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