The wait is almost over for Meredith and Derek fans, as they will finally reunite (for good!) in the May 22 season finale of Grey's Anatomy.
In preparation for the big day, Entertainment Weekly talked to Ellen Pompeo about the reconciliation, the show's future, and how she lays low when she's done working for the day on Grey's Anatomy.
EW: How did [Grey's Anatomy creator] Shonda Rhimes tell you that Meredith and Derek were getting back together?
Ellen Pompeo: I came in a couple weeks before we were going to go back to work and she invited me in to talk. She pretty much started off by saying she had time over the break to watch the entire series, saw where it started and where it went and where it needs to go now. It helped her get some perspective.
EW: Did she say she made some mistakes?
Ellen Pompeo: This is Hollywood. People don't admit mistakes.

Grey's Anatomy star Ellen Pompeo shines on- and off-screen.
EW: How did you feel about the Mer-Der reunion?
Ellen Pompeo: I told her to please make it be in a way that makes sense. Don't put us together because the fans want it: so â" poof! â" we're together. Please make it make sense. I would have preferred that we really stayed apart for a while and then slowly got back together. I just worry how realistic is it after all of the mess.
EW: How had you been feeling about the relationship?
Ellen Pompeo: You can't really judge characters, because that's when it gets really hard to play them. But sometimes Meredith has made choices and I'm like, Why would she do this? Why would she continue to keep going back to him after that? You gotta try to find a way to do it, but it's not always easy. I would never let a man treat me that way.
EW: When did you start to feel that Mer-Der was becoming repetitive?
Ellen Pompeo: Last season. Season 3 is when the show really started to get a little unfocused with crazy things like Meredith's [failed] suicide, and then George and Izzie. It just sort of seemed like it was all over the place, which it kind of was. I know Shonda was writing Private Practice and her attention was diverted.
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