4. Rhys/Bridget

Rhys and Bridget arrive in Athenberg amid a lingering cold war sparked by his no-walking rule. On their first semi-free day, Bridget visits her parents’ graves. When a paparazzo intrudes, Rhys seizes and smashes the camera, earning Bridget’s thanks and creating a brief thaw as they leave the cemetery.

During the walk back, Bridget shares her tradition of updating her parents. Rhys admits he does the same with fallen military friends and opens up about leaving the Navy after repeated losses, hinting at trauma and the toll of funerals and combat. A rare shared laugh flickers before Rhys reasserts boundaries.

Later, after Bridget speaks at a local high school, they eat nearby. She raises her pre-bought tickets to a January D.C. concert. Rhys immediately asserts operational control, promising to check the venue and cancel if anything looks unsafe, provoking Bridget’s frustration at his overbearing approach.

Rhys frames life as a constant war zone where one lapse can be fatal, revealing the mindset driving his protectiveness. Bridget counters that life is more than survival and asks for trust. The conversation ends unresolved, their temporary warmth cooling as the core conflict between her independence and his security doctrine resurfaces.