Optimus couldn't watch his team flounder around anymore. He buried his face in an open palm.

They were scrabbling for purchace in the middle of an oil puddle meant to engage them in physical contact and teamwork.

This is stupid! became a chant. Bumblebee had fallen down several times and now he was laying on his belly as he mewed for someone to help him back up, but Ratchet and Cliffjumper were too busy arguing and Arcee was gripping her mate for support. Bulkhead was too busy trying to keep his balance to notice anything.

Optimus stepped out onto the oil and he made his way to the team. "Stop arguing and look at me."

They did.

"Loop your arms around everyone. Form a circle. That is it," he praised. He helped Bumblebee to his pedes and he made sure to support him more than Bulkhead, who had finally gotten the hang of standing in oil. "Step one," he announced, and he took a step.

They scrabbled to copy him and Cliffjumper's half of the circle went down.

"Okay, what did that tell you?" Optimus pressed them to speak. They had to be vocal, too.

Arcee chimmed in. "Perhaps...we are not..." She frowned. Optimus could see she knew the answer, but she couldn't speak, or give voice to it. She didn't know how to describe the lack of trust they had for each other.

"You have to trust. You have to hold onto each other, okay? Get physical." He watched them knit themselves together before he announced he was going to make another step.

This time they stumbled, but righted themselves quickly, especially when Optimus drew the circle in closer. Soon, they were in a flower formation with Bumblebee in the center.

An idea struck Optimus. They were five steps away from finishing, and he knew that they had only learned to work in one formation. He wanted them to be perfect.

So he made them go the other way. Nobody groaned. Optimus wondered if they even saw that they were so close to being done.

They spread out, becoming a larger O with no center. Bumblebee drew away from Optimus reluctantly. He still couldn't keep his balance long, but that was okay, especially since Optimus and Arcee were keeping him steady.

They made it back to the middle of the oil puddle before Optimus changed their position again. This time they were facing out and had their arms in an awkward position, but the Autobots seemed to enjoy the little exercises now.

They headed out of the puddle and Optimus gave them all approving looks.

"You may bathe now. I am very proud of you all."

Bumblebee hugged him, and since he was covered in oil, Optimus got a tattoo. He chuckled and rubbed his helm fondly.

Cliffjumper guided his mate into the wash racks and Optimus herded the others in after them.

"All in one stall," he said as he grinned. He helped everyone get the oil off their armor, then he checked Ratchet's wound. Bumblebee climbed onto his back and found his way onto his shoulders. Cliffjumper held Arcee up, her legs wrapped around his hips.

Optimus watched them fondly, then he set Bumblebee down on the floor of the shower so he could turn the water off.

"It is late," he said as he knelt. "We have to get occustomed to this world's time instead of our own." He lifted Bumblebee up and he led the team out of the stall.

He laid Bumblebee down on his berth and he watched the youngling sleep for a moment before he stepped out.

He nearly tripped over Ratchet, who was waiting for him.

"You really think these little games will knit this band of 'bots together?"

Optimus looked at Bulkhead, then at Arcee and Cliffjumper, down at Ratchet, and over at Bumblebee.

"Mere games will not. But we have made the first step in making not only a team, but a family, and I cannot stop now."