Their flight left Lang Pao at 11:35 a.m. Skipper and Gilligan sat next to each other, Gilligan beside the window. They had to switch planes in Hawaii, then it would be a straight shot to Los Angeles.

"Hey, Skipper," Gilligan wondered a few minutes after they had taken off. "What are we gonna do when we get back to California?"

"We?" the Skipper repeated. "I don't know about you, but I am going back to the navy to see about getting a new ship and crew."

"I'll be part of your crew, then," Gilligan amiably said.

The Skipper sighed. "Look, Gilligan, why don't you just go back home? I'm sure if you go down to the navy base with me, I can get you your discharge papers."

"Go home?" Gilligan cried. "I can't go home! I want to stay in the navy! I won't betray my captain, not after all we've been through together! Besides, my father said if he never saw me again, it would be too soon."

"Oh, that's terrible," the Skipper lamented. "Imagine. Your own dad saying that the day you leave to join the navy!"

"No, he said that the day they brought me home from the hospital," Gilligan corrected. ()

"Now, listen, Gilligan, I'm grateful for your bravery on the S.S. Gillis and all that, but to be honest, I'd rather not have you join my next crew," Skipper stated. "But, please feel free to sign up with any other captain in the business."

Gilligan propped his head on his elbow and faced the window. "Some friend," he mumbled.

--

The plane soon landed before Gilligan could request his 18th bag of peanuts. The Skipper thought that he would have to be committed after listening to his young comrade yammer on and on for eight solid hours. That was pretty tough to listen to, considering nothing the boy said made any sense. "My cousin Ralph did this, my friend Skinny did that, my father can grate cheese with his teeth in his sleep!"

When the stewardess thanked all the passengers and instructed them on how to exit, the Skipper stood on wobbly Jell-O legs. "The navy'll never take me now," he said, wryly to himself. "I'm too shaky." ()

--

Out in the terminal, Gilligan tried to strike up a conversation that would interest his overweight pal. "So, Skipper, we've got three hours before we get on the next plane. Why don't we get some lunch?"

"Because, Gilligan, it's almost eight o'clock at night," the Skipper replied irritably.

"Then, let's have breakfast!" Gilligan exclaimed, perkily.

Skipper watched Gilligan walk on ahead, as if he were in a daze. He rolled his eyes, muttering," Breakfast."

--

"I'll have three eggs, scrambled, a stack of chocolate pancakes and strawberry syrup please," Gilligan said to the overworked waitress. The pair had found probably the only restaurant still open on the island of Molokai at that hour.

The waitress rolled her make-up-crusted eyes. "And what about you, hon?" she asked the Skipper in a hoarse voice.

He glanced at the menu, to remind himself of his order. "I'll have a bacon cheeseburger, no onions, and an order of fries, ma'am."

"Okay," she said, "I'll have that right out for you." She walked toward the kitchen, mumbling something about "Breakfast served all day, what a crock…."

Gilligan stared out the large window into the black ocean. "It's so beautiful here," he said, dreamily.

"How can you even tell?" the Skipper said, huffily. "It's pitch-black out there."

"We should live here," Gilligan continued, ignoring his aggravated pal. "We could start our own business right here and live forever in paradise…."

"Since when are you all philosophical?" Skipper asked out of morbid curiosity.

"Just watching those waves hit the beach like it's the first time it's ever happened…..makes me feel so….." He paused, sniffing the air. "My pancakes are done!"

The Skipper rolled his eyes. "I was beginning to worry….." he said, offhandedly.

--

NoV: Okay, it's leading up to the climax now…..perhaps the second climax…..anyway, hope you enjoyed, stay tuned for chapter eight!

()This was sort of a joke from Dobie Gillis about Maynard's father not being able to stand him. Gilligan on that part reminded me of it, so I figured I'd use it.

()This was also from Dobie Gillis, something Mr. Pomfritt said once.