Part 4. Alonso.
Alonso thought that he shouldn't have been surprised that Jack and the man from the hotel were passengers aboard the cruise ship he worked on. It was most likely the Doctor's way of making sure somebody was looking out for them. Not that he'd been asked to do so as he watched them standing on the port side viewing deck looking out at the sparkling diamond asteroid fields of Serentum, hands resting low on each other's backs, that they appeared to need it.
The next time he saw them was at breakfast a few days later in one of the many eateries on board the Empress Cassavalia. He'd just finished his own breakfast and was about to leave to start his shift on the bridge when he saw Ianto – because he'd actually found out what the other man's name was by now - had looked exhausted as he hadn't slept properly. Sitting hunched over at the table he was rubbing his chest as if it was giving his discomfort. He looked up and smiled though as Jack brought both their breakfasts to the table. Although they were too far away for him to hear what was said, he could see the barely disguised concern on Jack's face as he sat with Ianto persuading him to have more than coffee. It didn't feel right to intrude.
It was the best part of a week later before he saw them again. One evening, at least what was programmed to be evening on the liners sky projection system, beside one of the top deck pools. Ianto was sitting on a lounger looking a lot better than he had done, although Alonso could see now why he'd been rubbing his chest. There was a recent scar right down the middle of it.
Alonso paused on his routine safety patrol of the communal areas of the liner and watched them for a moment. Ianto's injury made a lot of what had happened make some kind of sense. The Doctor had obviously rescued Ianto, but Jack presumably hadn't realised he was still alive, which was why he had been trying crawl into a bottle in the bar.
He thought of his own scar gained the best part of two years before, when his captain had shot him before trying crash the Titanic into Earth. The Doctor had saved him and countless other lives that day. It made him wonder all over again just who the Doctor was and why he seemed to spend his time running from one baffling situation to another rescuing people.
There was a surprised yell from Ianto that broke Alonso train of thought as Jack had splashed water over him. He watched as Ianto got in the water and splashed him back. Jack just laughed and pulled Ianto close and kissed him. Alonso felt himself blush as they climbed out of the water and headed back to their cabin leaving most of their clothes behind on the edge of the pool. It probably wasn't the kind of looking out for them that the Doctor had intended, but he discreetly arranged for their clothes to be taken back their cabin a couple of hours later.
He saw them quite a lot after that. Playing a game of hover shuffle board on the games deck. Listening to one of the evening concerts. Asleep together, lying on one of the loungers by the pool. In restaurants in the evening, talking and smiling and laughing or just sitting on the viewing deck as the ship cruised past some of the most spectacular stellar formation this side of the Horsehead Nebula.
He was on a late watch, part of his safety duties as second officer – a far cry from his post of midshipman just a couple of years before - when he saw Jack sitting alone on the deserted viewing deck. Sat with his head in hands and apparently oblivious to the view of the glittering ice moons of Terapesca, his shoulders shaking. Uncertain whether Jack was crying or had been taken ill, Alonso was about to go over to ask what was wrong when Ianto appeared. Slightly out of breath, he was dressed in pyjama bottoms, his hair dishevelled from sleep as if he'd just woken up and hurried out to find Jack with a second thought to how he looked. He sat down next to Jack and put an arm around his shoulders.
Alonso caught the word nightmare and then saw Jack nod and shiver. Then Ianto pulled him into his arms, letting Jack burying his face against his neck. Realising that Jack would get far better support than he was able to offer, Alonso slipped away.
Whatever had been the matter that night none of it was in evidence when he next saw them at one of the formal dinners. Jack stood at the bar talking, all big smiles and hand gestures, to the crowd who'd gathered around him. While Ianto, who was sat on one of the barstools next to him sipped his drink and looked at Jack with love, affection and occasionally embarrassment when the stories grew a little too racy. Later once the dancing started and both of them had had perhaps a little too much champagne, he watched them both trying to lead as they danced and treading on each other's feet, until laughing and nearly falling over they kissed and slipped away from the crowd.
They were about three quarters of the way through the cruise, the fiery rings around the red planet of Collabria providing a stunning afternoon backdrop, when another officer saw him looking at them. He joined Alonso at the railing looking down over the pool deck. "Friends of yours, sir?"
Not really wanting to draw too attention to the fact he'd been watching them, he replied, "Friends of a friend really. They've had a few problems lately."
"The cruise seems to be doing them good."
Alonso looked at them again. Sitting at the poolside cafe laughing and talking together they seemed so different from the morose man in the bar and the ill and worried one in the hotel. In love with with life and each other, he decided. He smiled. "Yes, I really think it has."