"Not now," Lindsey muttered as she paced the bathroom. This could not be happening! Every since she turned thirteen and her friend Casey had gotten her period, she had been anticipating it. On the one day that it absolutely could NOT happen, it does. Plus,with the pains in her abdomen, she wasn't so sure she wanted a period.

There was a knock on the door. "Hey Linds! Are you okay in there?" Warrick's voice floated through the door.

Catherine had to go to a conference and would be gone all day, her grandma was out of town visiting a pregnant aunt so Warrick, Nick and Sara had volunteered to take her for the day. They had a fabulous day planned. Unfortunately, Sara and Nick had gone out for some special "surprise". Yeah right...they just wanted to makeout without a curious thirteen-year-old watching.

"Go away!" Lindsey called when Warrick knocked on the door again.

Warrick stopped knocking and frowned. "Lindsey, what's going on?"

Lindsey sat down on the toilet and buried her face in her hands. The toilet paper that she had stuffed in her panties was making sitting down very uncomfortable, but she didn't care.

"Lindsey, I'm going to come in okay?" Warrick said.

Lindsey looked up in alarm. "Don't!"

Warrick paused. "Are you decent?"

Lindsey paused in her teenage anguish to smirk. "No! I'm naked!"

She sounded serious and a little panicked so Warrick decided not to go in. Why would she lock herself in the bathroom and sound so panicked? Warrick paused to think about it, and the conclusion he came to made him shake his head and back away from the door. He looked around as if something would jump out of the shadows and help him. "Is it--" Warrick cleared his throat awkwardly. "Is it that...thing?"

Lindsey looked up at the ceiling. This was so not happening. "Yes!"

Warrick shut his eyes tight. Taking a deep breath, he steeled himself. He faced horrific things every time he goes to work. What's a thirteen-year-old with her first period? "Uh, do you have the appropriate...products?"

Lindsey blew out a breath. "I think my mom might have some in her bathroom, but you're going to have to go look because I'm not coming out of this bathroom."

Sighing in defeat, Warrick walked down the hall, through Catherine's bedroom and into her bathroom. He opened the medicine cabinet, raised his eyebrows at the unopened box of condoms and shut it. He then looked under the sink where a box of tampons sat. He grabbed it and looked inside...empty. Crap.

He made his way back through the house. "Uh Linds? I'm gonna call your mom...there's no ummm products in her bathroom."

Lindsey rolled her eyes. He would probably call Grissom and Sara too.

She was right. All he got from Catherine was her voicemail, which he expected. After leaving her a frantic message, he called Nick and Sara's cell phones, but there was no answer there. Finally, he called Grissom.

"Grissom," Grissom said into the phone, trying not to let whoever was on the other end know that he'd been sleeping.

"Grissom, we have a little situation here," Warrick said nervously.

Grissom sat up and grabbed his glasses off the nightstand. "Did something happen with Lindsey?" he asked worriedly.

"...In a sense," Warrick said carefully.

"Well what is it?" Grissom asked, ready to go over there if needed.

"She got her first period," Warrick choked out.

There was a long pause. "Is that it?" Grissom asked.

"Catherine doesn't have the right stuff for her to fix the problem!"

"It's not a problem Warrick. It's a girl's first period...go to the store and get her what she needs," he ordered.

He knew it would come to that. That was just his luck. "Fine," Warrick said begrudgingly.

"Goodbye Warrick." Grissom smirked as he hung up. Catherine was going to be so happy, but he did feel a little sorry for Warrick. He laid back down and drifted back to sleep, thinking about how fast Lindsey was growing up.

Warrick knocked on the door again. "Lindsey, are you going to come with me to the store?" he asked.

"No! I'm not coming out of this bathroom!" she shouted.

Warrick counted to ten. "Okay. I'm going to lock all the doors and take your key from your backpack, okay?"

"Whatever," Lindsey muttered. Louder, she said, "Sure. Go."

Warrick grabbed Lindsey's keys, locked the door and got into his car. He drove to a nearby supermarket. He walked the aisles until he came to the correct one. "Damn. How many different kinds of this stuff can a girl need?" he asked no one in particular.

A girl of about seventeen or so gave him a dirty look and grabbed a box of tampons. "Excuse me sir."

Warrick turned to a woman of about forty. "Your daughter's first period?" she asked simpethetically.

Not bothering to correct her, Warrick nodded. "Do you think she'll prefer tampons or pads?" she asked, scanning the shelves with her well-trained eye.

"I don't know," Warrick admitted.

The woman smiled. "Here. Pads with wings are preferred by first-timers. This box of tampons is for beginners and it shows them how and all that."

Warrick smiled at the woman. "Thank you so much," he said sincerely.

"It's not every day you see a dad in here picking out feminine products for their daughters. It's really sweet. I think you've made my day."

Warrick nodded. "Thank you again, but I really gotta go..." She nodded and waved. He checked out with minimal embarassment and a knowing smile from the elderly woman working.

When he got back to the house, he knocked on the bathroom door. "Here Lindsey. There are instructions and everything." The door opened just enough for Lindsey's hand to reach out and snatch the bag.

Warrick sighed with relief. He was sooo glad that that was over.

Later that night

Catherine held her stomach in laughter as Lindsey told her the tale. She was laughing so hard! Warrick sat nearby sulking. Since going through that with him, Lindsey decided she wasn't embarassed to talk about such things in front of him.

"It wasn't funny," Warrick insisted, "There was a teenage girl who was glaring at me in that store!"

Catherine made an effort to contain her laughter. "I've been preparing for this day for years and you helped me see--" she broke off laughing, "the funny side of my baby growing up!"

Lindsey stood up with a wince. "Mom, the tampons hurt."

Warrick held out his hand. "Whoa. I'm gonna go now and leave you to your...talk."

Catherine waved at him. Lindsey blew him a kiss which he caught and put in his pocket. He kissed her on top of her head. "Don't grow up too fast, Linds," he whispered.

She laughed and waved him off. "Until you can't pick me up anymore," she promised in her own little way.

Catherine watched the exchange fondly. "Lindsey, it's getting late and you need to get in bed. Warrick, weren't you leaving."

Warrick jerked his head at her. "I see how it is," he said, winking at Lindsey.

Catherine rolled her eyes. "You're keeping my child awake! Lindsey stop laughing and give me a kiss!" While she was hugging her daughter, Warrick waved and let himself out.

"You are one of a kind baby," Catherine whispered to her daughter as she kissed her.

"I know," Lindsey said cheekily.

Catherine shook her head and sat back. Her baby was growing up!

END

A/N-So this is going to be a series of firsts for Lindsey. There will definitely be some Warrick/Catherine romance...Lindsey's first school dance is next!