Things are heating up at Grey-Sloan Memorial Hospital. After the explosive Season 12 finale of “Grey’s Anatomy” left DeLuca (Giacomo Gianniotti) bloodied, it seems Dr. Alex Karev (Justin Chambers) is going to have to pay the price for his actions.

After beating Meredith Grey’s (Ellen Pompeo) new beau within an inch of his life for allegedly hitting on his girlfriend Jo (Camilla Luddington), the hospital is abuzz. Many are frantic after learning that DeLuca has gone from working at the hospital to sitting in a hospital bed fighting for his life. The young doctors scramble to help, while others attempt to piece together what happened. Meanwhile Meredith will be tasked with supporting DeLuca and holding in secrets that could potentially end her relationship with both Alex and Maggie (Kelly McCreary).

Set photos released ABC suggest the show will kick off with a bang. One photo shows Meredith locked in an intense conversation with Dr. Webber (James Pickens Jr.). While her face is not visible, it is clear from the concerned look on Richard’s face that the nature of their elevator chat is important. Another photo shows Meredith being confronted by her half sister, Maggie. The seasoned doctor is seemingly annoyed with Maggie, who has her back to the camera. Meredith is then shown sitting with Dr. Nathan Riggs (Martin Henderson) at DeLuca’s bedside. Both look concerned as they slump in their chairs, but are locked in conversation.

Meanwhile, April Kepner (Sarah Drew) and Jackson Avery (Jesse Williams) are pictured celebrating the birth of their first child. Multiple photos show them holding their newborn close as they revel in the joy of being first-time parents — but what does this mean for their relationship?

One thing the photos don’t show is Arizona’s (Jessica Capshaw) new love interest. In Season 12 she and Callie (Sara Ramirez) — who will play a limited part in the ABC series in Season 13 — called it quits. Callie moved to New York to further her career and be close to girlfriend Penny, leaving Arizona to pick up the pieces on her own. In Season 13 her luck will change for the better. Showrunner Shonda Rhimes revealed in an interview with Entertainment Weekly that Arizona will fall in love. Additionally, that love will lead her to discover parts of herself that she was previously unaware of. Her new fling, however, has yet to be revealed.

“I’m very excited to introduce a love interest for her, and to get to tell a story with her that lets her be who she is, and to see who she is post the relationships that she’s had,” Rhimes said.

While photos suggest that the show’s premiere will be dramatic, there will also be a steamy element — but isn’t that always the case in Shondaland? Debbie Allen, who plays Catherine Webber, revealed on Aug. 22 that this season is going to get “HOT!” Allen, 66, shared the message in a retweet from the network about the upcoming season.

Season 13 is slated to premiere Thursday, Sept. 22, at 8 p.m. EDT on ABC. Which storyline are you most looking forward to seeing? Sound off in the comments section below, “Grey’s Anatomy” fans!

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