A/N I decided to scrap my story The Fight in favor of this one. I just got stuck in writing that story and couldn't continue on. Maybe one day it will get reposted. For now, I have this one with Skipper and Alice from A Match Made In Heaven. Skipper is going to be different in this story. You will see why. I am not going to take him too far out of character. You need to still recognize him. I hope you enjoy this story.
There will be lots of Pinger shipping included and MAG shipping too! Can't leave that out!
It was not fair. Not fair at all. Why did this have to be so? Why? What exactly was the reason? Jonas Skipper Grumby wondered to himself. Gilligan had Mary Ann. The Professor had Ginger. Mr. Howell had Mrs. Howell. Who did he have? No one. Well not at first. At first he did have someone. Her name was Alice Norbanks. What a woman she was. He recalled the day he met her clearly. He had been in the process of building a hut for the newly married Professor and Ginger when he spotted something in the water. He quickly gets down from the ladder and sprints out the ocean to save the person who appeared to be drowning. The sea captain drags them ashore. After a few minutes he gets a look at the person he saved and is stunned. Beautiful violet eyes. Never had he seen eyes like that. They looked so warm and kind. He never forgot it. Not once. As time grew went by, he and the new castaway grew close. He confided to her things he never even told Gilligan. She told him many things about her life, her dear departed husband, her two wonderful sons. Then one day. One day she approached him and states she would like to be more than just friends. She wanted to give it a shot. How happy he was! It was a dream come true! Finally he the Skipper had a love to call his own!
That dream came crashing down. Alice's determined sons set out to find their missing mother. They did not believe she was gone, something told them she was around somewhere. The two located the little island and before they knew it they were all rescued! Heading back home! Skipper was thrilled but at the same time he didn't want to leave. He was not sure what Alice was going to do. He didn't have to wait long. Alice informed the former naval captain that she wished to return to her life in Texas. It was her home. It was where she belonged. She did try to convince him to join her but he said he couldn't. He had to be around the sea. It's what he enjoyed the most. He did ask if she would consider moving to Hawaii but she shook her head. It turned out she couldn't leave Texas anymore than he could leave the sea. So it was over. And here he was. Alone. All alone. Once more.
Skipper looked at the bottle of Jack Daniels in his hands and took a swig. It was the only thing that eased the dull ache in his heart. Losing Alice was the hardest thing he ever went through. Why did he have to lose her? Why did he have to be the one who lost in love? Why couldn't it have been the Professor? He sneered thinking about how the science genius somehow managed to nab the beautiful glamorous movie star. Why couldn't Ginger like him instead and the Professor be stuck alone and miserable? The more he thought of it the more he was resenting the academic and his good fortune. He didn't deserve Ginger. What did he know about women? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. Well maybe not. He knew enough to do whatever to capture the heart of the lovely Ginger. It still irritated him. Okay so maybe the guy was more handsome than he was. Big deal. He himself wasn't that bad to look at. What did Ginger see that dork? What could he have that he the Skipper didn't have? Brains. Ginger apparently liked a man with intelligence. She always did get that annoying look in her eyes when the Professor spoke in that scientific manner. That adoring look that just bugged the sea captain to no end. He should have fought for Ginger. Yes that's what he should have done. Fought for the movie star and….and then lost. He would have lost. Ginger could not be torn away from the Professor no matter what. She loved him and there was just nothing that could be done about it. Skipper took another drink and sighed. Well clearly Ginger was just a shallow vain woman who couldn't see past a person's looks. To hell with that bitch. He fumed thinking about all the times he saw her pressing her red lips to the Professor's. How she always went on and on about how smart he was and how she didn't know what they would do without him. What about him? He was the leader of the group not the Professor! He was the reason they made it to the island in one piece. She couldn't see that? Hell with her!
His mind turned to something else. Gilligan. His little buddy. Yeah some little buddy. He too manages to land one of the beautiful women on the island. Mary Ann. Sweet pretty Mary Ann. How did he do that? He had to wonder. Gilligan was as timid as could be around the female species. Yet he still catches the eye of the farm girl? Why couldn't she like him the Skipper? Sure he was older but what did that matter? He could take great care of her. He would protect her from danger. No No Gilligan got to do that.
Skipper sloshed down another drink and sunk deeper into his anger. Gilligan got to be the one to end up with Mary Ann. That skinny dopey kid lands the pretty farm girl? What did Gilligan know about girls? Less than that idiot Professor that's what. He on the other hand had loads of experience with women yet Mary Ann turns to Gilligan. Well to hell with that bitch too! He snarled. She missed out on a good thing. Her loss. She is stuck with that good for nothing goof off who can't follow orders. Mary Ann thinks that Gilligan is just so sweet and wonderful. Yeah well if Gilligan wasn't so stupid and had thrown that damn anchor they wouldn't have been on the island in the first place. It was all that dope's fault! He took another swig and set the bottle down. He staggered on up almost tripping on an empty bottle of bourbon sitting on the floor. He walked over to where a picture was sitting on the shelf. It was of all of them after the rescue. His eyes went straight to Alice and tears formed in his eyes. They spilled over and onto his blue shirt. He resentment and hostility boiled over and he threw the picture down to the floor causing the glass to shatter. He did not care. He cared about nothing and no one. What was there to care about? Yes he had his two kids. Adam and Gloria. His grandkids. But so what? It did little to cheer him. No love to call his own. No one for his kids to call their stepmom. No one for his grandkids to call grandma. So what difference did it make?
Skipper turned away from the shelf leaving the picture shattered on the floor. He stumbled to the bedroom and shut the door behind him. The sea captain tumbled into bed wishing to forget it all. Shut it all out and just slip into unconsciousness not having to think about anything. The problem was he couldn't. He couldn't shut it out no matter how hard he tried. The image of happy Ginger and Professor entered his mind. The many many times the starlet pressed that man against a tree kissing him passionately. Then the picture of happy Mary Ann and Gilligan appeared. Mary Ann kissing Gilligan sweetly after he showed her something he made just for her like a sea shell bracelet or how he found jewels in a cave and he just had to give her the pretty necklace. Mary Ann baking him coconut pies and telling him how wonderful he is. Then she arrived. Alice. He would recall all the happy times with the Texan. How she danced with him at a party they held in her honor. The first official date when she kissed him. Tears trickled down more and more and the captain was helpless to stop it. Those memories of Alice faded and were replaced again with the two other happy couples and he being left all alone. He could hear Ginger's giggle as the Professor would nuzzle her neck. He could also hear the sound of Mary Ann's voice telling Gilligan how wonderful he was and how much she loved him so. Over and over it repeated in his head. He couldn't stop it. He could see the four happily boarding planes to where they were going. Ginger off to Hollywood with the Professor by her side. Gilligan and Mary Ann off to Kansas to begin their adventure.
He standing there alone watching them. The lone bachelor. Sometimes it ended with him realizing he was standing all by himself on the island, no one around. Just him. No one to care for him. No one to love him. Skipper couldn't bear it anymore. He quickly leapt out of bed and lumbered back to the living room picking up his bottle of Jack. He unscrewed the cap and drank it down. It was the best medicine to numb the pain. The only thing that could.
Tulip, Texas
Alice sat outside on the spacious front porch of her home taking in the beautiful scenery. The beautiful plains, the lush grass, large magnificent trees. It was breath taking. She loved Texas. It was a part of her and always would be. She was born and raised there and every bit of a true blue Texan was she. Rode a horse with the best of them, could lasso a cow like no one's business. Yes she belonged to the great state. However she felt like something was missing. She could not explain it but she felt empty inside. Why she felt empty she was not sure. She had her two sons. Her sister Jacqueline had moved back. Her friends and family were around. Why did she feel like there was some gapping hole in her heart? Maybe it was because she was missing him. That loveable good hearted naval captain. He was so different from Tom yet in some ways he was just like him. He made her laugh and made her smile. And he was there for her in her darkest hour. That hour when she almost took her own life. She felt so guilty believing she was the reason that Ginger lost her baby. She was overwhelmed with guilt that it was because of her ladder that Ginger fell. Alice had ran to the edge of a cliff and was about to take one more step when Skipper found her. He yanked her away and talked sense into her foolish head.
Never did she forget that. What would have happened if he wasn't there? He was like…like something sent from God. God sent Jonas to her to help her. Help her finally move on from Tom. Accept his death and see that it was possible to love once more. And Skipper did that. He truly did. She was able to finally let go and love again. No longer did she feel the need to carry the locket with Tom's picture in it. She put those things away in a safety deposit box. Her wedding ring, the necklace, photos…it all went into that box. Alice figured she could save all that for any grandchildren she may have in the future. Maybe they would like those things for keepsakes. She knew she couldn't keep it around.
Being on the island was a blessing. She met a terrific man and some wonderful people. But it came to a end and she had to return to her old life. It was the hardest thing she ever did. Well one of the hardest things. Saying good-bye to Tom when he died…that was painful and she didn't think she could stand it. Having to tell Jonas good-bye was too much. But she had to do it. Didn't she? Of course she did. She…she…she had no idea what to think. Was she wrong? Should she have stayed in Hawaii with Skipper? If she did would she have been happy there? She was a Texan. She needed to be around that life. It was all so confusing. Jonas said he couldn't leave his life in Hawaii. He loved the sea. He had to be around it. It was who he was. She understood that. It was the same with her and the ranch. She had to be around her ranch. The animals and the fields…it was in her blood. Her farmhouse. How she loved it so! There was no way she could part with it. Then again…perhaps she could have sold it to Mary Ann and Gilligan. She knew they would take great care of it. Mary Ann knew all about animals and such. She grew up on a farm. Gilligan was terrific with animals and a hard worker. She and Jonas could visit them anytime. She could still get to see her home and still be a part of Jonas' life.
Of course there was another factor. Her sons. She was very close to Toby and Chris but she knew they were grown men. Chris had his life working on a ranch of a friend of theirs and sometimes hauling out to Wyoming for days on end. Toby was either out to sea or was doing work for a museum studying ancient artifacts that were uncovered. So what exactly was keeping her here? Shouldn't she be in Hawaii with Jonas? It was a question she had no answer to. What Alice did know is that she really need to think long and hard about the choices she made. Were they the right ones? Or the wrong ones? And if they were wrong was it too late to go back? Could she go back?