Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters, I am just borrowing them for a bit of fun. Joss owns everything in the Buffyverse. The brilliant JRR Tolkien owns all things Middle Earth.

Spoilers: Spoilers for Buffy – The Gift and then AU. Spoilers for LOTR – none AU

A/N: Willow is a powerful witch and Tara was just a very good friend.

Challenge: 1. The fic is completely AU. Basically, just use the characters - Blank Canvas - all I ask is that it's NOT another fic about travelling to destroy the ring.

2. Willow is somehow entranced or blackmailed by Sauron to work with him. It's against her will basically. She's not more powerful than him or Gandalf.

3. It can take place in either Sunnydale or Middle earth as long as it has at least three characters from each different verse.

4. Xander and Aragorn are a must and Xander must be taken under Aragorn's wing because he is Wills best friend and wants to save her. .

... denotes telepathic communication.

Part 1

Dawn stands at the edge of the tower platform watching in horror as her blood slowly drips over the side. A small circle appears mid-air where Dawn's blood falls. Buffy takes the stairs two at a time trying desperately to get to Dawn. She sees a kindly older man holding a bloody knife standing between her and Dawn. She runs forward, knocking Doc out of the way and off the tower without pausing in her effort to get to Dawn.

"You're gonna be okay, Dawn. Come here."

Dawn stands transfixed staring as the circle becomes larger.

"DAWN!"

She turns sad eyes to Buffy, "It's started."

"It'll be okay, just come over here."

Dawn turns from the portal and walks towards Buffy who takes her hand and places her in the tower entrance. "Go!"

The portal widens and lightening crackles around the edges. Suddenly a bolt of lightening shoots out of the portal and strikes the building nearby setting it on fire.

"BUFFY!"

Buffy sends Dawn a sad smile, "It'll be okay."

Another bolt of lightening escapes the portal making the tower shake. They both stumble and Dawn makes to move past Buffy.

"I have to stop it. You know you have to let me. It's about the blood."

Buffy holds onto Dawn and slowly realizes what she has to do.

The portal grows wider allowing a huge dragon to fly out of it. No one notices the dark figure atop it as lightening hits a wall sending bricks down on Anya.

On the ground below Willow holds tight to Tara and watches the drama unfolding up on the tower. She hears Xander cry out Anya's name and turns in time to see Xander frantically pulling bricks off her.

Turning back to the opening portal Willow sees a red eye made of what appears to be fire glowing in the middle of the portal. She stares transfixed, as the surrounding area seems to disappear.

I can close it. I can save all your friends.

Tara ducks her head behind Willow and she begins to whimper in pain. The dark magick surrounding them is powerful and coming after the pull she felt with Glory it's slowly draining her life's energy.

Willow vaguely feels Tara huddled behind her but all she sees is the glowing red eye and all she can hear is the whispering voice in her mind.

Join me. All you have to do is join me and all will be saved.

In the back of Willow's mind her voice was screaming for her not to listen but the voice was so hypnotic and she knew that if there was a chance she could save Dawnie and the others she'd do it. No matter the consequences.

Yes

Sauron smirks in triumph to his victory. He was able to get the powerful witch to come willingly. He silently commands one of his Black Riders to pick up the witch and bring her to him.

The red eye begins to recede into the vortex and Willow notices her surroundings returning to her. A blast of wind from behind her causes her to look up to see a dragon with a black hooded rider bearing down on her. She quickly grabs Tara and starts to scramble back.

The dragon and rider swoop down on Willow and it holds out its hand. There is no face only a black hole where it should be. Come

It is the same hypnotic voice and Willow automatically holds out her hand. She is swiftly pulled up and onto the dragon.

Xander ducks as he feels a blast of wind over his shoulder. He quickly covers Anya's unconscious body with his trying to protect it from the beast that flies over his shoulder.

Xander follows the dragon's flight with his eyes and notices that there is someone sitting behind the black hooded figure. He squints his eyes trying to focus. His eyes widen when he notices that it looks like Willow. Xander quickly glances over to where he last saw Willow and only sees Tara mumbling to herself and rocking back and forth. Xander frantically stands calling Willow's name.

He follows the dragon as it circles the tower once and then dives into the portal.

Xander's yell of "Noooooooooooooooo!" brings Giles running.

Dawn is silently crying as Buffy talks to her and tells her what she must do. They feel a blast of wind that causes them to stumble on the platform's edge. A dark blur moves quickly past but they barely notice what it is.

Buffy leans in and kisses Dawn on the cheek while she pushes her gently away. Buffy sadly smiles, turns and then takes a flying swan dive into the vortex.

When Buffy enters the portal, white light and energy crackle all around her as she weightlessly falls. A dark blur speeds by and she slowly turns her head. "Will?"

Xander, Giles and Spike all watch as Buffy dives into the whirling and shrinking portal. Spike sinks to his knees and covers his face with his hands. Giles begins to cry silently after the portal closes. Dawn comes down the tower stairs and joins them.

Xander shifts Anya in his arms as Giles places a hand around Dawn's shoulder.

"She did it for me. She took my place."

Xander begins to carry Anya away.

"Xander, where are you going?"

Xander answers Giles without pausing or turning back. "I'm taking Anya to the hospital then I'm going to find where that thing took Willow."

Giles furrows his brow and looks around. He sees Tara rocking and mumbling but no Willow. He quickly catches up to Xander with Dawn not far behind. "Willow? What happened to Willow?"

"I don't know. All I know is some dragon-looking thing with a rider swooped out of the sky and grabbed Willow. It flew into the portal with her on it."

Dawn gasps in shock. "That's what it was."

Xander pauses and turns to look back at her.

"When Buffy was telling me goodbye there was a blast of wind and a dark blur. I didn't see it clearly because I was concentrating on what Buffy was saying."

Giles gently squeezes her shoulder. "We'll get them both back. Buffy may have gone to the same place. She just disappeared when the portal closed."

Rescue sirens were getting closer to the construction site as the sun's first rays peaked over the horizon. Spike pulled himself together and went to the nearest sewer tunnel. He had the Niblet to think about now. He wouldn't let Buffy down.

Tara sat mumbling, "He's got her." over and over again. The paramedics tried to make sense of what she was mumbling but she wouldn't answer their questions of who HE was and who HE took.

The paramedic mumbled, "Another Jane Doe for the county to take care of" as they loaded her in the ambulance.