"Why do you wear those goggles?"

Core leaned back when a speedster's face was suddenly close to his, "What?"

"Why do you wear those goggles?" Wally tilted his head, "I'm curious."

"Oh," The man adjusted them a bit, a small smile on his face. "These used to belong to one of my friends. He liked to build things but didn't actually need these. The heat never hurt him."

"The cold never bother me anyway," Robin sang under his breath, grinning when Core turned to look at him. "What, you had to know I was going to go there."

Core shook his head, "Baby Blue, let me check your arm." He walked over to the super, who was sitting on the couch, and gently grabbed his arm. Unwrapping, he poked it a bit, a satisfied smile on his face, "Lookin' good. I'd say you can continue your training tomorrow -that is if you let it heal tonight."

"Okay," Superboy nodded and watched as Core rewrapped it. "Are you going to stay here with us?"

"What?" Core leaned back in surprise, eyebrows raised, "What do you mean?"

"You usually disappear," It was Artemis speaking instead of the clone. "You talk to us for a little bit and then disappear and we don't see you until the next day."

"Yeah, man," Robin spoke up. "You're always hiding somewhere. It's like you're not even here at all." He was going to say more but noticed how Core pursed his lips. When the Boy Wonder was little, that was always what the man did when he was contemplating something or he was holding himself back from saying something that could change everything.

"I'm busy," Core started, crossing his arms over his chest, almost defensively. "I have lots of stuff to do around the place -not to mention I'm currently hiding from the League."

"You're busy enough that you cannot rest for a few hours?" Kaldur's question cornered the man, who shifted on his feet like he was contemplating running for the door.

"...No," The man went with, shaking his head. "Look, it's not you kids," He ran a hand through his black hair. "It's just… I'm not used to hanging out with… People. My 'people skills ' are 'rusty'."

"You hung out with me and Batman," Robin countered.

"Yeah, but you were a kid and that was Batman. You both don't count as people."

The Boy Wonder looked proud at that statement instead of offended like he probably should be. "Still, I don't think your 'people skills' could get 'rusty' after hanging out with the League for over four years."

Core shifted to look at the bat and Robin felt like the man's eyes (which he's never seen before) was piercing through him, "I don't like emotional attachment, Boy Wonder. You know this. Look," He ran a hand through his hair again, giving a small sigh. He looked at each of the teens, "I'll hang out with you guys more just… Not right now. I gotta go steal some stuff," Before the others could respond, Core jumped up and into the vents, which was still open from the last time he went in them.

"Did he just say he was going to steal some stuff?" M'Gann squeaked, wide-eyed. She was quiet the whole time, not knowing if she should speak since it seemed like a private conversation between Core and Robin.

Said bat waved her off, "He's probably just taking stuff from the League. No big deal."

Her eyes widened even more. That sounded like a big deal.

It was around lunch time when the YJ team saw Core again.

"What the hell is that?" Artemis noticed the man running around the living room, cackling as he did. He had a red cloth tied around his shoulders and one of the domino masks Robin used to wear before he went with the sunglasses. The team looked at each other, eyebrows raised, before turning back to the man.

"Can't you tell?" Core shifted so his back faced them and they all gasped.

"Is that Superman's cape?" Wally flailed his arms, "How'd you even get that?"

"Um," Core flapped his arms a bit, looking down at the cape. "I walked in his house and grabbed it. It wasn't hard."

"Won't he get mad?" Superboy wanted to walk closer, to touch the cape, but refrained from doing so. Why should he care about Superman anyway?

"Most definitely," Core grinned and took the cape off, draping it over the clone's shoulders. "Come on, Superboy. Live a little!"

Soon, all of the kids ended up laughing and hanging out in the living room. Core was pulling Superboy along, making the cape woosh behind the teen, and he had a large smile on his face. The super could feel himself grinning to and was surprised. He wasn't used to grinning -or showing any other emotion besides anger. It felt… Nice.

And then the good feeling was ruined.

"Recognize Superman B04. Recognize Batman B01."

"Oh shit," Core muttered, knowing Superman could hear him.

"Core!" Speak of the devil and he shall appear, it was the Kryptonian himself, "Core, I know you have my cape!"

The nineteen year-old quickly snatched the cape from Superboy, tying it around his own shoulders, "What?" He grinned innocently as the man and noticed Batman scowling at him for wearing the mask. "It's so cool, I just wanted to play with it a bit."

"Core, you're not a child," Batman frowned, walking forward.

For a moment, it was like the air around Core turned cold, "I know, Batsy. You don't have to keep reminding me."

"You're going to have to come with us," Superman said, ignoring his clone, who was standing next to Core. "You know you can't be running around."

"Why?" Core tilted his head, "Because it makes you nervous?"

"Because you're sick," The super countered. "Come on, we're going."

Before the nineteen year-old could protest, Batman grabbed his arm, prohibiting him from moving, "What, you too, Batsy? I thought you were on my side!"

"Let's go," The bat's tone was flat and he pulled the other along towards the zeta beam.

"Core!" The YJ team stepped forward a bit but was stopped by a Bat Glare.

"You can't just keep him in League Headquarters all the time!" Robin shouted at his mentor, "He's not an animal!"

"Robbie, it's fine," Core grinned at the boy. "I'll see ya later, yeah?"

"Recognize Superman B04. Recognize Batman B01. Recognize Core B03.

"Dammit!" Superboy slammed his fist on a wall, creating a whole. "Who do they think they are? They can't control Core like that!"

"You're right," Artemis said and Kaldur nodded.

"We gotta do something," M'Gann bit her lip in worry.

"We can't do anything right now," Robin said. "There could be a chance they just need him for a couple days. They don't usually keep him any longer than a week so I'll give them that long."

Two weeks passed.