Disclaimer... I do not own Bones!
The interview…
Interviewer, "What is it like to work with the famous Dr. Temperance Brennan?"
Richards slightly confused at the vagueness of the question, "In what aspect are you referring to?"
Interviewer, "Do you two work well together?"
Richards, "Yes we do. She teaches me a lot and occasionally I teach her something."
Interviewer, "Do you do things together outside of work?"
Richards now frustrated, "Are you asking me what I do after work or what Dr. Brennan does after work?"
Interviewer, "Both of you I guess."
Richards stood up angrily and as she walked out of the interview, "Why don't you just ask her?"
Back at the lab…
Brennan, "How did your interview go?"
Richards, "I got angry and walked out."
Brennan curious, "Why?"
Richards, "All she did was ask me questions about you."
Brennan hugged her sister's shoulders, "I am very sorry. I know how much you want to be seen as an individual."
Richards, "It's not your fault. The interviewer is just ignorant!"
Brennan, "I hope the interview with Oprah goes well. I have heard that she is fair and people seem to really like her."
Richards, "I just want these interviews to be over."
Brennan, "I don't like them much either, but our publishers say we have to do these things. Oprah is tomorrow and then maybe we wont have to do these for awhile."
Angela walking up to the platform where they were, "I can't believe Oprah will be here tomorrow!"
Richards, "If you want you can stand in for me."
Brennan, "And then I can have Cam stand in for me." (They both laughed while Angela stood there in shock)
Angela, "I can't believe that you two aren't excited to meet Oprah! Are you two crazy?"
Brennan confused, "I am not crazy nor have I ever been declared crazy!"
Richards, "I think that meant that we should be excited to meet Oprah and that are response is uncommon for two people who are about to meet the most powerful woman on TV."
Brennan, "How can you say that she is the most powerful woman on TV?"
Richards, "I read it in an article."
The Oprah interview….
Everyone in the lab was running around getting ready for Oprah. Brennan and Richards were getting their hair and make up done while their publishers were nagging them about being nice during the interview. They finished with the make up and hair and went to the tastefully decorated lounge where the interview was to take place.
Oprah gave the introduction to her show and who was interviewing.
Oprah, "I want to start off with a difficult subject if that is ok with you two?"
Brennan, "What subject would that be?"
Oprah took out the gossip rag and read the headline, 'Dr. Richards, insanely jealous of her cousin Dr. Brennan'
Brennan angrily holding the magazine in her hand, "What the hell is this?"
Oprah, "You looked surprised by this magazine."
Brennan, "Well this is the first time I have seen this filth!"
Richards sat quietly trying not to boil over.
Oprah, "You are very quiet Dr. Richards."
Richards not making eye contact, "I don't want to do this." (she got up and started to leave)
Oprah followed her out of the area.
Oprah frustrated but compassionate, "I don't understand. You agreed to do an interview then you get up and walk out?"
Richards, "I am sorry that I walked out, but it isn't important for me to be a part of this. You have Dr. Brennan."
Oprah, "But my audience wants both of you."
Richards, "I will just need a moment."
Oprah went back over to Brennan who had read the article and was fuming.
Brennan, "Ms. Winfrey, what is the point of this article on Dr. Richards? It is completely false! Rayah told me that the interviewer only got through two question, that were about me, not her and she walked out telling her to ask me herself. This article is completely false! I never spoke to this interviewer. I never told the public that my sis..(she stopped herself, knowing that on public record they were cousins) cousin was a jealous vindictive bitch!"
Oprah surprised, "Did you almost call Dr. Richards your sister?"
Richards entered the area and rescued Brennan, "It was because of the book. When we were writing it and when we were done we felt like sisters."
Oprah, "I am glad you decided to join us Dr. Richards."
Richards, "Am I allowed to ask you a question?"
Oprah surprised, but not too worried on how the interview would go since it was taped and could be edited, "I don't see why not. This is my strangest interview yet."
Richards being very sincere, "How does Gail King deal with all of this? Doesn't she ever want to be seen as an individual and recognized for her own work even though she works on your magazine?"
Oprah realizing that she was getting somewhere and found this strange interview intriguing, "She works very hard and what she does, she earns with her own hard work, that is why I am willing to work with her. And I love her as if she were my sister too."
Brennan realizing something and not exactly editing her thoughts, "In this scenario, I am Oprah, Rayah is Gail and this article is like the hurtful article that portray you two as gay, because you two spend a lot of time together."
Richards agreeing, "I googled that too. I found no evidence that Oprah was gay. She has been in a long term relationship with a man named Stedman and she shouldn't have to defend her sexuality!"
Brennan, "I frankly will never do an interview with the person who wrote that article!"
Oprah shocked at the conversation and the bluntness of these two, "I need a break!"
Oprah walking off the set Cam approached her trying not to be overly excited, "Forgive those two. Rayah is so new at this and well Brennan will defend her with everything she's got."
Oprah still confused by the environment, "How do you deal with all these dynamics in your lab and still manage to have such a good track record on solving crimes?"
Cam a little defensive, "Because the people I work with are amazing! Since you are spending the day here I think you will see that if you don't now. I mean look at them now. They are discussing on not doing interviews with people who wrote false things about you."
Angela talking with Brennan on the set while Richards is listening. Oprah was now eavesdropping on them also.
Angela excited, "You can't just call Oprah gay!"
Brennan, "I didn't call her gay. I objected to the article that said she was."
Richards, "Well I like Ms. Winfrey. She seems real nice to me."
Angela, "I think you two offended her."
Oprah walked back on set, "They didn't offend me. I was just surprised. People don't really speak to me without fearing about what I will think or say. In fact these two are kind of refreshing."
Angela, "Really?"
Oprah affirming her statement, "Really."
Oprah, "So lets try some questions. How did you two come up with the idea of your new book?"
Brennan, "It was Rayah's idea and I starting adding things as she was writing it and she asked me to help her write it. I usually don't collaborate on my books, but I found that it is really easy to work with her."
Richards looking at Brennan, "That was a really nice thing to say."
Oprah, "So the fans want to know if you two have any real life love interests?"
They got very quiet. Brennan spoke up first.
Brennan, "I have been told that I am a workaholic."
Oprah, "I am guessing that's why the love scenes in your book are so steamy?"
Brennan, "I have been told that too."
Oprah, "So you two are single?"
Richards, "It becomes too dangerous for us to date. You know with the line of work we are in."
Oprah, "Well you two are surrounded by FBI agents, why not date one of them?"
Brennan, "It is against policy and they terminate our partnerships if we do become involved in that way."
They took a lunch break at this point. They all went to the Founding Fathers including Oprah who was still observing.
Brennan was quiet for the limo ride thinking about the moments that had abruptly disrupted her thoughts of continuing a relationship with Booth.
Brennan teary eyed, "We can't do this Booth."
Booth, "But I thought that you felt the same way about me. Do you regret what happened?"
Brennan, "I will never regret what happened! I cannot put our jobs in jeopardy. If we continue our partnership will be dissolved. Look what happened to Rayah."
Booth, "But her and Hall don't have the track record that we do."
Brennan, "But they easily could. She had to make her choice and so do I. You have a son to financially support and you love your job. I will not ruin what you have worked so hard to achieve!"
Booth, "I don't think that the government should be telling us what we can and can't do!"
Brennan, "I am not going to be the one that causes everyone to be reassigned or lose their jobs, so you will just have to accept that there is no us. Just our partnership, the way it was before Miami."
Richards whispering to Brennan, "Tempe we are here. Is everything ok?"
Brennan, "I am just tired."
Oprah ate with them. The entire lab was there including Hall and Booth. Of course the public wasn't allowed in there for the time Oprah was in there so everyone that got the ok from Brennan was allowed in. They all went back to the lab and the interview had ended at the end of the day. Brennan had thanked Oprah for coming and Richards had run off to go get a signed copy of their new book.
Oprah took the book with tenderness in her eyes. Brennan had been true to her personality, but Richards' was a little more open and socially aware of things.
Richards spoke to Oprah, "Please don't make me regret this interview. I am not widely known, but I don't want myself or Dr. Brennan to wake up tomorrow in the middle of some scandal."
Oprah, "I hope that you understand that is not what I do. I already have the fame and fortune. I don't need to draw negative attention to myself or others just to get attention."
Richards, "I see the logic in your statement and I really do appreciate that. I am just.."
Oprah cut her off, "You are just new to this game. I understand. Girl I could tell you some stories about when I first started that would make your hair curl."
