Outside the walls of Cary Town Hall, neighbors opposed to a proposed annexation were loud.

But inside the town council meeting, neighbors did not have to say a word. Before the scheduled public hearing on the subject, town council members performed a 180 degree turn.

"I move to abandon the town initiated annexation of the areas currently under consideration," Councilwoman Julie Robison said.

After some discussion about allowing the public to speak, Robison and her six colleagues unanimously passed the motion and ended a heated debate to expand the reach of Cary.

When council members did open the floor to the public, the scheduled tongue lashing turned into Valentine's Day kisses, with people coming forward to thank council members for their decision.

In the end, the signs and the protests helped change the minds of some council members, but so did the actions that were not public.

"[The citizens] have done a terrific job of calling us on the phone, sending us e-mail. We've met with them in small groups. I met with some of them tonight," Councilwoman Gale Adcock said, "We know how they feel."

Council members did not officially take annexation of the table Thursday night, and some neighbors say that's okay as long as the town asks residents first.

"I think Cary's a beautiful town, but the way they're doing this is wrong," protest organizer Erica Winston said.