Hello to whoever managed to stumble across this! I really wanted to write a K.C. Undercover story, but there's not a category for that yet. I don't know how to submit a new category and I'm too lazy to try. :P So I'll put this in miscellaneous TV shows for right now. Maybe I'll move it later if K.C. Undercover gets a category.
(Update: K.C. Undercover got a category! I'm moving it there now. Thanks to everyone who read before, and hopefully more people will find this now! XD)
Anyway, I was pretty shocked at the way Ernie's family treated him in the pilot. This was a quick, simple idea I thought up that's probably slightly AU-ish. It's also important to note that I wrote this after "Pilot" and before I saw "My Sister From Another Mother . . . Board." So there may be a few things that don't match up.
Anyway, I hope you'll review! I don't own K.C. Undercover, just this story. Enjoy!
* * * Underestimated * * *
"Happy birthday to me. Happy birthday to me. Happy birthday, dear me. Happy birthday to me."
He sighed and rolled over on his bed. He reached for the family photograph—the one that he wasn't in. Oh, who was he kidding? He wasn't in any of them. His family always "conveniently" forgot him on photo day.
There were his parents, side-by-side, smiling straight at the camera. And there was his older sister. He groaned in disgust and threw the frame against the wall, wincing as the glass shattered and the picture fell to the floor. Good riddance.
K.C. was perfect. K.C. got straight A's. K.C. was a black belt. K.C. was obedient. K.C. was likable. K.C. was never forgotten. K.C. was "extraordinary!"
And what was he?
Clumsy. Stupid. Clueless. Invisible. Useless. Worthless.
And that was when people—including his family—actually talked to him. Most of the time he was simply ignored. People praised his sister. He bet that half of K.C.'s friends didn't even know she had a brother. It took seven years for Marisa to figure it out . . . but then again, she wasn't the brightest.
Point was, it had been that way his whole life. K.C. Cooper was a perfect princess, and everyone adored her. No one even bothered to remember his name. Not even his dad, half the time!
He had hoped things would be different at school. But as soon as he spilled mac'n'cheese on Bobby McPherson on the first day of first grade, he was labeled for life. Sure, he was clumsy! Big deal! Lots of people were clumsy.
He wasn't perfect. But for goodness' sake, why did he have to be? All his life he had felt immense pressure to be "perfect," and, frankly, he blamed K.C. With her genius IQ and incredible fighting skills and amazing beauty and exceptional charm and likability . . . it was impossible to live up to her!
He was tired of living in his sister's shadow. Even when people did notice him, he was always "K.C.'s brother." He was sick of it.
His parents were even worse! They were clearly playing favorites with K.C. They wouldn't even try to deny it! They pandered to her every whim, even if it meant leaving their only son to stand in a school parking lot until 8:00 at night. While it was raining, no less! And did they bother to buy him medicine when he got sick the following week? Nope! He had to run down to the store and buy it himself.
It scared him how many times he had thought to pick up the phone and call the police to report child abuse. Well, maybe it wasn't that bad. He was clothed, he was fed—most of the time—and occasionally his parents would say good morning to him. He knew that there were people in much worse situations, but it still hurt that his own family hardly cared.
He was smarter than they thought. He was, truly. He had talents . . . he just didn't know what they were yet. But he was smart. He was smart enough to figure out that his parents were spies. He had known for a long time, even before K.C. did! Ha!
The device on his nightstand buzzed. He picked it up and clicked the button. "Agent E here."
"Agent E, good. Is everything ready?"
"Almost, sir. Just give it a few more hours."
"How many hours, Agent E?"
"Two. It'll be done in two hours. You can come pick them up then."
"Thank you, Agent E. Our organization owes you a debt of gratitude. Agent Y out."
He put the device back on his nightstand and stared at the ceiling. His family had never cared about him, not really. So that was why he didn't mind working for the people his parents called "The Other Side." After months of scheming, things were finally falling into place.
Did he feel bad about betraying his family into the hands of the enemy? Well, slightly. In spite of everything, they were still his family. But they sure didn't act like it.
Today was his birthday. It was almost dinnertime, and no one in his family had even mentioned it. K.C. had given him an unusually large grin when he came down the stairs for breakfast, but she didn't say a word. His parents didn't even glance at him. Well, if no one else was going to give him a gift, he would just have to give one to himself.
He stood up, ready to do the deed. It wouldn't be pretty, and his family sure wouldn't be happy. But he would never have to suffer through their stupid favoritism or blank stares or cold shoulders ever again.
Before he exited his room, he looked into the mirror. He knew that he messed a lot of things up, but he was determined to get this right. And if he didn't, backup was coming in three hours.
"Happy birthday to me. Happy birthday to me. Happy birthday, dear Ernie. Happy birthday to me."