A/N: Here is another FFA Challenge pairing from Twisting the Hellmouth. This was posted there a while ago, but not here as I've been more than a bit neglectful of my account, at least as far as posting goes as I've kept track of many of my fave fics that can only be found here.

TTH FFA: Rise of the White Witch: Tara Maclay/The Phoenix Force (Marvel Comics)

Tara only felt a sharp pain in her chest when everything went dark.

"Do you wish to live?" something asked her.

"What?" Tara asked, not knowing what was going on.

"Do you wish to live?" the voice asked again.

Tara looked around the black void, but found nothing. "W-what's going on?"

"You were killed." the entity answered.

"I... I'm dead?"

"Yes. But I can save you."

"How?" Tara asked instinctively. Then she shook her head. "No! I can't let you do that- it's extremely dark magic."

The entity chuckled.

Suddenly, a small spark lit up the void, becoming a flame, then a fireball, then a flaming bird and then a woman with red hair and glowing eyes formed itself from the bird. Initially, she was naked, causing Tara to blush fiercely as she was a good looking, extremely well-formed woman. However, soon after a tight green bodysuit formed on the woman, with golden gloves that extended passed her elbows, golden boots that went to her thighs and a golden sash hung loosely around her waist. A golden emblem in the shape of a bird appeared on the woman's chest. "How little you understand. My powers are beyond magic- they are derived from the very power of the cosmos. I am the Phoenix Force and life and rebirth are well within my purview."

Tara gulped nervously. She could feel the power rippling off of the so named Phoenix Force. It wasn't oppressive by any means. Quite the opposite in fact, it was actually warm and comforting. It was also massive. Tara doubted a hundred mages could accumulate that much power in hundreds of years of doing nothing but channeling more and more magic.

It felt infinite.

"I-I don't understand, why me?" Tara asked.

The Phoenix Force casually strolled around Tara. "Your friends have had my attention for quite sometime. Young Alexander was the first."

"W-what do you mean?" Tara asked nervously.

Phoenix giggled. "Such potential he had. In an alternate universe, one brought about by a careless wish made by a silly girl, he was able to become a Master Vampire in less than a year. He not only accomplished that, but his vampire self was able to elevate his Willow to almost equal standing in the same amount of time. Do you think he was the first to perform CPR on a Slayer? He was so desperate... I could feel his pain across galaxies."

Tara's eyes widened almost comically, awed by the depth of caring that Xander had for Buffy even then.

"Didn't you ever find it odd that amongst your little group, Alexander is the only one not to develop any sort of powers?" Phoenix asked with a raised eyebrow.

Tara was ashamed to admit that it hadn't even occurred to her.

"Using his prayer to utilize his body as a conduit, I channeled myself through his body, burning through his potential before it could begin to manifest and, with my essence, gave life to Buffy Summers once more, tying her soul and a small portion of the Slayer Essence to her body. That is why Buffy is stronger and more powerful than any other Slayer their history," Phoenix told her. "Buffy has continued to tap into my power, whereas Alexander did not and perhaps could not. Then came the enjoining spell, a wonderfully inspired piece of spell-work. For a brief moment, the fragments of my essence became one and then split four ways."

"So Giles and Willow..." Tara concluded.

"Yes. Rupert, however, rejected the fragment. His experiences with Eyghon have made all forms of possession, whether demonic, divine or neutral repugnant to him, even subconsciously. His fragment further split three ways," Phoenix added. "Buffy and Alexander readily accepted their fragments, the Phoenix Force was already a part of their very being. Buffy continued to use it to bolster the mystical abilities she'd gained from The Slayer Essence while Alexander's went mysteriously dormant."

"What about Willow?" Tara asked in concern.

"Willow Rosenberg integrated the power into her being with great relish. She desired the power, craved it, wanting to become more useful so that she would or could not be left behind. Alexander got by without powers or genius level intellect. Buffy was the Slayer, the leader and the hero. Rupert had a wealth of knowledge and experience with the supernatural. Her intentions were good- pure. However, the more she had, the more she wanted," The Phoenix told her. "An then came the ressurection spell. She is hardly the first to attempt such on a Slayer, merely the first to ever succeed. I realized then, the critical error I made by not revealing myself to them."

"W-what do you mean?" Tara was even more worried now.

"Using my essence, both Willow and Alexander could have confirmed Buffy's desire, or lack thereof, to be resurrected and could have done so without repercussions," Phoenix informed her. "Willow's spell, acting on the desires of those who desired to help their friend, siphoned off portions of my essence from her, allowing not only The Slayer's revival, but a corruption of my essence inside of the Red Witch."

Tara felt dread pool at the bottom of her stomach. "What would you have me do?"

"Accept my full essence. Through me, Willow Rosenberg is, as are Buffy and Alexander, connected to all life in existence, though admittedly, her tie is stronger than theirs. In her grief, she is searching for ways to end her pain- to end all pain. Pain is an important function of life. Stop Willow Rosenberg from destroying all life in the universe."

"H-How?" Tara asked, her resolve hardening.

"By accepting me." Phoenix stated before catching Tara in a full, open mouthed kiss.

Tara's world exploded around her.

Tara's eyes opened, her body consumed by fire, her eyes glowing brightly. Had she paid attention, she'd have noticed that her clothes had become a formfitting white body suit with the same golden embellishments Phoenix had when they had spoke in the void between life and death.

"Willow..." she whispered. "I'm coming..."