Oh please, we know he's not REALLY dead. Any time this happens in a manga.. the person whose dead is just letting it -seem- that way to draw out the enemy
@xeredge, I gather he treated her badly the first go round, and was falling in love with her towards the end.
So, when he found her dying he sent them both back a year for a second chance
I know you've claimed that Charlotte is your main story, however i hope you don't allow this to fall to the wayside. It's quite refreshing to see this sort of manga focusing on friendship and family first!~