Scars

Chapter 1

The Hello That Started It All

Disclaimer: I do not own Saw…or Mark Hoffman… *snaps fingers and mutters, 'Damn…'* ALSO…If you are not accustomed to experience "OOC Mark Hoffman," turn around now. Yes, the sarcastic, brooding, half-crazed accomplice will show up every once in a while, but this story focuses more on his past than anything. So…you have been warned.

Mark walked into his first seminar, looking around at all the empty seats in confusion. He looked down at his watch, wondering if he was at the right place or not. Where was everybody else? The class was supposed to start in less than five minutes.

"If you're wondering if you're in the right spot," said a voice behind him, "you are."

He turned around, seeing an older woman walk in, a black laptop bag hanging over her shoulder. She must have been the instructor, for a silver badge was pinned on the upper left side of her black shirt.

"May I ask where everybody is?" Mark asked, looking around.

"Probably taking advantage of the free coffee and doughnuts in the lobby," the instructor said. "It happen every year at the beginning of a new…term. They'll roll in around 15 minutes. They always do."

"But…what about the seminars?" Mark looked at her confused. "Do they not care?"

The woman looked at him oddly over his thick-framed glasses. "You don't want to be just an ordinary cop…do you?" she asked.

"No, ma'am, I do not," he responded defiantly.

She continued to stare at him for a few seconds before giving a small smile. "Then you and Miss Adams should get along well."

Mark still looked at her in confusion trying to figure out who the hell she could be talking about when a new voice entered the conversation. "Hello to you too, Officer Williams."

Mark turned around once more, his eyes gazing at the young woman who had just walked through the door. She was tall (though the heels she wore helped) and slender. She had her black hair pulled back with a clip, enough to keep her curls out of her face. Her blue eyes caught his own and she gave a bright smile.

"Hi," she greeted, holding out her hand. "I'm Maddison."

"Mark," he responded, finding himself transfixed at the woman in front of him. He mentally made the connection in his mind to take her hand and shake it before looking away.

"So, Officer Williams, exactly why will the two of us be getting along?" she asked, pulling her messenger bag away from her shoulder and laying it on the first table in front of the room.

"Seems the two of you have bigger plans rather than just being regular officers," Williams said, not looking up at the two students.

Maddison looked at Mark interestedly. "So, that explains it," she muttered, more to herself than to him.

"Explains what?"

"Why you're not outside with the rest of the coffee junkies."

Mark smiled and indicated to the empty seat beside her. "Do you mind?" he asked.

"Not at all."

He sat his own bag down beside hers and sat as she did. "So, what are you trying to do?"

"Interrogation…hopefully with the FBI, you know?" she responded. "I have no problem with local officers, but I feel that…I could do it. I want to go to the top. Ever since this criminal justice seminar in high school…I've wanted this to be my career."

Mark looked at his, and couldn't help but feel impressed. "You've made it this far. I think you could definitely go all the way," he responded.

"Thanks," she said, her cheeks turning pink. "Apparently I have to do this for two years. Maybe longer if I don't succeed in this one seminar."

"Which would be?"

"Miss Adams has been trying for the past year to pass our shooting course," Williams interjected into the conversation. "She's an excellent student…but has a terrible shot."

Mark looked at Maddison, who had sunk lower into her chair and was red in the face. "Thanks, Officer Williams," she said through gritted teeth. The older woman didn't respond.

"I could try to help out," Mark insisted.

Maddison and nodded and sit back up in her chair. "So…what are you trying to do after the academy?" she asked, changing the subject.

"Similar to you, actually," he responded. "Something with the FBI…maybe homicide…who knows."

"Maybe we can help each other out," Maddison said, her face finally going back to her normal color. "I practically live in the library here, so if you ever need anything-"

"I know where to find you," Mark finished, looking at her. The two looked at each other for a few seconds, but jumped when William's voice rang out.

"Finally!" she said, and the two looked at the door to see a group of people walk in, some still carrying small cups. "Welcome to your first seminar, future officers of the law. Let's hope that if you do end up becoming our neighborhood's protectors, that you arrive to the scene of the crime on time, and not before making a trip to the coffee shop."

A small chuckle rang out as students took their seat, and the class began. Every once in a while Mark would glance at Maddison, only to quickly turn his attention back to Williams when Maddison would catch him.

The next two weeks went by quickly with Mark spending his free time at the academy between seminars with Maddison. He found himself at first becoming close friends with her. Now, he was starting to notice her as something more. He didn't admit it to himself until after a one of his fellow colleagues seem to pick up on the connection between them.

"Man, just go and ask her out," his friend Will said about a month into term. Mark and Maddison had just finished an awkward conversation and Mark's friend seemed to have caught. "You know you're dying to."

Mark gave him an odd look. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"You and Maddison seem to be the only ones. Or…maybe she's just waiting on you to make a move."

"We're just friends," Mark commented, turning from his friend and heading toward his next class.

"Yeah, for now."

"When did you become such a girl?"

"Fuck you, Hoffman," Will said, stopping in the middle of the hall as the warning buzzer went off. "And just man up and ask her already!"

Mark rolled his eyes, but couldn't help to think that maybe his friend was right. Looking on his and Maddison's time together in the past month there were certain things that Mark had to admit were hinting to a relationship with her.

He just didn't know how to execute that.

Another month had past before Mark came up with the perfect way to try and get a date with Maddison. Once again he found himself witnessing Officer Williams trying to damper Maddison's spirits with the shooting course again, telling her that there was an open spot if she passed the placement course. With Maddison seething over her instructor's comment, she muttered a quick goodbye to Mark before he had a chance to ask.

It was the end of the day, and Mark was busy shoving his overloaded bag into his backseat when he noticed her walking toward him. It took a few seconds before him to realize that his car was parked next to hers.

When she got closer, she gave a half-hearted smile. "Are you stalking me, Mark Hoffman?" she asked jokingly.

Mark smirked. "That would be ironic, seeing as I'm training to put those kind of people away," he responded.

"Very true," she responded.

They stood across from each other in silence for a few seconds before Maddison spoke again. "I'm sorry about this morning, you know…running off so quick."

"It's okay. I take it you and Officer Williams don't see eye-to-eye on certain things."

"She's just driving me insane with this stupid shooting course! It's all she talks about." Maddison threw her bag into the passenger seat and stood back up.

"Actually, I wanted to talk to you about that," Mark said, figuring if he didn't do it now, then he wouldn't get another chance. "There's a shooting range not too far from here. If you wanted…we could meet there and I could help. Maybe around 7?"

Maddison looked at him oddly for a second before nodded. "Okay…sure," she answered. "Sounds good."

"So, I'll see you at 7, then?" Mark confirmed.

"I'll be there."

He couldn't help but smile as he nodded. They said quick goodbyes and Mark quietly got into his car, not believing his luck.

All he could do was hope 7 o'clock got there as soon as possible.

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