Hopes and Fears

This title is part of the 2010 Advent Calendar: Naughty or Nice

Brian McCarthy is a cynic who hates Christmas, doesn't keep in touch with his family, and likes quick hookups and faster goodbyes. The only real relationship he's ever been in was with the subject of his best-selling book, "Caged," a young man held hostage for five years. Unfortunately, it was entirely one-sided, since Zach was already involved with someone else.

So the last thing Brian expects when he goes in for treatment for an injured knee is to develop feelings for his physical therapist. But Jerry seems intent on either avoiding Brian or demanding more than he is willing to give, and Brian doesn’t know if he has the courage to face his past to forge a future.