As Gilligan built the fire with twigs and grass he found inside the cave, he tried to think of how to apologize to Mary Ann, but he still wasn't sure exactly what he'd done wrong. He just knew that she was one of the last people whose feelings he'd want to hurt.

Right now, all he could do was try to make them both physically more comfortable. The storm was pretty heavy and showed no signs of letting up. He didn't know how long they'd have to take shelter here, but maybe it would be long enough for him to find the right words. Meanwhile, he got the blaze going and called to her, standing in the mouth of the cave with her arms crossed.

She turned around and slowly walked over. Then she sat on the opposite side of the fire and put her hands out to feel the heat. He knew that it was important to keep your extremities warm after being soaked. He took off his soaking shoes and socks, then moved so that his feet and hands could absorb the heat.

She was wearing sandals, but she nonetheless slipped them off and then huddled closer to the fire.

"Does that help?"

She nodded. "Thank you."

"You're welcome."
"How long do you think the storm will last?"

"I don't know. We might be stuck here all night."

"I'm sorry you're stuck with me instead of Ginger."

"Mary Ann! I didn't mean that. I meant you're stuck with me when you're mad at me."

She sighed. "I'm not exactly mad at you. Just disappointed I guess."

"Oh. Well, I usually disappoint people."

She shook her head. "Not like that. It's just, well, it's kind of insulting that the only reason you'd want to make love with me is to compare me to Ginger."
"Oh. No, that wouldn't be the only reason."
"Gilligan! It shouldn't be a reason at all!"

"Oh, I see. Well, I'm just very confused right now because I think I'm in love with Ginger and she's opened up this whole new world to me, but the Skipper thinks I'd feel this way about any girl it happened with. And before it happened, well, you were the girl I liked best."

She blinked. "On the island or ever?"

"Well, there's not much difference for me. I was shy with girls before I came to the island and I didn't really meet any I was that interested in, or that were interested in me. And you two pay a lot of attention to me, as a person but also as a man. And I've gotten to know the two of you as people, and girls. And I liked Ginger a lot but you're easier to talk to and we have more in common, so I liked you best."

"Oh. Who did you think was prettier?"

"I don't want to answer that."
"It's OK if you say Ginger. I mean, she's a movie star!"

"I think you're both very pretty, in different ways."

"Oh. Sorry to put you on the spot."

"It's OK. I sort of asked for it by saying I was going to compare you two."

"Well, Gilligan, even if I made love with you, you'd have to remember that I've never done it before and of course I wouldn't be as good at it as Ginger."

"It wouldn't be about you being 'good.' It'd be about how I'd feel about you."

"Compared to Ginger."

"Um, yeah."

"But what if you felt like you were in love with both of us? Then what would you do?"

"Oh, good point. Or what if I didn't fall in love with you but you fell in love with me?"

"Gilligan, I'm already in love with you!"

For a long moment, the only sounds were the storm outside and the crackling fire. Mary Ann looked like she half regretted blurting that out and half dared him to reply.

"How do you know?"

She sighed. "I just do. I love everything about you. The way you look, the way you talk, the way you act. I mean, I don't like you at every single moment, but even when I'm angry or disappointed, I still love you."

"But you let Ginger give me lessons!"

"Because that's what you wanted. And I want you to be happy."

"Oh." He let this all sink in and then thought beyond it. "But does Ginger know that?"

"I don't know. Maybe."

"See, she pushed us to go out tonight. When she could've made me fall even more in love with her."

"Does she know you're in love with her?"
"I don't know. Maybe."

"Is she in love with you?"

"I really don't know that."

"Neither do I. But she must care about you, a lot."

"How do you mean?"

"Well, she's letting you make a free choice."

"Sort of. But it's not like you want me anyway. I mean, I blew it, huh? It wasn't like I asked you to make love with me because of my feelings for you. I was being selfish."

"Yes, you were."

"I'm really, really sorry."

"I forgive you."

"Just like that?"

"Yes."

At least they were friends again. Maybe he should just take a break from girls for awhile, at least this dating stuff. He wasn't very good at it and he needed to clear his head.

However, Mary Ann suddenly stood up, walked around the fire, sat down next to him, and asked, "Do you want to snuggle?"