After a good night's sleep and a big breakfast, everyone's ready to tackle the monumental task ahead.
Though Dean might be a little less ready than he lets on.
Wiping his hands against his pants to rid them of that last bit of residual 'fresh washed' moisture, Dean took the hallway that led to the cavernous, virtually unused Men Of Letters chamber Sam had mentioned over breakfast they'd be using for this little 'project' of theirs.
The sight that greeted him as he rounded the last corner though nearly stopped him cold and for a moment, all Dean could do was stare.
The sheer volume of industrial sized sheets and chunks of blast proof metal Dean saw heaped in there didn't just confuse; it baffled.
"Hey, uh, Sam, Cas," he asked when he noticed them standing to one side, "how in the hell did you two get all of this in here?"
"Uh, I have an entire team of experienced, Apocalypse World hunters at my disposal. Remember? With enough help, anything is possible," Sam said with a shrug, the straight-up delivery enough to get Dean to double take.
"They brought it in through the late night and early morning. While you were sleeping," Cas informed. "And then while you were preparing breakfast, and while we were eating it, and also when you were washing all of the dishes and the range and –"
"Yeah, yeah, I get it. Thanks, Cas", Dean said. Nodding at the angel. "Damn, Sam, guess I hadn't realize just how much of a leader you are to those sorry sons and daughters of-"
"Uh, yeah, they trust me to do the right thing and they... listen to a lot of what I have to say. I never expected anything like that to happen either," Sam admitted with eyes close to downcast.
"Well, can't say you didn't earn it," Dean said with a pointed incline of his head.
"Heh, well, what say we go look through the haul?" Sam said with a self conscious chuckle. "After we sort it we could consecrate it piece by piece or-"
"Or, as Sam and I were discussing, after you had gone to bed last night, we could build the entire thing and then consecrate it. With copious amounts of holy oil anointing the interior as well as the exterior. Then we can put out the flames with as much holy water as we can generate," Cas said with a proud raise of his chin.
"…We gonna pump that through the sprinkler system?" Dean asked as he rubbed at his chin. Thinking through the logistics and already dreading just how many prayers they were going to have to say before this mess was over and done with.
"Yes," Cas confirmed with a pleased nod. "With the assistance of a little angelic intervention, I believe that I can purify all of the water in the bunker's pipes at once."
"Like, a miracle?" Asked a Dean who soon realized that the growing smile on the angel's face should be answer enough, but decided to wait for the official word anyway. Just in case.
"Yes," the angel confirmed.
"And this place has a lot of pipes, a-and reserve tanks, so we're going to be showering in holy water for-"
"The foreseeable future," Cas cut in, looking almost creepily excited by the prospect.
"Yeah, or else dousing this thing multiple times. Depending on what seems necessary," Sam finished. Obviously not minding the interruption.
"Wow," said Dean, impressed with just how much effort the two had already put into the planning stage. "So, where do we start?"
"We have more equipment to bring in; welding torches, masks, co2 tanks," Sam listed off, holding up a finger for each.
"Laser squares for making sure everything is straight, lambs blood- Suffice it to say, we have all the necessary materials and that the next step will be organizing them and finalizing plans for the build," Cas summarized.
"About the build: the thing I haven't been able to figure out yet," Sam said with a pensive look, "is how we're going to regulate the temperature of the steal to maintain its structural integrity through consecutive, or at least multiple, fire and water purifications," Sam admitted. Worrying his lip as he gave Dean a sidelong look.
"Ah, because it can't be insulated against the heat of the holy oil's sacred fire," Cas clarified.
"Right, exactly, because that would weaken the warding's integrity, but if we need to do that- uh, renew the sacrament, every now and then, just to be on the safe side, then..."
"Rock, meet Hard Place."
"Dean, I hardly think this is the time for jokes," Cas said, turning to look at the chef of the Winchester family.
"No? Because right about now, you two are startin' to sound pretty funny. Wasn't it just last night you were all 'we can do it', and now it's 'but we don't know how'?" The questioning scowl at the end got both the tallest and shortest in the room averting their eyes. Though, resolutely not out of guilt.
"There's just... a few things we need to get figured out before we can be sure we'll have a viable final product," Sam said in the least mumbly tone he could muster.
"Yes, as you say, Dean, can't make an omelette without breaking a few eggs," Cas said, tone encouraging.
"Yeah, except this egg," Dean said, pointing with a rigid forearm to the side of his own head, "we can't afford to break. Not even crack. End of the world, remember?"
"Yeah, Dean, we remember, and that's what we're working to prevent, okay? But you gotta trust us to do this part, okay? Because Cas and me? We're gonna figure this out and when we do, you're gonna thank us instead of laughing in our faces for caring about you."
The balk didn't look natural on Dean's face. Wasn't the kind of expression a Winchester was meant to make. Like he couldn't fathom why Sam would possibly want to care. Let alone get defensive about it.
The apologetic glint to Sam's eyes and the regretful tilt to his lips also didn't look right. After all, how often did a Winchester do anything without the best of intentions?
The angel just looked lost, like he was unsure whether he should comfort, or perhaps chastise. Or even give the brother's some time to talk between themselves while he... saw to other matters.
In the end, the decision was made for him as Dean turned on one heal and left the room. Leaving two evermore confused hunters behind to wonder what exactly it was they were going to do. About everything.