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.

*TRIGGER WARNING*

This chapter contains hints towards sexual assault, nothing goes into detail.

A Slice of Life

They stopped outside a run-down looking building in the centre of Small Heath. Cora stared at the building for a while before raising an eyebrow at Tommy, his response was simple, he waved towards the building and said, "Your solicitor is there."

"In this building?" she scoffed a little and fidgeted in her seat. This part of the city made her feel uneasy, the children that roamed the streets kept staring at the car and they looked so frail and dirty. "Are you sure?"

"I know it don't look like much, but Mr Jackdaw has run his business from the same office for twenty years. You gotta realise that you're not in your fancy European cities now." He was enjoying watching her as she writhed in disgust; her privilege was showing and usually it turned Tommy off, but this time he found it fascinating.

"Mr Jackdaw? Like the bird?"

"Yep, like the bird."

"And that's the name he was born with? It's not an alias?"

"An alias? Who d'ya think he is?" he couldn't help but laugh, only a moment passed when he realised what he was doing, it had been so long since he properly laughed. He cleared his throat and lit up a cigarette. "Well… Are ya going in or what?"

Cora looked horrified at the idea of going into Mr Jackdaw's office by herself. "You're not coming with me?"

"Why would I? I'm not divorcing anyone."

"But I don't know this man," she reached over and took his hand, his expression became a little softer but she could see that he was caught off guard, "and I need the support of a friend."

Many thoughts were going through Tommy's head, like why his heart was racing at the touch of her hand or why his mouth had suddenly become so dry. He barely knew this woman, yet he had such an attachment to her, he wanted her out of her marriage, not because he wanted her but because he genuinely cared about her feelings. It had been a while since he felt like this… Not since Grace.

"Yeah, alright. I'll go to this meetin' with ya." He took the key out of the ignition and locked the car once she had mustered up the courage to step onto the street. He followed her to the office and dropped his cigarette on the pavement before stepping inside.

"Mr Shelby, it's been a while, hasn't it?" Mr Jackdaw was an ancient man, probably too old to still be representing anyone in court, but he was the best in Small Heath, so he was the best for Cora. He eyed the tall blonde that stood in front of him and took one look at her bruised and cut eye with a wince. "Let me assume that you're here for a divorce." Before Cora could answer, Mr Jackdaw took them to his desk so that he could rest his old legs. Once he was comfortably in the chair and Tommy and Cora were in theirs, he clasped his hands and rested them on his desk. "It's not going to be easy divorcing your husband."

"I told 'er this already." Tommy said as he leaned back into his chair, unbuttoning his blazer as he did so.

Cora glanced at him then looked to her solicitor. "I know what you're thinking that I want to divorce my husband because he laid his hands on me, but I need a divorce because he's a gay man."

His eyes widened and he looked at Tommy. Tommy replied with a cocked brow and a pursed lip. "You never told me you were a gay man, Mr Shelby."

"I'm not married to 'er, you know my wife Mr Jackdaw… Lizzie Stark is the woman I married."

"Who's this then?"

"You said he was the best?" Cora bit her lip nervously and wondered how this man could ever help with her predicament.

"He is, he just get's a bit confused." He sat forward and pointed at Cora. "This is the friend I was talking to you about on the phone this morning, do you remember? This is Cora St John."

"Oh yes, I remember now. So, you say that your husband is a homosexual? Have you proof of such a claim?" Mr Jackdaw squinted at Cora as he cleaned his glasses, putting them onto his face to get a closer look at her. He could see now that this woman wasn't Lizzie Stark. The blonde hair should've been a giveaway.

"I could get proof, he's in a relationship with my dance partner… I'm a ballerina and my husband is our choreographer."

"Have you consummated the marriage?"

She squirmed in her seat and felt her cheeks flush. "I'm still a virgin." She felt Tommy's eyes on her, but she dared not look at him.

"And were you coerced into the marriage?"

"He played on my love for him, he wanted to cover up this relationship of his. I guess the answer would be yes."

"Yet you want a divorce and not an annulment? An annulment could be over with both of your signatures and a quick trip to the courthouse, yet you want a long and drawn out process for what reason?"

"For what I'm entitled to." Tommy cleared his throat, and she rolled her eyes. "But money isn't important. I just want out of this marriage."

Mr Jackdaw let out a noise of contempt, he couldn't be bothered spending almost every day down at the courts, filing documents and pleading Cora's case. "I'll draw up the paperwork and send it to Mr Shelby's office. Hopefully within the month, you'll be a single woman Mrs St John."

When Cora started to get out of the chair, Tommy remained. "What if 'er husband doesn't sign the papers?"

She stared down at Tommy then looked to Mr Jackdaw with a hopelessness in her eyes. She knew that Edward wouldn't sign them willingly.

"Then we will go down the route of a divorce, but you might be lucky, he could want out of this marriage as well."

"I doubt that." Cora took out her chequebook and rested it on the table. "How much do I owe you?"

"For now, forty pounds but I'll need another twenty if we have to go to the courts."

She scribbled on the cheque quickly and handed it over to the elder. "Thank you for all your help."

Instead of going back to his office, Cora had requested to be returned to the hotel. He could tell that she was embarrassed because her cheeks were still rosy, and she hadn't said a word since they returned to the car. He was curious as to why she had chosen not to sleep with anyone, was it because of her marriage? He was shocked by her confession in Mr Jackdaw's office, not many women chose to remain virgins after the war and especially not during the roaring 20's. He could tell that she was cut from a different cloth as him, her morals weren't as loose as his.

"You know, there's nothin' to be ashamed of, if that's what's got ya so quiet." He said as he parked outside the hotel.

"I'm not ashamed, I just don't want you to think of me as some prude."

"I don't think that."

Cora didn't owe Tommy an explanation, but by the tone of his voice, she could tell that he wanted to know. She just didn't want him to think badly of her. "My father and mother divorced when I was quiet young, so young that I don't remember her and I think it was the divorce that ended up killing my mother; she was so in love with my father and it broke her heart. At least that's what a few of the maids that have spent a lifetime in my father's mansion told me. Paired with that trauma and moving around a lot, focusing on ballet… I never formed a bond with anyone apart from Edward," she turned in her seat, resting her arm at the top, "I always imagined sleeping with only my husband, but I had to pick the gay one with no interest in me. Although, I had met a man in New York and even though I wanted to sleep with him, I knew that it would only break my heart when I had to leave. So, I remain a virgin at twenty-five."

"I get it, but life is too short to deny yourself the small pleasures that livin' has to offer. It's alright to sleep with a man that ain't married to ya."

She smirked and shook her head at him. "So, I should just sleep with any man that shows a bit of interest in me?"

"No, you pick a good one that's goin' to look after ya." He took off his cap and placed it beside him. "I'm just surprised that with all the partyin' you must do, that the drink hasn't swayed ya."

"It's exceedingly rare that I party and I only drink when I'm sad. Which recently, has been all the time." They shared a look for a minute or so before she reached for the handle. "I'm sorry for taking up so much of your time, Tommy, I'm sure you have more important things to be doing than listening to my rambling."

He nodded at her and checked the time on his pocket watch. "I'll call when your papers come to my office."

"Perhaps I'll see you before then?"

Her eyes glimmered with optimism, was she starting to fall for him? He couldn't tell if that was the case or if it was just her loneliness. He had to be honest with himself, there was an attraction between them, but he didn't want to hurt Lizzie. He owed her as much if he was going to keep going to bed with her.

"Maybe."

The walk up to her room was quiet, too quiet and something felt off. The hairs at the back of her neck were on point and a cold shiver travelled down her spine as she spotted that her door was open. She checked her pockets and she still had her room key, one of the staff must've let someone in. The only person it could be was Edward, he probably spun them some story about losing his key, but he never had one to begin with. She took in a deep breath and prepared herself for whatever barrage of insults that was going to fly her way. She wasn't surprised to see Julian sitting on her bed with Edward by his side, it wasn't like finding them in her room in Paris, in fact she was almost expecting it. Both men looked at her furiously, they had been discussing something when her presence disturbed them.

"Get out of my room or I'll go straight to my father and tell him exactly what's been going on between the two of you." She stepped towards her vanity table and glanced at her reflection before shrugging the coat from her shoulders.

"You are a selfish bitch," Julian hissed, leaning towards her with a face on him that reminded her of the devil, "you're going to ruin me."

"Teaching isn't so bad, Julian. You'd be happy enough for me to do it, wouldn't you? And we all know that the real talent between the two of us lies with me." She hung up the coat and placed a hand on the table, leaning her weight on it as she stared him straight in the eyes. "If you think it's good enough for me, then it's far too good for you."

"Re hire him, Cora. I'm not asking you; I'm telling you." Edward's voice was toneless, almost as if he were a dead man speaking.

"As my husband?" she snickered at him and she could tell that it only made him angrier. "Nothing will change my mind. No amount of money in the world is going to make me change my mind and no amount of money is going to keep me in this marriage. That offer you gave me earlier this morning, I'm rejecting it."

"Five thousand a year is more than you deserve, Cora." He got onto his feet and stepped towards her. "You're being irrational."

"No, what was irrational was agreeing to marrying you even after I found out what you are. I can't live this lie anymore; I need you and Julian out of it and fortunately you won't be tied to me for much longer."

He got closer to her, his head lowered because he knew exactly what she meant, he just wanted her to say it outright. "What are you talking about?"

"I found a solicitor, a good solicitor and I told him everything about the two of you," she looked between Edward and Julian as they circled her like jackals, "I don't have to go through a divorce, I can have any record of the two of us wiped away with an annulment. Like our marriage never happened."

"You have been married to Edward for seven long months, there's no way that's possible to just erase it." Julian piped up as he too got off the bed.

"Nothing has been consummated because what I've got between my legs terrifies Edward." She looked from Julian to Edward and tilted her head. "So soon, your lies are going to come down around you and I'll have a front row seat."

"You've let your smart mouth ruin your plan." Edward grabbed her by the chin and pulled her away from the wall, and even though she fought back he didn't release his grip. "Julian, close the door."

Her eyes flitted towards Julian as he did as he was told, he locked it and placed the key on the bedside table. She looked back to Edward; her skin ran cold as the blood drained out of her head. "What are you doing?"

He could feel her trembling in his hand, and he was willing to do anything to keep his secret safe and to stop his life from burning in her flames. "You're not getting an annulment. I will not allow you to have it so easy when you make life hell for us." He dragged her towards her bed as she kicked and clawed at him.

"Stop Edward, you're scaring me!" she squealed loudly but it didn't make him stop what he had planned to do to her. He bent her over the bed, forcing her head into the sheets, muffling her protests.

Edward leaned into her and whispered into her ear. "If you're going to ruin me, you'll have to put up a better fight."