It is nearing six when the door does finally open and John Winchester steps into the motel room for the first time in three weeks. He stops at the table, struck dumb by the sight of the cap and gown. He should have known. It's the reason they'd been in the same damn town for so long. It's one of the last normal experiences John has left to give and he wants to give it so badly.

Because something had to change, had to snap inside of him to allow him to actually start showing emotions. And clearly, the near death of his absentee father did exactly that.