6An Aberrant Berth
It looks as though he will be staying in Storybrooke for a while, at least until the latest crisis passes. Being completely honest with himself he realizes he accepts that this is where he belongs for now. And not just because he has nowhere else to go and no ship to get him there. And not just because the Crocodile is here too. Perhaps he can serve as the hero again and the lass will smile at him. It's deplorable really when he thinks of Pan's words when they were saving Henry in Neverland and he was trying to be someone for someone suddenly special. Pan had told him she would never consider him, after all, he was a one handed pirate with a drinking problem. Is a one handed pirate with a drinking problem. He's working on it, the drinking anyway. He can't afford to live in a hangover when there is a snow monster hunting in his town.
His town, odd to look at it that way. But it is. The business matters of life are pressing right now even as he wonders about the lass avoiding him and determines he needs to find her and ask her about it. He also needs to find a place to live and a means to get by in this new world. He was only able to take a knapsack of clothes, some gold and a few mementoes from the Jolly Roger before he gave it up in exchange for the magic bean. Three hundred years well lived and he has one burlap bag to show for it. Can't be helped. He lost the people he loved a long time ago and there is no hope for that. There is hope he will get his ship back, that hope he will never give up.
Fortunately the nuns were commissioned by someone in the town to assist the few less prepared citizens with the transition to modern day Storybrooke. Most of the townspeople had already been here, whether they remembered it or not and they were all situated. He was at a disadvantage in that regard, not being familiar with twenty first century contrivances. Once he made his way to them he found they were quite helpful, as nuns tend to be, though fairies only when they want. He left them carrying a small lacquered paper called a driver's license and a small book called passport because apparently not only was he not from Storybrooke, he was not from the United States of America. There is something about the designation 'United States' that is comforting as though people came together in this place to affiliate. Maybe that is what he is trying to do himself.
Someone called a realtor took him to a small cottage on a slope some meters from the ocean. He had asked if there was a dwelling near the ocean and on his own, not in one of those buildings like where the Charmings are, with shared walls and neighbors. There are only a few neighbors he would be interested in and one of them is avoiding him. Having his own place will be peaceful. He is still close enough to town to play the hero and he plans only to sleep in this cottage. It is a sweet enough place, the wood floors remind him of the Roger. A little effort and polish will have them smooth and shining in no time. There is a square of some hard brick like stone out back where he can sit and survey the sea. The rocks leading to the water look treacherous but it's nothing he can't handle.
It is more challenging to make determinations regarding food in this realm. Some of the meat is not recognizable or the methods of preparing it for consumption are unfamiliar. The beef jerky is very reminiscent of dried meat carried on board his ship so that will work for now until he bothers with the stove or the oven. It is a little bit of contentment that he has gotten this done so far, and certainly it is more acceptable than the wallpaper at Granny's.
The next endeavor is to obtain employment so that he can gather the paper used in lieu of gold. He will run out of gold anyway so the paper will be necessary. He's never had to consider this before. He went from the Royal Navy to pirate captain. There was a brief period where he was a pirate on land and he and Smee stopped travelers for their gold and valuables. Then he got his ship back from that miserable wretch BlackBeard and then he lost his ship again. That was his choice though, he knew he had to find the Savior and he was honored to be selected for the undertaking. Regrettably no one believes how or why he came by that mission but it is a matter of personal pride that he did bring Emma back to Storybrooke and assisted with the end of the Wicked Witch. Now that he is thinking about that he is thinking again of kissing Emma outside Granny's and how he would remain in Storybrooke regardless of his ship for another opportunity for her kiss. Employment first. The lass wants to avoid him, he will allow a few days. As long as he is not needed today to defend the good people of Storybrooke. There must be something for him at the marina in the next town. He puts on the peculiar shirt and jacket the nuns helped him with, he gloves his hook and he is off to a new dock for a new experience.