No. This difference in the clocks will remain even if you could somehow slow down the photon without it being absorbed. This is why if you sync two atomic clock

No. This difference in the clocks will remain even if you could somehow slow down the photon without it being absorbed. This is why if you sync two atomic clocks, bring one atomic clock up to orbiting speed (such as on a gps satellite), then decelerate it and return it to earth the clocks will still read different numbers. Which is why if you could accelerate yourself to say 90% the speed of light, then decelerate and return to earth, you would have essentially traveled into the future and outlived everyone you ever knew.