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.

Revenge, Served Cold

Entering the party once more with Tommy by her side, his hand on the small of her back only drew unwanted attention to her, Edward's eyes were stuck to her like glue and she could feel the lustful longing coming from the host, his beady eyes had been drawn to her for most of the evening but now she could sense the slightest bit of jealousy directed at Tommy. All she wanted to do was leave, return to the safety of her room and be done with all these glances and stares. Tommy leaned towards her and said quietly into her ear, "Give me a couple of days and I'll have this mess cleared up. You stay in sight, I know it'll be hard on ya, but be at the studio, be in your father's sight. You'll need an alibi; I won't be around to give you one."

She looked up at him, trying to keep the shock from her face, but it wasn't down to whatever Tommy had planned, but due to the fact he was going to carry out the act himself. "You will need one too."

"They won't touch me." He looked at her briefly and felt a twinge in his stomach, emotions flaring up inside him that he had to push down. "Just stay seen." He left her side, his hands in his pockets clenched into fists as Edward passed him on his way back to his wife. He desperately wanted to grip him by the collar and let his anger out, but he couldn't…. Not here. Too many witnesses. As he stopped at the bar, he felt a hand grip him on the shoulder and when he peered over, Mosely was staring at him with a smirk breaking through that monstrous moustache of his.

"Mr Shelby, I am pleased that you accepted my invitation." He held his hand out for Tommy to shake, the awkwardness between the two of them becoming apparent as Shelby hesitated to take it. But once he had, Mosely's mouth twitched back into a smirk.

"I was surprised to get one, we barely know each other. Only in passin' really."

"I'm impressed by you, the way you speak and make your speeches are deeply passionate. Makes me happy that I'm not opposing you as I'm sure you'd be a handful."

Tommy lit up a cigarette and took the whiskey he had ordered and pointed at Mosely with the lit end. "That's because the people I represent are in the same boat that I was in. Perhaps, Mr Mosely, that's why I'm so passionate."

Mosely raised an eyebrow and ran the tip of his tongue along the back of his teeth. "I'm sure the people of Birmingham are ecstatic that you think of them as you sit in your palace in the countryside, fire lit with the finest whiskey in your hand."

Tommy took a long drag and admired the volley back at him. "That's why I give some of my fortune back to Small Heath and the rest of Birmingham."

"Yes, an orphanage and a ballet studio, giving to the poor and the rich. At least you had the grand idea to keep that dance academy away from the poor in Small Heath."

"From the way Norman Maxwell kept bending your ear, you'll know that I don't own the studio, I just made a generous donation."

Mosely nodded in agreement and glanced over his shoulder at Norman as he tried his hardest to rub shoulders with the elites at his party. "That man is insufferable but at least his daughter is quite easy on the eyes. Had he have arrived without her; he wouldn't have set foot over the threshold." Mosely turned back to Tommy, arrogance oozing from him as he slid a hand into his jacket pocket. "Maybe you might introduce me to the lovely Cora, seen as the two of you are friendly."

Tommy raised his brows and finished his cigarette. "Cora is married."

"Oh, come off it, everyone can see that it isn't a happy marriage, especially with the way she looks at you. I've even noticed that you're fond of her too."

"Cora and I are friends, and as far as I know she's smitten with Edward." Tommy tried his hardest not to choke on his words, he had to wash them down with the whiskey.

"Shame, I've always wanted to fuck a ballerina." Tommy followed his gaze towards Cora as she and Edward muttered amongst themselves. "That flexibility could be put to good use."

Tommy shuddered at his comment and turned back to face him. "If you excuse me."

Mosely watched him walk away, calling after him. "I will catch you again, Mr Shelby."

"You need to tell me exactly what you told Thomas Shelby. Tell me everything that you spoke about." Edward was trying his best not to be overheard by the other guests, smiling at people as they passed but keeping a strong enough hold on Cora's arm so that she couldn't escape his questions.

"What we spoke about is frankly none of your business." She pierced daggers into his head, desperately wishing that her stares would rid her of him.

"I'm your husband, it is my right to know."

"Do you really think I'm going to tell a man I barely know about you raping me?" Her voice was threatening to be heard and she could tell that it panicked Edward, anyone could overhear her.

"No, you're right. It would only make you look pathetic." Edward let her go and nodded at Julian from across the room. "Grab one last drink if you wish, we will be heading back to the hotel soon."

She rolled her eyes and played with the pearls on her wrist, knowing that it would aggravate Edward's paranoia. "White wine again, or can I get something I actually enjoy?" when he walked away without giving her a reply, she knew that she had won against him, a small victory compared to the loss she had already faced but nevertheless, with Tommy's words and Edward's annoyance, she felt confident. Soon this would be over with, she didn't know how long it would take but that didn't matter. She'd soon have her freedom.

Days of planning had gone into this; Arthur and Finn had been watching Edward and Julian's movements for the past few nights as they left their hotel to attend parties where no one knew them, and no one cared what they got up to. They could've got plenty of evidence had Tommy asked, but they already knew what he was planning for them and tonight was the night he would strike.

The early July night was surprisingly warm and as the couple walked the empty street hand in hand with their blazers draped over their shoulders, they were blissfully unaware that they were being tailed. Julian bumped Edward into an alley with his hip and pinned him against the brick wall, pressing his lips against his ferociously and as they sank deeper into one another, neither of them expected the blows that would knock them out. Arthur stood above them, his knuckles aching with the pain from the force of his punch, but he was too riled up to pay it any attention, he glanced at Finn as he stood over Julian, staring at the man he had just attacked. When Arthur patted him on the shoulder, he looked up at him and nodded at him.

"You remember what Tommy said, get 'em to the Garrison and if they wake up before ya get there, hit 'em again."

"Aren't ya going to help?" He asked as he gripped Julian by the ankles, ready to drag him to the car.

"I knocked the big one out, my job's done."

His head was spinning, and not due to the alcohol he had at the party. He couldn't remember much, and he had no idea where he was. When Edward opened his eyes, he realised he was tied to a chair, alone in a bar that he didn't recognise. He looked around for Julian and that's when he noticed a puddle of blood on the floor and an empty chair to his left. His head throbbed as he thrashed about, trying to get the ropes around his wrists and ankles loose.

"I imagine that's how Cora fought against you as Julian pinned her down."

Edward followed the familiar voice to the dimly lit corner of the room. Sat at the booth was Tommy, his face lighting up as he took a drag from his smoke. The blood in his veins ran a little cold as fear struck him. "What are you talking about?"

"Do ya really think she wouldn't tell me? I suppose ya don't know that we're friends." Tommy got up from his seat and stepped into the light, his eyes colder than usual, more sinister as he glared at Edward. "There's a lot ya don't know about your wife, probably because you've been fucking the dance partner too much to care."

"Where's Julian? What've you done with him?"

Tommy rolled his eyes and let out a sigh. "You're strapped to a chair and I'm telling ya that I know what you did to Cora, and your first thought is of him?" he leaned over Edward, gripping him by his hair and pulling his head back until their eyes were level. "You'll see him when you answer my questions." Tommy let go of him and sat by the bar, pouring himself a drink. "What made ya think it was fine for you to destroy her like that?"

"I told you, I don't know what you're talking about. Whatever Cora's said is all from her sick imagination!"

"She couldn't even get the words out when she told me, I had to fill in the blanks. The way she cried, uncontrollably and trembling against me, I could tell it was the truth."

"Why are you doing this to me? What goes on within our marriage is nothing to do with you." As Tommy looked at him, he could see the reason, it was so clear to him now. "You've fallen for her. Or at least, you're starting to. You're the reason she's had ideas of divorce."

"I'm the one who took her to the solicitor, listened as she told me about the humiliation and embarrassment you've caused 'er, pulled her off the side of a building because she thought that killin' herself was the only way to escape you. I heard bits of your argument that night on the rooftop, I tried my best to ignore it until I realised, she was going to jump."

Edward scoffed; he didn't believe what Tommy was saying. "Cora's too selfish to jump."

"You'll never get the chance to ask 'er." He took a sip from his glass and looked away from Edward. "You're a pathetic excuse of a man, had you just given 'er that annulment, you would've saved yourself so much pain."

Tommy stood up and took his gun from its holster, aiming it at Edward's head as he paced a few steps forward. Edward was shaking with fear, his eyes squeezing themselves shut as he waited for the bullet. The hammer clicked as Tommy pulled it back and when he squeezed the trigger, he watched Edward shudder, but nothing came out. When he opened his eyes, Tommy was watching him, his face still.

"Finn, bring him out." He called out, his eyes didn't waver from Edward until his younger brother threw the bloody and beaten Julian onto the floor. "Before you woke up, I got a bit of information out of him."

Edward barely recognised Julian, his face was crimson and swollen. It felt as if he couldn't breathe as Julian writhed on the floor. "Julian, why the fuck would you do this to him?"

"Finally, a bit of compassion." Tommy said as he opened the chamber and filled it with bullets. "Shame you didn't have that when you raped 'er." He pointed the gun down at Julian and released one of the bullets. The scream that escaped Edward's chest rang over the noise of the gunfire. "You're never going to hurt 'er again."

Teaching was never what Cora had aimed to do, but to her surprise, she enjoyed passing her knowledge and love for ballet onto a younger generation. As she watched them try the easiest of moves, all she could do was give her encouragement to the tiny dancers. "Extend those arms Abigayle, keep your form!" she folded her arms and glanced over her shoulder when the doors to the ballroom opened. Her father entered the room with two police officers, he looked like death: pale and sweaty.

"We need to have a word with you." He said quietly, his eyes unable to meet her face. She already had a fair idea what this would be about.

"Girls get your belongings. We're cutting class short today."

They waited for the children to leave the room before they broke the news to Cora. "Mrs St John, I'm so sorry to inform you that your husband and your partner Julian were found this morning at the docks."

She put her hand loosely on her neck and dropped her head; she knew this was coming, but it still knocked the wind out of her. "How?"

"We believe that it was a muggin', their wallets were emptied, and any valuables were taken, including your husband's wedding ring."

When she closed her eyes, she felt her father's hand in between her shoulders, it was the first bit of affection he had shown her since she was a child. "I'm so sorry, Cora."

"Have you found who done it?" she looked up at the officers, tears in her eyes, but they weren't for Edward or Julian, they were for herself. Although she couldn't show it, she was happy, she was no longer a prisoner.

"Uhm," the officers looked at each other then looked back at her, "Not yet, but we will."

"I would like to think so, whoever did this has made my little girl a widow." Norman placed his arm around her shoulders and pulled her into him. "I expect this criminal to be brought to justice. What are the two of you still doing standing there? Go find this mad man!" He watched the officers leave and squeezed his daughter tightly. "Cora, I am truly sorry."

"It wasn't your fault; you don't need to be sorry." She patted him on the back and broke from his grasp. "I just need a moment alone, to process this."

"Of course, I'll give you some space." Norman walked towards the door and paused at the door, glancing at his daughter. "Cora, I know you're not ready for this, but I'll have to call the funeral director to make arrangements."

She shook her head and wrapped her cardigan a little tighter around her. "I'll call them when we get back to the hotel. Do you mind fetching me some tea?" when he nodded and left the room, Cora let out a sigh of relief. She placed her hands on the back of her neck and stared up at the ceiling, the only thing that crossed her mind was Tommy. Was he safe? Had he gotten away with murder? She couldn't call him, and she couldn't go to see him, the police were probably going to watch her every move until Edward was in the ground. She had to play the grieving widow, even though there was no sadness within her. Cora would just have to get through it, whether she liked it or not.

A:N Thank you so much for the continued support of this story, the response has been amazing, thank you so very much. I hope that all of you have had a lovely Christmas and I wish that 2021 will be much better than this past year for all of us. The next chapter will be up as soon as possible, again, thank you for reading!