AN: Just a short ficlet continuing the last scene of last night's episode. Spoilers ahead for those of you who get the episodes later on!
Forgiveness
It had been the most painful thing his mother ever could have said to him. Foreman buried his head in her shoulder--he couldn't stop the tears from falling. The embrace he shared with his mother lasted only a few moments longer. He tried to stop the tears; tried to stop feeling the guilt that weighed him down.
"I forgive you," his mother whispered again. "You didn't hurt them on purpose--a good man like you wouldn't have done something like that on purpose," she continued, smiling at him, unaware of the pain that filled his heart. "Forgive yourself, Eric."
Foreman nodded, fighting off the tears that had started to form once more in his eyes. "Thank you," he whispered back, turning to leave. His mother's hand on his arm stopped him--and he could see a brief flash of recognition in her eyes before she hugged him once more.
"You are not to blame," she said softly.
He nodded again--this time some of the guilt left him. He pulled away from her once more, gave her a sad smile, and finally turned to leave. He came here looking for comfort--looking for someone to understand him--to understand the situation and what it had done to him. Even though she didn't remember who he was, he had gotten what he had wanted. She had forgiven him--she had understood that he was in pain, and that he had needed comfort, not reasons as to why he shouldn't feel guilty.
As much as it had hurt to be considered a stranger to his mother--she had reminded him that he was not a bad person. She had reconfirmed the fact that he was human, that he was bound to make mistakes, and that no matter what, he would be forgiven for them.
And in the end, that was all that he had wanted. "Thanks again, Mom," he whispered again, his smile growing just slightly. He'll be okay. He was forgiven.