BWW Recap: Looking for Reason and Direction on GREYS

We all deal with bad news in different ways. Some of us shut down. Some of us cry. Some of us dance it out. Some of us gorge on copious amounts of Chipotle and binge on Netflix. We have coping mechanisms that kick in to help us get through the muck and live to see another day; a different day when things are okay. However, today was not the day because as Jackson (Jesse Williams) said, "Everything is not okay."
We returned to halls of Grey-Sloan Memorial Hospital in the midst of much drama. Derek (Patrick Dempsey) made good on his threat and left Meredith (Ellen Pompeo). Meredith considered getting a nanny to watch her children that we rarely see. Jackson told April (Sarah Drew) that their unborn baby had a fatal disability. Dr. Herman - Nicole, if you're her bestie - (Geena Davis) found out that Arizona (Jessica Capshaw) stole her medical records and outed her to Lady Shepherd (Caterina Scorsone).
Jackson got April pulled from surgery after he found out that she'd shown up for work. He figured that someone who recently got terrifying news about their baby would possibly want to tap into some PTO. Not these doctors though; these doctors like to take their pain to the hospital halls and make scenes in hallways and operating rooms.
I'm just here with the popcorn, taking it all in. LET JACKSON HELP YOU, APRIL.
In addition to all of this, a mother drove off a bridge while her two kids were in the car, and everyone's maternal instincts were flaring up. How could she do that? What kind of mother would endanger her children that way? There has to be a reason, an answer!
Don't worry, Jo (Camilla Luddington) had a line about how men could be just as insane as women or something. Give her a purpose this season, please, because I am DONE.
April confronted Stephanie (Jerrika Hinton) about the fact that she was playing Town Crier, telling everyone about her misfortune. Did she imagine Stephanie took some pleasure in delivering the news that Jackson and Avery's future might not be so Happily Ever After? What if she DID? Wouldn't that be a dark plot point after what Jackson and April did to her.
After a minor hissy fit featuring Arizona, Dr. Herman decided to give in to a little hope and let Lady Shepherd pitch her ingenious (imaginative?) plan for removing her supposedly inoperable brain tumor.
Speaking of, turns out the mom of two wasn't suicidal/homicidal. She, too, had a tumor that had been affecting her behavior. Tumors for everyone! Well, no, not really.
I wasn't aware that is was possible to relay smugness from behind a surgical mask. Pompeo, bless your expressive eyes.
During the chaos of the day, Meredith forgot all about the nanny she left waiting for her hours earlier. Apparently she really wanted that job, because she waited. The best part was when she suddenly appeared and Meredith didn't seem to recognize her. In all honesty I'd forgotten about her, too.
Meredith had a breakdown and collapsed into this nameless woman's arms. We all wept together. She realized that perhaps acting like she couldn't care less whether her husband, the man with which she'd gone through so much, was in her life or not, wasn't the best idea. Granted, feeling like she was keeping that man from his dream wasn't an ideal option either. And HELLO, they have two kids; perhaps someone should've considered them.
So Meredith called him. Derek was still at the airport thanks to a conveniently delayed fight. They agreed that they didn't want to fight anymore. They loved one another. They'd made precious Post-It marriage vows. So they would try harder now; make it work. But Derek wasn't coming home. No, he was to go to DC, Meredith would stay in Seattle being the sun, and they'd make their marriage work. Cross country.
What's the real reason for Dempsey's departure? He was barely in this episode; are they weaning us off that delicious head of silver flecked hair? Who thought this stupid, long distance marriage plot was a good idea? I'm talking to you, Shonda Rhimes. What are you doing?
So what's up next? Will a brain tumor be the end of Dr. Herman? Will Jackson and Avery's baby be the one miracle child to skirt its desperate fate? Will Jo be given a reason to remain in the opening credits?
Let us know your thoughts in the comments, and we'll be back in scrubs next week.

Photo Credit: ABC