Friends is one of the best shows to ever portray friendship at its finest and at its worst. Friendships have their ups and downs, but they can mean the world. We all need support or someone to see a movie with or just laugh with. It's the simple things that make life a little easier, especially when you have a rough day it's nice to sit back, relax and watch some TV with your bestie.
Monica (Courteney Cox) and Rachel (Jennifer Aniston) have had the longest friendship of anyone else on the show, and have gone through so much together over the years. In all that time, we're narrowing down the 5 best things Monica's done for Rachel - and the 5 best things Rachel's done for Monica.
Rachel: Allows Monica To Date Chip
When Monica runs into Chip from high school and he asks her out, she's thrilled at the chance of reliving the high school fantasy she never had. Rachel is initially angered by this, considering Chip left her back in high school to be with another girl.
When Monica emphasizes how much it means to her to get to be the popular girl and have the chance to date Chip after so many years, Rachel understands and gives her blessing. Unfortunately, Monica gets the actual Chip from high school, as he's obviously failed to mature or do anything with his life, and Rachel commiserates with her.
Monica: Threw Rachel A Birthday Bash
Back in Season 2, Monica throws Rachel an awesome birthday bash. The problem is both of Rachel's parents, who are in the midst of a nasty divorce, show up. Forced to make one party into two, Monica does her best to keep the fun going and to help keep Rachel's parents apart to make things easier on Rachel.
Unfortunately, it's Joey's and Chandler's apartment that gets more of the party fun, but Monica's efforts are noteworthy, and all the careful and detailed planning show how much she cares about Rachel.
Rachel: Tried To Teach Monica How To Be Sexy
In a flashback Thanksgiving episode, Rachel tries to teach Monica to be sexy by utilizing the things around her. Rachel demonstrates with a towel successfully, but Monica can't quite recreate the sexiness.
Her whole point of being sexy was to make Chandler regret ever calling her fat, but instead of being sexy, Monica gets a little homicidal by accidentally dropping a knife and causing Chandler to lose part of his toe. Being sexy isn't as easy as Rachel makes it look.
Monica: Commits Insurance Fraud For Rachel
When Rachel is injured while taking down Christmas lights, Monica takes her to the hospital, only to discover Rachel has no insurance to pay for X-rays or anything else she may need. Rachel convinces Monica to let her use Monica's insurance, to which Monica agrees, albeit reluctantly.
Still, insurance fraud was a huge risk to take for her friend. It may lead to them fighting over doctors and Rachel just agreeing to pay the fees out of pocket, but the fact that Monica committed fraud at all proves how much her friendship with Rachel means to her.
Rachel: Friends With Monica In High School
We all know how high school was for Monica, and it certainly wasn't Heaven on Earth. Monica was overweight and had little friends. The fact that Rachel stuck by her and was her best friend for so many years really says something about Rachel's character.
She may be selfish and spoiled at times, but she really cares for her friends and doesn't abandon people. Most of all, she gave Monica a friend she could rely on.
Monica: Reassures Rachel That Nothing Can Take Her Away
When Rachel is struggling with Ross dating Julie, she feels Julie is also taking Monica away from her and freaks out. Especially when she learns that Monica went shopping with Julie at Bloomingdale's, one of the places Rachel loves most. The two share a tearful embrace in Central Perk as Monica promises that nothing could take her away from Rachel because they're more than friends.
They're sisters, they're family, and nothing and no one can change that. If you have someone you love like Rachel and Monica love each other, you were definitely crying at that moment too.
Rachel: Protected Monica From A Yeti
Okay, not an actual Yeti but a shaggy man named Danny. Still, she and Monica were in a dark storage room, a strange hairy man holding up what could be an ax towards them. Rachel freaks out for a moment but reaches for the bug bomb in the box Monica's holding and sets it off, ensuring a fogged escape for them both.
Rachel's quick thinking got them out of a scary situation. Even if they were never in any real danger, they didn't know it at the time. If they're ever in real peril, Monica can count on Rachel to protect her.
Monica: Lets Rachel Use The Name 'Emma'
When Rachel gives birth to her daughter, she's unsure of what to name her. Every name makes her sad, as she feels it doesn't suit her baby. Monica reveals the names she's long picked out for her future children, and of course, when she says the name 'Emma' for a girl, Rachel immediately wants it.
It only takes Monica a second to think it over before she says Rachel can use it. As Monica puts it, she loves the name, but she loves Rachel more.
Rachel: Trusts Monica To Take Care Of Emma
If something were to ever happen to Rachel and Ross, the two decide to leave Emma in the care of Monica and Chandler. The fact that Rachel wants Monica to care for her precious daughter attests to the strength of their friendship and how much Rachel really trusts her. The episode doesn't take the seriousness of this responsibility into account, as it gets sidelined by the fact that Chandler is upset that he isn't as trusted to care for Emma as much as Monica is, but still.
Monica would care for Emma like her own if God forbid something happened to Rachel and Ross, and Rachel leaving Emma to Monica is the best show of trust she could ever give Monica.
Monica: Gave Rachel A Place To Live
In the first episode, Rachel has just run out of her wedding and comes to the city in search of Monica. Rachel pretty much invites herself to stay, but Monica takes her in anyway, showing her the ropes of real adulthood that Rachel has had the luxury of skipping out on until that point.
Rachel learns so much about being an adult from Monica - in a way, Monica is the person that really helps Rachel find her way and grow up on her own, believing in her and keeping the faith. This is definitely one of the best things Monica's ever done for Rachel, giving her support when Rachel needed it the most.