Grey's Anatomy's Mark Sloan has spoken about Lexie Grey's death.

"I wasn't shocked," actor Eric Dane said about Chyler Leigh's exit in the heartbreaking Season 8 finale of Grey's Anatomy.

"I knew that Chyler wanted to spend some more time with her family," Dane told E! Online.

"Earlier this year, I made the decision that season eight would be my last on Grey's Anatomy," Leigh said in a statement last month. She did not specify any reason for her decision.

"It's a tough schedule to keep up and she's been working on the show for five seasons. So I wasn't shocked. A little surprised but not shocked. We're going to miss her," Dane said further.

What is going to happen to Mark Sloan without his "soulmate" in Season 9?

Dane did not dish out any spoiler, but fans have been writing and rewriting Grey's Anatomy Season 9 with Sloan considerations in their minds.

Option 1: Sloan dies. While the original cast has already signed for two more years, Rhimes had said in previous interviews that there may be another death at the beginning of the ninth season in September. There are fans who would rather see Sloan's dramatic death than his depression over Little Lexie's passing.

Option 2: Sloan moves on and grows old gracefully. Of all the characters in the series, Sloan has been the sail-easy kind of man. He slept with his best friend's wife and fathered a close friend's son in a one-night stand. When he named himself Chief in the absence of Owen Hunt (Kevin McKidd), nobody was convinced he could pull it off. But he certainly rose to the occasion to everyone's surprise.

He could overcome the pain of Lexie's death by being a better man. He may start living his life anew as a tribute to someone who truly loved him in spite of his dark side. This means he will break-up with his current girlfriend because it would be unfair for her to watch her grieve for Lexie. Someday, he could fall in love again.

Option 3: Sloan gets mad at himself and finds reason to blame Lexie's death on people. Then he gets depressed and decides to quit. Friends would rally behind him until he gets back to his senses. Then he would transition to Option 2.

Read more:

Grey's Anatomy: Chyler Leigh's Exit and the Top 5 Questions for Season 9

Grey's Anatomy News: 'I'm sure Owen will be parachuting in there to pull her out' - Kevin McKidd