To Fix a Broken Heart

Summary: She was broken, fragile and in pieces. Cora was a troubled girl who just happened to get involved with the Shelby family. No one ever asks for a dangerous life but when it's thrown at you, there are only two things you can do; let it engulf you or run away and she didn't want to run.

Cry for Help

A:N If any of you haven't watched the newest season, I'd be weary of spoilers as I'm changing one of the storylines used to fit into my story along with the villain of season 5 just because I really enjoyed the character, so if you haven't watched yet and don't want to be spoiled, click off the story now.

When they opened the doors, the crowd stood and applauded as the two dancers walked in, with Edward still attached to Cora's arm and Julian leading them in. She kissed her father on the cheek coldly and took her spot beside him, Edward to her right and Julian just beside him. She didn't really pay attention to what her father was saying, she was finding it hard to concentrate on anything, but the way Julian's eyes flickered between Edward and the crowd. Every time she looked at her husband, her partner was already looking at him, smiling. She lowered her head, waiting for her father's speech to end but what she wasn't expecting was for him to ask her to say a few words. She took in a deep breath and clasped her hands in front of her body, her fingers fiddling with the rings on her finger.

"I just want to say thank you to every single person who made donations to this academy. I hope that young girls and boys find as much joy as I have in ballet. I wouldn't have gotten where I am today without a father like mine," she said through a clenched smile as she glanced at him, "pushing me into something that I am so passionate about. I'd also like to thank Julian for being an amazing partner." She turned her body towards them but instead of Julian looking at her, he and Edward shared a smile and it made her blood boil. It was like Julian was trying to embarrass her in public, but she wasn't going to let it happen.

"But most importantly, I want to thank Edward," she took his hand and once she did, his full attention was given to her, "you have been with me every step of the way, choreographing all of my most popular routines and keeping good care of me while we've been travelling through Europe. I'm so lucky to be your wife." Edward leaned down and placed a kiss on her lips but when he went to pull away, she wrapped her arm around his neck and whispered into his ear, "Tell Julian to calm down. If I can see the way he looks at you then so can everyone else." She placed her hand on Edward's cheek briefly before taking her leave to the bar. She needed the drink.

"I thought ballerinas would've been on a stricter diet?" a voice said from behind her. She didn't recognise the tone, but that could've been because she had downed three or four gin and tonics.

"Mr Shelby," she was surprised, it wasn't every day that she met someone that frequented Westminster, "I would like to thank you for your generous donation." She tried to remain as professional as possible even though she was far, far too drunk.

"I thought a dance academy was a great idea for Small Heath. I have a daughter and I know that she would love it here."

Cora nodded once and looked at the two women that were on either side of Mr Shelby. "And which one of you lovely ladies would be Mrs Shelby?"

"I'm Lizzie, Tommy's wife." She held out her hand towards Cora. It took her a moment to shake it.

"And you are?" she looked at the other woman expectantly.

"Ada Thorne, I'm Tommy's sister. I adored that piece you performed. I actually went to see you in Paris last year."

"Our Ada is a huge fan of yours." Tommy added with a small smirk as he eyed up the blonde. There was something strange about her and it wasn't the booze.

"Aren't you just the sweetest thing in the room." Cora exclaimed as she waved the barman over for another drink. "Tell me this, Ada, do you live in Birmingham? You see, I've only been here for a day or two and I'll be here for a while and I'm so terribly lonely." She gripped her glass and continued to ramble on desperately as the alcohol seeped deeper and deeper into her bloodstream.

Edward was by her side almost instantly, his arm around her waist as he tried to calm her. "Come on, love. There are a few people over her that would like to speak to you." He excused himself and Cora and dragged her over to the corner of the room.

"Well Ada, did she live up to your expectations?" Lizzie teased her as they moved closer to the bar.

Tommy placed his hands into his pockets and kept his eyes on the couple, watching how they interacted with each other. Cora pushed his hands off her body and scolded him for taking her away. Then it seemed as if her reprimanded her for her behaviour before he stormed off, joining Norman Maxwell and Cora's dance partner.

"Tommy, do you want something to drink?" Ada called out from the bar.

He looked towards her and nodded. "Whiskey, Irish."

As the night moved on, press started to crowd around Tommy, asking him for his opinion about the academy and for any updates on his policies. He was alone in a sea of people and growing tired of being at this party.

"Mr Shelby," a man with a Russian accent said as he broke into the group that huddled around him, "do you recognise me?"

Tommy stared at the man; he was the one with the top hat that caught his attention. It seemed as if this stranger was trying to make a point of meeting him too. "I do but I can't place a name."

"Dominik Gobrev," he held his hand out, his eyes skimming over the people that were shoulder to shoulder with him as Tommy took his hand, "perhaps we could have a moment to become acquainted. Alone."

"Sure, why not." He sighed, excusing himself from the group. He led the Russian out to the balcony and lit up a cigarette. "Who are you?"

"A potential ally, if you play your cards right." Dominik took a cigar from his top pocket and placed it between his teeth. "I too play a part in politics and I have an offer for you that you will not refuse."

"Tell me what it is and then I'll tell you whether or not I refuse." he placed one hand on the railings, gripping hard until his knuckles turned white.

"I want you to infiltrate a rising party in your cabinet and report your findings back to the Russian government. Fascism is rising all over and we Communists aren't going to hold on forever."

Tommy took a long drag from his cigarette and blew the smoke out of his nose in frustration. He hated having his hand forced. "And how d'you know that I'm not a Fascist?"

"You've got gypsy blood in your veins comrade."

"What do you want me to do then?"

"Infiltrate the party and record intel. We'll handle the messy business."

"Why me? I'm sure someone more devoted your cause would do it." He glanced over his shoulder, looking Dominik in the eye.

"I am sure they wouldn't give me as much bother as you, but I've heard plenty about you from mutual friends, you get the job done."

"And if I refuse?" Tommy turned his head towards Dominik and raised a brow.

"Then no one will ever see you again." He tilted his hat and his face became clearer in the lowlight. Tommy could see the scars underneath his eye that ended by his top lip. "Am I understood Mr Shelby?"

"Crystal clear." He said through gritted teeth.

Dominik smiled and finally lit up his cigar. "I will be in touch. Have a good night."

The rage and jealousy that had been bubbling away inside her was rising to the top with every drink she guzzled down. It didn't help Edward and Julian were going back on their promise to her. They had done nothing but flaunt their relationship and it hurt. Watching the person, she loved love another killed her inside. She finished her drink and stumbled towards her husband, using the people around her to stay upright.

"Edward, I need to talk to you." She mumbled as she collapsed into his arms.

"Not here, Cora." He glanced over at Julian, pulling a face before hooking an arm around her to keep her upright. "Let's get some fresh air, try to sober you up a bit."

"What's going on?" Norman was concerned, he had never seen his daughter like this, and it scared him. "Cora, are you okay?"

"I'm going to take her outside, get her away from all the people before she embarrasses herself." Edward was trying to be quiet enough so that Cora didn't hear him, but she could hear him perfectly.

"Embarrass myself? The only thing that's embarrassing is you!" she pushed him away from her and tried her best to break away from him, but she went down almost instantly.

"You better get control of her before the press sees this. We don't need the academy getting bad stories." Julian remarked as he helped Edward pick her up from the floor.

"Don't touch me." She pushed Julian away and ran towards the balcony, crashing through the door. She made her way to the far corner, leaning on the railings for support. Cora was completely oblivious that Edward had followed her out and that somebody else was there, watching everything unfold between them.

"What has gotten into you? Why are you making a fool out of yourself?" he was angry, but he was trying not to shout at her.

"Me making a fool out of myself?" she laughed in his face and turned her back on him. "You and Julian are the ones making a fool out of me. Rubbing your relationship in my face when you said you wouldn't!"

"How are we rubbing anything in your face? We haven't touched and we've been with your father the whole time, talking to the partygoers and benefactors while you've been at the bar, seething in your jealousy." He leaned in towards her, talking lowly in her ear. "Whether you like it or not, Julian and I are together and I know it hurts you that I can't love you the way you want me to, but I do love you the way a friend loves a friend. I hate that I lead you on at the beginning, but I have to protect myself and Julian."

"Because that's all that matters, you and Julian. The next time we have to make an appearance, you stay by my side like any other husband would. All I'm asking is for you to keep up appearances and stop making things so obvious."

"You're only seeing what you want to see. Pull your head out of your ass, Cora." He took a step back from her and straightened himself out. "You better sober up before you come back to the party."

She waited until Edward had went back to the party before she let a heavy sob escape her chest. This was the lowest she had ever felt, and, in her mind, there was no way to come back from this. Cora was almost certain that other people had noticed how the two men got on with each other and they were probably laughing at her. Who doesn't realise that the person who was courting her for so long preferred men to women? She looked like an idiot and Edward was right, she was making a fool out of herself. Cora leaned over the railings, staring down at the street below her wondering if the pain of hitting the floor would hurt less than the pain in her heart. When she realised how high up, she was and the sight of ground beneath the balcony, she felt sober but not enough to stop her from trying to climb over the edge.

Tommy had managed to ignore whatever was going on between the dancer and her husband, he had even turned his back to the whole ordeal as he had his smoke and replayed the words of Mr Gobrev in his mind to drown out the noise but when he turned back around to go back inside, he couldn't ignore what Cora was trying to do. He ran to the other side of the balcony and gripped onto both of her arms before she had the chance to jump. She looked over her shoulder sharply, the tears streaming down her face as she looked at him in bewilderment. He could see the pain that oozed out of her, but he wasn't going to stand by and let her do what she intended to do.

"Cora, d'you know me?" when she shook her head he continued, "I'm Thomas Shelby, that MP that you were chattin' with earlier."

"I don't remember…"

"Well you've had a lot to drink. Why don't you climb back over that railin' for me and we'll continue chattin'?" when she nodded at him and started to turn, he realised that she was too drunk to realise what her legs were doing. "Okay, stay still, I'll pull you over."

Once she was out of harm's way, she looked through the window and let out a sigh of relief; no one had saw what was going on. She looked at Tommy as he placed his jacket around her shoulders. "Why'd you stop me?"

"Why'd you want to kill yourself?"

"I've a lot going on in my head, alright?" her tears started to fall again, and she kept her hand to her nose. "You wouldn't understand."

If anyone understood how she felt, it was Tommy. His mind constantly ran at a mile a minute and sometimes he felt like it was too much; but unlike Cora, he had a family to fall back on. From what he had saw, it seemed as if the people closest to her didn't really care.

"Why don't you tell me then? You clearly need someone to talk about it to."

"Why do you even care?" she looked him in the eye and watched his face soften.

"Because, sometimes you need someone to listen. Especially when you think that hanging over the edge of the building is the answer to whatever's goin' on."

"I just want to get back to my hotel."

"Okay, I'll take you back, but I think it's best if we stay discreet. I'm sure you don't want your husband followin' you. Not when he's the reason for this in the first place."

When Tommy put his arm around her shoulders and led her towards the emergency stairwell, she mumbled, "He's not my husband, he's just pretend."

A:N Thank you so much for reading, I've a lot of plans for this story now that I know what direction I want to take it in. I will be influenced by the latest season but not too heavily. Mr Mossley will be a antagonist and will eventually cross paths with Cora. Let me know what you guys thought of the chapter, all feedback is welcome whether it is positive or negative. Again, thank you for all the support!