Dawn blinked, her grip on Kenny's sleeve tightening as if letting go would send her tumbling into the abyss.

Kenny tilted his head, giving her a reassuring smile. "A clutcher," he explained. "You know, someone who tenses up when they're nervous. That’s why it always hurts. Your muscles don’t like it when you’re all stiff like that."

Dawn furrowed her brows. "So... it’s my fault it hurts?"

Kenny shook his head quickly, his Auburn hair bouncing. "Not your fault, Dee Dee. Just something we can fix together, okay?"

Dawn hesitated but nodded, her lips pressed into a thin line. "Okay…"

Kenny hopped off the examination table and started prepping the syringe, humming softly to himself. Meanwhile, Dawn’s eyes remained glued to the small, sharp instrument he held.

Her breathing quickened.

"Kenny," she whispered.

He glanced over his shoulder. "Yeah?"

"I… I don’t think I can do this."

Kenny set the syringe down and turned back to her, his expression soft but firm. "Dawn, you can do this. I’ll be right here the whole time. And remember, you’re not alone."

Dawn’s fingers trembled as she clutched at the hem of her dress. "But what if I mess up? What if I—"

"You won’t mess up," Kenny interrupted gently, stepping closer. "You’re in control here. Nothing’s going to happen that you don’t want."

Dawn gulped, nodding slowly.

"Good," Kenny said with a warm smile. He took her hand, massaging her palm like he’d done before. "Now, let’s loosen up this arm, okay? No clenching this time."

She tried to follow his instructions, letting her arm relax as much as possible. But when Kenny reached for the syringe again, the sight of it sent her into a full-blown panic.

"No!" she cried, her hands flying to his arm and clutching it tightly. Her nails dug into his scrubs as tears spilled freely down her cheeks. "I can’t do it, Kenny! I can’t!"

Kenny froze, the syringe still in his other hand. He looked down at her tear-streaked face, his heart breaking a little.

"Hey, hey, shh," he murmured, setting the syringe aside and prying her hands gently from his arm. "It’s okay, Dee Dee. We’re not in a rush. Just breathe with me, okay?"

"I… I’m sorry," she sobbed, her voice muffled as she buried her face in her hands. "I’m such a mess…"

Kenny crouched in front of her, placing his hands on her knees. "Dawn, you are not a mess. You’re scared, and that’s okay. Fear doesn’t make you weak. It makes you human."

Dawn peeked at him through her fingers, her sobs quieting a bit. "Really?"

"Really," he said firmly. "But we’re going to face this fear together. You’re not doing this alone, Dee Dee."

She sniffled, her lip quivering. "Promise?"

"Promise," Kenny said, holding out his pinky.

Dawn hesitated before hooking her pinky with his.

"Good," Kenny said with a grin, standing back up. "Now, let’s try again. This time, I want you to hold my hand instead of my arm, okay? No digging your nails into me, deal?"

Dawn giggled weakly through her tears. "Deal."

She took his hand, her fingers trembling but no longer clutching like a vice.

"Alright, Dee Dee," Kenny said, picking up the syringe again. "This is going to be super quick. I’ll count to three, and by the time I say three, it’ll all be over. Ready?"

Dawn took a deep breath, nodding. "Okay… I’m ready."

Kenny positioned the needle carefully, his grip on her hand steady and reassuring. "One… two…"

Before she even realized it, the needle was in and out.

"Three," Kenny said, pressing a cotton ball to the tiny prick and securing it with the blue bandaid. "All done."

Dawn blinked, looking at her arm in surprise. "That’s it?"

"That’s it," Kenny said with a proud smile. "You did amazing, Dee Dee. I’m so proud of you."

A relieved laugh bubbled out of her as she wiped her eyes. "I can’t believe I made such a big deal out of that."

Kenny chuckled, ruffling her hair. "Hey, it’s not about how you start. It’s about how you finish. And you finished like a champ."

Dawn smiled, warmth filling her chest. "Thanks, Kenny. For everything."

"Always," he said, leaning down to press a kiss to her forehead. "Now, how about we get out of here and grab some ice cream? I think you’ve earned it."

Dawn hopped off the table, her fears forgotten. With Kenny by her side, she felt like she could take on the world—even if it meant facing a tiny needle now and then.