The heart is a lonely hunter — and sometimes that hunter is out for blood. On the Thursday, May 12, episode of Grey's Anatomy, it seemed that love was in the air, complicating things. Setting out to show Amelia (Caterina Scorsone) he was changing his ways, Owen (Kevin McKidd) traded in his trailer for a house and asked his girlfriend to help him pick out furniture. This sparked a discussion of whether each of them would ever consider getting married again, with both of them confirming they would. It's probably worth noting that they were operating at the time this hypothetical conversation about their future was taking place.
They were pretty much the only ones on an upswing, though. The situation confronting Callie (Sara Ramirez), Penny (Samantha Sloyan) and Arizona (Jessica Capshaw) went from bad to worse, and the tension between rocker Kyle (Wilmer Valderrama) and Stephanie (Jerrika Hinton) skyrocketed as his health continued to deteriorate.
A Penny for Your Thoughts
Recognizing how upset Callie was, Penny tried her best to smooth things over, but Callie wasn't having it. When Penny offered to postpone leaving for her fellowship until their relationship was a bit better, Callie decided it was pointless. "We both know how this ends," she sighed, noting that things "taper off" when people try long-distance. "I am stuck here, Penny," Callie snapped. "I am stuck and there is no good solution!"
When Penny asked if Callie was breaking up with her, she got her answer, and that answer was yes. "Maybe we should just call it now," Callie reasoned. "Yeah, we should. You should go." Penny wasted no time and Meredith walked in on her making her final plans to leave for the fellowship. Fortunately, Meredith (Ellen Pompeo) was in a more nurturing mood at that moment and promised Penny that life would go on, which she clearly appreciated.
Stephanie Can't Get Over Kyle
Even though she was the one who ended it, Stephanie was having a hard time respecting the boundaries of her new relationship with the rock star, who was back in the hospital with his tremor and other postsurgical complications. Though Stephanie was ordered to leave Kyle alone by Amelia (who was handling his care), Kyle's family (who clearly had no love for Stephanie) and Kyle himself (who was still smarting from their breakup), she couldn't help but stay all up in that business. When she disagreed with Amelia's plan of action to operate on Kyle yet again, Amelia laid down the law: "I do not answer to you. This is my surgical plan. I am confident in my surgical plan. End of discussion."
Before Kyle's surgery, Stephanie went to see him and apologized for hurting him. This then spiraled into a conversation about their plans for once his treatment was over and he was on the mend. The tone quickly turned romantic. "Don't say these things if you don't mean them," Kyle begged as Stephanie leaned in for a kiss.
Meredith Tells Off Amelia
When Amelia commented that she was feeling "good" about her plan for Kyle's surgery, something in Meredith just snapped. "You think you're making all these choices and building this life, when none of this is actually yours," the surgical chief began. "You are living in my house, helping to take care of my children with my sister. You are marrying my best friend's ex. You are trying to do my husband's job. You know, you used to have humility, even a little anxiety, but now you even have his confidence! But why not? Because you've taken over everything else." In case her point wasn't clear enough just yet, Mer added, "Get your own life."
Kyle Dies on the Operating Table — and Amelia Proposes to Owen
Unable to stay away, Stephanie watched as Amelia did her best to execute her plan to save Kyle. Unfortunately, shortly after beginning, it became clear that this plan was not going to work. Seeing Stephanie looking down from the viewing station above, Amelia ordered Jo (Camilla Luddington) to get Stephanie out of there, so she wasn't watching this unfold.
Jo sprinted as fast as she could, but by the time she reached Stephanie, Kyle was gone, and Amelia was calling his time of death. A stunned and heartbroken Stephanie roamed the hallways, and she didn't respond when Amelia tried to apologize.
Losing Kyle put Amelia in a reflective mood. As she laid eyes on Owen's new house for the first time, she commented, "I don't want to waste our time." She went on to explain, "I want a real life, and I want it with you." Owen asked her if she was asking him to marry her, and she said yes, she was.
Alex Forces Jo to Answer His Marriage Proposal
But Amelia wasn't the only one making bold moves. After a long day at work (highlighted by the grandmother of one of his patients trying to set him up with her daughter), Alex (Justin Chambers) forced Jo to answer his marriage proposal. "I am ready to be married, and I need to know when you're going to be ready," he said as she stared back like a deer caught in headlights. "I want to be married to you, but I'm done waiting, so I just need to know: Will you marry me?"
Jo paused for all of two seconds to consider her answer. "Alex, I can't." He then insisted that she could, but she was holding firm. "I'm so sorry," she added. "But, no."
With that relationship seemingly imploding, Meredith and Riggs (Martin Henderson) got into an argument in the parking lot — which somehow morphed into them passionately making out (and possibly more) in the backseat of her car.
Tell Us: Where are things headed for Meredith and Riggs? And was Jo right to turn Alex down?
Grey's Anatomy airs on ABC Thursdays at 8 p.m. ET.
