Season nine begins with Ross and Rachel living together as roommates with baby Emma. Monica and Chandler decide to have a child themselves but discover that they are unlikely to conceive. Phoebe begins dating Mike Hannigan (Paul Rudd), and chooses to be with him over her ex David (Hank Azaria). Rachel and Emma move in with Joey in the middle of the season, and Rachel develops romantic feelings...

Season nine begins with Ross and Rachel living together as roommates with baby Emma. Monica and Chandler decide to have a child themselves but discover that they are unlikely to conceive. Phoebe begins dating Mike Hannigan (Paul Rudd), and chooses to be with him over her ex David (Hank Azaria). Rachel and Emma move in with Joey in the middle of the season, and Rachel develops romantic feelings for him. The group travels to Barbados in the finale to hear Ross give a keynote speech at a paleontology conference. Joey and his girlfriend Charlie (Aisha Tyler) break up, and she begins a relationship with Ross. Joey and Rachel's feelings for each other return, and the finale ends with them kissing. In the episode "The One in Barbados (1)" a reference is made toward Britney Spears in a scene where Ross asks Joey about his conference.