Ross, Monica's elder brother, who had been in love with Rachel for many years, finally got up the courage to ask if she'd like to go out some time. Rachel said yes, but nothing ever became of it. Nothing happened between Ross and Rachel for a very long time. Ross pined for her for a year, but even when coaxed by friends Chandler and Joey to just tell her how he felt, Ross remained adamant that Rachel would reject his advances.
Rachel went on to date a number of guys that only made Ross more and more jealous. One was Paulo, but their relationship was mostly sexual, according to Rachel. At the end of Series one, it appeared that Ross had been about to confess his love for Rachel, but he was called away at the last minute. During Rachel's birthday party, Chandler accidently let slip that Ross was in love with Rachel. This shocking revelation caused Rachel to question her feelings for Ross, and in the end she ran to the airport to confront him about it, only to see him walking out with another woman on his arm.
By the end of Series one, Rachel had settled down and made a new life for herself with the help of her friends, particularly Monica. However, the revelation that Ross was seeing another woman, Julie, caused Rachel to become moody and aggresive during Series two. She despised Julie and would talk about her constantly with Monica and Phoebe behind the other woman's back. Finally, Ross found out about Rachel's feelings for him and confronted her. After a heated arguement, Ross stormed out of Central Perk, only to return seconds later and share a passionate kiss with Rachel. This marked the start of their long, turbulent on and off relationship. After this it seemed like they would finally begin their relationship together. However, Chandler and Joey encouraged Ross to make a list of all the good and bad things about Rachel and Julie, as he was torn between the two. Rachel of course found out about the list and refused to speak to Ross. For a while it seemed like Rachel was over Ross, until the night where she and the other friends watched the video of Monica and Rachel's prom, where Rachel's date never showed, and Ross was encouraged to go with her, despite his reluctance. However, at the last minute Rachel's date arrived and they left, leaving Ross heartbroken. This caused Rachel to forgive Ross and the two of them finally started their relationship.
For the rest of Series two and up until mid-way Series three, Ross and Rachel were a very happy couple. Then, the jealousy started involving Rachel and her new work collegue Mark. Rachel had gotten a new job at Bloomingdales and was working with closely Mark, much to Ross's fury. He was also annoyed by the fact that Rachel was working so much that he hardly got to spend time with her. Ross would always try to make a point that he was worried about Rachel's growing friendship with Mark until finally the two had an argument after Ross came unannounced to her office when she was completely stressed out. Rachel said to Ross that maybe they needed to take a break, but neither confirmed that they had officially split up. Ross slept with another woman that same night, and the news quickly spread, and Rachel found out. Heartbroken, Rachel split up with Ross and the two of them were sworn enemies until the Series Three finale, in which the friends went up to stay at a beach house, along with Ross's new girlfriend Bonnie, who used to shave her head but now had a full head of hair. Rachel, clearly not over Ross, began to get jealous of Bonnie and encouraged her to shave her head again. She and Ross kissed one night, meaning that Ross had to chose between Rachel and the newly-bald Bonnie. Ross chose Rachel, who had written up page after page of what she wanted in their relationship and what had already happened between them. Ross, of course, didn't read it and fell asleep. However, after having the fact that he cheated constantly rubbed in his face by Rachel, he finally lost it and said the ever immortal phrase that would go onto be one of the most frequently used quotes on the show - "WE WERE ON A BREAK!"
Ross and Rachel were not a couple again after that until the end of the show. Rachel instead fell for another man, Joshua, whom she met after being demoted at her job in Bloomingdales. She and Joshua did go out for a while, however when Ross announced that he was engaged to new girlfriend Emily, Rachel became jealous and suggested to Joshua that they get married too, which scared him away. Feeling that it would be too hard to watch her ex-boyfriend get married, Rachel decided not to attend the wedding and instead stayed in New York with Phoebe, who was pregnant with her brother's triplets and unable to fly. After the other friends left for London, Rachel announced to Phoebe that she was going too, in a desperate attempt to explain her feelings to Ross before it was too late. Phoebe tried to discourage her but Rachel was adamant that he would feel the same. However, on arrival she had a change of heart and watched the wedding, only to hear Ross say her name instead of Emily's at the altar, during a cliff-hanger season finale.
Ross and Emily were over before Series five had really begun. Rachel confessed to Ross that she was still in love with him but he didn't return her feelings. The two went on as friends after that. Rachel got a new job at Ralph Lauren. During a trip to Vegas, Ross and Rachel, stuck in their hotel room, got very drunk and accidently got married. Ross, not wanting to have three failed marriages, lied to Rachel and told her that they were no longer a married couple. However, it seemed that he still had romantic feelings for Rachel. However, Rachel soon discovered that Ross had failed to get an annulment and was furious. It was a definite blow to their relationship.
In Series 7, Rachel continued to live with Joey and was eventually chosen to be Monica's maid of honour. At the wedding, it was implied in a shock cliff-hanger that Rachel was pregnant, and not Monica, whom Phoebe had believed as the one who was with child. The baby turned out to be Ross's, as Rachel had had a one night stand with him.
In Series Eight, Rachel discovered that Joey had fallen in love with her after the two went on an unofficial date. He suggested that Rachel move in with Ross, so that he would be able to help when the baby arrived. When Joey finally revealed his feelings, Rachel politely rejected them and the two were awkward around each other for a while, before things finally settled back to normal.
Whilst in hospital giving birth to her baby, Rachel thought that Joey proposed to her, when in actual fact he was simply picking up Ross's ring from the ground. She said yes, even though she didn't really want to get married to Joey. Joey later told a shocked Rachel that he hadn't meant to propose and that the ring was Ross'.
Rachel and Ross continued to live together with the baby, whom Rachel named Emma, before Rachel moved out after living with Ross became too much. However, they continued to raise Emma together, even though they were not a couple.
In Series ten, Rachel announced that she had gotten a job offer, but the job was in Paris, much to Ross's shock. He did everything he could to get her to stay, until he saw how happy she was at the prospect of working in Paris and decided to let her go. However, in the Series finale and the very last episode of the show, Ross realized he loved her and went with Phoebe to the airport in an attempt to catch up with her. Rachel rejected him, then realized that she loved him too and returned to the apartment. The two embraced passionately, and were finally a real couple at last.
Since the end of the show, it has been implied in the show Joey that Rachel and Ross got married and settled down
