(function ($) {

        $.fn.cross = function (options) {
            return this.each(function (i) { 
                var $$ = $(this);
                
                var target = $$.css('backgroundImage').replace(/^url|[\(\)'"]/g, '');

                $$.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) {
                    $$.css({
                        'position' : 'absolute', 
                        'left' : 0,
                        'background' : '',
                        'top' : this.offsetTop
                    });
                } else if ($.browser.msie) {
                    $$.css({
                        'position' : 'absolute', 
                        'left' : 0,
                        'background' : '',
                        'bottom' : this.offsetTop
                    });
                 } else if ($.browser.opera && $.browser.version < 9.5) {
               
                    $$.css({
                        'position' : 'absolute', 
                        'left' : 0,
                        'background' : '',
                        'top' : "0"
                    });
                } else { // Safari
                    $$.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
                    }, 550);
                }, function () {
                    $$.stop().animate({
                        opacity: 1
                    }, 550);
                });
            });
        };
        
    })(jQuery);