Is Cristina and Owen's marriage going to last?

Grey's Anatomy star Kevin McKidd spoke with E! about the couple's path for the rest of season seven, and that path will be a rocky one. There's an "unexpected and serious obstacle" in their way, but not what probably jumps out at you immediately.

"[The baby issue] gets put on the backburner," says McKidd. "I think it's something they both realize is a hot-potato subject. They really do love each other, so I think they want to enjoy a honeymoon period, as it were, for as long as they can."

But that alone doesn't mean smooth sailing ahead ...

"There's an added complication between Owen and Cristina that comes from left field in the latter part of the season as well, that isn't connected to babies," McKidd says.

"A work-related issue comes up that adds tension again to their otherwise happy existence. There something else that comes along to that's a problem to them."

Could this somehow pertain to the chief resident situation?

"There is the element of competition there - she's not in direct competition with Owen, but Owen suddenly finds himself in the line of fire. I'll put it that way."

"But again that was unexpected I think. So not directly in competition with him but he's very much certainly in the line of fire." Make of that what you will ...

On a happier note, McKidd also dished (somewhat) on the musical:

"I can't really divulge too much or I'll get hung from the nearest tree, but there is some serenading action from most people," he says, but adds: "I would say, [the singing] is more like a sort of fun diversion - because it's a very dramatic episode."

"There's a section in it where there's some levity. But again there's a really great, unexpected payoff to that. I can tell you there's no tap-dancing, I guarantee that. The episode being cut together right now. I'm as interested as anyone to see how it turns out."

He said it was a particularly time-intensive experience:

"We're actually shooting episode 20 right now, and we're only doing 22 episodes this year. I think partly because the musical episode has taken the time it usually takes to shoot two, almost three, episodes, that's the reason we have three episodes to go."

As for his future, McKidd is hoping to visit his family in Scotland this summer, find a movie gig based in Europe and then return to work on the show this summer.

If they'll have him, he says he'd love to direct again:

"The directing went really well this season. My episode was the highest-rated episode this season so far, although not by any of my design, which I am pretty pleased about."

"I don't think it had anything to do with me, but hopefully they'll let me direct more, because I've been bitten by that bug now. Hopefully I'll do that next year too."

McKidd will also take some time during the hiatus to visit Mozambique with a friend who works for Partners for Pediatric Progress, a charity devoted to educating developing-world healthcare providers in cutting-edge pediatric medicine techniques.

Basically, he's awesome. But on the subject of his Grey's Anatomy character, what do you make of his teasers regarding Cristina? Sound off with your comments!

Steve Marsi is the Managing Editor of TV Fanatic. Follow him on Google+ or email him here.