Marisa hid her face in her mother's shoulder as the cameras flashed. She whimpered in fear as Wendy held her close and whispered soothingly to her.

"Captain Grumby where's your crew? Didn't you have a first mate?"

The Skipper looked at Gilligan and took a deep breath when she nodded. "It's hard to explain…"

Wendy handed Marisa over to Roy and the two met eyes for a long moment.

"I'm with you," Roy said as he hugged both his girls.

She nodded as she stepped forward.

"Daddy what Mommy doin'?" Marisa asked.

Roy hugged her as Wendy stepped forward and revealed her identity. "Being the bravest woman in the world."

Immediately all of the cameras turned to her and asked questions. They turned from mere curiosity to cruel as they called her a transgender...a freak...and that there was no way the child was hers since she was really a man. No one believed her even though the other castaways stood by her in her defense.

Through it all she kept her chin up as she spoke her story before returning to her family.

The Howells immediately opened their home to their friends and once inside, finally safe, Wendy onto one of the lush sofas and put her face in her hands as she tried to control her anxiety. She felt her husband wrap his arms around her in silent support as Ginger held Marisa.

After a moment she looked up tearfully. "They're going to take her away…"

"Over my dead body," Roy said firmly as he hugged her.

Mr Howell's hands clenched. "On the island money meant nothing but here it's power. Consider this mansion your home for the time being. I will send for everyone's families."

"Don't worry about mine. All I got for family is you guys," Skipper said.

Ginger hugged him. "I have a sister and a Mom."

Mary Ann sighed. "I have parents and an older brother."

"My parents who are going to absolutely adore Wendy."

The young sailor gulped. "I'd better call first."

Hre shaky voice caught everyone and Marisa wigged until Ginger put her down. The toddler went over to her mother and hugged. "No cry Mommy."

Wendy hugged her and sighed. "I'm ok Sweetheart. Stay with Daddy ok? I have something I have to do."

Roy stood up. "Stay in here Marisa." He followed his wife into another room. "Honey this can wait."

She looked at him. "For how long? I'd rather get it over with."

He nodded and put his hands on her shoulders as she picked up a phone and dialed the familiar number.

To her relief it was her mother that answered. "Hello?"

"Mom?"

"Emily you sound different…"

"It's not Emily Mom. Its…" She took a deep breath. "It's Will. I was turned into a woman by a mad scientist…"

"I knew there was something wrong with you. I gave birth to a son NOT a daughter!"

Her eyes widened in shock. "Mom I didn't ask to be changed! I swear…!"

"I don't want to hear it!"

"You have a granddaughter! I'm married I…"

"MARRIED?! Don't bring that spawn around here!"

Roy's jaw clenched in anger when he saw her eyes begin to tear up.

"Trent you're not going to believe this…!"

She paled when her father picked up the phone. "So the mistake finally showed his true colors."

Roy felt a growl in his throat. "Wendy. Give me the phone."

She shook her head but he gently took it from her. "Mr Gilligan? I'm Roy Hinkley. Wendy's husband."

"HIS name is William…"

"HER name is Wendy and she is no mistake!"

"Put the the little nothing on the phone NOW!"

"No." He was growling now. "You are hereby cut out of her life which is a shame because we have a beautiful baby girl!"

"You have no right! You can't be legally married!"

Roy smirked. "That should be rectified within the week. We were married on the island three years ago." His eyes then hardened and his voice dropped an octave. "You hold nothing over her. You leave us in peace. You're through torturing her!"

"You want the freak you got him! Don't ever come here! That worthless little bastard is no son of ours!"

Roy slammed the phone down before hugging his wife. "How did you turn out so well?"

Wendy returned the embrace feeling comfort in his familiar strong arms.

They stood that way for several minutes before rejoining the others. Wendy drew in a breath. "Everyone in this room is my family."

Mr Howell smiled gently. "Well then I believe there is work to be done."

Within the week she was legally a female in the eyes of the law and legally married to her husband. She dropped "Gilligan" altogether.

She also got to meet the Hinkleys who she couldn't help but love because even though they knew all about her they accepted her as part of the family. They also adored their granddaughter.

Within a month they had moved into a beautiful cottage that had a few acres of land. The Howells provided a maid to clean since they both would be working. Marisa spent most of her time outdoors running around and making friends with the animals that wandered onto their property.

Not long after everything settled down Ginger and the Skipper got married in a quiet ceremony. A few months later Ginger revealed that she was pregnant. They eventually had a baby boy that they named William in honor of the first mate.

Mary Ann went back home to Kansas and got reacquainted with an old high school sweetheart. After dating for a year they too got married and began a family.

The Howells continued to prosper and used their influence for many charities and businesses, often helping out with their friends finances until they could get on their feet.

The seven castaways remained in contact with each other and stayed close. Every year on Christmas they would get together and remember those crazy years on the island, laugh at their shenanigans, and talk about the future.

Marisa grew up to be a beautiful young woman with her mother's love of the sea and her father's high IQ. That combination was perfect for marine biology, which she eventually got her Phd in.

As for Roy and Wendy Hinkley their marriage thrived. Roy enjoyed his work at the Howell Horticulture Institute but loved coming home more. His wife was always waiting with a fascinating story of the people she met that day. Wendy continued to work for the Skipper until his retirement and he had given the boat and business to her.

Years passed, friends passed away, children grew up. Wendy eventually had to retire herself and passed on the boat and business to her own first mate: William Grumby. It had been bittersweet but she was glad that it was staying within the family.

Eventually Wendy was diagnosed with cancer. She went to every treatment and fought hard but it was just not meant to be.

On day she told her husband that she wanted to go to the beach. He was more than happy to oblige her.

They sat together watching the sunset.

Roy drew in a shaky breath. "I can't tell you how much I'm going to miss you."

She looked at him. "Roy I…"

"No Dear let me say this. You are the best thing that has ever happened to me. You taught me to dream. You taught me that it didn't matter how smart I was. What mattered was how it was used. Thank you for making me the happiest man alive. Balinkoff did me a favor. He gave me a wife that I will never stop loving."

"I love you too," Wendy said softly.

They kissed for what would be the last time because it was that moment that her eyes slid shut and her spirit left her.

Roy let out a mournful cry as he held her for the longest time not wanting to let her go.

That was how Marisa found them as the sun set on the ocean. Her own heart broke.

They made sure she got the funeral she deserved a William drove them, Mary Ann, Ginger, and their families out to sea where her ashes were spread.

To their astonishment a small family of dolphins clicked and chittered as they swam around the boat. Marisa and Roy knew Wendy had sent them to bring them comfort. It worked.

After a few days Marisa wrote her mother's biography, telling her story from beginning as a boy from Pennsylvania, his stint in the Navy (she even got the entire story from the Skipper's journal on how his life was saved by his future first mate), the infamous shipwreck, the transformation, her parents love story, and even her own birth and their rescue. She added family photos. To those who tried to discredit the story she'd hold up their family photo and would simply ask to explain why she looked like both of them and why her DNA matched both of theirs.

Theories flew but she knew the truth and that was all that mattered.

A year later Roy was doing some cleaning when he found a small pouch. Inside was a pearl...the first pearl that she had given him as a thank you for the snorkel he had invented for her. His eyes watered as his mind flashed back to those early days.

He blinked as he felt familiar arms wrap around him and looked up seeing his reflection in the window. His breath hitched as he saw her there, as young and beautiful as he remembered. She smiled at him and kissed his cheek before vanishing. The smell of the sea lingered in the air for several minutes before it too left.

He sat there for a long moment as tears fell and he smiled. They'd be together again someday.

Until then she'd want him to live.

The End