The death of Derek Shepherd (Patrick Dempsey) was one of the most devastating things in Grey's Anatomy's 11-season history.
In the two episodes that followed the one in which Derek died (the April 23 episode, "How To Save A Life"), the show skipped much of the mourning process by jumping ahead in time. Meredith (Ellen Pompeo) was missing for most of the April 30 episode, "She's Leaving Home," having fled with her children, and the May 7 episode, "Time Stops," picked up more than a year after Derek's death.
But on the May 14 season finale, "You're My Home," Meredith gave her sister-in-law Amelia (Caterina Scorsone) the last voicemail she received from her late husband/Amelia's late brother. And both Amelia and fans finally got some much-needed closure.
"Hey, it's me. I'm on the ferry," Derek says in the voicemail. "I just wanted to say that, um... god, I wish you could see this. Weather's classic Seattle. Oh, the water is so blue. It may be the most perfect ferryboat ride I've ever had in my life."
The screen then flashed to Derek on the ferry, leaving the message for his wife.
He was thinking about his future with his family, who he loves so much. But, of course, fans know they would never get the chance to ride the ferry together all day.
The moment was so emotional, even Grey's creator Shonda Rhimes took to Twitter to express her sadness:
Here come my own personal supply of tissues. Goodbye, birthday twin. Can't believe this is his last scene I'll ever see in my editing room.
But I guess we should've known.
