Admit it, you went through a handful of tissues, didn't you? 

And by "handful," I mean potentially an entire box. 

It has been a while since Grey's Anatomy has given us one of those episodes that leaves you curled up in the fetal position bawling your eyes out. There have been a few sniffles here and there, but not a sob-fest.

Grey's Anatomy Season 13 Episode 18 was exactly that, a sob-fest. It also was one of the best installments of the season thus far. 

Hats off to Ellen Pompeo for making her directorial debut. She did an incredible job, and one can only hope that she continues down this path and chooses to direct more down the road. 

But I would be remiss to go on discussing this amazing hour without commenting on just how breathtaking Kelly McCreary's performance was throughout this hour. 

Someone, anyone, submit this for an Emmy reel. Please.

Maggie is one of those characters whom many fans find annoying for one reason or another. Personally, I love her. She can be so relatable, even in her less than stellar moments. 

But for those who typically find her annoying, how did you feel about her during this hour? I mean, how could you not want to reach through the screen and hold her? 

If you have ever had a family member and/or loved one who battled cancer, you could relate to everything Maggie was going through from beginning to end. It was like you could see the stages of grief unfold from the moment it began to the moment it ended.

She was angry, in denial, sad, and then resigned. One thing that was consistent throughout, however, was her guilt. She felt guilty because of the way she behaved up until this point. She felt guilty about not knowing that her mother was sick.

I can't save anything. I could have stopped it if I had known.

Maggie

• Permalink: I can't save anything. I could have stopped it if I had known.

I imagine, being a surgeon, even without her mother being in her face every single day she'd still feel as if she should have known something. She felt like had she known sooner she could have possibly prevented it. 

It was that desperation and hopelessness that drove her to push for the experimental trial even though her mother didn't have it in her to go on. Diane, for her part, was willing to go along just because she knew her daughter, and she knew Maggie needed to feel like she did.

When I die, she needs to know that she did everything she could.

Diane

• Permalink: When I die, she needs to know that she did everything she could.

It was great watching all the doctors come together to try and figure out something to do to help their friend. They were a great support system for both Maggie and her mother. It was also great that they trimmed down the cast to just a few so that the hour could focus fully on Maggie. 

Maggie is always sort of a peripheral character. She's also the epitome of a supporting character. She is always the one there for everyone else. 

It's a treat when you see the character who is always being supportive finally get some of that support back. 

For example, Amelia, who has been self-absorbed and selfish for a majority of this season was able to simply be there for Maggie. 

Richard was amazing, too. Even though Maggie has been one of the most vocal about the whole Eliza/Richard situation, and she's been on his side through and through, they haven't exactly bonded much. 

Sometimes it feels like they haven't gotten to bond as much as they should have since he's her birth father and everything. But here, he was there for her, and when Maggie told him that she needed her father he didn't seem the least bit offended.

Richard: Are you alright?
Maggie: No. No. I just wish my dad was here.

• Permalink: No. No. I just wish my dad was here.

Instead, he arranged for her father to be flown in for her so that he could be there to support his daughter. Although, am I the only one who found it odd that he wasn't called long before? I know he and Diane divorced, but they still loved each other once and raised a child together.

I loved that moment when he and Richard shook hands in the elevator. Both of her fathers meeting each other. Too bad it was under such horrible circumstances. 

Meredith made me proud. 

She has grown so much in the past 13 seasons, hasn't she? We really got to see that during this hour. She's matured with time, and despite a bout of being "bitchy" over the past season or so, she, much like Alex, has become such a stable person. 

She was such a rock for Maggie. Maggie may not have appreciated it at the moment, but by the end of the hour, I'm sure she did.

Meredith knew early on that the trial was a mistake. She realized that Maggie was pushing her mother and that Diane was only doing it for Maggie. Diane even fired Meredith.

Meredith knew when to push and when to let things go. It's interesting because even though Maggie called Meredith out on not having the same love for her own mother that Maggie did for Diane, Meredith has made peace with Ellis. 

I think about my mom's note all the time - "Tell Meredith not to..." Not to cave? Not to care? Not to give up so easily? Not to fall in love? Not to have children? Not to tell a lie? She left me wondering what to do, what not to do. She left me knowing everything was up to me, and me alone. And, she left me with no one to ask so I would decide what she meant to write. Tell Meredith not to be afraid. Goodbye, mom.

Meredith

• Permalink: I think about my mom's note all the time - "Tell Meredith not to..." Not to cave? Not to...

You could hear it in the voiceover. She has made peace with her mother's faults and has regrets, but she can see the good in Ellis after all these years. 

Meredith isn't so dark and twisty anymore. 

It is also important to note how mature she has become as far as accepting family. There wasn't a second that passed while watching this installment where you forgot that Maggie and Meredith are sisters. 

Meredith may not have done right by Lexie all those years ago, and she doesn't always do right by Amelia, but Meredith has upped her sister game when it comes to Maggie.

I love it to bits. Meredith finally knows how to be there for the people she cares about. She finally knows how to be there for her family. That's something she couldn't quite pull off, say, ten years ago. 

She also knows all too well what it's like to experience loss, and she guided Maggie through that. 

It feels like a loss for Meredith, too. In such a short period of time, Diane had really become the maternal figure that Meredith never really had. They only had a few scenes together but there was so much packed into them. 

Never make yourself small for anyone. Be your own person. And try wearing a little lipstick.

Diane

• Permalink: Never make yourself small for anyone. Be your own person. And try wearing a little lipstick.

A while ago, I mentioned that Maggie and Diane didn't seem all that much alike. I take some of that back. Listening to Diane talk about how good, bright, and cheerful Maggie is, I can tell she gets some of that from her mom.

Yes, I know they aren't blood-related, but it's nature and nurture, folks. 

I pretty much lost it around the time Diane started giving Maggie life advice. A friend of mine who died from breast cancer a few years back gave me similar advice before she passed away. It's also the same type of advice my own mother gives me regularly. 

I realized just how much I can identify with Maggie as a character in those final moments with Diane. So many life lessons packed into that last scene.

Take heed to the advice your loved ones give you. Don't wait until it's too late. 

Did I mention Kelly McCreary was incredible tonight? Yes? Well, I'm mentioning it again. LaTanya Richardson Jackson was amazing, too. I'm going to miss her.

Maggie: She's gonna go. I'm not ready. I'm not ready.
Meredith: You're never ready. You just...do it. Listen to her. Talk to her about whatever she wants to talk about. Record her voice in your mind. Just keep sitting there.

• Permalink: You're never ready. You just...do it. Listen to her. Talk to her about whatever she wants to...

I'm so happy Meredith told Maggie what to do in those final moments. Just about every loss Meredith has had she was denied the chance to truly say goodbye. Her advice to Maggie was everything she probably wishes she could have done herself. 

I also loved how Meredith was willing to sacrifice her relationship with Nathan or at least put it on hold so that she could be there for her sister.

It's unfortunate because if Meredith was open about her thing with Riggs sooner, she probably wouldn't have needed to do that. 

Meredith: She's going to need me now. For how long, I don't know.
Nathan: I know. Our timing is just...off, I guess.

• Permalink: I know. Our timing is just...off, I guess.

Riggs seemed to understand, though. He said their timing wasn't right. Ugh. I didn't mind them as a couple, and it finally felt like we were going in a firm direction with the two of them, and now it's off. 

Perhaps it's for the better. We're still waiting for a Megan return, right? It would have sucked if he was with Meredith if and when that happens.

Speaking of Riggs being understanding, I absolutely adored that scene he shared with Maggie. Part of the reason she crushed on him so hard was because they had become such good friends. It was great seeing that again. When he hugged her and she thanked him while breaking down, I got a bit misty-eyed. 

The only friendship I was missing was Maggie and Alex. I recall the early days when she first appeared, the two of them were pretty close. I miss it.

The one potentially great thing to come of all this is Richard and Miranda may have finally moved past their issues. A loss makes you reevaluate things. Life is too short to be at odds.

What are your thoughts on this episode? On a scale of 1-10, how much did you sob? Did Ellen Pompeo knock her directorial debut out of the park? Did you enjoy a Maggie-centric episode? Hit up the comments below and let us know what you think.

If you're in dire need of a good cry then you can watch Grey's Anatomy online right here via TV Fanatic.

Check out the promo for Grey's Anatomy Season 13 Episode 19 below!

Jasmine Blu is a senior staff writer for TV Fanatic. She is an insomniac who spends late nights and early mornings binge-watching way too many shows and binge-drinking way too much tea. Her eclectic taste makes her an unpredictable viewer with an appreciation for complex characters, diverse representation, dynamic duos, compelling stories, and guilty pleasures. You'll definitely find her obsessively live-tweeting, waxing poetic, and chatting up fellow Fanatics and readers. Follow her on X.