A Study in Regret

A Study in Regret, by Riandra, is an AU to the events of the Sherlock Holmes short story "The Final Problem". The FF.N summary is as follows: ''Dedicated to Aleine Skyfire. What if events had turned out for the worst after Moriarty's death at Reichenbach? Character death, drug and torture references.''

When the fic opens, Colonel Sebastian Moran has already murdered Dr. Watson at the Reichenbach Falls. Sherlock Holmes is now Moran's prisoner, and is being constantly "punished" for the death of Professor Moriarty. Not all hope is lost, however, for Inspector Lestrade and Mary Watson are on the case, and they're determined not to fail.

"Mary swiftly produces a revolver from somewhere, muttering something decidedly ungenteel in French – where did she learn words like that?"
 * Action Girl: Mary Watson, of all people!
 * Ascended Extra: Moran to Big Bad, Lestrade to Deuteragonist, and Mary to supporting female. Literally.
 * Authority Equals Asskicking: In the canon, Moriarty hired Moran for his skills. A Study in Regret makes it painfully clear what skills those were.
 * Avenging the Villain: The reason, basically, this entire story happens at all.
 * Berserk Button: Moran knows Holmes's is Watson and banks on this.
 * Big Bad: Who needs Moriarty? His second-in-command is more than enough!
 * Birth-Death Juxtaposition
 * Choke Holds: As part of Moran's Villainous Breakdown (see below), he starts to throttle Holmes.
 * Cold-Blooded Torture: There's not even any real point to Holmes's torture, other than Avenging the Villain and possibly Break the Haughty.
 * Curb Stomp Battle: Watson and Holmes never stood a chance against Moran and his Mook.
 * Darker and Edgier: In case you didn't get that, already.
 * Death Fic: Since Watson's death plays a very big part in this story... yeah, this is definitely a Death Fic.
 * Determinator: Lestrade and Mary.
 * Dude in Distress: Poor, poor Holmes...
 * Evil Gloating: Holmes asks if Moran would like to continue this, trying to stall him. It doesn't work.
 * Flashback Nightmare: Used several times for poor Holmes.
 * The Heart: Mary, oh so much!
 * Homage: Not only to the Canon but to the Deliver Us from Evil Series.
 * Inspector Lestrade: Inverted, actually, as he gets his chance to really shine as The Hero.
 * Like Brother and Sister: Lestrade and Mary.
 * Locked in the Dungeon
 * Love Hurts
 * Manly Tears: It's not just Holmes, either - in fact, he once weeps because he sees Lestrade weeping.
 * Multilingual Bonus: There's a lot of untranslated French and German in the flashbacks, plus translated French and German later on.
 * My God, What Have I Done?: Invoked by Holmes.
 * Narrative Profanity Filter: Used on occasion, and once with Mary!
 * Narrative Profanity Filter: Used on occasion, and once with Mary!


 * Not So Stoic: The author takes Holmes's infamous stoicism and hurls it out the window.
 * Lestrade's emotions are fully realized, as well.
 * Only Sane Man/Team Dad: Dear Lestrade.
 * Rescue Arc: Ingeniously done through flashbacks.
 * Revenge by Proxy:
 * The Smurfette Principle: Very much in play here - however, with Mary Watson as an actual Action Girl, it's worth it!
 * Team Mom: The attitudes of the men around Mary make it pretty clear who's in charge, here!
 * Torture Always Works: Holmes is pretty far gone.
 * To the Pain: Moran "introduces" his viper Naja to a terrified Holmes.
 * True Companions: Lestrade, Mary, and Marcel.
 * Unwitting Pawn: Poor, poor Marcel.
 * Villainous Breakdown: Moran almost does this
 * Victorian Britain: Averted, making it one of the few period-Sherlockian fics to do so. And the author averts it brilliantly.
 * What the Hell, Hero?: Mary delivers a downright cringe-worthy one to Holmes... ironically, berating him for even considering the exact same vanishing act he performed in the original stories.
 * With a Friend and a Stranger: Lestrade with Mary... and Marcel.