(function ($) {
    $.fn.cross = function (options) {
        return this.each(function (i) { 
            // cache the copy of jQuery(this) - the start image
            var $$ = $(this);
            
            // get the target from the backgroundImage + regexp
            var target = $$.css('backgroundImage').replace(/^url|[\(\)'"]/g, '');

            // nice long chain: wrap img element in span
            $$.wrap('<span style="position: relative;"></span>')
                // change selector to parent - i.e. newly created span
                .parent()
                // prepend a new image inside the span
                .prepend('<img>')
                // change the selector to the newly created image
                .find(':first-child')
                // set the image to the target
                .attr('src', target);

            // the CSS styling of the start image needs to be handled
            // differently for different browsers
            if ($.browser.mozilla) {
                $$.css({
                    'position' : 'absolute', 
                    'left' : 0,
                    'background' : '',
                    'top' : this.offsetTop
                });                      
            } else if ($.browser.msie || ($.browser.opera && $.browser.version < 9.5)) {
                // Browser sniffing is bad - however opera < 9.5 has a render bug 
                // so this is required to get around it we can't apply the 'top' : 0 
                // separately because Mozilla strips the style set originally somehow...                    
                $$.css({
                    'position' : 'absolute', 
                    'left' : 0,
                    'background' : '',
                    'top' : "0"
                });    
            } else { // Safari
                $$.css({
                    'position' : 'absolute', 
                    'left' : 0,
                    'background' : ''
                });
            }

            // similar effect as single image technique, except using .animate 
            // which will handle the fading up from the right opacity for us
            $$.hover(function () {
                $$.stop().animate({
                    opacity: 0
                }, 250);
            }, function () {
                $$.stop().animate({
                    opacity: 1
                }, 250);
            });
        });
    };
    
})(jQuery);