Board Thread:General Discussion/@comment-33328098-20141011211244/@comment-4975807-20141012041927

Neal had to go back because, unlike Emma, he isn't a savior. She is an exception to the undoing of the curse's effects, which is to return to where she originated from (the EF) because of her status as savior, so she could escape it. Though Neal wasn't affected by the first curse, he had no choice but to go back since the price of undoing Pan's curse was for everyone to return home (to the EF).