Home is where the heart is.
He only learned the expression when he arrived in this land.
He took it for granted for the first few years of his life until selfishness and cowardice took it away.
He had it fleetingly briefly with the Darlings until selflessness and bravery took it away.
He almost had it with Hook until again selfishness and cowardice took it away.
He then wandered aimlessly for years without the hope of finding home until he met a soul friend, another lost child. A child who got abandoned so often that she lost hope of ever finding one in such a tender age. They took to each other the instant they met in the yellow bug.
As Baelfire, he always hoped to find a home until it was taken cruelly away from him. As Neal Cassidy, now he fully understood the expression when found his home in Emma Swan. He made his own home and would fiercely protect it with all his might.