"Grey's Anatomy" season 11 ended with a bombshell. The death of Derek Shepherd came out of nowhere, making it more painful for loyal fans. However, the event will connect and set up season 12 – at least according to showrunner Shonda Rhimes. 

The closest spoiler that can be squeezed out from Rhimes is from the scoop TVLine got during her 2015 TCA Summer Press Tour appearance. The showrunner shared her perspective on how the next season would "feel" like for the viewers.

"Meredith is single and she is living this life that she's never thought she'd be living again," she said. "She's living in a house with her sisters. She's surrounded by women who are dating and having a whole life and she's not interested in all that, [Meredith is] starting to wonder is there a second life here or are your best years behind you? I guess the theme [of Season 12] is rebirth. That evolution for that character is beautiful." 

From Rhimes' description, it can be safe to say that Meredith will be busy figuring out her new life in season 12, and will eventually get it in the end, and maybe even develop a new love interest.

From a TVLine report, it is now known that Martin Henderson ("Secrets & Lies") will be joining "Grey's Anatomy" for season 12 as a new doctor at Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital. Will Meredith gravitate toward the newcomer? Will there be another brewing romance for the widow? To that, Rhimes responded that in the case of Henderson, she is still thinking about "what I'm doing with [him]." 

Still from the same TVLine report, when asked about Callie and Arizona, Rhimes said that both will have new romances, "and some pretty exciting ones, too," she added.