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If the close button had an 'onclick="javascript:history.back()"' attached to it, we wouldn't have this problem :)

[We can argue the pureness of the demo after that till the end of time though.]

Another option, without the need for javascript would be to use the hover pseudo-class to display images instead of an anchor link.

I would guess it'll be ridiculously inconvenient if simply mousing over the images turned them modal with 2 second transitions.