she looked cute in her lab outfit. It always set his heart racing.

"Well do you?" Ginger asked again.

"I do." He replied. "Very much."

"Why does the Skipper hate me? Why did he yell at me?" She asked of him.

"Ginger dear…he doesn't hate you. I don't think he meant to yell at you. I think…he may have feelings for you. And you well taking a liking to me...it hurt him.

"Well I can't help that I don't have feelings for him. I love you. I never tried to hurt anyone." She said.

The Professor kissed the top of her head. "He will be fine. He's going to have to. We are getting married remember?"

Ginger giggled. "Well..it won't be an official ceremony but…I don't mind going along with it. Do you?"

"Not at all." He said. "Not at all."

He pulled her close to him and gently kissed her lips. Ginger circled her arms around him giving into his wonderful kiss.

Later that day

The canoe came back ashore with Lilly leading the way.

She stepped on the island and greeted all the other castways.

Her eyes went to the Skipper. "Are you the leader?"

"I am the Captain of the SS Minnow. The ship we were on."

"I see." Lilly said. "Would you be able to perform the marriage ceremony?"

"Well..as captain I do have the ability but.."

"Then it will be done." Lilly said. "Please come with us. Much to do."

The Skipper got into the canoe with Lilly. Ginger and the Professor got into another canoe with Gilligan and Mary Ann. The Howells were in the third canoe.

As they paddled the Skipper sulked watching a pair in another canoe.

Lilly noticed this. "What is wrong?"

"Nothing." He grunted.

"Something is troubling you."

"I…I am the odd man out in our little group."

"Odd man out?"

"There are three women and four men. One is married. That's Mrs. Howell. The other is way too young and appears to be interested in my little buddy Gilligan. That leaves Ginger who is smitten with the Professor."

"Oh I see. And you love this Ginger too?" inquired Lilly.

"I..I think she's beautiful…and I admire her…."

"I see…but she's in love with another man. The Professor."

"Yes." The sea captain grumbled.

"So you think that the Professor should be alone."

"Huh? No I don't…"

"But you begrudge him Ginger. You don't like Ginger loving him. You wish Ginger loved you. So you want the Professor to be this odd man out."

"I..I..well…"

"That's not very nice." Lilly admonished. "You would wish for the Professor to be without love."

"I…" The sea captain sighed. "I suppose you are right."

"Why don't you be happy for them? They are in love. It's a wonderful thing. You should celebrate it."

The Skipper smiled. "You're right. The Professor didn't do anything wrong. Ginger fell for him not me. I'm being selfish."

"You are." Lilly said. "But I understand. It's hard seeing others happy in love. I had loved once. But he did not return my love. He loved another. It was hard but I accepted it. I shouldn't try to obtain happiness at another person's expense."

"You are very wise Lilly." The Skipper smiled.

"Thank you." She replied with a smile.

They arrived at the island.

Ginger was dressed in a lovely white dress and white flowers in her hair.

The Skipper did perform the "ceremony" according to the tribal law. It was not an official marriage to the couple but they thought it was romantic. Ginger danced with the Professor as they celebrated the union. The Skipper watched and smiled. He was happy for them. They were happy and in love. And he had to admit they made a perfect pair.

Lilly walked up to the Skipper. "Would you care to dance?"

"I'd love too." He replied.

Lilly lead him to the dance floor. "You are a wonderful dancer." She smiled.

"Thank you." He replied. "You are pretty good yourself.

The tribal woman studied him. "You are a very handsome man." She said.

"Why…I…" The Skipper blushed. "Than…thank you.."

"I hope to see you again soon." She said smiling.

"Well.." He said. "I don't think that will be a problem.

They continued their dance in the moonlight.

The End!