Grey's Anatomy returns tonight, Jan. 29, kicking off the mid-season premiere for the rest of Season 11.

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Showrunner Shonda Rhimes spoke with The Hollywood Reporter about what is to come for Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo) for the remainder of Season 11.

On Thursday, the site revealed what Rhimes had to say and apparently fans won't be entirely pleased. 

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During the mid-season finale, Derek Shepherd (Patrick Dempsey) and Meredith agreed it would be best for him to take the job working for the President in Washington, D.C. so Meredith is now on her own.

"For Meredith, this journey is really about her coming into her own as a surgeon, figuring out who she is and who she wants to be, standing on her own two feet and trying to be her own person for the first time without the support of Cristina (Sandra Oh) and without the support of Derek," Rhimes said.

Cristina left in the season 10 finale so Meredith is truly alone and can focus on herself.

"This is the first time that's happened for her in a long time," Rhimes shared of Meredith's ability to stand on her own two feet without being supported by others.

"I wrote a line in one of the episodes that comes up where Amelia (Caterina Scorsone) says, 'I have a feeling that if necessary you would be the middle spoon in a Derek-Cristina spoon, and that would be fine with you.' And you get this idea that that is who she has been for a long time - supported on either side with those people - and she has to let that go now," she stated.

"Meredith is trying really hard, and I think fans should be worried about them because whenever people grow in different directions, that makes it much more difficult," Rhimes warned.

Grey's Anatomy airs on Thursday nights at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.

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