Disclaimer: Grey's Anatomy is a creation of Shonda Rhimes and an ABC Studios Production. This story is meant strictly for entertainment purposes and no money is being made off of the forthcoming drivel.

Author's Notes:

1) I have done research on the medical issues that are in this story. I think I understand it but I'm sure there will be mistakes. I've never written a GA story and the medical aspect of it has been challenging.

2) I wrote this story in 2009 and never posted it here. I'm giving you fair warning that this story is a negative portrayal of Derek. In the beginning, I was a huge Meredith and Derek fan but as the seasons progressed, I became less and less enchanted with Derek. I watched the seasons back to back and I became really angry with the way Derek has treated Meredith. When things cease to go his way Derek gets vicious either verbally or physically. He goes for the jugular and says or does what will hurt the most. The longer Derek has run from his own issues the more explosive his temper has become. With him being so angry all the time a "What If" scenario was born. A Stranger In My Own Life is the product of that scenario.

In plain English - This is not a Derek friendly story. Read at your own peril!

Chapter 1

Meredith walks to the front of the chapel and faces the wedding guests. She says, "It's over. You can all go home." Looking at Derek she says, "It's over. It's so over."

Derek walks up and grabs her arm. "I need an answer."

"Now? Seriously?"

Derek squeezes her arm even harder.

Trying to pull away from him Meredith says, "Let go Derek you're hurting me."

Derek refuses to let go. He pulls her to him grabbing her other arm. "You will only run away. We need to deal with this now before you leave me again for your friend."

Meredith screams up at him. "Excuse me! You need an answer. Well so do I. Where have you been? Susan died. Thatcher hit me and accused me of killing his wife. I had the Intern Exam. I had responsibilities to Cristina for this wedding. All of this happened in a matter of days and where were you? You were in a bar meeting another girl. You talk about me running away. I may not be able to handle things but unlike you at least I show up."

Enraged Derek shakes her retorting, "How dare you! I'm tired of breathing for you. I love you but you exhaust me. If you can't commit to a future with me just put me out of my misery and say so."

Meredith retorts, "I never asked you to breathe for me. If I had I'd be dead by now because you haven't been around."

Derek spits out, "Don't you ever joke about death like that. I saved you but you scare me. I never know what you're going to do, say or even be from day to day."

Meredith says, "You want the girl you first met. Instead, you're dealing with the broken aftermath. You did this to me. Deal with it."

Derek pushes her away from him causing her to fall backwards and hit her head on a pew.

The wedding guests who had been watching the fight gasp in shock at its violent outcome.

Derek cries out, "Meredith!" He stops short as he watches bright red blood pour out of her head framing it like a halo.

The ambulance pulls up in the ambulance bay. Before it stops the doors swing open and Bailey can be heard yelling orders to the interns on duty. The paramedics are pulling the gurney holding Meredith out. Cristina Yang in a crimson and white wedding dress is relaying Meredith's vitals to Bailey. Several cars slam to a stop in the bay with Interns, Residents, Attendings, and the Chief arriving in wedding attire.

The screeching tires alert Bailey to more arrivals. As they roll Meredith in Bailey yells, "None of you are working on this case. Move your cars out of my ambulance bay!"

Yang and Shepherd ignore her order following Meredith into the pit. Bailey orders, "I need a CT, a Neuro consult, and an OR booked immediately. Grey's pressure is low she has a depressed skull fracture and inter-cranial bleeding. I need more units of blood."

Shepherd and Yang enter the trauma bay. Bailey glares at them. "Get out!"

Shepherd answers, "You need a Neuro consult and I'm here."

Bailey says, "No…"

Yang turns on him interrupting, "You have done enough. Get the hell out before I hurt you like you did her."

Undaunted by Yang's pale, cold face Shepherd opens his mouth to reply.

Yang says, "I hold her medical proxy and I don't want you near her. Get out or I will have security physically eject you."

Mark Sloan walks up to hear Yang and pulls Shepherd out of the trauma bay.

Neurologist Dr. Jacob McCrarry walks in and immediately orders them to the OR. He, Bailey, and O'Malley work frantically to relieve the intracranial pressure. After the surgery, Dr. McCrarry sends Meredith to have a CT.

Yang banned everyone but Izzy, Alex, and the Chief from the gallery during Meredith's surgery. McCrarry and Bailey approach them to give more details. "Meredith's GCS was a 3 before the surgery. The pressure has been relieved but only a CT will show how much damage she sustained in the fall until then there is nothing I can tell you."

Forty-five minutes later Dr. McCrarry, Bailey, and Yang are reviewing Meredith's CT scans. The extensive damage to the hippocampus speaks for itself Meredith has very little chance of ever waking up.

Yang orders Bailey and McCrarry to keep Meredith's prognosis to themselves. She takes Meredith's chart and begins making copies and a series of phone calls that will rock the surgical staff to its core.

A few hours later two police detectives meet Yang and another man in the Intensive Care Unit. "I'm Det. Howard and this is my partner Det. Moore."

Yang hands them each a folder. "I'm Dr. Cristina Yang. I am the medical proxy and power of attorney for the patient Meredith Grey. This is Vernon Davis Meredith's attorney. I have a video I want you to watch and then I have a few things to explain afterwards."

The two detectives watch the non-wedding unfold. They see the groom leave the front of the church. A few minutes later Meredith Grey walks to the front of the church and says something to the crowd. People begin standing up to leave. The exodus halts as the wedding guests watch the fight unfold between the best man and the maid of honor. The detectives watch Derek Shepherd grab Meredith by the arm. They see Meredith try to break free but Shepherd grabs her other arm. He yells at Meredith shaking her. She yells at him still struggling to break free. Shepherd picks her up tosses her away from him. Meredith flies through the air her head hitting the edge of a pew. Her body falls to the ground blood gushing from her head. They see Shepherd freeze and a look of horror cross his face. They see a tall older black man run up to Meredith his phone out. A bevy of people rush forward one of them being Cristina Yang. Two minutes later a black woman pushes through to the front with a black bag handing it to the older black man. The man and Yang work frantically to stop the bleeding. Paramedics run in with a gurney. A few minutes later Meredith is wheeled out attached to various wires and tubes. Yang in a blood soaked wedding dress leaves with the paramedics.

The detectives give each other a look before turning to Yang and Davis.

Cristina says, "Take a look at the bruising on Meredith's arms. Shepherd squeezed her hard enough to leave handprints. In the folder are photographs of the bruising the fingers left with enough detail for prints to be seen and matched. I also included her medical reports with CT scans. The damage to her brain is extensive. If she ever comes out of the coma it is doubtful she will have much brain function left."

Det. Howard asks, "What do you want from us?"

"I want him charged. I want his assets seized and for them to be used to pay for Meredith's upkeep for however long she has left. I want his medical license revoked."

Det. Howard says, "We're going to have to bring our own people in to make an assessment. We'll need to talk to the witnesses and the videographer. We need a list of the attendees."

"I have all that info in the folder."

Det. Howard replies, "You are very thorough Dr. Yang."

"I'm a surgeon I have to be."