Grey's Anatomy recap: Grey Sloan mourns one of their own

For those of you who are wondering, Andrew DeLuca (Giacomo Gianniotti) has indeed left this world. Teddy and Owen didn't miraculously save him after he flatlined. This isn't a dream. The entire staff is reeling with the reality that Richard has asked them all to submit a video tribute in a memorandum of the man who risked his life to uncover a sex trafficker and died via a stab wound in the process.

Oh, and Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo) is still on the ventilator half the time and roaming around her beachfront property the other half. At least in this dream, she has my beloved Derek Shepherd (Patrick Dempsey) joining her again. How can one man make fishing look so sexy?

The episode's theme is the art of grieving, and let me tell you, the doctors at Grey Sloan are all over the map. Take Miranda and Richard, for example. Miranda chooses to shove her feelings into a tiny little box, barking orders for someone to perform an autopsy on DeLuca. For the record, nothing was missed on the operating table. But that doesn't stop Richard, who's struggling with his own faith, from chastising Miranda for thinking that her staff didn't do everything in their power to save DeLuca.

Owen seems to be handling death in a healthy way. He's certainly doing better than Teddy, who not only sees DeLuca all over the hospital but has a newfound purpose in making sure that Meredith Grey comes off the ventilator. Today.

That would be a considerable check in the win column, considering her kids have officially plucked Link's last nerve. The pressure of being a full-time Mary Poppins, combined with DeLuca's death, has caused him to day drink with an equally devastated Jo. Her "not boyfriend" Avery just happens to be along for the ride. As they pass a whiskey bottle back and forth, Avery deems himself the official judge of the "Who's Sadder "contest.

Jo wins in a landslide. I think, "I spent seven hours making room so they could fit more bodies on the morgue truck" was the deciding factor.

Maggie seems to have her emotions in check, thanks to her handsome boyfriend Winston, who has been given privileges to work with her at the hospital. They tag team a guy named Byron. He has officially succumbed to COVID fatigue. Even though he needs emergency surgery, he refuses to let anyone touch him. Everyone knows you contract the coronavirus in hospitals, and he properly freaks out by hopping off of the gurney and streaking through the halls.

Isolation makes people do crazy things.

Maggie doesn't laugh. It's clear there's more to the story. Byron lost his best friend to the virus, and he's heartbroken. Through tears, Maggie explains that she lost someone, too. And they owe it to their loved ones to live the life they can no longer live. Byron has the surgery and is stable.

This is great news for Helm, who assisted with Byron. On the way to DeLuca's outdoor memorial, Maggie notices the resident crying on a bench. Helm admits that she hasn't touched anyone without gloves in two months and is pretty sure she's going to run through the hallways naked if something doesn't shift. Maggie instructs her to rise, turn around, and then she stands back-to-back with Helm. They literally just stand there, leaning on each other, crying.

I may have cried, too. As a physical touch person, this hit home for me.

Then we have Schmidt crying because he feels guilty, and Miranda crying because Schmidt lectured the chief on how this moment is not a time for protocols. He recalls that Miranda never allowed herself to grieve her own mother's death. She needs to take time off to be surrounded by family. Don't let the pandemic take that away.

Speaking of the pandemic taking things away, will Meredith ever get off the ventilator? Although Teddy seems to be trying to make it happen, it's Cormac who actually makes some headway. He simply talks to Meredith about things that she's interested in. Who cares about oxygen levels or blood pressure. Cormac has been the keeper of the electronic tablet, making sure Meredith's kiddos get to see and speak to her every day.

Guess what? He's learned all about their cute little personalities and quirks. As Meredith concentrates on the beach, attempting to get Derek close enough to touch, she hears Cormac report specific details about Zola, Bailey, and Ellis. Derek encourages Meredith to listen and suggests she "hear him out."

We see Cormac walking along the beach with Meredith. She seems delighted that he knows her children in such an intimate way. And she's perplexed by what Cormac is asking her to do.

He wants her to fight. Her kids need her. The hospital needs her. Everyone needs her. By the look on his face, I'd say that Cormac needs her as well, especially since her last love interest is being celebrated with a memorial service video tribute right outside on the hospital wall.

We see Karina, who apparently learned of her brother's death over on Station 19. Miranda asks Richard for time off, and she runs into her husband's arms after Richard grants it. Owen cries. Jo and Link, smelling of cheap whiskey, tear up. And Teddy hugs her knees to her chest as she sits far away from the crowd on a curbside.

Owen finds her there, in the exact same place, at the end of his shift. Something is wrong, and he can tell that Teddy is not firing on all cylinders. He picks her up and cradles her in his arms, offering to take her home to get some sleep.

With Teddy and Miranda taking care of their mental health, it looks like Cormac is the lone soul who is left caring for Meredith. Can he convince her to leave the sunscreen for rainier weather? Or will we spend the entire season watching different cast members pop in on Meredith's Airbnb?

I hope that Meredith listens to the warm, familiar voice of our favorite Irishman and chooses to fight.

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