In Which We Meet Hank

Season 5, Episode 8
The Foot in the Foreclosure

BRENNAN: His grandfather calls him "Shrimp." Booth seems to like it which I don't understand.

ANGELA: Well cause it makes him feel loved. Like when he actually was a shrimp.

BRENNAN: So the moniker is a sign of affection.

ANGELA: Very good, Brennan. You never had a nickname?

BRENNAN: Oh, no. Just what Booth calls me. Just...just "Bones."

I think we can assume that, by now, Bones has at least subconsciously realized that his calling her Bones is a sign of affection, but still, this is a nice way for her to consciously realize it, for her to “know” for sure that it's affectionate, instead of her just kind of going on her gut (which of course she could never do, which is why she needed that conscious direct realization, because she could never actually accept it otherwise).

HANK: You remember what I told you.

BRENNAN: I remember.

HANK: (looking to Booth) He's big and strong. But he's gonna need someone. Everyone needs someone. Don't be scared.

BRENNAN: Scared? What? I'm not scared of anything.

HANK: It all goes by so fast. You don't want any regrets.

BRENNAN: I don't understand.

HANK: Yes you do. (Brennan knows he's right)

Hank knows. She's scared of love (which is finally said out loud in late season four). And Hank can tell, because he's Hank. He's like a much more experienced, and therefore even wiser, Booth.

And no, she doesn't understand. At least, not on a level she can recognize. Not on a level she can dissect and put into clinical terms. But, deep down, she knows it. And Hank knows that she does.

I don't think it was ever really an issue of her “knowing” it, “knowing” any of this stuff. It's that she's scared out of her mind as to actually acting on it. She understands it all in theory, but in practice, with HER in practice... she's terrified.

But, that's for the 100^th episode post.

HANK: Now listen. You remember? It's all in there. (pointing his fist over Booth's heart) Everything you need to know. (Hank looks at Brennan. Then back to Booth) You just do what it tells you.

...

BOOTH: I like that thing around your neck.

BRENNAN: What?

BOOTH: That thing that you're wearing around your neck. It looks really good.

BRENNAN: (touching the necklace) Oh. You've seen it before.

BOOTH: I don't think so.

BRENNAN: Well...thanks.

BOOTH: Sure.

Oh hey, see that there?

That's telling us that Booth is getting more and more bold with his moves on Bones, closer and closer to telling her how he feels. Which makes me feel stupid as hell now, because I was legitimately not expecting at ALL for him to reveal them when he did.

But, again, MORE ON THAT IN SEVEN EPISODES.