Thanks to neohaddekfan from the ABC Message Boards for this scoop, where TVGuide reports about what lies ahead for Meredith and Derek...

TV Guide: Can Meredith and Derek ever get back to what they had on Grey's Anatomy?

Shonda Rhimes: It has definitely been a tough year for them. Meredith had a brush with death, lost her mother and watched her relationship with her dad be destroyed. Derek almost lost Meredith, only to realize that he can't always protect her. They're at a crossroads. But there is a lot to their relationship. There are a number of complex twists on the horizon!