Dawn reluctantly nodded, her fingers trembling as she gripped Kenny's hands. "I trust you... but I’m scared, Kenny."

Kenny’s expression softened, and he gave her hands a reassuring squeeze. "I know, Dee Dee. I promise to be as gentle as possible, okay? But if it hurts too much, just say the word, and I’ll stop."

Dawn gulped but nodded again, her gaze darting to the tray of tools he had brought. The glint of the metal instruments made her stomach churn.

Kenny noticed her unease and chuckled softly. "Relax, Dawn. Most of these are just for show."

Dawn raised a skeptical eyebrow. "For show?"

"Okay, maybe not entirely," Kenny admitted with a grin, holding up a small mirror. "But this? It’s harmless. See?" He tilted it to reflect her own face.

Dawn rolled her eyes but couldn’t help the small smile that tugged at her lips. "Fine. But if you even think about pulling out a drill, I’m running for the hills."

Kenny laughed, setting the mirror aside. "No drills today, Dee Dee. Just me and my trusty hands."

She sighed heavily, leaning back against the pillows. "Alright... let’s get this over with."

Kenny sat beside her, carefully tilting her chin up. "Open wide, please."

Dawn hesitated, her jaw tightening.

"Dawn," Kenny said gently, his tone patient. "I can’t help you if you don’t let me see."

With a deep breath, Dawn slowly parted her lips, revealing the crooked tooth in question. Kenny leaned closer, inspecting it carefully.

"Okay," he murmured, grabbing a pair of gloves and slipping them on. "Looks like it’s not too bad. I can adjust it without too much trouble, but you’ll need to stay really still. Can you do that for me?"

"I’ll try," Dawn whispered, her voice barely audible.

"Good girl," Kenny said softly. He reached for a small instrument, then paused. "If it helps, you can hold onto my arm."

Dawn immediately latched onto his sleeve with both hands, her knuckles turning white.

"Alright, here we go," Kenny said, gently positioning the tool against her tooth.

The first nudge was light, almost imperceptible, but Dawn still flinched.

"Easy, Dee Dee," Kenny soothed. "Breathe with me, okay? In through your nose… out through your mouth."

She followed his lead, her breathing shaky but steadying with each exhale.

"That’s it," Kenny encouraged, applying a bit more pressure.

Dawn winced, her grip on his arm tightening. "It hurts..."

"I know," Kenny said softly, pausing to give her a moment. "You’re doing so well, Dawn. Just a little more, and we’ll be done."

She nodded, tears prickling at the corners of her eyes. "Okay..."

With careful precision, Kenny made the final adjustment, then leaned back with a satisfied smile. "All done, Dee Dee. You did amazing."

Dawn blinked, her jaw aching but the tension in her body slowly ebbing away. "That’s it? Really?"

"That’s it," Kenny confirmed, removing his gloves. "Your tooth is back where it belongs."

Dawn ran her tongue over the adjusted tooth, her expression shifting from disbelief to relief. "It... it feels normal again!"

Kenny grinned, ruffling her hair. "Told you I’d take care of it. Now, how about some ice cream later? Soft stuff only, doctor’s orders."

Dawn laughed, the sound light and free. "You always know how to bribe me, Kenny."

"Part of my charm," he said with a wink, gathering the tools.

As he walked out, Dawn called after him, her voice filled with gratitude. "Thank you, Kenny... for everything."

He paused at the door, looking back with a warm smile. "Anytime, Dee Dee. That’s what friends are for."