Dedication: For Michele
 
 

Mulder sat on the sofa, one leg hiked up on the coffee
table, a glum expression on his face. Having returned
home, he quickly changed into a T-shirt and sweats.
The flickering images of a black and white Late, Late
Show movie illuminated the room.

He glanced over at a nearby clock. It was only half
past twelve! He had to check his wristwatch to make
sure the time was correct. Man, it felt like it was
way later than that! Maybe he'd experienced 'Missing
Time' on the way home. He shook his head, berating
himself for being silly.

Well, he was in one of his brooding moods. It didn't
help that he'd caught a glimpse of Alex this evening,
plus the fact that he was all alone in his apartment
with just a 50's B-movie for company.

Cocking his head to the side, he listened to the
autumn wind blowing outside the window. The aquarium's
neon glow cast eerie patterns around the room. Sighing
heavily, Mulder held his chin in his hand, feeling
really depressed in all this gloom.

Absently he scratched at a bare foot. As a young blond
screamed and ran away from a rubber-suited alien on
TV, Mulder realized he'd just been alone for far too
long. Having gotten used to having Alex in his life,
and their relationship ending so abruptly, he was
really scared to start over again.

With Alex, he'd had so many hopes and high
expectations. God, now that man could kiss. It had
taken a while to trust him, and when he did -- bam! --
he'd fallen big time. Toward the end, Alex had gotten
fed up with his accusations. But Mulder had followed
his instincts, and somehow Alex's activies didn't seem
right. No one was perfect, Alex was no angel, but Fox
couldn't shake the memories of his former lover.

He wondered if the waitress' words were true -- was
there really someone out there dreaming about a guy
like him? For a moment, he tried to imagine a guy
sitting, listening to music, and fantasizing about
him.

How he wished it were true! Honestly, he didn't think
there was a soul out there.

Fox Mulder searching for true love. He actually
snorted at the thought. Now there was an X-File in
itself.

Running a hand under his shirt, he slowly caressed his
warm stomach. He missed the intimacy of being touched.
Closing his eyes, his hand travelled down beneath the
elastic band of his sweat pants. He felt his cock
twitch to life within the confines of his boxer
briefs.

Oh yeah, he sighed to himself. It had definitely been
far too long. He ran a hand over the substantial bulge
straining for release. He should have just brought Mr.
Flirty home from that bar. Maybe that's all he needed
- a one-night encounter with a hot man to get over
and move on.

His eyes popped back open and he wished that someone
could be here right now to chase the shadows of the
room and in his heart away.

Abandoning his begging desire, his gaze returned to
the television. A very attractive movie star hero was
engaged in battle against the movie's
extra-terrestrial beast. Yep, he'd much rather be in a
different world than the one he was living in now.
Unfortunately, neither the thrills of a favorite monster movie
nor fantasies gave him an escape from reality.

Groaning with exasperation at what he was doing to
himself, Mulder flicked off the set and idly cast the
hefty remote aside. Standing, he wandered toward his
desk to surf the 'net. Instead, he stopped and
fingered the little rainbow flag sticking up proudly
from a coffee mug full of pens. He had acquired it at
a pride parade with Alex...

His bottom lip full and pouty, Mulder felt his heart
start to race. Moving toward the window, he pulled up
the blind and opened it. Staring out into the
twinkling lights of the city, he inhaled the cool
night air.

With his head a little clearer, he felt considerably
better. Propping his arms on the sill, he looked
around the street. No one in sight. Everyone seemed to
have turned in, he guessed.

Perhaps that's all he needed. A good night's rest. He
could slip into a dream world and hope that some
special man out there would hear his prayer. If he
could only make it to the break of the day...

to be continued!

===== The Lyrics =====

Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)
(B. Andersson, B. Ulvaeus)

Half past twelve
And I'm watching the late show
In my flat all alone
How I hate to spend the evening on my own
Autumn wind blowing outside the window
As I look around the room
And it makes me so depressed to see the gloom

There's not a soul out there
No one to hear my prayer

Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!
A man after midnight
Won't somebody help me chase the shadows away?
Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!
A man after midnight
Take me through the darkness
To the break of the day

Movie stars
By the end of the rainbow
With a fortune to win
It's so different from the world I'm living in
Tired of TV
I open the window
And I gaze into the night
But there's nothing there to see
No one in sight

There's not a soul out there
No one to hear my prayer

(repeat chorus)

Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!
A man after midnight
Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!
A man after midnight

There's not a soul out there
No one to hear my prayer

(repeat chorus)

© 1979 Polar Music International AB

Dream World
(B. Andersson, B. Ulvaeus)

We're not the stars of a Hollywood movie
So what's the use to pretend?
I'm not so charming
And you're not so groovy
You've gotta face it, my friend

Dream world
You've been living in a dream world
Trust me
You just can't escape from reality
Boy meets girl
Doesn't mean they're in a dream world
Here I am
(There you are)
We're gonna make it together
And we've made
(It so far)
So it can only get better

When you reach out
And you say to me
How I love you girl
When I hold you
Baby can't you see
That's a real dream world

You have your hopes and your high expectations
Somehow it doesn't seem right
I'm getting fed up with your accusations
I'm not your angel in white

Dream world
You've been living in a dream world
Trust me
You just can't escape from reality
Boy meets girl
Doesn't mean they're in a dream world
Here I am
(There you are)
We're gonna make it together
And we've made
(It so far)
So it can only get better

When you reach out
And you say to me
How I love you girl
When I hold you
Baby can't you see
It's a real dream world

Dream world
You've been living in a dream world
Trust me
You just can't escape from reality
Boy meets girl
Doesn't mean they're in a dream world
Here I am
(There you are)
We're gonna make it together
And we've made
(It so far)
So it can only get better

© 1978 Polar Music International AB