Another Grey’s Anatomy Love Story Ends In Tragedy: Niko Terho Previews Lucas’ Painful, Angry Road Ahead

The March 19 episode of “Grey’s Anatomy” finally brought the moment fans have been dreading for months: after moving in with Lucas & Co. for hospice treatment last week, Katie Rogers has died.

“I always had it in the back of my mind that it was going to happen, but it didn’t really become real and the whole devastation of it didn’t really hit until it actually arrived,” actor Niko Terho (Lucas) tells TVLine.

To make matters worse, Lucas wasn’t home for the actual moment of Katie’s death, as he was rushing to the hospital to pick up more containers to drain Katie’s fluid and make her more comfortable. And to make matters even worse, the only reason he didn’t have his own containers is become Simone hid them; Bailey had instructed them not to over-drain Katie’s fluid, which could cause additional complications, but Lucas couldn’t stand to see her in more pain.

It was the cherry on top of a classic heartbreaking hour of “Grey’s,” during which Katie and Lucas finally confessed their feelings to one another. They held hands in bed, imagining how they might have met under much happier circumstances. They dreamt of a life together in the city, where she’d have her own therapy practice and he’d be doing a fellowship. If only for a moment, and only in their collective dream, she felt like she made it to New York.

Below, Terho speaks with TVLine about Katie’s death, the anger Lucas will carry towards Simone, and what he’s learned about his character through this devastating ordeal:

How will Lucas and Simone move forward from here?

TVLINE | This was an inherently sad storyline, but the chemistry between you and Samantha Marie Ware really took it to the next level.
She’s been there for a really big chunk of the season, so we’ve been working together a lot. All of our scenes are basically together, so we definitely built a sense of comfort and trust in the way we worked with each other.

TVLINE | And even though Lucas thought he was doing the right thing, I imagine he’ll have trouble forgiving himself for missing her death.
Oh, absolutely. He’s going to blame himself. You can’t not. He physically wasn’t there. He wasn’t present with her in her final moments. He knows he should have been there, and that’s going to weigh on him deeply.

TVLINE | He’ll hate himself on the inside, but it sounds like he’ll hate Simone on the outside. How is that blame going to impact their already-complicated relationship?
It’s going to be a big catalyst for them. We’ll see how they navigate it. They’ve never navigated this amount of anger towards one another, from either direction. So it’s a big hurdle for them and their relationship, whether it’s friendship or romantic. How it moves forward from here is going to be tough, but we’ll see how it plays out.

What has this storyline revealed about Lucas?

TVLINE | You’d think that this whole experience would put Lucas off of dating for a while.
[Laughs] You would think so, right? But people also cope in their own ways, so it’s about what he decides is the best way for him to feel better.

TVLINE | He’ll definitely need a strong support system. He had a quick scene with Dr. Spencer this week, and I feel like those two could be really good friends.
I mean, it’s hard not to love Dr. Spencer. She’s so full of life and bubbly, and she sees the world through such a positive lens. It’s hard not to pick up some of that when you interact with her.

TVLINE | What did you learn about Lucas from playing out this storyline with Katie?
There are so many new facets to Lucas that we’ve witnessed this season. We’ve really seen his passion, which was cool to explore. I’ve noticed that he’s pretty dead set on the people he cares about, and he gets tunnel vision, and a lot of things get less of his focus. That’s been interesting to learn. And his capacity for love and care is extraordinary. I’ve enjoyed getting to know him this season.

Have Lucas and Bailey reached a new level of understanding?

TVLINE | Lucas and Bailey also got much closer through this whole experience. Do you feel like their relationship has reached a new level?
They learned so much about each other that feels personal. You don’t tend to learn so much about someone just in the workplace. This patient had such an emotional hold on both of them, so they were in on each other’s personal feelings. Their bond definitely grew through all of the ups and downs they had to go through together.

TVLINE | They also seem like they’re ready to head down to Washington and straighten some people out.
[Laughs] Oh yeah, they’re firing up their pitchforks and going.

Elsewhere on Grey’s Anatomy this week…

LOVE WINS(TON) | Jules and Winston flirted up a storm this week, nearly succumbing to the emotional power of the Grey Sloan Memorial elevator. Instead, they ended the conversation with a firm handshake, chalking the whole thing up to a “poor-timed mutual attraction.” But they could only deny their feelings for so long. “I can’t shake the feeling that even if the worst happens, it’ll be worth it,” he told her before finally kissing her. (Sorry, Nurse Iris!)

OWEN PUMPS THE BRAKES | Following their big kiss a few weeks ago, Owen and Teddy spent the hour sneaking around the hospital for round two… and three. But things got weird when Owen found out Teddy was going on a date with someone else. She reminded him that they’re divorced and allowed to meet other people, but it obviously didn’t sit right with Owen, hence him turning down her offer to hang out after her dinner plans fell through.

THE FIRST ANNUAL AMELIA AWARDS | After discovering that Toni’s ex-wife is a world-renowned surgeon, Amelia spent the hour sulking around the hospital in a puddle of mediocrity. When Toni caught wind of this insecurity, she surprised Amelia with a private ceremony to celebrate all of her accomplishments, including one for her surgical achievements and another for her beautiful behind. “You’re Amelia Shepherd,” Toni said. “There’s literally no planet where you’re a consolation prize.”

JO GETS BACK IN THE GAME | Jo was only supposed to return to the hospital as a supervisor this week, but she ended up scrubbing in when a patient’s gallbladder ruptured, ensuring that the woman will be dealing with complications for the rest of her life. A despondent Bailey took the rupture especially hard, saying, “This was the one thing I was supposed to be able to fix today.” This, on top everything happening to Katie, was too much for Bailey to handle.

RICHARD’S NEW CAUSE | Link also returned to the hospital, teaming up with Richard to raise awareness for prostate cancer screenings. They probably would have been more successful if Link didn’t ambush people with questions like, “Sir, do you have any blood in your urine?” Richard ended the day feeling pretty discouraged, but when a security guard approached him with questions about his own urinary issues, he was happy to talk it over. Success!

Were you also wrecked by the tragic conclusion of Katie’s story on this week’s “Grey’s”? Did you quietly cheer to yourself when Jules and Winston kissed? And did you really think Teddy and Owen were back together for real? Drop a comment with your thoughts on the episode below.