"Greg dear, is everything alright? You haven't even touched your desert."
"I'm fine."
The tone and body language being sent their way, indicated to both Blythe and Henry that everything was not the way it should be with their son.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, I'm sure. Now can we drop the subject? There are more important things to talk about. Like for example, the fact that you two are getting married in a week."
At the mere mention of their wedding both, parents exchanged a look while coming to terms with the reality in front of them.
"Yeah, about that son, there's something you should know…about the wedding…"
"There isn't going to be one."
Hearing this sent House into an utter state of shock. He couldn't move, couldn't breath it was as if someone had let the air out of his lungs and shot him with a stun gun all at the same time. Finally, after several minutes the breath returned and the color slowly came back to his face.
The words that came to him were spoken in a mere stage whisper at first as House tried to remain focused and relaxed while tearing into the two idiots he once called family.
However, before he could speak House caught a glimpse of the two of them holding hands with rings on their fingers and realized what they were saying…
"You…eloped?"
"In a manner of speaking, yes."
"When? Where? Why wasn't I invited? I am your one and only son after all."
"We know that Greg and there's a perfectly logical explanation for this."
At this comment, Henry let go of his wife's hand momentarily while reaching for an assortment of papers which were hidden inside of his breast pocket.
Handing them over so that House could see them for himself, a sadness washed over the youngest member of the family as he closed his eyes for a moment before reopening them and beginning to tear the yellow papers into shreds.
"What are you doing?!"
"Putting an end to this lunacy."
"You can't do that, Greg."
Reaching for the papers before they were turned into confetti, Henry held them out of his son's grasp while steadying his nerves and trying to make this as quick and painless as humanly possible.
"I've been ordered to go. Its my duty as an officer."
"That's ridiculous sir. You haven't been an active Lieutenant Colonel for nearly twenty years and besides your life is here now. How can they ask you to give that up…again."
The last word in this sentence was said In a mere whisper but, still the message was there.
"I know this isn't easy for any of you…"
"That's it isn't? You married mom prematurely so that if anything were to happen while you were on the base…"
"Nothing and I mean nothing is going to happen while I'm there."
"Then why bother going?"
At this point in the conversation, Henry had had enough and was about to turn away and head into the kitchen when he stopped in mid step and breathed in a sigh while refusing to look either his wife or his son in the eye.
"(sigh) I owe it John."
Hearing this sent chills up House's spine as he fought to keep the anger from taking over his entire persona. How could Henry feel in debt to a man who had made House's life a living hell since the day he was five? How could he do this to himself? How could he do this to Blythe? How could he do this to him?
"You don't owe him anything."
Henry could hear the hatred and resentment in House's voice a mile away. He understood his son's reasoning but in this case there was nothing that could be done. If he chose not to go he would be breaking a promise made years before during the war…leave no man behind.
"Yes I do."
Finally, House had had enough of this stupidity and got up from the table and over to the door, while retrieving his jacket from the coat closet just a few feet away.
"Well, I can see there's nothing I can say or do that's going to make a difference so, if you'll excuse me I have somewhere I have to be."
"Where are you going?"
At this question, House stopped in mid step just as his hand had reached the handle and sighed to himself while turning around to face his parents once more before walking out.
"Anywhere but here."