~STORY LINE~
Rachel debuts in the pilot episode of Friends as a runaway bride who is distraught after abandoning her fiancé Barry Farber at the altar. She locates her high school best friend Monica Geller, the only person she knows in New York City, who agrees to let Rachel reside with her while she attempts to reorganize her life. Rachel meets and befriends Monica’s friends Phoebe Buffay, Joey Tribbiani, and Chandler Bing, while reuniting with Monica's older brother Ross Geller, who has harbored unrequited romantic feelings for her since high school. Having previously relied on her parents' money her entire life with a sole goal of marrying wealthy, Rachel attempts to reinvent herself as an independent young woman by waitressing at Central Perk, a coffeehouse where her new friends regularly socialize.
As season one concludes, Rachel finally confesses her love for Ross, having learned of his feelings for her from Chandler, only to find that he has already begun dating another woman, whom she resents. However, Ross eventually chooses Rachel over his girlfriend Julie, and the couple dates for the remainder of the second season. However, their relationship rapidly begins to deteriorate towards the end of the third season after Rachel quits her job at the coffeehouse in favor of working in fashion. While Rachel becomes increasingly preoccupied with her new job, Ross grows jealous of her companionship with her coworker Mark, ultimately culminating in their break up on their one-year anniversary following a series of heated arguments and disagreements.
In the episodes following the break up, Rachel and Ross are initially hostile towards each other. The exes continue to harbor feelings for each other. During a beach house vacation with their friends, Rachel and Ross briefly reconcile when he ends his relationship with Bonnie, only to break up once again due to a disagreement. During season four, Rachel dates her customer Joshua, while Ross dates her boss' niece Emily, to whom he eventually gets engaged. Competitively, Rachel proposes to recent divorcee Joshua, frightening him off. Rachel indirectly contributes to the demise of Ross and Emily's relationship when he accidentally utters Rachel's name while exchanging their wedding vows. Ross ultimately divorces a jealous Emily, choosing his friendship with Rachel instead.
At the end of season five, Ross and Rachel drunkenly get married while vacationing with their friends in Las Vegas. In season six, their annulment request is denied because of Rachel having leveled unfounded allegations against Ross, forcing the two to file for a divorce instead. In season seven, Ross and Rachel unwittingly conceive a child when their birth control fails. Rachel gives birth to a girl in season eight, naming the baby Emma Geller-Green; the name Emma is a gift from Monica, who had previously been reserving the name for her own child. Rachel and Ross live together as non-romantic roommates during the first half of season nine.
Rachel eventually finds a job opportunity in France, but has second thoughts when Ross eventually forfeits stubbornness and says "I love you". Rachel ultimately decides to stay and reignite her relationship with Ross, getting off the plane at the last minute.
