Dawn stumbled slightly as Kenny pulled her into his examination room, the warmth of his grip contrasting sharply with the chill that still clung to her skin. The door clicked shut behind them, muffling the howl of the winter storm outside.

"Kenny, I’m fine," Dawn protested weakly, though her trembling legs and frost-reddened cheeks told a different story.

Kenny turned to her, his expression a mixture of exasperation and concern. "Fine? Dawn, you’re practically frozen! What were you thinking, walking all the way here in a snowstorm?"

"I... I just didn’t want you to go hungry," she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper.

Kenny sighed deeply, running a hand through his auburn hair. "Dawn, you’re unbelievable," he muttered, but there was a soft fondness in his tone. He guided her to the green-striped exam table and gently pushed her to sit.

"Stay here," he ordered, walking to the cabinet.

Dawn sat quietly, her fingers fidgeting in her lap as she watched him retrieve a blanket and a thermos. He returned, draping the blanket around her shoulders before unscrewing the lid of the thermos.

"Here," Kenny said, holding out a steaming cup of cocoa. "Drink this. Slowly."

Dawn hesitated but took the cup, the warmth immediately seeping into her frozen fingers. She took a cautious sip, the rich chocolatey warmth soothing her throat and chest.

"Thanks," she whispered, glancing up at him.

Kenny crossed his arms, leaning against the counter. "Dawn, you don’t have to go to such extremes for me. You could’ve called, texted, anything. I would’ve understood."

Dawn looked down at her lap. "I just... I wanted to do something nice for you. You’ve been working so hard lately, and... I don’t know. I guess I just wanted to help."

Her words softened Kenny’s stern expression. He pushed off the counter and crouched in front of her, gently placing a hand over hers.

"Dawn, you’re the sweetest person I know," he said quietly. "But you’ve got to take care of yourself, too. What good does it do if you’re the one who ends up sick or hurt?"

Dawn’s eyes shimmered with unshed tears, and she gave him a small nod. "I’m sorry," she whispered.

Kenny smiled softly and squeezed her hands. "It’s okay. Just promise me you won’t do something like this again, alright?"

"I promise," Dawn said, a small smile finally breaking through.

"Good," Kenny said, standing and ruffling her hair playfully. "Now, you’re not leaving until I’m sure you’ve warmed up completely."

Dawn giggled, pulling the blanket tighter around her shoulders. "Does that mean I get to hang out with you until your break’s over?"

Kenny smirked, grabbing his bag of food. "Looks like it. But you’re not touching my fries."

"Hey!" Dawn protested, laughing.

As the snowstorm raged outside, the room filled with warmth, laughter, and the smell of hot cocoa.