The next day at breakfast Jonas went to the table the young sailor was sitting and took a seat in front of him. He smirked at the boy's look of surprise. "You're being reassigned to the deck under my supervision."

Blue eyes blinked stunned at him. 'I-I am?"

"Yep. You and I are going to be spending a lot of time together and I'm going to spend that teaching you. By the time I'm through you're going to be ready to go to Officer Training School!"

Gilligan's jaw dropped! "Me?! An officer! Are you sure?"

The captain nodded with a grin. "I believe in you Seaman Gilligan."

Jonas could tell that statement meant a lot to the kid. He watched Gilligan's adam's apple bob as he swallowed.

After a moment Gilligan nodded. "Thank you Captain…" He looked at the nametag. "Grumby Sir."

After breakfast they went to the deck and Jonas began his lessons. By lunchtime Gilligan knew all about the tides and how the moon's pull creates them.

During lunch Gilligan had somehow overturned a table spilling food everywhere! He gulped as the other sailors approached menacingly.

That is until the captain stood in between Gilligan and the oncoming mob! He sent them a cold glare! "Back off!"

"But Captain…!"

"I said BACK OFF!" he roared. "Seaman Gilligan is under my supervision and protection! Any harm comes to my little buddy I will keelhaul the lot of you!"

They backed off before going back through the foodline!

He turned back to the boy who was looking at him in awe. He held his hand out and helped him up. "Are you ok Gilligan?"

Gilligan nodded as he took a shaky breath. "Little buddy?"

It took a moment for Jonas to realize what he'd said. He gave a half smile. "You heard me."

The boy's smile could have powered up the entire ship.

That night Jonas startled awake from another nightmare. He shakingly got up and grabbed the whiskey before downing a few gulps.

As he did an image of Gilligan flashed through his mind and he pulled the bottle from his lips and sat it down. The day itself replayed in his mind as he stared at the bottle.

It had been the best day he'd had in a very long time. For some reason he felt that if the kid knew...the boy who had hung onto his every word and looked at him in admiration...knew that he was drinking he'd be disappointed.

If he drank and lost his job Gilligan would be at the mercy of the bullies and there was no telling what was going to happen to him. Fear welled up in him as he thought of that boy...his little buddy...being harmed the way he was almost harmed a few nights ago.

He looked at the bottle and glared. He corked it and put it up. "No. Never again. My little buddy needs me and he needs me sober." He sat at his desk and smiled as he thought about Gilligan. Those ocean blue eyes were full of innocent wonder about the world and he spoke with excitement and joy.

He swore that he'd protect that innocence. He looked down at the file that he had been given earlier that day and opened it. The front page showed the boy's picture in black and white and he smiled fondly. He read on.

William Francis Gilligan. Born on March 29th, 1943. Recruited out of high school.

Jonas winced. Gilligan really was a kid.

Father: Trent Gilligan. Mother: Melinda Houston Gilligan. Siblings: Older Brother: Patrick, Older Sister: Emily.

He chuckled. Baby of the family eh? The books must have been handed down to him. He frowned at the thought. Next time he was on the mainland he'd have to replace the lost books.

A few weeks passed and Jonas found himself softening only to the young sailor. At meals they would talk about various things and one of the things that came up was Gilligan's reason for joining the Navy.

The boy blushed. "Well, one reason is because I want to see the world and another is...well kinda silly…"

The captain chuckled. "Well? What is it?"

"Well...dolphins are my favorite animal and one day...I'd like to see a whole pod of them in the wild and maybe swim with them."

Jonas smiled amused. "Well I hope you get to someday Little Buddy."

All of a sudden the speakers lit up! "ALL HANDS ON DECK! BATTEN DOWN THE HATCHES!"

The two got up and ran with the other sailors to the deck to secure everything! The storm quickly escalated and the large ship began to rock with the rough waves.

After hours of working Jonas heard a faint yell but ignored it because he was concentrating on his own job.

He then yelped as he was shoved to the ground and heard a scream of pain! He whirled around and to his horror he saw Gilligan on the ground and a depth charge rolling across the deck right where he'd been.

Jonas shot up and over to him. "Gilligan!"

The young sailor looked at him with eyes filled with pain and concern...not for himself but for the captain.

He swallowed. "Are you hurt?"

The boy swallowed and motioned to his feet.

Jonas paled when he saw blood leaking out of the boy's left shoe and watched in horror as he passed out! Without thinking he scooped up his little buddy and RAN to the medical bay!

Once there he watched as the boy was taken in for surgery and Jonas swallowed a lump in worry and fear. It sunk in that he would have been killed had that depth charge hit him. Gilligan had saved his life at the risk of his own.

No one...no one had ever done anything like that for him before.

He had seen it in the sailor's eyes. Gilligan had saved him because he really, truly cared about him.

Jonas looked in as he watched the doctors work on his friend. The boyish features made him seem like a little boy. Without thinking he went over and put a hand on Gilligan's forehead while the other held his hand.

"Come on Gilligan...you can make it Little Buddy. Please be ok. I'm right here. I'm not going to leave you. I promise. I'll take care of you."

Jonas kept his promise and held a vigil all through the night while the doctor's worked.