Ellen Pompeo and Eric Dane Share a Sweet Selfie After Mark's Surprise Return to Grey's Anatomy

Grey's Anatomy season 17 continues to bring back beloved cast members, and Mark Sloan is one of the latest. On April 2, Ellen Pompeo and Eric Dane celebrated "McSteamy"'s reunion with Meredith Grey through a sweet Instagram selfie. Pompeo expressed her "love and appreciation" for her longtime costar in a sentimental (and hilarious) caption.

"Old friends are the best friends... wait wait....but I don't mean WE are old...," she joked. "I meant that we've known each other a LONG time... yes that's what I mean we are like two spring chicks well one spring chick and one SILVER FOX." Dane shared some tender words of his own, after nearly 10 years away from the show. "It was so great to be back with my people. Felt like I'd never left..." Dane wrote on his own social media.

Dane's cameo was extra special because the episode also featured his character's lover and Meredith's sister, Lexi Grey. Actress Chyler Leigh returned to the show for Meredith's dramatic coma-beach storyline. You won't see her in the selfies, however, because Leigh filmed her scenes from afar in Canada. Regardless, the reunions — on- and off-screen – gave fans an emotional return to the early Grey's days. We're not sure how many more surprise cast returns we can take, but we're pretty sure the showrunners aren't done playing with our heartstrings yet.