S8·E13 If/Then

Episode recap

Task: Write a 280-380 word episode recap for Grey's Anatomy S8E13 (If/Then).
Role: Meticulous television and film archivist.
Constraint 1: Write ONLY verifiable facts explicitly supported by the provided SYNOPSIS and SOURCES.
Constraint 2: No inventing/guessing titles, names, dates, counts, awards, ratings, etc.
Constraint 3: Original, neutral, encyclopedic prose in plain text.
Constraint 4: No markdown, no asterisks, no headings, no bullet points.
Constraint 5: Length must be 280-380 words.
Synopsis: Meredith puts Zola to bed and falls asleep. She wonders what if her mother (Ellis Grey) had never had Alzheimer's and she had loving, supportive parents. This thought explores "what if" scenarios:
A happy Meredith Grey changing the world of Seattle Grace.
What if she never met Derek in that bar and he never separated from Addison?
What if Callie and Owen became a couple long before she met Arizona?
What if Bailey never evolved from the meek intern she once was?
Sources:
[1] General info: Follows personal/professional lives of doctors at Seattle's Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital.
[2] General info: American medical drama, debuted on ABC, March 27, 2005.
[3] Meredith Grey is daughter of Ellis Grey. Interns: Cristina Yang, Isobel "Izzie" Stevens, George O'Malley, Alex Karev.
[4] Meredith is a surgical intern at Seattle Grace Hospital.
[5] Creator: Shonda Rhimes.
The synopsis describes a dream/thought sequence triggered by Meredith falling asleep after putting Zola to bed.
The core of the episode is a series of "what if" scenarios based on Meredith's speculation about her mother's health (Alzheimer's) and her own upbringing.
Scenarios to include:
1. Meredith having loving, supportive parents due to her mother not having Alzheimer's.
2. Meredith not meeting Derek in a bar.
3. Derek not separating from Addison.
4. Callie and Owen becoming a couple before Arizona.
5. Bailey remaining a meek intern instead of evolving.
Drafting attempt 1:
In the Grey's Anatomy episode titled If/Then, Meredith Grey falls asleep after putting Zola to bed. This leads to a series of reflections regarding her life and the lives of her colleagues at Seattle Grace. Meredith contemplates the possibility of what her life might have been like if her mother, Ellis Grey, had never suffered from Alzheimer's and if