That night Gilligan swallowed as he lay sore in his hammock listening to the Skipper's snoring. the rest of the day the Skipper had been angrier at him than ever. Just a few hours ago he had walked into the hut to get ready for bed and had been backhanded hard enough to hit the ground. Gilligan hadn't been that scared of anyone since his childhood.
Maybe he should go away for awhile. As quietly as he could he slipped out of his hammock but the moment his foot touched the ground his ankle was grabbed and he landed on the ground!
"Where do you think you're going?" Skipper growled.
Gilligan whimpered. "N-nowhere….Skipper….um...b-bathroom…"
The big man glared as he got up and stood over the boy. "You're pathetic you know that? Worthless. No one cares about you you scrawny, little weakling!" He kicked Gilligan's side making him cry out. "Keep quiet and take your punishment like a man!"
Gilligan gulped and nodded and kept as quiet as he could while he was being beaten. When the Skipper was finished he got back into his hammock as Gilligan lay on the ground unable to move from pain and fear. Silent tears coursed down the boy's face. "I'm sorry Skipper...I'll be better."
Vlad had his back to him but that brought back a long forgotten memory…
Ten year old Viktor was crying because he had gotten a failing grade on a test. "I'm sorry Papa...I be better…"
Vlad only knelt down and hugged the child comforting him in Russian until the boy's tears stopped.
Vlad shut his eyes and swallowed the tears that the memory caused.
Early the next morning Vlad told Gilligan to go wash. The boy was more than willing to and practically fled to the lagoon.
The Professor watched him leave and silently followed him. When Gilligan got to the lagoon he hid behind a tree and watched as the boy undressed.
His eyes went wide in horror when he saw the severe bruising littering the first mate's body. Form what he could see they were recent and Gilligan was moving stiffly.
For a long moment Gilligan just stood there shaking and trembling before falling to his knees and putting his head in his hands as sobs wracked his thin frame.
That was all it took for Roy to rush over and pull him into a hug! Gilligan tried to pull away but the Professor held fast, tightening his hold. He made Gilligan look up at him. "Gilligan...did the Skipper do this?"
"N-no…" he lied.
"Then how did you get this way?" Roy asked fighting to keep his voice calm.
"I...I...fell out of a tree….and landed...landed on a rock…!"
Roy's jaw clenched. "Don't defend him. I know you care for him but this is abuse and I won't let it continue!"
"I can handle it! Please Professor! It's not his fault! It's mine! You know how clumsy I am!"
"You don't deserve it Gilligan!" Roy growled feeling his own heartbreak and anger fill him.
"My Dad was ten times worse! Trust me I'll be fine!"
Roy stilled as the anger melted away to complete shock! "Gilligan...you were abused…as a child?"
The young sailor looked down before nodding.
"Does the Skipper know?"
He shut his eyes before nodding again. "He...He stood up to my Dad...told him that he wasn't allowed near me again. Skipper promised me he'd never...no matter how angry he'd get he'd never…"
Roy swallowed as he held him close. "I don't know what's gotten into him Gilligan but it's not your fault. You did nothing wrong."
"It's...It's like he's someone entirely different…"
Roy frowned in thought. They had had doubles before. Was it possible? He knew the man that had tried to completely take over Mr Howell's life...then there was Gilligan's wild story about his own double. "I think you might be right. Gilligan is there something you and the Skipper share that no one else would know?"
"Like how I saved his life?"
Roy nodded getting an idea. "Give me some trivia that I can ask him about."
Gilligan blinked. "Trivia?"
Roy smiled a little. "Facts. Tell me how you two met. I'll ask him and if his story doesn't match with yours I'll know."
"What about me? At this rate he'll kill me!"
The Professor looked him dead in the eyes. "He won't lay another hand on you. If my suspicions are correct he's NOT our Skipper but another double!"
"Like the others?"
"And yours."
Gilligan starred! "You believe me?!"
Roy chuckled and nodded. "I do now and I apologize for doubting you before."
"Eh its ok. It was kinda unbelievable," Gilligan said managing a small smile.
Roy smiled back glad that he had been able to intervene before more damage could be done. He took a deep breath. "Back to the matter at hand. You need to go somewhere safe. I'm going to gather the others and tell them what's going on. He'll be surrounded and can't escape."
"What if he attacks any of you?" Gilligan said frowning in worry. "All you're gonna have is Mr Howell and the women!"
"I'll have the machete on hand and I'll make sure Mr Howell is armed," The Professor said as he finally pulled away. He met the boy's eyes. "You remain hidden by the huts. You'll need to hear what he has to say before you can even begin to not be afraid of the Skipper."
He nodded as he wiped his eyes. "Thank Professor. I didn't know what to do…!"
"I know my friend. I know. I'm only sorry I didn't act sooner." He smiled. "Now...tell me your story."
As he listened Roy knew just what to ask and was convinced that this man was NOT their beloved Skipper. He just hoped the real one was alright.
In the cave Jonas glared as Vlad walked it with a basket of fruit. "I feed you. Keep you alive." He took off the gag.
"What did you do to Gilligan?" Skipper demanded angrily.
"Boy tried to run last night. Had to punish him," the imposter said as he sat in front of him.
"No…" Skipper said mournfully.
"No less den what he deserves! Who burned body? You?"
Jonas blinked as he looked up. "What body? Look Gilligan doesn't have the heart to kill anyone or anything!"
Vlad growled! "My Viktor came to island after having surgery to look like Gilligan! Gilligan killed him!"
"Gilligan wouldn't hurt a fly! Look I'm sorry about your son! I really am but whatever happened...REALLY happened it wasn't Gilligan's fault!" SKipper said desperately. He understood the man's anger and need for revenge but he knew his first mate! "Gilligan's nature is gentle and kind. He doesn't have it in him to kill!"
"Den what happened here?" Vlad demanded.
SKipper drew in a breath. "I don't know. I didn't believe him about his double. None of us did. He tried to tell us but we didn't believe him. The double...VIktor right?" At Vlad's nod he continued. "Was convincing. I've known GIlligan for a long time and even I was fooled."
Through the pain Skipper saw a hint of pride for his son.
"Please...just ask him what happened. Gilligan will tell you the truth." For Gilligan he wasn't too proud to beg, "Please stop hurting him. He's my first mate...my best friend...my Little Buddy. I'm begging you. He's innocent."
Vlad frowned as he began to wonder if he had it all wrong.
Had the Commandant lied about Viktor's fate? If so then where was he?
