Fffc Bingo Card - Blinded by the light

[m_findlow]

Title: Blinded by the light 
Fandom: Torchwood
Characters: Ianto, Jack
Author: m_findlow
Rating: PG
Length: 1,000 words
Content notes: none 
Author notes: Written for Bingo Card Prompt 89 - Blind at fffc
Summary: One of Ianto's team takes a hit during joint exercises. 

Ianto turned his gaze leftward at the General who was standing next to him. There was a lot going on that was worth watching but he was interested more in what the General made of the scene playing out further afield. The man was impossible to read, and never held more than a single expression which was as stoic and emotionless as any Ianto had ever seen. And people said Ianto was hard to read! He practically wore his heart on his sleeve by comparison. 

Today had gone well so far, in his opinion. It wasn't often that UNIT engaged them to take part in joint exercises of any kind and he was keen to show what his team were capable of - and also to get the measure of where UNIT's forces stood, should they need them. He expected military style precision from their teams, but he was interested to see what they would make of the exercises that required a more lateral thinking position. That was where Torchwood usually had the upper hand. So much if what they did was a one off, on the fly, make it up as you go because we've never faced anything like this before. 

And he wasn't just an observer. He was here to show them what he could do as well, whether it was coordinating his team or just being one of them - which was his favourite, since he hated being isolated as their leader. Personally speaking, he didn't think he'd done too badly in the days earlier exercises, and he certainly hadn't embarrassed the team. As someone who liked order and precision himself, he'd anticipate several of UNIT's tactics, keeping his team one step ahead of the game. 

This exercise that he was currently watching from a vantage point on a low hill didn't involve him. There were in fact several different exercises all going on simultaneously, and each of his team facing their own challenges, matched up with opposition from UNIT. The team with the most flags collected at the end of it all would win the overall exercise. Their reward would be a well earned break as the afternoon program wound down, and the next stage would be one for Ianto to face on his own in a tactical battle of leadership. He may have harbored a few nerves about it but he wasn't about to let them show. 

A figure running a full speed caught his eye, about half a mile away, then there was a second following in its wake before a blaze of white light erupted between the two of them. Even from here Ianto raised his arm to shield his eyes. He turned to the corporal standing just off his side. 'What the hell was that?' 

'One of our new flashbangs,' the corporal replied. 'Mark IV prototype.' 

Ianto raised a curious eyebrow at the General. 'Prototype?' 

'We thought today was a good opportunity to test some of our new defensive weapons.' 

'Did you now?' He tried to mask his annoyance. 'Had I known we might have brought some of our own. The General shrugged it off as if it were of no consequence. 

The person who'd been faced with the explosion was no longer running, but rather stumbling around. Ianto snatched a pair of binoculars from the corporal and tried to see who it was. With the enhanced magnification he made out Jack, and within a few moments of watching his body language, Ianto knew something was wrong. He dropped them and ran. 

By the time he reached Jack, he almost ran into him because Jack didn't stop as he approached. 'Jack?' 

'Ianto?' He swung his arms around, almost smacking Ianto in the face. 'I can't see anything. There was a flash and now it's all dark.' His face was flushed red from the exposure to the stun grenade and his eyes watered. 

'It's okay,' Ianto said, trying to soothe Jack's worry. He heard the crunch of footsteps behind them and turned to see the General and his corporal having jogged after him. 'You idiots!' Ianto spat, putting aside political niceties. 'You blinded him!' 

'That's what they're designed to do.' 

'Against your enemies! Not your allies!' He was positively furious now. This kind of thing was so far outside the rules of engagement that Ianto was ready to tear down their whole organisation. 

Jack grabbed at him and Ianto wrapped his arms around his husband. He didn't like to show affection in front of people like these. To their allied agencies he and Jack were always the epitome of professional, but Jack was in a bad way and Ianto wanted nothing more than to reassure him. He quietly shushed Jack, touching his burned face gently. 'Get your medical team on the radio now and tell them we're coming in and they'd better be ready. And get everyone off this field before someone else decides to use one of these grenades.' 

'We still have two more exercises to run,' the General argued. 

Ianto bit down on his fury. 'No. We're done. Unlike you, when one of our team goes down, we don't just leave them lying there on the battlefield to die.' 

The General snorted. 'He's hardly dying.' 

'I was of course speaking conceptually.'

'It's temporary at best. Although I'd be interested to know how long it persists. Our scientists haven't had much data from the field.' 

Ianto's eyes narrowed. 'Well, they'll be disappointed. As soon as we get these burns treated, we're going home. If you're lucky I'll send you a fax.' 

The General looked displeased. 'And if the world was at stake? Would you just give up to pick up the wounded?'

Ianto felt Jack's tense beside him, his own anger boiling just under the surface. He might be injured and in pain, but when it came to their reputation, Jack was as fiercely protective as Ianto. 'The world isn't ending, General. And even if it were, we'd find a way to do both.'