Further story arcs which provided a particular focus on individual characters include Addison Montgomery-Shepherd ( Kate Walsh ) facing Derek Shepherd ' s ( Patrick Dempsey ) desire to divorce her , Izzie Stevens ( Katherine Heigl ) coping with Denny Duquette ' s ( Jeffrey Dean Morgan ) death and the repercussions of her choice to quit the internship program , and Meredith Grey ( Ellen Pompeo ) struggling with the choice between Shepherd and Finn Dandridge ( Chris O 'Donnell ) .