The new season of ABC's "Grey's Anatomy" will pick up three months from the events of season 11 finale that saw Meredith moving back to Seattle and settling down in life after Derek's death.

Meredith has three children to take care of and a busy life at Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital. She is also surrounded by a lot of people who are dating, but that's not the life Meredith is interested in anymore.

"Meredith is single and she is living this life that she's never thought she'd be living again. 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," showrunner Shonda Rhimes revealed at the Television Critics Association summer press tour, reported TVLine.

The showrunner also noted that Martin Henderson, who was earlier said to be Ellen Pompeo's character Meredith's love interest, might not be romantically involved with the newly widowed Meredith.

Henderson will debut only in the middle of the season, and Rhimes said she was still figuring out "what I'm doing with [him]."

As for the other characters on the show, Callie and Arizona will get new romances, and Jackson and April might be over.

Rhimes revealed that April moved overseas to resume her work as an army medical officer, leaving Jackson alone to deal with the loss of their son.

The season 11 finale saw April saying her tour of duty has reignited the spark that went out when their son died. Although Jackson said he understood her and supported her decision, he doesn't think he would be waiting for her when she came back.

"Grey's Anatomy" season 12 is set to be aired on 24 September at 8 pm EDT on ABC.

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