A/N: All characters belong exclusively to Stephenie Meyer. Other standard disclaimers apply.

So this is the story's final chapter. It's really just something of an epilogue. Thanks for reading. 

New York Kids

By: C.K Degu

Chapter Seven: You and I

I thought that I was going to puke with all the white lace, silk, tulle and flowers around me, but I actually thought that it was nice. My hair was far from a haystack as some professional (namely Esme) had pulled and welded it into a beautiful and elegant chignon. Elizabeth clipped a beautiful lily into my hair and Rosalie dusted what felt like fairy dust on my face. Instead of the usual white dresses, I squeezed into a champagne-colored ballgown. I was supposedly ready. "Alright this is it," Elizabeth said to me, "are you nervous?"

I gave my sister a strange look as Emmett snapped a picture. "It's just a walk down a flight of stairs and a dance. How nerve-wracking can it be?"

"Well, there's falling, tripping, tearing, passing out and of course, the classic 'missing escort'."

"Elizabeth, I'm right here," Edward pointed out as he stood next to me. He looked gorgeous in his tux. According to Alice was an Armani. Like it mattered. And apparently I'm wearing a Monique Lhullier, in case anyone was actually curious.

"Who are you wearing honey, you look fabulous!" Rosalie said, coming into the room with Alice and Jasper. According to Esme and Carlisle, since they were pretending that Alice was my age anyway, they decided to let her join the cotillion as well, even if it was already her sixteenth. Alice herself wasn't wearing white. Her dress was ironically blood red, with fake roses all over the skirt.

"Rosalie, you were in the room when Alice and I bought the dresses," I pointed out to her.

"Yes, but saying the name just makes it more special," Rosalie said. Then she turned to Alice, "please try not to fall, trip, tear something or pass out this time. And Jasper will not be missing because he knows what I can do to him if he does decide to abandon you again."
Alice actually smiled and then gulped.

"Of course Rosalie. Don't worry, Jasper has absolutely no plans of abandoning me just yet."

"Yet being the operative word," Jasper said with a mischievous grin. Emmett looked up and then pointed out that the older ones had to be back in their seats. The cotillion was about to begin. Elizabeth gave me one last hug.

"You look beautiful Bella," she told me just before they left. I clasped on Edward's arm.

"Are you nervous?" I asked him. He smiled and shrugged a little.

"This will not be the first time I escorted someone at a cotillion," he explained to me. "Although this will be the one I would like to remember."
Just then, Alice and Jasper's names were called. They both practically bounced out to start their ceremonial dance and stair trip.

"Are YOU nervous?" Edward asked me, amusedly.

"Me? No. Although I did tell you my reputation for falling on a flight of stairs right? And my two left feet?" I asked him. Why was I so nervous about this? Granted, I was worried that I would look bad next to Edward, but I'd never had a problem with stairs before. Maybe the heels were just making me woozy. I wasn't used to this much height.

"You seemed fine when we were practicing," he pointed out to me.

"Thus the term practice," I said to him. He laughed a little.

"When I told you my secret you weren't at all scared. But at this, you are terrified," he said.

"We just have different perspectives, that's all."

"Miss Isabella Marie Swan escorted by Mister Edward Masen Cullen," the announcer called, and Edward and I stepped forward. People clapped politely while I heard Elizabeth, Emmett, Rosalie, Jasper and Alice all whoop, whistle and cheer for us. Edward and I started to make our way down the stairs slowly when suddenly, I could feel myself losing balance. But before I actually fell, he scooped me into his arms and we both continued down the stairs gracefully. And people clapped even more until we reached the dance floor. I smiled at him as we took out positions.

"Always a crowd-pleaser, aren't you?" I asked him, raising an eyebrow. He gave me a brilliant smile. "You do know that I love the attention."

And then the music started to play. I smiled and closed my eyes at the familiar sound of my lullaby. Edward sang softly in my ear as we both glided effortlessly across the floor.

And as we both stood still, at that end of the song, we looked at each other. The impasse no longer existed. He lowered his lips into mine and softy kissed me.

Fini.