Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Author's Note: This episode involved Steve and Claudia going to visit Steve's mom in an effort to disconnect him from the metronome. I ended up creating a chapter with three parts: one scene extension after Steve's mom leaves he and Claudia in the dining room, one scene before Steve comes downstairs to reconcile with his mom, and one scene the next morning as Steve and Claudia prepare to leave. Some of you have commented about how much you like Steve and Claudia's relationship. Personally I didn't care too much for his character, so he probably won't be featuring much in the rest of this story. Sorry. But hopefully chapters like this will still make you happy. Enjoy!

Like Mother Like Son

The dining room was utterly silent after Steve's mother left. Claudia took a sip of her tea, letting the heavy silence hang between them. Steve just stared down at the table. Finally Claudia couldn't take it anymore.

"What happened between you two?" she asked carefully. Steve didn't answer for so long that Claudia thought maybe he hadn't heard her, but finally he sighed.

"My sister died," he said quietly. "My mom just... she moved on. But I couldn't. We fought about it and I left."

"Maybe it's time to finally mend that fence," Claudia told him.

"I'm not here to mend fences," Steve said gruffly. He got up and picked up his mug, carrying it over to the sink. "I'm here to get myself off the metronome and then we're gone."

"I don't get what the big deal is," Claudia said as Steve placed his mug in the sink. "You have a mom here who loves you. And she's clearly trying to reach out-"

"No offense, Claude," Steve said sharply, turning around from the sink, "but it really isn't any of your business."

"You're right," Claudia said. She looked down into her mug of tea so she didn't have to look at her angry partner. "It's none of my business."

"Good," Steve said firmly.

"But that doesn't mean I can't still try to help," Claudia said, looking back up at him. "That's what partners do."

"And how could you possibly help with this?" Steve asked harshly. "You don't know anything about parents."

"No, I don't," Claudia said firmly. "Because mine are both dead. I have no idea what it's like to fight with them or grieve with them or... or have tea with them." She held up her mug to make her point. "All I know is that I would I would give anything for the chance to talk to either of them again. Anything. Your mom is right here, Jinksy. You should fix things with her while you still can. Someday she'll be gone and it'll be too late."

Claudia stood up and picked up her mug, silently carrying it over to the sink. Steve didn't say a word as she rinsed it out and put it in the dishwasher.

"I'm sorry," he said quietly after she had closed the dishwasher. "I wasn't thinking."

"It's okay," Claudia told him. "You got upset. It happens."

"So we're cool?" Steve asked. Claudia nodded.

"Yeah," she said. "We're cool."

"Thanks," Steve said sincerely.

"That's what partners do," Claudia said with a smile.

"And BFFWYLIONs," Steve added, returning her smile.

"Now then," Claudia said. She stepped back over to the table and bent down to pick up the metronome box from the floor beside her chair. "Let's go see if we can get you off this thing."

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Claudia stepped out into the hallway, leaving Steve alone. He needed some time alone to process his emotions. Maybe then they could finally figure out a way to free him from the metronome.

Halfway down the stairs Claudia's feet stopped moving. Steve's mother was standing in the doorway to the living room holding the metronome in her hands. She was clearly a smart woman. She might not understand the whole artifact mess, but she somehow understood that the metronome was important.

Claudia hesitated on the stairs for a moment before carefully continuing down them.

"Mrs. Jinks?" she asked carefully as she reached the bottom. Steve's mother turned around and Claudia thought she saw tears in her eyes.

"Please, call me Emma," the older woman said with a sad smile.

"Okay," Claudia said. The woman's kindness tugged a partial smile from her own lips. "Emma. I don't have... any idea what it's like to lose a daughter. But I do know what it's like to lose family. My parents and my sister died in a car crash when I was young."

"I'm so sorry," Emma said. There was genuine pain in her eyes.

"It was hard to deal with," Claudia admitted. "And there's not a day that goes by that I don't think about them. But I learned how to deal with it. And eventually Steve will too. He's strong and he has a good heart. He'll get through this. You both will."

"I know," Emma said. She looked down at the metronome in her hands. "I don't really understand why this is so important, but I'm glad it brought you both here." She turned a bit so she could look back at Claudia. "And I'm glad that Steven has a friend like you."

"I'm the one who's glad to have him," Claudia told her. "I couldn't ask for a better friend. You raised an amazing young man."

"He didn't need much help," Emma said with a smile. She turned around to look at the mantle and sighed heavily. "Neither did Olivia."

"I'm really sorry for what happened to her," Claudia said sincerely.

"She was a good girl," Emma said quietly. "I miss her very much."

"Steve knows that," Claudia told her. "He'll come around."

Emma looked down at the metronome in her hands.

"I hope so," she whispered.

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"Alright," Claudia said as she stepped into the sunny kitchen where Steve and his mother were sitting together. They both looked up as she entered. "I told Artie we got you off the metronome and we'll be on the next flight back."

"How'd he take hearing that it was destroyed?" Steve asked.

"He gave me his usual bluster about destruction and mayhem," Claudia said, waving it off with a look of indifference. "He'll get over it."

"Are you sure you can't stay any longer?" Emma asked her son.

"I have to get back to work," Steve said apologetically as he got to his feet. "But maybe I could... come by for your birthday next month?"

"I'd like that," Emma said with a smile. Steve smiled back.

"I'm gonna go grab my jacket," he said, motioning at the entryway.

Claudia turned back to Emma as Steve left the kitchen.

"Thank-you so much for everything," Claudia told her. "You are an amazing cook."

"It was nice to have someone to cook for," Emma said as she stood up from the table. "And it was a pleasure to meet you. You'll have to come back sometime."

"I can probably make that happen," Claudia said with a grin.

Emma reached out and pulled Claudia into a warm hug that Claudia returned.

"Thank-you," Emma said softly. She gave Claudia a brief squeeze before letting go.

"You're welcome," Claudia told her.

"I didn't know your parents," Emma said, "but if you were my daughter, I know that I would be very proud of you. And wherever your parents are, I'm sure they feel the same way."

"Thank-you," Claudia said sincerely. "That means a lot."

"Ready?" Steve asked, coming back into the kitchen.

"Absolutely," Claudia told him. She stepped aside so Steve and his mother could share a long hug.

"You take care of yourself," Emma said.

"I will," Steve promised as she let go of him. Emma patted his cheek affectionately before turning her attention back to Claudia.

"You make sure he stays out of trouble," she said.

"I can't promise you anything, but I will certainly do my best," Claudia said with a smile.

The three of them walked to the front door and out onto the porch.

"Have a safe trip," Emma told them.

"We will," Steve assured her. He leaned forward to kiss her cheek. "Bye, Mom."

"Good-bye, Steven," Emma said affectionately.

Steve and Claudia stepped off the porch and began making their way down the drive to the car. As they reached the vehicle, Steve turned around to wave at his mother still standing on the porch. She smiled and waved back.

"Question," Claudia said suddenly. "Can I drive back to the airport?"

"Absolutely not," Steve said as he pulled out his keys.

"Why not?" Claudia protested.

"Because without the metronome, I can die now," Steve told her. He pressed the unlock button on his keychain before looking across the top of the car at Claudia. "I'd rather not risk it with your driving."

He opened the driver's door and climbed in. Claudia quickly opened the passenger door so he could still hear her.

"Hey, I'm a good driver," she argued as she slid into the seat.

"Artie gave me very strict orders not to let you drive," Steve informed her. "Something about you running over a mailbox?"

"That was one time and it was entirely his fault," Claudia said firmly.

"You can take it up with him when we get back," Steve said.

"Fine," Claudia muttered. She reached over to buckle her seatbelt and Steve did the same. Then he placed his hands on the steering wheel.

"Ready?" he asked.

"All set," Claudia said with a nod.

"Good," Steve said. He stuck the key in the ignition and turned it. "Let's go home."

Hopefully this chapter was satisfactory. Leave a quick review and let me know what you thought. :) Thanks!