Hi, everyone! Sorry for being gone so long. I guess after my vacation I was bored with Gilligan, and darn those cute Jonas Brothers! LOL! They've been taking over my time! Anyway, I want to thank Callensensei for the idea for Up At Bat and for being such a darn good friend to me, and to Tabitha12 for continuing to be my beta!

UP AT BAT

Gilligan was the first to get up. He untangled himself from the Skipper, and their hammocks. Then he helped up his friend before looking out the window, a terrified expression on his face.

The bat just continued to hover there, watching the two, as though he was amused by their actions. Gilligan gulped, and slowly backed toward the door. The Skipper followed, just as cautiously. The bat watched them as they exited the hut, then he flew toward them. Gilligan screamed. The bat let out a wail of his own, frightened by Gilligan's terror. Gilligan stopped screaming and the bat calmed down.

"Sk…Skipper…? Make it go away," Gilligan stammered, and cowered behind the captain.

The bat began to fly toward them again. The Skipper took off his hat and used it like a flyswatter to a fly. He batted the bat, and it made a wail again.

"Stop, Skipper!" Professor Roy Hinkley yelled out, running from his hut, having heard the bats cries.

"Professor, stay back! He's trying to bite us!" Skipped advised, but the scientist ignored him. The bat moved toward him, and the Professor put out his arm and the small bat nestled on it.

"How did you do that, Professor?" Gilligan asked, and he smiled.

"From watching you, Gilligan," he answered, and then stroked the bat lightly.

"Me? What did I do?" Gilligan asked, and the Professor walked over to him, the bat still perched on his arm. With his free hand he took Gilligan's arm, and set it out straight. The bat jumped arms. Gilligan flinched, but then smiled. "Oh! He just wanted a friend!" the young man said, as realization dawned on him, and Roy Hinkley nodded.

Gilligan smiled; happy he got it right, and walked away with his new friend, no longer afraid of him.

The Skipper shook his head in amazement. "How does he always do it?" he asked, and Professor shrugged.

"He has a gift, Skipper. Besides it would take years to fully understand that boy," he answered, and Skipper nodded.

The two bid each other good night, the Skipper going to his hut, and the Professor returning to his own.

Gilligan joined the Skipper him ten minutes later, smiling. "I took him back to his cave but I promised I'd visit," he told the Skipper, who nodded, drowsily, and fell back to sleep.

Gilligan shrugged, lit a candle, and returned to the outside table where he had left his pen and his diary.

Dear Diary,

Got a new pet diary. Havnt pickd a nam yet, but it's a bat. I thawt it was meen, but the prafesseer shod me he was lonlee. Im glad im his frend then.


Gilligan