Here's what I think could happen in the near future to get Booth to realize his feelings are real. Alludes to Harbingers so if you haven't watched it yet...you should!
Cam walked up to see Booth sitting at the bar alone after a case. Brennan had gone to dinner with Angela after Booth hadn't shown up to pick her up for their normal ritual. Booth knew she would be waiting but just couldn't see her right now. It was too hard. He had come close today but stopped once again without telling her how he felt. He had admitted his feelings to Cam over a month ago but had somehow talked himself out of telling Brennan. He was terrified what he felt for her wasn't real. If he was being honest with himself he was probably more terrified that she didn't feel the same way and their partnership would be over if he opened his mouth. He couldn't live with that and he couldn't live with hurting her so he spent his days wishing he could hold her and be with her and knowing that wasn't going to happen. If only he would acknowledge how he truly felt and could get her to believe in them and what they could be together. Cam was tired of this dance they were playing with each other and even with her history with Booth wanted to see two people who were so obviously meant for each other to get their happy ending. She had to do something about this even if that meant giving advice and talking more openly and honestly than she had done in a long time. Just saying a few quips wasn't going to work here. She walked up to him and muttered in his ear. "I never saw you as a coward, Seeley."
Booth turned when Cam sat down next to him but really wasn't in the mood to deal with this right now. For the last month he had had to work beside the woman he loved more than anything and not tell her. It was killing him. "Camille, I don't know what you're talking about but I'm not a coward. Ex-sniper, remember?" Booth figured if he joked with her maybe he could get her off track.
"Wise cracks aren't going to work here. I'm serious, Seeley. You are a coward. You're not going to tell Dr. Brennan how you feel."
"That is not me being a coward. That is me being careful. I don't know if I really love her." He was motioning with his drink which he had obviously had more than one of at this point.
"That is not true. You are lying to yourself."
"You told me to be sure. You warned me I could hurt her. I'm being sure."
"Don't put this on me. I was warning you not to just spring it on her. She needs you to take it slow with her. To convince her your love is real. I didn't tell you to hide it. I know how you feel Booth and you need to let her know."
"But what if it's not real? What if it's the brain tumor and the surgery and the coma? Sweets thinks it's in my head. If I tell her and it goes away I will devastate her. She will never recover and neither will I if I do that to her."
"Sweets is crazy, Booth. When did you start believing him? This has nothing to do with the brain tumor. You would never hurt her on purpose and this has been going on for much longer than that."
"You can't be sure of that and neither can I. I forgot about the socks, I tooted a clown's nose. I am not myself."
"Those things are not who you are, Booth. You are the same guy as you were before. You are fiercely loyal, you live to catch the bad guy, you love your son. You call us Squints and want us to think with our hearts. When you find out Brennan was in danger last month you went to protect her like you always do. Socks and clowns are not who you are. And from what I've heard about this dream, you were still you. The love you felt for Bren was what you feel for Bones just in a different situation. This is not you being that guy in the dream. This is you. You are you and you know how you feel." Cam was getting more passionate as she spoke. She had to get through that thick head of his. Was she ever going to get through to him?
"How can I know for sure though?" He sat at the bar and he looked so lost. So scared that he wasn't ever going to know and never be with her.
"Tell me what you love about her." She didn't really want to hear this but if it could convince Booth it was worth it.
"I-I don't know. I just feel like I love her." Well that was lame. He had spent 4 years thinking about her surely he could say more than that.
"Yes you do. Try to explain it."
"I love the way she stares at bones as if they'll talk to her and gets that look when she's figured the case out. I love the way she enjoys me protecting her sometimes but won't admit it. The way her face completely lights up when she laughs or lets herself forget who she's supposed to be for awhile. I love the way she doesn't understand what I'm talking about or at least let's me think that she doesn't. The way she thinks she'll be a horrible mom but really wants to be one and is great with kids. I love how she would do anything to protect the ones she loves and the way she tries to help and protect me when she thinks I'm in trouble. And how she doesn't think she can be loved when she deserves to be loved more than anyone else."
"Are you listening to yourself, Booth? First of all, I didn't know you can say something so beautiful. Everyone wants to have someone talk about them like that. And you weren't describing Bren just then. You're describing Bones. You are not in love with the owner of a nightclub from a dream. You're in love with your partner who you've known and cared about for the last 4 years. You know that. You know that you love her. You're just scared. Booth you have spent the last 4 years keeping your emotions in control. Not allowing yourself to be in love with Dr. Brennan and you have become very good at it. But that dream finally allowed you to see what it would be like to let those emotions free. You got to see yourself with her everyday, touching her whenever you wanted. Being in love with her and seeing her carrying your child. You can't deny it anymore. You can't push those feelings down and pretend they're not there. You were in love with her before that operation, you just hid it, apparently even from modern medical technology. But you are in love with her and you need to tell her for both of your sakes. Don't overwhelm and freak her out but tell her." Cam rarely spoke to him like that but she desperately hoped that being that frank and that honest would get through to him. He needed this.
"I'm really in love with Bones."
"Yes, now say that to her. She's ready to hear it."